Reversible sunhat from dress

My daughter wore this dress to the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebration in our street - it was perfect!

Now she has outgrown it, I refashioned it into a sunhat:

A reversible sunhat at that!

More photos and details of this and other refashions can be found at my blog:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning!

No sew blouse refashion

A frilly blouse.  We've all got one, right?  But this one had a frill with a difference:

It just seemed a bit surplus to requirements.  I mean, the blouse is lovely and everything, but the frill wasn't quite me.

So because it was chiffon I decided to get my itty bitty scissors out and trim the frill off.

And look!  It's so much neater now with no loose ends either!

If you'd like to see more of this and other refashions you can do so at my blog:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning everyone!

Next...

Infinity scarf (from a top!)

I fell in love with a top that had a fab pattern on it.  It didn't fit me, mind you, but I bought it home anyway as it had 'potential'.

I wasn't sure what to do with it but I finally figured that I could cut off the top and the bottom of it, create a tube and make an infinity scarf.

It's quite a quick but effective refashion!

If you'd like to see more photos and details of this, and other refashions, you can see them on my blog:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning everyone!

Cashmere mittens from a jumper

I discovered a cashmere jumper in the kids section at the charity shop - looks like someone had already shrunk it for me.  It was so soft, I had to rescue it!

 

 

 So I felted it some more in the washing machine and decided to make some mittens out of it using the cuff as the mitten cuff!

For more details of this and other refashions my blog can be found here...

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning!

Floral top now skirt

I found an oversized floral top in a charity shop that had my name on it.  What's not to love about floral?

But it had unusual 'wings' for sleeves and I wasn't quite sure what to make with it.

One day I decided to try it on as a skirt as that neck was just large enough to squeeze through.  And you know what?  It really looked like a skirt!

So I cut across the bottom of the neckline, sewed up the sides and then added elastic for the waistband.

What do you think of my new skirt?

More details of this and other refashions can be found on my blog:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning everyone!

Stripy shorts bag - a quick how-to

Take one pair of stripy shorts, some lining fabric of your choice (polka dot is always good!), a little know-how and ta-dah - a new bag is created!

With that colour denim it was bound to look good!  And it was easy peasy - here's how:

Cut off the legs at crotch level parallel to the waistband and then sew them up.

Make two handles with the remainder of the cut-off section and add them to the inside of the waistband.

Then make a lining of a similar shape and add the fastener of your choice.  Turn the top of the lining down and top-stitch in place.

That's it!

Told you it was easy!

The before:

If you are careful not to cut the bottom of the pocket it can still be used :)

The interior with an added pocket for luck:

For more photos and details of this and other refashions, my blog can be found at:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning!

Next...

Tie-dye messenger bag - with a twist(y lock)

It's surprising what you can do with a tie-dyed denim skirt and a floaty summer dress!

I just knew that the colours would go well together so decided to make a messenger bag from them.

I used several new-to-me methods and features for this project:  internal zippered pocket, twist lock etc.  And it seemed to work out quite well!

 

The internal zippered pocket:

 

 

The original skirt:

 



 

And the floaty dress:

For more details and pictures of this and other refashions, feel free to pop by my blog at:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning everyone!

Next...

Twirly wirly top

If a print is gorgeous, I will buy it irrespective of if it fits LOL!

So this dress came home with me:

My daughter tried it on, but it didn't fit :(

So I had to come up with a way for it to fit.

Think, think, think...

I know - I'll cut off the top, add elastic to the 'waist', turn the belt into straps and make it into a twirly wirly tunic top!

Yes!!  That definitely worked!

Looks fabulous with leggings too!

If you'd like more information and photos of this and other refashions, they can be found on my blog:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning everyone!

Next...

Clutch bag from bridesmaid's dress

I do love a prettily patterned dress - especially if it has a flower print and lace on it!

So when I noticed that a local lady was selling a bridesmaid's dress on behalf of her friend I just knew that I had to give it a new home (and new purpose).

The pattern and lace gave me the idea to make a clutch bag with a bow on the front.

Finished clutch bag:

What it looked like before:

What I liked most was that the dress had been lovingly made by a local seamstress.

You can see more details of this and other refashions at my blog:

Sew Selena

Next...

Cashmere hat (from a jumper!)

I'll admit it.  I don't always read the washing labels.  Normally it isn't a problem.

Except on one occasion when I put a gorgeous cashmere jumper in the normal wash.  Needless to say, it shrank.  Lots.

So I decided to make a hat out of it instead.

Using the jumper ribbing for the base of the hat, I added a 'felted' flower and a bit of sparkle.

What do you think?

More photos and details of this and other refashions can be found on my blog:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning everyone!

Shortening a skirt and gaining a headband!

I had this really long skirt that used to drag along the ground.  Not much fun in the wet.

So I decided to shorten it a little.  As it had a bold pattern, I decided to shorten it from the top (an old curtain trick that I picked up along the way!)

I cut the waistband off, took out the zip, sewed it back up and added some elastication (I don't show my waistbands anyway!)

