Upcycle a tea dress to a party frock with this cute cutout idea by designer Amanda McKittrick. Simply snip a shape from the back of a dress you want to rework and secure the raw edges with bias binding. For more thrifty stitching ideas take a look at Amanda's book Recycled Chic, £9.99 by Murdoch Books.
Rework your party dress
Have a friend mark the points at the waistline and the neckline where you’d like the shape to sit. Lay the dress out flat, then pin a piece of tissue or tracing paper over the top of it to draft your pattern. From the points you’ve marked on the dress, draw two lines on the paper running parallel across the top and bottom, adding a 5mm seam allowance. Draw a line down the centre. Between these lines and from the centre, draw a curve on one side