Recycling? Upcycling? Hmmm?

Back in the day when the dinosaurs roamed and people travelled in covered wagons, I shopped the thrift stores for fashions to revamp.  I was just out of college and there was a lot of 60's and 70's stuff (my favorite decades) to be had. Nowadays, I just troll them for good sweaters to harvest great yarns. Being a mom of 2 boys who wear the same size, I am left with a lot of these...

 

Normally, I would just bag 'em up and drop 'em off at Goodwill.  This time I thought I would do something different.  I could cut 'em up and make a patchwork picnic blanket.  Seriously though, who was I kidding. I don't do picnics, don't like sitting in the grass, I don't hike.  Yeah, that would not work.  So, I went stash diving and came up with this.

 

 

The pattern- Vogue 1036 

I've had it a could of years now and it was time to cut it up and give it a whirl.

 

First off, the pattern is broad shouldered and looks like it was designed to have shoulder pads (hello the 80's called and they want their pads back).  I had to take it in 2" to bring it to my real shoulders then, I pushed on.  I opened pant legs, and place pattern pieces on various washes.  I sewed, I topstitched,  I pressed, I hammered.  Finally the pay off!   Don dona don....



THE FRONT

 

I opted for a center front metal zipper instead of snaps. 

 A CLOSER LOOK

 

I'm not convinced that I like that light wash strip in the front or at the bottom hem.  I'm thinking of dyeing the whole jacket.  Still debating, though.

 

THE SLEEVES

 

My favorite part of the whole jacket  ; )

 

 



THE BACK 

 

Um, I like that I used the outseam of the jeans for the sleeves.

 

THE VERDICT: All in all, it was really a fun project.  I'm most proud of not using any new fabrics. Now, the jacket languishes in the closet till the fall.  I can see it now, a black turtleneck, plaid A-line skirt and black leather boots.  Ooooh, it can come fast enough!

 

Do you bind?

I have really come to love making and using double fold bias binding. I bought these at the fabric store. There are all sorts of tutorials on Youtube on how to prepare your fabric and cut the strips.  I personally prefer the continuous method. The bias was made with the 3/4" maker finishing at 3/8".

 I recycled a cereal box (4pcs- 5"x7") to wind up and store the freshly pressed tape.

 

#1- Burlap placemats:  I cut up left over burlap from a project.  I was going to leave the edges raw, but they would fall apart when laundered.  Bias binding enclosed the edges and gave them a clean, casual appearance.

 

 

1. Fashionista nightie:

 

 Fabric: poly/cotton blend. I just cut it from an old nightie she had and made it a little bigger. 

 

 1/4" binding at the neckline and

 

1/2" binding made up the straps and encased the raw underarm edge.

 

This will be good for next summer as well.

 

Summertime!

It's been a minute...but I'm baaack!

Summer time always gives me a nudge into the sewing direction.  I lose my knitting  mojo and head to the fabric stash which, by the by is no less replete with vision of spectaculosity.  In this my 6th month of stash diet and stash reduction, I've prepared these...

 

 

All washed and read to be cut up into summer lovelies for Peanut formerly known as Mochantas. 

My "mini me" has already decided what will be what...silly girl!

Ravellenics...I think I'm ready.

What do you think?

Peplum Love

We all know how fashions always comes back....the 80's icon is back, baby!  I'm seeing peplums everywhere!  I loved them back in the day.  They are flattering on all figure types, hiding that tummy, accentuating the waist...how can you go wrong?  Welcome back!

Try something new!

 A friend gave me 5 t-shirts and a challenge to make some bags for her... I've heard about the making yarn from t-shirts before but never tried it. I went on YT and watched GLAMPYRE do her thing. So I went from this...

to this

I folded the shirt in almost in half (as you can see at the top portion of the picture).  I made 3/4" wide slices through the top fold but not the lower fold.

 when I reached the armholes and sleeves I just cut through top and bottom layer (all the way through the bottom fold)



after a few more cuts, stretching and winding up the "yarn", I was able to make 3 bags. 

TADA!!!

Simple knitted bag with garter stitch detail at the top,

beaded handles and snap closure.

Pleated clutch with zipper closure and sparkly button



Crocheted bag with leather inserts and magnetic closure.

Faux bamboo handles

The top 2 are knitted on size 13 needles, and the bottom one is crocheted with a K ndl.  There is no pattern, I just made it up as I went along. It went lickety split, I did them in a couple of days. Hand sewing the lining was the "hardest" part.

I was neat going out of my comfort zone and stretching myself a bit.  Would I do it again?  Hmm... ***glancing over at ever expanding stash***....

Lots of knitting going on and pictures are coming.  But have you heard of MySewingCircle?  It's a site like Ravelry but for sewists!  Yeah, I know!!!  Sqeeee!!!  I'm already on!!! 

