Sewing for Less - Repurposing #3

Here's a jumper for my daughter that I just completed this afternoon. I used Simplicity 5226, view B, which on the pattern is shown as a slip dress, designed to be worn underneath the view A dress. However, this pattern works fine as a stand-alone dress, and has the added benefit of a keyhole back, so it just slips over the head and doesn't require buttonholes.

Where did I get my fabric, you might ask? How long did it take me to do that fancy embroidery? Because this is a re-purposing post, you know I had to start with something else, right?


How about this woman's corduroy jumper? Thank you, Goodwill! Women's dresses and jumpers are a terrific value, because of the volume of fabric they give you to work with. This jumper was a size large and had a full, gathered skirt...


and the added bonus of embroidered bands for inspiration.


I wanted to use the bodice embroidery on the bodice of my dress, but it was too far down and close to the skirt seam, so I cut the embroidered band off, then cut out my bodice pieces, then re-positioned the embroidered band where I wanted it, turning under about 3/8" on the top and bottom, and inserting some Wrights Medium Rick Rack in Aqua Blue.


Then, I decided to use the same treatment on the skirt, but because the placement of embroidered band on the dress worked fine just where it was, I opted to make a pleat above and below the embroidery and insert the rick rack there. Topstitching close to the folded edge holds the trim in place, and bodice and skirt now have a uniform look.


I also ended up sewing 3 growth pleats (barely visible in photo) in the skirt to bring it up to a better length for my daughter. The idea of growth pleats is to build in extra length so that when a growth spurt happens, one or more of the pleats can be removed to add length and prolong the life of the garment. Realistically, I won't do this, though, because corduroy is notorious for showing creases, but I still like the way it looks.



Here's a side-by-side showing the before (left) and after (right). I'm not exactly sure what I paid for the jumper, but probably not more than $3, and I also purchased 1 package of rick rack (I had one on hand from a previous project already). Including thread, this project cost me less than $5. Our local Goodwill marks down clothing every week to 29 cents, so I could've made this dress for much less.

It saddens me to hear people say that sewing is just too expensive these days. And I can see why they think that. We are so accustomed to buying cheap, imported goods from big-box stores, that spending a little more for off-the bolt fabric seems prohibitive. But, there are other alternatives! I have been frequenting thrift stores for a few years now and I can testify that if you can look beyond what the item IS to what it CAN BE...you will find an unlimited amount of resources at your disposal...sometimes for pennies.

Sewing for Less - Repurposing #2

In my previous "Sewing For Less - Repurposing" post I showed you how I turned a $0.29 men's dress shirt into a toddler dress. This time, I'm starting with a $1.00 curtain panel I purchased at a yard sale last week.


Curtains can be a fantastic source of yardage at a great price. Especially for embroidered eyelets, or other bordered fabrics. Some pre-made curtains are very poor quality, however, so it's helpful if you can develop a "feel" for good fabric. It just takes a bit of practice.


This fabric is a polyester/cotton blend, not fantastic quality, but it was the embroidered eyelet border that really caught my eye. I knew I could do something with that. It was a small valance panel, approximately 16 1/2" long. Eyelet fabric by-the-yard usually retails around $5.99/yard and can go up over $12/yard, depending on the detail and weight of the embroidery. This particular piece was heavily embroidered, and I only found one place where the stitching had come loose. The plain part of the fabric was slightly discolored, but for $1.00, I was willing to give my trusty Biz a chance. I'm making bloomers, so most of it will be hidden under a skirt, anyway.


The first step (after laundering) was to remove the rod pocket stitching from the top of the valance. I needed to do this to gain enough length to accommodate my pattern pieces. The stitches were rather large, so this only took a few minutes.


I used as my pattern. I cut a size 4, a bit bigger than my daughter is now, so her wearing time would be extended. Using the eyelet border means I don't have to hem the bloomers when I'm done...the finished edge of the eyelet will be the hem. Accordingly, I had to subtract the hem length from the pattern piece. Here is a pattern pinned on and ready to be cut. This is a multi-sized pattern, so you can see some of it is hanging over the edge of the fabric.


Here are the fabric pieces cut and ready to assemble.


I don't usually pin...(especially when serging)...but I wanted to match the eyelet at the bottom at the seam line, so pin, I did.


