Refashion Friday - Dressing up a Dress

My sister and I went thrift shopping at New Years and she found this dress and said I should buy it for Mallary's baptism.  It was only $2.  I almost didn't buy it because I don't really like fancy fru fru dresses, but I thought I could use it for something else if I decided not to use it for Mallary.  

Before Pictures:

The dress fit perfectly. There was a rip on one side where a sash had been.  The other side had one part of the sash still.  I cut that out carefully and made the sleeves out of the sash.  I made a pearl collar for it, and sewed on pearls to the little bow in the front.  So, it's funny because I made it more fru fru which isn't really me.  But, I think it turned out so cute.

The after picture:

So, the perfect dress for a total of $4! (I got the pearls for 50% off at Hobby Lobby)

An up close shot of the collar.  You can see the fishing wire coming out of some of the pearls.

I sewed some pearls on the bow at the waist

I also made her a matching bracelet with leftover pearls.

I was kind of sloppy and did the collar pretty quickly, so you can see the first time she wore it some pearls fell off the collar as you can see in this picture. 

I cut out the size of collar I was going to use out of felt.  I clipped the pearl strand so the pearls wouldn't be loose on the fishing wire.  I glued the middle part of the collar first.

Then I glued in the last strand to the outer part of the collar.

This was the dress she was baptized in which was also a flower girl dress from my wedding 13 years ago!  My niece wore it for my wedding and then wore it to be baptized in a month later.  Most of my nieces have worn this dress to be baptized in since then.  The dress that keeps on giving.  Love it! 

Bench Makeover

I had this cheap pleather ottoman in my living room and you can see how my kids destroyed it.  It is where I kept all the throws and cozy blankets that we snuggle with when we watch tv.  Instead of throwing it away, I decided to recover it. I found some fabric and got some foam, pulled out the staple gun and got busy. 

I bought some foam to add to the top of it because any cushion that was once there was now gone. 

It now sits at the foot of Mallarys' bed and holds all the dress up clothes.  Simple makeover for a useful item!

Refashion Friday

I found a dress I liked and that I didn't hate on me, but it didn't have sleeves and was a little too short. The hemline of all the dresses lately are just a tad too short for my liking.  In my opinion, I think short flowy dresses look best on 20 year olds or younger. I think short dresses and short skirts look best on older women (I'm an older woman now?!?!  Haha!!) when they are tighter and more fitted.  Obviously I don't think this always applies, but mostly.  (Again, in my opinion.)

So, I bought two dresses so I could use the fabric from one and add sleeves and lengthen the hem of the other.  The dress was 50% off, so I got two dresses for the price of one!

At first, I was going to do a black solid color block to add to the hem, and didn't feel like taking the time to find the same kind of fabric, so I just bought the second dress instead.  For the hem, I had to use the fabric so the stripes went horizontal instead of vertical.  But, I liked how it turned out. 

I actually ended up hemming it a little longer than I planned on accident because after I let out the hem on the dress, I forgot that I could make a bigger seam allowance, but oh well.   I'm definitely not going to fix it to make it an inch shorter!

Also, the sleeves didn't turn out how I wanted, so I'll eventually fix them or pay someone else to fix them.  We'll see how I feel when I actually get around to it!

You can see the finished picture below.  These aren't the best family pictures, but they are the best ones that show my completed dress.   

The bonus?  I'm directing a wedding in January and the colors are black and white, so I now have a dress to wear for the wedding!  I'll just add a cardigan!  Yay!

Refashion Friday (oops!)

This was an UN-intentional refashion.

So... I accidentally shrunk my sweater.  Sad...

However, it works for M to wear with jeggings!  Cute!  (Though, I wouldn't typically spend that much on a sweater for her - too funny!) 

She looks kind of sad because she had just finished throwing a tantrum because we asked her to help clean up...  :)

Refashion Friday - Dresses/Blouses to Scarves!

Here's a sneak peak of what will be on my Etsy store soon! Interested in one? Just let me know!!

For some reason I didn't take any before pictures of what the clothes looked like before I started cutting them up! Oh well!!

Love this long infinity scarf made from a tunic

Made from a dress...  There are two of these, not exactly like each other though.  Love the tribal vibe...

This infinity is made from a dress - love the added ruffle detail

This scarf has already sold - but I'm hoping to find more dresses like this to make more!

The following scarves are what inspired me to start making scarves at all.  At my craft show in December, there was a lady selling scarves like this.  I loved how they were different, how you didn't have to know how to tie a scarf and that it made a giant bow!  Immediately, I thought it would be fun to make these out of other clothes!  (Imagine that...)   I wanted to borrow it so I could trace a pattern, but what crafter is going to do that - so, I had to come up with my own instead.  And, actually after my sister told me her opinion of what I was already thinking, I changed it up so I like it better than the ones the other crafter sold. 

Made from a dress... Love!!

Made from a cotton halter blouse! 

That was the first addition!  :)  The very first one I made - so you can see the difference in the others and how I changed my first pattern.  This one was made from a blouse. 

Refashion Friday - Upcycled Sweater to Christmas Stocking

When I started my business years ago, I started with mostly re-purposed items, like my Christmas Sweater Stockings.  I still love to make them!! 

I didn't get any listed earlier in the holiday season, but you can see some in my Etsy store now! 

