If you have an evening gown that you know you'll never wear again, instead of giving it away or selling it for a couple of dollars, convert it into a classy pantsuit. You don't need to be a sewing wiz as long as you can create a simple seam.
The easiest method is to turn the dress inside out, lay the dress flat with the back or front side up and make a straight scissor cut straight up the center. Don't cut right up to the crotch or once it's sewn, it may not fit. You've just created pant legs. Sew from the bottom of one pant leg up to the crotch and then down the second pant leg.
As with any sewing project, you should pin it and try it on to make sure it's going to fit. If the crotch is too tight, you can add a small piece of complimentary fabric in a diamond shape to the crotch area. If the legs are too tight, you can make a cut up each leg on the outside either to the knee, thigh or hip, and then add a piece of fabric in the shape of an elongated triangle to create flowing pant legs or bell bottoms.
You can take it a step further and add peekaboo sex appeal. Make a straight cut up the outside of each pant leg and instead of adding a solid piece of fabric, fold the cut over and sew it to make a finished edge. Then add strips of fabric every few inches like rungs of a ladder to hold the edges together.
Alternately, you can add metal D-shaped loops along the edges and then using a long cord, lace it up like a shoe. You can go up the entire outside edge of each pant leg this way. You can even add frill to the edges to hide the loops or the seam edge.
Instead of having a dress that you'll never wear cluttering up your closet, you now have a classy pantsuit or sexy outfit to go dancing in. The best part is that you get a brand new outfit for just a little bit of work and a couple of dollars if you decide to add fabric or frills. Get creative. Be bold. Grab your scissors, break out the sewing machine and the old becomes new again.
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