Take Me Out of the Ball Game

This top began as a perfectly boring baseball tee.

This was a castoff from Sid & Nancy (a local consignment shop). The neck was all stretched out.

No worries! That stretched-out neck is going to come in quite handy. :)

I turned the tee inside-out, and pinned a line from one side of the neck to the bottom of the shirt, leaving one of the arms on the other side. I ran it through my machine, and chopped off that leftover sleeve.

Now that boring tee is anything but!






You can read more about this refashion at ReFashionista.net. Don't forget to check out the awesome Nana by Sally giveaway! :)

Cheers!

A tale of 2 dresses

The basic of this post was 2 dresses. Both with different outcomes.

First, is my aqua dress that was a goodwill purchase (again for like $0.99). The zipper only went up to the hips.



After much thinking, I decided the top would need a lot of work. Something I decided wasn't worth it, especially since the bottom part of the dress was to die for! I opted to cut it off the top and take it in and hem it.

What I was left with was a cute high waisted pencil skirt! (which needs ironing!)


For more info on the aqua dress refashion see here.


The next dress, was one I already had. I love the ruffles and always wanted a white dress. But for some reason I always chose to not wear it to events. I think it was b/c it was short and also the back split was a bit to high!


I decided to turn it into a shirt but cutting off the bottom. Don't worry I saved the ruffle for another project, it was too pretty to not use it on something else! Now I will get much more use out of it for work!


For more info on the white dress refashion, see here

Happy Wednesday!

XOXOXO,
LaLaLauren

Thank You Two Butterflies!

I have had this post bookmarked forever. I finally found the right materials.

Before



After



Action shot

Future plans: http://reverseclothing.blogspot.com/

A tale of 2 men's shirts

I got 2 shirts from my boyfriend which they "didn't fit in the neck anymore". ;) We all know it just didn't fit in the neck anymore, but I didn't argue. I got 2 free shirts!

I dyed them scarlet from rit and they came out coral/peach.

Here is an example of what I ended up with. They were the same shirt, same color, same brand, but different print so they are basically the same.


For the first, I played around with ruffles and necklines. I did cut a teeny bit too deep but the shirt is great for when I am not at work


Information on this can be found here

The second one, I went for a more pillow-case dress like refashion. I used fabric from a pair of pants that were stained and unwearable.

Not certain if I like the bow in the front, may tie it to the side. But information can be found here.

I have some great ideas for the week's challenge, so I am going to take a break in refashioning menswear. LOL. :)

XOXOXOXO,
LaLaLauren

Mens polo shirt refashion #2

Here is my 2nd try at a men's polo refashion. I started with a blue polo.



My inspiration was from modcloth


I ended up with this. :)


I am still playing around with the bow. But I love the way it turned out. I feel it has a charm school sort of effect. :)

For more information see here on my blog

I have a few more refashions to post so stay tuned :)

XOXOXOXO,
LaLaLauren

Nautical Knot Necklace

I picked up this 50 cent rope necklace from the thrift store the other day and turned it into this . . .

more info and some inspiration photos on my blog.

Doilies In Situ

Will you look at this?

Yes it is the doilies skirt out in the wild, at my parents 50th wedding anniversary. Meet my much loved crew a little stiff on the official pictures.

It was a lovely event, loved was spread all around which is normal as this is what my parents have been doing for all these years.

My wish is to give as much as I have received in my lifetime.

I'll be posting more pictures of the skirt later on.

Holy Tank Top Batman – This Needs Refashioning!

There’s this little store in a town about twenty minutes from where I live that has a rack at the back where they place their clearance items which are priced between $1 and $5. Whenever I’m in the area I stop in to check out that rack and I’ve found some amazing things. Just before I left for my summer vacation I found this grape purple tank top with a gathered front and a blousy silhouette that just needed a little TLC before I packed it for the trip.

front of tank top

Holy back!

After looking at the before and after pics I’m glad this top had a holy back which forced me to refashion it. I think the front is much more feminine as a halter than it was as a tank.

front of new halter

back of new halter

Done! To see all the steps between "before" and "after" click on over to tank top refashion.

Hello everyone!

