The Leslie Fay Gets A New Day In The Sun!! A Vintage Dress Refashion! Www.vintagethrifter51.com

This was a Leslie Fay colour blocked peplum vintage dress that I thrifted a very long time ago.  It has been sitting on my refashion pile for quite a while but today I decided that I would do a whole bunch of refashioning and putting new hems on some dresses.  This dress was the first one I decided to tackle.

Here it is before I attacked it with the seam ripper.

First I took off the huge shoulder pads.

Then I took of the awkward lengthed sleeves.

Then I just folded the raw edges over and hemmed the sleeve openings.  Now it fits much better.  I may have to tweak it some more as summer approaches, but as it stands now, I am much happier with how it looks.  What do you think of my Leslie Fay dress that will have a new day in the sun after my refashion?  Cheers, Michele

Dress Refashion From Vintage Bed Linens!! Www.vintagethrifter51.com

I have been inspired by a number of sewing bloggers to sew again from patterns.  So I am going to make my own dress from a pattern using vintage bed linens.  I was lucky enough to thrift this bedskirt with the large centre panel from Value Village for $3.99 after a 50% off discount.  It is a cotton blend with beautiful colours and pattern.  I don't know how old the linens are, but the tag says made in Canada, so that's cool in it's self.

I used my seam ripper to remove the side panel which was one long strip of fabric half a metre wide.  The centre panel is almost 1 metre by 2 metres of fabric.  Then I hit the fabric store for a pattern.  I found this beautiful vintage inspired pattern from Butterick Lisette and will be making it in size 18 with some adjustments for my length of skirt.  It cost way more than anything else at $18.99 and with a zipper for $3.99, and thread that I inherited from my mom, I was ready to go.

I cut the pieces out that I didn't need the width or a fold for from the narrow panel and the skirt pieces from the centre panel.  Then I began assembling it.

Here is the bodice together.  I love the gathers at the bodice.  I am going to change the pattern a bit and put box pleats and pleats in the skirt instead of gathers to have it lay flatter and not accentuate my 23 year post-baby belly.  It was a pretty easy pattern to follow and here is the end result.  With only a little cursing involved with the insertion of the hidden zipper.  Damn those things.  But this time it went off without any real hitches.  Amazing!!  Thanks to Lauren from www.Lladybird.com and Linda from www.remakeremodelrecycle.wordpress.com for the great tips and advice on hidden zipper insertion!!

What do you think?  My daughter says the print is a little childish, but I love it.  The colours, the print, everything about it.  But then again I am a little childish.  Let me know what you think?  Check out my blog at www.vintagethrifter51.com.  Cheers, Michele

Polka Dots Are Back In Line!! A Simple But Long Awaited Dress Refashion! Vintagethrifter51

I just want to take the time to thank all my lovely readers who took the time to suggest the way I should refashion this beloved dress.  It is a great idea to throw a potential refashion out there for other more inspired and talented people to give feedback and ideas.  I finally bit the bullet and finished the refashion.  Here is the initial dress.  A gorgeous yellow with black polka dot 80s number that stole my heart at first glance.

I removed the shoulder pads.

Removed those bulky sleeves.

Then taking another dress' sleeves as inspiration, I copied the cap sleeve shape onto the polka dot sleeves and cut the out, keeping the old sleeve's hem.  Then I pinned them on, stitched the sleeves and zigzagged the raw edges.  I turned over the remaining arm hole hem.  And Ta da.  The dress is finished.  I think the small cap sleeves balance the bulk of the pockets on the bottom and yet are still in keeping with the style of the dress.  I still need to iron it, but I was so excited to share my finished refashion.  And I hate to iron, so I have to wait til I am in the mood and have a good movie to watch while I iron my pile of completed refashions all at once.

I love it so much now, I don't know why it took me so long to decide, but I dithered and dithered over this one.  This finally took me only about 30 minutes to cut and attach the sleeves.  I have included a handbag from my collection and my recently refashioned black flats to complete this outfit.  Not sure what necklace I would wear with this dress as it is pretty loud and busy and in your face as it is.  But I love it anyways.  And for the final outfit reveal!!

Hope you like the final results.  Let me know what you think.  Cheers, Michele. Check out my blog Here.

Travel Souvenir Necklace!! Another Coin Refashion!

I like to collect souvenirs of my travels through life.  Over the years I have collected many coins from various different countries.  This necklace was made by me from some of those coins I have collected.

I just drilled a hole at the top of the coin, added a split ring and attached them on to a chain at equal distances.  An extremely simple refashion and upcycle of coins into jewelry.  It is a great piece to use my souvenir coins and I love wearing it alone or mixing it with some of my other vintage chains.

Here are some examples of the coins I used.  Hope you like this reuse and upcycle of some collected coins.  Cheers, Michele. Check out my blog Here.