Refashion Friday - Copy Cat Bead Kit

My six year old daughter asks me if she can play with the beads in my workroom at least four times a week. I was thinking about getting her one of those bead kits for Christmas, but we've spent enough money already, and then I had a thought, "why not just make one???"

So, I did! I already had a bead container to use, I cut up some old jewelry, and went through the beads I already have.

She is going to love this! She won't have to ask me to do beads anymore, she will have her own!

Since this picture was taken, I added some stretchy bead cording, and more beads for a grand total of $2.50!

I took apart some of my old jewelry...

Old jewelry taking up space in my jewelry box.  Whenever my parents would travel they would bring me back the strangest jewelry and I was holding on to it though it was probably never worn.  Ha!  My mom would totally approve of this refashion though!

I went through the beads I have and picked out the ones to add to her box.  Now, no one can say I don't throw anything away, because this pile totally went in the trash! 

Refashion Friday - Dress Redo

 

So, my little sister brings bags of clothes to my house (after taking them to my older sisters house to go through to see if I want any to wear, or I want any to refashion, and then I sell the leftovers in a yard sale.  She is shorter than me - so rarely do dresses and such ever work - but they are perfect to refashion for Mallary! 

Mallary is less than thrilled to take pictures, but whenever my sister brings clothes, Mallary jumps in to say, "You could make me a dress out of this!"

My method:  First, I cut the pieces apart.  Then, I ripped out the pink seams from the elastic piece.  Next, I cut and sewed the elastic to the width I needed. Then, I took up and took in the pink top.  Then I attached everything back together!  The best part is I didn't even have to hem the bottom! I just left it a little longer - then she can wear it next year too. 

Honestly, it isn't perfect.  I didn't have much time and wanted to finish it quickly.  Let's just say I would not have gotten a very good grade in my sewing class in college on the arm hole parts!  Oh well!  It's a dress (Mallary doesn't have very many) and it was free! 

I do believe she can use this dress in any season.  Bonus!

Refashion Friday - Sweater to dress

My friend gave me some clothes for a yard sale and in the bunch of stuff was this sweater.  I thought the flower appliques were so cute (especially on the pockets!) and I got the idea to make it into a sweater dress for Mallary. When I first started my business years ago, I actually started with sweater dresses.  I made girls sweater dresses out of adult sweaters.  They were cute, I actually have two left still unsold...

It was a quick project.  My Grandma watched as I made it and said that is the fastest dress ever made!  As I told my sister, it's not something I probably would have bought had I found it in a store, but it was free!  I think it turned out pretty good!

Method:

I cut off the sleeves, shortened them, thinned them.

I sewed up the sides - a lot.

I reattached sleeves!

That's it!!

Bonus?  It will fit her next year too!

Refashion Friday

I bought these flip flops for Mallary last year and I think they may have lasted a month or two... I finally got around to fixing them.

Before:  The toe holder thing ripped out.
 

After:  I used some of my sparkly black ribbon and now she has fancy new flip flops!

DIY:  I simply cut out the original plastic straps to the flip flops, knotted the ribbon underneath after making sure it would fit Mallary's feet okay.  After knotting, I filled the rest of the holes with hot glue. 

Who knows?  They could last longer than when I bought them from the store...

Refashion Friday - Seer Sucker Bow Ties

I usually buy my kids new Easter outfits every year - it's a tradition!

But, this year, I wanted to save some money, so I thought I would just make Trevan and Jonah matching bow ties.

I used an old maternity seer sucker dress of mine that has been in my refashion pile for a while...


BEFORE:

AFTER:

We were at my brothers for Easter, so I made one for my nephew too! 

 

I have bow ties in my store for sale (link on the side), or if you are interested in a seer sucker one, just let me know. 

Refashion Friday

Fridays from now on will be dedicated to clothing refashions... at least until the huge pile I have to refashion is gone!

I have been up cycling clothes since before it was "cool."  In college I had some of the most hideous skirts that I made from my old dresses.  I mean, I even used YARN as a drawstring on more than one occasion when I ran out of elastic...  When I think about me doing that it still makes me laugh!  I've come a long way. 

Three years ago, one of my uncles was at one of my craft shows, and I was showing him the stuff I made, and what I made it out of, and he asked, "Do you ever throw anything away?"  I just laughed.  But, for real if I can think of another purpose for it then it stays.  Much to my husbands dismay!

So, my first refashion post is of one of my old bathing suits.  I've had this idea to make Mallary a swim suit out of it for a long time, and finally did it!  Unfortunately, I didn't have enough material (surprisingly...) to do what I wanted, and I really had to stretch it to make it work. 

Here is the before and after: 

The back:

Added up cycle?  I used elastic from a fitted sheet I ripped up for fabric a while back for the elastic in the swim bottoms and the arm pit part in the top!  Waste not want not!  :)

The front ruffles didn't quite turn out how I wanted, but I am too lazy to go back and fix them....

Seriously, my pile to refashion is ridiculous, and it is taking up so much space.  I really shouldn't have to buy any clothes for Mallary, if I just get through my refashion pile!!!  So, I'm excited! Now Refashion Fridays will give me motivation to get through my stash!

I know you're so excited that you're going out to dinner to celebrate...