Recently I was asked about my one of my past projects in which I used a sheet set and created an 1860's inspired day gown for less than $50. Several people were interested in how this was achieved so I thought I would share the process and results here.
The first question I am always asked is how did I make the gown for so less than $50? This was mostly possible because I used a queen size set of sheets in place of purchasing the 13 yards of fabric required by the pattern. When using sheets in place of fabric make sure you check the thread count on the sheets, too low of a thread count will cause your fabric to look cheap, and your seams to unravel easily.
After the fabric the next big expense is the hoop skirt, or crinoline, an inexpensive way to obtain this is your local thrift store. I found mine for $5 and have been able to use it for several costumes.
Other supplies included the pattern, ribbon, buttons, and the white fabric for the shirt. Total expenses for all items were:
Sheet Set: $20
Crinoline: $5
Pattern (Simplicity 3855): $5
White Fabric: $6
Ribbon and trim: $10
Buttons: $3
Total: $49
Below are a few pictures I took during the making of the dress and the finished product. I did change the pattern slightly because the sheets were so large I used a no seam circle skirt instead of the pattern supplied skirt. Instructions for the skirt can be found here.
This is still one of my favorite dresses. I hope it inspires you to create something wonderful!
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