Oversized T-Shirt Upcycling

Today is my baby girl's birthday!! What a sweet blessing this little girl has been to us! Happiest of birthdays KZ!!

Remember how I've taken a couple of my husbands shirts and made them into shirts for me? See here and here.

Well I did it again! My husband needed a pack of black tshirts for work and he had a few left over from the package he bought so I used one to make into a shirt for me!

So the first thing I did was find an existing shirt that I liked to mimic the shape of. I wanted this new shirt to have dolman sleeves so I didn't need to change the shoulder or sleeve length. Here is the before:

Here is a list of the things I did to the shirt. I'm sorry I don't have more photos of the process this shirt has been a work in progress for many months (like since February!!).

1. Remove the pocket. You can't see it in the picture but this was done with a seam ripper.
2. Trace around shape of existing shirt onto new shirt+seam and stretch allowance (which I never do enough of)
3. Cut off collar and made new shape.
4. Sew up new sides. 
5. Take existing black fabric and make collar. I didn't have quite enough from the cut edges so I had to use some from a different project. I cut the fabric about an inch wide to the shape of the collar. I sewed right sides together and flipped the fabric inside the shirt. I then sewed around the edge of the whole collar.
6. I used the scraps from the tshirt to make flowers next to the collar.
7. I added two box pleats to the collar to make it lay flat.
8. I tried it on and it was too tight! I told you I never allowed enough seam and stretch allowance! 
9. I cut up the middle of the whole back of the shirt. I got 4" wide black lace and sewed it inside the cut. I tapered it at the top and sewed a hem on the bottom. 

Step 9 is then I put on some dark lipstick and went to take pictures. I got all set up and then noticed my neighbor was also in his backyard. Hey there new neighbor! Don't mind me posing in my backyard!

Have you done any upcycling lately? Do you have any great plans for the weekend? 

Tomorrow morning my husband is repelling down a HUGE building for the Special Olympics and in the afternoon (and on Sunday) we'll be watching General Conference! 

Hope you have a great weekend!

p.s. I'll give you a dollar if you can spot the birthday girl in one of these pictures...j/k I won't be giving any dollars out but look back and see if you can spot her little blonde head in there :)

Independence Day crafts from WGC!

We're always very excited to celebrate Independence Day. Here are some of the Americana-themed crafts we've shared!

Stars & Stripes 3D Stars

I think we'll be doing this for Make it Monday!

Patriotic Wire Shaping

Fourth of July Patriotic Word Art Printable

Patriotic Pinwheels

Festive Fourth of July Nails

Red, White and Spangled Candles

Red, White and Blue Baby Clothes Upcycle

More ideas

What will you make for Independence Day?

Two fast shoe makeovers!

I had a big writers conference a few weeks ago. Naturally, I don't have 51 other weeks of the year to prepare, so I found myself shopping & making over my wardrobe for those few days in a hurry.

Fortunately, I knew exactly what I wanted to do and was able to get the supplies together quickly, so I got them done in time.

Makeover 1
Before shot!

You might remember this picture from the last time I refashioned these shoes. The color did fade quite a bit when I finally rinsed them out, but I really decided to refashion them because I never wore them anymore.

First I painted the heels (fake cork) and the fabric under the toes with matte black spray paint. (Note the other pair of shoes waiting in the background.)

The uppers are fabric (most likely cotton) and I wanted to keep the fabric feel to them, so I hunted down glitter fabric paint. At first I planned to use this glitter spray fabric paint, but I decided to go with Tulip Soft Fabric Paint Glitter instead. It took five coats to get complete coverage, no joke. (Mod podge & glitter might have been better.)

The result's not bad, but there are 2 problems with this: when you turn the shoe at an angle, the blue shows through a lot, and that many layers of fabric paint make the shoe kind of . . . sticky. It doesn't stick to things as you wear them, but if you leave them touching in your closet or set them on, say, a pen, there's a sticking issue. It hasn't ripped off any paint yet, but it's a problem.

