DIY upcycling children's dress from an old men's shirt

melacavo
May 19
4 min read

Updated: Nov 10

Creativity, mindfulness and the joy of sewing combined

Giving old clothes a new life instead of throwing them away is not only good for the environment, but also for the soul. In this upcycling project, we show you how to sew a charming children's dress from an old men's shirt - with a puff collar, lace trim and dotted buttons. A garment with a personal touch that combines creativity and mindfulness.

Why upcycling is so special

Upcycling is more than just DIY: It means appreciating resources and being more mindful with what we have. An old men's shirt that may have stains or small holes can be turned into a favorite piece for children with a little imagination and skill. This DIY project invites you not only to be creative, but also to feel gratitude for the things around you.

Materials

An old men's shirt (as large as possible, depending on the child's dress size)
Sewing machine and suitable thread
Scissors and fabric chalk
Lace trim (for the collar and sleeve cut-outs)
3-5 dotted buttons (or buttons of your choice)
Iron and pins/sewing clips
You can see the pattern in the following photo and adapt it to your child's dress size (or use an existing, matching dress as a template)

Step-by-step instructions

Prepare the men's shirt: Check the shirt for stains or holes. Cut the fabric so that you can use as much material as possible. You will need the front and back of the shirt, as well as small pieces of fabric for the sleeves and collar.
Create a pattern or cut the fabric directly (if you have any questions, please write to me):
1. The front of the shirt becomes the front of the dress, the button placket becomes the button placket again and the bottom hem can also remain the bottom hem. You can use one of your child's dresses or T-shirts as a template for the size to ensure that the dress will fit.
2. The shirt back becomes the back of the dress. The shape and size correspond to the front and can be transferred directly, adjust the neckline if necessary so that it is slightly less deep at the back.
3. Now you need sleeves, which you can either cut from the sleeves or from the leftovers from the front or back. You will need the pattern piece (shape see photo above, here folded on the fold) 4 times, each cut twice in the opposite direction.
4. You will need 4 small crescent moons for the bubikagen (see photo above for shape).
5. (not in the photo) Bias tape for finishing the neckline and armholes. Either ready-made bias tape or a strip cut from the shirt fabric (45° to the grain), which you iron three times (to the bias tape).
Attach the lace trim: This step gives the dress a romantic and playful touch.
1. Bubi collar: Lay two identical blanks for the bubi collar right sides together and place the lace trim between the layers of fabric while sewing the outer edge together with a simple straight stitch. Then turn the resulting collar half and you will see that the edge is already decorated with the lace. Do the same with the second half of the collar. Press the collar smooth.
2. Sleeves: Lay two identical blanks for the sleeves right sides together and proceed in the same way as with the collar so that the lace trim adorns the outer edge. And iron the sleeves smooth after turning.
Sew the front and back pieces together: Lay the front and back pieces right sides together and close the shoulder seams and side seams. Finish the edges with a zigzag stitch or an overlock machine to prevent the fabric from fraying.
Insert the sleeves: Insert the sleeves by placing them right sides together on the shoulder neckline. Make sure that the center of the sleeve piece meets the top of the shoulder seam and that the seams lie neatly on top of each other.
Attach the collar: Now sew the prepared and pressed puff collar with the lace trim to the neckline.
Serging the neckline and armholes: You will need the bias tape you made for this. Place it on the collar as shown in the photo and guide it once around the neckline, sew it on with a straight stitch. Then fold it around the seam edge and topstitch it in place from the other side. This will give you a professional, neat finish.
Sew on the buttons: I replaced the shirt buttons with colorful children's buttons to give the dress that certain something.
Ironing: Iron the dress thoroughly and check all the seams. Your unique upcycled children's dress is ready!

Mindfulness in everyday life through upcycling

A project like this makes us more aware: We discover the joy of creating things with our hands and experience how old becomes new. Upcycling a man's shirt into a child's dress is not only sustainable, but also a wonderful reminder of the original piece.