How To: Turn a Graduation Gown in a Wrap Dress

This tutorial will explain how to make a simple wrap dress out of your graduation gown. It only requires basic sewing skills and a few inexpensive materials, but is easy to personalize to suit your individual style.

Materials
Graduation gown
Thread ripper
Thread
Elastic thread
Scissors
Chalk/Fabric marker
Measuring Tape
Sewing machine
Optional Fabric paint, stencils, brushes, glue, rhinestones, beads, sequins

First, put the gown on and make marks with the chalk on each sleeve where it hits your elbow. Then, wrap one side of the front over the other until it is snug but not tight across the chest. Make a mark where the wrapped fabric ends. Also mark where the dress meets the ribs, just under the bust.

DisassemblyTop/Front Start by using your thread-ripper to completely remove the yoke* of the graduation gown from the body and the sleeves. Remove any fasteners (buttons, snaps, etc).

Sleeves Remove about ½ inch worth of stitches between the back of the gown and the sleeves. Cut a diagonal line from the elbow mark down to each wrist, so that each sleeve ends in a point.

ReassemblyBack Next, roll down the top edge of the back and re-hem. Do this by folding the edge of the fabric halfway down and then folding it over again. Pin and sew.

Sleeves Attach the raw** edges of the front panels to the raw edges of the sleeves, with wrong sides facing. Pin and sew together. Roll the bottom edges of the sleeves to hem, just as you did for the back. Pin and sew.

Front With the gown flat on the work surface, once again wrap it until it meets the mark you made previously. The edge of the top fabric should meet the edge of the bottom fabric. Pin this down and sew over the existing seam stitches. Place a pin through the bustline mark so that you can see it from the other side. Turn the garment inside out. Sew all the way around the dress on this line with elastic thread. Move ¼ - ½ inch further down the dress and sew another elastic line. Repeat this twice more.

Design Liven up the dress by gluing on rhinestones, stenciling flowers with fabric paint, or sewing beads or sequins all over it.

*This is the portion that goes around the neck and shoulders.
**These are the edges from which you removed stitches.