Dumpy Dress to Comfy Tunic Re-purpose

Well, this wasn't going to be a Tutorial, or a post, but hell, I suppose I am on a roll this week (be ready for another 6 month hiatus most likely) so may as well post this too. So this dress, it's from Target, I think I loved it at first, but do remember a many Christmases ago 2007 to be exact (only have the date b/c of my Flickr page is chronologic), I saw a picture of myself IN it and was like, Gah! what a frumpity dumpy looking mess I appeared (ok, was) (in my defense I had a wicked migraine that Christmas, hence the awful look on my face) think

Then there is every inspirational Pinterest. I found this doily pocket idea there, and was thinking, gee that'd be freaking easy... and  super cute! so...I decided to roll down to Burning Bridge last week here in Columbia, to buy some doilies and get moving on this...in hopes to wear it to some holiday engagement this year.

Ok in all honesty I was thinking I'd like this to still be a dress, but whoops! I cut too much off for that when you factor in the darned hem. Realized that after trying it on post-hem. I'd be WAY more likely to wear it as a tunic anyway.

I chopped the frumpy frock off, hemmed it 1/2". Ironed it.

image sort of looks a bit creepy. also, nice socks;)

Cut a doily in half to make two circles for two identical pockets. (as usual my half assery butt has no image of this step)


Then I parked myself afront the television, with my pink snuggie on and hand stitched the pockets on here, while folding down the raw edge at the top of the doilies. I wore it the next day to Christmas at My Father's home. Got compliments...and I may have a donation of more doilies coming. What that could mean for any Peachy Tuesday fans? ...you can only guess.

Have a Peachy Day!

Half Assed Tutorial: How to make old Jeans/Cords low-rise

Listen, so we are currently trying to sell our house. This means I have to get rid of many pack-ratted items. BUT...it can also mean, if I get creative about how to "store" these items I can keep them. So, I had been storing some Old Navy Cords circa 2000? I know they were pre-kids...any which way...I knew I'd want them again someday, so I kept reoganizing these babes into different hiding spots. Most recently I moved them to the foot of my bed...to make room for some fabric I had won in a raffle?! See here to read more about what an awesome thing The Fabric Shopper did to make this Holiday super for a whole bunch of folks, kiddos...in such a crafty way...

back to my sitch. Ok, so moving hoarded corduroys to make room for raffle-won fabric. Moved to bed. Husband was inquiring in that way he does that makes me know he thinks I should donate/throw out whatever item he is inquiring about...and reclaim the place/space it is taking. I threw them in my closet but decided today (only two days later) to make them fit me again, in a way that will be more circa 2009...or maybe 2011...but probably not quite.


I think they are slightly low rise, you know when they first came out with them. So I think to make this half assed version of making your older pants into low rise you'll probably need Non-Mom jeans to begin with...and certainly NO. FREAKING. PLEATS. if you have those either you are WAY to cool to be reading this, and probably also wear ugly sweaters and math teacher glasses to be all ironic and stuff. OR you are just, well, I don't want to hurt your feeling but please stop wearing pleats they are just awful.

So here's what I did to make my half-assed version of low rise out of some cords. OH~! almost forgot...I ruined two pair with failed attempts first, to find this half assed version. If you really want a decent re-do and you are talented when it comes to sewing clothing and you HAVE patience (I do not) then google it because some *true* fashionista revisionistas have done this successfully and probably much more beautifully.

Step ONE: find jeans or cords that will sit on your hips even with their LONG zipper and so forth.

Step Two: turn them inside out, and line up the inseam with a desirable pair of jeans that you currently love the rise in.

Step THREE: BASTE stitch by hand along the excess from the pair you are fixing so it matches up to your desirable pair. try them on with just the basted stitch, to be sure you like how they look.
Note: this lining up, you will find the excess does not run the entire length of your pants, if it does I'd just manually taper it out. You should only be sewing about 5-6" of this inseam. a very thin triangle.

Step FOUR: Machine Sew along your basted stitch. Cut excess and voila there you have your low rise pants.

Note: The reason I termed this "half assed" (besides the obvious) The stitches basically are under your ass, halfway, so unless you are bending over like, with straight legs, touching your toes no one should notice this was done using Peachy Tuesday's Half-Assery. And man oh man do I love that tern btw.

Happy sewing:) Have a Peachy Day!

Tutorial: Making American Girl Doll Tights

I was looking at a mess on my dresser last evening when a lone knee sock struck me with an amazingly-easy-to-execute idea. I told one of my daughters to "quick! go get your American Girl doll!" I realized the width of my adult sized knee sock was the American Girl Doll waist width. I made 3 pair of tights from knee socks in about 30 minutes. I thought I'd post how easy it was here. My apologies, the pictures are awful, but you'll forgive me when you see how easy this is!

you'll need:

• An adult sized knee sock,
• thread
• sewing machine
• scissors
• ruler

First:  Turn your sock inside out (if you forget it's ok, if they are solid color socks they'll look fine, and to be honest I forgot on this pair!)

Step two: Cut straight across removing the "foot" part of the sock

Step Three: measure 3 inches from top of sock and mark with a pin

Step four: Sew down the almost center from the pin twice, leaving about 1/2" in between your sewing lines so you can easily cut in between the lines you've sewn. At the bottom, curve your sewing line outward.

Step Five: sew the 1/2" space connecting the TOP of your lines.

Step Six: Cut up the center and around the feet.

Turn right side out and you have yourself some dolly tights!

Front

back

variations: tights with runners could work almost just as easily (even kids tights!) but you'll have to adjust the tutorial a bit to sew yourself a waist.