41 comments Make This: The 30 Minute $6 Dress Tutorial
by papernstitch | 41 comments
08/16/11
Guest post by Rachael at Talk 2 the Trees.
The perfect dress is hard to come by. I like my dresses to be cheap, and long enough. (I’m not a fan of super short dresses!) Cheap and long dresses don’t seem to go hand in hand.. so, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself! Here is a tutorial for a simple yet cute dress. It takes about 30 minutes to make and costs much less than most dresses!
Here’s Your Supplies List:
1. First you will need a ribbed tank top. I got mine from Walmart for 2.50. And you could also use a t-shirt. 2. You’ll also need 3 yards of matching fabric. *Clearance section is my favorite. I got three yards for 3.00 total. Quite the steal. 3. Scissors 4. Thread 5. Sewing machine
Here’s How you Make it:
1. Cut the tank top almost in half. This will depend on your bust size, and how short you want your dress as well. The shorter the tank top, the shorter your dress will be.
2. For the bottom part of your dress take the fabric and wrap it around your waist about 1 and a half times, and cut in a straight line. The fabric will come to you already folded, don’t unfold it. This way you have kind of a bubble hem. You don’t need to hem up the bottom at all, and the inside will look like the outside. I never measure, I never use patterns… Sorry if this seems silly!
3. Next you fold your fabric in half. Remember it’s already folded, so you are folding it again, creating a skirt. Sew up the short side. (There will be four layers of fabric that you are sewing.) So, you have kind of a big blocky rectangle skirt.
4. Next open it up and change your sewing machine’s tension so it will create the biggest stitches possible. Instead of sewing a waist band in like a normal skirt, you are just sewing a straight line around the two layers of fabric joining them together (You are sewing the raw edges, not the bubble hem).
5. We are going to create a ruffle. Don’t do a back stitch when you start sewing around the skirt or after. To make the skirt ruffle you hold the thread and scoot the fabric down. Make sure the skirt ruffles are evenly distributed and pretty loose.
6. Next, turn the skirt part inside out so that the raw edges (from when you turned it into that big blocky skirt) are facing out, and put the tank top inside as pictured.
7. Now pin the tank top and the dress together. Once it’s pinned make sure that the tanktop part of the dress folds out to be inside out like the skirt part.
8. Make sure that the tank top park lays flat and the skirt part is ruffled still.
9. Make sure your tension is set back to normal and sew the skirt and the tank top together just under the previous stitches.
10. Remove the pins and the dress part is done! Now for the sash.
11. Cut a strip out of the left over fabric, about double of how thick you want your sash to bed. Fold it in half long ways so that the printed side is facing in. And sew up the sides.
12. Turn it right side out and finish up the edges, and you are done! The sash is not actually sewn onto the dress, it’s removable and is just tied in the back. You could always use a regular belt or another coordinating fabric for the belt!
Here’s the tutorial in pictures…
Believe it or not, this dress only took about 30 minutes to make. And get ready for this… It cost about $6 total! If you are looking for a budget dress that you can make on your own, this is it.
About the author. My name is Rachael, I’m an artist, creator and blogger living in Utah. I have two silly puppies and a lot of creative projects cluttering up my house. I love a good adventure, and I love to document my explorations through various art forms. Follow my adventures at Talk2thetrees.blogspot.com.
This entry is filed under budget dress, cheap and chic dress, cheap dress, how to make a quick and easy dress, make a dress for less than $10.
I love it!!
Naomi commented on August 16th, 2011 at 2:10 pmNaomi recently posted..Peach Papaya and Ginger Crumble
Awesome Naomi. I love it too. Rachael is definitely a talent behind the sewing machine. Thanks for stopping by!
papernstitch commented on August 16th, 2011 at 2:12 pm-Brittni
Hmmm…this is nice and has got me thinking- I bet this could be done with a variety of shirts!
Jordan commented on August 16th, 2011 at 7:47 pmHow do you put it on? I have a few more curves and think it might be a tight fit over some areas with the waist. Maybe elastic to keep the gathers and be able to stretch a bit.
Oh wow, this is a really awesome idea! And so easy!
