DIY Puff sleeve dress - Refashion Men's Shirt into puff sleeve dress - How to make Square neck dress
DIY Puff sleeve dress
Hi everyone!
I’m a big fan of giving old clothes a new lease on life. In this DIY project, we’re transforming an old men’s shirt into puff sleeve dress with a trendy square neckline.
Creating this dress involves some pattern making, so there are quite a few steps to follow. But don’t worry, I’ve broken down the process into step-by-step tutorial so that you can make one just right for you!
Follow my tutorial below to get started!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Men’s button-down long-sleeve shirt
Fabric scissors
Seam ripper
Tape measure
Chalk
Sewing machine
Elastic
Pins
SEWING THE DRESS
THE PATTERN
Cut the sleeves off of the shirt. Cut as close to the seam as possible.
Then remove the pocket with a seam ripper.
Mark a line at the top of the shirt just under the collar. This will create a square neckline.
Then, mark 13 cm from either side of the center of the button along the line I had already drawn.
Next, mark 5 cm down from the two marks I just made.
Then, measure 9 cm out from each of the last markings and marked it.
Next, mark a straight line from the last mark to the marks at the top of the dress.
From there, mark a line straight down from the last mark all the way to the bottom of the shirt.
Next, measure 5 cm out from the bottom of each of these lines. Then, connect a line from these marks to the top of the shirt.
Then, mark a line across the bottom of the shirt.
Cut along the pattern lines that I had drawn.
THE TOP
Unbutton the top button of the shirt and fold it down twice on the backside. This will create a nice hem that will hide where I cut the fabric. Be careful not to accidentally hid the buttonhole.
Repeat this along the backside of the body of the dress. Then, sew it down.
For the rest of the pattern, overlock the edges of the fabric to protect it.
THE SLEEVE
Measure and mark 38 cm from the top edge of the sleeves.
Then, mark a straight line down from there and cut.
Cut along the seam of the sleeve and then cut out the seam entirely. Repeat this process on the other sleeve as well.
Overlock all of the cut ends of the fabric to protect it. This will stop any fraying that may occur.
Then, measure 1.5 cm from the edge of the curved part of the sleeve, folded it over, and pinned it in place. This will be where I’ll thread the elastic through to create the puffed sleeve. Make sure to check that you continue folding over the right amount as you go.
Sew the hem and inserted the elastic. Attach a safety pin to each side of the elastic to make it easier to thread it through while also making sure that the other end doesn’t get lost inside the fabric.
Next, sew the two ends of the elastic to the fabric and cut off the excess elastic. Repeat this process on the other sleeve.
Attach the sleeves to the front and back pieces of the dress with the right sides facing each other.
Turn the dress inside out, with the right sides facing each other. Then, pin the pieces together along the body and sleeves of the dress.
Sew the body and sleeves together. This part is all straight lines, so it’s not difficult to sew it together.
Fold and pin 1.5 cm of fabric at the end of the sleeves. Then, sew it down.
Leave a small space where the seam of the sleeve was to allow me to insert the elastic.
Insert elastic the same way I had for the tops of the sleeves a few steps ago.
THE BOTTOM
Fold over a hem, pin it, and sew it down.
To add some fit to the bust of the dress, I try it on inside out and pin where I need to take it in. Repeat the process on the back of the dress.
Then, measure to make sure that the pins were placed evenly and that I was removing the same amount of fabric on each side.
Mark either side of the fabric that I wanted to sew.
Then, mark the center of those two marks and measure 8 cm up and down from it and mark there as well. This will allow me to make the triangles needed to fit the bust of the dress.
Fold the fabric over itself and emphasize the line that I need to sew. Repeat this process on the other side of the front of the dress, and then on both sides of the back of the dress as well. Then, sew the parts I had marked.
DIY Puff Sleeve Dress
And voila!
Here is the final result - a cute puff sleeve dress, all crafted from a men’s dress shirt! It’s amazing what a bit of creativity and hard work can do, isn’t it?
If you’ve followed along and tried this DIY project, I’d love to hear about your experience. Don’t forget to share your thoughts and your own creations in the comments below.
Until next time, happy sewing!