Makeover 2
Before!

When I originally dyed the first pair of shoes blue, I seriously debated making them yellow instead. It's been two years and I still wanted yellow shoes, so I decided to go for it. For these fake patent leather shoes, I picked up some glossy spray paint, Rust-Oleum American Accents Ultra Cover Gloss in Sun Yellow.

I'm so bad at spray painting, guys. It's not even funny. I tell myself, go easy, thin layers, you'll get good coverage. But then I push that button and I'm like COVER IT COVER IT COVER IT oh crap it's dripping—better make it drip everywhere MORE MORE MORE MORE and done.

Okay, it's kinda funny. Fortunately, you can't see the bubbles & unevenness in the paint unless you look closely.

To do it right, instead of how I did it:
1. DON'T PAINT ON A WINDY DAY. At the very least, it's aggravating. At the worst, you'll have vital supplies blow away and dirt and leaves stick to your wet paint.
2. Use gloves (I did do this).
3. Spray even, light layers.
4. Be sure to cover all parts of the shoes. You don't have to do the inside (I did anyway), but for open toed shoes, be sure to get the part under your toes. I also did the underside of the heels.
5. Turn the shoes to get all sides. I found holding the shoe by the inside of the heel gave a lot of control and mobility, and then I painted the heel last. While painting, keep the other shoe a safe distance away.
6. You may want to verrrry carefully move any pieces of the shoe that overlap or touch between coats so they don't get painted together.
7. Let dry an hour between coats.
8. Let dry several days to reduce the spray paint smell.
9. Keep the paint for touchups.

And after!

I love them!! The paint chipped a tiny bit and there are small drips and bubbles that *I* notice, but who is going to get down and examine my shoes that closely?

They were also a hit at the conference! I even made the #Storymakers14fashion feed with the conference co-chair:



The glitter shoes also made #storymakers14fashion, but they weren't the stars of the picture . . .

One last #storymakers14fashion post, because of the awesome. @JordanMcCollum #Storymakers14 #kilts pic.twitter.com/zoScKgoCPr
— Gina Denny (@ginad129) April 27, 2014

Hawaiin Shirt to A-Line Skirt

I love how my title sounded like a line from a poem. Good morning! Does anyone have some fun plans for the weekend? We're travelling some next week because it's spring break and I.am.so.excited. This is the first "kid vacation" we're taking and I can't wait to see PB's face when we get there! By kid vacation I mean one where we go to a certain place because we have kids. We're staying at a resort that has a mini water park. I'm ready to get some shopping in and some good eats!

I am completely ready for spring to get here! We have had some great weather but these dang cold fronts keep coming in from the north! To help encourage some warm weather I decided to make this skirt.

My husband was recently gifted this Hawaiian shirt. I took one look at it and decided he would most likely never wear it. He already has a couple and he hasn't worn them one time in the 7+ years I have known him BUT I liked the pattern and I thought it had great potential. I had visions of a  great high-waisted a-line skirt. I conceptualized and browsed through a few tutorials and this is what I came up with and it has POCKETS! This craft is somewhat wayward. I was making it up as I go so things aren't necessarily in their proper order but this is how I did it:

Need:
One Hawaiian shirt
1.5(ish) yards of lining fabric in coordinating color
A skirt that fits to see basic shape

 The first thing I did was take the pocket off the front. I then cut across the top to take away the collar and shoulders. I wanted the buttons in the back so I buttoned up the shirt and sewed along the left and right seams on either sides of the buttons. I flipped the sleeves in and sewed along the rim to make them face inside. I then flipped the skirt inside out and sewed the sleeves closed to make the pockets. I took the lining fabric and folded it in half top to bottom and side to side. I laid it under the existing skirt and traced along each side adding about half an inch on either side to make a waist band. I cut along the lines and sewed up each side.

