Op Shop Refashion: Brown Water Colour Maxi Dress

When I saw this in the op shop I bought it straight up, no questions asked.

Didn't check the size. Didn't try it on. I just saw the fabric and had to have it. Luckily it was only $10. It reminds me of water colour paints, very unusual. I find that I'm drawn to browns lately, especially combinations like this.

It's David Jones, a decent brand, and size 14. But I have always found with maxi dresses that because they are designed to be worn loose they often have enough fabric in them to be worn by people of larger sizes. And this one was very, very close. If you like very, very clingy.

Which I don't. I had a good look at it and found that the top part above the tie fit very well. That meant that if I could make the bottom bigger I would be in business.
Step 1 - unpick the sides.
Step 2 - Find fabric to make slim triangles to put in the sides. I had this silk shirt that I eco-dyed that was unfortunately too small for me. I tried adding inserts to the sides, but I couldn't quite get it right.

 Lots of fabric here that I can use, anyway.

 Though I think that the back panel has the best colours to match my dress.

I didn't think the filler necessarily needed to run the full length of the dress, either. I could have stopped it at the knee. But I decided to run the full length. So I cut the panels out of the back of the shirt.

Then cut panels from the front of the shirt as well because it wasn't going to be long enough.

I tried pinning the inserts on the outside, but I decided that I didn't want the thread to show.

So I pinned on the inside instead and sewed seams. Tricky, but a much better result.

I cut the excess off and hemmed both sides.

The silk was the right choice, it drapes the same way as the original dress.

I think the colours go together really well.

Pretty happy with the final look.