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How to Make a Dress at Home

With only basic sewing skills, you can make your own dress for a fraction of the cost of purchasing a dress in a store. Use thrift store finds and upcycled options to give your closet some DIY style with a dress you made all for yourself. If you can sew a straight line, you can make a dress using an existing shirt and a little bit of fabric.

Things You'll Need

Fabric, 1.5 to 2 yards
Measuring tape
Scissors
Sewing machine
Thread
Iron
Ironing board
Tank top or T-shirt
Belt

Instructions

- 1
  Measure a length of fabric that is 1.5 times your hip measurement wide. For the length, the fabric should be the measurement from your waist to where you want the hem to fall plus 1.5 inches. Cut the fabric to these measurements.
- 2
  Fold up the bottom hem of the fabric by 1/4 inch and press with an iron, then fold up by 1/4 inch and press again. Sew a straight seam along the fold to secure the bottom hem.
- 3
  Fold the fabric in half with right sides facing, lining up the side edges. Sew a straight seam along this edge, approximately 1/4 inch in from the raw edge. Sew back over the edge with a zigzag stitch to stabilize the seam.
- 4
  Sew a long, straight stitch across the top, unhemmed portion of the skirt. Pull on the strings on the ends of this seam to gather the top of the skirt until it is the same width as the shirt or tank top you will use for the top of your dress.
- 5
  Cut off the bottom of the tank top at your natural waist. Turn the skirt inside out and place the tank top inside of it, lining up the top edge of the skirt with the bottom edge of the tank top and making it so the right sides of the skirt and tank face one another.
- 6
  Sew a straight seam all around the edges of the skirt to attach it to the tank top. Bring the skirt down to its normal position and wear the dress with a belt.

Sewing