Refashion Tutorial: Fast and Easy Beach Dress from a Table Cloth or Large Scarf

This dress is very fast and easy to make from a large square scarf or a small square table cloth. I plan to use mine for wear around the house and as beach-wear.

The original table cloth or scarf should be large enough to comfortably wrap around you. If it is too large, trim off an even amount from the two sides that will meet in the back.

Step One: Sew two sides of the square together to form a tube.If using a scarf or table cloth with a printed pattern, match the patterned areas rather the actual corners of the cloth. These pieces are often a bit out of square and/or printed a bit crooked. Make sure that the pattern matches up. Crookedness at the top and bottom of the dress can be compensated for when you make the casing or hem the finished dress.

Step Two: Cut a piece of elastic to fit comfortably (but securely) just under your arm pits, plus a little bit extra for overlap at the seam.

Step Three: Sew a casing a bit wider that the width of the elastic. Leave an opening at the back seam to insert the elastic.

  Step Four: Insert and pull through elastic. Sew the two ends of the elastic together and hand stitch up the slit  you threaded the elastic through.

In theory, at this point you could be done, as the original piece has a finished edge at the hemline. However, if your original piece was out of square or had a crookedly printed pattern (as in the case of this scarf) you will also need to hem up the bottom in the normal manner.

To get a more flattering look, after you put the dress on, gather most of the excess fabric to the center front.