Hello, I'm Georgia from England and I blog at Little Blue Mouse.
I've been following Refashion Co-op for a few months now, and am so excited that you've let me join you.


A couple of things I've made recently is this Sorbetto top out of a bedsheet

and I used some bark cloth curtains to make this top

SPOTLIGHT: Huli

Another fun feature we've been wanting to introduce around here is "Spotlight," a regular column featuring our very own contributors!


Huli is one of our earliest members at Refashion Co-op, and not only is she one of our most prolific contributors but she is also wildly creative and versatile. You may remember her striped shirt with lace sleeves refashion from the last challenge, but that's just the beginning!



Hi I'm Julianne aka Hulibug! I'm a 29 year old mama of two amazing boys aged 8 & 5 and we live in the beautiful little beach town of Papamoa in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.

As a family we love spending time at the beach, picnics at the playgrounds, bike rides and rollerskating. My boys are very creative and love to draw, create out of lego and make stuff too...I have started teaching my eldest to sew and he really enjoys it!

I have a passion for live music and love going to rock concerts! and this year I started training to play roller derby with our local league Mount Militia Derby Crew and it is wicked fun!

Hulibug is a nickname a friend gave me when I was about 14 and it stuck..all most closest friends call me Huli and I kinda prefer it to Julianne.

I think my refashioning experience started when I was 15 when my love of op-shopping really developed and I would find amazing retro dresses and remake them into skirts or bell bottoms! I never wanted to look just like anyone else so for me shopping 2nd hand & making my own clothes was a simple way to ensure that wouldn't happen!

When I 1st discovered "Wardrobe Refashion" in 2009 I was so excited to find somewhere that like minded individuals were sharing their creativity. I followed the blog for awhile before signing up....I had never taken photos of my refashions so it was a little strange at 1st but then I got more comfortable with the idea & signed up!

I never shop in "regular shops" anymore for clothing (I make an exception for underwear, socks & shoes but still thrift them too!). Even fabric, patterns & notions I find in op-shops (then add to my ever evolving stash!).

My inspiration comes from the world around me, my latest interests, old magazine editorials, fashion/refashion/DIY blogs, street style blogs and whatever mood I happen to be in at the time I start cutting into something!

Alot of the time I have no clear design in mind and I just sew as I go!

I do have a few things I've made that I've used/worn to death though like my old camo pants to bag refashion, refashioned studded sandals, my beloved sheet pants (pyjama pants made from retro sheets I've made myself at least 8 pairs since I was 14 and a few for friends too!), my purple suede roller skate toe snouts and my latest faze of bleached jeans & slashed back tops.

Sometimes I find just the smallest alterations can make the biggest difference to an unworn garment...like sewing belt loops onto an old shapeless cardigan so now I thread a scarf through the back, tie it in a bow and I wear it all the time!

I always just have fun with whatever I'm making and let my own personal style lead the way...and I know without a doubt I will continue to refashion my wardrobe as long as I can sew!

Many thanks to Huli for sharing a little bit about herself with us. I love her personal style!

Stay tuned for more ...

Summer nightgown

I've been away for most of August and resolutely not on line. It's been a great break. But I'm happy to be back home now and to be sewing, refashioning and crafting again. And blogging. 

Most of my refashion projects at present are about getting my little cabbages ready for back to school: turning too-short dresses into skirts, letting down the hems on trousers, etc. Fun but nothing very exciting.

However, I did make myself a nice summer nightgown back at the end of July. I'm still wearing it even now, as the weather hasn't quite turned autumnal in Paris yet. I just love it, so very comfy and pretty yet modest. 

The sheet wasn't from my husband's family, but rather from a friend of my mother-in-law. The sheet is from that woman's mother, so is probably from the 20s or 30s. It has a beautiful monogram embroidered on it and lovely crochet lace trim.

It was enormous, so I cut it in half horizontally. I used the half with the lace trim and the monogram. The lace trim became the bottom hem. I sewed the sides of the fabric together, making a seam up the back of the nightgown. And then, as it was of course still way too wide, I make a large inverted box pleat in the front, out of which the monogram peeks. Finally, I used two strips of trim that the same woman gave me to make straps.

Et voilà! A vintage French nightie. Sweet dreams...

