Maxi dress

I have a new love:  Maxi dresses.  If the weather were finally warmer (it's MAY already!!!) I would want one to wear every single day.  Plus, I'm thinking why would I need to get out my old maternity clothes, when I have these to wear?

I found the one above at Target.  It was around $25 I think.  Not too bad actually.  But I kept seeing ideas on Pinterest and wanted to try to make one myself.  The tutorials looked easy enough.  And since my mom said she had an extra Saturday afternoon handy, I thought we should go for it!

After a morning shopping at JoAnns, I wasn't too happy with the jersey fabrics that I found.  Of course, it doesn't have to be jersey, I just wanted that.  Plus, I didn't want to pay their prices. So we took a little drive to Target and decided to pick up a jersey twin sheet set.  

Not too bad.  Under $20, plus the flat sheet was enough material to make two and (BONUS) I didn't have to sew the hem!  Plus, now I have a pillow case, that I could use for a dress for Avery, and an extra fitted sheet I can always use for little boys beds, or I could cut and make into 2 more dresses.

I had some extra tees around that I liked, but were too short, so the only other cost was the elastic thread, which was under $2.

We used this tutorial.  I totally recommend it, make sure you read all the updates at the bottom too.

Results - dress one & dress two.  Dress one was our first attempt.  I want to take it apart and make the waist a little higher.  I like dress two.  The dress itself without a belt or sash is pretty plain.  It needs a belt or sash.  We made a couple different ones - yellow, blue (from extra fabric) and silver/gray.

I am not sure how to calculate the total cost - because we still have extra fabric, but my goal was to make one cheaper than $25 (or else I could just buy more at Target).  I would estimate they were easily under $10 a piece.  And once we figured out the first one, the second one came together in 15 minutes.

Now I am a little addicted.  I want to make a few more, and maybe even attempt a little one for Avery too.

How fun would that be?