Verity Vintage Studio

4th of July Vintage Toddler Dress Makeover

Some time ago, I got this vintage toddler dress from a seller on Instagram. It was priced low because the skirt was badly rust-stained, but I knew I could do something with it so I kept it until my oldest daughter grew into this size.

 

The thin cotton had leaked the rust stains through, so it was stained both front and back, and the buttons had disintegrated. But all the stains were on the lower 2/3rds of the skirt, so the bodice (which is where all the cute detail was) was untouched.

 

It was a simple matter to trim off the skirt a few inches down, and using that to measure, cut a length of contrast fabric to replace it with.

 

Of course the shoulder button replacement was super easy - so here it is with a fresh life, just in time for the 4th of July festivities!

 

She calls it her "parade dress", and loves it - though I couldn't get her to smile for these pictures. :-) 

 

I like it also as an example of how versatile a basic pattern is, as a background canvas for creative trimming. 

 

Here's an actual smile!

 

We are having a low-key 4th today, but the children got to jump in a bouncy house and gathered up their long-awaited buckets of candy from the parade, so they are happy. 

Happy Independence Day!

 

"They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?

...There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave."

-Patrick Henry, 1775

Easy Infant Cheater Puff Quilt Tutorial with Poppie Cotton

When I saw the adorable panels by Poppie Cotton for their new Hopscotch & Freckles fabric line, I knew immediately I wanted to make a cheater version of a puff quilt.

 

I chose my favorite color way of the cute pictorial panel, as well as some backing and binding. To make this size quilt, you will need around 1 1/4 yards of each fabric for front and back, and just over 1/4 yard for binding. 

 

Start by pressing the front and back fabric. Then lay out your front fabric. (You can of course use a non-panel fabric, but then you will have to mark your own grids. This panel has a grid of 3 x 4". A larger grid could work, but I don't recommend going smaller.)

Since I am working within the limits of the fabric print, I didn't get an exact yard cut, since I wanted to have complete pictures. So I just measured the closest to 36" in each direction, and trimmed the fabric about an inch farther out.

 

You will be stitching your final row on these two lines, and trim off the excess later. 

 

Now get your backing. This quilt will be reversible, so you can use a basic like I did, or mix it up with another fun print. Keep in mind that you won't be able to keep it straight though, so a striped fabric, for instance, will probably end up looking crooked.

 

Lay them out wrong sides together and put a few pins in to keep them in place for now. The backing should be a little larger than the top fabric to allow for shifting. 

 

Now we are going to stitch the first row of lines. It's so handy to have the lines to follow on the fabric! We will stitch the horizontal lines first, starting in the middle, and stitching each one across the fabric. 

 

When you get to the last row on the grid, go ahead and stitch it. The rest of it will be trimmed later.

 

Here is my fabric with all the horizontal stitched lines. You won't need any more pins, as this quite secures the two fabric layers together. 

 

Now it's time to start making and stuffing the pockets! We again start in the middle, and stitch the first vertical line.

 

Now that a 3 sided pocket has been made, it's time to stuff it and stitch it closed, which also makes the next pocket. This is the PERFECT use for leftover quilt batting that has been trimmed from your quilts but isn't wide enough to reuse easily. 

You will need to experiment with how much to use. Start with less, as it's easier to add more than to take some back out. Stick it in the first channel and tamp it down with a ruler or some such object. (Even this small of a quilt, the first rows are a bit harder to do, so if you cut your fabric larger for a bigger quilt, be prepared for the center rows to be challenging.)

 

Once you're satisfied with the fullness, hold it down with your hand and stitch about 2/3rds of the way across it.

 

Stop with the needle DOWN, and stuff the next one.

 

Continue all along the first row. Here is my first row. You can see that it will draw up the fabric so it's no longer flat and straight. The good news is that if you stitch a crooked row or something, it won't be noticeable at all. 

 

Continue working from the center out, stuffing each pocket and stitching it closed. Here is my first half done.

 

Now rotate the quilt and work from the center out in the opposite direction. It will get pretty bulky but this size is still small enough to handle fairly well. 

All done!

