Things to Try Thursday on a Friday- Bermuda Shorts

Okay, another clothes refashion, hope you don't mind too bad.

I have a pair of denim Bermuda shorts that I bought last year at Target, but when I put them on they loom like "Mom" shorts. I know I am a mom, thus all my shorts are mom shorts, but these just don't look like what I would like them to.

On one of my Good will shopping visits I went specifically to look for wide, straight leg jeans. In other words a pair of jeans that were as wide at the thigh as they were at the hem.

I lucked up and found a pair that fit me! This was made easier because length didn't matter. I have ling legs, so buying jeans can be a bit complicated.

Originally I was gonna wack the jeans of and hem them myself, but I found this great tutorial for altering the hem of jeans over at Make It and Love It.

So, that's what I did for my shorts. They still have the professional Jean hem, which let's face it is a hard thing to duplicate.

Here is my final product. I have enjoyed wearing these shorts in the hot smoldery weather that we called summer. If the temps don't rise, I may have worn my new shirts for the last time this year :(.






If you have jeans to alter, this is definitely a tutorial to check out!

Happy sewing!

Amy


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Things to try Thursday - altering jeans

I know skinny jeans have been in style for a while now. I was really hoping they would be quick fad, but I am afraid they are gonna hang on for another season or two.

I haven't bought any skinny jeans because they are just not that flattering on me. They are skinny in all the places, including the places I am not skinny So we haven't gotten along in our previous dressing room visits, we both leave feeling bad!

My feelings on skinny jeans changed this summer when I tried Holy Craft's skinny jeans tutorial.

I started with a regular pair of jeans that fit well. These happen to be a yard sale find from a couple years ago.



Then I followed the tutorial and ended up with a new pair of skinny jeans. These jeans literally fit me!



Here I am feeling like a cool kid!



If you don't like the fit of commercialized skinny jeans, or just wanna save some dough this is an awesome tutorial. It only took about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Happy sewing!

Amy

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Makin' It Monday-Swimsuit Refashion Part 3

I hope you don't think I am beating a dead horse with my swimsuit refashions.

Anyway, I took the skirt off that old ugly swimsuit and made a new cover-up.

I started by measuring my waist and pinning the skirt together to so that it was the correct length around.  Since I had cut the skirt up to use in other projects I needed to add an extra seam down the front.

Just like with the bottoms I made I needed to sew a casing (1/4 in) to put in the elastic waist. 

I used the same procedure as the bottoms by turning the top over and pinning in place.  I cut the elastic to the same length as the waistband of the bottoms. 

After sewing the casing I ripped out the side seam and started feeding the elastic through.

Once the elastic was all the way around, and the skirt waist smoothed I sewed the ends of the elastic together securely.

Smooth the elastic into the waist and then sew up the side seam and you have yourself a new swimsuit cover-up.

And to think I have one of these that I paid full price for at a Department store.  This one works just as well and was only fractions of the price!

Who new you could do so much with one thrifted swimsuit!!

Happy Sewing!!

Makin' It Monday-Swimsuit Refashion Round 2

Okay I know that I showed you a simple modesty update to a swimsuit two weeks ago.  This week I am gonna take the original ugly swim suit and show you how to make a cute set of bottoms!!

I don't know about you all, but I think it is hard to find a swimsuit that really fits my dairy air!! 

I am not really ready for the granny pantie version of swimsuit bottoms that come up over my belly button, but I am tempted by the butty coverage they offer.

My solution to this problem is to make my own swimsuit bottoms!!!

So I took the old Grandma swimsuit from my friends modesty refashion.  I ended up deconstruction the swim suit into the skirt, the bottom, and the top.  I took the bottoms and matched the up with a pair of good fitting underwear.

I turned the cut ends over and pinned to the correct length.  I tried them on to make sure they hit right above my hips.  Once I was satisfied with the fit of the bottoms I sewed a casing for my elastic. I used 1/4 in elastic since that is what I had on hand.  I measured my waist and added a couple of inches to determine the length of elastic I needed.

