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Tout en cousant, il change la robe en chef-d'œuvre.

Tout en cousant, il change la robe en chef-d'œuvre.
While sewing, he turns the dress into a masterpiece.
From Lesson 443:Verbs that change meaning with prepositions·French

Questions & Answers about Tout en cousant, il change la robe en chef-d'œuvre.

How does the preposition en change the meaning of the verb changer in this sentence?
By itself, changer with a direct object usually means to alter or swap something (like changing clothes or changing a tire). However, the structure changer [quelque chose] en [autre chose] shifts the meaning of the verb to transformation, meaning to turn or transform something into something else.
Why is there no article before chef-d'œuvre? Shouldn't it be en un chef-d'œuvre?
In French, the preposition en is almost never followed by an indefinite article (un or une). When expressing what a material or object is transformed into, the article is simply dropped, making it just en chef-d'œuvre.
What is the purpose of the word Tout at the beginning of the sentence? Could we just say En cousant?
Yes, you could just say En cousant, which is the standard gerund form meaning while sewing. Adding Tout in front emphasizes the strict simultaneity of the actions. It highlights that he is turning the dress into a masterpiece at the exact same time he is actively in the process of sewing.

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