Part I: DIY: Dress, Skirt, Scarf, and Poncho from a Maxi Dress

I got a Christmas present last year from a cousin: a maxi dress. I loved the print but couldn't wear it because it was too long. I couldn't bear to give it away, of course!... and was too chicken to cut off the extra length lest I ruined it. It took me more than half a year to get my courage up and do something about it. So, finally tonight, I happily present to everyone: my new wardrobe! :) CHRISTMAS IN JULY!!!

my Christmas maxi tube dress in a very pretty pink print

First, find your desired length. I wanted my dress to fall just below my knees, and to have a longer back...just like one of those trendy asymmetrical skirts! So I just decided to cut off about 17-inches off the front. To have a longer back-skirt, I subtracted about 3-inches from that to make the slant or curve of the hem not too drastic.

ready to do the measurements? 

You'll need a tape measure, some pins, a tailor's chalk for marking, and a sharp pair of scissors. Turn your dress inside out so you can easily see your markings. Lay the dress flat on a table (or bed, in my case!) and find the middle fold of the front part of the dress. Fold the dress horizontally, with the sides right side up. 

Pin the hem together to handle the material better. 

Mark where you want the shortest length of your skirt to be (front). I measured 17-inches from the bottom. 

On the opposite side of the skirt, mark the spot where the longest part of the skirt should be (back). This  should be 3-inches longer than the front, or 14-inches from the hem. Measure that and mark with your chalk. Connect the two marks you have made with a gentle sloping line or soft curve. You may use a ruler or freehand it.

pin together near the length you want to cut
so the material doesn't slip or separate
and for easier cutting

Ready to cut?

 When cutting, do not pull or stretch the material. Cut from one side (longer) to the other side (shorter). Or vice versa. 

cutting halfway through

After cutting through the skirt, pull and tug at the hem to stretch the fabric. It will curl a bit and you will not need to sew or hem it.

this is how the hem looks! 

ta-dahhhh! my new asymmetrical dress!

this is the remaining scrap from the dress.
I will make it into a scarf/poncho/mini-asymmetrical skirt!
Please see next post here

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So many possibilities!!!