Restyle of Mum's Matronly Gown

Now that I no longer have homework to do I have become a crafting superstar! About a year ago I snagged a dress from my 94-year-old grandmother’s closet. Mum was really excited that I wanted to wear something that she had once worn. Little did she know what I had planned for it. I cut it all up and dyed it purple. I don’t feel bad at all because I would have loved to wear her wedding dress, but she cut it up and dyed it blue. So there Mum! We’re even.
Anyway, as you can see, this dress was awful, and in need of an update.

I started by determining the length that I wanted the dress to be, then measuring and marking with some tailors chalk from about 1922. I love it. It makes me feel legit. Next, I used some pinking shears to cut the fabric, because I decided that I didn’t want the thicker line of a rolled hem on the bottom (or maybe I didn’t feel like ironing…)

Next, I hacked off the god awful sleeves. I went for a cap sleeve because I think that they look good on me. I bet a different type of neckline and sleeve would have worked better aesthetically for the dress, but I’m wearing it so I get to pick.

After hemming up all the edges, this is what I got:

Then I decided that the weird flesh tone needed to go. I spent 15 minutes in the dye aisle at the fabric store and finally purchased Jacquard iDye Poly.

The directions on the back of the package, the inside of the package, and the website are all different. Very convenient and not confusing at all. So I came up with a hybrid of all of the directions and did this:
First, get a huge pot and fill it with water from your shower (this is because the water pressure in your kitchen sink sucks.) Then, put the dress in the water and make sure there is enough for the dress to “move around”. I poked it with a stick and made sure that I could swirl it. Take out the dress and throw it in the sink. Pour in the dye packet and the “color intensifier”. Mix it up. This takes a while and you will notice little powder bubbles popping up.

Next, boil some water in a separate pot. Add 1 cup of salt and stir it up. The salt will not dissolve completely. Add the dress to the dye pot, then pour the salt mixture in. Mix. The dye pot should be just below boiling for the entire time. I let it boil for an hour. Make sure that you are not going to use the pot or the mixing stick for food, unless you want to ingest toxic chemicals. Also, remember to take off your new white watch or it will be your new purple watch.
After letting it cool for a few minutes, remove from the pot, and throw it in a Safeway bag.

Grab some quarters and run to the laundry room to get the open washer before anyone else. Wash the garment on “warm”, then dry on low. Doot doot doot dooo! You have a new awesome dress!

Next, throw on a new belt and take a not awesome mirror camera phone shot:
Mum wishes she had this dress!