Add and Subtract

Both of these projects were pretty simple and yet I started them a year ago and put them down.  I bet I'm not the only person who does that - you try something, then you don't like it, and it sits there for a year waiting for you to try something else. 

I've had this skirt for years and it's too short to wear to work -  it hikes up halfway up my thighs when I sit down.  So I added a piece of polka-dotted fabric to the bottom that I got at the fabric store.  It didn't really match though, so I thought about solid black but everything I had at home was too heavy.  So I finally realized that to get a thin piece of 100% rayon woven fabric, ala 1990, I would have to go to the thrift store.  Problem solved.  The white bit is a piece of ribbon.

This shirt has a tiny check pattern on it and for some reason I never wore it.  I think because it feels light enough for a summer shirt and yet it has long sleeves.  So, the solution was to cut off the sleeves.  I used the extra fabric to make strips that I folded in half, pleated and then stuck under the button thingie (what's that called?  Oh wait, placket?) I originally tried putting elastic in the sleeve hems but they weren't full enough so it looked stupid.  So then it took me a year to just hem them and make a pleated edge for them too.  But I'm pleased to report I've worn both of them now!

Oh, one other thing.  I did a little refashioning for someone's prom dress.  The daughter of a co-worker bought her dress at Goodwill (go her!), but it was strapless and since she's Mormon, she had to have the outer edge of her shoulder covered.  Fortunately the dress came with a drawstring purse which I took apart and made into pleated sleeve-type things.  She was even mentioned and photographed in the newspaper.  It said she "crafted straps for her dress" but oh well, my work was featured!