Thursday Thriftday - Plaid Button Down

As part of my new year's plans, I'm finishing up old projects and so far so good. I started refashioning this shirt back in October. I don't know what was wrong with me while making this shirt. All I wanted to do was recut it for a slimmer fit. I've done it a few times before but I guess it was so long ago I just didn't remember my exact method. So it took lots of adjusting and I still made probably the ugliest bumpiest hem ever. BUT, it's done. :) And I do like the athletic shape of the hem. Just don't look too closely.

How are your New Year resolutions going so far? Are you doing any refashioning? Any other crafty resolutions?

Thursday Vintage - Tie Neck Blouses

These beautiful tie-neck blouses were lovingly home sewn by my grandmother Louise. The tie neck is very easy to sew and a really lovely feature that can be worn loose or tied in a bow. This first one is made of silk with fabric covered buttons and ruffles along the yoke and wrist.

The second blouse is a brown-green check with decorative plastic buttons, short sleeves and darts at the waist.

How cool are those buttons? They're kind of like little flowers.

My grandmother was much smaller than I am. Thus these blouses have no chance of fitting me. For some reason though, I still have them hanging in my closet, waiting for their opportunity to venture out into the world.

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Thursday Thriftday - Red Blouse

Last week I showed you a couple of blouses I was working on refashioning. This blouse was very boxy with a drop shoulder and simple little sleeves. I loved the buttons on the front and back but didn't want the blouse to overwhelm with too much fabric.

My original plan was to remove the sleeves, take in the blouse at the sides, move the shoulder seam up to the end of the shoulder and then put the sleeves back on.  I started by removing the sleeves. Then after some futzing around decided that moving the shoulder line and putting the sleeve back on would look pretty much the same as just leaving the sleeves off altogether. So, I just took the blouse in a little bit  at the side seam and hemmed the armhole opening.

It's still a pretty boxy blouse but just by removing the sleeves, the blouse no longer looks like it's just ridiculously large. It works quite well tucked into slim pants or a skirt. The bright red color is a little bit patriotic so I wore it on Tuesday in honor of voting day. Are you working on any refashions? What's your go to change to make a too large blouse look better?

Thursday Thriftday – Blouses

I bought a couple of blouses at my corner thrift store earlier this month planning to do some basic refashions to make the fit a little more well, fitted. Well, I haven't finished the refashioning part so I thought today I'd show you the before's and hopefully I'll have the after's to share this weekend.

The top above is a loose fitting polyester with buttons on the front and the back (see below). I'm planning cut off some of the shoulder fabric, just moving the sleeves in more towards the shoulder.

The second shirt I'm planning to refashion is a classic plaid men's shirt. I'm working on slimming down the silhouette, again moving the shoulder line closer to the collar. I'm also thinking about the hem line, maybe doing a high-low hem.

Thursday Vintage – Plaid Dress

This lovely vintage dress and jacket belonged to my great-aunt. I suspect that she had it custom made in Asia, where she spent many years living and working. The plaid is a delicate army green and brown. The design is so completely classic. Did you notice the self fabric belt?

The little cropped jacket is amazing – fabric covered buttons, bound buttonholes and welt pockets.

And do you see that interior pocket below? Amazing! I don't know what you call the toothy, folded fabric feature but it's really cool.

Thursday Thriftday – Vintage Albums

I picked up these vintage albums at the thrift store for my brother's birthday. How awesome are these album covers? 

And of course I wrapped them up using my birthday hangtags (free printable!).

Thursday Thriftday – Vintage Fabric

I found this gorgeous piece of vintage fabric at a local thrift store for only 50 cents! The color palette is to die for, don't you think? I think I have enough to make a little shell blouse out of this fabric. The orange and brown colors make it perfect for fall. But then the pink and blue will make it easily carry into spring. This is the kind of find I really can't get enough of.

Thursday Vintage - September 6

This lovely velvet pillow was made by my grandmother Louise and her sisters. I seem to remember that there were a few of these pillows but I only have one now. The design is a kind of modified log cabin.

Here's the reverse side of the pillow. The velvet is soooo soft. You wouldn't believe it. This precious little pillow sits on a chair in my living room. It really deserves more regular attention.

Thursday Thriftday – August 30

Here is a fun little studded purse in a cheery sky blue and a sophisticated red wallet (I love the passport pocket). I found the purse at a local thrift store and the wallet at an estate sale near my house. I love the bright red color of the wallet. I might have shared these before but couldn't resist sharing again. These two are a great pair, sleek little thin rectangles ready to take you wherever you need to go.

