Yes, This Time I'm Wearing a Sheet

I went shopping yesterday -- with no success. Gift cards in hand, I hit The Loft, The Gap, and Banana Republic (they are all in a row, I didn't go out of my way.) I spent the most time -- 15 minutes -- in The Loft, bypassing the front of the store and heading right to the sale racks. Even on sale, there was nothing I wanted to spend my money (uh, gift cards) on. Worse luck in the other two stores, I headed home and hit my sewing room.

I pulled out this sheet I got at a thrift store last year. $2.99

I wanted to make a circle-neck halter -- I have been wanting to make one for a year now. I only wish I had a pattern, or a shirt to copy, but I didn't and I just dove in.

First, the collar:

Eh, good enough.

Then, I cut out to rectangles of fabric -- no pictures of this. I short of used a t-shirt as a size guide. I angled the sides of the front one for the arm area. Then, I pinned to them to my dress form and pinned in some pleats on the front. 

I added a casing to the back and added elastic to allow me to have some "give" when putting it on and off. It also helps hold it up. 

Here's where it goes downhill and is a lesson in planning in advance.

Mistake 1: I wish I had thought ahead about how I wanted the back of the halter collar to look. I thought I could make another half-circle, but then I realized I wouldn't get it over my head. I grabbed an old necklace -- white beads -- to see if I could use it somehow. Nah.

So, I added straps down the back, because I really wanted to keep that neckline in the front.

The other problem -- when I took it off the dress form and tried it on, the back was way too low -- side-boob may work for Miley Cyrus, but not on me. I had to rip out the seams on each side and redo them to bring up the back.

Lots of extra fabric -- the problem with not measuring.

This shirt is full of flaws. The neckline is crooked, the fit isn't great. But hey - it was a $2.99 sheet; I still have lots left to make something else. And I'd probably wear this to Farmer's Market, or around the house on a weekend. Not too bad. Oh - I think I'll add 2 little pockets to the bottom front. That might be cute.

Sunglasses inside 'cause I look like crappy-crap.

Hello 80's, Welcome to 2013

I snagged this hot item for $3.50 a couple of weeks ago. It's a total 80's wrap dress. I'm not big on collars, but every now and then I'll try it out.Obviously, I wasn't intending on wearing this dress as-is.

Hello 80's, I've missed you.

Check it out all buttoned up -- dig the high collar.

First, I put it on the dress form inside out, and pinned it up to take it in a bit. It only needed to be taken in above the waist. I also cut off the sleeves but did it so that I wouldn't have to sew these -- I cut close enough to the original seam.

Taking in the sides

Sleeves cut close to the seam, so no re-sewing needed.

I also took off several inches from the bottom. I just eye-ball this step, so there is no picture. Also, I'm embarrassed to admit this, I had to give myself a little more breathing room by moving the wrap buttons about an inch. All I had to do was snip them off and resew them into place by hand. And ta-da, and updated dress that I can wear to work.

BEFORE

AFTER

15 Minute Refashion.

Yeah, I know, this has been done and done and done. But I can't help myself -- it's the easiest refashion and I love summer dresses. This one will be going with me to the Caribbean in February.

Start with a skirt that's too big for you.

All this refashion consists of is hiking up an elastic waist skirt over your chest and belting it. You could leave it at that.

Maxi dress. Just add a belt.

But I wanted it shorter.

About 4 inches shorter.

And I wanted straps. I used the piece I cut off from the bottom to create a strap. Fold it in half length wise, right sides face, and sew it up making a tube. Then, turn the tube right side out.

Action shot!

 Thought about making the straps slightly wide-set.

But went with basic halter-style.

Pin, pin, pin. Sew, sew, sew.

All sewn in place.

I'll use the remaining cut off fabric as a sash. But what I Really Want is a slim red belt to go with this.

Finished. 15 minute refashion.

Definitely needs a red belt.

A Basic T-Shirt Refashion

So, this time I'm starting with a new t-shirt (eeeek, what about the year of nothing new?? I cheated.) But, it was really cute, and the price? About a dollar after discounts and coupons.

$28.00?? I don't think so.

It's a size 3x, which is too big for me, but t-shirts are so easy to take in. I was imagining I could use this as a bathing suit cover-up for my vacation in February (for which I have a pile of refashions waiting.)

To big, but cute print!

Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the taking it in process. Basically, I put it back on the dress form inside out and used pins to outline new seams on each side. Then, I ran that through the sewing machine and done - a better fitting t-shirt. Of course, I cut out the excess material the new seams left me and I wondered if I could do something with that fabric to add a little flair to the shirt.

Adding flair.

 I pinned one of those excess pieces around the existing neckline -- pin it on the inside so it sort of folds over to the outside. Ran that through the sewing machine and done. A cuter t-shirt.

 I might take the sleeves off to make it a tank top. We'll see.

Why Yes, I AM Wearing a Curtain

Today, I'm still somewhat homebound because of Hurricane Sandy, so I did another refashion. I actually did 2 but didn't take any "before" pics of the first one and it's ugly anyway, so onto this one.

I bought this brocade curtain at Unique (in Union) a couple of months ago because I LOVE the fabric. I really want to make a short skirt with it, and wear it with tights, but I don't know what color tights or top would go with it. I'll work on that another day. 

Instead, I started draping it on my dress form. A dress? Nowhere to wear it. A top? Only if it's easy. So a simple strapless top it is.

A dress?

A top with straps? Eh, those are too wide.

 

I had some problems making it though. I wanted it to lay front across my chest ie: I didn't want to use elastic all the way around it 'cause then the fat near my armpits would moosh over the top - ladies, you know what I'm talking about.

I thought about doing a zipper in the back, but my measurements would need to be precise, and I'm not about precision. Snaps? No, one deep breath and I could see them busting open.

So, I went with 2 small pieces of elastic. Eh, mixed results. It gave me the flexibility I needed to get it on and off, but I would have liked the top to be a bit tighter. But hey, it fits and I can wear out with the girls next weekend in New Orleans!

With a low sash?

Or a high sash that ties in the back?

Or no sash...

I went with low sash tied in the front. If I actually had my hair brushed and some makeup on, I could go out right now!

T-Shirt to Shrug

I'm too lazy to put it on.

Tonight I finally made a t-shirt shrug. I have been holding onto this t-shirt since...well, let's just say this shirt traveled with me through Central America and across the US during our "career break" which means it has spent a lot of time in a back pack. I was sick of it. I threw it in the "refashion" pile (which is a real thing - want to see pics?) and waited...

Tonight I finally went back to my Pinterest board to find the inspiration and did it.

Let me tell you how easy this refashion is...it took me all of 20  minutes. And it would have been even easier had I not kept stopping to take sips of my martini. (Rough day at work, don't judge.) So for you folks who sew sober, this should only take about 15 minutes. Nice.

Grab a t-shirt and cut it up the front center and cut out the neckline. Doesn't matter if it's v-neck or crew. Mine even had a nice stain on the front. You really can't sweat the small stuff here.

After cutting, pin a hem (with the rough edge on the inside, seriously I actually did this wrong the first time) about an inch wide all around the cut edge. You are now making a case for the ribbon you'll use to tie it together in the front. Once pinned, sew it up all around.

Pin, pin, pin. 

 Once you sew a casing, thread a ribbon through the casing and tie in front. I tied a ribbon to a large bobby pin and pushed that through. Use a safety pin, or whatever works for you.

I don't think my ribbon was long enough. It got all the way through with barely enough to make a bow. I wish I could tell you how to measure, but my ribbon was at least 2 feet long, and I wish it was longer. Next time, I'll measure.

Uh, cute or what?

Then I realized, I wanted a purple cardigan to wear with this refashion -- but I'm not going to buy a new sweater. I can wear this t-shirt shrug with it. Ta-da!

Refashion, meet Refashion. I'm sure you'll get along just fine.

80's Fab to Now Wow (ha)

When I bought this dress at the thrift store, it was a stretch. The fabric is pretty bad, it's sort of slippery in a plastic way; the shoulder pads were overwhelming, and I wasn't even sure it would fit overall. But guess what? I liked the pattern (yeah, that's a theme with me.)

Nice sleeves. And neck.

So - I brought it home and threw it on my dress form to consider the possibilities. First things first - those sleeves had to go. Not to mention the neck.

That's much better. 

Next - pin up those jagged edges and sew in a hem. Easy peasy.

Then I wanted to do something about that rounded neckline - just to play around I tucked it in and sewed in an asymmetrical neckline.

Pinning the neckline and sleeves. 

I think it came out okay - not great, just okay.

Next up, loose some of the  length, add a sash and done. New updated dress to wear to work! I don't know, not bad for $9.00.

Ready for the office.