Dress to skirt with pockets

On By CarynIn Craft

I love the colors of this dress, but detest cap sleeves.

Photo description: green and white floral dress with shirred bodice and elasticized cap sleeves

I cut off the sleeves and neckline just below the arm pit, removed one line of elastic, and sewed a hem at the top. The shirred bodice is now a stretchy waistline for a skirt.

Photo description: top hem in progress, showing folding the fabric over twice and whip stitching it with white thread to the top line of elastic

Although I don’t like wearing cap sleeves, the fabric cut from the sleeve made a decent sized pocket.

Photo description: sleeve fabric with elastic removed and seams cut away
Photo description: sleeve fabric folded in half, right sides together
Photo description: folded sleeve fabric positioned on the dress in pocket position, later to be trimmed and sewn in

Picking out serger seams is not my favorite activity, but it is worth it to get pockets. I find it easier to cut the threads between the layers of fabric, rather than figure out which thread to cut on the surface. Once I had pocket holes in the side of the skirt, I sewed the pocket to the waistband, sewed the bottom seam, and sewed the pocket openings. I sewed reinforcement at the top and bottom of the pocket by sewing a stitch across the join of the four fabrics seven times.

Photo description: green and white floral skirt with pockets, phone showing the position of the pocket on the right

I now have a wearable maxi skirt with large pockets.

Pockets.

I will one hundred percent be showing off the pockets like the viral vulture pockets meme.