Birthday Refashions

What to do on my birthday?* I'd asked for it off work long in advance so there was the sleeping in and day drinking options, but in the end I focused on doing something I'd always wanted to try- refashioning. Making clothes (and fitting) in general scares me, but I figure half the work is done if I just adjust something I already own but don't ever wear. At best I'll get use out of it, at worst I'll have tried something new.

But there are other (better?) reasons for wanting to make new clothes now. Eating relatively well (biggest weaknesses: buffalo wings, good bread) and usually going to the gym have lost me 30lbs in the past six months. I'm hoping to lose even more so buying a lot that's new seems silly, but at this point I can take my jeans off without unbuttoning them, so refashioning is just the thing to bridge the clothing gap.

First up was something simple, and I guess not really refashioning. I'd bought two ankle-length dresses at a NY & Co clearance sale and desperately wanted to rehem them to a cuter length. A highlighter blue one played guinea pig, as it was already kind of stained. It turned out well, if you ignore the very very rough edge. And the fact that it's shorter in back, but that's more the fault of my butt than the method. The black skirt will wait until I can buy a rotary cutter with my birthday money.

Secondly was a weirdly long men's XL hoody I'd gotten from work. I didn't take a before picture as part of me assumed I would be just ruining it, but the end result turned out well.

Adjustments:

• Cut a seam down the middle (the end is hidden in the pocket) and added a zipper- D thinks it's a weird placement but I don't mind
• Improvised pinch and pin method to get rid of excess material- while I was wearing it inside out
• Used another hoody as a template for the arm holes and sleeves - what I'm most proud of

I'm really surprised how well it turned out. I don't like to zip it up all the way as it's a little tight up top, and it shows off the weird text. The fabric is also really stiff or something; the sleeves don't like to stay pushed up (which looks better). I will wear it...in a few months when it's cold out. In the mean time I'm definitely going to look for lighter giant hoodies at thrift stores- maybe ones that are pre-zippered to take out a step.

CU of the weird text

I'm excited to try a few other things- maybe next time I go to my parents' house I'll hit up the best thrift store ever for supplies, as the ones around here aren't that great.


*Which, for the record, was like three weeks ago. Sorry about the delay...

Yellow & Gray Part II

It's been over a month since the wedding I spoke of in my last post. August was such an incredibly long month.

Anyway, the bag and necklace turned out pretty well. My sewing machine was acting wonky so I took the opportunity to go to Church of Craft's monthly meeting at Etsy Labs. Incredibly awesome space, very nice people. If anyone attended I was the girl sitting off to the side not talking to anyone- sorry! Really had to focus on finishing my project. Next time I'll be better.

Perfect size to hold what I needed!

As I wasn't home with access to the internet I basically winged the construction (it's Noodlehead's Gathered Clutch Tutorial) and paid a little for it. My zipper was too long, and the lining ended up a little bunchy somehow. But I still like it, and it's nice to have a little bag I can just grab when I run out for errands or whatever.

Can you spot the place I messed up?

The necklace was finished the night before, and it was nice but the area around the closure was messy. I think if I had longer hair things would've looked cleaner haha. And although I didn't get any "those are awesome!" comments at the wedding, I'm kind of proud I didn't get any "you made that- right?"s.

Action shot with vodka and cranberry. Yum.

An "I'm with Coco" bracelet is appropriate wedding attire, right?

Up next (hopefully soon, tho D and I are going out of town this weekend so who knows) a few little refashionings....well, one refashion and a rehemming....that I made on my birthday.