Coral and Pearls!! A Necklace Refashion! Vintagethrifter51

When I was in Jamaica last year, I got several pieces of coral that I have since turned into jewelry.  Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures while making the necklaces, so I will have to walk through how I made them.  The basic tools needed are needle nose jewelry pliers, flat jewelry pliers, wire cutters, Loc Tight glue, pieces of coral, a fine drill bit, eye ring pins and head pins in the  metal of your choice (I used silver), a chain with clasp (again I used silver), and pearls (I used fresh water pearls).

The two necklaces below are made in the same manner as the following tutorial, but with two different coloured pearls; one pink and one grey.

1. First wash the coral in bleach and water to clean any algae off and bleach it white.  Allow to dry well.
2. Using the drill bit, but no drill, hand drill holes into the ends of the pieces of coral.  Luckily the centre of the coral seems softer and more friable than the outsides, but if done carefully, it can be drilled through as well.  Only drill in about 5-7 mm.
3. Cut the long end of the eye pin leaving about 5-7 mm of length and the eye at the other end.
4. Put Loc Tight glue or Crazy glue in the hole you have drilled and insert the eye pin.  If the length is too long to allow the ring to sit flush against the coral.  Allow to dry 30 minutes or so.
5. Cut the chain in half exactly opposite the clasp leaving two equal lengths of chain.  Open the ring on the eye pin and attach the chain before closing the ring.  Now your chain is attached.
6. If you wish to add a pendant on the coral, find the middle of the piece and drill only half way into the coral.  Cut an eye pin to fit in the hole so that the ring is close to the coral.  Glue it in as before.
7. Using a head pin, place it through the pearl or bead and cut off the excess leaving enough to make a ring.  Using your needle nose pliers, make a ring, leaving it open, slip into to the eye pin in the coral and close the loop.  You are done.

Another adaptation of this method is to take a piece of coral that is an interesting shape and drill a hole right through the coral where you want to suspend it from the chain.  Do not cut the chain in this project.  Take an eye pin and place it through the hole leaving the eye end with enough length to bend it up and over the top of the coral leaving enough room to take the other end and bend it up to meet it.  Then take the non-eye end and wrap it around the pin below the eye three times and cut off the excess.  Pinch the cut end against the rest to prevent the sharp end sticking out.  Open the eye on the pin and put it through the link on the chain exactly opposite the clasp.  Close the ring.  Now you have a coral pendant attached to the chain.

Hope you like these wearable souvenirs of my Jamaida adventures.  I quite like them and am proud of how they turned out.  Cheers, Michele. Check out my blog here.

Taming the Animal Print! A Quick Dress Refashion. Vintagethrifter51

This dress was thrifted in a previous 30% off Value Village thrift haul for only $9.99 before discount and I am finally getting around to refashioning it.  It is a beautiful black and white animal print from Talbots, but the only problem with it is that it is a 2X and is huge on me.   But this is a simple fix.

I especially love the tucked neck detail and the cap sleeves.

First I put it on inside out and pinned where I needed to take it in.  My final seams were 3 inches in on each side, and 1 1/2 in at each tuck, totalling 12 inches.

Then I just sewed along my new seam allowance, and  just a quick try on before zigzag stitching over the raw edges of the new seam.

 I think it is a beautiful finished result and couldn't be more happy with this find.  What do you think?  Cheers, Michele

Quickest No-Sew Dress Refashion Ever!! Vintagethrifter51

This has got to be the quickest and easiest no-sew refashion ever.  I just bought this vintage dress at Value Village today for $7.99 plus a 15% discount.

I had seen it before and admired the print and the beautiful silky fabric, but never thought it would fit as it is a size 12.  But when I went back today, it was still there and I still loved it so I figured I could always make a top out of the fabric.  But I brought it home and tried it on and it fits perfectly.  But as you can see, the top is quite blousy and not so flattering.

But I also love the little pearl buttons at the cuffs and at the back of the collar.  They are very in keeping with the style and age of the dress.

I considered taking the elastic out until I noticed that the bodice lining was much shorter than the bodice fabric which was what was  keeping it puffy.

So all I did was carefully cut the lining out of the top all around the neck, arm holes and waist.  This left me with the lining fabric seen above.

Then I just had the top and the bottom attached without the lining and the elastic still in place.

So I was left with a much more flattering silhouette that I can belt and place the elastic higher or lower on my waist.  What do you think of this refashion?  It only took about 10 minutes to complete.  Cheers, Michele. I would love it if you checked out my blog for other refashions.

A Jumpsuit With Issues! Big Issues! Vintagethrifter51

Since my husband and I will be going to Jamaica in the spring to celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary, I am always on the lookout for pieces to take with me.  I found this beautiful black and white strapless jumpsuit at Value Village.  It still had the original price tag on it for $99.99, but I snagged it for only $7.99, plus 30% off.  While it is beautiful, the big draw back is that it is a 4X and is huge on me, I had to pin it doubled over around my dressmaker's mannequin.   This is a simple fix; a little elastic, a little patience and some sewing and it will be better than new.

So after trying it on, I measured two pieces of elastic; one for the top in black in case it might show and one for the waistband in white that wouldn't be seen.