Julia @ Boredom Abounds commented on August 16th, 2011 at 11:31 pmJulia @ Boredom Abounds recently posted..Gadding About – Daylesford
Love the way you think. I would only change the wording in step 4 – change the stitch length (to bigger) instead of the tension. Called a basting stitch and commonly used to create gathers.
SueF commented on August 24th, 2011 at 3:53 pmI try to avoid messing with the tension.
Sew on girl.
sue
whaaaaaaaaaat?! this is AMAZING!!!! what an awesome project! i wish i had a sewing machine to try it myself!!!
erin * sparkle & hay commented on August 26th, 2011 at 11:36 amerin * sparkle & hay recently posted..Comment on Thursday Purseday: BCBG Max Azria Feather Clutch from Nordstrom by Laura
beautiful and simply! I love it!
elle commented on October 23rd, 2011 at 6:44 amelle recently posted..water’s creatures for halloween
Really cute Naomi… lovely work.
Ramya commented on January 2nd, 2012 at 12:06 amI love this dress it was so easy to make like you said, I think ill have to make a few different ones in various colors, lol. Thank you for posting this it was a great help!
Shayla commented on January 10th, 2012 at 10:23 pmOMG I LOVE IT im going to try and hand sewit with out the ruffle (they dont look so hot on big birls)
Brontae commented on January 16th, 2012 at 11:24 pmYeah…I’d do that.
Nick commented on January 21st, 2012 at 8:50 pmThat girl is even cuter!
Jonathan commented on January 23rd, 2012 at 9:38 pmi might do this though just to do it. i’ve been meaning to learn to sew, it would be a fun project for my mom and me.
i’ve already made six of these dresses…all sorts of color combinations..they are adorable with slouch socks and sneakers, or sandals..or high heels !! so cute !!
susie commented on January 27th, 2012 at 5:50 pmand SO easy to make !
Wow, this is amazing! I’ll definitely try this out when I have the chance.
Evelina commented on February 3rd, 2012 at 1:36 pmIm 53 yrs old and I could wear this! You are very crafty this is great little dress keep posting your ideas they are wonderful
Kym commented on February 8th, 2012 at 4:48 pmMy best friend pinned this on Pinterest and . . . !!! This might be the thing that will make me get out my sewing machine for the first time since moving to NYC 6 and a half years ago. You are a GENIUS.
Unapologetically Mundane commented on February 15th, 2012 at 12:21 pmI made a couple of these for a friend and one for me …so far! Love them and easy – no matter your size or shape!
You can use a variety of “t-shirts” – that helps give them a little give and take – comfort!
AND don’t toss the bottom you cut off the shirt – make a matching t-shirt scarf! Lots of patterns for these on Pinterest and other sites! Fast, easy and fun!
Diane commented on February 15th, 2012 at 7:36 pmSo cute….just wish I could sew ;-(
Julie G. commented on February 21st, 2012 at 5:56 pmI had trouble when making this, because the skirt piece pulled down on my shirt piece giving it a stretched look that was unappealing. How do I fix that?
Danielle commented on March 9th, 2012 at 3:43 pmHow do you get it on?!?! I made it all and was so pleased then burst through all the stitches trying to put it down over my head.
Emily commented on March 11th, 2012 at 1:55 pmCLEVER ALERT. The 30 Minute $6 Dress Tutorial: http://t.co/dvZDw4AG
ninandjuice (@ninandjuice) commented on March 12th, 2012 at 4:33 amLadies, can’t find a dress you like? You could make one yourself. http://t.co/re9Eevpk
Michelle Funderburg (@sensei7) commented on March 17th, 2012 at 12:10 pmFor the sewing inclined – a 30 minute $6 dress. Simple & fast. http://t.co/n39UFleo #sewing #crafts
Wildly Romantic (@LovesDreams) commented on March 18th, 2012 at 11:27 amLove your dresses. I learned a trick for those of you who might have a few more curves. I made a similar dress but used elastic thread in the bobbin when I attached the skirt to the tanktop. It gathers it as you see and gives it more stretch, making it easier to put on.
