Dress Redo Challenge #3: The Paisley & Eyelet Transformation

Ever look at a dress in your closet and think, "I love this fabric, but the style needs a serious glow-up"? That is exactly where I found myself for my third Dress Redo Challenge.

In this project, I took a vibrant floral paisley dress and gave it a structured, modern twist by incorporating navy blue eyelet linen from a skirt.

The Vision

The original dress had a beautiful, flowy print, but I wanted to add some contrast and a more defined silhouette. By mixing the busy paisley pattern with the solid, textured navy eyelet, the goal was to create a "mixed media" look that feels both boho and polished.

Materials & Tools

To bring this vision to life, I used:

The Base: A floral/paisley maxi dress. (I loved the fabric but needed more coverage) Cost $10

The Contrast: Navy blue eyelet linen skirt. (In a size I will never fit in as is!) Cost $2.00

The Blueprint: A Butterick #3756 sewing pattern to help restructure the bodice.

The Essentials: Fabric shears, pins, and my trusty sewing machine and serger.

The Transformation Process

Redesigning a garment is like solving a puzzle. First, I had to carefully deconstruct the original dress to harvest the fabric. I was able to leave the skirt almost as is and just cut off the bodice; it already had a zipper starting at the waist, so I left it as is.  I then laid out my Butterick pattern pieces over the paisley and eyelet fabrics to ensure the prints lined up perfectly. The eyelet skirt, I was also able to leave the original zipper, darts, and pleats. One mistake I did make was that I didn't get it quite centered, and there was no turning back once I cut it, but it doesn't look too bad. 

The most satisfying part? Seeing the new navy bodice come together with the original paisley sleeves and skirt. It completely changed the "vibe" of the piece while keeping the colors I loved.

The Final Reveal

The end result is a one-of-a-kind dress that looks brand new. You can see the full transformation—from the initial cut to the final stitch—in my latest video below.

DIY Upcycled Dress Redo Challenge #3