Another drastic sweater size reduction

12.11.2010

Another drastic sweater size reduction

I've shown you before how to take in the side seams of a lightweight sweater and a chunkier sweater.  Here's my method in action again!

On this one I did try it on inside out and nip it in with pins. I took in the whole side seam, all the way from near the edge of the cuffs up the arms, turning at the shoulder seam and back down the bust/waist/hips.

I got this cute sweater (not even old, from Holiday '09) from Banana Republic at Goodwill Outlet, since I love grey and I love long sweaters.  It was two sizes two big, however.  I wore it once as a cozy sweatshirt-type look, but didn't feel that cute.  So I took it in!  The before:

And the after!

Muuuuch better!

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Simple and essential pencil skirt!

12.09.2010

Simple and essential pencil skirt!

I just made a very versatile and simple pencil skirt to go with my brown clothes--you don't often see such basics at the fun and cheap stores I shop at, especially in 100% wool.  I had a yard or so of super nice, soft, mid-weight wool that was perfect for a basic skirt, in a beautiful brown color!  I lined it with teal lining, since it won't show and it makes it a little more fun.

I used the pencil skirt part of this funny Butterick B5147 pattern:

Here's how it turned out!

Hardly shows up in the picture, huh?  Trust me, it's soft, comfy and practical!

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Recycled insulated window shade

12.08.2010

Recycled insulated window shade

After I made the pretty curtains for my bathroom, I knew I needed to make a warm, insulated blind for the window, too!

I used the white and yellow bedspread I turned into blinds in our bedroom and around the house, taking advantage of the quilted batting and extra layers.  I wanted a white blind, though, so I covered it in white!

Here is is with the new ruffled curtains!

Of course the curtains match the ruffled shower curtain I made, too...

Hm, looking at these pictures reminds me I want to paint the bathroom (again)... pale, pale blue this time, I think.  I just painted it not long ago but, literally with the last brush stroke I realized it was just a shade different than the color of the bathroom in my parents' house when I was growing up, and I am really, really tired of that color!!  Anyway...

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Amazing sweater-into-infinity scarf-tutorial

12.07.2010

Amazing sweater-into-infinity scarf-tutorial

You maybe have seen several of my sweater makeovers on here recently.  What can I say?  It's cold out and I have a pretty good collection of nice sweaters that don't fit or have anything interesting going on.  But here's a sweater upcycle and tutorial that's totally different!

I got this 100% angora several years old Banana Republic sweater at Goodwill Outlet once.  It had been shrunken a little (originally a large), and was for craft purposes only--it was soooooo soft I couldn't pass it up.

I thought about doing several things with it, but in the end I really wanted to make it into a scarf, one where all my raw edges were hidden and only the soft outside showed.  I have seen "infinity scarves" before that are a  jersey knit on the back side and a lovely silk or something on the front, and of course when you wear it they cross a little.  I thought about doing that with this sweater and a tee I had in my pile, but I ended up having enough of just the little sweater!  You probably will, too.

Check out the tutorial to do it yourself!

• Begin by carefully cutting up the sweater, along the seams first.  You want to save the maximum sweater in the biggest pieces possible.  You'll get a lot out of the sleeves, too!

• Once you cut free the sleeves and torso,  you can decide on the width of the panels.  On mine, the majority of the sleeve pieces was about the width of half of the torso, so I was able to cut the front and back bodice pieces in half lengthwise.

• Now, cut off the excess and funny-shaped pieces on the ends of your panels (neckline/collar, etc.).

• Next you'll sew almost all the pieces together on the short ends, right sides together. Make two scarf-shaped pieces, symmetrical, rather than a loooooong piece.

• Press the seams flat as much as you can, being careful of the fiber content.

• Now, you'll sew the long seams--sew together your two long scarf-like pieces.

• As much as you can, press the long seams flat.

• Turn the long tube right side out.
• Now, carefully sew (right sides together) the ends together, leaving a small opening.

• Press that seam open as much as you can.

• With a needle and matching thread, whip-stitch the opening closed.

Yay!  All done!

This thing is soooo cozy and super soft!  What a great use for a cashmere or other really nice fiber sweater, that doesn't have a flattering shape or doesn't fit you.

There are a few different ways to wear it, too!

My first infinity scarf project!!  I'm loving it.

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My sweater refashion tutorial on Grosgrain!!

12.06.2010

My sweater refashion tutorial on Grosgrain!!

