Day 28 - I Did It!

The last day of the month has come!  Finally my fun-a-day for February is complete!  Here is my very last project (for this month long project anyway)!

How about that beautiful little country prom dress!?  Probably should have just left it.

More views of my new dress.  I had the fabric for the top part laying around, I think I bought it 2 years ago.  I didn't have a specific project in mind for it when I bought it, but it matched so perfectly with the peachy orange of my rockin' 90's prom dress.

So this picture totally looks staged, and it was a little... but both my boyfriend and I have been busy little bees all month and we split some wine to celebrate!  This is just a break while he took pictures of me.  Who could blame us?  This month was tough.  However, very very rewarding.

For this dress I ripped off the top part of the dress (probably will refashion that at another time), and kept the zipper in tact.  I drafted the patterns for the bodice and cut out the new bodice.  I sewed the new bodice together and attached that to the bottom half.  Then I hemmed the bottom half to my liking as well.  I know, probably too much with the bottom longer in the back, but I just really like that for multi-layer skirts!  Perfect for this one.

Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and complementary during this project!  It really kept me chugging at 2 AM.  Also, thanks to Alex and Sarry for taking a million pictures of me (cause I hate being in front of the camera).  Stay tuned for lots more creativity!

Total Time: 5 Hours
Total Money Spent: $3
Outcome: Art Show Dress

Almost There! - Day 27

Well it's the second to last day, and I'm feeling a little sad about it.  Also really excited to sink my teeth into some new projects!

Todays project was a little white dress that I picked up and loved the texture of the fabric.

Here is the before & after;

Cute right?  I love the fabric.  So much fun.

You like?  I like it alot!  I'm a huge fan of white, pretty much all year around.

I took in the sides about 1 inch on each side, and took in the sleeves about a half inch.  I took up the hem about 4 inches, and changed the neckline to a scoop neck.  Really easy changes that completely overhaul the dress.

Also, my serger was a superstar with this project!  I'm in love with it.  Makes everything so clean and neat.

Get ready for my last project for the fun-a-day tomorrow!  This month flew by...

Total Time: 2 Hours
Total Money Spent: $5
Outcome: White Party Dress

Day 26, A New Tank.

Well, I was really at a loss as to what to do today...so this is pretty much all I could come up with.

I really just hated this dress.  I actually bought it eons ago and wore it as is for awhile.  It's been one of those dresses that just sits around at the bottom of drawers forever, and today, mostly because I'm out of refashioning items, I dug it out.  I thought the only way I would really wear this was if I made it into a shirt.  Something about the dress was just not cutting it for me.

But I actually am really happy with the way it turned out.  It's both a perfect lazy reading day shirt (which is exactly what I did today), as well as a good yoga shirt.

Now I will finally wear this red number that I've hated for probably the better part of 4 years.

So for this dress I cut off the bottom part and shaped it to be about 2 inches shorter in the front then in the back.  I didn't hem the bottom because I wanted it to have the natural hem that knits have, basically to not be too stiff.  I cut off the ruffle from the neckline and armholes and hemmed those shut using my new machine!

Drum roll please...

My Mema & Papa gave me a brand new overlock machine (or serger) today as an early birthday gift! It makes everything look more professional, and really it's just a better quality finished project.  Thank you so much you two!

Here it is!

Yay!  Isn't it beautiful!?

That brings my sewing machine count up to 4... good thing I have ample studio space.  Ample for now anyway.

They also just celebrated their 69th Wedding Anniversary!  Can you believe that?  They are still together and living just the two of them, and are two of the most amazing people I've ever known.  Such kind, sweet and unbelievably loving and supportive grandparents.  I'm a lucky gal.

Absolute bombshells they are.

This picture is hanging on my inspiration wall in my studio to remind me of how wonderful my family is, and to inspire me when nothing else does.  Thank you so much Mema & Papa!

Day 25. More Mint.

Agh!!  We're getting so close to the end of the month!

My fun-a-day project will be done but I am hoping to keep up all my work in my studio.  Probably not until 1 AM most mornings....makes me way to sleepy,  but hopefully lots of projects and sewing to come!

So anyway, here is my project for the day!

Mint scallop shorts!  Hooray!

I guess I really have a color palette I'm drawn to in my wardrobe more than I realized....

Well what I did for this project was basically just cut the scalloped edge at desired edge.  I just backed the fabric first so that they wouldn't fray when I cut them, but I didn't hem them!  I'm not entirely sure if that will work, but it looks good so far!  I think it might work....well, who knows really.  Probably my Momma, but we'll ask her another time.  Now it's time for bed.

