Op shop refashion: funky purple dress to skirt

This was a good op shop find for $7. Purple is my second-favourite colour, it's a brand that I prefer, and the fabric is funky. It also fit pretty well, and I originally bought it with a plan to fill in the rather large gap across the bust.

But this week I was going through my cupboard and doing a clean out, so I put this dress on and decided that I didn't really like the top part. I did some thinking, trying to decide if I could refashion the top of the dress, and figured it wasn't going to be worth it (I also have numerous dresses already).

But it would make a very nice skirt!
Dress to skirt refashion are very easy:

1. There's already a zip inserted
2. The waist is in the right spot
3. The bottom is hemmed

Step one: chop the top off. I always save the bits to use for another project.

Step two: hem the top edge. My machine didn't like it much, it often doesn't with the shiny, fancy fabrics.

Skirt done, that simple!
Normally I would add a pocket as well, but I don't know if I want that on a skirt that I may want to wear outside of work. 
Added to the wardrobe.

#lovelypennypatterns

Eco dyeing and fabric printing day: op shop refashions and fabric upcycles

I took a week off this month and had a holiday at home- and it was great! I spent an entire day out in my carport with tea leaves, rusty things, op shop clothes, fabric paint and pillow cases. I came away from it filthy but happy.

Dyeing

I steamed one lot of shirts and I've started to play around more with my techniques. I really like the speckled look that the tea leaves create when garments are steamed.

I wrapped rusty nails in this shirt before I steamed it, too, and some of the pattern has come out.

I bought this silk shirt at Christmas and have only worn it once because I find it too pale and see-through. After a good steaming I am much happier with it!

This sleeved shirt didn't take up as much colour as I would have liked, so I may even dye it again.

There is a nice rust pattern on the back though.

What I do like about steaming is that you keep more of the original colour of the shirt. 

Some nice speckles in this one, too.

Onto the boiled garments.
This shirt is linen and it took the grey up very well.

These fabulous shoulder patterns come from rusty springs. They turned out great when they were tightly wrapped.

The detail thread mustn't have been cotton, as it hasn't picked up the colours. It makes a nice contrast.

I put some small branches into the clothes instead of single leaves this time, and the pattern has come out quite well.

I learn more every time I dye.
For example: rolling the bundles (rather than folding) definitely wraps them tighter and the colours and patterns are better.

And I've decided that I really like how the grevillea leaves print, that touch of green that I don't tend to get from the gum leaves.  
I also prefer boiled garments over the steamed garments.

You can see the grevillea pattern on the left shoulder below.

This skirt was a $1 bargain and I boiled it for myself. It was wrapped around a horse shoe, with plenty of leaves and tea. I like it when the buttons are also cloth-wrapped, because they will dye too.

Printing

My little fabric painting set up. Hmm, I could really use another table.

Onto the printing! This skirt is for an Ursula the Sea Witch costume, from The Little Mermaid. I already had the blue/green dyed shirt, but I couldn't help adding to it.

This check dress looks more modern now with my own sundew stencilled on it.

I treated myself to a pot of copper paint this time and I was really happy with how it turned out.

I experimented with some paint mixes on some op shop pillowcases that I had.

Some great colour combinations! And I really like my stencil... I need to design some more!

I also tried some prints on items that I had already eco dyed. This skirt turned out well.

This shirt was going to be a gift for a family member. It had a big bit of rusty thing in the middle when it was eco dyed, but I apparently didn't wrap it tight enough because the middle of the shirt barely picked any colour up.

A single print on this skirt to offset the copper colour that the lace at the top has picked up.

And finally some mixed stencilling. I'm thinking that I'll shorten the sleeves on this top.

#lovelypennypatterns

Batgirl and Supergirl Op Shop Skirts to Capes Refashions

We took my niece op shopping again the other month and had a blast. I was pleasantly surprised when she found these two skater skirts on the rack and pointed them out to me. She's still in her superhero phase at the moment.

Certainly some girl power here!

She asked me to make her something from them. Some negotiations took place: if I made her something from the Batgirl skirt, then I could have the Supergirl skirt. We agreed on a Batgirl cape and I happily paid $4 for each skirt.
A while down the track and with her birthday looming, I decided that a cape from both skirts was in order. There would still be plenty of fabric left for me to use.
I cut the first shape out of the Batgirl skirt.

And then used it as a pattern on the Supergirl skirt.

These were very easy to finish with hems on both sides and ties sewn into the seams.

One cape ready to go.

And then two!

Just needs a mask to go with the Batgirl cape now! One happy super hero.
#lovelypennypatterns

Op shop skirt refashion - Zipper to No-zipper

A friend found me this fabulous skirt in an op shop and thankfully it fit! I've worn it for a couple of years, but I've noticed that I don't wear it often and this is because it has a high, tight waist.

The top of the skirt sits right under my bust and even though the olive green part is cotton it makes it a bit hot in our climate. Because it's firm it also makes me feel a bit self-conscious about my stomach.
Now that I'm trying not to buy clothes and am in refashion mode, I decided that I would convert it to another style of skirt.
You can see here that the zip runs the width of the olive green part. I unpicked to remove it and continued to unpick all the way down to the bottom hem.

What I suspected I'd have to do with this skirt was add fabric in to make it wide enough to pull up: it sits pretty flush at the moment. I went trawling through the stash and found this: 

I thought that, even though it had a lot of colours, they resonated with different colours in the skirt.
Sewing, always sewing: I cut a wide panel, hemmed all of the edges and the sewed new seams.

Once the sides were sewn it was an easy hem at the top and bottom.

And I added a pocket, of course! I can't live without them these days.

Aww, I found a bow that used to be on a headband when I was a kid. I LOVED this fabric! Better wear it again.

Finished skirt! No elastic, no zip, just slides on over my head.

#lovelypennypatterns