Then I just pinned them equally around the appropriate spots.

I stretched the elastic to fit it and sewed it to the jumpsuit.

Now it fits perfectly.  It is a wonderful piece to dress up or down.  What do you think of the results of another quick and easy refashion?

The best part about this refashion is that when I was at Value Village and was struggling to find my 30% off coupon in my purse, a lovely lady who I had happened to meet before at VVs saw my predicament and offered me an extra 30% off coupon that she had.  She told me that a while before she had been in line in front of me and since I had an extra coupon then, I gave it to her.  A classic and delightful example of what goes around, comes around.  Niceness does come back to you eventually, but sometimes it comes back when you least expect it.  Cheers, Michele  Check out my blog at www.vintagethrifter51.com

La Belle Femme. Or a Coin Refashioned into Jewelry!

I don't just collect vintage handbags and jewelery, and thrift and refashion clothes and shoes, I collect coins from various places where I have travelled and fashion them into jewelry.  That way I have a permanent wearable souvenir of wonderful times travelling with my family.  Here is my most recent refashion, but I will post about others I have done in up-coming posts.

First I started with a pile of coins from various countries where I have travelled, and decided on this French 10 Centime coin, with this beautiful lady's face, in which I had previously drilled two holes for a bracelet project but ended up not using because of a mistake in drilling holes in the coin.

 Unfortunately one was in the wrong place and a bit too far from the edge, but c'est la vie.  I will work with it anyways.

Then using a Dremel tool with a small abrasive head, I abraded all around the female head on one side of the coin to give it some texture and interest.

Once the abrading was done, I gathered the other things I needed for this project, two gold jump rings, a chain with a clasp, metal cutters, and two jewelry pliers; one flat and one rounded.

I cut the chain in half opposite the clasp to allow me to insert the coin.  Then I added the two jump rings to the two holes in the coin, added the chain, and I'm done.

I think this turned out very well and I am very pleased with the results.  I  have been wearing this every day since I made it.  Cheers, Michele

Once Too Big, Now Just Right! A Very Simple Skirt Refashion!

This caramel coloured corduroy skirt had become too large and ill-fitting since I had slimmed down in the hip and waist area.  I thrifted this skirt a while ago and it is an excellent skirt for wearing with boots and a big chunky sweater, but alas all my squats have made it too big and baggy while making me less so.

So I took a newly thrifted denim skirt that fits me very well and lay it on top of the corduroy skirt to get an idea of how much to take it in.  I ended up needing to take it in about 2 inches on each side.

Then I used a seam ripper to open up the side seams.  As you can see, the front pockets go all the way to the side seam so I couldn't take the skirt in equally from the front and back or I would lose some pocket space.  And goodness knows I love clothes with pockets, so that just could not happen.

So I pulled the back panel forward and stitched along the old front panel seam allowance to give me the proper amount of taking in. In the photo, you can see the wider strip of seam allowance from the back panel and the original seam allowance from the front now happily stitched together.  Then I trimmed off the extra fabric after trying it on to make sure it fit, and heck yes, it was just right.  Then I zigzagged the raw edge.

I restitched the hem at the side seams, before "stitching in the ditch" of the side seem to hold down the waist lining.  You can see the tiny stitches and cut threads that show the little tagging of the waistband lining to the skirt, but since I "stitched in the ditch" the stitches are invisible on the outside.

I know this is a very simple refashion, but these are often the kinds I am forced to do to make my thrifted clothes fit like they were made for me, not their former owners.  Not all my refashions are huge and dramatic, but having clothing fit right makes a world of difference in how they look, both in cut and use value.  Check out my blog www.vintagethrifter51.com.  Cheers, Michele

Snowy or Milou to the Rescue. vintagethrifter51

This refashion is inspired by my favourite sweater that I thrifted.  Someone handknit it and stitched my favourite Belgian journalist/detective across the front...Tintin.

                               

Here is a picture the inspiration sweater of it in case you hadn't seen it on my blog.  I felt that Tintin needed his best friend Snowy.  Or Milou in the French versions of the books.

                                           

This sweater began life as a boring V-neck sweater that I thrifted from Value Village for $4.99.  I had been on the lookout for weeks to find the right one.  I wish that the knit was bigger so that I could use bigger stitches for the pattern.  But this was the one I found.

                                        

I first found the centre of the sweater and marked it with chalk.  Then I sketched my Milou or Snowy.

                                      

I used this image from Google for the pattern.

                                   

The yarn I used was also thrifted for $2.99 from Value Village.  I just followed the stitch marks on the sweater and made looped stitches to create the pattern.

                                          

And here is the final result.  It took me about 10-12 hours to do the stitching, I know the results are not perfect, but I am very pleased with how it turned out considering it was freehand drawn and stitched. So this whole refashion only cost about $8 and a bit of work.  Well worth it in my opinion. Come check out my blog at vintagethrifter51 for other refashions.  Cheers, Michele