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How to Make a Dress From a Tablecloth

People recycle many items that revolve around food. From plastic and paper bags that carry groceries to kitchen scraps such as coffee grounds and banana peels, people recycle the things they use in the kitchen and around the dining room table. If you like to recycle and want to carry that habit one step further, you can save an old tablecloth from the trash can by using the material to create a dress. All you need is a pattern you like and a few sewing supplies.

Things You'll Need

Dress pattern
Tablecloth
Fabric measuring tape
Fabric scissors
Sewing pins
Sewing machine
Thread

Instructions

- 1
  Wash and iron your tablecloth. Lay it flat on a large work surface. Select a dress pattern that you like.
- 2
  Take your bust, hip and waist measurements with a fabric measuring tape if you don't already know what they are. Compare your measurements to the pattern, and cut into the pattern or allow for extra fabric around the waist, hips or bust if needed.
- 3
  Pin the pattern to the tablecloth with sewing pins. Use a pair of fabric scissors to cut the pieces out of your tablecloth that you need for the dress.
- 4
  Pin the front and back of the dress pieces together, inside out, and allowing for a 1/2-inch inseam. Install a color of thread into your sewing machine that matches the base color of your tablecloth fabric. Sew the sides seams together with a zigzag stitch on your sewing machine.
- 5
  Pin the sleeves to the armholes, if your pattern calls for sleeves. Allow for a 1/2-inch inseam, and sew a zigzag stitch with your sewing machine around the armholes to attach the sleeves to the shoulder of the dress.
- 6
  Pin the sleeve ends and neckline under a 1/2-inch, and sew a zigzag stitch around them to finish the neckline and sleeves of the dress. Repeat this process with the bottom hem of the dress to give it a clean edge.
- 7
  Cut off any excess thread ends. Turn the dress right-side out.

Sewing