Happy New Year!

"It's a new year and there's gonna be new rules around here!"
I quote my mother in law every year, just so I can get to my DH. Hmmmph, I bet the new year looked a lot like the old one after awhile. Well I don't know about new rules, but I'm looking forward to some interesting,exciting times. It's gotta be better that 2011, right?

I figured since Mochahantas is busily painting everyone's portrait, I would sneak in a post of my first finished object of the year...

Mon Raspberry Beret (more like strawberry)

As of today, it was dry enough to brave the frigid weather.  Talk about night and day, brrrrrr! I made it up as I went along, which is why it's fits so swimmingly, ugh! (nothing a coupla Bobby pins can't fix.)

Here are the particulars:
Pattern:  I started from the center and increased 6 stitches every other row.  I ran out of yarn so I only have a 1/2"-3/4" rim.  I'll probably rip out the rim and redo the edge for a tighter fit.  Scrap the aforementioned Bobby pin solution.

Yarn: 1 skein of Cascade Venezia  and a US10 needle.

Review: Love the yarn, it's so soft and has a slight sheen.  HOWEVER, it pills something horrible (yes, already). Probably won't buy it again ; (

Mochahantas has just declared she needs "sumpin' else to eat"! Yes sa boss sa! ... I gotta go!

 

Merry Christmas

Writers' Block?

It's not like life doesn't keep rolling along, or that Mochantas isn't still up to her antics, because it does and she is. I wondered about what my post would be about after such a long hiatus. Should I throw up a bunch of pictures of what I've sewn and knitted? Do I go on a rant on how my right brained, visual learner boys struggle in a left brained learning system. Do I confess the sin (well ok maybe not a sin) of buying a boat load of yarn that was just toooooo hard to resist and post yarn porn(lol). I struggle...with everything it seems. So much of my life right now is heavy, emotionally. I just don't have the je ne sais quois, the vouloir to speak of anything cogent. Not now, I'm still in the womb of it all...maybe birth pangs more accurately describes it. I am blessed however, to have enough distractions in life (Thing 1, Thing 2 and Mochantas) to remind me that there is a bigger life on the outside, and that this too, shall pass.

So for y'all visual people...


Shopping is definitely not genetic...I hate shopping. Mocha is such a shopaholic and "needs" sumpin everytime we go out! I've started praying for her husband.

Started making bags again...


















Just a taste, sorry to tease...




Blessings to you for Christmas!

Malware, spyware, stealware, stupidware...

THE RANT...
Seriously I hate bad people. Despite 2 programs, I still manage to get attacked by some cyberjerk GRRAARhhh! Now my computer is in some back room somewhere getting "fixed".
END RANT

Garden update...I got a baby watermelon growing!!! I thought that lousey woodchuck/beaver/groundhog (I don't know what it is) got 'em all. We need more rain though...

Some projects...


Yarn:Love this cotton (Hobby Lobby)
Pattern: Debbie Stoller's H.appy H.ooker
Verdict: Quick and easy pattern. Would probably make it longer next time



Fabric: 1yd Cotton prints
Store: Joann's
Pattern: Mine
Verdict: I cut them all at once and put them together in an assembly line fashion. The boys love 'em.



How's your summer going?

I'm bored...

And so now it starts!!! 2 minutes outta school and this the daily song! You kids gotta learn how to relax. Now go get your summer workbooks and do 2 pages!!!




It's amazing what they can come up with, when threatened with "school work"!


Awww! Hard at work, emptying the pool and washing Mom's car!

Now for the reward!!!

Bags, Bags everywhere!

Details: Crochet bag, stripe lining
Bling: Bamboo handles
Pattern: Stitch 'N B.itch Crochet: The Happy H.ooker by Debbie Stoller
Yarn: Red Heart




Details:Quilted bag with ruffled insert.
Bling: Chain strap and pearlized buttons at flap
Pattern: My own




Matching lining inside with 2 patch pockets


Details: Stripe Tote (18" x 14") Stripe canvas with w/twill contrast (casing). Brown webbing straps.
Bling: ties with beads
Pattern: Lunch Bags by Design Collective
Pattern alteration: Added Pocket


Pocket detail was added. Shoestring ties to it doesn't open when the bag is scrunched while wearing. Another teacher gift!


Basic Tote- denim with orange gingham lining. Patch pocket.
9 1/2"x 9 1/2" x 2"
Bling: Bead fringe
Pattern: Lunch Bags! by Design collective.
Patten alteration: Size, patch pocket and insert at sides.


Teacher Gift, she happens to be an orangophile. (tee, hee) I hope she like it.

More bags coming...then its the summer of BOYZ!!!