Polka Dot Skirt

I've got a quick, no-sew refashion for you today. It can be repeated on any number of jersey (t-shirt fabric) skirts that may not fit, or you simply don't like as a skirt and want to change up somehow. That's where this skirt falls in. I grabbed it in a bag sale, knowing that I would hate it as a skirt. And I was right...of course ;)! There is something about this type of asymmetric hemline that I'm not a fan of...hi-low skirts are fine but not this. So, I had to come up with some way of making it into a piece that I'd wear. My initial thought was to turn it upside down and turn it into a top. Would have been simple: sew a couple of sections together at the hem on either side to make shoulders and leave the middle open for my head. And I'll do that with a skirt, eventually, but I was feeling unmotivated to sew...even that tiny little bit. :-/

Upon laying it out I noticed the uniformity of the design and it started looking like a top without having to flip it upside down...

But what would I do about the neckline...er, waistline? Tighten it up and secure it with a vintage button (for example) or leave it loose. Well, I'd decided on loose and thought I'd simply cut a small opening in the waistband and cut the elastic out. But it was serged all the way around, so I ended up simply cutting away the waistband altogether!

No need to worry about waste, as this waistband will be used in a future project :).

And that was really it! For now I've decided to leave the neckline loose and unfinished. The fabric rolls back on itself, doesn't need to be hemmed, and allows for a wider neckline for over-the-shoulder wear. I threw it on with my favorite uniform of boyfriend jeans and an oversized t-shirt (both thrifted, of course) and snapped a few pics for your viewing pleasure.

A simple, comfy poncho made of a thrifted jersey skirt. I can totally see adding detail to the neckline by cutting slits intermittently and weaving ribbon through and tying it in a bow at the shoulder or front. Or I may grab a vintage brooch and use that to close up the neckline a bit. Lots of ways to customize this if you're working with a solid fabric, but with all of those polka dots, I won't be getting too crazy with any further embellishments.

Oh, and now I like the asymmetric shape! Hope you like this one...I'm looking forward to throwing this on as a coverup over a date night outfit as the weather is finally cooling down here in New Jersey :). Happy Refashioning!

Peace,
Andrea

Doilies + Shoes = Perfection!

I found these green shoes at a Goodwill when home visiting in MI. I loved the color but whenever I put them on I felt like they stood out too much, and not in a good way. So, they were not getting any use. I've seen some sandals with a lace front and leather straps that got me thinking about remaking these shoes, so with the help of a gorgeous thrifted doily, I got to work!

First, I wasn't sure which to use, but once I decided, it was a matter of choosing the best layout, hand stitching the doily in place...

and trimming off the excess!

I trimmed them a little closer, then stitched some bias binding along the bottom edge to secure the doily and give a more finished look. Oh, and I trimmed off the lil bits sticking out, too.

Well, this got me thinking of another pair of similar shoes that could use a facelift. I grabbed two of these four doilies I'd thrifted (they were more stiff), fabric glue (the strong stuff) and got to work!

The main issue was the backs that'd gotten scuffed. First I used the glue to repair those areas...then applied the largest part of each doily to the front.

The bits I trimmed off went on the backs, which you'll see in a second ;).

Here are a few shots of each pair in action.

The backs!

I chose a vintage lace pleated slip/skirt with a white cotton slip underneath, a knotted gray T, and coral and green jewelry to style them.

I am excited to pair these with distressed denim and chambray, or leather...just for a bit of edge. Hope you love these as much as I do!!! They were so fun to do, and you could really make both pairs no-sew with a good fabric glue...just be mindful whether it dries clear or changes the color of your fabric, lace, trim, etc.

Here's the before and after of each!

I've got some more fun things lined up and will be sharing sneakpeeks on Instagram! Happy Refashioning!

Peace,

Andrea

Quick 'Fix': No-Sew Skirt

This post will be just as short and sweet as the refashion...time for a quick fix! Here's a look at the before, after, and wearing it out and about for a day in the city (NYC) with my boy.

Not a bad piece to start...a bit trendy, and definitely not long enough as a dress for me, but then I don't often wear strapless...

So, I cut off the top! That's it!

And it only cost me $.27 in the bag sale at the end of last month :). Good deal for me! I wore it with a thrifted silk tank top, a thrifted leather bag, and a mix of thrifted/gifted and store bought accessories. Happy Refashioning!

Peace,
Andrea

Spring Scarf Tutorial: Part V

We are nearing the end of the week, and today you get two for the price of one! And that's because I didn't do a 'real' tutorial for either one....oops! But I'll talk ya through it, k? Cool. First things first, grab some old t-shirts, tank tops, scraps, whatever! Make tubes...you can either do this by taking a squarish shaped piece and fold it over, sewing along the long open side and then invert (make sure you are sewing right sides together); or, you can cut two long rectangles, sew up the two long sides and invert. To make a long chain of these tubes, you turn one inside out, slide it over another and line up the ends and sew around the edge...and continue to add another length until you have a scarf long enough to wrap as many times as you want.

Now, at this point you need to do something to join the ends, and I chose lace. Similar to the first scarf, I'm wrapping a section of lace around the raw edges of the jersey knit and sewing it in place. You can go a step further and finish off the edges of the lace, or make another tube as with the other pieces of fabric and then topstitch it over the scarf ends as shown below. 

And there you have it! I chose a mix of mustard, blush, and tribal print along with the white lace, so that I could add interest to a basic outfit (which most days my style is pretty simple). Easy to throw on for a bit of color or print and can be easier and cozier than jewelry :). Though, I love jewelry, so this can just be another layer to your accessorizing!

This next scarf/necklace is one that uses a common finger-weaving technique. A great tutorial for learning how to do this (if you don't already know) can be found here. I made this t-shirt yarn from an old stretched out top that I wore through/after my pregnancy. I loved the floral print and combination of rich colors, but it had seen better days as a top (it was thrifted and already slightly worn). This is also another example of a fabric that, when stretched, covers the print and so I weaved it trying to keep the outside of the fabric visible. Once I'd reached a length that I liked, I simply knotted the ends together and trimmed them to be the same length. I like all of the colors and raw edges (a minor obsession of mine).

And paired over a simple top it really stands out. I definitely see this as more of a necklace than a scarf, but it could also be layered over another scarf to create a different look. And, the fact that it's no-sew makes this such a quick project! Love it :).

One last day for scarves and I'm thinking this final one will be my favorite! Stick around to see how it turns out...

Peace,
Andrea