Purple Ombre sweatshirt refashion

Yes I am publishing a sweatshirt refashion in the middle of summer. However, I did this a little while ago and we did have a few bouts where I put it on. The weather has been a little odd here. I liked this sweatshirt as it was on the thinner side and also was long.

But it was big. And actually I didn't like the bottom band. Cut that off first.Then took in the arms and the sides.

I decided I didn't like the ombre on the sleeves. So I cut off the wrist band, the cut off 6 inches of the sleeves, and then reattached the bands.
Hem with my double needle. Yay! Done

Simple, easy,

Yeah! Much nicer improvement. Would work nicely with some skinny jeans or leggings. 

Cheers,
Lauren

Union Jack Sweatshirt Refashion, #91

I think this sweatshirt I found was a mens. It was a size small and it was still pretty big on me. I always need warm clothes. I also wanted to give this sweatshirt a little bit of a personality. I have seen a bunch of union jack items and thought, oooh! I could add that!

First, time to just take in. I hemmed with my twin needle- OMG LOVE!!! I also took off the bands from the bottom of the shirt and sleeves.

Next, I had this holey sweatshirt that I really can only use for scraps.

I have used it previously to refashion another sweatshirt but I made a heart. Click here for the post!

I first printed out the flag so I would be accurate. I also printed out the size I wanted to achieve for the sweatshirt. Then I traced what I would need for the red part on one sheet of paper and then the same for the white. Cut out. I used scrap white fabric that was like t-shirt material. I lined it up as center I could. Then I cut out the red.

 

I sat down and watched a movie and grabbed some embroidery floss. In red and white. I then hand stitched it to my shirt. Which this is the first hand stitching I have done since my injury. I can do it but MAN! Sometimes I get nerve flares. Eek! Here is me almost done. I just had to add the small stripes. 

And here it is done! In LOVE!!!! BTW I would like to draw some attention to my legs.I started aerial yoga and I saw this picture and noticed that it has begun to get my legs in nice shape! Yay!

Up close

Yeah for new sweatshirt! A much better improvement! Here is the recap!

8 more to go !!!!

Cheers,
Lauren

I heart my new sweatshirt- a refashion

Take one plain grey sweatshirt....

Plus a red zipper sweatshirt

wait let me adjust the flash..... here we go!

So what do you get? I (heart) my sweatshirt. So what the heck am I talking about?

First I took in the sides of the sweatshirt and sleeves. I pinned myself in.

Sew and Serge

Next the problem with the red zip up... Holes!

But I just loved the fabric color, etc. So looks like I need to use it for something else. I'm going to add a heart to the sweatshirt! First grab some paper. Fold in half!

Draw a heart! This I actually did in the first try which amazed me. So quick!

cut

Pin to the red sweat shirt. Draw with a disappearing marker. Cut

Now I want to attach but I don't want to glue it. I thought I would use just a simple backstitch to attach. First pick the color. Ding we have a winner

I pinned the heck out of the heart on the sweat shirt. I tried the shirt on and literally pinned it while it was on. And there was no blood. Win! Then sew! Which was at times awkward to sew.

Yay done here is my new sweat shirt. and omg!! I LOVE it!

xoxoxo,

Lauren

Day 64: The owl burberry sweater knockoff

I know this post accidentally leaked last week for a few minutes. And wow let me tell you, in those few minutes I got a lot of hits on my blog! I was shocked. Finally, I have finished this project. I saw this sweater (thought it was a sweat shirt though) in an Issue of Instyle Magazine. I immediately fell for it. Apparently this season, tops with animals on them are a big thing.

I did not however fall for the price- this pretty little Burberry sweater cost $1,295 on their website. Holy cow! Um no! So this was my inspiration. I started with a thrifted grey sweatshirt.

First I need to make it not look so much like a sweatshirt. I removed the top collar, the bottom band, and the arm bands. Additionally I pulled off that triangle applique from the neckline (which took really long).

Next, I decided I was going to embroider an owl on it. Luckily right at this time I stumbled on a company called Sublime Stitching. They offer different sorts of embroidery patterns and threads for hand embroidery. I won some of their Metallic Thread from Sew News and this is how I came to know them. So glad I did!!! Lo and behold, they had Owlbert and I decided that this was going to be on my shirt. I used my embroidery pencil and traced the pattern, and ironed-on to my sweatshirt. I used the full sized image of the owl but did not do the moon or stars. Not bad for my first time!

First, I finished the neckline of my sweatshirt so I had a basic understanding on how the shirt was going to sit.

Then I started to embroider. I don't know many fancy stitches but I do know backstitching from all the cross-stitch kits I have done. I also had a wonderful stash of DMC thread from my friend Sonja. They were actually her grandmother's!

I didn't add all elements of the pattern as you can see but I did give him a beak. Maybe it was because I was sick while doing this on my couch but I thought it would be cute.

Now this needed to be de-bulked and the bottom trim removed. I took it in using my dressform, sewed, and then serged out the excess.

Lastly, I hemmed the arms, the neckline, and bottom part of the top. To resist fraying I edged it with a zig zag stitch, then folded over and sewed down.

Here is my end sweatshirt.

I am ready for winter! I really liked the way he turned out. I could also so all 80s and pair it with a tank top and let the neckline move. I would love to pair it with other button down shirts (this was the only one I had available as my winter stuff is packed since it is still summer here in Mobile) and a skirt with some tights. Would probably look cute peaking out from a blazer. Not a bad copy cat either, and much more budget friendly. :) I also equally love my owl. I want to put him on other things I just don't know what yet! BTW fellow bellydancers, they offer bellydance embroidery patterns! OMG Love! I will definitely use my metallic thread for these patterns. I am so itching to try!

For the rest of my 90 days of blogging to DC click here (26 days, not that I am counting).

xoxoxo,
Lauren