Easy Dress to Skirt Refashion

I’ve spent way too many hours going through the kids’ closets over the past few months. I took a lot of it to a consignment sale, but I hung on to a few things to refashion. Turning dresses to skirts is one of my favorite ways to extend my daughter’s wardrobe. She has several dresses that were her favorites- or ones that had spots on them that I couldn’t sell. With just a few hours of work on an easy dress to skirt refashion, she has new things in her closet for no cost to me other than time.

Begin by cutting the dress in the middle. If there are buttons in the back, cut under the buttons. Be sure to use the finished hem- it saves a ton of work! My dress was lined, so I placed pins around the dress so that the lining and the dress would stay together. Measure your little one before cutting. Add 1.5 inches to the length that you want. The extra is for the elastic waist.

With skirt wrong side out, fold under an inch and pin. Fold under the raw edge and pin.

Sew along the folded edge, leaving a two inch opening for the elastic.

Measure the child’s waist. Add an inch and cut a piece of 3/4″ elastic this length. Using a safety pin, thread the elastic through the opening around the waistband. Overlap the elastic and sew it together.

Insert the elastic all the way inside the waistband. Pin the skirt fabric over the elastic and sew the opening closed.

This simple beginner sewing project is best with dresses one size down, like if your child is in a 4T then use a 3T dress. Easy, right?