A coat into a cape

Hi refashionistas,

This transformation involves a large maternity-like coat. 

I wished a cape so I took advantage from the large amount of fabric and I turned the coat upside down. I unpicked the sleeves and the collar. I closed the armholes and created new ones. 

I also recycled wrist belts into front closures. Here is the final result:

More photos and details are on my blog. If you like the result you can vote for me here. Till the next refashion, sew well.

Cristina from In the mood for Couture.

Pants refashion

Hello refashionistas,

I took a little longer break this summer in order to put my ideas in order. I'm also struggling to find good quality clothes in thrift stores as I've already exhausted my closet. 

These pants were waiting for me. They are classic, well cut and made of 100% wool. But the cut is really too classic for me so I've made some changes:

Here is the basis:

After cutting the legs, I've created a floppy top that can be attached or not to the trousers. More details here

This gives a rather cool attitude to the whole outfit that can be worn with or without the top. Till the next refashion, sew well!

A ruffled shirt

A man shirt is the perfect base to test your refashion ideas: lot of fabric to play and lots of complex details to keep. In my case, the collar and the cuffs were so worn out that I needed to experiment with the bodice and sleeves.

This was my starting point: a lavender summer male shirt

And this is the result: a more fitted girly ruffled shirt. Some of the steps are explained here:

A dress like a skirt

At first, I had this classical, sexy, feminine dress. Most of you wonder why I needed to refashion. It fitted me perfectly except the deep neckline was so deep. I did not feel comfortable at all wearing it. The day I bought it, I already knew that I was going to change that collar:

So I chopped it without sorrow. Simple and curved hand-free cut, a fancy facing for the finishing and a new dress is born. More like a skirt with suspenders than a dress, its look is more a street cool one than a business chic. I really increase the chances to wear it now. The intermediary steps are shown here

A pleating affair

There are clothes that are literally asking for refashions...It was the case for my large pleated knitted sweater here: 

So many pleats, so much fabric...

My today upcycling is really not time consuming. I did not even use my sewing machine, but for me it is very effective as now I am going to wear the sweater far more often than before.

So, I cut one side seam, I turned the sweater by 90°, I insert a ribbon and I attached the sides of the neckline to get a cape/sweater/hoodie like this:

The whole process is pictured here. Time to wear it now...

A shirt stays a shirt

With this shirt upcycling, I really achieved the most green objective for my refashion projects: no waste and very small amount of work.
Here is the large man shirt in cotton:

And here is me wearing it:

The intermerdiary steps are explained on my blog. 
I just love man shirts

Cheers
In the mood for Couture

Just another jeans refashion

As I let you guess with my previous jeans makeover, I've kind a found my latest up-cycling obsession: denim pants. Giving the number of seams and stitches that a jeans encompasses, the amount of work to produce it is rarely insignificant. That is why I found throwing jeans very brutal.

Here is my starting point: a faded blue jeans for men.

I cut the legs, used as a bodice, turn the back to the front, turn the pockets horizontally and add press buttons to close the pleats.

For all the photos and explanations, you can visit my blog and ask your questions.


Till the next sewing makeover, enjoy the Christmas spirit and see you in 2014 inspired by full of refashion ideas.

Upside down, pants become a blouse

Hello you, wonderful refashionistas,

I am so glad to be part of this talented and full of ideas group of people. Like you, I find fast fashion really deploring and try by all means to stop the renewal-throwing cycle by being more selective and carreful when purchasing. 

From far as I remember, I've always been attracted to fabrics and clothing and often I did not find in stores what I was looking for. So I started to sew and create my own outfits by reading sewing and pattern-making books, and blogs...I've started my own blog, In the mood for Couture, in order to share my tips and to showcase my projects. 

I live in Paris so my English might have an exotic taste. Please excuse my language errors, I do keep improving myself whenever I have the opportunity.

For the first post on this blog, I would like to share with you a jean transformation I operated recently. 

Here is the starting point:



And here is the result:






You can find more information on the intermediary steps on my article. 

I was having so much fun with this transformation that I decided to explore all the possibilities that a jean can offer. I've already cutted a second pair of pants that I will show you very soon.

Till then, keep calm and save your dressing

Cristi