 

Now trim with a scissors about 1/2" from the edge of the outer stitched line.

 

You can see it is ruffled, and thus if you do a regular quilt binding, it will ruffle too. I have a tip for that, so hang on.

 

Cut and press your binding strip just like for a regular quilt. I cut mine 2 1/4" wide, joined them end to end, and pressed in half. Since I wanted to machine stitch this binding, I'm sewing it to the wrong side of the quilt.

As you sew the binding, take a pinch out of each pocket section, and pleat or fold it over. This will use up the extra fabric and keep the edge from ruffling.

 

All finished! Look at the fun plush texture.

 

While it can be used as a crib blanket or comforter, my main goal was to make a floor quilt that has more padding, so that when an infant has tummy time, the little head is more protected from the hard floor. Of course I had to try it out with my own baby girl.

 

Got a few smiles too!

 

Look at the adorable pictures and the fun puffs.

 

Mine shrank down to about 31-32", but that's still a good size for an infant.

 

It's the new favorite play blanket of my older children as well. And I made it from start to finish, even with taking photos, in a few hours. I hope if you try one you let me know how it turns out!

 

Check out the other creations on this fabric tour:

Monday, February 21	http://prettybyhand.com/
Wednesday, February 23	https://charismascorner.com/
Friday, February 25	theredfeedsack.blogspot.com
Monday, February 28	https://bretquiltdesigns.com/
Wednesday, March 2	http://www.abrightcorner.com/
Friday, March 4	http://www.linenbouquet.com
Monday, March 7	http://neverlandstitches.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, March 9	https://verityvintagestudio.typepad.com/my-blog/
Friday, March 11	http://happylittlecottage.blogspot.com/

 

Anne of Green Gables Bookmark - Tutorial

 

I am a huge fan of the Anne of Green Gables books. I don't remember how early I read them...I've always grown up with them. I consider the last book, Rilla of Ingleside, to be a quite unique and special must read - it can be read as a standalone book if desired, and certainly taught me more about WWI than all my school books put together. I re-read the series about every year, and often re-read portions or books that I've been thinking about. A trip to PEI is on my dream bucket list. 

 

All of that to say...I'm a fan. So when I saw that Riley Blake Designs had a new Anne of Green Gables fabric line, I had to find a use for some of it!

My favorite is the scenic print with scenes from the book. The people were the perfect height to do some fussy cutting, so I made some bookmarks. Here is how. 

 

First I made my template. From a piece of cardboard, I cut a rectangle, and trimmed the top corners. Mine ended up about 3 x 5".

 

Then I cut a window in the middle. It doesn't have to be pretty, just big enough for you to see the center design. If you wish, you can mark seam allowance too. 

 

See how different it can look depending on which design you center?

 

I chose 3 of the pictures and cut them out carefully with my rotary cutter. Alternatively, you could draw around the template with a pen and cut it out with scissors. 

 

Next use the template to cut out backings for each. These don't have to be fussy cut, so you can do all at once if you wish. 

 

My pieces all laid out and ready.

 

Next I used some fusible interfacing scraps to stiffen one side of each bookmark. (Here you see I interfaced the back - I wasn't paying attention, because you should interface the front.)

 

Trim the interfacing.

 

One more step before we sew - decide what to use for a tassel. It will need to be placed on the right side with the strings as shown. 

 

Now place the back to front, right sides together, and sew around it, leaving the bottom edge open.

 

At the top, be careful to catch all layers plus the tassels!

 

Now trim corners if desired, turn and press.

 

Turn up the raw bottom edges to the inside and press them too.

 

Next take it back to the machine and top stitch very close to the edge all the way around. This will close the bottom gap as well as keep it lying flat and give it a more polished look.

 

All finished! Repeat for the other two bookmarks. 

 

As you can see, it's easy to switch up the look. 

 

These are all ready for reading adventures! The interfacing keeps them stiff enough that they hold their shape, but they are still flexible. Such a fun quick gift idea for a book loving friend!

 

Then just for fun, I made a zipper bag to go with it. 

