Vintage Pillow Case Dress

I was minding my own business one day while shopping at a thrift store, when out of nowhere, a pillow case shouted at me from amidst the sheets. It ordered to be taken home and ‘re-purposed’ into something grand. It wanted a second chance on life. I noticed its lovely yellow hue, its vintage pattern, its affordable price and took the stranger home with me.

For 79 cents, the pillow case became mine forever to do with as I pleased…and it pleased me to make a dress out of it.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your very own Vintage Pillow Case Dress:
Extra Long Pillow Case
Scissors
Seam Ripper
Thread to match
Iron & Ironing Board
2” Ribbon-2 feet or more
Tape Measure
Sewing Machine
Straight Pins

First things first, cut the closed end (the bottom) of the pillow case off. This will be the bottom of your dress.

Fold the bottom of your pillow case up to your desired hem length. I chose to have my hem land at the top of my knee, taking it in 4 1/2”.
Iron and pin your hem.

Sew up your hem, using a blind hem stitch. I learned how to do a blind hem stitch by watching you tube videos.
What is this world coming to?

My pillow case had been apparently designed to house one gigantic pillow.
I had excess material and decided to give my dress a pleat down the front, rather than cutting out the excess and installing a zipper.
I measured out 3 1/2” from center on the left and the right, and pinned where I wanted each pleat to begin.

I folded the 3 1/2” of material under on each side and ironed the pleat flat.
Sew your pleat into place.

Using your 2” ribbon, measure an equal distant from the center of the dress on the front and the back and pin a strap on either side of center, approximately 3 1/2”.
I recommend trying your dress on and making sure the ribbon will cover your bra straps and double checking the length is enough to go over your shoulders comfortably. I used Biceps’ help for this one.
Sew your straps into place.

The backside of my dress looked boxy, so I decided to add pleats on the left and right side of my spine.
I measured the center of the back of the dress, and marked about 3 1/2” out on either side.

I started the pleat 4” down from the top of the dress. I began the pleat width at 1/8” and expanded it to be 1/2” at the small of my back, stopping just above my derriere.

Here is the front of my cute little number. And below is the back.

I can’t believe this cost me 79 cents. A girl can’t even get fries for that.

Va-Va-Voom Vintage Tablecloth Dress

Grandma Greiman sent me away from her farm with a trailer full of treasures.
This old tablecloth was barely holding on to its original embroidered flowers and I couldn’t bear to throw it out or tear it up into scraps.
So, why not throw in a scarf for good measure and make a dress?

Scarves have become one of my favorite fabric pieces to re-invent.
They are the perfect material for molding into free-flowing sassy pieces. And boy am I into the sass. You have no idea.

I created my own pattern for this dress by trial and error. (My pattern was made for me, and I am a size two. If you would like to increase the size, a general rule is to add 1/4” all the way around per size increase.)

To Make this Dress, you’ll need:
Four Pattern Pieces (Front Piece #1, Front Piece #2, Back Piece, Middle Piece)
One Large Silk Scarf
Cotton backing fabric the same size as the scarf
Round Tablecloth (mine was 66” in diameter)
20” Zipper
Straight Pins
Scissors
Seam Ripper (If your expertise is anything like mine)
Thread to Match
Sewing Machine

Fold your scarf in half and lay your pattern on top of it. Cut out two ‘back pieces’, two ‘front pieces’ and one middle piece.

Repeat this procedure with the cotton backing fabric.

With the right side of your fabric down, pin the pleats in your two front pieces and iron them flat.
Then pin the two front pieces to your middle piece and sew.
Make sure you sew the neck pieces together as well.

Pin & sew your two ‘back’ pieces to what you had just sewn together.

We are going to repeat this process with your scarf. But since I am a visual learner, I will go ahead and do it all over again for you. With the right side of your scarf fabric down, pin your pleats in the ‘front’ pieces first and iron them flat.
Now, pin your two ‘front’ pieces to your ‘middle’ piece and sew.
Make sure you sew the neck pieces together as well.

Pin & sew your two ‘back’ pieces to what you had just sewn together.
This seems all too familiar….

With right sides of your material together, pin your scarf to your cotton backing material. Sew all of your outside seams together, leaving the bottom open. We will now call this the ‘Top Piece’.

