Professional tote

I recently took a class at my local sewing store and made this "Professional Tote".  I didn't plan very well so I ended buying all new quilting fabric.  I'd like to go though my upcycle stash and cut out a few more.  Maybe play around with some other color schemes.  I could even embroider that zipper pocket panel.

I added a little detail of my own with the owl beads. That side pocket is on both sides and holds my coffee mug on the way into work perfectly.

I really like how it turned out.  It is a large bag so I am able to carry all my junk, lunch, coffee, etc. every morning into work.  It even has a travel strap so it can slide onto a roller suitcase extension handle - assuming I ever travel again.

Fully lined with lots of pockets on the inside.

I'm glad I took the class and now have to get started making a few more.  Maybe I will assembly line the parts.

Three from one sundress

I started out with this extra large ladies sundress.  I loved the fabric and the fact that I could play up the color in so many different ways.

It is a thin gauzy summer fabric so it has a matching lining.  

Besides the lace detailing, the back is ruched elastic so I'll be reusing both of those.

I ended up with two girls dresses and a maxi skirt.  Notice that these have three layers and the original had four.  I just cut away the upper layer on the original so I could use it for the bodice.  The original skirt was cut in half right up the middle.  Making the maxi skirt from the slip was a no brainer, just added the elastic.

I used the lace detail from the waistband to make the back for one. And I reused the ruched elastic as the back for the other one.  I even kept the original pink loops on the straps, only having to add the ribbon for new straps on one.

Neither of these has an underlining now so they are definitely for summer or at least leggings.

And this is all that was left.  I'd say pretty good upcycling.

Vertical ruffles

Another one:

I am really unsure about this one. I bought this skirt and it fits fine but it is just so MUCH! I like the vertical ruffles for the flowy effect but it adds a lot of bulk to the hips.

So I am wondering if I can make it into a top, maybe some wider straps or even cap sleeves and a black trim (this is just the underskirt flipped out to make it look like trim.)

....I would use the same material as the wider straps. I could leave it sack-like or I could cinch in the waist and shorten it.

Or maybe I reshape it completely to be a top like this one from Pinterest:

Or maybe the skirt is very "Carrie Bradshaw" and I am just being an old lady about it?  Skirt or top?

Empire waist or wasted effort?

3rd dress: This one is an easy fix, just a little too big. 

 Question is do I just stitch up the gaping neckline for modesty, leaving the buckle at the waist and the length a little long?

Or do I raise the whole thing up at the shoulders: raising the neckline but leaving it in its original V shape, bringing the buckle up to be more empire waisted and effectively shortening it a bit?  Is the difference even noticeable or will it be a wasted effort?

 For my height, do I need to shorten it even more to above the knee with either way that I go? It is a very stretchy polyester knit.

Second Skin dress

2nd dress: Second skin. That it what it fits like, a second skin. It is fitted perfectly because it is a stretch denim type. I've never worn it because it just seemed to leave nothing to the imagination or I just felt too fat for it.

But I really love the dress and it feels awesome to fit so well. I clearly have to much butt for it. 

I never thought I'd say this but this dress makes me want wrinkles....in the dress that is.

So when I was trying to decide on a lace overlay or not - seems like too much with the embroidered effect at the bottom - I noticed a few wrinkles and started to play with it. I like the idea of adding some rusching like darts through the entire bodice and hips of the dress. What do you think?

 It also shortens it without bothering the embroidery at the bottom and without having to reconstruction the bodice to remove length there. I might would have to sew up the back slit a little. Any thoughts on the rusching?

Or do I leave it smooth and just add some lace down each side ad maybe some trim under the bustline like an empire-waist? Like this one that I pinned on my Pinterest Board.  Thoughts?

 

Flouncy fun

I know that I've been off the radar for a while but I won't bore you with the details.  I'll just jump right back in.  

I know that refashioning is best when it is a major overhaul, like from a lampshade to a miniskirt, but sometimes just minor tweaks are best. When I swapped out my winter for summer clothes, I realized that I haven't been wearing a lot of them because they just aren't quite right. So now I am on a mission to make them right, minor or major overhaul. I am showing them just pinned here to see what you think before I start the stitchin'.

First outfit is too big and the busyness of the fabric and flouncy design are lost. 

 I believe that shortening the underskirt so that the curves of the flounces on bottom show more, helps give the "sack" some shape and shows off all that hard work at the gym. Other than that, a basic take-in all over - a pinch on the straps to lift the neckline and a little extra taken in at the waist to give it less of a sack shape.

Question: When I taken in the sides, do i take in the underdress only or go ahead and take in the flounces too making them lay against my body more...especially in the waist area like I have pinched in here?

Your thoughts?  I'll update with a final photo once I am done, but I would love some input, especially from the fashionista's out there.

Refashioned Jewelry

I'll just show you the crazy before I show the good stuff.  This is a PORTION of my jewelry stash.

Earrings.

New stuff.

Necklaces.

Working on some refashioning.

Basically, I have a ton of thrift store pieces that I bought on auction or over time.  By auction, I mean a box of used costume jewelry, site unseen.  I buy some new stuff from the craft store OR on sale at retail, to refashion.   If it is on sale and covered in charms or has lots on dangly parts...I am all over it, since each of those dangles could equal a new piece of jewelry.  Even the hopeless pieces have clasps and jump rings that I can use for other pieces.

So anyway, I worked a few pieces tonight, since my meetup group cancelled out at the last minute.  I had promised the daughter that I'd make her some dangly earrings....so I had to deliver.

Small photos are the "before" pieces.

Before and after on this one.  I just added the star to jazz it up for the daughter.

The daughter was so excited to see me whip out the first pair of earrings in about 5 minutes, I am sure we will working on some more of these together soon.  Probably tomorrow night.