Trousers transformation using New Look 6799

I often buy clothes just because I like the print and/or fabric more thank actual shape. One of my goals has been to convert a garment into something else like what they do on the Vintage Clothes Show. If you haven't seen it it's worth a watch. the presenter Dawn O'Porter shows you how to shop vintage and fill your wardrobe with beautiful, timeless pieces that look great. One section of the show has sewing tips and they alter vintage clothes into something new. It is originally from the UK and is on Foxtel over here, click here for a link the website.

So here is my garment alteration, a few years ago I brought some extreme wide leg trousers and I have never worn them but I love the scratchy heart print fabric.


This is my before pic

The trousers were so wide at the bottom that I was hoping I could make an A-Line dress out of them. After getting a few patterns out and seeing what would fit I was in luck I did have enough fabric for an A-Line skirt. I used New Look 6799 as it has a panel in the middle and a neckline than can be made from contrasting fabric.

This is how it turned out - more of a transformation than alteration.

I love the fact that now I have a garment that I will wear and is more me. This is the second time I have used this pattern, I made two variations to the instructions firstly  I didn't line the bodice so I needed to use bias tape for the armholes and I didn't add a button to the neckline at the back. The positives from this pattern is that it fits well with no alterations, the instructions were mostly simple and easy to follow. The negative is that both times I found the neckline really tricky and I end up unpicking and re-sewing parts because the stitches have missed the back of the facing, not really a negative for the pattern just that I need a bit more practise!

Let me know what you think and I would love to hear others stories of garment alteration/transformation.