And lo and behold I not only had a new skirt - it also came with its own matching headband!

If you'd like to see more pictures of this and other refashions you can come on over to my blog at:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning everyone!

Next...

It was a scarf - now it's a clutch bag!

I was going to a wedding and had nothing to put my tissues/confetti/phone in.

I spent lots of time looking for the perfect clutch bag, to no avail.  But then I realised that I could MAKE one instead!

So I used a burgundy velvet scarf that looked great, but I didn't ever wear.  Perfect!

Here is the end result:

I even lined it with red and white polka dot cotton!

For more pictures and details of this, and other refashions, my blog can be found here:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning!

Small skirt? Why don't you make it into a dress?!

I found a long, long skirt that just so happened to be too small for me. 

But I don't minor details like that put me off - especially as it was *my* colour.  So I bought it anyway and just knew that it would turn into a great dress with a bit of tweaking here and there.

In my head I could imagine the waistband being cut off to reveal much more fabric so that it would actually fit.  Yes, that worked!

And then that fabric would be fashioned into straps - yes, that worked too.

But it was a bit shapeless, so I decided to make it into an empire line dress.  I cut off the bottom, gathered both skirt and bodice and sewed them back together again.

Then added bias binding to finish off the neck and armholes.

And added a belt (and loops) for extra oomph. 

So much more flattering now!

Ta-dah!  One more dress!  And I didn't even need to hem it!!

For more details and pictures of this and other refashions, feel free to pop on over to my blog at:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning everyone!

Floral bucket bag - from a skirt!

You know that feeling when you pop into a charity shop and see an item of clothing that yells out 'please take me home and make something out of me...'

So I did!

You can probably see why I fell in love with the fabric!

I added a sage green polka dot fabric and converted the skirt into a bucket bag.

I thought it would be fun to add a vintage rose polka dot fabric to the interior as it was in keeping with the roses.

And then I added an internal pocket made from yet more skirt!

For details of this and other refashions, feel free to pop on over to my blog at:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning!

Rose-print summer dress - from curtains!

Curtains are wonderful for a couple of reasons:  they block out the light and they make fabulous dresses!

So I found some curtains in a charity shop and bought them with a view to making a dress.  I wasn't too sure what kind of dress, but it was to be a dress all the same.

And then it dawned on me - I already had a summer dress that I loved, so perhaps I could make something similar...

Ah yes, it appeared that I could!

I altered the top to give it more shape and added a waistband too.

For more details of this and other refashions, feel free to pop along to my blog at:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning!

Roses, roses, roses

I love it when I discover a new-to-me item of clothing.  And this skirt was no exception!

Except my daughter decided to borrow it for a while.  No matter, I knew I would get it back eventually!

And so that time came.  And she wanted a clutch bag to go with a wedding outfit.

Ta-dah!

It's surprising what you can do with some fabric!

Needless to say - she is very happy!

Details of this and other refashions can be found on my blog:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning! 

Bohemian slouch bag (from a skirt)

I have a thing about skirts.

The bigger the pattern, the more potential I can see.

So I made a slouch bag from this beautiful preloved skirt.

It's even lined with red and white polka dots.

And the fun thing is that anyone can do it!!

Go find that skirt!

If you want more pictures and details of this refashion and others like it, please pop over to my blog at:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning!!

Skirt + sheet = satchel (obviously!)

Hi all!

One day I found a delicious preloved Hawaiian print skirt and just knew that it could be refashioned into something beautiful and practical.

So I added a matching preloved sheet (which I already had and was just waiting for the perfect project!) and some metalwork and decided to make a satchel out of it:

It is expandable in every way, so was perfect for school books (although, to be fair, I'd be quite happy using it any day!)



And has a front pocket too!

Oh, and this was the skirt that inspired the creation:

To see more photos of this and other refashions, you might like to check out my blog at:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning everyone!!

Easy peasy sun dress to skirt

 

Take one rather gorgeous sun dress that doesn't fit...

 



 



And convert it into a skirt that does fit by...

- unpicking the bottom of the zip to the waistband
- cutting off the skirt to the desired length
- sewing up the gap left by the zip
- cutting some elastic to the desired width
- marking the depth of the waistband and pinning in place
- sew all the way around the waistband leaving a gap of a couple of inches
- add a safety pin to the end of the elastic and pull it through the new waistband channel
- sew the elastic together with a zig zag stitch
- sew up the gap

Ta-dah!

Easy peasy!!

If you'd like to see more pictures of this and other refashions, then you can head on over to my blog at

Sew Selena

Next...

Miaow bag from faux fur coat

Hi all!

One day I was looking at the potential of a child's faux fur coat.  I couldn't quite decide what to make with it. 

But then it came to me.

How about a bag in the shape of a cat?

Well, I had fun playing and this is how it turned out:

His features are made from felt and the strap is cotton webbing.

I decided to see if his mouth could be made by sewing lines into the fur and it seemed to work well!

For more details of this and other refashions, come have a cuppa at my blog:

Sew Selena

Happy refashioning!

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