Thursday, March 12, 2015

The End of the Fluff...Onward Sew!

Friends, as I looked back over my blog for the last few months, I realize that I have been feeding you a lot of fluff.  Well...the fluff ends here.

Deadlines had been dragging me down.  First there was sewing cruise wear (which I didn't blog a whole lot of), and then I had to make a Frontiersman costume for my son, because apparently second grade research projects are intended to torture parents just as much as they do the kids.

Now, with a clean slate I feel like I can start to create again.

So without further ado, here is my latest sew or refashion as it may be.


This shirt is very typical of what you would see me wearing out and about during the warmer days of Spring and Summer.  I own a few RTW shirts in similar styles.  Would you call this a pillowcase tunic, maybe?

As I mentioned before this is a refashion.  Here is what I started out with.


When I saw this dress at the Salvation Army last Fall, I loved the print.  Purples and aquas are my favorite colors.  I also really liked the pin tuck detail on the front of the dress.  Throw in the fact that it was only 99 cents, and it was a no brainer.  I knew that I could do something with it.

So when I was looking for a refashion to get me out of my sewing slump, and I came across this in the pile, I knew it was just what I needed to get me out of my funk.

It took some seam ripping, and the removal of a zipper.



I also removed the sleeves, and cut seven inches off of the bottom of the dress.  I biased bound the new arm holes, and cut the shoulder seams out.  The collar edges were trimmed and serged, and then folded in an inch and sewn to create two tunnels for the tie fabric to thread through.


I finally used my rolled hem foot to create a rolled hem all the way around the bottom of the tunic.  I cut the tunic a little long because I suspect that I may belt it sometimes when I wear it, and I wanted to make sure there was enough ease there that everything that I want to keep covered stays that way.



Here are some more pictures of the tunic.  I really am pleased with it, and it makes me look forward to warm bright sunshiny days ahead.


I am completely in love with how the pin tucks added interest to this tunic.  They hug the bosom just right.  With the mix of colors and style of the tunic it is almost Bohemian meets Caribbean.


You don't tend to see a whole lot of plus size refashions online, but I hope that this one might encourage some of you to give refashioning a try.  This dress wasn't even my size (RTW 22 and I am easily a 24/26), but the print just made me feel happy, and the rayon that it is made of had a great hand, so I knew there was something great hiding inside!

Friends, I say head out, hit a thrift store, and come home and make something beautiful.  Am I the only plus size refashioner out there?

22 comments:

  1. Fabulous and perfect! It was hiding in the original!

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    1. Thanks MAM! I like the idea that it was hiding in there.

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  2. Those are your colors! And that's a great refashion. Looks great on you!

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    1. Thanks Summer F-T. I am just drawn to those colors. Always have been.

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  3. That turned out really great and you look great in it! Love those colors!

    I've never done any refashioning, but I should really take a look at our local thrift stores and see what they have. One thing that makes me hesitate is that it seems like refashioning is easier, and you have more options, if you're a smaller size (which I am not).

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    1. I myself am far from being a small gal, but I manage to find things to work with. If I find something that I love the print, I look at it creatively for a few minutes to see if I can make it work. A lot of times I go with skirts because there is a lot of material there to work with.

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  4. Very cute refashion. The colours are definitely great on you.

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  5. Those colours look so lovely on you!! :) Great refashion!

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  6. This is beautiful and looks great on you. The colours are so summery. Always find it hard these days to refashion things as I can rarely find anything big enough. Sometimes use old fabrics for cushions and things though. Xx

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    1. Mother, I think I have a slight advantage being here in the Midwest. I also find I have better luck this time of year because people who are heavier that have held to their new year's resolutions are starting to purge their closets.

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  7. Before I moved to New Mexico, I used to refashion a bit more than I do now (which is basically none). The general thrifting situation here is horribly abysmal, and add my larger size to that and I can't find much that I like for refashion. I have, however, gotten into using sheets and other random linens that I find at garage sales as yardage. I love this top and I have to say, your hair looks fabulous here!

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    1. I am with you on the sheets too, both thrifted and new. I will be doing a post soon on some great sheets I got at Target this past week. Thanks for noticing my hair! I am experimenting with it.

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  8. Your tunic is so fresh and beautiful! I have never refashioned anything, but I do have a few sewing flops that have potential...Thank you for the inspiration!

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    1. Marike, you are very welcome! I bet you can dig up something that you can take from flop to fabulous!

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  9. You have created a gorgeous top out of - well a blah top. The fabric was lovely as you say but the style - very pedestrian. Now it shines.

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  10. I love the colors, the pintucks, and the neckline changes! This top is adorable, and looks great on you - the color is amazing with your skin!

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    1. Thank you, Idioskosmos! The pintucks were really what drew me to the dress for a possible refashion in the first place!

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