2013 Refashion #7: Comfy Nightie from lace LBD and modal skirt

I usually prefer to work on one item at a time (UFOs not included), but somehow this time around I have 2 projects currently on my table that I cannot put away but dragging my feet to work on, AND the nagging need to make this particular refashion ASAP.

It literally took a few hours (A couple last night, and a couple this morning) even at my very casual pace.

The black (with silver metallic) Guess dress has been in my possession almost a decade it seems. It used to be loose on me. LOL. Very rarely worn. But I do remember wearing it during a work presentation I had to make at the UN in Geneva way back when. I can't even remember exactly what about, it was a lifetime ago, but I remember that it was a last minute trip coz my boss had conflicting schedule, and I didn't have my suits or formal stuff with me (i was living and working in another country at the time). Worn it with a green cardigan buttoned up I think, so as to look as if only that I was wearing a black pencil skirt? Who knows what those delegations thought. 

I've been holding on to the dress to make embellishment on a white or red charmeuse top (yet to be made, perpetually on my mental to do list), especially after inspired to do so by Carolyn's designer interpretations series (of the diary of sewing fanatic blog). But I won't need the whole dress for what I had in mind anyways. 

Chop the top part plus 3 inches under the bust. Fold to keep the bottom half, for my inspired-by-Carolyn project.

Choosing what to use for the bottom part of the nightie took the longest coz I had a few ideas. But this modal knit maxi skirt (which was already refashioned once into a hilo skirt and last worn out on my birthday picnic in May) made the cut. The modal knit fabric is a dream against the skin, but I lined the skirt with the same fabric, so it was quite heavy. Not a good idea, hence skirt not popular with me. I reckon that it will be a dream to wear as a lounge wear/sleepwear. Provided that I don't make it heavy again.

I unpick the zipper from the back of the bodice, and added 1.5in strip of the modal knit in lieu of the zipper. I kinda trace a shorter version (hits 2 inches above my knee or thereabouts) of a maxi skirt pattern (minus the waist band) for the skirt portion here. Stitch the sides and then stitch the bodice and skirt part together.

Yes, very comfy! :) Lots of the modal knit fabric left to practice making lounge/sleep shorts and so on. Next time...

Happy sewing!

Far

2013 Refashion #5: Sweater Dress to Peplum Tunic

With the Me-Made-May'13 challenge looming closer, I am starting to take a closer look into my self-made wardrobe to see what works and what doesn't. 

I have been sewing (or daydream about sewing) pretty much all the time for maybe a year and a half now and sewn quite a few item of clothing for myself. However, there are still some huge gaps in my wardrobe, and then there are some me-mades that I wear all the time, and some that have never seen the light of day.

First outfit being investigated was my buttery yellow wool knit sweater dress (Butterick 5523). Made early last year, I searched high and low for a suitable pattern for this fabric. Chosen for the pretty cowl neckline (I heart cowl necklines...), I also was interested in the back tab in the pattern. Pretty sure I changed up the sleeves (made it bell sleeves than a slim one), but no thanks to my not so detailed blogpost, can't recall if I made any other changes to the pattern other than making it A-line.

It was a very cozy sweater dress. I love the fit around my shoulders and of course I love the neckline. But I don't like that the pleats in front and back were not kind to me and makes me look frumpier.  And the back tab (I could probably have attached it better) further highlight the messy back skirt pleats. 

Wearing the sweater dress, the back skirt part clings to the back of my legs (curved inwards), which is definitely not helping my case... Also because I have the tendency to wear my dresses with pants. Yeap. Or leggings. I think it is because I get cold pretty easily, and/or the traditional style influence of my Southeast Asian culture ;)

I did wear it out quite a number of times last year, most of the time it remained under my huge black down jacket out of public view...

So with all that in mind, I decided to redo the outfit into a top so that I can wear pants/skirts with it and not have the skirt part of the dress cling to my legs.

I unpicked the skirt part from the bodice part (including the back tab portion) keeping the upper part intact, and add peplum to the raised waistline. I used the Vogue 8815 pattern for the peplum part. Luckily I had enough leftover fabric, so I used those instead of the original skirt part of the dress (not wide enough). Worry not, I have plans for it very soon.

This refashion is very straight forward. It took me just a night for most of the work including basting the hem. By the next morning, I had it all hemmed and ready for MMM'13!

Sharing with friends @ Refashion Co-op and Recycled Fashion Finds...

Blog-anniversary Refashion!

My little blog is one this month. From my own personal history, it's quite an exciting feat to last this long and to finish any project... And I've finished quite a number of projects since starting (sewing), and have this space to document them. I think I still have 3 UFOs, but I think I can go back to those and get them done by end of the year.. :)

Anyways, I wanted to do a refashion to celebrate! The remainder of our boxes arrived the other day, and among the things I kept for this purpose is this:

Before

A black and white stripey knit blazer from Zara (Basics). I had it maybe 5 years at least, and have worn it about 5 times, max. The fit and cut are great (eventhough 5 years later wearing it buttoned up feels like I'm a stuffed sausage), but the stripes are too severe on me hence why I don't like to wear it out much. Maybe if the stripes are thinner and smaller? :) What a pity because I really do like this princess cut blazer.

