How to hack a dress and make a kimono-style jacket

Give an old dress a new lease of life. - by Jane Pine

Give that old dress in your wardrobe a new lease of life by upcycling it with a clever hack. In just a few simple steps, you can create an on-trend kimono-style jacket. Not only will you have a fashionable new addition to your wardrobe, you’ll help to reduce the harmful impact of landfill.

You will need

A long loose dress with long sleeves (without an elastic waist)

Pins

Matching thread for the dress

Sewing machine

Fabric chalk

Sharp or fabric scissors

Ruler or measuring tape

Instructions

Step 1: Turn your dress inside out and lay out on a flat surface with the front of the dress facing up. Using your chalk, mark the centre of the dress from the neckline right down to the hem.

Step 2: Once you have marked how much of the dress you would like to cut out, measure half of that amount from the middle line. For example, if you are cutting four inches out, make a mark two inches out from either side of the middle mark. Do this on both the neckline and the hem.

Step 3: Take your ruler and draw a line from the left mark on the neckline to the left mark on the hem, and also from the right mark on the neckline to the right mark at the hem. Cut along both of these lines so that the middle section of the front of the dress is removed.

Step 4: If you like the distressed look of frayed edges you can finish your kimono jacket here. Otherwise, fold the cut edge of the fabric over a quarter of an inch, and over again, and sew along the folded edges to create a smooth, finished hem.

For more upcycling information, go to SCR Group.

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Jane Pine

Jane Pine is a digital content editor and has worked in magazines for over 20 years. She's a diehard DIY fan and can't go past a good Ikea hack.