When a Refashion Fails

Not every refashion is a win. The bummer of it is, sometimes you don't even realize until the very end, after you've spent nearly 3 hours in your un-air-conditioned sewing room where it's 87 degrees and all along you think you've got a winner on your dress form. Here's the story:

At a glance, you might think this was a win...it's not.

I bought this plan blue dress several months ago and set it aside after taking a few inches off the bottom. It has a matching belt, but I'm not sure where I put it.

Meh. I dig the neckline though.

Because it's so hot, I figured those sleeves had to go. I also wanted to do something interesting with the back, maybe a conservative racer-back, just slightly cut-in, so I chopped away and then turned the dress inside out on my dress form. That's when I saw this:

What's this I see around the neckline? Something I can use as a round collar, I think.

I dig that look of dress or tops with a round collar. So I decided that's what I'd do with this piece of materials. I started to take it off using a seam ripper but that was taking too long so I just yanked it off.

Don't worry, this will be on the inside.

Next, I cleaned up those frayed edged by rehemming all along my new collar. Then, I pinned it on the wrong side of the dress, around the neck line. That way, when flipped to the correct side, those seams would be invisible. (See...even with a fail, I learn or practice a new trick.)

Then, I just sewed that in place and turned the dress right-side out and back on the dress form. My technique of ripping left some frayed edges visible, so I pinned the collar in such a way so that my top-stitching would hide that.

Unsightly frayed edges.

Top-stitched and back on the form.

Nearly finished...or so I thought.

Now, when I see it in pictures, it's totally obvious that the arm holes are too big. And the dress needs to be taken in on the sides. Why I didn't see this from the get-go, I'm not sure. See, when I cut off the sleeves I was a bit too ambitious. This left the sides of the dress gaping. You can see that in the picture above. I didn't see, and I thought, "This dress is adorable!" So I put it on. There are no pictures of this because I was a sweaty mess.  But I pinned where the dress needed to be taken in and tried to tighten up the sleeve hole.

ALSO, while the neckline looks cute on the dress form, it didn't work in reality. The "straps" were too wide. The collar should extend past the sleeve part. So, back to the machine, I narrowed the sleeve area so the collar went past the edge.

Narrower arms so the collar extends past.

The arm holes are still such that I think I run the risk of -- side-boob!! EWWWW.

No one wants to see side-boob. Well, I don't.

I also don't like the way it hangs on me. So that's that. I didn't throw it out though. I'm not 100% giving up on this, but I don't think it will serve it's final days as a dress. Maybe a casual top. We'll see.

Old Shirt to New Shirt - A New Favorite

So, still reeling from my unsuccessful shopping trip, I hit Pinterest for refashioning inspiration. I came across one for refashioning a collared-button down into a cute summer top. Love it! So easy, required very little sewing and hardly any precision (thank goodness).

Charles had just added some stuff to our Goodwill donation bag, but I wasn't feeling the brown checkers that his shirts afforded me. So, off to my own closet, where I knew I had a shirt that I hadn't worn in years, but for some reason never got rid of.  Here's the before and after since I didn't take too many pics of the process.

Before: I haven't worn this in years.

Ready to wear again!

I cut off the sleeves first.  Then the collar. With it pinned to my dress form, I cut straight across the front and back. I then pinned over about a inch to make a casing for the ribbon. Below, you can see that I've already sewn the casing and put it back on my dress form.

I reached into my ribbon stash and found just enough cream satin ribbon to complete this refashion. You can use a safety pin to thread the ribbon through the casing, but because for some reason I had one handy in my sewing room, I used a large bobby pin.

So it goes in one side, starting at the front, through the button area, around the back and back to where you started. Here, tie it into a bow, or whatever fashion you prefer.

Tada! That's it. Shirt done. I tried to not bother Charles, who was working, so I took my own pictures.

Uhm, I can't really do a selfie.

But then I bothered him for a normal picture.

This would be cuter if I fixed myself up or something.

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!