22Jul | 2010

Joyful Upcycled: Summer Dress

[UPDATE: you can find the tutorial for this dress here]
I love thrift stores, there’s always so much potential to upcycle things, sometimes you don’t even need to. But I love to change things around :)

When I moved from Chile I could not bring all of my clothes, and since I moved when it was winter in California, my summer wardrobe is very small, so to solve it, I went to the thrift store in my small little town and got about 20 pieces of clothes for about $35.00 (I say good deal!!)  And I’m going to share with all of you all of the things I’m going to upcyled, and hopefully someone else will get inspired in the process.

This fist upcycling is a 6XL men’s shirt that I will transform into a summer dress, I know sometimes is hard to find big shirts, but I am pretty tall, so I needed the biggest one I could find.

Upcycled Summer Dress

Joy Kelley

Upcycled Summer Dress

Summer Dress

I know some of you might be wondering if this pictures are old because of my hair, the answer is nop! I just got to play around with extensions I bought about 4 years a go for a pageant, I had very short hair then too, so now it comes handy and I can remember what it felt like to have long hair again :)

Upcycled

It was fun to take pictures with long hair! Next week I will be sharing this and the Joyful ruffle top tutorial, and remember to enter the Ruffles Handbag giveaway!

Joy
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Joy Kelley is a Chilean Designer. Wife. Crafter. IMac dependent. Pattern lover. Color obsessed. The girl behind the HowJoyful Design Studio. Mrs Poodle at Weddingbee.

  1. 1

    Your creativity is simply amazing! Seriously!

  2. 2

    • Sindy
    • July 22nd, 10

    I envy you (in a very nice way) because you can sew the way I would like to…
    Any tips for those learning how to sew by themselves? :P

    • 2.1

      I actually learn by myself! I think practice was the key, I did a lot of small projects before I was confident enough to try big stuff. Once you are confident with your cutting and sewing, no projects will intimidate you! :)

      I will be posting a tutorial on this dress so you can try it!

  3. 3

    • Sunny
    • July 22nd, 10

    You are so talented, beautiful as always!

  4. 4

    Hi, hope it’s OK to contact you here. We would love to include your blog on our giveaway search engine: Giveaway Scout. Have a look and if interested, use our online form to add your blog (http://www.giveawayscout.com/addblog/ ). thanks, Josh

  5. 5

    • Andie
    • July 23rd, 10

    jeez Joy you are so talented! I know how to sew, but I still don’t feel comfortable just sewing things free-hand like that without any patterns. And I’ve been sewing for 14 years! I wish I could make the types of things you make!

  6. 6

    I love the dress. I’m so in awe of your talent!!!

  7. 7

    • Debbie
    • June 4th, 11

    That is a lovely summer dress! What size shirt did you start out with, and what size dress is it now?

    • 7.1

      Hi Debbie, as the tutorial mentions, I made it with a 6XL me’s shirt and I am not sure the finish size of the dress, but I wear Medium size clothes. Hope that helps =]

  8. 8

    Made it over here from Pinterest, LOVE your dress and your other one with the ruffled tank top, so cute!!

  9. 9

    • kayte
    • July 4th, 12

    Found you through a facebook link…great site and ideas! If others cannot find a mens shirt in 6XL, they could make this or similar dress from two or three shirts in solid colors or coordinating colors or prints.

  1. September 11th, 2010
  2. April 16th, 2011

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Hola there! I'm Joy Kelley, Chilean Designer, sewing fanatic, obsessive crafter, upcycle passionate. Welcome to my blog!
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