My serger made quick work of assembling these bloomers. Sewing, trimming, and finishing the edges in one step!


After serging the leg and crotch seams, the only remaining step was to turn the top down and apply some soft lingerie elastic to the waist. I prefer this method to making a casing and inserting the elastic; it's faster, and it is softer against the skin.


First, I measured the elastic by stretching it around my daughter's waist until comfortable. I stitched the ends together, then divided my elastic loop into fourths. I marked each fourth with a pin, then matched up the pins to the front, back, and side seams on the pants. Stretching the elastic to fit, I zig-zagged the elastic to the underside of the waist. It gathered the top as I applied it. I could have made the elastic loop a bit smaller...lingerie elastic is very soft, and did loose a bit of stretch after application. Mental note for next time.


And, Voila! One pair of lacy and feminine bloomers...for $1.00 plus thread and elastic from my "stash." Your cost may be slightly higher depending on your resources, but, still a very economical project. (Don't you just love those curled-up toes?)

By the way...does anyone know if you can even BUY bloomers anywhere? I'd be interested to know the cost.

REMEMBER: The key to successful repurposing is training your eye to look past what the item is...to what it could be.

Sewing for Less - Repurposing

Sewing for your family can be expensive. Purchasing fabric, patterns, notions, and thread at full price can easily cost you more than buying ready-made clothing on sale, and much more than gently used yard sale clothing.

But, it doesn't have to be. There are a lot of strategies I use to sew things for less. One way I save money on supplies is to look for materials to repurpose. Adult-sized clothing (especially women's skirts and dresses) usually contains enough material to create a child-sized garment. I can always find high-quality clothing at our local Goodwill store for pocket change. The key is training your eye to see past what the garment is...to what it could be.


One of the internet fads right now is repurposing men's shirts into little girls' dresses. I found this shirt at our local Goodwill store for...$0.29. It is a high-quality, 100% cotton shirt. I chose it because this color is flattering to my daughter, the material was sturdy and stain-free, and, of course, it was cheap.


I decided to use New Look 6844 as my pattern. The first thing I did was position the pattern pieces to take advantage of the existing buttons and buttonholes, eliminating the need for a back zipper. I also had to re-draw the collar front to allow for the width of the shirt's front band. I see now that I could've extended it a bit so that the collar fronts would almost touch, but it's cute the way it is. I added some decorative stitching down the front, but I don't think it adds much.


This adorable eyelet trim I picked up at another local thrift store...a friend of mine tipped me off to a huge load of sewing supplies they received, and I came home with hundreds of yards of lace and eyelet trim for $17. Some was discolored from storage, but hot water and Biz brightened it up nicely. The collar, back tie, and sleeve band I made from a tone-on-tone cotton fabric in my stash, so it was essentially free. I removed the breast pocket, carefully, added a strip of eyelet, and repositioned it on the skirt.


The sleeves turned out Snow-White-ish, but Girlie loves the dress so I'd call the whole project a success.

So, here's the breakdown:
Men's shirt used for fabric...$0.29
Eyelet trim for pocket and sleeves...$0.10 (it's probably less)
Collar, belt, sleeve band fabric...FREE from my stash
Pattern...$3.50...but I will use it several times...maybe 4...$0.63
Thread...$0.50
And, Voila!...a toddler's dress for about $1.50!*

*Note: One thing I never do is factor in my time as a cost liability. Opinions vary on this aspect of frugality. Some people believe that large amounts of time should only be spent on the activities that are going to provide the greatest cost savings...things like home repairs, oil changes, haircuts, etc. The truth is that I can purchase toddler dresses at yard sales or thrift stores for a few dollars. So, why spend a few hours to create something that is only "saving" a dollar or two?

Mainly...enjoyment. I enjoy the creative process and bringing an idea to life.

Modesty is also an issue..I like my daughter in LONG dresses...they're hard to find!

I think it sets a good example for our children, to look for creative solutions instead of running out to buy what we want or need.

And, I also believe creativity is a gift from God, and that He is pleased when we use our gifts to serve and bless others.

I hope to explore some other areas of frugal sewing. I have several projects in the works and I'll try to post them as I get them finished. Please stop back!

