Challenge Create: Adult Edition |week 2|

If you haven't yet, go HERE and vote for your favourite refashion!|

This has to be one of my favourite themes from the challenge. After all, most of the things I make are refashioned on a daily basis, and I host a Refashion Series (now twice a month), so me, me, me all over it. 

 However, when I went looking in my pile, I couldn’t find anything I’d really turn into maternity clothes, the only appealing thing to me was this long orange dress, original from the 70’s that, if I am honest with you, loved just as it was. But it was outdated, and I believe I’d be called “crazy” if I went outside wearing it.

I picked it for my project. I knew exactly what I wanted to make out of it, and also that I needed something else to go with it. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted/needed so it turned out pretty easy for me.

I didn’t have anything in the stash that would go with the orange so I went thirft shopping in my usual charity shop, and found a child’s size dress for 0,50€ (amazing, right?!). I wasn’t sure if it’d fit me at all or not, but I brought it home with me.

The brown “things” in the before photo? Two pieces, leg leftovers from a toddler’s trousers. I used those for the handbag/clutch.

So… in order to get the new look out of these two pieces, I did more unpicking and hand sewing that anything else. I started by taking off the flower on the front, the sleeves and the neckline ruffles from the dress, and hemming it to my height. I had to do a lot of unpicking, and then sewing again, so the dress would look even.

For the Cardigan, which was previously the dress, I did a bit more. I started by turning it around, front-back wise. I’ve removed the sleeves cuff – which was too tight for me, I’ve added an elastic to the hem instead and used some of the original lace from the dress sleeves. To close my cardigan, I used vintage lace, and tight in the front. Both dress and cardigan, have an invisible stitch on their hems, which I did by hand too. 

On the back of the cardigan I added some lace too, to make it a bit wider as I walk. I also changed the front to make it sort of triangular, and follow the dress shape instead how having a straight line.

To finish off the look, I made myself a new clutch. For this I used the trousers legs leftovers, the flower I took off from the dress and also scraps from the cardigan. I hemming it shorter, and those pieces were the ones I used for the clutch.

PR&P S8 week 3: Upcycling

This is pretty much the same as signature week for me I believe. One of the main things that characterizes me when it comes to sewing is that like 80% of the times, the new pieces come from previous exciting ones. Of course it was obvious I would participate this week. Some would be expecting something more elaborated, like the jacket I made for week one, from the pair of pants. But nope, I went simplier this week. 

To start off, those were actually the first pieces I made for this season of PR&P. I started 2014 refashioning this shorts and cardigan. As I mentioned here, I was one of the lucky testers for the Small Fry Skinny Jeans pattern by Titchy Threads. I was assigned the girl's shorts version, size 5, inset pockets, zipper version and fully topstitched. Oh yeah, there are many choices to choose from. In the next pair I made - which is what I showed you first last week, I went with the boy's version shorts, size 8, patch pockets and all the rest the same as the first. 

Because you have to sew through so many layers, and because I had sewn the free 2T version of the same pattern, I knew it would be too much for my machine to sew through it all, so I was looking for a much lighter fabric instead of the stretchy jeans the pattern sugested me to. Because I couldn't find the needed fabric and still wanted to use something stetchy I went with what I had in my refashioning stash... a white women's pair of shorts. 

I took all the pieces apart and gor rid of the zipper (it wasn't possible to reuse it anymore), the original loops and the lining bag pockets. then I pressed the pieces of fabric I had left and tried to position the pattern pieces as best as I could to be able to reuse as much as that fabric. 

I had just enough, and by the end I was really pleased. To top stitch my shorts I used neon orange to stand in the white. I'm not really a neon fan, on the other hand, I tend to avoid it, but I thought the niece would like it and decided to try, after all I bought the neon thread sometime ago and didn't even know why. 

This is a do-it-over and over again pattern. The instructions are so clear and so easy to follow that it is impossible not to finish your piece without the professional look. Laura even includes an attachment to help you sew the girl's fly, just to make your life easier! 

The only problem I had, and it seems to be happening ONLY with my niece L. - again! - is that when I choose a pattern size according to her measurements, it always gives me a size smaller than her age. Exemple: she's 6 now and her measurements put her in a size 5, and that's what I did, but when we tried it on, turns out it fitted everywhere, but it was too tight in her hips. From now on, I will always make her a size up no matter what her measurements tell me. 

Anyway, to finish on the shorts, I used a owl printed fabric to make the inside waistband, and just to add something different I cut a few owls from the fabric and patched them into the back pockets. It turned to be a favourite for everyone around here.  I needed something for her to wear with the shorts and since I was running out of time to send my tester pictures, I had to make something quick, and that's when the cardigan enters the scene. 

A few years ago, this was one of my first attempts on refashioning - for me, I was still far from becoming a mother back then. I had been given a niece sweater, but I wanted to try to turn it into a cardigan. Well, I started, but had never finished. With time, it got stainned on the back and in the front with hair paint. I thought it was pretty much lost but was never able to just give it up to the garbage bin. And I was happy when I rescued it to resize it for my niece. 

All I did, was grab a shirt that would fit my niece L. and use it to cut two new front pieces, a back piece and two sleeves. I used the original button because I liked the hemming. Also I cut the collar away so I could reuse it again. Since I didn't need such a large piece for the new resized cardigan, I was able to cut the stained piece away and patch it together again. Then attached it back to the cardigan and voilá, it was done. 

And even though L. loved the shorts, she said this was her favourite piece because it wasn't as tight and uncomfortable to wear. Also, she said she liked to colour, so I'm glad I was able to salvage it from a hopeless end. 

