I'm A Sucker For Plaid...

I'm a sucker for plaid...seersucker that is.

And, according to Wikipedia...

Seersucker is woven in such a way that some threads bunch together, giving the fabric a wrinkled appearance in places. This feature causes the fabric to be mostly held away from the skin when worn, facilitating heat dissipation and air circulation. It also means that pressing is not necessary.

Did you get that last line?  PRESSING IS NOT NECESSARY!  How wonderful is that?  

I love plaid (seersucker, or otherwise), and they loved plaid in the 50's!  Just check out some of these treasures...

Luggage

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Furniture

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Accessories

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Carpet

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Fashion

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So when I came across this XL seersucker plaid housecoat (with pearlized snaps!)  I knew it had the perfect makings of a retro refashion.  I loved the colors, the neckline, the pockets, and the snaps.  And, I loved the fact that with just a few simple steps...

 ....it would look like this!

The banded neckline/front placket is a nice detail.  I found the cute vintage enamel flower brooch at the same store on sale for less than a dollar!

The skirt is actually fuller than it looks in this picture.  I have a petticoat I can wear underneath if I want more fullness.  The patch pockets are comfy and also extremely useful since I don't like carrying a purse all the time.

A simple refashion that will get lots of wear this summer, I'm sure!

I like to link to these great parties!

Continue reading if you'd like to see the process...

Tickled Pink!

Today's "Retro Runway" dress was inspired by the following:

I really liked the piped waistband of the above dresses.  And, I also liked the fancy detail on the bodice of the dress below.  So, I attempted to merge the two ideas together and create something that was "inspired by" but not exactly a "copy of."

I picked up this pink dress for free at a clothing exchange a while back.  I really liked the soft pink checks, and knew exactly what I wanted to do with the embroidered detailing.  The blouse was purchased at a thrift store for a couple of dollars.

  

And, after merging the two together, this is the result...

The waistband was cut from the embroidered bodice and trimmed with self-made piping from the excess dress fabric.

The necklace just happened to be in my stash of costume jewelry and matches perfectly!  The purse was purchased from Goodwill for $4.99.  It was a little splurge on my part, but I'm lovin' the floral print for springtime.

I also deconstructed a full petticoat (discarding the heavy layers of netting) and used the top layer as a slip to give a little fullness under the skirt.

Yes, you could say that I'm tickled pink with the outcome of this refashion!

Continue on if you would like to see a brief tutorial of the steps taken.

Once in a Blue Moon

I love the fashions of bygone days, mainly the 50's and 60's.  Whenever I look at photographs from those decades I just long to be a part of them.  I missed out on the 50's, and was pretty young in the 60's, but nonetheless, I am drawn to them.  My mom always wore dresses it seems, and often we had matching ones.  I look at her in photographs and love the dresses she wore.  I wish that she would have saved them.  I would have worn them today.  Thankfully, she taught me to sew at a young age and I am forever grateful for that.  Since I am drawn to these retro fashions, I have decided to have an ongoing series called "Retro Runway."  This will be my attempt to refashion today's clothing, giving them a retro vibe.  Of course, when I say "today's clothing" I might just mean something from the 80's or 90's, like the dress I started with below.  I picked this up at a free clothing exchange.  I was first drawn to the navy and white.  It had a huge double collar, double-breasted bodice, big white buttons, and a dropped waist.  It had potential! 

I drew inspiration from these two vintage patterns...

(Image Source)

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And, this is what I ended up with...

You can continue reading if you would like to see the steps I took to complete this dress.

The Renegade Seamstress on BurdaStyle!

A few days ago I received an email from Beth Huntington, aka The Renegade Seamstress, sharing her good news of being asked to do a live web seminar for BurdaStyle!  How exciting!  

Beth continues to wow us with her creative refashions, wonderful tutorials, and overall friendly and fun personality.  She is a weekly contributor to eHow, and she has a book coming out later this year!  Add to that her being a wife, mother, grandmother, and kindergarten teacher, and she is one talented and busy woman!

If you've ever wanted to be a part of the refashion craze but just don't know where to begin, now's the time!  I'm confident that Beth's web seminar will not disappoint and that you'll come away with loads of inspiration and refashion motivation!

The fun happens on

Monday, March 31 at 11:00 am EST.

For a full rundown of the course and all of the details, please visit the link below:

 Refashion: Inspiration and Projects to Revamp and Recycle Your Wardrobe

If you'd like to read Beth's fun post announcing this exciting news, you can do so here.

Good luck, Beth!!

To Infinity Scarf...and Beyond!

I know, I know, what is so great about an infinity scarf tutorial?  After all, you can find them all over the web.  That is, if you even need a tutorial at all.  But, none the less, I'm posting one anyway.  This one, however, may be slightly different.

I started with this sweater that I had in my stash.  Originally, I was going to use it for a Christmas stocking, but plans tend to change around here.

Then I got to work...

After cutting, you will have two "tubes."  Cut the seams off the tubes and even the seams up if they are flared out at all.  With right sides together, stitch all the pieces together—forming one larger tube.

Serge, or zigzag the edges of your scarf.  Don't worry if it ripples a little.

Cover your edges with a decorative stitch.

More fanciness, if desired...

Now, on to the finishing touches that puts this infinity scarf "beyond" others!

And there you have it!  A nice infinity scarf with decorative edges and moveable pieces that can be positioned wherever you desire!

I like to link to these great parties!

A baby, a simple dress, a bathroom floor, and roman shades!

What do all of these have in common, and why are they all addressed in this one post?  Well, its a recap of what I have been doing the past week and a half.

First, and foremost, I am one lucky grandma!  I was able to head to a sunnier climate to visit this cute family...

...who just welcomed this sweet new addition.

  

Yep, I certainly feel lucky!

In preparation for my little "vacation," I decided to do a quick refashion that would work well in the warmer weather.