Saving Two Re-fashioned Pants

#76 Back to School Wardrobe

REFLECTIONS:  Me Made May pledge to wear one Re-fashioned item each day includes inspection of  already re-fashioned items.

BEFORE: I was loosing already Re-fashioned Navy pants and Lilac stripe pants to frayed seams. 

In the 1st Re-fashion: 

• Downsized by running a side seam which ruined pocket use in Navy pair.  
• Serger was not used. Both pair now show wear and fray on altered seams.

Now:

• On current Re-fashions, I use Betzini's one seam pants patterns. This does not impact outside pants pockets.
• I use new to me Juki Serger on seams.

STEPS:

• Open waistband to access frayed side seams.
• Remove unusable pockets in navy pockets,  
• Run a narrow inside seam in Navy pants to alter them a bit smaller.
• Re-stich the side seams to freshen them.
• Serge all seams with new serger.

AFTER: Two pairs of pants back into the Me Made May wardrobe rotation.

• Saved from fraying seams

AFTER: Frayed seams repaired
Pockets removed
Back in MMM Rotation

AFTER: Frayed seams repaired
Back in MMM Rotation

Before: 1st Re-fashion
Too small pockets
after side seam taken in.

BEFORE: 1st Re-fashion
Pinked seams were fraying

DURING: 
Removed unusable pockets

BEFORE: 1st Re-fashion
Seams frayed without Serger. 

AFTER: Seams saved with Serger.       

            

Too Large Pants to Pull on Pants

#75 Back to School Wardrobe

REFLECTIONS:  Me Made May pledge to wear one Re-Fashioned item each day prompted me to finish these pants. I needed a Re-fashion to wear with a RTW top in the closet.

http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com

BEFORE: Pink /peach too large pants

• Bought for a dollar in the Liz Claiborne outlet close-out.
• From the refashion ‘someday’ stash.

STEPS:

• Open only the inside and crotch seams, remove zipper and waistband.
• Recut pants using the one-seam pattern.
• Reassemble pants
• Add t-shirt knit waist band cut from stash t-shirt.
• Insert elastic.

AFTER: Pull on pants.

• Second pair re-fashioned using this pattern.
• Easier and faster than taking up and trying on several times.
• Love the fit.

AFTER: Pull on pants

T-shirt / Elastic waistband

Pants Pattern 

Pattern

Pic from the book

Pattern Book

Pattern

Recutting Pants

Before: Too large

Before

Too Small Turtleneck becomes Fits Now Cowl

#74 Back to School Wardrobe

REFLECTIONS:  Favorite Spring stripe pullover needs under shirt in its colorway.

BEFORE: Turtleneck in perfect color for the stripe pullover

• From the refashion stash. Way too small.
• Matching burnout t-shirt from the stash.

STEPS:

• Remove sleeves from both the re-fashion turtleneck and the burnout t-shirt
• Enlarge the re-fashion t-shirt with its own sleeves.
• Place the burn out sleeves in the re-fashion t-shirt.

AFTER: Turtleneck or cowl to wear under the striped sweater.

• Back is patched, but hidden under the sweater.

AFTER: Pink Cowl
under Stripe Sweater

AFTER: Pink Cowl

AFTER: Not pretty pieced back
hidden under sweater

AFTER: Stripe sleeves
are perfect under sweater

BEFORE: Too small turtleneck
trying out striped sleeve

BEFORE: Burnout is match for small turtleneck

Men’s PJs to Lacy Loungers

#73 Back to School Wardrobe

REFLECTIONS: Starts Monday- Me Made May- Year 8

For self-made or Re-Fashions

http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com

'I, Mary @ RanchHouse, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '17. I endeavour to wear one Re-Fashioned item each day for the duration of May 2017'

http://handmadebycarolyn.com.au/2017/02/year-handmade-12.html

She wore ONLY her own handmade shoes and clothing for an entire year.

BEFORE: Men’s PJs from family donation

• Comfy Cotton.
• Front top had major tears.

STEPS:

• Patch the tears and holes with fabric scraps.
• Use wide eyelet from the sewing stash to create a new waistband which covers the mending.

AFTER: Summer weight Lacy Loungers

AFTER: Lacy Loungers

AFTER

AFTER

Lace Stash

BEFORE: Tears

BEFORE: Men's Cotton Loungers
with Tears

Brocade Jacket / Blazer to Dressy Vest

#72 Back to School Wardrobe

REFLECTIONS: Still time to join:  Me Made May- Year 8

• For self made or Re-Fashions
• http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com
• 'I, Mary @ RanchHouse, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '17. I endeavour to wear one Re-Fashioned item each day for the duration of May 2017'

Handmade by Carolyn wore ONLY her own handmade /re-fashioned shoes and clothing for an entire year.

