WHITE EMBROIDERED SPRING DRESS REFASHION

Spring, spring, glorious spring. I feel like both my mood and my productivity directly correlate with the temperature outside haha. Spring just gives me an extra pep in my step. All the blossoms, the returning green, the sunshine... it's all so happy + beautiful and makes me want to create pretty things. :)

I found this white embroidered XXL maxi dress at the thrift store and felt like I had hit the jackpot. The detail at the neck and hem was so beautiful. The perfect details to work with for creating something new.  Pro tip-- when digging through thrift stores searching for things to refashion, look for details- special, unique little features of clothing items that you can
use in your new design -- things like texture, ruffles, pleats, embroidery, cutouts, intricate necklines, trims, lace, etc. etc. These are GOLD for refashions and really add to the final product. These things not only add one-of-a-kind...ness to your project, but can also help keep it from looking homemade.

A couple of my go to's for refashioning are changing the sleeves and the hem. Those two simple, quick changes can change the entire look. In this case, I went for a cut just above the knee and a little ruffled sleeve, which is all over this spring. I love the ease of this dress. I feel like I should be wearing it to walk in a pretty garden or greenhouse... or out to a nice, cute brunch. It's simple but detailed. And the white is just so feminine. Love it.

What are your favorite trends, details, shapes, colors for Spring?

** Read below for the tutorial **

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Step 1.

Cut the bottom of the dress off, 2 inches below desired finished length. 

Step 2. 

Turn dress inside out, fold up bottom twice, iron, and hem to desired length. 

Step 3. 

Take the bottom portion you cut off of the original dress and lay flat, two layers thick (make sure that if you have some kind of embroidered pattern like I did, that they match up). Cut out sleeve shape (Grab a top or dress from your closet with the desired sleeve shape). *Tip!* Always practice with some scrap fabric first when it comes to sleeves! They can be tricky. 

Step 4. 

Lay sleeve center point on the shoulder seam, right side down. Pin around sleeve hole. Sew to attach. Repeat with other sleeve. Unfold and press.

Step 5. 

Using ruffled trim or ruffle you create yourself, lay it at bottom of sleeve hole and attach. Repeat for second sleeve.

And, you're done!