Jeans re-fashion and a Stripey dress

Good Morning! Posts are getting few and far between, some days I feel like I've lost my sewing mojo and others I realise that I am just to tired to get in to it. But, over the weekend I think I've managed to get it back and I managed to finish off 4 cushion covers, re-fashion a pair of jeans, hem a dress that's been in the making for some time and fully complete my first Maternity dress - yes the reason I've been so exhausted!

I started this dress prior to finding out about my pregnancy and before my waist had started to expand. I should have seen it coming, I'd made a couple peplum tops, one out of my favourite vogue pattern and the finished product felt just a little too snug. I thought it was due to the stiff fabric. Then I started to make this dress using the bodice from Vogue 8815, which from the previous result I decided to make the seam allowances a little smaller and reduced to 10mm. It still didn't feel right and I looked rather dumpy in it. In hindsight I would have thrown it in the UFO box to complete at a later date! I still need to complete the lining, but I'm not really all that interested in it now I can't wear it!!

Look at that, I even under-stitched the arm holes, you have no idea how proud I was of those! I will put the dress away and return to it next year, with the intention of wearing it next summer.

I also had a go at re-fashioning an old pair of Etam jeans. I'd previously seen a post from Andrea where she'd re-fashioned jeans from being boot cut to skinny. I've been itching to try this on these jeans for some time now and seeing as I also wanted to turn them in to maternity jeans I thought I might as well give it a go.

I was really pleased with the boot cut to skinny adaptation, however, I do not like the little triangles of jersey I inserted at the side seams to adapt them for use in maternity. I think I went a little too far down the leg, so unless I wear long tops they are a little too obvious. I'm also not quite big enough for them so a belt would be required. I think I'll have to go back to my sewing desk with these and have a re-think!

I've also completed a maternity dress, but I want to model that one so watch this space...

Jumper to Cardi

Where on earth did that sunshine go? Not so long ago we had the most glorious weather and now it's back to rain. Uri the friendly security guard from the Ukraine always says that I shouldn't complain, it's beautiful and that it's 'Mary Poppins Country'! He's right, I shouldn't complain, he's had to cancel his holiday home for fear of not being able to come back. Despite all this, he must be the most upbeat Security Guard I have ever met. He's always so happy regardless of what's going on in his life, which is amazing because I (like probably a lot of people) catch his happiness every time I speak to him. Some people are just so wonderful aren't they?!

Again, I haven't really been sewing much. I have, however, got something to share today! A few weeks back Andrea  posted about a cardi that she had made by re-fashioning a jumper. I was so thrilled with her finished product and her simple explanation that I just had to have a go. I rarely wear jumpers as they just feel so restrictive and when you take them off they always mess your hair up, so having more cardi's in my wardrobe would be a brilliant idea for me.

So, I set about looking at jumpers that I had that I could modify. Unfortunately most of my jumpers were a bit past saving. So, whilst I was getting my car serviced I had a little walk into town to see what I could get in the charity shops. This was a big fat nothing, there were no jumpers worth saving, mostly all worn out or not very nice material.

Then, I found this little beauty in the Tesco's sale:

So I cut it right down the middle and attached some pre-made bias binding that I'd bought from Boyes.

I had a bit of trouble putting in the button holes and I have to admit I need a little more practice on these as a couple of them aren't as straight as I would have liked. The main issue was that my machine did not like the knitted material and failed to want to move to create the buttonhole. As a result I ended up with a nasty knot of thread and a bit of a jam! After two failed attempts I tried a little tissue paper over where I wanted the buttonhole and it worked a treat:

Once I'd gotten the buttonholes all stitched I then simply tore away the tissue. It came away with no problems at all and any remaining tissue will be melted away in the wash anyway.

Here's the finished cardi:

What do you think to the little heart shaped buttons? I was struggling to find matching buttons in my stash, so a quick look on eBay and I just couldn't resist them. They're just so cute!

I absolutely love my new cardi, I wore it to work yesterday and it's so comfy. I could take it off and put it on anytime I liked without disturbing the hair! 

My first Re-fashion!

I'm really excited to tell you that I have completed my first re-fashion! This is something that I have never delved in to, I'm really not sure why as it's a brilliant way of recycling, so this is the first of many.

This all started when I put my name down for the 'Name Tag Swap' that Rachel from House of Pinheiro is organising on her blog. Basically you have to create a name tag for your new buddy and they have to make one for you. Name tags must be received by 9th May and Rachel has very kindly pinned some for inspiration here.

My buddy is the amazing Andrea from Little did you know. I've had an extremely thorough stalk read through her blog to get some ideas for the name tag. Andrea's main interest is in re-fashioning clothes, something that I had never really considered trying. So I thought what better way to get to know someone than to walk a mile in their shoes?!!

I don't currently have any clothes that I could re-fashion. Mainly because I often donate them to charity. Now, in my little town, there are only 3 charity shops to choose from. I spent a Saturday afternoon looking in them and not one thing jumped out at me as something that I'd like to re-fashion. How the heck does Andrea find all of these gems?? 

I gave up. I went to Tesco's for some tights and I came out with this as well:

Slightly hideous, it was a size 18 shapeless 3/4 sleeve t-shirt. I think I saw the sale rack and out of desperation grabbed it because it was only a fiver. Looking at this picture it really is even more hideous than I remember! 

As soon as I got it home I knew exactly what it would become. I bet you can't guess!! :-P

I did cheat a little. OK a lot. First of all I un-picked the side seams and removed the sleeves. I then took out my traced pattern pieces from my favourite Peplum (yep I'm soooo predictable) pattern, Vogue 8815, and placed them over the t-shirt like so: 

 

I wanted to keep the neckline as I liked the pink piping and it sat fine on my neck. So I folded the t-shirt and placed the paper pattern to match with the fold and shoulder seams.

Yep, I thought I was pretty darn clever for doing that!

Unfortunately, the peplum pattern pieces were a little too big and I didn't quite have enough fabric left to make them. So, what I did was make them a little bit shorter. The T-shirt also came with a folded piece of fabric as the hem, I detached it carefully and used it to add length to the peplum.

Folded fabric hem

All in all I think it took me about 4 hours to make. Most of the time was spent un-picking the seams of the original t-shirt. I could have cut them off, but then I wouldn't have quite had enough fabric, which you can see on the picture at the top of the page showing where the front bodice pattern piece ends.

Unfortunately I did not pattern match the fabric. There wasn't enough, if there had been enough though I would not have been able to keep the neckline, because like a lot of RTW clothes the manufacturer hadn't matched the pattern between the front and back either!

What a silly pose to show off my lack of pattern matching!!

I love my new top, it fits so much nicer than any RTW top I could buy and for a fiver it was an absolute bargain. I also have a new appreciation of re-fashioning. It's a very painstaking process and I have absolutely no idea how Andrea has the patience to do it so often. But regardless, it's very rewarding and I will definitely be trying it again soon, once I have actually made Andrea's Name tag that is!