January Refashion Month with Bonnie from Thrifting, Crafting, Personalizing

When I first mention a new edition of Refashion Month, I had a couple of bloggers stepped in and saying they would like to guest post for us. Bonnie, from Thrifting, Crafting, Personalizing was one of them. Back then, I didn't know her yet... or so I thought. After visiting her blog, I realised I had been there before, I recognised her Project Run & Play projects from the last season. Bonnie has been refashioning for her boy and most recently for her one year old daughter. It is my pleasure to introduce her to all of you.  

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Hi guys! I am so thrilled to be participating in Refashion Month!
Today I want to show you a quick refashion I did for my daughter. I was pretty conflicted on what to do my post on even though I have been refashioning most of her wardrobe and her brother's wardrobes recently and I kept forgetting to take pictures so finally my husband asked me about this last one-if I had before and after pictures (I do) and told me "Go With That" so here I am.
She grows like a little bean sprout just like her brothers and money has been tight this past year with my husband fighting to get disability so I was seeking ways to "Extend" her wardrobe as long as possible and when she was born my best friend gave us a huge box of 0-3 months sized clothes with a few 6-12's in there. Length seems to be the biggest fitting issue with my daughter since most baby clothes are knit and forgive her chunky baby belly and thighs; but her torso, arms, and legs are longer then her RTW size.
In light of that I wondered if I could refashion one of her footless sleepers into a basic cardigan.
I have done this now to 3 of her outgrown snap front onsies; 2 were originally 0-3 month sized and the pink striped one was 6-9 month sized and is actually pretty big on her.This is the most recent one I have whipped out-this is truly a quick sew from onsie to cute cardigan!

First you make an even cut straight across 1/4 inch underneath the bottom most snap (right before the front snaps turn into crotch snaps)

Take an old outgrown knit onsie or knit baby pants in a complimentary color (newborn and 0-3 month pants usually have a good amount of fabric for this unless they were closer fitting styled pants.) and cut them into even strips however wide you want your bottom band to be; you may have to piece the strips together to get a band long enough to go all the way around the bottom of your cardigan.

Then you will want to sew the short edges of your waistband in 1/4 inch to the same side so when you fold it in half it will hide the edge finishing and give you a clean look to the ends of your waist band.

 Fold it in half (top to bottom not lengthwise) and pin to your cardigan's bottom with the folded side up towards the top of the cardigan and pin along the outside of the cardigan so when you sew up this seam to connect the two you can then press the raw edges up towards the inside of the cardigan and topstitch to keep the band in place.

With the turquoise cardigan removed the longer sleeves and leave the puffed ones, and with the pink striped cardigan I used the cut off leg parts to lengthen the arms and I also used fabric markers along my cuff, neck, and waistband seam lines as well as the center of the snaps and the faux pocket edges to give it a little more red to match some refashioned pants I will be making her soon.

Anyways, I can't wait to see what the other Refashion Month ladies have in store for us and I sincerely hope this little post might help someone extend their growing kidlet's wardrobe just a bit more :)

Cheers!
Bonnie MS

So, what's next?!

So, the sew along for Project Run & Play is over now. 

I still can't believe I made it! I did follow and sew along the six themes. Six outfits in six weeks. I am proud of myself. I am so proud, so happy that I made it, I did not give up, I did not left any item unfinished! 

Yes! I did it and I like it. 

Did you miss any of the entries? Don't worry, here's a short summary of what I made here:

The Party Dress Remix

Stripes and Polka Dots

 Boy's Week
And remember, there's a Tutorial for this outfit here!

Love is in the Air

The Men's Dress Shirt Challenge

Your Signature Look

So, what's next?!

 Time for Sew In Tune. I have chosen my song, I have design my outfit, so I better start sewing, I don't want to be late. It starts off next Monday! 

Project Run & Play: Week 4 |Sew Along|

It is fourth week on Project Run and Play. It's Love is in the Air themed week. Here's what I made:

Last friday I was so happy about myself. It was yet friday and I had most of my outfit done. Actually it was basicly done by saturday evening. Why am I sharing it only now? Well, saturday evening was actually the last time I've put my hands on it, until after lunch today, when G. started her naptime. 

All I had to do, was to hem the cardigan and add the collar to it. All the rest was pretty much done. 

So, this week, again, I went through my stash. I first thought about making a Cupid Costume for G. since we're having Carnival around here and we didn't have a costume in mind yet. But turns out she loves her sock monkey way too much and I started thinking it'd be just too cute to make her a sock monkey costume - or sort of. 

Anyway, my first thought Cupid costume was put aside, and I continued my project on another direction. 

I refashioned this week! And I am happy about it, that I'm not only using my fabric stash, I am also going through that huge pile of clothes to recycle. 

I started with daddy's sweater. I always (almost!) forget to take a before picture, and honestly there isn't much left of it after I cut it all out. 

But I used the bottom of the sweater to make a skirt and attach it to an existing shirt of hers. I only changed the original white buttons for a plain red one, and two more of the heart shaped buttons I used here. Too bad the red from the buttons isn't quite as dark as the fabric, I'd love that! Oh, and of course, I patched a big red heart on it, because I wanted to, and also because I could cover up a stain in the middle.

With the top part of the sweater, I made her a cardigan, something quite simple, but with a few lovely details. The pleat on the back, the bow and the zig-zag hem. I thought about lining this piece but I quit on the idea easily, and I think it looks good this way too. Actually it is my favourite piece of the whole outfit. 

To finish this look, I made two scraps rosettes and glued them to a hair chlip. And done!

And the next picture comes, just because I loved it!!!

Now go and check all the great creations!!!