The Bronte top

I feel slightly victorious that I have been able to keep up with blogging. And a little bit of sewing too! :) Yay!

My next pattern is the Bronte top from Jennifer Lauren Vintage.

Again it was part of a pattern parcel. This was a really awesome pattern parcel.

I used another knit from my knits I purchased from G street fabrics that one shopping trip. :) I am still working through these fabrics!

I used the pink and royal blue chevron like fabric. But it was thin so I selected another pink fabric to line underneath. So double cutting, but I also used the pink for the binding strips. I thought it would be a fun twist of a vintage pattern with a modern, funky fabric. It was pretty easy to sew. The size was spot on and perfect! LOVE! That's why I sewing independent patterns!

Here is my new shirt! I know it is a bit bright but I love it! 

Just the side/back view- the fit is really good!

I got a lot of compliments on this top. Really comfy too. I am really happy with the outcome and I will make again. I will try for a long sleeve probably this winter.

Cheers!
Lauren

Green shorts refashion

Again, I am always looking for shorts. Found these big shorts that might have some potential.

Time to take them in! I unpicked the hem first.

Then I took in the sides.

I hated the length, so I cut it off.

Added a new hem and shorts are done!

In the above picture- yeah I was falling when the camera snapped. LOL I have not worn heals in a LONG time living here in D.C.

Here's the recap, 2 totally different pairs of shorts.

Cheers,
Lauren

Pants to skinny jeans

This week switching up to a refashion. Do you see a sort of trend? I always need more pants and prepping for future colder weather, I wanted more skinny jeans. But I don't like some skinny jeans from the stores as they are so tight, they cut off circulation. That and there's not enough room to bend and squat, which I do a lot at work. Time to make my own! I wanted black pants since I don't have any.

These pants fit really well in the thighs and my butt and hip area. So really all I need to fix is the lower legs. So I put on my pants inside out and pinned them. Yes I pinned them on myself. Then they were a bit too long when the cuffs were unpicked with my seam ripper. So off went the length.

So here is a trick when you are sewing black thread with black fabric... it was almost impossible to find where the thread was in order to properly fuse the good portion of the old seam with the new seam- that black thread with the denim weave is just impossible. So the trick is to use chalk- it makes the seam pop right out and poof easy to sew! So I sewed my seam and then cut off with my serger.

Yeah so new jeans, semi-skinny since I have room to move but they are good to tuck into a boot in the winter and fall.

Good length too!

Here's the recap...

The side by side comparison really shows how they changed. But an easy refashion. Hardest thing was pinning them!!

Cheers,
Lauren

Summer Concert Tee

I have had this shirt sadly done for a while I just keep forgetting to take a photo. This pattern was from a pattern parcel that I purchased last year. The pattern is from Dixie DIY.

I added a few inches to the bottom but I did in wrong in hindsight. I used this very thin almost tissue knit fabric. It was an easy sew- I sewed an XS b/c it appeared big from some of the reviews I have read. I am happy with the results of the pattern, the fabric on the other hand is really thin and grabs things. I have to wear a tank top underneath. I also didn't properly adjust the length addition- if you can see in the pictures, the side hem comes up high and then goes back down. It was worse and that was my fix. Guess pattern drafting is still something I need to learn. ;)

I would definitely do this pattern again with a heavier knit (and not tissue knit which didn't take well with the double needle). But easy sew!

Cheers,
Lauren

Ahoy #2- a pencil skirt

These were another pair of pants that were $1. I bought them the same time I bought the other sailor-ish pants that I turned into shorts (click here for more information)

When I initially tried them on they were big and didn't sit right. I gave up and washed them. When I washed them, they sort of shrunk and then I took the picture ... They were much bigger prior to washing I promise!

But these pants still sit sort of odd. Can't salvage them as pants. Plus those gold buttons as pants just don't work. But this would make a great pencil skirt!

So off I went to convert pants to a skirt. Super easy of course, just had to get past the BIAS TAPE SEAMS... I just opted to cut them off. No need to make my life complicated. Then I took my seam ripper and pulled out the inner leg seams. Actually, I ripped them off like the Hulk opening up a bag of potato chips.

Poof, open. Flatten them out and sew out the J shape of the inseam. Cut off the bottom. Hem.

Done. But wait, 2 of the gold button tab front jumped ship. This of course meant finding where they decided to hide in my apartment (yeah that took awhile!). I sewed them back on.

Yeah! Yay for new skirt!

 I just love this skirt! Just way too cute!

Here is the recap!

These pants just work better as a skirt! 

Cheers,

Lauren