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

MFAM Week 9: Northwest Passages

So I thought I had posted this earlier this week, but it seems I clicked "save" instead of "publish." Whoops! It's been one of those weeks... Anyway, here's last week's project.

I've been looking forward to week nine's project for over two months. I almost broke down and moved the date up a few times, but I'm glad I held out for now. This week we're looking at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art's collection of Native American art, which is fitting considering November is Native American Heritage Month.

It's hard to pick a definite favorite in this group, but I'm pretty fond the moccasins...

I'd rock these mocs!

... and these Athapaskan wool leggings.

So with all those beautiful pieces in mind, I got to work on a pair of uninspiring, long, baggy corduroy pants and fairly ugly wool vest.

Lookin' good...?

The pants were pretty easy. First, I took them in in the legs like I did with my blue Egyptian pants and then I took them in about an inch in the crotch. Then I chopped about 5 inches off the legs and hemmed them to fit my much shorter self.

Taking in the pants.

The vest was much more involved. I picked it up for $1 a few months ago, and I've been itching to turn it into a pair of leggings ever since. Now that the weather has cooled off I finally have my chance!

Vest detail.

I started by taking the vest apart. I could have used my seam ripper, but scissors were easier.

Disassemble.

After fiddling around with some drawing paper and a ruler for an hour or so, I finally figured out a pattern. (I don't have and photos of that though. Sorry.) I cut out all the pieces for the leggings, and was left with almost no scraps. Then I sewed everything together.

Putting it all together.

Once I had the pieces together, I finished the two raw edges around the bottom and the side, and sewed six sets of snaps along each side to close the leggings.

Finishing up.

I wore my leggings two ways on Sunday. First, I paired them with a refashioned coral skirt (Which I forgot to post this spring. Whoops. You can see the unflattering before photo here.) and the scarf I made out of a pair of hideous gaucho pants last year, and headed off to church. Later that day I traded in the skirt and scarf for the new corduroy pants.

MFAM Week 9: Native American Art

Only one more project left! What will I do with my life after that? Maybe some Christmas projects are in order. I should probably brush up on my crochet reindeer skills.

As with the previous weeks, more photos can be found on my blog. Don’t forget to tune in next week for the next MFAM installment, and remember, please don’t touch the art.

- Elizabeth

aka The Hungry Octopus

Now blogging at www.TheHungryOctopus.com!

Frumpy, Dumpy, Lumpy Skirt.

Frumpy, Dumpy, Lumpy Skirt.

I found this frumpy, dumpy, lumpy skirt at a local thrift store. As I am heading off for a beach holiday in a few weeks I wanted something light and summery. This skirt fit the bill.....only problem is that it was made for an Amazonian Wonderwoman of statuesque height. I am 5 foot 3 inches / 160cms tall.....or short to be more accurate. The skirt was the length of a bedsheet and finished way past my feet. This would not do! I needed to shorten it without losing the cool detail. I also wanted to give it a far more casual feel.

Hello Amazonian Wonderwoman.....I have your skirt. Now the trick to this refashion is that the bottom of the skirt where the brown detailed threading is....will be turned upside down and reattached just under the middle of the skirt.

So I cut away at least 12 inches off the middle of the skirt. The detailed panel is now separate so I start cutting strips and turn them into tassels. These tassels will become the bottom of my skirt.

What you see now is the original hem being sewn to the middle of the skirt after the 12 inches of excess fabric has been removed.

Look carefully. The original hem is now in the middle and the skirt is a cool summer beach length with tassles for an extra fun detail.

Bottom in the middle and the middle at the bottom. Refashion is now complete.

Refashioned skirt on her maiden voyage. Loving my scrappy tatty tassels.

You can also find me at Penelope Hanger Refashions

Skirt to Star Trek Sweater Dress?

I thrifted this sweater knit long skirt with a torn waistband and a high back slit a couple of years ago at my local thrift store. I initially thought I could make a cardigan vest out of it. But since I just LOVE sweater dresses for Fall/Winter, I thought I should try to turn it into a sleeveless sweater dress.

Using a refashioned sweater dress as a guide, and some purple velour scarps from my stash, I turned it into something like this:

My hubby saw me in the dress and asked if I was going to be in the next Star Trek movie! I guess he thought that it looked too sci-fi/futuristic with those sleeves that stuck out.

What do you think? Should I redo the sleeves to make them stick out less?

See more at my blog: http://lovenicky-froufrou.blogspot.ca/

Impromptu Date Night Refashion

With graduation looming, I have not had a lot of time to refashion! I did, however, have a few minutes to make a quick change to this thrifted dress! I got it at the local thrift store and loved everything except the length. That is an easy fix, right? Yep. It was! The impromptu sushi date my husband suggested yesterday evening motivated me to whip through this quick refashion so I could wear this cute fall-colored dress! For your viewing pleasure:


Before. Although you cannot see the length too well because of my silly pose, it hit me about mid-to-lower-calf. Not too flattering on me.

Voila, Shortened about 6-7 inches. Date night ready!

You can see the whole story about this easy refashion, including the reason I almost did not buy the dress in the first place, on my blog, Em-provising.