So, chop chop. A special refashion for my blog-niversary is in order. I want a slouchy clutch-y bag for me out of this blazer! :)

Retained the blazer front. Cut it out the size of 2 A4 papers taped together

Manipulated the back piece a bit, some pinching darts, added some fabric on the side, and then cut out the size of 2 A4 papers taped together like the front

Play around with different look with fabric from my stash, and this is the winning look

It's a faux leather fabric, thrifted for $3 back in Iowa

Here I was applying self-fabric piping to the edges

Found this thick satin-y hot pink/fuchsia fabric from my stash (in one of the boxes) that will be perfect and loud for my lining

Sewing lining onto the inside of the zippers (thrifted). Lining pockets are sewn before that.

After!!! My slouchy clutch-y bag

View of back of bag

Sewn rescued metal snaps

View of the inside of the bag

So there :) After making clothes from scratch for a stretch, it is quite satisfying to go back and do a pretty involved refashion. I feel like I am getting in touch with my roots somehow. LOL.

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Anyways, I think I've mentioned before our huge move back in May that I want to do a giveaway of the patterns I am hoarding. I do have a lot of nice patterns (mostly thrifted) that I am sure other people will find better use for than I would. I'll have to sort through them first before putting them up (wasn't able to do it before the move), but it will be soon before the month end for sure.... (once I know how to do a giveaway of course...)

Dropped waisted dress refashion - a quickie project

For the first time ever, I was able to complete a project in a day. Mind you, it still took me many hours since I don't work straight and got distracted by Hulu, FB, site hoppings and so on, but yet it's done.

Before: A dropped waist long denim dress by Alexander Campbell, thrifted from my favorite local thrift store (can't remember for how much, but most probably on sale for $.25).

I first chopped off the top part from the skirt part, and for this project just used the pleated bottom half.

Took the seam ripper to the sides a bit (about 10 or 11 inches) to make room for the arm. Folded the ripped sides in by 1 inch and basted, and then just like those pillow case type tops, fold what is the top part now about 1.5 inches to make a casing for where I then insert a tie into (the tie is from one of my old maternity dress)

After: A pillow case type dress but for adult :)

This is how I wear everything when I do go out, with my down jacket, all year round, in winter and summer. Yeap. Me-Made-May '12 is gonna be "fun"! Haha :)

Bean's Fisherman Hat

Last night I started a small and quick project for the Bean (my 19.5 m.o. son) and finished it this morning in time for a trip downtown - playground, sun, noise, wind, babies. Fun.

The pattern for this fisherman hat is from the book Sewing for Boys: 24 Projects to Create a Handmade Wardrobe from which I made Bean's Choo-choo pyjama top - blogged here.

Materials used for this hat are: old toddler flannel shirt, hubby's old cotton twill pants, thrifted pellon interfacing and threads from stash. I also used 2 thrifted novelty buttons for decoration :)

My Leopard tote bag

It's finally done! Yay!!!

Materials:
Some synthetic leopard print fabric "harvested" from a thrifted vest-and-bermuda shorts set

Leather scraps from a gifted thrifted long black leather coat
Thick interfacing


Pattern:
Based on Bag F of McCall's Fashion Accessories (Laura Ashley) M4400


Alteration/modification to the pattern:

I wanted a leopard tote bag like the one I saw on Boden's catalog, so I made some modifications on the pattern.



Firstly, I added if I'm not mistaken horizontally: 4 inches to the middle of the bag, 1 inch each to the sides, vertically: 4 inches to the middle, and 1 inch to the bottom.

I also added length to the straps. I top-stitched leather (same material as the applique at the base) onto the strap, this is also modification from the pattern. Instead of setting the straps inside the seam, I sew them onto the body of the bag, like the inspiration photo above, and sew scraps of leather onto it to cover the stitches that attached the straps to bag, and also as and added design element.

Since my last post re the bag, I've made another little change to the pattern: eliminate the facing portion (that also holds drawstring for the bag) because my upsize of the pattern rendered that portion to be too small. But no biggie. Without the facing, the tote bag now is more true to the inspiration picture, although I also added a button (it's a leather covered button, and came from the same coat that I "harvest" the leather for strap and appliques on the base).

Conclusion:
The bag is 15.5" tall, 17" wide and 6" thick. I used a thick interfacing, but it's not stiff. It's tough when sewing multiple layers, and sometimes this cause the stitches to skip :(.

I love my leopard bag! It's huge! And I'm so glad that it's finally done!






Linkup:



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Now I can move on to other projects. But first I have to finish my Sew Cute Dresses class project. I didn't last night at the class, I'm very slow like that. I'm making Dress #11, I am Tiny Tucks. I think I'm going to make adjustments to what I've already done, snip** snip**. When I'm done, will have to go back to the workshop to show my lovely teacher. So I better get going!