Oh, I am so excited today to tell you that a sweater refashion makeover and tutorial that I did is posted for your enjoyment on Grosgrain!  The lovely and talented Kathleen has been doing a sweater makeover almost every day, and they are all super creative and cute.  Mine is day 23 of the month-long experiment, and I've done a tutorial on how to turn this (awkwardly long and outdated) sweater:

Into this faux-shawl collar cardigan!

Check out the tutorial here!
And be sure to get inspired by Kathleen's other sweater posts!

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Why are modern clothes so boxy? Mini-tutorial

12.04.2010

Why are modern clothes so boxy? Mini-tutorial

"Boxy," I think, is the right word.  I can understand when something doesn't fit me, or is the wrong size, but so often I find things, like sweaters, that have no shape at the waist.  Take this sweater from last winter at Gap that I got at Goodwill.

On me it looked hugely loose (just at the waist!), and even in the picture of it flat it looks completely shapeless!!  Look at that, lines straight down from the armpit!

I'm sure you've encountered this before.  This sweater totally fit in the shoulders, arms and length but not in the waist.  How about a mini-tutorial on how to take in a top like this?

I've done a tutorial before on how to take in a sweater, and it applies most to thinner, particularly cotton sweaters.  Here's a little tutorial on another technique that works well on chunkier sweaters!

• Try on the sweater inside out!  Have a pinning-talented friend help or pin it yourself, pinching on both sides and pinning on just one side.  Pin to where you'd like the seam to be.  Here's what it looked like when I took it off after doing this.

• Making sure your sweater is completely flat, and your side seam is actually on the side, machine sew along the path of the pins, taking them out right before you get to them.
• Now for the other side.  Fold the sweater in half and match where your seam is so you take in the same amount in the same places on both sides.  I used a fabric marker to draw along the opposite of the seam.
• Wear and enjoy with more feminine lines!!

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A closet curtain improves the room!

12.01.2010

A closet curtain improves the room!

We moved into this house not too long ago, and the bedroom has been the last to be decorated.  Still need to finish painting it, and then I can hang art and move things around more freely.  But when I do get it done, I think I'm going to be going for a sort of Scandinavian modern/vintage-infused look, lots of white with bright color accents.  In the room already is the quilt I made out of a vintage 60's quilt top, which has lots of great bright colors in it and several colors of check gingham.  I went with it, and bought some red and white gingham at JoAnn's the other day.  It's the poly-cotton stuff they have in different colors and sizes, and I wouldn't want to wear it, really, since it's thin and 65% polyester, but it's just great for a lightweight curtain!

The bedroom has sloped attic ceilings (more pics once I finish decorating!), and a funky closet built into the roof line with no door or anything.  Before:

Still mid-project, but after curtain (you can see the edges of the paint at the wall/ceiling join! We've only done one coat...)

It was a super fast curtain, since I didn't have to hem the sides.  Just made the top casing and hem at the bottom, and left the selvages on the sides!  Now, if the rest of the bedroom decor was so easy and fast...

BTW, I'd love your ideas on how to include more simple Danish modern looks combined with a few fun vintage 60's-type decor stuff.  Any great inspiration sites?

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Before & after: Oval mirror

11.30.2010

Before & after: Oval mirror

I've been wanting an oval mirror to go in the bathroom at our new place.  I wanted white, preferably with some interesting detail, but I didn't want to spend too much.  So I was happy to find this oval mirror at Goodwill for $7.99!

The frame was simple wood but it was painted a sad dull blue color.  I taped off the glass and gave it several coats of white hi-gloss paint, and put it in the (still mid-decorate) bathroom above the sink!

It makes such a big difference just to paint it--I'm really glad I found the right shape mirror to re-do!  Such a simple change, but it really helps.

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A practical recycling: purse handle!

11.29.2010

A practical recycling: purse handle!

Quite some time ago I got this Roxy purse at Goodwill Outlet:

I loved the colorful crochet flowers in cotton.  Out of it I made a pillow:

But I still had the handle left over.  I was leafing through my supplies the other day, and found the handle, and a good amount of sturdy black canvas.  I'm always looking for ways to make brown go with black, and I maintain that if one is the accent color then it totally works.  So, I used the brown fake leather handle on this bag I made!

I didn't use a pattern for the bag; just cut some rectangles and figured out the bottom as I went.  I'm pretty happy with it!  Although it was tough to sew through all the layers at the join from the top tabs to the metal rings from the handle.  All those layers really needed a strong denim needle, which I was glad to have!

What a fun recycled project these were--all for the $1.39 or so per pound I paid for the bag originally!

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