Denim Shorts; A Summer Necessity

 Hello Readers. Every summer I need one thing in my wardrobe, denim shorts. It is a must. Since the time of Covid my shorts have gotten too small every year so I have to make a new pair. So, welcome to "Denim Shorts 2023 Edition".

It's an annual tradition!

Capri length jeans are not flattering on me. They tend to cut off my legs in a bad way. These will be perfect to cut off into summer shorts.

I like to try them on inside out and make a mark where I want to cut the length. 

I used a seam ripper to get the frayed look. I picked at the edge of the shorts and then washed the to get really good fraying.

Do you have a problem with the waist being too loose? I did but I found an easy solution. 

I found these metal jean buttons on Amazon a while back. (Not an ad. They don't know me.) They have a cap that you can take on and off the back like an earring. You can put them in jeans, or anything else. They stay on really well.

I attached the button a little further over and put the cap on. 

When I button the waist it is a couple inches smaller. No sewing needed!

Here is to a fun summer full of relaxation. (Just kidding. I'm a mom of an 8 yr old boy. We don't sit still.) Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.

***Year End Update- I wore these all summer. They were perfect for casual mom life.

Adding Coverage to a Bathing Suit

 Hello Readers. I found a nice swim top on sale. I decided to grab it knowing I was going to change it up for myself. 

 

I had navy blue swim bottoms this top could go with and I loved the wide shoulder straps. But the plunging neckline was... well, way to plunging.

 

Like this isn't going to hold on to everything securely.

I had this little bralette that was very pretty but it was not comfortable and didn't fit well. It was perfect for cutting up and filling in that deep V-neck.

 

I put both tops on my dress form and marked the lace top in pencil so would know where to cut.
 

I turned it upside down and folded it down the middle and cut a V shape.

Here is my wide V shape. I made it larger than the opening in the top so I would have extra fabric to work with. 

I used my machine to sew the lace into the top. I stitched over the stitches that were already there. It went together really easily.

The addition of the lace gave me more coverage and I felt more comfortable. 

I wanted a top that was able to keep everything in it's place even if I am active. I tested it out by doing the most uncoordinated cannon ball jump ever seen. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.

***Year End Update- The extra coverage helped make this swim top more comfortable for me. I wore it all summer.

Bathing Suit Cover-up

 Hello Readers. It is summer and that means going to the pool or beach, if possible. I do not have my own pool but there are pools  in the area. I found this dress at a clothes swap and thought it looked brand new. It had a beautiful lace outer layer. Why didn't someone want this great dress? Then I figured it out. It had a thick nylon under layer. You know how nylon feels in the summer, like plastic. This pretty dress would feel like a plastic bag. The wearer would feel hot and sweaty and I could see why no one wanted it. But I had an idea. What if that heavy lining was taken out? It would be cooler but also sort of see-through. When is that appropriate? At the beach or pool as a cover up dress!

Before and after.

A heavy nylon lining in summer?? No way!

I had to cut that lining out of the dress. It wouldn't fray because it was a knit so I could just cut it away from the dress. I tried to be very careful and not cut the seams or the lace at all.

I also removed that bottom row of ribbon and lace at the hem. I didn't want the dress to be too long and one row of ribbon had a simpler cleaner look.

 

My cover-up dress was done.

 

It was perfect to wear over my bathing suit to this nice pool. (It belongs to a nice friend.) I will be back next time to talk about the bathing suit I am wearing and how I added onto it. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.

***Year End Update- I wore this a lot in summer and it was so much more useful without the lining.

 

 

Flowy Lace Jacket; The Sequel

 Hello Readers. I don't like to waste things so when I refashion and cut up a garment. I always try to use every part of that garment if I can. I am not throwing away good fabric. That's crazy. When I shortened the lace jacket last time I had a lot of left over lace fabric to use for a second project. 

Before and after. And after.

This was just really lovely but I needed it to be shorter for work. 

I gave it a cut in the middle and made a shorter jacket. But the leftovers are going to be a very pretty slip/skirt extender. 

The edges here that go up and down the center are going to be the focus.

I turned the fabric side ways. The lace edges that were in the center/front is now the hemline. The slip was very narrow but it had a lot of give and stretch to it so it fit really well. It has a horizontal seam in the middle but that isn't going to show when I wear it so I am not worried about it. 

