One 90's jean jacket +thrift shop collar =Refashioned Jacket

Hi everyone!

The finished project!

A close up!

Meet my new favorite jean jacket.  It started with and old mandarin collar  jacket from the late 90's that had very little shape.  I have been holding on to it for a long time hoping the right chance would come along to make it new.  I think I found the right mix.  Here is the finished project.  Then,  I'll show you how I got there.

Take off the collar from here

Add it here!

As the picture states, all I did was add the collar.  My second step was to  take in the sides, under the armholes, and slightly slim the upper sleeve.  From there I was done!

I am not done with the tapestry jacket.  I have plans to use it for several other projects!  More on the way...HAPPY SEWING and REFASHIONING!

Mary

Thrift Shop Refashion of Mens Dress Shirt

Hi Everyone!

                                    This is the After!  
 

Here is the Before:

This project turned out great, but it wasn’t an easy battle.  I get very picky about fit and getting the darts and pleats in all the right places took me a lot of time.

Step 1:  Cut off the sleeves

Step 2:  Take in the side seams and pin the new darts and pleats in the front and back

Step 3:  Fill in the armhole gap with a gusset and redraw the armhole

 

Step 4:  Cut a new sleeve using an existing pattern out of the old sleeve

 

Step 5:  Set and sew  the sleeves

Step 6:  Final fittings on the body and permanently sew the changes.

Step 7:  Press!  Now it is ready to wear. 

I paired it with a pair of leggings and my cap toe, ballet flats.  Proof positive that a "fifty something" can wear leggings.  My rule is the top must cover the bum and be long enough to cover the widest part of your legs.  In addition, this top can be styled in numerous ways.  I can see it with skinny jeans and black pumps.  It would also be cute with capris and sandals for summer.

What do you think?

Happy sewing...Mary

A Frumpy to Fabulous Refashion!

Finished and fabulous!  I can't wait to wear it.  The belt was from my closet and did not come with the dress.

I had a three day weekend and was really on the lookout for a fun project.  One trip to "Goodwill" and a few hours later,  I have a new dress!  I will show you the finished project first then share with you it's frumpy beginnings...

Before, Bleh! But it had good bones:)

 

I removed the sleeves and it looks better already

I turned it inside out and fit the side seams.  I also took about 4 inches out of the circumference of the skirt

I made a gusset to fill in the armholes.  Many times when you cut off a sleeve the armhole must be filled in and redrawn.  with this print you can't even tell it is there.

I cut the new capped sleeves out of the old puffy ones!

 

Put it all together, press carefully, and add a belt.  Now I am ready to go!

Happy Sewing!

Mary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Newest project in person!

This totally works for my teaching job.  I feel put together and comfortable and the dress cost under $15 in fabric (the black and brown purchased from Joann of course).  If you check out my prior blog entry you will see how this started from a picture in a magazine, a rarely used t-shirt, a little fabric, and some time.  My leopard cap toe flats and black tights are the perfect accessories to keep me comfortable and able to move around the classroom.  I am working on a few more things...can't wait to show them off!

Later,

Mary

My Newest Project and Happy Holidays!

You need to look closely to see the brown panel but it is there.  I couldn't get the lighting right!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

     I hope this long awaited blog post finds everyone happy, healthy, and enjoying family and friends. 

I’ve been working on a project but it has been a while in coming to you.  Now that Christmas vacation is here I have a little time to sew.   I’ll get right to it.  Here was the inspiration.  I just loved the look of this.

 I decided to start with a cream colored t-shirt that I already owned.

I just cut it off under the arms and reshaped the neckline.  Then,  I had to reset the sleeves to adjust the fit. Because the original shirt was a v-neck, the neckline had to be a little deeper than the picture.

Here it is before I added the brown panel.  It still is not totally fit or pressed here.  Because I dropped the neckline, the panels will not be the exact same proportion as the picture, but it will give me the same feeling.

I will accessorize and model it in a future post! Later :) Mary

A Refashion From My Closet

     I needed a creative fix and a diversion from cleaning and doing report cards.  So, I searched through my closet and to my horror, one of my favorite t-shirts had a hole in the hem!

     NOOOOOO!  I was ready to throw it away when I realized I could just change it into a dress with the bottom of another t-shirt.  I had a brand new black t-shirt that was from my son's baseball team and never worn.  It did the trick nicely.  I just cut off the offending hem from the striped shirt, then added the bottom of the black t-shirt.  I can wear it as a dress with black tights and stack heeled loafers for work, or with black leggings and ballet flats for casual.  I feel women in their 50's can wear leggings providing the top totally covers the "behind."  I wouldn't be caught dead with them otherwise!

After!

Before clipping off the hole and adding the bottom

Simple fix and my favorite "T" has new life!

Jewelry Makeover

I know!  I know! It has been forever.  However: 28 third graders, parent conferences, impending report cards,  and mind blowing changes to the educational standards will do that to a blogger. So now I do however have a little jewelry makeover to share.

I originally made this as a charm bracelet.  It turned out very cute, and coordinates with so many things in my wardrobe.  The problem was that it is totally impractical for my work life.  That dangling bracelet drove me nuts and would get in the way when I wrote on the whiteboard.

Solution!  Turn it into a necklace.  The beauty of it is that I engineered it to be able to come off of the necklace chain and still be able to use it as a charm bracelet as I wish.  All I did was add lobster clasps on my necklace chain.  What do you think?

<a href="http://looksoup.com/follow-thriftychic"><img src="http://looksoup.com/badges/badge_162x28.png" width="162" height="28" alt="Follow Me on LookSoup" /></a>