Are you sick of these yet? Well, I think I have a new trick up my sleeve. Read on to see how I got
from this......
to this!
I got the shirt for $1 on my first thrift shopping adventure.
I loved the vintage feel of the green and white stripes with the crisp white cuffs and collar, and the buttons--although plastic--are cute.
Unfortunately, once I got it washed and pressed, I sat there and stared at it, unsure where I wanted to go with it.
So I did what all good refashioning bloggers do when they have a sewer's block...
I jumped right in--I cut it in half. (really, just me? no one else does that?)
Actually, I cut the top of it off, just under the sleeves.
(Kind of looks like a bustier and shrug, doesn't it? Maybe I should stop here)
Now I'm getting somewhere. I want the buttons to go down the back, so I marked and cut my front and back dress shapes, using a dress that had the basic shape I was looking for as a pattern:
(Note: I kind of just hit the main points of how I did this. Alot of the specifics, like using an existing dress to make a pattern, or making ruffles, well--there's TONS of good bloggers out there writing posts on how to do it. I've done some myself. So I'm assuming you either know how to do it, or can figure it out, or will google them. I figure I'm wordy enough without explaining every little detail too...)
I decided to trim the back to be one of those little dresses that open up and show the panties/diaper cover (anyone know what they're called?)
(kind of looks like I'm making a mermaid costume, no?)
Now we start sewing:
First I serged all the edges, just to clean it up. Then I sewed the front and back together at the shoulder straps.
I totally left my toes in here on purpose. Don't hate--that's a shiny new pedicure you see...nothing says "spring" like pretty toes ya'll :0)
Then I unbuttoned the back and sewed the side seams up (inserting one of my little tags!):
What were the back darts of the shirt became a cute detail in the dress--the stripes changing direction and cute seaming.
This is the fun of refashioning~~for all intents and purposes, once I hem this I have basically completed a dress! But I wanted to add a little. So I took my collar and cut it in half.
The top part of the collar (with the points) I serged the raw edge, folded it into a basic bow and stitched to right on to the top.
The bottom part of the collar I sewed on a leftover section of striped fabric and attached it to the dress as a little pocket.
NOW we have a completed dress:
So all that was pretty easy, right? But I wanted a matching diaper cover. And when I looked at that top piece I had cut off--with the sleeves and back, I kind of saw the cover already there waiting to happen:
Do you see it???
Take the section of shirt, turn it inside out and hold right sides together. Sew the right sides together through the armpit area (which will become the crotch) and up a few inches on the front and the back. Here's two photos that I hope help explain:
I don't really know how to explain it better than that. I think you just have to get a shirt, chop off the top and look at it. It will come to you :0)
Next I trimmed a little off the old arms/new legs, and cut the top off evenly to start getting a shape more like a diaper cover.
I cut open the french cuffs, separating the two layers of white fabric, and made four rows of ruffles that I attached to the back of the diaper cover.
Elastic in the top and around the leg openings (I used the pink cover for sizing) completes the look!
And the best part? Seeing it on my model/muse/Little Bear!
(most of our important photo shoots are done with the aid of cheese sticks)
Linking to:
Just Something I Whipped Up Mondays @ the Girl Creative
Craftastic Monday @ SewCanDo
Lucky Linky Tuesday @ Lucky Star Lane
Make It Yours Day @ My Backyard Eden
Whatever Goes Wednesday @ Someday Crafts
Penny Pinching Party @ The Thrifty Home
Boardwalk Bragfest @ BobbyPins Boardwalk
Craft Therapy @ Life in the Pitts
Idea Sharin' Wednesday @ Women Who Do It All
Show & Tell @ Blue Cricket Design
I know this is late...but my mom called this morning with an emergency.
And by "emergency"...I mean she wanted to go to the flea market. :0)
Part One is how I initially created the chandelier stencil** and made a pillow with it
Part Two is using the 2nd stencil I created to make an earring hanger thingy (totally technical term)
Part Three is about how cheap I am!
Kidding! But seriously, when you put all that effort into cutting out an intricate freezer paper stencil, why throw away the cut out image?
