Fall Floral Dress

 Hello Readers. When I saw this dress at a swap I loved the colors. It also seemed perfect for the early days of fall. That mustard yellow seems perfect for fall to me. This time of year is a transitional time from summer to fall. I want fall but it is still so hot, I am trying to transition my mind and my clothes to the new season.

 The dress was a good size for me but the shape was just not great. It didn't really have a shape. It did have this big keyhole opening at the neckline that was really too low for me. I wanted a new shape and completely covered cleavage. Is that too much to ask? I don't think so.

 I decided to make that new shape I wanted. I would make a more defined waist and keep the full skirt. I cut the dress across the waist, where I thought the waist should be. Basically I made a cropped shirt. I cut it at an angle so the waist was a bit smaller than the chest. I sewed the newly cut sides back together.

I put the shirt and the skirt together with the right sides facing each other. 

I connected the top and bottom of the dress back together. I stretched the top while I was sewing so that the skirt was evenly gathered around the waist. 

I liked the new shape I got from the dress. 

 

What would I do about that annoying keyhole? I needed to fill it in because it was too low on me. I could not just pull it together and sew it closed because it would make the top too tight.

 

 

 But I had those little scraps from earlier. I was hoping the wild pattern would make this little patch blend in.

The final result was much less revealing. The pattern is so wild that the keyhole isn't that noticeable. My new dress had a waist and all the cleavage was put away. That was just what I wanted.

I know florals are not really for fall but this mustard yellow is fabulous to me. And it matches my favorite sweater.

Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.

***Chickie's Year End Review-This dress was so cute. Why didn't I wear it again???

Start Too Big

Hello Readers. Every summer people cut their pants into shorts. It may seem at first that the pants I am wearing are too baggy but they will make great shorts. I have found that starting with clothes that are too big and sizing down, I get the best fit.

 

 

If shorts that are too fitted they will ride up. I don't like that. It isn't comfortable. These loose cropped twill pants have enough room in the legs to make them fit well as shorts. This shirt is fine but a bit boxy. We can fix that.

 I started by trying on these pants and marking where I wanted to make new side seams. I needed to take the waist in so it would fit well and keep the shorts up higher on my waist. I like my pants and shorts to have a high waist. 

 

I made the waist a little smaller by making new side seams. You could use a zigzag stitch or a serger to make new side seams. This is the best way to get the fit you want. I did not make the legs smaller or tighter, I just made them shorter.

 

 I gave the shorts a quick hem and I was done. 

I also took the shirt is a little at the waist to make it look a little less boxy and shapeless. It was roomy enough through the shoulders and bustline and now the waist fits closer to the body as well. 

My outfit looks so much better now that it fits so much better. It was easy to start with roomy clothes and size down a little. 

Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself. 

***Chickie's Year End Review-These were great summer basics. Great for summer.

The Gaping Waistband

Hello Readers. Do you ever find a great pair of jeans that seem to fit except the waistband? That waist hanging open in the back is not going to work.

I really wanted these black jeans because they were very dark. My current black jeans are old and very faded. I could dye them...or I could make these jeans fit a little better.

(They are a little long too. #shortgirlproblems)

I started by making new side seams to take the hips in a little. This won't fix the fit problem entirely. It is just a start.

The right leg looks much shorter. I swear my legs and the legs of these jeans are the same length in real life.

The way I like to fix this kind of fit issue is with tucks in the back. I fold the jeans and stitch narrow triangles that start at the waistband and taper off down into the pockets. Sometimes I cut off the excess fabric inside and sometimes I leave it there. I just want to be comfortable. If it feels bulky, I remove it. If it doesn't bother me, I leave it there.

 Having the tuck end under the pockets helps hide them. I want my jeans to look normal and plain in the back.

I was pleased with the new fit at the waist. I don't like to wear belts very much so these needed to fit well around the waist.

Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.

 *Year end update-I still use this method to make the waist smaller on pants. It always works well for me.

A Baggy Waistband

Hello Readers. Have you ever tried on a pair of jeans and had them fit everywhere except the waistband? Sometimes the waistband is too loose in the back, but it isn't difficult to fix.

These denim shorts had a lot going for them. The waistband was high enough. (I have had 3 kids and a low waistband isn't what my mom tummy needs at this point in my life.) The fit was great through the hips and thighs but the waistband was not working for me. The shorts were an awkward length for me too. I would fix that later.  

I started by taking the waistband in on the sides. I thought it would blend in really well with the existing side seam. I didn't want to alter the size anywhere but the waist. I put the shorts out on a table and cut a little triangle shape out of each side. You can see I stitched over the new seam 3-4 times so it will never come undone when I am out in public.A zigzag stitch or a serger would finish the raw edge.

 I wanted to shorten the length a little too. I cut the hemmed edge off the bottom of each leg.

I rolled the ends up twice to make a cuff. I liked the new length but I knew it wouldn't stay up by itself.

I tacked it down with a few stitches on the sides, front, and back. The rolled cuffs will stay where I want them. 

    

I love the new fit. They aren't tighter anywhere but the waist. I need to eat lunch and snacks. I need to breathe. Tight denim is not what I want.

  

They are great for lounging in the sun. Ha ha, just kidding, I am way too pale to sit in the sun. I hide from the sun.

Trust me, they are good in shade too. 

Thanks for reading this post, now go make something fun for yourself.

*Year end update- These were perfect for summer and got tons of wear.