super-duper cute and easy pillowcase halter top

I bought this vintage pillowcase for two dollars at the thrift store yesterday. First I tried making a camisole and attaching it to a camisole to make a dress...I didn't at all like the way it looked. So I ripped it apart and this morning before I took my eldest to school I made this!!


I will write a tutorial and take pics when I make another one. Here is a brief description of how I did it. I measured around her just under her arms. I added two and a half inches to that length. I cut a band about 6-8 inches wide from big sister's worn out jeans. Folded it in half and made a tube which I then reversed.


I made two straps and sewed them against the back on the middle front.

Then I cut the pillowcase off to shirt length. Yesterday when I took the dress apart I discovered that the fabric is a bit fragile, so I made a nice wide triple thick hem on the top. I cut a access slit in the back which I hemmed and then reinforced with some gross grain ribbon. Then I made a gather stitch and gathered it to fit the band. I made sure that the medallion center of the pillow trim lined up with front and center. I sewed the pillow case to the top edge of the band so that it hangs out from underneath the band (does that make sense?)



I've been finding lots of handmade pillow case lace lately which I can find in baggies for less than a dollar. I cut some, used a tight zigzag to stop the raveling and then sewed it to the top front of the band.

Then I added a button hole and button and tada!!







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Christmas Dress to Easter Dress Refashion

I am sharing this at many craft parties. Don't forget the people who host these parties and the people who participate. Check out the parties I belong to.

I found these dresses on clearance in February along with a bunch of other Christmas dresses for - get this - 3 dollars. These looked like they could be made into beautiful Easter dresses. The fabric is a gold brocade.

An old table cloth, tulle, and ribbon make for more fluffy, springish dresses.

The over skirt is a beautiful old oval tablecloth I bought for 2 dollars at the thrift store. I cut off the rounded ends for the overlay. I decided to make the overlay off center to correspond with the bow that was already on the dress.

Add a tulle peekab00 ruffle to the bottom of the dress.

The result is off-center and a bit peekabooish and whimsical which I like.

Then I made a flower out of tulle and sewed it on under the bow, which is now mostly obscured. I used a vintage button for the center of the blossom.

I actually bought three dresses and the end result was I used the largest for my oldest and the one I bought for my oldest on my youngest. I might make hairbands or something from the extra dress.

Between making these dresses on Saturday and photographing the girl's dance recital on Sunday - I didn't do much else over the weekend. Church was wonderful though. K was a pill and squirmed and writhed and fought me before children's church. I wish I had the camera - she curled up in a ball in this dress - on the bench next to me and while she was a pickle - I couldn't help thinking what beautiful photos she would make like that. :)

Just about nine-months ago we cut five inches off this mane of K's. I think it is starting to look a bit ragged - time to cut off more. Her hair is thick and strong but when it constantly gets put in braids and ponytails the ends get frayed from the hair bands.

When we went into the backyard to do this shoot, we found a surprise left us by some stray cat.

dress refashion

I found this little black dress on clearance - nice cut and fabric but too short and sleeveless - not quite right for my little girl.


I cut up an old shirt and now it is longer and has sleeves - much better. The shirt wasn't quite wide enough around so I inset a second shirt button placket between the button placket of the toile shirt - now it works - plus it is a fun detail.





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long-sleeved t-shirt transformed into super cute dress

I made two new refashioned dresses for C on Saturday. This is one of them. Her school is changing its name and was selling all the old gear for insanely cheap prices so I bought some extra shirts ($2.50) to make into dresses for the girls.

The fabric was from the thrift store and was less than two dollars.


It reminds me a tiny bit of Rainbow Bright - I think it is the kinda pouffy sleeves.


The heart fabric I bought at the thrift store is really nice quality - super soft - it is almost a shame to match it to the rather stiff fabric of the shirt but the color matched perfectly.

adult baby doll tunic to girl's skirt and shirt set

This is another refashion for C’s dress wardrobe. I am the kind of woman where there is lots to love, which you would guess if you saw my old tunic that I used for this – but I can’t find the photo I took for before and then my battery went flat and the photos I took with my other camera are over-exposed so… Imagine a baby doll tunic with a ruffle on the bodice. I thought I might like sparkly when I bought it. I found out two things – I don’t like sparkly in this form and the metallic threads that make it sparkle make it itch.

• I cut the skirt off the tunic.
• When I was folding C’s jeans I noticed she had a pair of jeans that were too short for her that she was still wearing (she never seems to go out of the waist of anything) so I thought I could use them for this. What is especially nice about this is the pockets of the jeans are pink and glittery too.
• I cut the legs of the jeans
• I gathered the skirt of the tunic to fit around the hips of the jeans.
• I pinned the right sides together and sewed the skirt on. I flipped the skirt down only to realize the bottom ran out of thread about a third of the way around. Urgh.
• I cut part of the neckline and the ruffles off the tunic and sewed them onto a three-dollar long-sleeved t-shirt.

When C tried this on, I thought it looked a bit off so I found this old scarf and made it into a belt for her.

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restyle a too big dress into a cute skirt and blouse combination

C wants more dresses. K has a gazillion dresses because she has a big sister. C, not so many. In addition, I don't like a lot of what passes for clothes for kids her age. So I am starting to look into different refashions. I took this dress, which I found at Goodwill for two dollars but was two sizes too big (a Target dress),


and this shirt (on clearance at Walmart for five dollars)


and made this

• Measure the child’s waist.
• Measure down from the waist for length you want the skirt. Add an inch to an inch and a half to the length for the elastic casing.
• Measure from bottom of dress up to find out where to cut the dress.

• Cut the dress in half. The bottom half will be the skirt.
• Fold the skirt in half at the waist. Figure out what a quarter the waist size (divide your waist measurement by four) then add one inch. Measure that distance from fold towards edge of skirt. Mark this distance on both halves of the skirt.
• Unfold. Use a ruler to draw a line that angles from the bottom of the skirt to the waist marks on both sides.

• Sew new side seams on the line. Cut off excess fabric.
• Fold over the waist of the skirt about an 1/8 of an inch and sew.
• Fold it over again wide enough to encase the elastic. Sew the casing down all around the skirt, leaving an opening in the back large enough to feed the elastic through.
• Cut a piece of elastic to the size of the waist.
• Run it through the casing. Sew the ends together.
• Embellish the shirt using the left over fabric from the dress.
• If the dress has cap sleeves, use a seam ripper to remove them.
• I was lucky, the sleeves of the dress fit the sleeve openings of the shirt perfectly so I just tucked the shirt sleeve inside the shirt, reversed the dress sleeve and pinned it to the outside of the shirt lining up the openings (if you sewn patterns, this will make sense after a fashion.

I sewed the sleeve on and then pulled the shirtsleeve out and pulled the dress sleeve down and tada!!






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make a really cool zipper necklace

The bracelet I made yesterday really got me jazzed and so I got out my old coat that has both zippers and buttons, carefully cut out the zipper (I am keeping the coat for shoveling the drive, winter walks, and the like), and made this!



I think I like this more than the bracelet.


I am sure more zipper things will be showing up here. Yesterday when I was at Bible Study (WOW) a 95-year-old lady (who for some reason thinks what I do is remarkable) gave me a box of old notions. She used to sew and she wanted to give them to someone who will use them. There are a few things that I am not sure what to do with. For instance, stocking supports.

I posted a tutorial at Suite101.

I have lots of zipper inspiration and tutorials for you.


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