Separates From a Dress Part 1

 Hello Readers. While I love dresses, I think separates are usually a lot more versatile. I decided to break this dress up into parts that I could wear in more ways and with many more clothes. 

Before and after.

I took the dress apart with a seam ripper. I wanted to separate the top from the skirt. Today we will focus on the skirt. 

This skirt was really full and long on me and I wanted something a bit simpler. 

I used a skirt I liked s a "pattern". I already had a finished hem so when I cut out my new skirt I only needed extra fabric for the side seams and the waistband. 

I used my serger to sew up the side seams. This was easy. 

I made an elastic waistband with this peach colored elastic. I used a zigzag stitch to connect the ends of the elastic to make a circle. I like elastic because I like to be comfortable and if I gain or lose weight the skirt is still going to fit.

I clipped the waistband in place so it was evenly set in the skirt. The blue line is the front center of the elastic so I knew it needed to be in the center front of the skirt. 

I used my serger to attach the elastic to the right side of the skirt. I made sure the elastic was evenly stretched/spaced along the waistband. 

 

When I flip the elastic up it is a visible elastic waistband. I could leave it like this. 

 

If I turn the elastic in one more time, the elastic is hidden inside the skirt. 

 

Then I used my sewing machine to stitch the elastic and fabric down from the outside of the skirt. I pulled the elastic so that the waistband would be smooth as I stitched. 

 

And that is it. My new skirt is finished. The fabric is so pretty, I am glad I hid the elastic so it didn't distract from the floral design. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.