Fabric: 100% cotton muslin, with machine embroidered flowers
Pattern: New Look 6652
Year: Contempory
Notions: Bias tape for neck and armholes
Time to complete: 6 hours
First worn: April 2014
Wear again? OMG yes! It’s one of my favorite summer dresses
Total price: thrifted for less than $5.00
I’m really happy with how this dress turned out. I love the pretty embroidered flowers on the front and the comfortable, flattering fit. I knew as soon as I saw this full length traditional Mexican dress, that one day I would make it into a more contemporary style. A few weeks ago, I started visualizing what I could do with the dress. At first I thought that I might make a bodice and skirt, but the flowers would be chopped in half and so I ended up making a simple shift out of it.
This is what I had to work with.
I went on a road trip with one of my daughters to Southern California. We attended a wedding in Santa Inez, so we stayed in the nearby quaint and historic Danish village of Solvang. I took advantage of the surroundings and asked my daughter’s boyfriend to take some pictures of my new refashion with his fancy camera.
You can certainly tell the difference between a really good camera with the special lenses and the iPhone camera, can’t you?
I was hoping that the 99 cent a yard, cut it yourself, and pay for it in the coffee shop, would still be open in Solvang, but they had gone out of business. I still have fabric in my stash, from the last time I was there, over a year ago. Talk about being like a kid in a candy store! Alas, I settled for some Danish pastries, and window shopping instead.
After the beautiful wedding of our friends’ daughter, we continued south to Santa Monica, Venice, and Hollywood for a quick tour, walks on the beach, donuts at Rick’s famous donut place, record stores, and guitar stores, yummy food and good coffee. Finally, it was time to head home on the 5, snapping pictures along the way, and singing along to the Beatles.
You can tell I had an amazing time. I work from home and don’t get out much, so I really enjoyed myself and the company of my daughter and her special guy.
Seam Queen 
I love it! Great idea! I have a muu muu I need to do the same thing with!
Thank you for the great inspiration!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Isn’t it adorable! I love it when something turns out so nice for me. Thank you!
LikeLike
This is so cute, Barbara!!! And what a score on the thrifted dress. I love the embroidery and you had such great vision to turn it into a shift dress. Looks like you were having a great time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I love a good refashion as I know you do too. Keep your eye out for these traditional Mexican dresses, because they are often donated. I bet you could make something great out of one.
LikeLike
This dress looks so comfortable! It will definitely be a favorite this summer because it looks great on you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I may use this pattern again. It’s so quick and easy.
LikeLike
It’s really lovely and great photos!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wish I had a great camera like this. I always thought my iPhone photos were pretty good, but now I can really see the difference. Thank you for the compliment!
LikeLike
Great dress, you made the very most of the original with that pattern. You look so stylish yet relaxed – perfect 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I’m glad I kept it simple, and used the embroidery strategically. I love the two flowers on the back. I don’t think you would ever see anything like it in RTW.
LikeLike
For years that fabric envied the cool, stylish lives of other dresses, while it sat in muumuu form with a cat on its lap and a pocket full of kleenex- you made it very happy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great story! Your personification of that dress is so creative. I’m pleased to have made it happy!
LikeLike
This is lovely! What a fabulous refashion! Looks like you had a lovely trip!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I’m very pleased with this refashion. I think I’ll hunt down some more Mexican dresses and create a few more.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the compliment!
LikeLike
Great dress! It looks so cool and summery (is that an oxymoron??!). The photos are fabulous too.
LikeLike
I love this dress Barbara. So light and airy looking.
LikeLike
Love your refashioned dress, it’s so pretty and summery.
LikeLike
So very lovely. I really love this and so summery. I’m in FL and I would probably wear it every other day. Too hot here.
LikeLike
I love how you thought to repurpose that dress! Did you simply cut it off at the armhole and then cut the new pieces from the body of the dress? Brava!
LikeLike
It’s very beautiful ! I like it ! Bravo =)
LikeLike