Scarf to Top

 Hello Readers. I found this 2-piece set at a thrift store and loved it so much. It has wine & cheese and martinis & olives all over it. It was also very comfy to wear. I was sold. 

Before and after.

Here is the problem. There was no matching top, just a matching scarf. I really wanted a matching top to go with these very unique pants. So, I decided to make one. The only fabric I had was the scarf so it was going to have to work. Could I make a top of some kind with this square of fabric? I was going to try. 

 

I folded the fabric in half. To make a top that fir all the way around my body I would need all this fabric.

 

I cut the square in half. I had 2 identical rectangles here. I wanted to be careful with the pattern. I didn't want some of it to be upside down. 

 

The simplest top I could think of was a tube top. I would need all of one rectangle and most of the second to make a top big enough. This cotton had no stretch at all. It could not be tight, it had to be roomy so I could move and breathe. 

 

I sewed my pieces together to make a tube. 

 

And here is my tube. It is not even near done. And I want straps, I don't really like strapless tops. Let's keep going. 

 

I had these two end pieces left over. Could I make straps from these? I think I can. 

 

I folded the edge over and sewed it down. I put elastic through that casing to make a wide puffy strap. I was just making this up as I went and hoping for the best. I didn't have enough fabric to make real sleeves so wide straps was going to be what I ended up with. 

 

I turned the edge of the top under and sewed that down. I put narrow elastic through that casing top keep the top edge close to my body.Then I pinned my straps in place. Having a dress form made this easy. 

  

I sewed across the fabric where the pins were to attach the straps to the top. 

 

I cut the pants shorter and made a new hem. I am short so I usually, almost always, need to shorten my pant legs.

 

 

I can tuck the top in or...

 

I can leave it out. The straps cover my shoulders and I like how it turned out. Thanks for reading along, now go make something for yourself. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

2 Striped Shirts

 Hello Readers. I had 2 striped button-up shirts. I was surprised at how well they matched. I knew that they could make something fun if I put them together. But what should I make?

Before and after. 

I had 2 shirts. I like the one I am wearing in this picture. I wear it often. The shirt on the hanger was from a clothes swap. I didn't realize how much they matched until I brought it home. How should I put them together? I thought about making a skirt so that it would look like a dress when I wore them both together. 

 

But then I thought matching shorts would be better. It would make a cute 2 piece set. And I could continue to wear the shirt alone if I wanted to. I cut out my shorts from the body of the shirt. 

 

I just had to put these 2 pieces together. What an easy project, right? Well, it was about to get messy. 

 

I decided to add the shirt pocket to the back of the shorts. That would be useful and the pocket was already put together. I wanted to use it. 

 

I put them together and I thought everything would be fine but I was wrong. 

  

I attached the pocket and I thought I was almost done. I added an elastic waistband and then... I realized that the shorts were a little tight. I didn't want tight shorts. I wanted a looser fit to match the fit of the over-sized shirt. 

 

All I had left were the sleeves. Let's try to enlarge these shorts. 

 

The only fix I could think of with the fabric I had available was to add panels to the sides. The stripes on the sides would have to be horizontal but I liked that so I got to work. 

 

I cut the shorts open on the sides. It was a straight cut and straight new seams to sew in the extra fabric. 

 

I added the side panels and hoped for the best.
 

Here are my new shorts. They would be looser now and I thought they would work. 

 

I liked this new 2 piece set. The loose fit is comfortable and casual. Life is too short and too difficult for uncomfortable clothes. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself. And if it doesn't work out at first keep going, keep trying, you'll get there.