I have had such a good time 'getting to the bottom line' this month. I have several new wardrobe additions that I think are going to get worn often. I have some great ideas from Rhonda's posts that I am going to try. (I already have several more ideas for my PJ bottom pattern!) And, I usually have a bit of an end of the summer lull in my creativity but these four challenges have given me a creative pick-me-up just in time for some fall sewing.
So, what is the challenge this week? We are doing some renovations! We started with a pair of pants and reimagined, refashioned, refurbished, retrofitted them into a different pair of pants, or whatever!
When I proposed the idea back in July my thought was to go to the thrift store and get a pair of pants and have at it. When it actually came time to do it, the thought of taking apart a stranger's old pants kind of gave me the willies. I don't know why I hadn't thought about it before, but eewwww. So I ended up in my own closet, and sure enough, there were several opportunities just waiting for me. AND, I couldn't pick just one!
The first pants I pulled out are a pair that I got back in the spring. They fit, I liked the fabric, but I never wore them. They didn't come out of the closet once this summer. I tried them on...again...and took a hard look. I decided that it was the bulky waistband and tie that I didn't like. That was an easy fix! After the success of last week's knit waistband technique I just went right ahead and did it again. I made this one a bit narrower so I wouldn't lose too much of my pocket openings. I am so much happier with them in this renovated form. They will definitely be in the rotation until the cooler weather sets in.
Original waistband and tie .....newly renovated knit waistband!
There was elastic in the original waistband that I encased in cotton jersey and reapplied to the new version...
The second pair of pants that I pulled out were my old working-in-the-yard overalls. I had gotten a new pair at the Farm and Garden a few weeks ago and was planning to put the old ones in the donation box. Perfect timing...
My first thought was to make an overall skirt....I would cut the inseam open and overlap the seams like an old 70's hippy skirt...well...I think the jumpsuit in week two was more than enough of a romp down memory lane!
...a couple of years ago I had remade a pair of my son's jeans into a wine tote...hmmm....maybe a bag!
(You can read about my wine tote HERE.)
Y'all know I love a bag project!!! This one was dead easy! I cut off the legs and stitched across the bottom and...BAG!
All of the pockets are still useable and there is plenty of room in the main section. I think it will make a great beach tote...or maybe a knitting bag....we'll see....
I was pretty happy with my redos and was cleaning up my sewing table, when....I held up the legs of my overalls and dangit if they didn't look like a skirt!
Well I couldn't let that go! So I now have a really cute jean skirt to go with my really cute jean bag!
The center front and back seams are actually the outside leg seams of my overalls. I put a zipper in one side and used a piece of twill tape to make a waist tie. So I ended up with a skirt after all.
And this is all that is left of my old overalls!
Check out Rhonda's renovations HERE!
Thanks again Rhonda for suggesting a month of pants. It has been sew much fun!
What a fun set of makes and upcycling too. Have truly enjoyed your adventures as much from the joy they brought you as the actual project. Such a great example of the spirit of sewing.
ReplyDeleteThe skirt really was a 'spirit moved me' project. I was ready to toss the 'scraps' and call it a day! Glad you came along on the adventure.
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