Spring Twenty Thirteen

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love a good fabric store. My little ol' heart just gets all fluttery as I step through those doors into a world of pretty prints and textures that have endless creative possibilities. Lately I haven't been getting that feeling at all, the fabric stores in my city are few and far between and the selection isn't what I would like to see. The quality I am looking for is not always there and even if it is, I may not particularly like the color/print OR I'm not willing to pay the price for it.

So lately I have been scouring my favorite thrift shop for fabrics. I search the bins for pretty silks, stretch cottons and larger garments that will give me enough fabric to make something new. I'm not sure if these projects should be called refashioned or recycled...I'm leaning toward recycled on this one because I completely dismantled this original garment to use the pretty print to make my very first draped skirt.
No Pattern!! (Look Mom no hands!)

This is a beautiful stretch cotton fabric in a navy blue and cream print. I fell in love with the fabric but as you can see the skirt did not fit at all and I wasn't a fan of the super wide waistband that I think was supposed the be slung low on the hips. So I pulled out my seam ripper and took it completely apart. I even salvaged the zipper and reused it! What can I say? It was the perfect color and was still good. I'm not cheap ...I'm smart...right Dad?

So began the draping. I'm sorry that I didn't take pictures along the way, when I start working on something I forget everything else. It was fun to drape right on my dress form. Here is the finished product..

This skirt is a new favorite for me and I am thrilled that I draped it myself. I think it will be particularly nice to wear to church in the spring. Hey! This might be my one and only piece from my Spring 2013 collection! Ha! (Think I found my post title)

shirt and shoes-Joe Fresh  necklace-a mystery

Peplum Magic

Husband was so sweet to take me on an impromptu drive to scenic Mahone Bay this morning where he took these pictures for me. I love a drive in the fall and the leaves delivered a beautiful show.

I made this cute peplum top from yet another NewLook pattern. I did make a few changes, I used the bodice of view C, the peplum of view A and my own sleeves. The sleeves included in this pattern are pleated on the shoulder and for someone who has a decent set of shoulders for a girl, I am careful not to make them appear any wider than they are. So I made another sleeve with just a hint of a gather at the shoulder. A peplum is great for balancing out sturdy shoulders and creating an instant hourglass figure. 

I bought this mosaic patterned fabric for a steal (of course) and it was pretty easy to work with. I like that although it is a softer fabric it wasn't sheer. Making it modest without having to layer a cami underneath. 

While today I paired this top with my cropped jeans and blazer for a more laid back look, I can't wait to remix it with a pencil skirt or black trousers and a belt to dress it up as well.

A leisurely fall drive wouldn't be complete without a little off-roading in the Jeep. Thanks Handsome for NOT getting us stuck. Hiking out in those heels would have been a whole lot of CRAZY!

Polka Dot Heaven

I love browsing Pinterest for inspiration... it is so much fun but can be addicting so approach with care! During one of my late night Pinterest cruises, I found this... 

My first thought was...I love! My second thought was... I can make this! While this isn't a sewing project...I haven't done anything crafty in a while and really enjoyed this project. 

Supplies needed:

Tulip Soft Fabric paint

Polka dot stencil

Round sponge brush

Cardboard to slide inside sweater

A sweater

I placed cardboard inside the sweater to prevent the paint from bleeding through to the back and then I painted the dots on with the stencil. Easy as that! I bought a small bottle of paint and didn't have enough paint for two coats but I really liked how it looked a bit faded with the sweater fabric showing through. This paint was supposed to have a velveteen finish when it was steamed but I didn't find it worked. The paint is a little stiff and I'm hoping it will soften in the wash. Even if it doesn't, I am thrilled with the resulting look.

 

 

Thanks to Handsome for taking these pictures and making me feel so comfortable.

Snow White

 My daughter Emily suggested that we take these pics in the woods because she thought that this outfit looked like a modern Snow White. So sweet of her. In any case, the pictures she took turned out great and it was FUN! Thanks Emmy!

This skirt is another project of the past...and another NewLook pattern. There must have been a sale on NewLook. I found this fabric at a thrift store for a couple of bucks and because it is a little on the stiff side, felt it lent itself well to this peplum pencil skirt. As I was making it, I couldn't help but think that my mom rocked the peplum style back in the 80's. Here's proof:

My mom is the pretty lady on the far left. And yep, I know...I look just like her. Yesss!(insert fist pump here)

So I guess making shiny peplum skirts runs in the family. She wore hers to stand in her sisters wedding and I well... I danced around in the woods in mine... waiting for song birds to land on my shoulder. To each her own...

Enough of the pretty posed pics and on to some fun shots of me showing off my epic balance beam skills!

Well...not quite epic.

And dismount!!

Date Night Dress

I had this pretty fabric in my stash and thought it would be perfect for fall. It also paired nicely with these cute booties that I was dying to wear. I bought them on sale last February but lost the courage to wear them when I got them home. I'm pleased to say that I did wear them out on date night with Handsome! It's all about putting on what you like then heading out the door with confidence and not looking back.

I made this dress from NewLook 6936. This pattern is designed for knitted fabrics but I thought I would take my chances with this woven. It was a chance I'm glad I took! I made it one size up from my normal size and trimmed the neckline by half an inch to get my big head through. Luckily, it worked out perfectly.

The elastic waist was pretty simple even considering the silkiness of the fabric. This kind of fabric can also be tricky to hem nicely but with the rolled hem foot, it was a breeze. Change your life kind of stuff, for real. I practiced on some scrap fabric before I started on my dress which was needed because it took a little time to get the hang of it. I learned to just take it slow and have the edge of the fabric lined up with the grove on the left side of the foot. My only other suggestion would be to start and stop the hem in an inconspicuous spot. Just in case.

This rolled hem foot is my new best friend. 

All in all, this was an easy project but I love it and know I will get lots of wear out of it. Another added bonus...husband loved it too! Thanks Handsome, for making me believe that after 20 years I still got it going on.

An Old Refashion

Between weekly projects, I thought it would be nice for me to document past projects that I have completed. I have already been doing this but hadn't explained myself. So here is another project of the past.

Oh, how I wish I had a picture of this dress before I refashioned it onto a skirt! Who knew I would start a blog where pictures would be necessary? Not me.

           Before the  refashion, this was a dress from Joe Fresh and while the fabric was great, the dress itself had a few issues for me. It was a little too boxy, too short and this color next to my face tends to wash me out. So I cut it off above the waist so it would drop down to a good length, I used the existing zipper and added some waist darts. I really like how it turned out and have worn it many times.