• http://handmadebycarolyn.com.au/2017/02/year-handmade-12.html

BEFORE:. Brocade ¾ sleeve lined jacket.

• From the re-fashion stash.Thrifted for the brocade fabric.
• Someone else hand-made and never wore. Too small

STEPS:

• Seam rip the sleeves.
• Cut and insert a side gusset from the sleeves and sleeve lining.
• Cut and attach a sleeve armcyle facing from stash lining.

AFTER: Dressy vest to dress to wear for graduations this Spring.

Some reasons for my many vests:

• Pre-retirement wardrobe suit jackets/blazers no longer fit life-style.
• Re-fashion stash has jackets/blazers thrifted for special fabrics.
• Original items are well made with details like collars, buttons, linings not found in many vests.
• Vests are easy wear, versitle and dress up or down. 

AFTER: Dressy Vest 

AFTER

AFTER: Original tab gathers back.
Hangs better on. 

Side enlarged
with sleeve fabric.

AFTER: Sleeveless

BEFORE: Stiff brocade with 3/4 sleeves

BEFORE: Hand made / thrifted

In the Works:
 Tight waist denim cullotes

Professional Silk Jacket / Blazer to Silk Vest

#71 Back to School Wardrobe

REFLECTIONS: Pre-retirement wardrobe included many professional suit jackets.

• With limited arm movement even when new,

Re-fashioned to vests, with free arm movement.

• Versatile to dress up or down with wide variety of separates. 

BEFORE: Silk suit jacket from pre-retirement professional wardrobe.

STEPS:

• Seam rip the sleeves.
• Cut and insert a side gusset from the sleeves and sleeve lining.
• Cut and attach a sleeve armcyle facing from a t-shirt strip.

AFTER: Versatile Silk vest for the Spring wardrobe.

AFTER: Versitle Silk Vest 

Love silk fabric

Beige t-knit arm facing
 to match garment fabric

BEFORE:
Professional suit jacket

Side insert cut from sleeve
enlarges smaller jacket

BEFORE: Restrictive Arm movement

IN THE WORKS: Green silk blouse 

XXXL Black leggings to Black Knit Capris

#70 Back to School Wardrobe

REFLECTIONS: Six weeks till end of the school year.

• Lots of Field Days, Field Trips, and Day Camps
• Need casual, cool capris, but not shorts.

BEFORE: Black knit leggings 3 XXXL. 

• Lands End from the Re-fashion stash.
• Wide elastic band looked easy to just pull and tighten.
• BUT, the waistband elastic was so heavily blind stitched that it took two TV nights to pull out the stitching. . 

STEPS:

• The elastic was stitched into the waistband seam so the whole band had to come off.
• Seam rip a lot to get the waist band off. 
• Then seam rip a lot more to get the elastic free.
• Re-attach the waistband.
• Insert a shorter and more narrow elastic due to the new more narrow waistband casing.

AFTER: Black knit Capris. Ready for end of school year fun.

AFTER: Capri size knit with a tighter waisband
Ready for end of school Field Days and Field Trips

BEFORE: 3 XXXL Knit Leggings

DURING: Waistband removed,
old black elastic,
new more narrow / shorter elastic

Grandpa’s PJs to Summer Boxers

#69 Back to School Wardrobe

REFLECTIONS: Six weeks till end of the school year, so thinking about summer wear.

• Summer at the Texas RanchHouse is hot.
• Love to sleep and lounge in boxers and t shirts.

BEFORE: Men's PJs gifted by family

• Fair game for me.
• Some went to the rag pile due to wear.
• One smaller set was pieced to enlarge pants.

STEPS:

• Cut legs and sleeves to shorten. Serge and hem.
• Wet and iron dry Rick Rack  from the stash to pre-shrink. 
• Top stitch center of  Rick Rack. Hand tack the points. 

AFTER: Ready for end of summer: 2 sets of summer PJs and 2 pair of boxers.

AFTER: Summer PJs with RicK Rack

AFTER: Summer PJs 

AFTER: Summer Boxers with Rick Rack
Enlarged with side panels
cut from worn top

AFTER: Summer Boxers with Rick Rack

AFTER: Summer PJs with Rick Rack

AFTER: 1st try: Too plain without trim

BEFORE: Sad Mens PJs

BEFORE: Family gifted Mens PJs