 

The larger picture from the scenic fabric was a perfect appliqué for the front (incidentally I love how true to the book these illustration are!) I stitched it on with a tight zigzag stitch to keep from fraying, then covered the edges with the sweetest vintage dainty lace.

 

It's the perfect size for lots of things like sewing notions...

 

...or the new bookmarks of course. 

 

But I purposefully made it the right size to hold a book. I like to take books along when traveling, and it's easy to mess them up in the car. This little quilted bag will keep the book safe and protected between perusals. 

 

I still have some Anne fabric left, so maybe I will come up with more projects. But for now, I'm so happy with these sweet small projects - a nice quick break from dressmaking!

 

And of course they delight my kindred-spirit-to-Anne heart. 

Tutorial - Easy EPP Hexie Potholders 2 Way

This charming flower shape made with hexagons is a common and favorite motif for quilters. Called "Grandmother's Flower Garden", it's one of the easiest and most recognizable shapes to make with hexagons (usually using the English paper piecing method), and there are so many varieties possible depending on fabric choice and placement. 

 

Did you know that you can do Grandmother's garden flowers 2 ways? 

For these appliques I used fusible leave-in templates by Hugs 'n' Kisses, but the traditional card method would work too. I first chose some prints from the lovely Blue Stitch line by Riley Blake Designs, then fused 1" hexagon papers to the back. I fused 7 for one flower, and 6 for another.

 

Next I cut them out with an approximate 1/4" allowance.

 

Then folded the edges over and glued them down. If you use craft glue like I did, make sure it is water soluble.

 

Once all the hexagons are glued, they can be assembled. You can either do it by hand or machine. I did mine by machine because that was fastest, but the stitches aren't as neat - I do prefer to assemble by hand. 

Assemble the 7 in a flower shape, and the 6 in a ring, leaving the center open.

 

The open ring method not only saves time, but allows for some fun customization. You can see here that it makes a good chance to do some variety in placement if you simply appliqué on a floral piece of fabric, which would be a super quick way to finish.

 

I decided instead to appliqué on a plain white piece, and freehand embroider the center instead, drawing inspiration from one of the prints in this fabric line.

 

I placed each appliqué on a center of a square of fabric and a square of cotton batting, appliquéing through both of those layers. You want to use the blind hem stitch on your machine, with the straight stitches right beside the EPP, and EPP caught with the swing over of the needle.

 

The solid flower can be just appliquéd around the edges and you're done. The ring flower needs to appliquéd in the center as well. It makes such a cute frame!

 

Next they can be trimmed to size - I did mine 7" square - and then placed against a piece of backing cut the same size and bound, just like any other quilt project. 

 

It's ok to not quilt through the backing since it's such a small project, but if you prefer to add more quilting that's up to you! It would look great with some big stitch quilting outlining the flower shape.

It's so fun how they coordinate perfectly yet are different. 

 

As you can tell, it would be a great scrap project to use up small pieces. And how sweet for a housewarming gift? 

 

I like the one with embroidery - it seemed fitting to use blue stitches to decorate a line called Blue Stitch. :-) You get the same overall look as the solid flower, but with less time and effort, plus a little more versatility for decoration. 

 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial of how to make one of the favorite beginner EPP shapes two different ways! Of course you can use the appliqués on anything...quilt patches, bags, pillows, etc. The limits are endless.

Tutorial: Quilted Crochet Hook Caddy with Poppie Cotton

I have a bad habit of making all sorts of new and exciting things that I use occasionally, meanwhile wearing something I use all the time to tatters because I technically could make a new one but just don't get around to it. Finally a need became something exciting! Meet my new crochet hook caddy.

 

I'm so excited to be able to share some projects with you during the next few months, partnering with Poppie Cotton for some blog tours. I have a lovely stack of their prints to play with, and my first project was quick, easy, and practical!

 

I've needed new crochet hook storage in my crochet bag for a long time. (That same tattered and threadbare crochet bag is a separate issue...) Combine that with the prettiest prints from Poppie Cotton's new Dots and Posies fabric line, and it was the perfect way to showcase a few of my favorite prints and meet a need.