Total Time: 30 Minutes
Total Money Spent: $2
Outcome: Minty High Waisted Shorts

Finally, Day 24.

Alas!  I am finally caught up!

Here is what I did for my project today.

I guess by now you probably figured out my favorite color is sunshine yellow.  Followed closely by salmon.

I love this one.  Makes me so ready for some warm weather!

For this project, I took the hem up about 10 inches. and took the sides in about 3 inches total.  I made the sleeves about an inch shorter too.  Just a couple of changes make all the difference with this dress.

Hope everyone enjoyed the Oscars.  I unfortunately do not get ABC (I know, in this day and age), but I will be scouting out the red carpet dresses tomorrow and reading who won what.  Exciting stuff I'm sure!

Now, I'm hopping into bed.  Nighty night.

Total TIme: 2 Hours
Total Money Spent: $2
Outcome: Picnic Spring Dress

Day 23 With Stripes!

Yes I know, still a day late....  The weekends are hectic over here what can I say.

This was another quick little refashion which is all I had time for yesterday.

Before & After Day 23;

Now it doesn't look like an over-sized little girls dress.

I've been really into stripes recently.  I blame Deb from the most recent season of Dexter, that girl has a plethora of cute striped tees!  I'm a fan.

So all I did for this one was shorten the sleeves about 2 inches, the neckline about 2 inches all the way around, and the hem about 2 inches too!  Now its a grown up striped tunic!

Total Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Total Money Spent: $1
Outcome:  Nautical Tunic

Addie likes it too as you can see.

Day 22, Yeah I Know, Dropped the Ball....

So this was a quick little project I did for Friday Day 22, and am now just getting around to posting it!  I know, I'm two days late.  Forgive me?

Here it is;

Not to different, but I just hated the sleeves on the before.

It's way cuter now I think.  I like the buttons especially.

All I did for this was rip the sleeves off and hem the new armhole.  Easy enough right?  It makes this one piece ensemble more updated, and I'm just not really into the puffy sleeve.

Total Time:  45 Minutes
Total Money Spent: $2
Outcome: Cute Summer Dress

Day 21, More Yellow.

I tried my hand at another pair of pants, and I would have to say it was much easier this time around.  Practice makes perfect!

My Day 21 Before & After;

Made them into little yellow skinnies.  In my favorite color!

You like?  I want pants in every color now.  I'm hooked.

All I did was take in both side seams, shaped to taper like skinny pants, hem the length a bit, and take in the waist a smidge.  Not so hard at all!  

Total Time:  1 Hour 15 Minutes

Total Money Spent: $2

Outcome: New Favorite Pair of Skinny Pants

Day 20 & Space.

I've recently been really into the new space inspired clothing/accessories I've seen.  Between the constellation tights, scarves and bags I'm a little bit obsessed.

That being said, I own nothing of the aforementioned theme.

Until.........

Now!

Now it's a galaxy dress!

Here is a closer look at the "stars".

And some more of my new dress.

I am really pleased with this refashion!  Yay!

So for this dress I took in the sides and sleeves quite a bit.  Then I took the hem up a couple of inches and then I hand embroidered all of the little gray polka dots to get the effect.  That was probably the most time consuming part, but well worth the outcome.

Now I'm exhausted, and I just watched about 4 episodes of Law & Order SVU so I'm also incredibly disheartened...and I'm a little creeped out.  Tomorrow I'm going back to Buffy or something less depressing.

And on that note;

Total Money: $2

Total Time Spent: 3 Hours

Outcome: Space Dress!

Day 19 - Tailoring A Blazer.

This blazer I got a long time ago because I loved the emblem and had visions of grandeur when I bought it.  Having had my eye on the black Ralph Lauren blazer for $80 at Macy's I thought, I could do that (for much cheaper)!

In actuality, it sat in my studio forever collecting dust and becoming a cat pillow.

Until now!  I finally did it!

Yay!  My blazer is now much more stylish and without the giant shoulder pads that once lived in the 90s before version.

Much cuter right?  It would be perfect over a maxi dress or shorts in the summer.  Can't wait!

So this required a lot of seam ripping and taking in.  I took out the lining, then I took in the back seam, side seams, shoulders, and sleeves.  After that I sewed the lining back in (by hand = ick), and called it a night.  I'm sure there was an easier way to do this, but live and learn right?

Sorry for all the looking down in these pictures - not much in the photo mood today.  These things happen.  Also, I'm super sleepy.

Night night!

Total Time: 4 Hours
Total Money Spent: $2
Outcome: Ralph Lauren Sass Blazer