Q&A Monday: How to Refashion without a Dress Form
Q: I’m new to refashioning and I don’t have a fancy mannequin to measure my dresses on. What’s the best approach for taking something in by myself and with no one else to pin it for me?
A: This is the part where I could be total smart ass and say, “Get you a dress form or make you one!”, but that would be really jerky of me, and I’m trying to avoid being a jerk as of late (It’s my new thing!). 🙂
When I first started this blog, I didn’t have a dress form. I didn’t have one for a long time. So how did I get my pieces fitted?
Allow me to show you!
Let’s start with a dress that has a lovely print, but fits me like a sack.
I dunno. It kind of brings out my ghastly pallor. :/
Be warned…my method is highly technical!
First, I grab the dress at the bust on both sides and guess how many inches are on each side.
M’kay…about 2 inches!
Then I grab the waist on both sides and guesstimate how much fabric I’ll want to take in there.
But you can use a tape measure if you like!
You can probably guess what I do at the hips by now…
Grab ‘n Guess!
If you have a terrible memory like myself, you can write your guesstimates on a piece of paper. 🙂
Then, take the dress off and pin the sides at the bust, waist, and hips using your guesstimates.
Measure and pin!
Then, add more pins to fill in the gaps, following the lines of your guesstimates.
I take an “Eh…just wing it!” approach to most things in my life, y’all.
Stitch down those sides…
Whirrrr!!!
Then, chop off some length if it doesn’t suit you. 🙂
Chop!
And hem!
Now my dress is ready for a night at The Nick!
Fitted & Flattering!
I heartily recommend this film!
Cheers!
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39 Responses to Q&A Monday: How to Refashion without a Dress Form
Absolutely love the refash. Personally I like my dresses a size bigger because I don’t like them clinging to my figure, but it looks really cute on you with your perfect body. (Not to sound at all creepy lol) Can’t wait to see your next idea. Random question: How many tries did it take for you to nail a straight stitch? 🙂
Haha! Thanks for the compliment (Eh…I wouldn’t throw it out of bed for eating crackers)! A straight stitch wasn’t too hard to me. But when I started sewing, I only made small things like camera cases and little pillows, and I sewed slooooowly. Maybe that helped. 🙂
I find that turning something inside out and then using a marking pen also works pretty good, right along the several points that you mentioned. I use pins on one side (to stabilize), then mark on the other. Then vice versa.
Thanks Jillian for all these ideas. I really was stuck by this F* lack of dress form. I’ll try on all the clothes I want to refash, and sew them all the next day.
Carry on, you are such source of inspiration. I really like to follow from France your posts and your positive thinking.
You rock !
haha Thats basically how I am doing my refashions! That and taking other clothes that I like the fit of and measuring them against the new item. It also helps to baste (long stitches not really tight) the part you have measured and try it on to see that you like it, before cutting and permanently sewing.
I wish I had your eye for finding clothes that would look good after some snips and chops!
I like that idea. I get so tired of ripping out and resewing!
That’s my method too. Usually works well EXCEPT… One of my first refashions I used a stretchy shirt as a template instead of a normal one. Dooooh!
Your blog has inspired me to learn to sew! I love thrifting and I know I could find some great stuff to refash.
I really like this dress, it’s just a shame it creased up so easily from sitting down. It’s a great idea to pin it like this. I would have never thought of that. I would have been measuring like crazy haha
I know! I should have taken a pic pre-2.5 hour long movie, rather than after!
Haha 🙂 hope it was a good film to be worth creasing the dress xD glad you getting back to normality 🙂 hugs xx
It all looks so simple when you explain it… I really have to try it out now!!
DO it! 🙂
Always love your transformations. But today I love those purple sandals!
Oh, I LOVE those sandals! 🙂
Jillian, I’ve read your blog from beginning to end within the past couple of months. I LOVE IT! I sew a lot, but mostly altering stuff for people and making new stuff from patterns and fabric. It’s been creatively inspiring for me to see how you refashion something shameful into something awesome. I also watched your Trash to Treasure bit from ABC on Youtube. The guy on there was hysterically clueless, but you did a fantastic job! 🙂
Anyway, keep refashioning–we love it!
Cheers! 😉
Yes! Those sandals are fabulous! What brand are they?
Ha!! That was my first thought too! “Cute dress, AWESOME sandals!!” 🙂
I thought you might turn the dress inside-out and pin it right on yourself.
Anyway, another winner!
I tried that once, and got impaled by a bunch of tiny pins when I tried to take my pinned dress off! NEVER AGAIN!!!!! 🙂
That makes sense. You are right. I have tried pinning and have been frustrated. Thanks!!
So did I until someone gave me the bright idea to use safety pins…DUH…what a dingbat I am sometimes! LOL.
Hahaha! Safety first. We’re why those pins were INVENTED. 😉
That turned out really cute! Lots of great suggestions too.
As usual a great look. I love the simple method to adjust fit. You have a wonderful blog and super ideas and results. Fun. Many thanks ! Jackie
On Tue, Apr 30, 2013 at 6:16 PM, ReFashionista
Inspired by you I cut an old T shirt into a waistcoat for 6 yr old granddaughter . She loved it . Now I’m re fashioning a dress for her and she’s been very patient while I’ve been pinning ! Love your latest one , looks great .
Whoa! Did you sedate her first? 😉
ha ha , no ! She’s an unusually co operative girl and wants the dress too !
Did you hear me just slap my head in a “why didn’t I think of that??” way about measuring to mark when I take it off? Can’t believe I didn’t think of that instead of all the time I spent trying to pin on myself (and never quite getting it right in the bust area/under the arms), trying to pin after taking off and hoping that I remembered how far to pin in, etc. So far, I’ve only been refashioning tshirts but your blog has inspired me to look at *everything* on my next trip to Goodwill!
I’ve had good luck with turning things inside out, putting them on, and safety pinning them at those same points. I get an accurate fit and they’re not dangerous to remove to sew.
I needed this tutorial, right about now. Thank you!
Annie at Biocadence
I love your ‘fly by the seat of my pants” approach. This is my approach to most things and why I deplore patterns for most things. Maybe I’m not a good follower of directions or I just don’t like being told what to do in such detail. This, I love.
Thanks, so simple and readies me to tackle the projects without fear! I want a form too but this will work. You are so funny…reading is a good time! I think the idea from Lindsey, of turning wrong side out and putting on, then pinning or marking is a good tip. I need to use safety pins…don’t like all the poking when getting the thing off.
Holy crap too cute. The shoes make the dress though. Awesome. Looking at your blog made buy a sewing machine, I’m inspired. Love the blog.
This is great! I did finally get a dress form – thank goodness for sales at Joannes! I think I have also seen you use the trick where you use a shirt/dress that you know fits as a template (lay it on top of the refashion and cut with a seam allowance). That’s what I did before my dress form came 🙂
Great website! I love all of your posts & you have inspired me to dig my sewing machine out. Keep ‘em coming!
Who doesn’t do that? pinching and doing a slap job tape measure is how I refashion things generally. I’d love a dress form but I’ll have to see if Santa will bring me one. Cute dress, you find all the best stuff, the shops near me don’t have anything refashion-worthy.
This is what I also do when an over-sized dress happens to fall into my hands. Love your tips!
Hhahahahaha “Ehn, I’ll wing it” is pretty much my attitude towards sewing!
Before I had my dressform I would put the garment on inside out and pin while it was on my body then sneakily snake my way out of it! I even skinnified some pants that way.
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