Upcycle a Dress

 Hello Readers. If you like sewing or just like clothes and fashion, you know nice fabric is expensive. I like to go to thrift shops to look for clothes. Sometimes I find clothes I like but a lot of times I find clothes that I can use for fabric to make something else. It's a much cheaper way to buy fabric.

Before and after. 

I wanted a soft cozy knit tank top. I didn't have any knit fabric in my fabric stash but that's OK. I had this dress from a thrift store. (Maybe a clothes swap? I can't remember...) I liked these fun stripes and this fabric was a beautiful knit material. I used this pattern to make an over sized tank top perfect for exercising. The pattern is Super Saver 8035.

 

I started by cutting the bodice off the skirt. I set it aside for later. I might need it to finish this project. The skirt is going to be enough fabric for an over sized tank top. 

 

I arranged the pattern pieces so that I could cut out the front and the back. I place the pattern so that the hem of the skirt would be the hem of the new shirt. That will save me time later. 

 

It is easy to sew the front and back of the shirt together. But the neckline and the arm holes are unfinished. I cut the scraps of the shirt into narrow strips and made some single fold bias tape. I could use it to finish the shirt. 
 

I sewed the bias tape I made around the neck hole. I held the bias tape firmly so that it would be smooth around the neck when I was done. I used it around the arm holes too. Using the dress for all the materials I needed for this top made it very economical. And it means that everything matches perfectly too. 

 

I liked the stripes so much that I made sure to highlight the pattern by NOT matching the stripes up. I thought it made the shirt more fun.

 

I took my new shirt and went for a walk. I try to walk everyday but in the summer that means I get hot and sweaty. Having an extra top to wear helps me keep exercising regularly. I can't skip it because I am out of exercise clothes. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Making 2-Tone Jeans Part 2

 Hello Readers. This is a re-make of an old project. My washing machine ruined the original pair I made but I really loved them So these are the 2.0 version. I made them the exact same way as the original. (I followed my own directions. You can too.)

 

 

 I put together 2 pairs of jeans, again, so this is part 2. I was inspired by the upcycler on TikTok named @Radha. She made some cool blue and white 2-tone jeans. I really liked hers so I got to work making something similar with what I had on hand. 

This was a fun project to put together.

I had these 2 pairs of jeans and putting them together would be fun. The white pair was basic denim. 

This blue pair was also denim but they were not very stylish. They had a very unattractive gathered elastic waistband and I have been keeping them to cut up for a project. Today was the day! I cut 2 straight long pieces from the back so they wouldn't have any seams and so I wouldn't be getting part of the front pockets in the pieces I used.

I started cutting the white jeans. I cut about 3 inches from the side seam. You can see I did not cut through the pocket, I cut underneath it. I wanted to keep the pockets intact and reattach them later.

I used a seam ripper to detach the pockets from the cut off the part of the jeans I was cutting away.

 

When I was done, my white jeans looked like this. The back pockets are kind of hanging off so that I could sew the blue denim pieces in on the sides of the white jeans. Then I will reattach the pockets. 

I sewed the blue denim to the white denim with the right sides facing each other. I started at the waist.  I moved the pocket over to the left so it was out of the way while I was sewing.

 

Here is a look at the blue and white pieces sewn together. The pocket is kind of flapping loose here. 

 

It was easy to sew the pocket to the blue denim using a straight stitch. 

 

I used the seam ripper again to remove the belt loop from the white denim I had cut off the jeans. I could reattach it to the blue denim. 

 

I wanted to sew it here on the side. It might help distract from that elastic waistband. 

 

I also had this tiny front pocket from the cut off white denim too. I could attach that somewhere.

 

Here is a look at everything sewn in place. 

 

 I love these new jeans. They are so fun and different and colorful. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.

***Year End Update***- I loved these jeans! I got something on the white part and tried to bleach the spot. Then I got bleach on the blue part.... it was a laundry disaster.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dress to Tunic & Shorts

 Hello Readers. I am a thrifty scavenger at heart. I search thrift stores for cute things but I am also searching for fabric. This pink dress was made of beautiful linen. I knew it would make something wonderful. I didn't try it on, I knew it was going to be cut and sewn into something new.

Before and after.

 

This dress was way too long but I could have shortened it. I had another idea. Shorts!

 

This is my go-to shorts pattern. It is very well used as you can see. I like it because it's simple and it fits me well. 

  

This book has so many great patterns. I love it. 

  

I cut out the 2 pieces. Easy as pie!

 

I used my serger to put the 2 pieces together. Linen frays so easily, I thought the serger would be best. 

 

I used the fun elastic for the waistband. I didn't make a casing for it, I want it to show. 

 

I sewed the elastic in place using a zigzag stitch. 

 

This is the top of the dress. I want to wear it as a tunic with the shorts peeking out. I checked the dress for length on me so I could hem it at the right length.

I made new side seams to make the top fit better and ...

 

I hemmed the bottom edge. 

 

I love how it turned out. It's great on a hot summer day and the pink is so fun. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Floral Pen Bouquet

 Hello Readers. Fall is coming soon. It might not feel like it weather-wise but it's coming. That means schools are back in session, home activities are going to pick up, and even your office might get busier. I wanted to stop people (My kids!) from stealing the pens on my desk. It is hard to walk away with a pen that has a big flower on top.  

 Make a floral bouquet and keep your pens where they need to be. On your desk.

You will need some artificial flowers, some floral tape and some pens or pencils. Either is fine so 

whatever you need to keep handy on your desk is fine. 

 

You can usually find floral tape where you find artificial flowers. I found mine at Dollar Tree. 

I unrolled my floral tape, it is green and has some self adhesive on it. You will feel it when you unroll it.  

 Any color or variety of artificial flowers will work so you can choose whatever decorates your space the best. You could change them with the seasons too. I found these flowers at Dollar Tree too.

I cut my flowers off the bunch but left about 3 inches of stem attached. A little less or a little more is fine. It's not brain surgery. You don't need to measure, you can just estimate and it will all work out fine. 

 I held the stem of the flower against my pencil/pen. Any pen or pencil is fine... red, green, old, new. Whatever you like or have on hand. 

 

I started wrapping the pencil and the flower together tightly with the tape. I wrapped from the top and moved down. I over lapped the tape on itself to cover the pencil and flower stem and cover them. 

 

I wrapped the pencil and stem all the way down the stem of the flower. I did not want the cut stem to show or stick out. When I covered the stem completely, I wrapped the tape back up to the top. 

 

I cut the tape. It was fully wrapped now. I made sure to smooth out the tape so it was smooth and wrapped tight around the pencil. 
 

To make the tape super secure, you can add a dot of hot glue. This will keep the tape in place long term. That might help if your space or desk is a high traffic area. Like the family calendar, office sign-in area, client check in, reception, or just Mom's desk. Kids seem to take a pen, use a pen and never return the pen. Spouses do this too. 

 

I really like how these look in a simple cup or mug. The best part is that no one can walk away with a big flower on their pen without realizing it. It won't fit in their pocket easily and they will return the pen after they use it. Thanks for reading along, and happy fall y'all.