Now it is time to feed the elastic through the casing you made.  Take a safety pin and run it through one end. 

Rip open one of the side seams and start to feed the safety pin into the casing.

Keep pushing the safety pin through the casing until it is all the way around the waistband.  Now take the two ends of the elastic and pin them together.
(sorry the pic is blurry)

Stretch the waistband out so that it is smooth over the elastic.  Cut off the excess elastic and hand stitch the ends together.  Make sure you secure it pretty well!!  We don't want any wardrobe malfunctions in the pool!! 

Once again stretch the waistband so that the elastic ends are in the casing.  Now hand stitch the side seam closed!! 

I added a second sewed line around the waistband right below the original one for the casing.  The gives a more finished look and some extra stability!

Finally I cut off the excess fabric!!

Now to find a tip to go with my new bottoms.  Don't get me started on how hard it is to find a swimsuit top to cover and support!!!  I swear swimsuit makers don't think about what pregnancy does to your body!!!

Happy Swimming!!

Things to Try Thursday-Knot Flip Flops

I saw an awsome tutorial for flip flops the other day on The Mother Huddle.  It came at the perfect time for me.  I have a year old pair of Target Flip Flops.  They were inexpensive, so I didn't have high hopes that they would last much longer than one season. 

This was their current state, before finding the knot flip flop tutorial.

They weren't exactly working anymore.

I chose some fabric from my stash, and now a new pair of shoes!! 

Happy Flip Flopping!!

Makin' It Monday-Swimsuit Refashion

It is that time of year...swimsuit season!!

One of my friends found a really cool bathing suit on sale at Old Navy, the only problem was that it was too low cut for her taste.  She is a lactating Momma, so she is still quite voluptuous, and wanted to stay modest. 

She asked me if I could help her come up with a solution to cover her cleavage. 

I searched on line and sent her some inspirational pics. 

After searching our local Goodwill she found a hideous bathing suit.  It was an old lady bathing suit with a skirt attached.  We were able to cut the skirt off and use a small portion to fill in the cleavage area.

Here is the final product. 

It think it looks pretty good.  The addition is a pretty good match for the original material, so it doesn't look like it was just patched together. 

I hand stitched the addition to the lining of the swim suit.  This gave the suit a more finished look.  The stitches are on the inside of the suit, and not showing on the outside.

Things to Try Thursday-Stamped Shirts

Miss C has a cute little romper that I love!  I have a sweater that is a similar pattern.  The guys in the family don't really have anything to match...so I decided to remedy that! 

I found this tutorial over at I am Momma-Hear Me Roar.  I love the idea of creating unique clothing!!  Obviously since I have been in a refashion kick. 

I just used a $0.99 stamp from Hobby Lobby and I went to town with my red fabric paint.  Here is how the guys shirts turned out.

I hope you try this out!!  It was very quick and easy.  Don't forget to go here and check out the tutorial!!

Happy stamping!!

Makin' It Monday-Shirt Refashions

I found some cute shirts at my favorite store, Goodwill, a couple of weeks ago.  They were cute enough, but just not what I wanted....I saw some potential from within.

The first shirt is an a.n.a shirt with a cute neckline, but I wasn't a fan of the wings...just not my style. 

My original idea was to make a tank top out of it, but once I cut off the wings and sewed up the side seams I decided to leave it with the cap sleeves. 

The second shirt was a really big shirt from Target.  I loved the colors and neckline.  I also wanted to make a tank top out of this shirt too.  I cut the shirt down just like I did in this tutorial.  Then, I cut off the excess sleeve around the yellow neckline.  I used some of the extra fabric to make a bias tape to put around the arm holes. 

This is the final product!!  With the weather hanging around in the upper nineties to one hundred plus this will be a great light weight sleeveless shirt.  I can't wait to wear it!!

Happy Sewing!!