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Sewing Pattern: Little girl’s dress from dad’s shirt

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shirtdress
I love this little dress so much!  Amazing Mae made it from an old men’s dress shirt.  (The dress shirt was old, not the man! But I digress…)

Read more about the project, and see the dress modeled by its recipient.

Upcycling is a great way to create something new from something old. Not only is it environmentally friendly, but it also allows you to keep memories alive by giving new life to cherished items. This is especially true for clothing items that have sentimental value, like a man’s business-style shirt.

In this sewing tutorial, Amazing Mae shows you how to take a men’s business-style shirt and turn it into a beautiful, lightweight summer dress for a little girl. The process is simple and requires only basic supplies, so you don’t need to rush out and buy anything special. In fact, you can simply use your husband’s closet to find a shirt that will work perfectly.

The transformation from shirt to dress is an amazing one. You’ll be amazed at how easily you can take a piece of clothing that would otherwise be discarded and turn it into a beautiful, comfortable, and stylish dress for your child. The end result is not only a dress that is environmentally friendly but also one that has sentimental value.

When you make a dress out of a shirt that has a stain or tear, you can be proud of the fact that you are upcycling and reducing waste. You’ll also enjoy the satisfaction of having created something new and beautiful from something that was once discarded. In addition to the environmental benefits, making a shirt from dad’s or Grandpa’s old shirt is also a great memory keepsake. This is especially true if you are creating a dress for a little girl who has lost her father or grandfather. She’ll have a beautiful reminder of the person she loves, and she’ll be able to wear it proudly.

Did you know ,  a cotton shirt requires 700 gallons of water to produce. The average American discards around 82 pounds of textile waste every year. 1. Every year, 92 million tons of textile waste are generated. In the last 20 years, the amount of clothing Americans toss away has more than doubled. Approximately 85% of all textiles discarded in the United States – approximately 13 million tonnes in 2017 – are either disposed of in landfills or burnt. According to the US EPA, textile waste accounts for roughly 5% of all landfill area.

Looking for more sewing patterns for Girls’ summer dresses? Check these lovely sewing patterns on Etsy.

Comments

  2. I love all of your stuff, but as a beginner at this, I’m afraid I couldn’t do it?

    Do you know of any beginner sites to help get me started? If so, please feel free to contact me through my [email protected] ANY advise you have, if that’s okay.

    My little girl is 5 and when you go to the store,she ends up wearing the same thing her friends are…she appreciates nice clothes & LOVES dresses; peasant tops,flouncy skirts etc.

    Any reciprocation would be GREATLY appreciated. the all caps were not me screaming-just excited for the (Hopeful) info.

  5. what a great idea im glad to see that im not the only one that uses husbands old shirts to make dresses for my daughter.

  6. Where is the pattern? I love this dress for a little girl want to make it but need instructions….thanks !

  8. This is a great idea. I too would like to get guidance on making and fitting sleeves.
    Thank you.
    Sherry

  9. this is adorable, i would like more information on the steps to began the project…thanks

  10. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the little dress! So glad I seen that show before I took all my husbands shirts to our thrift store in Bridgeton, NJ. Of course I’ll only use the nicer ones for my grandaughter! THANK YOU SO MUCH, Your Biggest Fan for many many years,Lillie DeWitt

  12. Yours is the best dress shirt dress I’ve seen.
    Do you also have a pattern to cover a diaper?

  13. hi, i tried to make this dress but when i got to the sleeve part i got confused, the pattern that you show for it shows 6in. and 10in and then another 6in but then it shows at the bottom of the piece 14in across.so how does 6+10+6 inches equal 14 inches? i don’t sew so im sure it must be something i just don’t understand.could you please explain? thanks corinn

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