Pintucked Tank and Button & Zipper Bracelet

I really make an effort to use up the scraps leftover from my various projects. Sometimes they sit in my scrap pile for quite a while before they see the light of day again. But this time, it didn't take me long at all to decide how to make [re]use of the lining I removed from my lace tee last week. So here's the remnant, basically a white tank top, with raw edges at the armholes, collar and shoulder seams, where I snipped it out of the lace.

And the plan is to essentially keep it that way, because a girl can never have too many white tanks. They go with everything!

To take it in a bit and add some interest, I made vertical pintucks at random intervals all the way around. Then I sewed the shoulders seams and that was that! I left the edges raw, so this was a super simple project. And you could do this with any old tee or tank!

But that's not all! I also found a use for the trimmed-off bits of zipper from last week's tulle skirt, and the satin buttons salvaged from the pre-Cinderella-costume wedding dress.

I sewed the two pieces of zipper together with teeth outward, then attached all the buttons to that. A couple bits of elastic made it stretchy enough to get over my hand, and tada! A new bracelet!

More pics and details on my blog - CarissaKnits!

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!

thin cotton skirt to blouse

This skirt keeps making an appearance while I am shifting fabrics and patterns around. So I decided it was time to refashion it. I think I picked it up somewhere at some charity shop because I love the colour and print.

You can see how much longer it is than I wear by comparing with a not-yet-hemmed-skirt-from-duvet refashion in progress next to it.

The waistband was very small. Here you can see after I chopped off the waistband how much fabric was gathered into it!

and the cutting mat has the inches side upwards!

So there was plenty fabric to do something with. The fabric is very, very lightweight cotton. I am not sure just how you could wear it for a skirt without wearing a lot under it for decency and without feeling like it would tear getting in and out of cars or catching on briars on a walk.

However, it would make a lovely blouse for a very hot day. And with a cami under it would do for regular just plain hot summer days.

So I used my basic blouse pattern and had plenty of fabric to cut out the blouse, extra button stands, cap sleeves and a mandarin collar.

Scraps left piled in the front.

I was going to use the button stand from the button down front of the skirt, but the spacing didn't work with the blouse layout. I wanted different buttons, since these were a random purple colour. So, I would have had to fuss with the existing buttonholes and trying to match size/thread etc to make the right number. It was easier to create buttonholes that go with the buttons I selected from my stash.

And here is the result:

With it buttoned right up, it looks rather Asian.

And with a few buttons on the top undone.

Wow does it ever feel nice on! It has that soft worn feel that cotton can get. And for once I think I got the fit spot on.
I shall have to remember what I did!


No it isn't summer, it isn't even warm anymore. But it will be a great blouse for next summer!
I have a few other things in the refashion pile that I hoped would make blouses. And a few from-scratch blouses already cut but needing sewn.
I will definitely get on to stitching blouses now with this result!

Refashion First Friday #10

Greetings everyone! You know what time it is!! You got it!
Refashion First Friday!!

Wahoo! I love the fact we have a linky party dedicated to refashioning. It brings so that much more joy for all the ideas from our community.

You know the rules
- it must your own submission
- please link back to your actual post and not your general blog page
- it must be something to do with fashion (just like how our blog is!)
- and by submitting your link you allow us to use your image for potential for recaps, etc

And go! You have 2 weeks to submit! Also remember I am bad at math so if the linky party doesn't work immediately come back in a few!

Cheers,
Lauren
& the Refashion Co-Op Editor team!

My past refashion project (part 1)

Hi everyone, I've been following refashion co-op for a while. All of contributors's projects were inspired and I hope my works would give an inspiration or at least hope you will enjoy to see my refashion projects. :)

I've started sewing and refashioning clothes after my daughter almost turned to 3 years old. Mostly of my works are up-cycled projects for my little girl and some for myself.

These are my works before I start my blog at http://anapprenticehousewife.blogspot.com/ . Before my blogging era, I usually share my works on Facebook. You can visit me at my blog which share both my refashion projects and my sewing work.

My 3rd projects is for both of us. I can't find my first project and don't remember what was it..

My 2nd project was very easy to made, just cropped bottom part of bodysuit and sew in the lace.

My first constructive project.

easy legging 

T-shirt with the fabrics strip from my starch 

Another easy, cut and insert elastic project.

Tie-dyed legging!