DIY: Maxi Halter dress to a Skirt with Matching Scrunchie!
Jason and I bought a house over 3 years ago and while home-ownership is great, we lack adequate storage and closet space. Space is something we are always looking for new ways to gain more of. The one advantage to the limited space is that it gives me the perfect excuse to finally give my closet a real cleaning.
During the cleaning process I devised a “system” of organization that included a donation pile and an “to be decided” pile. The first pile was a simple donation to our local organizations, but the second pile involved “sub” piles. One of the “sub-piles” was a “up-cycled” pile. The “Up-cycled” pile consists of clothes that are good and salvageable, but need a minor (or major) change to make it wearable. The clothes sits in a pile and whenever I get in a sewing mode I go to that pile and choose a project.
One of the items I wanted to up-cycle into something wearable was a long halter maxi dress. I have owned this dress for about 7 years but have never been comfortable with the halter top. I actually would tuck in the halter and wear the dress as a skirt! I have always loved the length and the way that it moves when I walk. It is one of the more comfortable dresses I own and it made me sad that I could not wear it comfortably.
I decided the best way to preserve the seams was to remove the halter but keep the frame of the skirt. It took me about 45 minutes to rip apart the seams and making sure I was only removing the top, but what remained were two separate part of the once one piece dress.
After I removed the halter I needed a new elastic waist, so I folded the existing hem over about 1.75 inches and created a casing for my new elastic (I used “no fold 1/2 inch elastic”). This was simple, and I think the easiest way to accomplish a new waist.
I noticed I still had the halter top’s fabric and instead of saving it, I cut it down and made a odd shape that was meant to be a rectangle. I then folded it over, turned it inside out and added my elastic. Once I turned the fabric right sides out, I closed the opening by lining up the fabrics patterns and making it look like once piece of fabric.
What resulted was a skirt that is comfortable and a scrunchie that matches. I love this new life I gave this dress! I love that it is wearable now and I can enjoy it on adventures, instead of it just being in a pile!
Any questions? Comment below.