Variety Is The Spice of Life

Here's an idea that's been rolling around my head now for months. I've been wanting to move all my spices out of plastic containers into glass canning jars. I dislike the variety of sizes of containers that spices come in...it's visually disturbing to me. Looking at the ingredients themselves is so much more pleasing to the eye than brightly colored commercial labels. I like the way these jars look lined up on the counter...reminds me of an old-fashioned general store.

I used wide-mouth quart jars for ingredients that are spooned out, like most herbs and spices would be. Also for flaked coconut, which I keep in the fridge. For things that I will pour out of the jar, like dried beans, I used regular-mouth jars.

A quart jar sounds large to hold spices, but with a family of 6, I do a lot of cooking, and will have no trouble using them up before they lose potency. I always try to replenish my spices from the bulk food store, which is much, much cheaper than buying them in the supermarket. The few flavorings I use just a bit of I put into pint jars.

If you haven't tried the plastic lids available now for canning jars...they are great. I've seen the regular mouth lids in the grocery stores and stuff-marts, but I had a hard time locating the wide-mouth lids locally, so I purchased them here.

I designed the labels using Print Shop software, formatted an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet with 20 olive branch circles, then typed the names into a text box inside each circle. I cut them out, laminated them, and tied them to the jars with thin elastic. I used elastic because it will not come unintentially un-tied, but can be stretched and pulled off easily when I need to wash the jars.

This project took several hours over two days to complete. Because the labels are laminated, they will last a very long time, and I know I'll enjoy my kitchen so much more now that a lot of visual clutter has been eliminated.

How have you enhanced your home's beauty by reducing visual clutter?

Handcrafted Beauty

Here's a sachet I made for my Mom's birthday last month. I hand-embroidered the initial in the center, added a floral fabric border, and attached ribbon embellishments with small pink pearly buttons at the middle of each side. The inside sachet consists of an organza bag filled with rice that I scented with vanilla fragrance oil. The monogram is from a book of iron-on embroidery transfers that I have used for many of these sachets. Each design can be used many times.

Hand embroidery is something that I've started doing just in the past few years. By learning only a few basic stitches, it is possible to create lovely and unique gifts for very little money. This project probably cost me less than $5. Had I used fabric from my stash, my cost would've been almost nothing. Just the time involved.

Frugal CAN be beautiful!

Frugal Beauty

Look what my husband brought home for me today! (I keep telling him that I really am a "low maintenance" wife).

University salvage is a treasure trove for those with well-trained "what-can-I-do-with-these? eyes!" (In this case...my husband!) He called me today from work asking if we could use some sheets. "Sure," I said. Sheets do come in very handy, even if you don't use them for bedding. What I found, however, when we opened the huge bags, were not sheets, but tablecloths! Now, they are not in perfect condition...hence their presence at salvage. Most have small holes, stains, rips or tears...but all are usable in some form.

Because I'm a seamstress at heart, I always think in terms of "price per yard." Fabrics come in differing widths, and is purchased in linear yards or fractions of yards. So, one yard of fabric is a piece of fabric 36" long, by whatever the given width is. For example, 45" and 60" are common fabric widths. But there are many more, depending on the type of fabric.

For the sake of calculations, I took the sizes of tablecloths and converted them into widths of 54"...a common width of home decorating fabric.

OK...here's the fun part.

The bags contained the following:

54"x54" tablecloths...quantity 8,
54"x120" tablecloths...quantity 17,
90"x90" tablecloths...quantity 21.

Converting the "fabric" contained in the tablecloths to 54" wide fabric yields a whopping 173 yards of fabric!

My husband paid $5.00 for this haul. If my math is correct, that means that he paid $o.o3/yard. Pretty good, I'd say...actually only FREE would be better.

Not all the material is usable...but a quick look-over of all the articles yielded many pieces that will be suitable as tablecloths, after some holey or ripped areas are removed, and the edges re-hemmed. The other ones will be used in various ways...to be determined as ideas come to mind. Some initial thoughts are nighties for me and Camryn, cloth napkins, the really bad ones will become drop-cloths for our new building project, summer dresses embellished with different trims, totebags...any other ideas?

I thought it would be fun to document all the uses I find for this stash, so I will post projects as they are completed. How far can I stretch $5? I'll keep you posted.

Added: There were actually 6 other tablecloths in the bags...4 very large oval ones and 2 large round ones...they are heavier polyester and I'm not sure what I'll do with them...perhaps cut off the bad spots and use them as intended.