Can a Skirt Be a Dress?

 Hello Refashion Co-op. I'm sure you know the answer to that question, a skirt can definitely be a dress. Let me show you what I mean. 

I loved the colors of this skirt but it was too big and too long. The material and the tiers made this more difficult to shorten and hem the traditional way. I decided to make it a dress.

I cut in about 4 inches on each side, under the waistband.

 

I turned the waistband up at a 90 degree angle and sewed it in place. 

 

Now the waistband makes shoulder straps. I added a belt and a sweater to my new dress and I was ready to go. For more pictures and how-to details go to I Can Work With That. 
 

 

 

Last minute ideas for New Years drinks

Hi everyone, happy New Year! January is usually the month for new years drinks: a happy hour with the neighbours or a holiday party at work to ring in the new year. A chance to give your outfit some extra sparkle! This inspired me to do a throwback post on ideas for a last minute festive outfit. And of course, all projects are done by our own Refashionistas!

🌟 🌟 🌟

Split sleeve blouse

Let's start with this simple yet chic refashion (and my personal favourite), a split sleeve top by Pivot Point Patterns. She made it from a velour top, which is perfect for this time of year. She spotted the idea in a post by Laura (the Accidental Seamstress) and loved it so much, she decided to try it herself. 

Laura actually copied her 'Vine and Dine' split sleeve blouse from Beth Huntington, the Renegade Seamstress. So we could say the split sleeve blouse is one of Refashion Co-ops own classics! Anyone else want to try it? (Yes, me, me!)

Circus (lace) blouse

Carissa covered stains on the yoke of her 'circus' blouse with lace. Such a smart idea! The blouse had a beautiful print with little ponies, clowns and cute dancing ballerinas. She used the lace from an old bra (!) and it really made the blouse look very elegant. Styled with a black pencil skirt and black belt she looks ready for a New Years party!

Party proof cardigan

If you're the shivering type, like me, you could probably use some extra warmth around your shoulders. What about turning your basic (boring) cardigan into a party proof cardigan? A few sparkling buttons can make all the difference! I also cut the bottom and added a jacquard jersey hem and matching cuffs to give the cardigan an upgrade. Perfect for a happy hour with friends or neighbours, cheers!

Holiday Cocktail Party dress

Mary Alexa's Holiday Cocktail Party dress might take up a little more time, but is so cute and festive! And look at the bow. The idea is simple and elegant: she made the dress from a cropped top and a cut out circle skirt. The dress looks beautiful, with an almost golden skirt and the bow on the back, wow!

No-sew Party dress

If you're a fan of no-sew projects and have little time, this No-sew black party dress is a great idea. Chickie (I can work with that) made this little black dress from a big man's shirt and combined it with a see through button up blouse, tied in the front. The whole outfit just looks very flattering and you'd never guess it's a no-sew outfit! 

You might want to add a pair of glittery tights if it's cold outside (I would:)). And if black is not your colour, (or not in your husbands stash), I can totally imagine this dress being made from a dark red or blue shirt.

Glittery accessories to complete your outfit!

Let's not forget about your shoes and accessories! Here are a few amazing ideas on how to add glitter to them:

- You can paint your shoes with mod modge and sprinkle on glitter. Or if you're feeling bold, why not cover your heels in 2 different colours like the RefashStash did!.

- For more shoe-inspiration, take a look at this Glitter Shoe Make-over by Nina!

- And here's a great idea for a sparkling evening bag. Tailor promises this Evening party clutch is done in an hour...

- And last but definitely not least: Emme turned her old reading glasses into glitter-tactic eyewear. It just looks fantastic, doesn't it?

Hope you're inspired by this sparkly throwback! I really enjoyed diving into these festive projects and putting them in the spotlight again. I may try a project myself, I'm sort of snowed in here so plenty of time... I wish you all a creative sew year!

The Tie Dress

 Hello Refashion Co-op. The holiday season is so busy, my sewing time gets more limited. But I was able to make a few refashions. My favorite was this tie dress. It was so fun to make. 

The Tie Dress

I have been collecting ties for a while and I sewed tie after tie together. 

 

I made the dress sleeveless and I wore a shirt under it. You can see more details and pictures at I Can Work With That. 

Chickie
 

 

Tie front blouse from too long fitted blouse

 

Hello everyone, life got in the way lately. For instance, I was busy making 'surprises' early December. In the Netherlands we celebrate Sinterklaas on December 5, with surprise gifts that involve a lot af crafting. Which I love to do, but it does take time, especially when you have to make 4 surprise gifts(!). 

Apparently, it were also the Dutch who brought Sinterklaas to the US a long time ago. Who, with a little help from Coca Cola, eventually became the Santa Clause we now know. Funny enough Santa Clause made his way back to Europe and some European countries now celebrate both Sinterklaas and Santa Clause:).

Anyway, back to this refashion. I fell in love with the print of this blouse, just look at those cute hands! I bought it second hand at Zalando pre-owned, not as cheap as a thrift store but I must say the quality is usually worth it (almost new)! And I really like the aubergine colour, which also happens to be one of fashion colours this winter.

However, the shape was not really my cup of tea, too long and fitted. So I decided to turn it into a looser tie front blouse.

I've been trying to find the right translation for the Dutch 'knoopblouse' and came up with 'tie front blouse', but I also ran into alternatives such as 'knot tie' and 'knot front'. So let me know if I made the wrong choice here. 

I used another tie front blouse to copy the 'knot part' and cut the excess fabric. I had measured that I wanted to shorten the blouse by 10 cm / about 4 inches (with the exception of the 'knot parts'). 

The leftover fabric came in handy to make the blouse more loose: I sewed in an extra strap of fabric in the side seams. These alterations made the blouse much more my style and I was really glad I got my 'hands' on this blouse!

If you're interested in more details, you're welcome to visit vermaakster.blogspot.com. And of course, I wish you a

merry everything and happy holidays, 

wherever you are!

🎅

Fall Leaf Jacket

 Hello Refashion Co-op. I love fall and the changing leaves. I decided to make a jacket to celebrate fall. 

 

I used a denim jacket that I already owned and a cotton place mat.  

I traced and cut out a leaf shape. 

 

I used a zigzag stitch to sew the leaf on my jacket.

 

My fall jacket was fun and didn't take very long to put together. For more details and how-to information go to I Can Work With That.