Hello friends...I hope you are all well and I thank you for visiting me again.
So.....let's talk about what we see when we look at things. I know many of us will look at the same thing and each see something different.
Many of you (because you have told me so) have a hard time envisioning something as it could be instead of what it is.
Case in point:
You are browsing around your local thrift shop and you see a sleeveless summer dress.
You love the rich tropical colors, but when you look at the tag, you are dismayed to see it is a size 3x.
Maybe you are a size 10..5..14..whatever.
You hang it back on the rack and move on.......
Then you spot this luscious floral fabric. You pull it off the rack to get a closer look. wow...you would love to drape yourself in something this silky and feminine.
You look at the tag.......What!!!! Who the heck wears a size 2??????
Not the majority of American woman, that's for sure.
You put the skirt back and walk away disappointed....AGAIN!
Ok ladies...I want you to stop and listen to me.
Are you really going to leave this gorgeous fabric behind??
So what if it is not your size.
Maybe you can't use it as a dress, but come on...think outside the box here!
Just think for a moment.....hmmmmmmm.
It is a large size which means you have a lot of fabric to play with.
Go get your scissors, but don't run..and keep the point down!
I'll wait
Ok, now lay the dress on your fancy cutting table (kitchen table) and cut straight across from armpit to armpit.
This leaves you with one very large tube of fabric.
I happen to have 1inch elastic handy, so thats what I used as a sewing guide.
Create your elastic casing by folding your top edge fabric over twice, making sure it is wide enough to slide the elastic in.
Sew a straight stitch all around and leave about 1-2 inches open to insert elastic.
I simply pinned a large safety pin onto the end of my elastic, which I cut to my waist size, funneled it through the sewn top edge.
I securely sewed the two ends of elastic together and closed up that 1-2 inch opening I mentioned above.
Sorry I did not take pics of that step, but you get it...right?
This dress also had two ties which I removed and restyled as a halter feature.
Voile!
You now have a beautiful summer beach cover-up which by-the-way can also be worn as a maxi skirt!
Two summer pieces in one and it only cost you about $5.00
Not too shabby...and you were going to leave it on the rack!
Remember this soft and flowing 100% silk Brooks Brothers skirt?
Yeah...the size 2....sheesh!
I was born larger than a size 2!
This was very likely an expensive summer skirt.
That size tag is forcing you to walk away.....
STOP!
Back it up lady..
Come on, just look at this incredible silk fabric!
And those colors...YUM.
It's like a fabulous watercolor...that you can wear.
So maybe you can't wear it as a skirt, what about something different.
Let's start by trimming off the front closure edge along the button flap.
Now cut off the waistband.
Now you have two large pieces of silk.
The skirt has a pale green lining, which..you guessed it, we are going to use also.
After cutting the floral fabric into a long and wide strip, I made a few very small holes in the ends of the fabric.
I cut 2inch strips from the green lining silk and made a fringe by looping them through the holes.
Do you see were I am going here?
That wonderful , but way too tiny silk skirt you were not going to purchase, is now a beautiful silk summer scarf.
Isn't she gorgeous?
Imagine sitting in coastal bistro..you are with the person you love, enjoying a summer drink. The ocean breeze is making your silk scarf dance softly around your body and the colors are glowing in the moonlight.
And you weren't going to buy that skirt...shame on you!
I hope that when you wander through your local thrift shops, you keep an open mind and try to see things as they could be and not always as they are.
**
Now for the winner of the Custom Slipcovers by Shelley DVD
Of course a huge THANK YOU to all who entered and left such nice comments.
I read all of them appreciate every one of you.
The DVD goes to
Collette Douglas
Seems she has a dirty brown sectional called 'The Beast' that she will attempt to tame.
Good Luck Collette
Congratulations!
Just got an e-mail from Collette and she is a military wife!
I feel even better about her good luck now.
I will be contacting you via e-mail.
Until next time...be kind and stay creative!
Sharing this week:
20 comments:
Loved your post it made me smile and no I wont walk past any lovely fabric in whatever size again without thinking of you and what can be created with it.
ps I had to comment was worried about the fed coming after me all the way down here lol
I love to see your brain at work! These are both beautiful...and to think I just spent $$$ on a new beach cover-up!
I like the way you think, Janet. The dress looks especially good.
Pop over to my blog and check out my pinny made from a pillowcase.
Love it, love it, love it!! Bravo. that halter floral spring dress would have looked a treat on my recent holiday to tropical Bali!! You have inspired me once again!! take care (if you want to see some nature/animal pics of the holiday pop over to my blog). Also I showed my husband your blog and it inspired him!! Thank-you. We went to Goolwa Recycling depot in South Australia and picked up an old spring recliner chair for $1 and now together we are restoring it. I am taking photos of the progress. We Can't wait to post the finished job, thanks again for your inspiration!
I love the dress. I probably couldn't "pull it off" as a dress, but I could definitely use it as a beach cover up.
Love this post. I spend way too much time searching the thrift stores for "fabric". So few fabric stores anymore and sometimes you make these great finds of rich materials. Love those plus size racks. I find myself standing in the aisle figuring how much fabric I can get from a garment. Now if only I could get all these projects finished.
Oh Janet, you do make me smile! We have different size codes over here, but I am very familiar with the feeling - and often pick up doll sized clothes simply for the fabric. Though in my case I am thinking toys, not dresses. X
Congrats to the winner. Amazing things again.
You ARE a clever lady Janet! The imagery in your blog posts always makes me smile :)
Congrats on another great giveaway - these fabric ideas are great BTW, who'd have thought??!!
Hey Janet, your beach cover up and scarf look great, but I would need a coat over the top in the weather we are having at the moment, brrrrrr.......
Are you planning a trip away perhaps?
You certainly do see things in a different light and who I would like to know wears a size 2 apart from a 2yo?
Congrats to Collette on winning the DVD, well done.
Claire :}
Love this! I'm always going to thrift stores and looking for things to be refashioned. Thanks for sharing your designs!
I love this dress!!! This is such a cool idea.
Great makeovers Janet! I almost always see something else hiding in the things I come across. You take the cake with your creativity though! I sure would love to go shopping together, bet we could have an upcycle party that would rock!
Great post! I love the way you think!!! It's fun to give something a new purpose.
Congratulations to Collette!!
Great redos Janet...very inspiring!
ack! i love what you did with the dress! it's so perfect for summer!
also. I DIDN'T WIN THIS ONE EITHER!?!?!?!
you know. your font is so fancy. it doesn't portray my shock and anguish as much as it should.
Very inventive. Love the bright colors and beautiful dress and scarf you made.
- Sue
I will never look at oversized or undersized clothing the same way again!
Those turned out so amazing! You really have a gift for reimagining things (and definitely as well as the original item or better!)
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