Thursday Thriftday – August 23

This Argus Autronic 35 camera was probably my most exciting thrift purchase ever. I bought it online from a Goodwill auction. I won the bid for about $12 but the camera is so dang heavy that the shipping cost bumped up the total price to $28.

I'm really excited to start using this camera and conveniently it uses 35 mm film. I'll be sure to share when I finally use it. Do you have any vintage cameras? Have you ever seen one like this?

Thursday Thriftday – August 15

For your inspiration, here are few vintage accessories patterns that I found at local thrift stores. First up, McCall's 6133 for a Misses' and Men's Beach Mat and Wrap. How amazing are those illustrations? Are those girls grinning so widely because that man has a huge mustache?

This McCall's pattern is a sample and apparently was never for sale. It contains one pattern for a tote bag with optional pocket.

Last but not least, we have Simplicity 7515, circa 1976. This girl has her arms full of "carry-alls" but she couldn't be happier to be toting those rainbow bags.

Thursday Thriftday – August 9

I bought a few of these awesome vintage trays a few weeks ago at a thrift store in Glendale, CA. They were only 25 cents each! I think they'll be great for decorating, serving or even organizing craft supplies.

Thursday Thriftday - August 2

I bought this adorable clutch a few weeks ago for about $8. It's a nice size and how could you not love that giant bow?

Refashion – Wrap Dress to Cut Out Back

I bought this wrap front dress at a thrift store quite a while ago and have never worn it. It fit well but the skirt was too long and there was something about that plus the white fabric, sleeves and wrap front that reminded me of a nurse's uniform. So, it languished in the back of the closet. Then the other day, I was browsing in H&M and spied a white dress with a tiny dot print and a cut out back. I immediately thought of this dress and quickly set about to refashion it.

Here's the BEFORE:

And (drumroll) the AFTER:

The back features a yoke and cut out opening. This is my second cut out back dress this summer. The style is definitely trending these days. I'm quite pleased that I managed to make both dresses bra friendly yet in different ways. When cutting this dress I made sure not to cut the back too deeply while the yoke is quite high on the back making for a perfectly placed cut out.

 

As a nice subtle contrast, I added a white and black striped piping to the edges. I've used this piping on a dress a year ago (see it here). I bought the piping for only $2 in downtown LA and still have about a yard left. Speaking of dots and stripes, have you seen the Tessuti Awards contest? Their theme this year is exactly that! Shortly after finishing my dress I read about the contest and couldn't believe the coincidence.

Cut Out Back Refashion Instructions 

These instructions are very, very basic. A lot will depend on the style and size of the original dress. 

1. Remove seams at sleeves, shoulders and waist. (If your original dress is not a wrap front, you can probably leave the waist seam alone.) Trim skirt to desired length.

2. Using a basic sleeveless dress pattern as a guide, make a pattern for back yoke and cut out back. (I used Simplicity 1873)

3. Cut 2 back yokes using scrap fabric from dress skirt or contrast fabric. One yoke is for the lining.

4. Cut back using pattern. Cut off top of back and half circle opening.

5. Apply piping to half circle cut out. Finish with bias strips cut from sleeve.

6. Baste piping to back yoke (not to the facing).

7. Stitch back yoke to back.


8. Cut bodice front to match basic pattern and seam at center front.

9. Stitch shoulder seams. (I added an extra rectangle of fabric to my shoulders to get the length right. My original dress had a little section there.)

10. Stitch piping to neck edge and armholes. Finish with bias strips.

11. Attach bodice to skirt. I also stitched 1/4 inch elastic to the waist seam.

12. Hem skirt.

I also removed the pocket and then reattached it a little farther inside than the original location.

I'm really pleased with how this refashion turned out. It's so hard to tell when sewing whether something will work out or just go sadly, terribly wrong. The dress also works well worn with a belt. With a jacket or cardigan it would also be a little more modest, if the occasion calls for it that is.

Thursday Thriftday - July 10

I found this Stitch by Stitch book (Volume 6) at a Palm Springs thrift store for about $2, adding to my growing collection. These books have a little bit of everything in them...

How to make a circle skirt

or a vegetable garden,

knit a bikini or a girls dress,

how to smock,

knit yourself a dress,

or needlepoint a pillow.