From Stained Maxi to Fab Skirt...

I form very tight-knit bonds with my clothes. For about four years I had this adorable baby blue maxi dress that I loved. 

A few weeks ago I planned to wear it to a 'pastel-inspired' banquet. When I pulled it out to change into I noticed some large stains on it. No matter what I did I could not get them out and to this day I have no idea what they were from. 

So there I was staring at my dress that I felt ashamed to toss out since it still had so much good fabric. Then the thought hit me, I will turn it into a skirt so it's not put to waste! Here is what I did...

1. Cut off the bottom half...the part that wasn't stained.

2. Because it was too wide, and I have to sew by hand, so I cut out a third of the fabric.

3. Pin together the new seem leaving the extra fabric out so it can be sewn.

4. Then sew. 

Here what it looks like after. I love how it ended up that the two seems on the skirt are close together...it gave a really cool effect which you will see later.

5. Pin in thirds the wide elastic band (which I took off of another skirt that it was just not working for) and pin in thirds the fabric.

6. This part is tricky. Making sure that it was inside out, I pinned the fabric to the elastic band following the pins. The extra fabric on the sides I folded over each being an inch wide.

7. I used the color of the fabric for the thread (which I think turned out cute) and I gave a double line for extra strength since it's hand-sewn and I'm really NOT a professional. Yes, the lines may not be perfectly parallel, but when wearing it a person can't see that anyways and it still looks cute. 

This is the inside-out view.

and now for the finished product...

I realize that most of you readers that sew have a sewing machine. With that then you have way more choices of how you can make your skirt. Just do some googling and pinning and find the style you want and go for it. However, I will admit that I love how this skirt turned out. The seems being in front gave it a slimming effect I think and the folds on top assisted my skirt in giving a more hour glass look. 

Happy sewing!