Waste not - Want not

I did a huge clean out awhile ago and put a stack of my clothes that don't fit me up for sale on a forum I'm on. I was a little disappointed in the lack of response I got, ended up removing them all and putting them aside to sent to charity.

Now the problem is, they sat in our front room for months... I ended up searching through it for something a week or so ago and pulled out a few things, This being one of them...


This skirt was actually bought second hand off the forums, its a size 12, and I modified it when I bought it too... I trimmed it up to this, where it was once a full length. I also used the scraps from that to make a few small clutches!

Anyway, since I'm no longer a size 12 I had no need for it, but when I pulled it out while searching for something else, a little light bulb went off in my head....


Why not make it into some long shorts?!

And so began the new mission....

I have a new pair of size 8 shorts that are quite fitted, so this was the idea I was working from for these. I placed them on the skirt and saw that it would be possible to make, and relatively easy... So let the cutting begin.

I simply pinned my new shorts to the skirt and cut the legs out, one each side, leaving a seam allowance.


The whole sewing process was relatively simple too. I sewed the leg seams up (and I had already removed the side zipper to steal for something else, so just sewed that seam back up too...).

I had planned on adding a zipper, but during the pinning and such I noticed it was not needed.

Next was to pin up the crotch and sew up like regular pants - only difference was I left about a 2in at the front to add a button. Starting from the back, I sewed around the front, but realised I would need the button hole side to over lap about 2in, so starting at the crotch, I pinned it so the button hole side of the front gradually stepped out to where it needed to be by the top (if that makes sense..)

Add in the button hole, sew on the button and sew down the flap left over from stepping out the button hole - and Bob's your uncle - A new pair of shorts :)

Flower power!

Ive been learning to crochet over the past few weeks/month... Im getting there with my skills, and this SoL swap, along with the dress I made, I made one of these ----------------->
with a white flower and a green button.

Pattern!!!!!

I found this really simple and quick to create - my biggest downfall was loosing some tension when creating the chain. I sl st all the way back up to make the chain thicker, as the crochet cotton I used didnt give me the chain like i wanted - nor what the pattern showed.... But in doing this, I found that if i had lost some tension in the original chain, it would leave these unsightly sticky out loops in the chain. I did figure a way to fix this after the fact, but it would have been easier - and quicker to have just started again....

At the end of the stems - are these adorable leaves... I think next time, ill figure a way of making them stand out more... Because they are really just gorgeous!

One really great thing about this necklace, other than its something handmade, something simple and quick to create, easy on the back pocket, and easy on the eye - Is that my 1 year old loves to play with it. He pulls at it, tries to eat it, and it hasnt hurt it one bit!

Dress ups

I some how got the desire to do some sewing again, and I came up with some new dress patterns for me.

I really enjoy creating something just for me, my own pattern - for me... Big ego boost when it all comes out as planned... Although when things dont go right - it is a chance for me to learn more about dress making and apply some problem solving skills...


I made this one first... Shearing to about 2 inches below the bust allows the dress to hang, without the typical babydoll style that makes me look about 6 months pregnant. The material is a cotton ripstop, picked up from my local spotlight. Love the pattern and the colours... Would have preferred it to be alittle lighter though... being Queensland and all... But all in all, Im happy with how it sits and looks... (Need to take a better photo tho!)


This was the dress I made for DingDong in the SoL Swap. It has about 2 inches of shearing under the bust, and a ribbon above to gather it all in tight.


This is actually made into a 2 piece set. I wanted to make it like this so i could wear it separately

Shirt

or

Skirt

I really like this one too... Well the skirt more so than the shirt. The shirt still needs some more modifications. I already added in extra shearing under the armholes to combat the '3rd and 4th boobs' as my hubby kindy referred to it. The back was designed to be ruffled, but since my bust is too large, it takes most of the extra material - and makes it look odd... Not fitted - but not ruffled either. So next one, Im going to make it deliberately fitted on the back.

Gosh it was difficult to get these shots... I wish I had some nicer ones - more so than these self taken timer ones... Maybe I can get Jason to take some nice ones for me!