| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| BillieKay |
Posted - Jul 29 2005 : 5:53:58 PM
We are in the process of adding on to our home.The four of us have lived in a one berdroom cabin for 3 years(YIKES!!!!)Anyway the kids bedrooms are finished (the rest is not :( Now that I actually have room for the table I have been sewing again. I also have been going through mountains of clothes. I found some capri pants that looked awful on me and decided to turn them into skirts by ripping the legs open and adding a triangle of pretty fabric. They turned out so cute!
I then found a pair of old bib overalls that fit a little snug so I
ripped the outside leg seam and added a bit more faric :) and now they fit right fine.
Do any of you do this kind of thing? I have tons of old clothes I could make a hundred quilts out of the really raggy ones. I think I'll go start one now.
Bright Blessings,
BillieKay |
| 13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| realme52 |
Posted - Aug 04 2005 : 06:54:18 AM
I'm delighted to hear that other people also "abuse" fabric items to make things they were originally not meant for! I am a big recycler/re-inventer too. I love to go to thrift stores, get itmes that I wouldn't wear as-is but that have something appealing about them, then take them home and "fix" them up. You know those t-shirts (that are mostly worn by tennagers and younger women) that look like they are put together out of a variety of very different knit fabrics? I have made quite a few very fancy and pretty ones by getting 3 or 4 thrift t-shirts in the same size with interesting prints, cutting them (more or less randomly)and re-assembling them. I would end up with the sleeves from one shirt, the top fron from the other, the back from a third...you get the idea! If the shirt fits, the easiest way to do this is to PUT THEM ON and have another person pin and cut the new composition. That way you can place new seams at exactly where you want them. Great fun and very inexpensive. You end up with "wearable art" for an investment of a few bucks and a few hours of enjoying yourself.
from this hour i ordain myself loss'd of limits and imaginary lines -Walt Whitman |
| bramble |
Posted - Jul 30 2005 : 4:47:29 PM
Oh I loved to make costumes for my son and nephews! One year I made my son a cowboy costume (complete with fringed chaps and cow print vest!) for Halloween that he practically lived in. At the age of 3 he BECAME a cowboy and said things like "Howdy ma'am! and "Hey there partner!" The cousins were most envious of this get up and thank goodness Christmas wasn't too far off because all three of them got their very own ! The highlight was when we took all 4 of them to a charity rodeo and they stood on the bottom rail of the stadium and made the front page of our paper the next day. My son has always had very specific ideas about his costumes and usually made up his mind by the middle of the summer. We had a peapod, bumblebee (my favorite!), cowboy, civil war soldier ( after we went to a re-enactment), native american, a dragon w/ wings that flapped,a wizard, Professsor Lupin ( a werewolf from HP), a punk rocker with foot tall orange and black mohawk and very elaborate tatoos that scared the principal into asking me "Mrs.S--- you know all the children, do you know who that is? I'm afraid they don't belong here" HA HA! This was so not my son at that time that he won a prize for "Most Unrecognizable"! I have had to make colonial and civil war costumes for all three of us and that has been fun too. Maybe some day I'll have a grand daughter to fulfill all those girly costumes I'd love to sew, though I have made princess and fairy costumes for b-day presents for friends girls.Robin Hood has always been a big hit with the little boys !(Especially if a little plastic bow and arrow is included ala the dollar store!)
Fancy pillow cases with embroidery and lace make cute skirts for little girls too! Probably neat aprons too because you could use the back fabric to make the top bib and ties. Oh this could be a never ending topic for me... I must go finish my dress now! Black linen w/ tiny pink flamingos embroidered all over it(courtey of JoAnn fabrics 40% off sale), " SEW ON SISTERS!" she shouted gleefully.
with a happy heart |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Jul 30 2005 : 3:34:27 PM
On another thread I mentioned this idea and it seems perfect to add again here. My daughter and I take old long pants that are too slim in the legs or too flared, and cut them off to make capris. We add ribbon around the top of the hem and bows at the side at the top of a two inch slit. When we are finished we have something that is in style. Add a ribbon for a belt and it really dresses up something that might have gone to Goodwill. Not that it's isn't good to give to Goodwill!
Oh, and table runners can make a great valance, too. If they have pointed ends, a nice effect can be made.
jpbluesky
Heartland girl |
| MeadowLark |
Posted - Jul 30 2005 : 2:06:24 PM
I put in a bid on ebay for a huge vintage vera tablecloth with cute print of different herb varieties...thought it would be great fabric for the "Ruby Slippers" to make some harvest aprons out of. Hope I can get it cheap enough!