I experimented before with what I'm calling (for lack of a better term) "reverse freezer paper stenciling bleaching". I know, I know...brilliant. Stop, please, I'm blushing.
Here again, to review, is what I started with:
I did cut out two stencils, which should technically give me two cut-out chandeliers, but the 2nd cut-out image got too messed up to really use for anything. So I had the one good chandelier to iron on something.
"Something" being a shirt from girlfriend girl's drawer. I ironed my chandelier on low and off-set, wrapping it around the side. I used some of the pieces of the 2nd messed up image to extend a "chain" up to the shoulder.
Seriously--I love it like that--almost enough to make me want to cut out more stencils so I can do it in white on a shirt for me.
Put some cardboard inside the shirt, and take the spray bottle with a 50/50 mix of bleach and water outside and start spraying.
Last time I did this it was raining out, so I let the shirt sit for 2 minutes before I rinsed it. This time I did it in the sun, so basically as soon as I finished spraying I ran inside and rinsed it in the sink. (At least this is my working theory on why it seemed to lighten this shirt so much more quickly)
A quick wash & dry and this is what we have:
Cute, but it needs more.
So I picked up some iron-on rhinestones to add a little of the "bling" factor. I've been wanting to use these for a while, and with a 40% off coupon from Jo-Ann's I was able to get a pack of 300 in various sizes for about $8.
They simply iron on with a dry iron set to the "cotton" setting. I was able to basically lay out the entire design and then just press the whole thing in two passes with the iron.
Final result:
And on my model:
(sorry for the overly bright pics...i just don't feel like editing right now...all that flea marketing just wipes a gal out)
I think it was just the right touch! Unfortunately, its now an unseasonal 92 degrees outside. So I guess this shirt will have to wait for a cooler day!
Thus concludes our lesson on how to be cheap innovative with a freezer paper stencil! Hope you enjoyed it!
If you use this idea for anything you make, please let me know--I'd love to see it!
**I totally wrote "chandelier shtencil" the first time I typed that. And now...well, I can't stop snorting every single time I look at it. Every. single. time. Come on, tell me it doesn't make you laugh? Say it out loud.
I'm linking up to these parties: (click the links for more great projects!)
Yesterday I showed how I created a freezer paper stencil of a chandelier to make a pillow for my room. While I was at it, I cut and stenciled two, because I had another idea.
This is what I started with:
The second stenciled image, a $5 black frame (11x13) from Walmart, and a piece of cotton batting.
I removed the glass from the frame and used the mat to cut a thick piece of cardboard the same size.
Next make a sandwich--cardboard, batting, fabric. I was going to staple this, but the staples poked through the front, so a little duct tape worked just as well. Tape it all down nice and tight.
Put that whole thing into your frame. I used a little more duct tape and a couple staples at this point to help the back stay tightly closed.
Oooh...look how pretty!
But what is it we've made?
Why, a chandelier for your chandelier earrings, of course!
I'm going to hang this in my closet to hang all my earrings from, and hopefully bring a little organization to that mess!!! (This is why you're seeing a picture of it in front of the window--NOT in my closet. Trust me, the internet is not ready for a picture of my closet)
Although, the more I look at it, I think it's REALLY cute, and may look just as good hanging in the room! (even though my OCD side desperately wants to hang the earringS symetrically...like a real chandelier!)
Okay, that's two down! Two projects from my chandelier stencil! (why do I sound like the Count? TWO! TWO projects done! AH AH AH!!!)
Come back tomorrow to see what happened with the cut-out image I had left! Click HERE to see what I did!
Linking up to these parties:
Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design
Wednesday Boardwalk Bragfest @ Bobbypins Boardwalk
Idea Sharin Wednesday @ Women Who Do It All
Make It Yours Day @ My Backyard Eden
Penny Pinching Party @ The Thrifty Home
Also:
Like the rest of blogland, I'm well aware of what today is~~April 7, exactly one year since little Madeline Spohr died. As I sit here in bed snuggling my own 17 month old, (the same age Maddy was when she passed) I think of her family. Yes, Heather, we do hold our children a little tighter when we think of all you've endured. My thoughts are with the family.
