Quick Intro and a Favorite T-Shirt Refashion

Hey everyone! I'm Maggie, a new contributor to the blog. I've been sewing since I was in elementary school (with a toy machine), and my goal this year is to refashion three pieces of clothing for every one new item I buy in an effort to spark my creative sewing mojo again after becoming a parent a year ago. It seems that all of my time and energy are taken up by my son these days, and I want to get back into designing and making things again.

I'm in the middle of a BDU field jacket to messenger bag refashion at the moment with no pictures yet, so I'm afraid I'll just be posting one of my previous efforts for now. This is a Threadless XXL t-shirt that I converted into the skirt of a fun sundress. There is also skirt lining that isn't visible that was cut out of an old bed sheet. I used McCall's 5380 and New Look 6375 to piece the dress together. The bodice and skirt trim were cut from fabric remnants I had saved from other projects.

Denim dress refashion

Hello fellow refashioners!:)

I have this thrifted dropped waist denim long dress in my closet and this morning was in need of a quick project.

For the first time in my life, got a sewing project done in the same day!

It's similar in concept (and steps i'm sure) to the pillow case dress, but i incorporated (i like that word a lot) the pleated part of the skirt into mine. I reuse the black tie from my old maternity dress here, but might consider making a vibrant colored/print version to spice things up.

This is how I wore it today. Not in picture frame is my red cotton leggings. Toddler milk bottle is optional.

As usual, more on this on my blog Memoryseed.

Flower Tank Refashion

Well this is the last of my Tank Refashions.  I am pretty proud of this one because it required quite a bit of work.  Behold, the before tank.

It is very similar to the tank from my previous refashion other than color.  I even used the same floral fabric from the past refashion because it's such an awesome print.  I give you the fruits of my labor!

Check out my blog and let me know which of the tank refashions you like best!

Put my new shoes on...

I started with 2 of these, a thrifted pair of shoes. And ended up with these: Yay! Details and more pictures on my blog. I have a top to show off soon, I'll wear the shoes when I model it. Kathy

Frogs Gone Wild

Remember this refashion?

Refashioned Black Cable Knit Sweater

I’m going to let you in on a dirty little secret - I cheated on this refashion. Instead of sewing the frogs on, I pinned them to take the after pic. Every time that I sat down to permanently attach them I thought of all the fabulous things that I wanted to do with these unique frogs and I just couldn’t condemn them to a lifetime on the front of just one sweater. Then it dawned on me! I could sew a couple of brooch pins on the back of each frog and then I could use them on whatever I wanted.

Wanna see how I’m using them now? Homemade Brooches

PJ time

life started as a duvet cover but transformed to join the pyjama party! Blogged about here : http://charlottesewfarsewgood.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/pyjama-party.html

A quick refashion:: sheer top to infinity scarf

I have been giving my wardrobe a little bit of a tidy up as we enter the cooler months.  Deciding on what to put away, what to donate and refashion. First refashion on my list was this top.

An old top that was starting to fray.  I have always loved the colour and pattern, but was not so happy about the short sleeves and the fraying on the neckline that could not be saved without an over locker.  So I took to it with the scissors.  Basically cut it off from below the sleeves in one straight cut:

Once cut, I pinned a hem all the way around.  Sewing this proved a little tricky as I have never worked with such sheer,delicate (read: very slippery)  fabric so I had to do a little bit of research on the best way to sew a hem.  Lucky for me I remembered that back in February,  the the very clever Jenn from mytwobutterflies had kindly put up this technique for a refashion she had completed using similar fabric.  So I got to working on it and now.....here is my completed sheer infinity scarf!

I am pleased with the result and happy that I was able to save the fabric.  Now I have a little sheer scarf for all seasons....

For other refashion projects please stop by my blog  www.craftyclaudes.blogspot.com

Shiny Dress to less formal top

Well here goes ... Firstly confession time, not only am I new to Refashion Co-op but I'm also new to refashioning. I refashioned my very first garment today. Firstly I suppose I'd better say a bit about me. I'm 44, married with three boys (10, 7 and almost 4) My oldest has very severe ADHD and Aspergers Syndrome.

Sewing is my solace, my sanity. Enough about me, you're not reading this to find out my life story so what have I been refashioning. I bought this dress around 3-4 years ago to celebrate my wedding anniversary. I really like the style, its bias cut and fairly classic in style but I've always been disappointed that it wasn't silk, its also very shiny so only really suitable for quite dressy occasions of which there aren’t many in my life .....

So I grabbed my scissors this afternoon whilst ds1 was at a birthday party and cut off the skirt. Then I resewed the seam that I'd ripped open, after I'd searched high and low for matching thread, then I hemmed it. Quickly snipping the threads whilst wearing it before I collected DS1 from the birthday party I snipped the hem I'd just made .....

So here is my refashion, finished albeit for a mistake I made whilst rushing. So at some later date (tomorrow) I shall re-turn the hem and re-sew it covering up my snipping mistake (which of course is right in the front!) 

What to do with all these t-shirts? Why, make a rainbow out of them, of course!

I have an overload of t-shirts. Some too big, some too small, some with stains, some with holes.. well, you get the picture! So I came up with an idea to make a twirly t-shirt skirt! Now there are no before pictures with this post, only an after picture, but it’s super easy, and I will explain it to you completely, promise!!

This is the t-shirt skirt.well, one of them anyway! This one in particular is a 3-T. Please forgive the not so great pictures! My standard point and shoot died, and as a result, the only way I have to take digital pictures is with our video camera, which requires a tripod and at least some junior college training on the danged thing to make a decent picture happen!

More information, and a terribly boring how-to with NO pictures except finished product, because of the above explained camera situation can be found at:

                                           Snickeldeeboo

Stop on by, and give me all your great comments, either here or there! 