 I then flipped it inside out and make sure it fit comparing it to the other skirt. I trimmed the extra fabric on the waist band depth and compared the top of the skirt to the width of the waist band. I added pleats in the front and back to match the sizes. I basted the pleats and then flipped the waist band inside out.

 I put the waist band and matched the corners. I pinned it and sewed along the top.

 I wanted the skirt to be a-line to I noticed the bottom needed to flare more. I used more of the lining fabric I folded it over and traced the line I wanted to skirt to follow. After trying on the skirt I adjusted these. I cut them and sewed the outer edge and then sewed the edge onto the skirt.

I then folded the piece of lining fabric in half and marked the edges of the skirt from the waistband down to make a lining for the skirt. I sewed the lining along the edge where the waistband and the skirt meet. I then decided to make it a tie closure in the back. I cut two 4"x15" (approximate) lengths of the lining fabric and sewed them into tubes and turned them right side out. I cut a 6" seam down the back and flipped them under and sewed them. I sewed the ties onto the waistband and tried it on. I made a couple of adjustments and trimmed off any extra fabric and strings.

 front

 back

Have you stolen permanently borrowed any of your husband's things to upcycle? I have another shirt I have my eye on of his :)

Two Little Skirts From Mom's Bleached Pants

So as I mentioned here I got an awesome deal a while back at Old Navy on some corduroy, stretchy, skinny jeans. So I went back and got two more pairs. One of the pairs I was wearing while doing laundry soon after and spilled bleach down the leg :( sad day.

So I took those cute skinny jeans and made them into two cute skirts for my girls. One I made in 2T size and the other is Newborn. I used waist approximations from skirts they had.

I first cut the largest sections I could from the pants. One of the parts had some bleach on it but I sewed that section out of the skirt. I made the skirts around 1.5 the circumference of their waist. The corduroy didn't gather well so I'm glad I didn't do it any more.

I evened out the pieces and sewed the pieces together. 

I hemmed the bottom with only one roll up because the material was not fraying. I folded the top over and hemmed it as well. I stretched the elastic as I sewed to create the gather and I put them on my little models.

 I realized whilst trying to take pictures of a newborn and 2 year old in matching outfits, it is almost impossible. This pictures was how all of them were turning out.

Obviously there's underwear showing, both girls are moving, goofy smile and crying, my ironing board in the background, one has no shoes and there other has on just one. 

Merry Thanksgiving Eve! Enjoy your Turkey and day of gratitude! 

Two-Tone Top

I made this shirt while pregnant but the basics can be applied to any shirt. I had a pink and melon colored shirts that had an odd neckline and the pink didn't look good against my skin. I tried taking a picture before and it was just so bad I'll leave it up to your imagination.

First I cut the shirts under the bottom edge of the sleeves. I tossed aside the green bottom and pink top.

I cut a more flattering neckline on the green top. I used the melon-colored bottom and traced where the neckline would be. Going about a half inch bigger I cut out the shape of the neckline. I cut about an inch wide section in the shape of the neckline. (see picture)

I sewed the extra piece onto the neckline and then flipped the fabric to the backside and sewed along the edge with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

I sewed the pink onto the melon-colored piece and I was done!

Do you have any shirts you want to make better?

Tic Tac Toe from Rescued Treasures

I just finished a tin of curiously strong mints. (You know, Altoids.) If I can't throw away a cardboard oatmeal container, you know I am not throwing away a metal tin.  I decided to see what I could make using only things I had at home.

I used some reclaimed magnet sheets*, some fun foam and cardstock, paint and paint markers.

*Check here to see how much  I love them!

I got the big pot of paint on sale at Michaels for about a dollar and the markers (terra cotta) came from a Michaels grabbag.

We gave the top and bottom of the tin a coat of white paint. When it was thoroughly dry, I decorated it.

The game pieces were from the foam and cardstock, cut after being glued to magnet sheets.

Voila!