 

If you're in the same boat, here is how I made this adorable roll-up caddy in just a few hours. Handy tip: if you don't crochet, it can be used for paintbrushes, or a pencil case instead.

It would be the perfect gift for a special crafter in your life.

 

For this project I cut two pieces of fabric to measure 19” x 8 1/2”. One will be the outside, one the inside. (If you are making a caddy for something longer than crochet hooks, cut these panels as high as your tallest article, plus a couple inches.)

From a third print I cut a piece measuring 19” x 10”.

 

I cut some cotton quilt batting the same size as to the first panel and made my quilt sandwich.

 

I highly recommend spray basting for this step.

 

Once basted and smooth, press the larger 19 x 10” piece in half lengthwise. This will form your pocket.

Lay it along the bottom of your sandwich on the inside, all raw edges matching and the fold toward the center.

 

You could pin it in place if you like – I didn't have trouble with mine shifting.

Next I marked the center with a vertical line in a water soluble pen.

 

On each side I marked again lines at 1” intervals, until the whole piece is covered with vertical lines.

 

Now stitch these lines. This does double duty of both quilting and making your pockets.

I started in the center and stitched every other line first, to keep it in place, then went back over and stitched the between lines.

 

Square up if needed.

 

Next cut a 4” piece of elastic (I used elastic lace because it is prettier) and pin it to the center of one end with the raw edges together. This will be stitched in with the binding and make a button loop for closure.

 

Bind just like any other quilt project. The binding will both finish the edge and stitch closed the bottom of the pockets. Make sure to catch the elastic ends and all the layers when you stitch this spot.

 

I needed to cut 2 2 1/4” strips WOF to have a long enough piece of binding. I stitched with the pocket side facing, but since both sides of this project are basically the right side and will be visible, it's up to you.

 

On the other side I made sure to take small invisible stitches to keep it as finished-looking as possible, since like I said there is no real wrong side to this project.

 

Fill with your crochet hooks and roll it up before you decide where to place the button.

 

All done! So nice that I can see them all at a glance. The smaller hooks can even be doubled up in the pockets if necessary, but when rolled up they are fairly secure and don't fall out easily.

 

Since I crochet quite a lot, I love that now I can handle some of this pretty fabric frequently, as well as have a solution for my crochet hook storage!

 

The elastic loop works perfectly to hold the roll secure with a little give if I don't roll it quite exactly the same tightness. Also this is a great way to use up one of those orphan vintage buttons!

 

I just love the giant rose and polka dot print, as well as the aqua polka dots...so happy to be able to use them a lot and give them a place to shine. This is just the prettiest line of vintage-inspired fabric!

 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and will share photos if you try one yourself. Now I'm off to crochet!

 

Simple Squares: Romantic Pastel Patchwork Runner

This is a simple project that brought me a disproportionate amount of happiness. :-) 

 

Last summer I picked up a baby quilt at an antique shop. It was just a lot of squares pieced together randomly, and hand quilted. I hung it over my baby's crib and enjoyed picking out my favorite 1930s prints while I rocked the baby.

 

I realized there are a lot of possible patterns that could be made just by color placement in a simple patchwork design like this, so when I saw Riley Blake Design's new Rose & Violet's Garden fabric in its dreamy pastels and romantic florals, I knew exactly what I wanted to make. 

 

I cut out a bunch of easy 2 1/2" squares. I had quarter yard cuts to use, but of course a precut 2 1/2" strip bundle would work for this perfectly. (For those interested in the details, I ended up using 35 pink squares, and 95 other colors to make a runner 14" x 36".)

 

Then I laid out just the pinkest squares in an Irish Chain design, filling in the rest with the other colors. It was very relaxing and simple! No complicated blocks or pressing headaches...I would lay out 3 rows at a time, not even stressing out about directional prints or thinking too much about print placement, then chain piece them and join them in short rows.

 

It grew quickly, even with working on it only ten minutes or so at a time.

Once it was large enough (and the design was finished out), I gave it a good press and quilted it just like my inspiration quilt - in crosshatch diagonal lines across the squares. 

