Tutorial for Lace Elbow Pads

Lace Elbow Pads

A Tutorial for Up-cycling With Old Lace Tights

One of my dresses has been in need of a serious revamp. It was far too low cut to wear in my daily life and it could use something to make it special.

I recently decided that it was time to retire my favorite pair of lace tights (due to many holes). I got the idea that they need not be thrown out, rather they could be given new life by using them to fix up a few other pieces. I used a bit on a pair of felted slippers made by Colleen, and I decided to use the rest to help out a dress in need. 

Here is the dress that is desperate for a pick-me-up. 

First, I used cardboard to get the exact size of my elbow pads. I used an older sweater of mine with elbow pads to help measure. All we had was an old Annie's Macaroni box for cardboard. :)

Once the cardboard was pinned in place, I cut out my two elbow pads. I cut both layers at once, this was to ensure they were roughly the same size. 

Next you will want to measure where your elbow hits the dress, then pin the elbow pads into place. 

Next, I cut out a large piece for the neckline. The edges are quite rough with the lace, because it is stretchy material. Once it was sewn on, the small imperfections blended in. 

After pinning the larger piece to inside of the neckline, it was time to sew. It took me a few evenings to complete this project, a lot of tiny stitches. The lace on the neckline was easier, because the stitches were inside the dress. The elbow pads took a bit more time, because everything is visible from the outside. 

In the end, it was all worth it! The dress came out just how I wanted. I am sure I will be doing similar projects to this soon. It is nice to feel like you have a completely new dress by simply adding a bit more character to an older piece. Cannot wait to wear this dress tomorrow!

<3 Amy