Ruffle Shirt to Dress Refashion

A few weeks ago, when my father in law passed away, I was awake early and the kids were still in bed, I took a chance on refashioning a ruffle top shirt I had picked up at the Goodwill outlet. So it was literally less than a $1.00 and when I saw it, I immediately knew I wanted to re-fashion it for Livy.


Here is the original shirt.

I love the blues, browns, and blacks, not to mention the ruffly fabric. I began by deciding I would cut the "top" of the shirt off right under the arms and then leave one of the side seams and cut the other side based on the size I needed.

Then I cut the sleeves off the top piece and measured and cut the sleeves for the dress and attached them. A little elastic at the neck and it was done.

I also took some brown lace and made a sassy little belt. Added a little button to it for flavor...or aka Chrissy Couture.

The ruffle fabric was different to work with. I had never used it before. I kept having to make sure I wasn't catching the ruffle in my machine... so that was a little tedious. I even whipped up a little matching bow by swirling a piece of the ruffle fabric in a circle and glued it to a piece of felt. Button center. Wal-lah. 

Now to try it on the model.

This was one of the first pics because I couldn't get her to stand up. But she looked so darn cute, I couldn't help myself but share.

That's a little better.....uh oh.... we tend to make things a little short. I'm working on that...but it looks like a pair of leggings will be joining this look.

Especially when she likes to show leg so much! (some would say like her momma, but I will plead the 5th on that one;)  haha. :)

Close up of the belt and dress....

It overall wasn't too difficult. It sure beats paying for a yard or so of ruffle fabric. And since it was already a shirt, I didn't have to hem and one side was already done. Just a little elastic neck and re-attaching sleeves.

I am pretty obsessed with how cute it turned out. What do you think?

Stay Calm....and Ruffle it up....