my first shirt refashion {sewing projects}

Katy R, 2 Comments

This is my first attempt at a “refashion” for an article of clothing for myself. I’ve done one other refashion project but it was taking a t-shirt and making it into a dress for Amelia. It went so-so. The dress was cute but not exactly how I pictured it. I decided that maybe I should start with something easier for myself since, up until this point, I had never successfully sewn an article of clothing that I deemed worth of wearing in public.

The idea was very simple. Take a shirt that I didn’t like anymore (weird sleeves, kind of awkward – what was I thinking when I bought it in the first place?) and transform it into something better and more wearable. Here’s the original.

I hesitated at first before making any cuts to the fabric. Thanks to the wonder of the internet I *knew* or at least believed to be true that I could cut knit fabric and it wouldn’t fray (is it made of MAGIC?! Seriously how is this possible?) but I was still worried that it wouldn’t work for me. I hovered there, scissors in mid air. Should I cut? And then I remembered that this shirt was recovered from my goodwill pile. I was going to give it away. So what’s the worst that could happen? I totally butcher it? And then give it away – like I was planning to do anyway.

So I plunged ahead – snipping first one and then the other sleeve off just below the shoulder seam. And in so doing discovered that there is something totally cathartic in just chopping up an article of clothing that you don’t like. I immediately felt better and more productive. The shirt without the sleeves was an improvement in itself, but I decided to take the fabric I had cut off and make it into some little flowers. Shirts with flowers are all the rage right now, didn’t you know? And every time I see one I think “man that is overpriced, I could definitely make that myself” So what better time than now to try?

Here is the finished product (photographed in much better light than the “before” picture – note to self – do not photograph things after dark in horrendous artificial lighting). I’m quite pleased with it.

I can’t believe I waited so long to try something like this out – it makes me want to run into my closet and pull out any shirt that’s “so-so” and hack it to bits. I have my eye on at least 5 internet tutorials for making cute girly shirts from abandoned large men’s t-shirts so I think I’ll attempt one of those next. Yay for making something you love from something you really couldn’t care less about.

my first shirt refashion {sewing projects}

day 50: lookie what I made

Katy R1 Comment

day 50: I’ve been in a bit of a creative rut – looking at and wanting to do a lot of cool projects I’ve found online, but not having a space to do them in and getting frustrated. Our place definitely doesn’t have a “craft room” and I hate to leave a huge mess on the dining room table (which Paul can now easily reach up and grab things off of). So my solution for today was a super quick mini-project. Sorry for the terrible pictures. I’ll take a better one tomorrow. In around an hour I made a shirt I really didn’t like (and was going to throw away) into one I that I like much much better. I’m quite pleased.

day 50: lookie what I made

what I really need is another blog {an intro}

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I am a wife. I am a small business owner. I am a stay at home mom to twin toddlers. I run a photo tips blog for moms. I have a photo a day 365 project blog. I have a blog for my family and friends to keep up with the life of our kids. So of course I don’t have nearly enough things to do. I think I’ll start another blog.

I have a whole slew of super cute and clever crafting and mommy blogs in my google reader and bookmarks folder. Ever time I read one of them I think “man, where do they find the time to be so darn cute and clever and crafty?” and I think I should start one too. But come on, let’s be realistic here. I don’t have time for a frequently updated and super cutesy blog where I teach other people how to make fabulous things. I just don’t. What I *do* have time for (or at least I’m hoping I have time for) is a sporadically posted-on blog for all of the random things that I do or think or type that I want to put on the internet but don’t fall neatly into one of the categories for the other blogs I already keep. So if I feel like shouting something into the internet universe and it doesn’t belong on my photo a day blog or the family blog, you’ll probably find it here.

I am still not sure what kind of posts will end up this blog. I’m thinking probably a lot of nonsense and occasional “hey I made this” ramblings and photos. But we shall see.

Welcome to (yet another of) my blog(s).

what I really need is another blog {an intro}

day 48: big book readin’ boy

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day 48: most of the time I spend with the kids is reading them books. We actually put all of the downstairs books where they couldn’t reach them so that they would play with some other toys because if it was up to them that is all they would do. Today we were home for a long time in the afternoon so I pulled out the downstairs books. And we spent a LOT of time reading them. Paul was very perturbed that I wanted to take a picture of him reading instead of helping him read – “but MOM… read me the BOOK”. So I put down the camera after this picture.

day 48: big book readin’ boy

day 47: new shoes

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day 47: since it’s been so hot I thought it would be appropriate to go on a quest for new summery sandals (seriously… what is up with the roasting weather?) This is what I came up with. Kind of ridiculous but I like them… a metallic garden party on my feet. I think I’ll wear them with dresses this spring. Or now. Whichever.

day 47: new shoes

day 46: february summer

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day 46: apparently summer starts in February in southern California. I had thought that the reason it was so warm this weekend was that we were in Palm Springs. But I was mistaken. It was 80 degrees here today as well. Time to break out the shorts and t-shirts, although most of them are much too small. We also got the kids their first pair of big kid sandals… they look huge to me wearing those shoes. And as a special “you’ve been good shopping” treat they got to have some fruit smoothie with dinner. Paul looks disgruntled because they had to take turns drinking the smoothie. “MOM… when is it going to be MY turn to drink the smoothie?!”

day 46: february summer