 

I just eyeballed it, and didn't even bother switching to my walking foot. Perfection was not the goal - rather just fun sewing. I had recently finished a more complicated quilt top and was feeling a little burnt out, so this more mindless pleasure quilting was exactly what I needed.

 

And I was so pleased with the result! The pink design is subtle, and all the fabric prints are so lovely. I usually gravitate toward brighter fabric, but when I first saw this collection coming out, I was captivated entirely by it and wanted so badly to make something with it, especially since it is the exact right color palette for my baby girl's room. Thanks to Riley Blake that dream came true!

 

All those gorgeous toiles, polka dots, handwriting, roses, colors...just perfection! Reminds me of Victorian gardens.

 

It goes so perfectly on her vintage 1950s pink ripple-front dresser!

 

The original inspiration and my version. I used larger squares as you can see.

 

More projects for the nursery out of this fabric line will be upcoming, I'm sure...but for now this runner makes me smile every time I walk past. And it's a great reminder that you don't always have to make something elaborate. Sometimes simple is best (and more enjoyable) after all. 

 

Quick & Easy Pullover to Cardigan Makeover for Christmas

Due to a crazy fall – deadlines, house renovation and moving, and a family loss – I have not sewn anything since the first week of October. This means I haven't even started on my Fall/Winter sewing list, and the winter is half over. But on the other hand, it also means I have enjoyed getting more wear out of previous makes. And also did more small projects, like turning this pullover into a cardigan.

 

This sweater is a duplicate in ladies' size of one my brother got last Christmas. I liked it so much I tracked down one for me, but when it arrived I wasn't sure if I wanted to try to shorten it to a more flattering length, or turn it into a cardigan.

 

It stayed on my mending/alteration rack for a whole year.

Just before Christmas when I was thinking about what to wear Christmas Day, I remembered this sweater. After some debate, I decided that I would get a lot more wear out of it as a cardigan, so here's how I altered it.

1. I matched the side seams (you can also measure & mark the center) and cut it down the center.

Next, I fused a 1” strip of fusible interfacing to the underside of each cut. I've tried making pullovers into cardigans before, but this is the first time I used fusible interfacing – and it makes a huge difference! It keeps the edges from fraying while you work, and keeps them from stretching out of shape.

 

At this point you could just fold over the front edge and hem it, but this sweater was already a bit small for me and I didn't want to take any extra fabric. So I sewed single fold bias tape to each raw edge, unfolding it all the way out and stitching along the fold line.

 

Next all I had to do was fold it in, tuck down the top and bottom edges, and hand stitch it. Catching just the underside of the knit makes an invisible seam.

 

All done! I could have added buttons and buttonholes at this point, but as I said the sweater was already tight for me, so an open front cardigan was best. I definitely would try the buttonholes for another project though to make it a true button-down cardigan.

 

There are lots of other ways to make pullovers into cardigans, including totally unpicking the seams and cutting it down if it's too large, or adding decorative stitches or trims to the front to hide your seams. This is just the way I did it for this one.

 

And as I anticipated, it gets a lot more wear as a cardigan. Already it's my go-to winter sweater.

 

I just love the vintage styling of the decorative yoke, while at the same time it looks festive for Christmas but not so Christmassy that I can't wear it for the rest of the winter.

 

So there's a quick and easy sweater refashion for the colder months! Next time when thrifting if you see a pretty pullover but you're a cardigan girl, you can go ahead and get it, having the confidence that you can turn it into a winter closet staple.

 

I may have a few other sweaters that need this treatment now that I know how fast and effective it is!

 

Project Journal: Thrifted Sweater Coat Made 1930s

Something a little different this week! As the weather has turned chilly again, I've rediscovered how much I like sweater coats. They are less formal than jackets, longer and more versatile than regular sweaters, and especially nice for long car rides since they provide warmth for going in and out of the car, without the excessive heat and bulk of a long wool coat during the ride. 

I already own one and was happy to pick up two new ones recently. One was this lovely cream colored one, with quite a bit of cute detail. I especially liked the thin cotton yarn used (not a fan of acrylic if I can get cotton!) and the nubby texture, while the neutral color will go with anything!