New Weekly Challenge: Seasonal Transitions

For our next challenge, we're looking to the shift in weather for inspiration. Whether you're in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, what better way to welcome in the new season than with some fresh duds? Accessories, tops, bottoms, coats or shoes (for the adventurous!) ~ what's on your wishlist for Spring or Fall? And what will you make for our next weekly challenge?

Challenge starts Sunday September 4 and runs through midnight, Saturday September 10. Please indicate "Seasonal Transitions" in your post to be considered an official entry.

What are you thinking of refashioning? Are you filling a wardrobe gap or satisfying an urge to try something wild and different?

Looking for some inspiration? Not a contributor but want to get in on the action? Check out our discussion tab over on Facebook.

Easy Refashion Tutorial- Turn a silk top into a lace dress!

Do you feel inspired to use lace in your refashions, Why not try this simple tutorial...

Use beads, trims, lace or any other notion to transform this simple top that maybe it’s forgotten in your wardrobe into a fashionable little dress inspired by the runway.

From a simple top.

 To this lovely dress.

How to make it, on its usual place.

DIY // Inspiring ways to reuse your tee's

Hey Re-Fashionistas!

Here's a little project I've started doing for the long awaited Autumn months!

Okay so I know it's not reaaally a garment type project but it does involve garments and it makes a nice new feature for your bedroom or living room! Recently I've been getting around to ticking off my Crafty List for 2011 and one of them is something that I never thought I would actually get around to doing but I started it and I'm obsessed!

I've been recycling my old tshirts (&hand dying the plain ones) to thenn be cut into long strips and wooven using the standard crochet loops and knots into a crochet rug! It's so much fun, a little too much for me really because I found myself not being able to wait for the hand dyed yarn balls to dry I just got straight on with knotting into my rug! It's getting quite big at the moment and I plan to have it so much bigger! It started off in a sort of square shape but it's decided to go circular as I've gone along!

Come have a peek over on le bloggie of Sylvieepops :) I hope it inspires you to use your old tshirts for better uses! XO

http://scuzzface.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/yarn-balling/

Maternity trousers

I am now 5 months pregnant and have reached the point where even my most generous trousers do not fit me anymore.
With the help of a couple of tutorials on the Internet I have had a go at refashioning some of my old trousers into maternity trousers. It hasn't been a complete success so far. i need to redo both pairs so that the knit fabric covers more of my tummy and they don't fall down all the time. Maybe even add some elastic.

Have a look at my post and pictures on Eddie's room. I have also added a list of the tutorials at the bottom of the post that have inspired me over there.

Eddie xxx

Polka dots

Hello, it's Debbie here and I am on daily editor duty today, so I thought I would share my latest refashion. It's been a while.

This started out as a second hand blouse made from something synthetic. The neck was too on me and the sleeves too long. It also had a back zip fastening.

So I took out the zip, unpicked the neck, recut a new neckline and chopped off the sleeves. I used some yellow bias binding to edge the neck and sleeves. More details over here

Result? I much prefer this top now, it is much more wearable.

Pretty in Pink

Hiya! Todays refashion started as a long, badly made halter dress that was gifted to me. It was fraying away at the seams and the lining was crooked! So I took the bodice off & removed the straps from that. I then cut out the lining & took in the skirt on both sides. I hemmed the waistband and re-attached the straps at the side.                                       

Scarf to Sheer Pullover

I collect scarves. I don't wear them, though. Oh, I put them on sometimes, but I always second-guess myself and remove them before I make it out the door. So, my new goal is to turn the scarves into something that I will actually wear. My first project is a definite winner. Here's a project in pictures:




This is the original scarf. It was square, black with bright purple and yellow and red abstract flowers.




I used a t-shirt as a pattern to cut the neckline. I think that I made it too big (I didn't realize that it would stretch so much!), so I'd make it smaller next time. Just big enough to fit over my head would be perfect; this one keeps slipping off my shoulders.




I handstitched a rolled hem on the neckline and sewed the sides together to form sleeves.




Voila! The finished project. It's a great way to dress up a tank-top without having to actually put on any more clothes, which is awesome in the 95+ degree heat we've been having lately.