Julie Williams commented on March 22nd, 2012 at 3:05 pmThis is a really great Idea!! I think i’m going to try and put an elastic in the waist band to make it a maternity shirt/dress! This is super cute! Thanks!!
Danielle commented on April 12th, 2012 at 11:25 amDanielle recently posted..Dipped and Dyed
This was a great idea, i just made one of these for my daughter out of one of her old t-shirts. Turned out great
Amber commented on April 13th, 2012 at 6:45 pmBeautiful dress! It’s quite amazing to make it ready in just $6. Thanks for sharing…
Anand Mistry commented on April 14th, 2012 at 7:23 amAnand Mistry recently posted..How to buy sewing machine?
Wow! Awesome and easy! I absolutely love tutorials that are simple and use inexpensive materials! Keep up the great work!
missyr333 commented on April 20th, 2012 at 10:49 pmI’ve made a couple of these dresses now. I too have a larger bust and found that using a zig-zag stitch rather than a straight stitch when attaching the skirt to the top means there is more than enough give to get it on. One think though is that I don’t know how anyone could possibly make this for $6. At the best of times fabric is at least $8/m plus the top alone is about $6.
Lou commented on April 21st, 2012 at 6:17 amThank you! I’ve got some old tanks, a sewing
Lisa commented on May 26th, 2012 at 8:45 pmMachine that I don’t know how to use and a lot
Of fabric… This will be lots of fun for me and my two
Girls;)
Lou, I’m not sure (based on you using meters in your comment) if you’re in the US, but fabric definitely does not have to cost $8/yd. There are so many fabric store options, both with real storefronts and online, that offer tons of possibilities for under $3.50 per yard on the clearance aisles – sometimes as low as $1 per yard. JoAnn’s Fabrics (can also shop online), Hobby Lobby, onlinefabricstore.com, fabric.com, even Walmart, to name a few. Maybe do a little more searching…
Joy commented on June 27th, 2012 at 1:45 amI have maybe 8 of these now… they are all I wear, and I’m practically famous at the fabric store!
Meghan commented on June 27th, 2012 at 7:45 amEven though I work for McCall Pattern; I think this is a grand idea.
DOnna commented on June 28th, 2012 at 4:28 pmcute!!!! i gotta try, that looks easy enough!
Galy commented on July 13th, 2012 at 1:32 amthanx!!!!!!!
htpp://www.galydichterstyling.com
Maybe some new clothes will chase away those teacher Back to School Blues.
This dress would look really sweet with a little cardigan.
Trina commented on August 12th, 2012 at 12:08 pmTrina recently posted..One More Thing Your Teachers Were (Probably) Wrong About
I just made my second diy dress. But its all sewn by hand. it took me couple of hours to create this dress.. so I’m planning to buy a sewing machine very soon.,
Velle Neis commented on September 7th, 2012 at 12:36 pmWow! That is so awesome! I’m gonna have to try that, especially because I hate using patterns.
Tessi commented on December 5th, 2012 at 5:57 amI am a very curvy women and finding curvy plus vintage dresses is a bit hard for me but I have a TON of vintage fabric, so I am going to make my own! Thanks!
Madelyn commented on February 8th, 2013 at 2:55 pmbrilliant work!!! beautiful and (looks) simple! love it.
monkeycocoa commented on April 18th, 2013 at 4:12 pmmonkeycocoa recently posted..Henry Holland Stars & Stripes USA Tights
[...] The 30 Minute $6 Dress Tutorial – You can use any knit shirt for this, like maybe one that you already have? [...]
23 Free Sewing Tutorials for Women’s Dresses! commented on April 28th, 2013 at 4:40 pmI just about finished my first one of these dresses and managed to do it for just over $10 which is pretty good considering the clearance section of fabrics I went to was nonexistent and I bought more expensive fabric. I did have an issue with the stiches showing a bit where there were slightly bigger ruffles but sewing around the waist a second time fixed it, next time I might try using a smaller stitch but all in all I was thoroughly impressed at how simple it was! Best of all, for once a dress isn’t too short on me!
Kim commented on June 14th, 2013 at 10:46 pm