How to make big beautiful

I was just cleaning up the hallway and spotted an older sweater I *still* had not thrown out. I discovered I had not done this because I still love it in some way. I only wear it once or twice a year when it is *really* cold over here. I love to wear fleece vests and hoodies to keep warm and I decided that I was going to make a vest out of this large and unflattering thing!

So, here is the before look:




I made it into a vest by putting my favorite fleece vest on top and cutting the excess off:



I also removed the border at the hem to re-attach later on and I cut down the center front and inserted a zipper. It took me about 2 hours to do this and for such a lightning fast-refashion, I think it looks fab!

Burda 7942 ...(and mine is white)

Last week I posted I was going to make this blouse from Burda Magazine.


Reason I chose a blouse with a collar is that I want to practice for making a winter coat or a suit or blazer. Those require very nicely done collars with lapels. Do it wrong and the whole blazer is ruined or just looks "cheap" or "off". Another reason I chose a blouse is that they intimidate me. I look much dressier and sharper in a blouse, but never dared making them. In the store they do not appeal to me and they are either too small somewhere or designed for a cup C -which I do not have-. Fashion also tends to give weird prints, weird colors and weird details preference nowadays and a simple, white blouse is hard to find. And the last reason I never tried a blouse before is because I am scared of the buttons, or rather, making the buttonholes. I am really afraid I will not line them up correctly, or make them the wrong length, or that they will just look very crap cause I did not do it well enough and they will drag the whole thing down.

So, my own critique on the whole thing up to this stage is:
The collar does not lay flat on the right side and the problem is on the inner workings of it (no I will not correct it anymore in this stage). The instructions for the collar were very unclear and summarized in like 2 lines. So, I had to get out a sewing book to get a faint idea of what they intended to do with it. Biggest mistake in construction there is the angle of the attachment and not grading(snipping) the seams in the correct way. I think it worked out ok in the end.
I love the sleeve detail :-)

So, I just need to hem it and make the buttons. It looks really nice as it is, so I was thinking maybe snaps would be a better idea? I like the clean line across the front. Any suggestions?

To tackle a blouse

The reason I re-sign every time on wardrobe refashion is because it really prevents me from buying all those great clothes in those great sales. It also pushes me to start sewing my own clothing. A skill I really want to learn, but it requires time and effort. Both I am unwilling to sacrifice of course, cause there is always something else to do. However, if you are down to your last [insert clothing item here] , then you *are* highly motivated to actually start learning how to make one for yourself!
Right now, I am starting a simple blouse with short sleeves. Princess lines with a little gathering down the front and a nice collar on it. Burda 7942 . Oh, and mine will be white.
I don't know why I've never sewn a blouse before. I guess I was just scared of them - or to be more precise, scared of the collar and the buttonholes! I have now tackled the collar and although I guess I could have done better, I think it is OK-looking. The buttonholes I still have to do. Pictures of the finished project will probably be posted next week, as I will be leaving town this weekend for a nice big family birthday bash!

I-sew-Party!

It was about time for a new refashion!
I have started a sewing course that will gradually work up from pillows and aprons, to skirts and blouses, pants. etc. So here is the first item: a pillowcase for a pillow. Kitteh loved it! :-)

Later that week I invited over my friend for a sewing party. She just got this nice new machine, but is still a bit afraid to use it - and I needed some shorts, so I suggested a cosy afternoon of sewing together.
She brought a HUGE bag of fabrics, and one lovely vintage print immediately caught my attention. She already made -but not finished- a pillowcase with it and with a bit of adjustment is was done in no-time. Don't you just love this fabric?

Since I needed shorts, and she needed practice, we pulled out some striped flannel from her bag-O-stash and started with New Look 6160. It really is a lovely and easy pattern built for instant succes! I think we look great!

Small adjustment

So, I have to finally face the truth.... I *have* gotten bigger. I have this nice cameltone skirt I wear occasionally (when I need to be a bit more dressed up), but I noticed it was getting somewhat tight :-) I do like this skirt and really wanted to keep it.
So, last night I went out to a musical with some friends and we decided a neat appearance was wanted. I quickly re-examined this skirt and found there was not a lot of room in the sideseams, but there were 3 darts that could be let out. I quickly took off the waistband, ripped out the stitches, pressed, and put it all back together again. Just an inch more room, but it was all I needed!

I thought about covering the little "gap" on the inside facing that resulted from this adjustment, but I was rushed for time and I don't think I will do it anytime soon. It does not bother me that much anyway :-)
Below you can see the skirt on my lovely assistant and some details of the "refashion". You can see where I let out the darts, but I am confident those marks will slowly disappear when washed and pressed a few times more.

Summer is coming!

Finally, some sunshine over here. And warm weather :-) This weekend is going to be exceptionally nice with 25+ degrees and all sunny! So, time to get some serious summer tops going. I made the Azalea from Burdastyle.com as a top. I had the blue voile for a long time and always wanted to make a top like this with it. When cleaning out some of my stash I found it again and immediately knew what to do with it!
I did not have enough of the blue tricot to make a belt out of it as the pattern calls for. It really was a scrap that was barely big enough for the top and facing. So, I am using a ribbon from my stash for now. I do think it needs to be a bit wider, but I cannot be bothered to go ribbon-hunting right now. It is ice-cream time! :-D

Too busy!

I haven't been posting here for a while. The reason is not that I have fallen off the wagon. I have been a good girl and stuck to my pledge. With all the re-signing I have done I think I have been coming up to nearly a year and a half of being a refashionista!

I have bought some clothes in that period. But you are allowed to for a few times. Once was at the beginning of the pledge - I had bought some new sportsclothes, sweatpants, t-shirt you know, for my dancing. I kindof think it is specialty clothing and wasn't sure if it counted, but hey....
Then I bought 2 pairs of jeans after New Year. I really, really tried to make pants myself, but I was so busy with dresses and all. And I had no jeans left... So I bought only two (cause it was two for the price of one).
And the latest splurge was last march. 2 blouses and one top from Primark in Belfast. I figured I deserved those, as I had thrown out about 30% of my wardrobe at that time and donated to charity.

So, there ya go. 3 buying events in 16 months. I don't think that is bad at all, even if I do say so myself. I am still in dire need of pants, but summer is creeping up on us and I do have enough skirts to wear. I just don't do skirts in winter... even with tights and all I still think it's too chilly!

I really should work on the making of stuff, but as I mentioned earlier, I really am sewing irish dancing dresses non-stop. I am not even updating my blog! But soon, soon, I will make some shorts from a Burdastyle pattern, and soon soon, will I make myself a nice sleeveless top. I have all the fabrics. I really should start on it!

Easy Rib Scarf

This is a last-minute birthday gift. It is a cotton yarn made up of about 18-20 lace weight strands. Very nice and soft. The yarn is so beautiful it does not really need a fancy pattern. For the scarf it's just a simple 3x3 rib +1 alternate stitch on each edge. I slipped the first stitch on each row and knitted each last one. Added a little tag to show off my work :-) The recipient seemed to be very pleased with it.

Size: about 150 cm long, excl. fringe. Knitted on 7.0 mm needles.
Yarn: Ornaghi Filati Bazar
2 skeins - 242 yards