DIY Peasant Shirt with Chain Straps Refashion

So I read that red was supposed to be a hot color (pardon the pun!) for the summer. I picked this up at the Salvation Army thinking to be in style, but I hate maxi dresses. (I look like a drowned rat in them!) Time for some restyling.

Refashioning a Dress Into a Peasant Shirt

I was perusing the mall … and came across this cute little top at NY & Company. That chain is so cute!!

I had to have it. So I cut the top of my dress off and then sewed up the side, leaving some room for the armpits.

Ironed out the top to make a tube.

And now we sew the tube together, on both sides.

The dress came with little ties, so I used those for the two tubes, feeding them through with a safety pin. I made sure to pin the ends together.

Using some hemming tape, I measured the chain strap length.

Sew the chain into place. So the peasant-part would come upraveled (embarrassing moment, anyone?!?!), I also sewed the ends, where the chain meets the tie, to the tube part.

The shirt would have been done now, but I want it to poof a little. So I sewed that hemming tape to the inside near the bottom of the shirt.

Fed an elastic through, tied up all the loose ends (no pun!) and here we are!

Turned out great! Here’s Joseph and Lex!