The Smash Together Dress
I’m going to let you in on a secret…smashing together dresses is so easy anyone can do it! Above and beyond, of all the upcycles I have done I love the smash together dresses the most!
Go through your closet and find three tops with similar prints. For my smash together dress, I’m going with a star theme. I have two pajama tops with star designs and a tarot t shirt based on “The Star” tarot card. If you look in your closet it should be very simple to find three shirts with similar themed prints or colors. One thing I know for sure is that people are creatures of habit! But people also go through phases when they are buying clothes. I know in my own case I gravitate toward certain prints and colors at different times of my life, depending on my interests and the look I’m going for.
Once you have your three shirts, figure out which shirt will form the basis of the dress. I love to choose one for the top, the one with the best neckline and sleeves. In my case I really love the super soft thermal pajama top with the constellation print, it has a button placket and long sleeves that I like. So that will be the top of my dress.
After you have chosen the top portion, set it aside. Cut down the other two shirts into workable pieces of fabric. I typically cut along the seams so that the shirts have as much available fabric as possible. You can set aside the sleeves, just in case you want to make pockets for the dress.
If your shirts have decorative slogans or panels on them that you want to work into the design, use a rotary cutter and ruler to cut those out to create panels for the front and back of the dress. Measure along the top of the decorative front and back panels. Then cut off the hem of the shirt that you set aside for the top of the dress, and measure along the bottom edge of the top. Subtract the measurement of the panels being sure to include seam allowances. Divide that number by either two or four. Divide by two if you want two side panels that will connect the decorative panels, or four if you want each panel to have its own borders.
I wanted my dress to have patchwork, instead of just straight panels. When I measured the top I figured out that I would need 16 inch patchwork panels to go on either side of the decorative prints. That’s where shit got cray cray! I have a new cutting mat, and didn’t cut out the pieces right. This might happen to you if you sew on a wing and a prayer, like I do. So now I have odd sized pieces to fit together. The great thing about patchwork is there really is not a wrong way! If need be, you can always add another old t shirt to the mix for more fabric.
Start piecing together the side panels and make more pieces as you need them. My back panel was shorter than the front, so I added a lower trim to the back. Patchy makes perfect! If a piece isn’t long enough, work in another piece.
Once the front and back are sewed together, attach them to the top. You can choose to hem the bottom edge of the dress, use pinking shears or leave it raw edge. I kind of love a raw edge on the dresses! It lends to the handmade look of the dress. You can add a pocket or two if you want, or an applique for a really sweet look.
Here’s my finished smash together dress! It is perfect for the colder temps of Winter! I can’t wait to wear this!
The Star Dress by Kathryn Sturges
The Star Dress Back by Kathryn Sturges