 

I definitely saw possibilities in it, but it had some modern elements I didn't like so much - especially those huge, decorative shiny plastic buttons, and a random modern buckle on the neck.

 

I did some research, looking at 1930s swagger coats for inspiration of ways I could make this more me - more suitable for a vintage style wardrobe. After deciding on the route I wanted to take, I got started.

 

First off, those shiny plastic buttons and the buckle were removed.

 

Under each one was a small hole, probably put there by the factory to mark the button placement. I could have covered it by replacing with a vintage button, but I had a different idea. So each hole got a quick darn to close it. Thanks to the nubby texture of the knit, it camouflaged the darn pretty well.

 

Next, I tightened the back belt by folding a pinch of it and inserting through a vintage belt buckle. A common 1930s fashion element was a buckle in the back - and besides, it was a great way to tighten the belt without having to take out the side seams and cut the belt shorter. Instead of sewing it in place, I did use a safety pin to allow for versatility. This way I can swap out buckles when I want to. 

 

The sleeves got a quick hem since they had been too long when I tried it on. Just an inch turn-up made the fit much better.

 

I just love the slanted lines on the front - another perfect fit for the 1930s look I'm going for.

 

I had put some thought into the neck. Because the 1930s were big on collars and sleeves, often swagger coats had some sort of fancy element there. Since I was working with an existing sweater, I tried to think of a way to dress up the neck/shoulder area. I got inspiration from a photo, and purchased a Pashmina scarf for a few dollars online.

It was supposed to be ivory, but it is still much whiter than the sweater. Oh well, that way it will just coordinate with more colors. It's still all neutral.

 

I cut the scarf in half across the center of the width, and pleated it closely together, fastening the cut end of each half on the shoulder where it would be covered with the decorative tab already there.

 

The last step was to replace a button back on each tab - only a pretty vintage one this time!

 

While the finished sweater coat may not look completely 1930s, it's much closer than the more modern one it was originally. Therefore much more my style, and goes with my wardrobe better.

 

The scarf coming from each shoulder creates some versatility with ways to wear it, too. 

 

 

I paired it with a 1930s dress I made a long time ago that has issues, but is still a favorite, especially of my early projects. Also true vintage accessories in chocolate brown and burgundy.

 

(I hope these lovely autumn leaves last long enough for me to get a few more outfit photo shoots done! I love this time of year, yet I think we will get an early winter this year...so fall is not lasting very long, sadly.)

 

It only took a half hour to make this into a version I like - so much faster than making a new one! Just another reason to keep your eye open when thrifting for those classic styles (or vintage style elements) that give you something to work with. Think creatively, and it opens a lot of possibilities.

 

After all...you can't beat a 99 cent, half-hour swagger coat added to your fall wardrobe!

Polka Dot Skirt Makeover into 1950s 2 Piece

I've already mentioned that I've been searching for elastic waist skirts lately, and began to re-appreciate tiered skirts when I found the 1940s style Mexican skirt. Lately, still thinking along those lines, I pulled a skirt out of my closet and looked at it closely - I've had it for years and rarely wear it because it's just too long for practical everyday wear. I step on it. Yet it is one of my few skirts with an elastic waist and is a lovely navy blue and white polka dot rayon fabric. Surely I could do something with that!

 

Because of its style, I immediately thought "1950s" and tried it on over my crinoline.

Some promise, but way too long. It looks more like a Civil War era skirt at this point.

 

Trimming it shorter was the obvious answer, so I pinned it up to see how it would look. I decided 6 inches needed to come off.

 

But wouldn't that look strange to have just a 6 inch piece on the bottom when the other tiers are much wider? 

The answer presented itself in the form of rickrack, which if I put a strand on each seam and one in the center of the center tier, would break it up fairly evenly and be very 1950s appropriate. More pinning ensued...

 

I measured the bottom tier and marked with tailor's chalk where the 6 inch line was (it took forever to go around that skirt) and then cut, serged, and top-stitched a narrow hem. Thankfully it was a straight edge so the hem didn't pucker for me.

