3 shirts, one super cute dress.

So I'm a day late with this post and it's going to have to come in two parts. Things are so cold here in Virginia that all I want to do is stay under a cover and keep warm.

The black,white, gray and yellow shirt in the background is a shirt of mine that no longer fits me. (All due to my 50lb weight loss, go me). The shirt with the black necklace sew into it is a shirt someone gifted Mackenzie that was too small and didn't have the tags left on so we could return it. The white shirt on the hanger is one of Evan Grace's shirts that still fit her but was getting a little short.

I started with my shirt, the one with the pattern, by cutting the top part of the shirt off, right below the black trim that circled under the bust line. I cut open one side seam on the bottom of the shirt. (Bottom left of the photo, I folded back the shirt where I cut it)

Working with just the bottom part of the shirt, I folded it over vertically once and then cut three long strips  about 3 1/2'' high and 40ish'' long.

Now for Mackenzie's shirt. I need something to sew the three patterned strips too so I laid my strips on top of her shirt about where I wanted to sew them and added two inches and cut across Mackenzie's shirt.

 

I hemmed one long edge of each strip by turning under 1/4'' and then top stitching. This fabric was almost like a jersey so the cut edges wanted to roll. If you're working with a fabric that doesn't have a stretch or may unravel, turn under 1/4'' on one long edge, press in place with a super hot iron and then turn over 1/4'' AGAIN then stitch in place. This will keep all the loss threads you may get from washing and wearing from happening.

Once the hemming was done, I basted the other long edge of each strip so I could ruffle them. (Yes, of course this dress has ruffles on it, when do I NOT use ruffles? Don't act so surprised)

Once the ruffles were ready, I placed them on the white band of fabric I cut from Mackenzie's shirt. I opted to cut up through one side seam of the white band so that pinning and sewing the ruffles was easier. You can leave this part attached but it'll take a little more work and patience when pinning and sewing.

The first ruffle was sewn on 1'' from the bottom edge of the white fabric of Mackenzie's shirt. Make sure the wrong side of the ruffle is facing the right side of the white band.  The second ruffle was sewn on 3'' above the top of the first ruffle. Here's a really bad picture of the second ruffle.

Now, for the third and last ruffle; I placed it about 2'' from the top of the white fabric, instead of 3'' above the second ruffle. With right sides facing sew your ruffle in upside down. This will make sense in just a second. Once you've sewn it in place, fold the ruffle down over the line you just stitched and then top stitch the ruffle. It adds a nice finished touch for the top of the ruffle that's going to be seen with this pattern of dress.  Here's a picture of the first step to the last ruffle. Upside down and right sides together.  

 Once your ruffles are done you're ready to pin the right side of the very top edge of white fabric (that your ruffles are on) to the wrong side of shirt you're going to attach it too. This shirt came with a curled hem (which I think turned out perfect for the look of this shirt to dress) and it was difficult to pin and sew. Once pinned and you're happy with the placement go ahead and sew it down.

You think we're done right? Well so did I, but I wanted to add something to the front of the shirt to help tie it all together and so that the top didn't look so....well....white.

Here's what I added:

And the tutorial for that (as well as a picture of the entire finished project) will come later. :) (I'm shooting for Friday)