Pillowcase Dress

 

During one of my regular trips to Goodwill, I saw an old, ivory pillowcase for $1.99.  I bought it with the hope that I could re-purpose and up-cycle it into a dress for my niece Hadley. 

 

I got it home, washed it and started researching tutorials.  I needed double bias tape in ivory and some brown ribbon, so I stopped by Hobby Lobby for those.

Then, after Saturday Night Live, at midnight, inspiration hit and I decided to start the project.  Right now morning-people are shocked and night-people know EXACTLY what I'm talking about.  :) 

I cut several inches off the top, to make it the right length. 

Then I used a 4T tank top that I had bought for Hadley as a guide for the arm holes.  I folded the pillow case in half vertically, so I only had to draw/cut once.  You draw a J shape that is about 4.5in. long and 2.5in. wide.

Then I pinned and sewed the double bias tape on the edges of the arm holes.  Then I went to bed. 

The next day I made a casing in the top edges.  I ironed approx. 1/4 in. down, then pinned and ironed 1in. down.

At that point I realized that even though I had washed it, it still had a musty, thrift store smell.  NOT ok for a gift for Hadley.  So I researched and tried soaking in in hot water and white vinegar, then letting it air dry outside.  Still musty.  Then I soaked it in the washing machine with hot water and Oxyclean for several hours.  Then finished washing it with Tide.  Fresh and clean!

Then I put a safety pin on the ribbon and scrunched it through both sides of the casing, because I like the look of one bow.  (You can use two lengths of ribbon and tie them together on both shoulders.)  I used a flame to seal the ends of the ribbon (you just get them near the fire, not in it.)

All finished!

I LOVE that on Saturday this was an old, musty pillowcase sitting in Goodwill and on Sunday, it was a beautiful, clean, new dress. 

And Hadley, in her pink cowboy boots and new pillowcase dress, could not be any more adorable!!