Recycling

Inspired by the Great British Sewing Bee I've made a top out of a dress - my own kind of remodelling/customising challenge.
I noticed that a dress I bought ages ago was looking now had a hole in it.

I've always loved the fabric but the dress has never fitted well so I thought I'd turn it in to something else.  Which basically meant another top as there is surprisingly little fabric in a straight dress.
I unpicked it rather than cutting the seams out so that I could keep as much fabric as possible.  My first thoughts were to sew another Simplicity 2599 but it was too wide to fit on to what was the skirt so I had a rummage and found McCall's 5661 (now out of print).

I had made view D a few years ago so I had another rummage and found it languishing, crumpled, at the back of my wardrobe.  I couldn't remember what I didn't like about the finished top - why had I abandoned it?  It fits well.  So I put it on Dolly and then realised it was because the facings show badly through the thin white cotton I'd used. So all systems go then.
I just about managed to get it cut out - the seam allowance disappeared in a couple of places  and I ended up using the sleeves from the Simplicity pattern as I didn't like the view B ones (too much armpit on show!) and the others were never going to fit.  I used some navy polycotton I had left over for the facings.
And here it is....

I'm looking a bit glaikit (this is definitely a word, my Mother uses it all the time) but it was early morning.

I've never really noticed how weird elbows are.
In conclusion, making garments using other garments is not my favourite thing - especially the unpicking, but I'm pleased with the end result.  Its also made me rediscover some of the many patterns I've got stashed away.  And it only cost me £2 for the buttons - I need more buttons!  Everything else I had left over from other projects.
So now I'm thinking about my final sewing bee challenge, something bigger, maybe a dress...