87 Days to Go: $1 Remake

We're back in sewing business!!  I got my hands on a machine and I finally got to fix the below dress today!! New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Before - 87

It was big on me, so first plan of business was to take it in!  I started with the body of the piece...

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Pinning Body - 87

...pinned the arms and torso then headed to the waist.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Taking In - 87

The waist was elastic, so I tested it out (stretched it) when trying it on to pin in just the right spot.  Time to sew!!

I stitched the body, waist and skirt...

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Sewing Machine - 87

...then tweaked the length next.  I wanted the dress to hit at the knees, so I measured about six inches of fabric and pinned where I wanted the dress to fall.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - New Hem - 87

I trimmed off the excess material next to my new seam...

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Trimming - 87

...stitched the hem, and had my blue and white dress ready for dinner!!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Open Kitch Parking Lot - 87

We had a little family dinner at Open Kitchen in Charlotte - the coolest thing is that my parents had a date here back in the early 70s before they got married.  It probably looked exactly the same tonight as it did when they were there 40 years ago.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Soulja Boy - 87

We were snapping pics all night - they got me and D across the table...

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - DM - 87

...and I got a picture of the bottle of Chianti we ordered.  This bottle was the same one that my parents remembered having when they were last here.  Now whether the vintner is the same is one question, but the wicker bottomed bottle was just like my mom remembered.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Chianti - 87

She remembered well because she turned it into a candlestick holder and let the wax drip down the sides of it.  She said it was all the rage then...I secretly want to do that with this one now!!

We had a fun evening of reminiscing and enjoying the same Italian recipes that have been served at this resto for the past 60 years.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Hallway Shot - 87

It was like we stepped into a family time machine, which was awesome!