It needed an elastic waistband so I grabbed some very basic white elastic. (I think this is leftover from mask making in Covid times.) I didn't try to make the waistband pretty or fancy because it will never show either.

Here it is. I planned for this to just peek out from under skirts and dresses that feel a bit too short. It's pretty and the edge at the hem makes it look nicely finished. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.

***Year End Update- I love this lacey slip. It is lovely to me.

Flowy Lace Jacket Look at that beautiful lace.

 Hello Readers. I found this flowy lace jacket at a thrift store and I loved it but I actually wanted a shorter version to wear to work. Sometimes I get on a ladder and if I did that in this long jacket, I would fall and die. ( I am clumsy like that.)

Before and after.

Look at that beautiful lace. 

I did some trying on, some measuring and I did some cutting. I wanted at waist level. 

This lace was pretty delicate so I knew I would need to use my serger. I got matching thread so that my new stitching would blend in. 

I threaded my serger with the matching thread and then I stitched around the bottom of the jacket where I had cut it. I think threading the machine took longer than the actual sewing.

*(My sewing machine would not do well sewing this lace. It is too delicate.)

Here is a look at the actual stitches. I liked how the color matched so well. 

The new hemline really looks like it has always been there.

I really liked the shorter length. It's just what I wanted. What about the fabric that I cut off the bottom of the long jacket? I had a plan for that too. I will show you next time. Thanks for reading along, now go make something for yourself.

***Year End Update- This jacket is still so pretty and useful in warm weather.

An Elvis Jumpsuit

 Hello Readers. We are going down a fun side quest today. I found this jumpsuit at the local Goodwill and I almost didn't get it. Can you believe that? I almost let this fabulous jumpsuit go!! It's so fun, I am so glad my daughter told me to buy it.

Before and after.

I almost walked past this! SMH

This looks like Elvis to me. He would definitely wear this. But look how long the legs are though!

I needed to shorten these pant legs. Those fabulous cuffs had to go. I made a mistake though. I cut off an inch too much. 

I didn't want to lose any more of the length from these pant legs now. I decided to leave the hem undone. I stitched along that cut edge with denim thread but I didn't turn the edge under. This makes the pant legs look finished but it kept every millimeter of length.

I wasn't sure I liked the placement of the belt. I wanted it higher. I decided to add some belt loops on the sides of the jumpsuit to keep the belt where I wanted it. Where did I get the belt loops? I didn't make them. I cut them off my son's old jeans. 

I measured 3 inches up from the waist seam to make the sides even.

 

 They don't really show but they help keep the belt where it should be.

 

 Or I can skip the belt! Whatever I do, I love it. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.

 

 ***Year End Update- This is such a fun outfit. It would have been perfect for the Elvis movie that came out. I didn't see that one. I love the jumpsuit though.

 

Fast Fashion-The Shein Dress

 Hello Readers. I try to avoid fast fashion when I can The fabrics are usually lower quality and the sewing s not always well done... but mostly the working conditions can be very poor, unsafe and world-wide clothing manufacturing has a big problem with forced labor and human trafficking. I hate to be a downer but it's true. The thing is, when you by second-hand or thrift, you are not contributing to that cycle. When I saw this Shein dress at Goodwill I thought it was really pretty. Buying it at a second hand store doesn't benefit Shein and doesn't contribute to the problem the way buying directly from the company does. This dress is already out there. Letting it go to the landfill just creates and adds to another problem. I brought it home with me. 

This dress was dragging on the floor. I went to tea length and then knee length. 

According to the EPA, 84% of clothes at the thrift stores go to the landfill. If you want to take something home, grab it and save it from that fate.

 

 I knew this dress was going to need to be shorter. This outer layer of the dress was made tulle and it doesn't fray. The maker did not hem it and I don't need to either.

 

I cut the lowest layer of the tulle. I cut right above the seam that connected it to the dress.

I used that tier to determine how much of the lining to cut off. 

I cut the lining. I folded it on itself to try and keep the length even when I cut it. 

 

I used my serger to finish the cut edge of the lining fabric. It doesn't need to be super neat or perfect because it will be under the tulle.

I thought I would really like the tea length. It wasn't bad but I wasn't really satisfied. 

I started over and cut off the next tier and re-cut and sewed the lining again. The dress was now knee length. I thought this would be cooler for summer.

I had to run some very important errands. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.

***Year End Update- I haven't bought anything else from Shein, it isn't a great brand, but I see it very often at thrift shops.