Patterned Shorts DIY

Today I have another post of a project where I've used a free pattern to make a really cute piece. This time it's shorts. I'd found a maternity top at the thrift store that immediately brought to mind this pattern I'd happened across and knew that I needed to snatch it up. This was one of the tops I picked up in June for $2.50, but failed to photograph.

Here's a really bad picture of the top chopped in half (sans velvet ribbon ties) and the pattern pieces. Lighting has become an issue now in my sewing area as the trees are full of leaves and the light is essentially gone :(. But I love seeing trees out my window :).

The shorts pattern can be found here at Elle Frost, a fashion blog with inspiration and diys, and if you jump over you'll see that the final product is different from my own. I'll explain why along the way ;).

The bottom border was what sold me on this top as the perfect piece to become shorts. The top had pleats in the front and the velvet ties would create definition just above a baby bump, so I used that line and the elasticized back as the point at which to cut. This leaves me with the top part to use in another refashion :). The pattern pieces (after having printed, cut out, and taped together) were laid out on the bottom piece of fabric and I used them 'loosely' as a guide when cutting out the pieces for my shorts. I didn't want to do more sewing than necessary, so I kept the side seams of the top intact and opted out of making the rounded hem and side slits that the pattern calls for. Then, all I had to sew was the front and back seam, the legs and the waistband (with elastic). Super easy! Here's how they turned out.

This is my first pair of patterned shorts and I love them! They're light and comfy for lounging around, but also for being out in the heat. I did add a little bit to the width of the pattern pieces as I knew I wanted them to fit loosely. Can't wait to make an actual copy of the original pattern with some leftovers from my stash! Hope you stop over at Elle Frost for this free pattern and more fashion inspiration :).

I think I've finally gotten my sewing bug back, so I'll be posting a few more projects this week. But summer with a little boy has us outdoors almost all day long (I'm not complaining) and very little time/energy for sewing. Hope you like and if you make your own pair, why not share it with me ;).

Peace,
Andrea

Tribal Print Again

So I seem to be on a bit of a tribal print and floral kick lately...but they're just so fun! But a quick look at my thrifted OOTD...thrifted silk pants turned blouse (here), hand-me-down bathing suit refashion (here), thrifted jeans cutoff, and simple black sandals. Easy, breezy, and just the right amount of leopard ;).

Now, for the refashion. I started with this thrifted dress I picked up for $4 (I believe).

It's actually very cute, fits me perfectly, and I could have left it, but I felt like messing around with the flexibility of this dress. I pulled out my seam ripper separating the bottom from the top and got to finishing off the bottom as a skirt. I created a waistband by using a tie I'd cut off of a previous refashion (jersey knit dress), ran some elastic through it and then closed it up (having measured my waist) to make a loop. I then zigzagged it right sides together to my already gathered skirt. Simple as that!

Here's the skirt.

That left me with the top. I took a 1/4 inch wide length of elastic, zigzagged it to the bottom edge of my bandeau top (again having measured how tight I wanted it to hold) and folded the bottom under and zigzag stitched again to finish it off. Here's how it looks.

Now that I've got two pieces, I can play a little more with how I wear this. This is to show the bandeau top and skirt separated...

As a dress, still, if I prefer...

Or as a skirt (though I'm wearing the bandeau top here under my blouse)...

And I will be able to wear the bandeau top under other tops or alone with a different skirt. Either way, I like that I have a few more options with these two pieces than I did with the one :).

How about you? Do you cut into perfectly good clothing just to make it something more? If not, maybe you should give it a try ;). Hope you enjoyed this one. Happy Refashioning!

Peace,
Andrea

A Long Time Coming

This refashion started in April. It actually got as far as only needing to be hemmed to finish it up. And then it sat. I was gone much of May, and then June kinda rolled by... Well, it's time! I finally finished up hemming it by hand and get to show you how it began, the process, and the final product! Yay ;)

Here goes.

I started off with this homemade dress that I thrifted for $5. I bought it because it was homemade, not because I particularly liked the dress or the fabric. But I knew I could turn this piece around. Literally.

The back, to me, seemed like it should be the front, while the front (with the zipper up the belly, the strange gap at the top of the zip and below the buttons...) seemed like it should be the back.

So, I chopped off the top of the bodice including the sleeves and shoulder pads. I then took it in along the side seams (bodice) and the front (now back) darts. I also created a cutout by cutting below the top two buttons out at an angle towards the waist. I had to unpick the waist, rehem all of the raw edges, and fiddle with the fit quite a bit to get it just right. And with the photo storage mishap that took place this week, I only recovered some of the photos of the process. After finishing off the bodice, I chopped off the 3 inch hem and reused it as straps for my dress.

Initially, the cutout was larger, and unfortunately gaped quite a bit. So, I sewed down the bottom edge of the opening to the waist at the back, which closed it up a bit making the cutout smaller. Here's what it looked like prior to the tweaks.

I'm so glad I grabbed this up the other day to finish hemming (and adding a hook and eye above the zip for better closure), because now I'm beyond in love with the final result! And you'll have to forgive me for going picture happy....I really really really like it!

It's perfect for twirling :).

Here's a few closer shots.

And the before and after. I'm so glad I could save this dress, and though it is a bit dark, it's such a light cotton fabric which is perfect for the heat and humidity we're experiencing. Yay for summer dresses! Yay for saving someone's homemade piece and giving it new life!

Hope you enjoy this as much as I do, and if you have any questions on how I did this (as you may with the lack of step-by-step shots), feel free to ask! I'd love to hear from you :).

Peace,
Andrea