Fold your round tablecloth in half and place it on top of the right side of the material to your Top Piece.
Find the center of your folded tablecloth and pin it to the center of the bottom of your ‘Top Piece’.
Working from the center out, pin the folded tablecloth around the entirety of your top piece. Sew the Top and Bottom pieces together.
I added pleats to my tablecloth ‘Bottom Piece’, just in case I partake of a single scoop of peppermint ice cream in a waffle cone…but you do what you want.

Next comes the zipper. My favorite part. Notice my text is oozing with sarcasm.
I have never liked putting in zippers. I don’t know why…I just don’t.
Anywho…fold the right side of your fabric over a quarter of an inch on your Top Piece and pin your zipper on the inside of the material.
Do NOT fold over your material on your Bottom Piece. Pin the zipper directly to the material, leaving the excess to do as it pleases.
Give your Booty some room to breath by fanning the zipper away from the waist until you reach the end of the zipper on the Bottom Piece. (Mine needed an extra 2” from waist to end of zipper.)
Sew your zipper into place on both sides.

Here is the finished VA-VA-VOOM Vintage Tablecloth Dress.
Mine and the dress’ backside is below.

I can’t wait to wear this little piece out on the town! Now, to convince Biceps we need a night out on the town…..

Vintage Apron Skirt for the Sassy Girl

When life (Grandma) gave me aprons-lots of aprons…
I decided to make a skirt!
And I also believe that my stack of aprons are pro-creating with my original four. I keep finding more. Creepy.
I decided something must be done.
And this skirt popped in my crazy brain while I was sawing today.
This is super easy to make! And because it is a one of a kind, you will never be bummed at another church picnic because you are wearing the same exact thing Sister Susie is wearing.
Oh, isn’t that just the worst?

Here’s what you’ll need:
Iron & & Ironing Board
Scissors
Tape Measure
Seam Ripper
Straight Pins (although mine are a bit curvy)
Thread to match
Three aprons of similar length
Button Covers (if desired), or buttons-cute ones, please!

I chose these three adorable aprons because of the different patterns-gingham, stripes and floral print.
And they were pretty much the same length, too.
I decided that stripey would be my front of the skirt (the apron on the right), floral would go underneath the front as an accent (the apron on the left) and gingham (center apron) would be the back of the skirt.

Using a seam ripper, remove any pockets on the aprons that will be on the back of your skirt or is the accent pattern on your skirt.
Try not to poke your finger. Ouch.

Next, cut the apron strings (tee hee) from the aprons that will be the back of the skirt and the accent pattern. Keep these little suckers for later.

Make sure your apron is good and wrinkly.
Next, measure the center of the apron that will be the front of your skirt. Cut from the bottom of your apron towards the top, stopping at where the waist band is.

After you have made your cut, flip your front over and iron a seam allowance of about 1/4”.

Pin the apron strings that you had cut off of your accent pattern apron to the front of your skirt. Fold a 1/4” under for your seam and iron the strings into place.
Sew your strings to the front of your skirt.

Place the front of your skirt right side down. Center and pin to it, with the right side down, the accent pattern apron. Sew into place.

This is how the front of your skirt should look by now. See the peekaboo accent pattern? Isn’t it precious?
Moving on.

On the right side of the skirt, pin the front of your skirt to the back of your skirt, using a 2” seam allowance. Place a pin 4” below the waistband.
Sew into place, stopping at the 4” pin. Slip on your almost done skirt and pin the left side into place, top to bottom.

Sew from the bottom to the top on the left side of your skirt.

I made my own buttons using the material leftover from the apron strings. But you can use any ol button your heart desires. I made one real button hole on the right side and attached a matching button on the left side of the skirt, just to bring symmetry to the situation.
I also added a hook and eye on my right side, for more concealing power. But you can use a second button, or forgo the whole button thing and throw in a zipper.
Get crazy! I dare ya!

And here’s the finished front of the skirt, once more. Isn’t it cute, sassy and vintage all rolled into one? I think so, and I think I will wear it tomorrow night.
And below is my backside.

My very wrinkly backside. Please ignore the fact that I did not iron this apron. I wanted cheddar whales, hubby and a little snuggle time.

Let me know if you make an Apron Skirt. I would love to see it!