Fleece Sweater Dress

It seems like repurposing is all the rage right now in the blogging world and I have a stack of shirts and sweaters that I can't/don't wear but can't part with either but I haven't been brave enough to try to turn them into something else. But I have been reading the blog Make it and Love it for a long time now and she is the repurposing queen and she never uses a pattern and so I decided that I should just give it a try. My first attempt was with an old acrylic sweater that I made into a jumper dress for small fry. I haven't got a picture of her in it yet because the day she wore it to church is the day she also threw a huge fit over a York Peppermint Patty that ended with the peppermint patty all over the dress so you will have to wait to see pictures of that one but you can check out this one for now.

For this jumper I used an old fleece sweater that I had. Here is what I did. (This is sort of a tutorial but there are no measurements cause I took none, I just cut and sewed-so what I am saying is YOU CAN DO IT TOO)
1. Start with your sweater laid out flat like this.

2. I cut a tapered rectangle like shape (is this an actual shape-I'd ask my husband but he is snoring on the couch right now-maybe it has a real name) anyway it is a rectangle that is angled in at the top and out at the bottom. I just cut hoping it would be big enough to fit small fry and I was lucky cause it was just barely big enough. Measuring might help.

3. Sew your side seams together and fold under about an inch at the top and sew around that edge as well.

4. For the straps I cut two rectangles (this shape I know for sure) out of another piece of the sweater. I did get a bit of a measurement for these. My daughter held still long enough for me to throw a piece of fabric over her shoulder and then she was off again (she's a busy girl).

5. Fold them in half length wise and sew the side seam (I sewed a 1/4 inch seam). Turn the strap right side out and topstitch along both sides of the strap using a 1/8 inch seam.

6. Pin in place along the front of the dress. I had mine hang down inside a bit more than an inch. This way when I sewed along my stitching line that was already there I would catch the strap piece. I then sewed along the top as well.

7. Repeat with the other strap on the front and both straps at the back. I positioned my straps closer together in the back to help prevent them from falling off her shoulders.

8. Lastly I added a pocket and a yo yo flower with a button. Fleece is so nice to sew with because it doesn't fray and so you don't have to worry about any of your edges. It was done in less than 30 minutes.

And she loved it.

She loves the pocket. Notice the felt food Ravioli in her pocket. That is what she always wants to put in it.

And the dress is great for twirling (a favorite activity)