The flowers flee from Autumn, but not you-
You are the fearless rose that grows amidst the freezing wind. Rumi |
| mollymae |
Posted - Jul 30 2005 : 1:20:33 PM
I have a pair of red gingham curtains with lace at the bottom I had made awhile back, I found them in storage and thought what adorable aprons they would be, I just need to make some long and wide ties to fit through the casings at the top, and perfect aprons!
Cead Mile Failte,
Molly
"If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. If I can ease one life the Aching or cool one pain, or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain" ~Emily Dickinson
**When life throws scraps your way ~ Make a Quilt!**
Sisterhood of the Traveling Art |
| Whimsy_girl |
Posted - Jul 30 2005 : 12:54:35 PM
this year for Halloween my girls are going to be thing 1 and thing 2 from The Cat in The Hat.. I already have 2 sets of red long john pajamas and then we are going to scalp a cookie monster toy that my husband got out of the claw machine for the hair and make little blue furry hoods for them. Then all we will have to do is draw a 1 on the front of our oldest and a two on the front of the baby, and voila'
(we are also doing a cat in the hat themed birthday party because both their birthdays are on either side of Halloween)
you can be oh so smart, or you can be oh so positive. I wasted a lot of time being smart I prefer being positive. James Stewart in the movie HARVEY |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Jul 29 2005 : 11:24:26 PM
oooooh..a gypsy would be a fun one...maybe I can talk one of the girls into that!!! I used to love to be a hobo when I was little..both my brother and I. My sister always was a princess or something girly.
Jenny in Utah
The best things in life arn't things! |
| sleepless reader |
Posted - Jul 29 2005 : 10:53:39 PM
I've used curtains to make skirts. All you have to do is sew up the side seams and run elastic through the casing for the curtain rod.Sometimes you end up with a little ruffle on top. It's downright Scarlet O'Hara! Or maybe Carol Burnette (for those who remember that skit!)
I've also taken apart jumpers and salvaged a skirt out of the bottom. A bit more work involved.
Jenny, I'm with you on the Halloween costumes. It's so much fun and the kids learn creativity too! When my son was three I made him an Oscar the Grouch costume. I still have it (he's 16) because it was so cute! We've also done Lumiere (the candlestick from Beauty and the Beast), a scarecrow, a ladybug (my daughter) and, most recently, a gypsy..a personal favorite from my childhood because I was allowed to wear all my mom's costume jewelry!
Sharon |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Jul 29 2005 : 9:13:39 PM
wow...I hadn't thought of that either..jeesh..I am loosing my touch..my youngest daughter is 8 but wears only size 6..she is going to be tiny I think ..hmmm...maybe like a two layer sort of deal....fun!!
Jenny in Utah
The best things in life arn't things! |
| Fabulous Farm Femmes |
Posted - Jul 29 2005 : 8:47:31 PM
Dust Ruffles make really good skirts for little girls too, just about the right length and all ready gathered...made quite a few of them for my three girls! I just love recycling! |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Jul 29 2005 : 7:44:34 PM
gosh Bramble..that never crossed my mind..duh. I will be on the lookout for cute dustruffles!! I have done alot of the curtains made from sheets..you would think I would think of dust ruffles being perfect for valances. I love to do creative makeovers from clothes too!! Halloween is when I really shine at that! I love love love love making my kids costumes! I hope they decide soon what to be this year! Last year we had a dragon, a pioneer gal, a dracula and a hula girl (with a flesh colored shirt on under the top!) I have done astronauts, karate kid, bumble bees, magicians, zorro, all sorts of super heros and movie characters...fun fun fun. I love halloween just for that!!!
Jenny in Utah
The best things in life arn't things! |
| bramble |
Posted - Jul 29 2005 : 6:31:43 PM
Hi BillieKay and welcome to MJF! There are alot of us who sew and rework things we aren't quite satisfied with. Your projects sound like the lampshade I found this week! I just found a folder I had saved on turning cutwork tableclothes into smock/jacket/blouses. Really cute! And I have made a lace tablecloth into a swimsuit coverup so I guess I'm a sewing recycler! Dust ruffles are a great source for valances, you get atleast three windows for the price of one dustruffle! And if you buy it at the thrift it's practically free!
Keep rippin' and stitchin', we love to hear what you are up to!
"Use it up or wear it out, make do or do without".
with a happy heart |
| Clare |
Posted - Jul 29 2005 : 6:15:44 PM
Yes, BillieKay, we are quite a creative bunch here... so a big welcome to you and you'll fit right in!!  I'm going to rework a skirt and jumper into an apron/s this weekend. The material is toooo cute to not take advantage of it. I think the term/saying is "waste not, want not", right? Maybe you can post some picture links of your recreated fashions? Love to see them!
**** Love is the great work - though every heart is first an apprentice. - Hafiz
Set a high value on spontaneous kindness. - Samuel Johnson****
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