Thanks so much,

shellyrhds

Zipper Tank Refashion

Well I am super excited and super pleased with this next refashion.  It's the next to last of my tanks that I'm working on and I am kind of relieved for it to be almost over.

This is the tank.  There's nothing wrong with it.  It's actually kind of cute.  I rarely wear it out anymore for whatever reason and hopefully a little sprucing up will help free it from my closet.

I liked my refashion so much that I am going to bombard you with pictures of it.

Visit my blog for more pictures and details and the tutorial that inspired me!

military inspired jacket to world peace vest.

     So firstly I want to apologize for the crappiness of the pics. The camera and myself were having a fight, and as this is an older unfinished- and I say unfinished because the original finish was too boring- project, I don't have any before pics of when it was still a jacket.

     Found this little number on one of my thrift store sprees and automatically fell in luv with it's militaristic, and Asian design, but as I don't like wearing jackets in doors felt it would get more use as a vest I could wear during the winter and the summer. So after removing the sleeves and hand sewing the arm holes (I have access to a sewing machine but prefer to work with my hands as time allows, it's relaxing, plus I feel like I have more control.) I had this-

    I think I may have worn it once...So in order to add interest and make it so it could be worn with more things, decided to add some patches from a button up also found while thrifting. Loved the patches, hated the fit.

and so after hand stitching got this, which will hopefully get more use.

     

     So there's my first real post simple but I'm starting small :)- QueenOfNothing

Tank Refashion

Holy smokes!  This tank project is exhausting!  For today's refashion, I give you this!

This is my tatty old tank.  It's about ten years old and used to be black, not this lovely shade of blah.  I took some leftover material from my first tank refashion, and with some strategic fabric placement, I made this.

 

I'm not entirely sold on the back of the tank but that's the beauty of it, I can always remove it later!

Visit my blog for more details on this refashion and the tutorial that inspired it!

Spring jackets

I'm recently into mens trousers upcycling, so I thought I will share this one with you. I'm lucky to have source of almost never worn mens trousers (and sometimes even with price tags on!!! That's turning my hair gray:). Some time ago I posted pics of similar jacket - my techniques are improved now, and I'm still working on what else could be done with this material. The length of the jacket is a limitation, so it acts more as a capelet. Sleeves can be 3/4 or full length, finished with cuffs or elastic. Every jacket is specific, since material and sizing of trousers. Sometimes I have to play by ear, since fabric layers can be too thick to be sewn through, but whatever can be seen as a barrier, can be as well turned into challenge and adventually into some cool unique detail.

More pics of those jackets are in my shop. Have fun weekend!

Woman's dress to girl's dress...

Hi, Pam here from Threading My Way...

Here's what I began with for this refashion; an adult's dress. I cut the top of the dress off and have kept the two bands of elastic. I'll most probably use those instead of wide elastic for a couple of circle skirts next Summer. The embroidered hem is the main feature of the adult's dress and I obviously wanted to retain this for the girl's dress. I've added a contrasting bodice, using fabric from my stash. The bodice is made using the A-line Tunic Dress pattern from Whimsy Couture. To attach the skirt to the bodice was simply a matter of gathering the fabric and sewing. The bodice lining hides the gathering seam on the inside.

When I held the finished dress up, it seemed a little thin. It wasn't see through, but I could see my hand when the dress was held up to the light. Just to make sure, I added a black lining to the skirt.

A quick and easy refashion. You can read more details here...

... Pam

Sundress refashion

It's been a long while since I posted, but that's simply because my refashioning projects have been somewhat limited this spring and also frankly rather basic, along the lines of reuse and repair rather than restyle with flair. I didn't think that they'd be that interesting to share here. However, in time for Easter I managed to refashion a beloved dress for my daughter. We're both thrilled!

She absolutely adored this sundress, a gift from her grandfather more than two years ago.

Sadly, it had become too short. We first fixed that by adding a row of eyelet ruffle to the bottom hem. This allowed my daughter to wear it a little longer. But at last she had to face the fact that it was really too small, both too short and too tight in the bodice. I suggested turning it into a skirt, however, she insisted on a dress.

So I removed the bodice and used it to trace out a larger, longer bodice. I recuperated the placket and buttons from the original bodice and re-used them in the new one, and added matching eyelet around the neck. I also feel very proud that I managed to make my first lined bodice ever, following this helpful tutorial.

My daughter is delighted with the results and proudly wore the dress to church on Easter Sunday. She's been asking to wear it practically every day since, but it's been cold and rainy here all April, alas, so she's had to wait. I'm hoping that all  these showers bring May flowers and sunshine and a chance for her to wear the dress soon.

I've retold this story over on my blog, as a little fairy tale, for those interested: Once upon a time...

Vintage Valentino -inspired- Refashion

For this refashion, I was inspired by this Valentino Boutique late 70s  jeweled tunic, which has an embroidered Roman God motif in cashmere.  

Okay, first I do know this is an ambitious project and I didn’t have a black top to work with… but I did have this black skirt that I had no  idea what to do with, perfect! it was plain solid black and would be the blank canvas to my Valentino Refashion…

 so with glitter and glue here’s what I did…

I am the worst at taking before pictures, so ya just have to use your imagination. :-)  Here's one of my latest.  If you're interested in seeing more please check out my blog at:

 http://loveflowcreations.blogspot.com

The top picture here decided it wanted to be in the post too.  So I thought I would just let it be.  Besides, it shows how beautiful and sunny it was here in Portland, Oregon this last Sunday.  It was in the 80s and everyone was outside enjoying it.  I sure do love Portland.

Anyway, this is my refashion.  I turned the parts of 4 different t-shirts into 1 cool mini-dress.  I love my Garth Brooks. :-)