FINALLY got to use my sewing machine this weekend, and let me tell you, she feels like she’s brand new – quieter motor, smoother stitching, and not a speck of lint anywhere.

(Didn’t realize until I got home that the man at the repair shop removed my skull-and-crossbones sticker – am guessing this means the buttonhole setting works now too?! One can only dream….)

So, I’ve had “Two Men’s Shirts” on my thrift list for a while.

I was inspired by this outfit, which is just a men’s shirt, but I’m too tall to make that work, so I thought I could find two and piece them together.

Um, do you know how hard it is to find two matching shirts at a thrift store? Yeah. It’s been almost a year with that on my list.

But then, randomly, a few weeks ago, when I wasn’t even looking for them, I found two Geoffrey Beene shirts in the same style and size.

I wasn’t sure if it would have the same effect in white, but I’ve been on a white dress kick lately. And then I saw this from Atlantic-Pacific….

Sold. But then my machine broke. Seemed like all my “end of summer’ projects were white. But I’m not one to really pay much attention to the “No White After Labor Day” rule – especially in California, when it stays warm well into October. A white dress with serve me well for a few more months.

I looked at the two shirts to see which one had a better looking collar. I used that one for the top of the dress and cut the other shirt off just below the underarm seams for the bottom.

Paying attention to button placement, I measured where the seam should go and marked the pieces with chalk.

I lined up the chalk lines (right sides facing) and pinned. I sewed along the chalk lines, pressed open the seam, and folded the seam allowance over and sewed it down.

This added a little detail to the waistline.

It’s great just like this, but I decided to use the leftover top half of one shirt to make a belt.

I turned it inside out and sewed two lines, one across the top and one across the bottom, removing the collar and closing up the bottom, making a tube. I have no photos or instructions on how to make this because it was completely trial and error – mostly error.

I like it with the belt just as much as I like it without.

After I finished, I showed it to Husband.

Me: Look! I finally sewed something!

Husband: Yeah! It’s a…..

Me: Dress.

Husband: Yes, it’s a dress! It’s a Frankendress!

Totally. I think that’s the perfect way to describe what I do. I’m so happy to have my machine working so I can get back to the labratory… er, dining room table.

 Thanks for reading!