Refashioning dresses - Challenge in Grey

A friend brought me three of her dresses to refashion. They were no longer worn (for various reasons) and she wanted them updated.

Challenge accepted!

This grey dress was the easiest of the three, so I tackled it first.

It was lovely, soft material, but too long. The braid at the top was fading as well.

I laid the dress out (very technically) on the floor and made a cut where we had placed a pin.

I made the new hem a little bit high-low, just for a touch more modesty at the back.

Overlocked and hemmed the bottom edge.

So half the refashion is done.

Onto the unknown part: replacing the braid at the top.

The ends were sewn into the gathered shoulders, so I had to unpick a lot of stitches to get them out.

But I did.

I had a kimono tie lying around in my stash that would be a funky addition to this dress.

I had to remove the tassle from one end and cut the two lengths that I needed.

I pinned everything in place and had to hand sew it all, as the braid was too thick for my machine.

I fixed a couple of small holes and then the dress was done! 

And she likes it 😊