It looks better already!

 

The rickrack took a while as well,  but it was simply top stitching. It just took 3 trips around the width of the skirt.

There! Already I have a much cuter and more wearable vintage style skirt, and it took just a short time to alter, compared to making a new one. No more wasting time in my closet, unworn.

 

(I think I've already mentioned that I love polka dots!)

 

But there was more. With the wide strip cut from the skirt's hem, I had some polka dot fabric on hand. I wanted a blouse that I could use the polka dots as a neck tie and narrow sleeve bands (both something that could be cut from the width I had to work with) and found exactly what I needed in view 3 of this pattern. I had made another view of it previously, so I knew it was comfortable.

 

I picked up some white linen from my stash and cut it out, making it a tad larger so it would fit me, but otherwise not changing it. It's meant to be worn tucked in so if it's a little too big later on it shouldn't be noticeable.

The only change I made was just to do plain sleeve bands instead of overlapping and buttoning them.

There's always a strange moment before sewing the side seams when a raglan sleeved blouse looks so confusing!

 

The rayon and linen behaved and pressed beautifully, the pattern was easy yet fun, and everything went together without a hitch. Also it fits, at least for now.

 

I used some perfectly matching buttons from my stash, and had exactly enough left of the skirt band after cutting out the blouse accents to make myself a nice long sash that can be worn several ways. No wasted scraps here, and it ties the look together perfectly, though a white belt would also look nice. The sash and elastic waist means it's adjustable for maternity wear as needed.

 

I haven't been able to get pictures of me wearing it yet - hopefully soon! But I'd call it a definite success as a makeover. Not only do I have a skirt I'll actually wear now, but I have a cute blouse to wear as separates (taking less time than making a whole new dress) - and worn together a lovely 2 piece set! All from the stash, and without me having to buy most of the fabric or make the skirt. I can see myself actually hunting in thrift stores for too long skirts now!

Gray Skirt Makeover

This has been a very procrastinated-upon project. I started the makeover several months ago, then left it lay around without being finished for a long time. Finally I buckled down and finished it, and in less than a half-hour it was completed! Another reminder that procrastination never pays. :-)

 

Anyway, this skirt started out as a thrift store find: a very long, straight skirt I used to wear a lot in the summer. A solid gray that goes with anything, in a non-wrinkling fabric (though after being stuck in a redo-or-mend stack for a long time it did get some wrinkles in it). I had dressed it up years ago by doing some embroidery on the front above the hem, so it was also personalized.

 

Yet it was always too long to be practical. After I lost weight last year, this skirt settled down around my hips and what had been an ankle length skirt now puddled on the floor! It went from being impractical to being impossible.

 

I considered just getting rid of it, but liking the color, fabric and embroidery, I decided to try doing something else entirely. My first makeover.

 

I cut it off just under the zipper, which made the length about right. I wanted to cut the waistband out of the remnant, but the darts made that impossible. So I cut out a waistband from another fabric. Not the closest color, but close enough. I usually wear my blouses out over the skirt band anyway.

 

Marking the center of the front of the skirt, and the waistband, I pinned it together and began to play with the extra fabric. 

 

I tried several ways of pleating the extra fabric.

 

And decided on just a single box pleat in the front. For the back I did long darts to use up the extra.

 

From there on, it was just like finishing any skirt. I put in a short zipper by hand, and whipstitched down the waistband. 

Now I have a much more practical skirt that will actually get some wear!

 

I'm quite pleased with my first attempt at a makeover. I think there are more pieces in my closet that deserve a new lease on life as well. 

 

It's nice to have what feels like a new addition to the wardrobe without all the work of making it from scratch. 

 

Since I'm wearing it in these photos, I have to show you another favorite thrift store find - a classic pullover sweater. It's another one of those modern pieces that can easily become vintage with the right accessorizing.

 

A simple V neck and pretty puffed sleeves make it suitable for 1930s and 1940s wear. Plus it's comfortable! One of my favorite ways to dress vintage even when I don't feel like dressing up.

 

I think more makeovers are on the radar for the future! (After wedding sewing, though, I think. :-)