Breaking up a Fall Suit

 Hello Readers. This suit was perfect for fall and I loved the tulip hem of the skirt. It needed some work to make it work.

Before and after.

This suit was really dressed-up and formal. I don't need to get really dressed up in my life so this suit is too much for me. But if I took away the jacket and wore the skirt by itself it would be more casual. The elastic at the waist was not doing its job anymore so I would fix that too. 

I really didn't want to remove the pretty hem so I cut off the waistband and some extra so that the skirt would be shorter.

I added a new elastic waistband.

Then I turned the elastic into the skirt. I stitched it down again. 

I used a zigzag stitch around that elastic waistband. 

The waistband is covered with the skirt fabric. 

This outfit felt a little more relaxed than the whole suit together. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself. 

***Year End Update- I prefer to be more casual but if I need to dress up I am ready.

Imitation Chanel

 Hello Readers. When I found a Chanel style suit I feel in love instantly. Did it fit? No. But it was at a clothes swap and no one else wanted it. I thought it was amazing and it came home with me. I do not have any Chanel and I can not fit it into my budget so this was a very exciting find.

 Before and after

 

This suit was fabulous. The skirt almost fit but the jacket was really big in the shoulders on me.

I didn't think I could fix the shoulders. I decided to refashion the jacket into a vest. I had an old pattern to guide me in cutting the pieces. I wanted something to make sure I didn't mess this up. Using a pattern gave me a little more confidence. I cut the pieces from the lower portion of the jacket. I did not use the padded shoulders or sleeves at all. I positioned the pattern on top of the jacket so that I could keep the pockets and front button in place on my new vest.

Here is a look at the vest. I stitched it together with my sewing machine.

Here is a look at the back of the vest.

I wanted the frayed edges Chanel sometimes does on their suits. I stitched around the edges of my vest with a very small tight stitch. I wanted the fraying edges but I had to control the fraying or my whole suit would fray away. I wanted about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of fraying. 

I started the tedious process of pulling the threads on the edge. I did this all around the edges of the vest.

Y'all... it took quite a while!

I marked the skirt. It had a back zipper so I wanted to take the sides of the skirt in to improve the fit. 

 

I cut the skirt shorter. I wanted to cut off the kick pleats and make the new hem right above that point.
 

I used my serger to finish the hem of the lining.

 

The fraying edges were going to be at the hem of the skirt too.

 

 This new shorter length was better for me.

This new suit is so fun. I think this is my new favorite refashion.

I loved that the pockets were on the vest. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself. 

*Year End Note From Chickie- I love this outfit SO much. One of my top favorites from the year!!