Pleat Peplum Sweater

I spent the day viewing artwork my children created. Before we went home, I took some time out to snap a few photos of the refashion I did last night. It was a perfect way to exercise my sewing muscles. Which, apparently, needed a stretch. I have never had so many problems with such a simple project before! I have been away from my machine for TOO long!

I sewed down its floppy collar, hacked it to waist length, cut a strip for a peplum sort of deal and added an extra bit of width to it for the pleat detail. Not too shabby for a sweater I rescued from the trash on dorm move out day!

Chopped, Backward Sweater & Men's Pants to Shorts

 I like this pair of man shorts more than my last. This time. I narrowed the legs and raised the crotch by taking them in at the inseam. Genius, the person who first posted that to the interwebs

This top was once about mid thigh length. It's also meant to be worn the opposite way. See, here. I hated looking for this one black tank (that I wear under everything) whenever I wanted to wear it. And I always ended up bunching it up after about 2 seconds of wearing it full length. I lopped off about a foot, cut the ribbing off and reattached it to the new, shorter, sweater. Then, to solve the the need for a bottom layer, I wore it backwards! I think it works.
 You can see more pics here. Plus, cost details, and more, on my blog.

Black & White at The Night Circus

It’s literature inspiration week at the Sew Weekly. Friends, I LOVE TO READ!! Heck, I’m in school studying librarianship! It is my favorite thing to do. Followed by making things. For this week’s challenge I had my heart set on channeling one of my absolute favorite protagonists (EVER) one Ms. Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Visit my blog to read about how I ended up sewing something inspired by The Night Circus, and made almost entirely from my hubby's old t-shirts, instead!

Three of my kiddies! The oldest is the one taking the pictures ;o)

The white portions are unevenly cut, intentionally, so that more or less of the b&w fabric shows from each side. Overall, the look's not bad. One more shirt with a bit of pizzazzzzz to add to my go-to fall jeans and tee uniform. And a dead simple, dead comfy little slip of a skirt to throw on with tunics. Leave it to me to use a fantastical, magical, transcendent work of art to make practical, casual basics!

Dotty Upcycling

On Saturday, I spent some sisterly time with this beauty crafting up a storm at the Goodwill Boutique store in the West Village. It was such a nice time! David, who I met through BurdaStyle, hosted the upcycling event. Using fabric paint and pencils I enhanced not one, but two projects! The tees were provided for us and I brought the pants along with me. I finally got around taking some pictures of them both, today.

I LOVE how they came out!! I see so many dot print refashions in the future. Look at what David did with his project. I've already thrifted the perfect pink oxford to try this with, next! It's the perfect project for pants like these, that are a little boring and a little too big. This bit of paint gives them new life!

Where are the Roses??

 
The Facts Fabric | A thrifted, seems like rayon, skirt.  
Patterns | None, refashioned on the fly.
Year | Current.  
Notions | Thread and elastic.  
Time to complete | About a half hour hour.
First worn | To take silly, late night indoor pics.  
Wear again? | I think so. I'm always so gun shy about strapless tops. I mean, it's not like I go to the roller derby or...engage in on-the-fly wrestling matches. What exactly am I so worried about?
Total price | $5 for the skirt, the elastic was free and my new sewing machine was $149 ;o) My finally-found-one-big-enough-for-my-noggin Fedora was $8. I kinda love it!

 I had such high hopes for this week. It was to be my triumphant return to the land of working sewing machines where challenges are turned in on time(ish). I was going to make something fabulous and flirty and fitted and...and....Let's just say, I had BIG plans. Alas, thanks to the absolute idiots working at my local FedEx depot, the machine that I expected to be delivered last Saturday didn't arrive then.  Every time I talk about it, I get vexed all over again. The nitty & gritty (including a screenshot of a deleted rage filled tweet) has been documented on my blog, if you care to read about it.



More pics and the resolution to the sewing machine saga of 2012 can be found here !

Refashion to Stay in the Game

I didn't let my broken sewing machine keep me out of the sewing weekly game over at the Sew Weekly! These old things were shortened, hand hemmed and

 

paired with a newly serged top to make this outfit!

You can see more pics here.

Royal Refashion

We're posting looks inspired by Royal Fashion over at The Sew Weekly. Clearly the Royal Wedding invite did not say "hat optional". Why else would the princesses wear these monstrosities to the wedding?!?! Imight not live in a monarchy, but I know better than to piss off a Queen.

Hat it is.

