Katie.J.Gibson: Skirt Refashion Tutorial

So, I had an epiphany the other day while doing my usual- sewing whilst listening to my daily TV show line up:

Same guy! I knew I recognized that voice twice in one day!

One day? Yeaaah, both of those shows in one day for me! Here is your chance to make fun of me (as if there wasn't so many other things you could make fun of me for): My lineup.
Mornings: Breakfast, workout, chores (My grandma always told me I can't just sew all day-Gotta Clean house!)
12-2 Greys Anatomy
2-3 Cold Case
3-4 Roseanne
4-4:30 Kind of Queens
4:30-5 OFF to make dinner
5-6 King of Queens
SAD I know. BUT, I vowed at the beginning of the summer (being my first summer off and all), not to ever sit and watch TV all day, gain weight, and be unproductive. During the school year I have all these dreams and visions and no time to do them- summer is my time, yo! So far, so good. Since it seems I will actually have to go back to school (less than a month), it seems I will keep my vow. It might seem like my TV schedule is pathetic, but I really am just keeping current with my curriculum and sewing the. whole. time. AND so far Daniel had lost 12 pounds and I have lost 8. Why do men always prevail? Boo. I don't feel like I've been working out more than I do during school, but I think Zumba finally caught up with me... and I don't have samples of students' baking to eat from the cooking room!
I went to go get my haircut today and stopped in to Goodwill to kill some time. I was disappointed in their selection (but happy I didn't fit into a skirt that is my usual size! Yay!), but found another skirt that wasn't my size either, but definitely makeover prone:

It is a cream polyester-esque material with a black lace overlay.

It was originally from Target and, since I wear a Medium, 3 sizes too big. I saw it a few months ago in Target, so I know it couldn't have been at Goodwill that long. What did I do with it?

I made a dress! I already had this black linen in my scrap bin and black thread, so no additional materials needed. Cost? A whopping $3.49, which was what I paid at Goodwill. So, here is my...

Skirt Refashion Tutorial

First, gather your materials. I used:

Skirt (big enough to fit around my bust)
1/4 yard material for the top
Thread to match

Second, prepare your skirt for it's new life as a shirt or dress. I actually think the back and zipper was really cute exposed, but it had to come off to do what I needed it to. I cut up the length of the skirt in the back on both sides of the zipper to remove it. Then, I cut off the tip elastic band, but left just enough to keep the skirt pleated and intact.

Then, I serged the back together to make a back seam and turn it back into a "tube" of fabric, not one long piece as pictured above. Make sure to remember to sew the fabric right sides together!

Sweet. Now, we can move on to the bodice. I know! These seems scary, but it's really not. Take a shirt you already own and want the same shape to be and lay it down on your bodice fabric. Make sure you cut around the shirt with a margin for a seam allowance. Make a second one, but cut the neck a little lower. The first will be the back and second with be the font.

Put the bodice pieces right sides together and sew the side seams and shoulder seams together, as shown:

Sorry to do this to you again, but go back to the Sleeves to Sleeveless post and read about how to face arm holes and necklines. Once you have that technique down, it goes by so so fast. Face the arm holes and neckline just like the post explains. You will need to measure the circumference of the arms and neckline and cut bias strips that measure than length, plus and inch, and an inch wide. Go get em, and get back!
All we have to do now it attach the dress to the bodice! Place right sides together and pin around the top. Sew and finish to serge the two together.