How I Upcycled a Bed Skirt into A Boho Maxi Dress

I’ve had this bed skirt sitting in my stash since I did the first bedskirt remake. I thrifted them both around the same time so this one has been laying around for about a year. The trim is obviously what caught my eye and I loved that the fabric was medium weight and not at all see-through. I thought how great it would be, made into a bohemian-style maxi dress.

For this remake, I started by giving the bed skirt a good ironing. My least favorite part, but I find many benefits to ironing first. Especially when reusing fabrics. I love having a smooth surface to work with and being able to see exactly how much fabric I have.

Why I always iron first!

You’d be surprised how many inches get swallowed up when the fabric is all wrinkled! In doing so, I discovered flaws I hadn’t noticed before – and would’ve likely ran into later – had I not ironed first. Spotting them early gives me time to work around them.

However, the complete opposite happened to me with this piece! Besides running into a couple holes here and there, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it had a lovely scallop edge throughout! I didn’t notice it because the bed skirt was so badly wrinkled! That’s one for the books! Hehe. (see pic below)

Before and After ironing

As a result, I had to alter the original design (shown below) to factor in the scalloped edge. I had to make changes anyway, because I didn’t have as much trim as I initially thought!

So I guess you could say, it worked out in my favor. I did away with the trim at the waist and the sleeve cuffs and added a front button closure in place of a back zipper.

Bed Skirt + Pattern used + Original Design Sketch

Sewing Pattern Hack

For the remake, I hacked a pattern I already had on hand (V8829 – Look E) to execute the design. I modified the neckline, replaced the back pleats with darts and eliminated the back yoke and button plackets. I also shortened the skirt pattern quite a bit, to accommodate for the ruffled hem.

To do that, I measured from my waist down to the length I wanted the dress (which was 41″). From there, I deducted the length of the ruffle hem (9″) to figure out how much to shorten the skirt pattern (32″). I also shortened the top front and back patterns (pieces 1&2 pictured), to stop at my waist.

Figuring out the Pattern Layout

The photo shown above was not the final layout but I just wanted to give you an idea of what I was up against. It’s a miracle that I was able to cut out all the pattern pieces! It took me nearly an entire day to figure out the layout because of all the adjustments I had to make.

If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to pull it off. I usually cut patterns a size larger in fear they won’t fit properly, but not today! This time I had to conserve and be more strategic!

Putting the dress together was pretty straight forward. I sewed it up much like the pattern instructions. Although I did have to add facing to the back neck since I omitted the collar as well. When it came time to add the trim to the center front of the dress, I cut the trim from the bed skirt, leaving a half inch for allowance. I got 3 strips in total.

To prevent the dress being too revealing, I attached the trim on top of the dress so it could double as a lining and reinforce the trim for the button closure. Lucky for me, I already had seams running along the lower half of the dress, that were perfect for inserting the trims.

Inserting the Lace Trims

This meant that all I needed to do was reopen the seams, then sandwich the trim between the opening before closing the seams back up. The seams, however, didn’t continue up the top half of the dress. So I had to cut an opening from the waist to the shoulder, using the trim as a guide (see photo on the top right).

Once that was done, I shifted my focus to the ruffled hem. I used the third trim strip from the bed skirt and had just enough fabric leftover for both the ruffled hem and bell sleeves (more on that later).

Making the Ruffled Hem

For the hem, I cut and joined several 9″ long strips until it was 1.5 times the width of the dress hem. From there I finished one end of the strip (by turning it under twice), then sewed a couple rows of basting stitch along the other. I then gathered the strip the same width as the trim, before sewing it onto the trim above the scallops.

Making the Bell Sleeves

As for the bell sleeves, they were kind of a last minute addition. Because honestly, I didn’t think I’d have enough fabric left! I considered leaving the sleeves short but I felt like the dress was incomplete and didn’t have the whimsical boho vibe I was going for.

The last thing I did was sew the buttons and buttonholes along the scalloped edge. The buttons are dome shank-style. I got them off a vintage blouse.

The End Result

That about sums it up! I hope I explained the process clear enough for you to follow and gain some tips and ideas. Drop a comment below and let me know what you think!

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