 This dress was only $6.39 from my favorite thrift store. It's 100% Rayon and made by K&Company. It was in excellent condition, too. I removed the sleeves and resized the bodice. I ran a new row of stitching over the waist seam, it was coming loose in some spots. I also made a small pleat at the shoulder to bring it in. I was glad to work on something easy after last week. The romper I made then had FOURTEEN darts!  

I think that hat I'm wearing was a buck from Target's dollar section a while back. The cameo necklace, clip-ons and the bracelet were my gran's.

Here are some before shots of the dress:

 

 

And more after. 

 

I admit, these pics are, perhaps, more Diana Ross than Queen Elizabeth ;o)

You can check out my Queenly inspiration here and more pics here.

Circle Skirt and Cropped Top

It's circle skirt week over at The Sew Weekly. Here is my contribution!  

I used a free, 100% cotton, bed sheet (I got it from a giveaway bin in front of a store that was going out of business) for the skirt and a remnant from this refashion for the top.  

I used a mash up of knowledge to figure out how to cut the waist circle (then got scared it would be too small and ended up making it too big! Trust your math!) and I used the scalloped waistband from this pattern. I winged it on the top.  

I let it hang for a day or so (to allow the bias to set), but I went the cheater’s way on the hem and just serged and folded it under (as you can see below if you look closely). I spent too much time on that damn top! I do love those turquoise buttonholes and buttons on it.

I like the way the skirt looks, though it's far from perfect. I feel a bit dainty in it, lol. I love all of the cropped top/high waist skirt combos that have been popping up on blogs and pinterest. I’m happy to get in on the game with that peek of belly ;D

I can also wear the top without it tied up. I probably should have taken this pic before the others, the bottom is a little bunchy. This fabric is meant to be twisted and scrunched while wet so that it will crinkle, it will look better after a spin in the wash. 

More pics and a bit more info on my blog.

Skirt to Dress :: Simple but Effective

I bought this, brand new with tags, at Domsey's Warhouse for $6.39 a few (maybe more) weeks ago with the intention of using to make a dress.

Before

After

Without the belt. I like it better with, though I don't think it's bad without it.

I basically serged off a section of the skirt, stitched a seam close to the serged edge, used some of the scrap piece to make straps and attached them. I couldn't even be arsed to turn the straps to hide the serged edge. Sue me ;p I have a plan for that large-ish scrap. If all goes according to plan, look for it to show up with worn with a circle skirt next week!

The Polyester Dream Dress

The Polyester Dream Refashion!

Here it is before:

Not bad, but it ain't great. I also snapped a halfway point pic which compares short sleeves to sleeveless. I'm glad I got rid of them all together. One shouldn't try to look like a frigid librarian or British boarding school mistress, lol. I didn't expect to like this so much! I may have to remake it in a better fabric. One that won't make me sweat to death!

More info here!

Tux Skirt

This is not exactly what I planned for this project, but that's the way the ball bounces when you're a refashionista!

Dude's Tuxedo Trousers to Tux Skirt
Thrifted :: $5 :; Domsey Express in Brooklyn
White lace top :: Handmade by me :: Pattern :: Lydia from BurdaStyle
Naturalizer Booties :: Free via Freecycle

Here's what they looked like before.

This peplum was reconfigured and rearranged so many times. I'm still not entirely happy with it. I think that's mostly because the skirt is too small for me. These may have been better suited as shorts. You can't hear it, but it's shouting "Warning! Your a** exceeds the maximum capacity limits for this skirt!" LOL! That's too bad! Cause I'm digging the satin strip! The waistband, too!

The only deviation from the standard pants to skirt dealio I made was, I stitched down the pleats closest to the zipper on either side. They buckled out in that horrible way pleated pants always do on me (or anyone with hips). It looks light years better like this.

More pics on my blog.

Sweater Dress to Cardi

Another oldie but goodie!



Here's the before shot.



I was insanely pleased with this. That dress had been in limbo between "denial that I still looked great in it" and "disgust at the realization that it was too small and should go in the trash".

This has been worn so much, it is ready to be refashioned into hats and mittens ;o)


Here's what I did.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortened.
Collar removed.
Split down the middle.
Edges folded under and sewn down.
Curse and cut off messed up edge.
Recut edge and try folding and sewing again.
Successful.
Cut strip for a belt.
Realize that you hate belted cardi's when you try it on.
Decide to make it a ruffle instead.
Make and sew on first ruffle in record time.
Swear a lot as you pick out the stitching on the second, less easy, ruffle.
Stitch ruffle on.
Make a button loop and covered button.
Attach them.
Wear while smiling like a fool.

:o)