remaking clothes Tag

22 Jul Let’s Hang On To What We’ve Got!

Posted at 12:36h in Refashioning Clothes by goodbyevalentino 68 Comments

“ Mom, it’s time for you to quit wearing this strapless top.” Is this a preview of what’s to come? “Mom, this house is more than you can handle. Let’s look at a retirement community.” “Mom, it’s time to turn over the car keys.” “Mom, we’re afraid you are going to hurt yourself with that sewing machine.” ………………… I’ll quit wearing the strapless top, but I’m not giving it away. It’s an expensive Sarah Campbell top made of a beautiful cotton almost as nice as Grandmother’s Sheet, and I love it. I recognize there comes a time when one has to take a long hard look...

07 Jul One $ Wonder(ful)

Posted at 14:44h in Refashioning Clothes by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

My mother gave me this dress some time ago. She bought it for $1.00 at a thrift store and thought the dress might look cute if I hemmed it. O k a y y y y y … I thought it had potential, but a little hem seemed like just the beginning, or perhaps the grand finale. The fit was acceptable in bust but was too big elsewhere. After releasing a few stitches of the bust lining, I was able to adjust the bodice. Following the stitching lines I removed two inches from the upper bodice through the hips. I then tapered the lower...

21 Jun Carpe Diem

Posted at 08:41h in Refashioning Clothes by goodbyevalentino 39 Comments

Carpe Diem does not mean ‘fish of the day' As I relaxed under the umbrella taking in the surrounding beach activities, the wind blew my current issue of InStyle magazine to a page of celebrities wearing skinny floral pants and jeans. In particular, the pants on the right reminded me of a pair of pants I had packed for this week at the beach …… only I bought them in 2006… and they weren’t skinny legs… and they were stretched out from 6 years of constant wear…. The gang was out fishing leaving me free to get my sewing machine out of the...

02 Jun Beachworthy in a Snap

Posted at 20:00h in Refashioning Clothes by goodbyevalentino 31 Comments

Ummmmmm...

08 May Gilding the LILLY

Posted at 17:06h in Refashioning Clothes by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

If ever there was a dress that did not need to be remade it was this one; a Lilly Pulitzer sundress, circa 2003. I bought this cute dress for my older daughter when she was in high school. I’ve always loved it but she left it behind several years ago. I understand. Twenty-somethings don't want to wear 10- year old dresses, nor did I at that age. The dress isn’t my style or size, but I didn’t want to give it away. I decided a remake was in order, so I picked up my seam ripper and watched Diana Rupp’s Sewing Studio skirt tutorial...

04 May Once a Lilly, Always a Lilly

Posted at 06:52h in Refashioning Clothes by goodbyevalentino 89 Comments

For years I wanted to do something with this Lilly Pulitzer dress.I bought it in 2008 shortly before going on my first cruise. I had no idea what to take, and bought this from Lilly’s Resort collection. This shapeless dress made of heavy broadcloth hardly looks like Resort Wear on me.I suppose I’ve worn it enough to get my money’s worth, but I‘ve always felt dowdy and matronly in it. Within seconds of cutting off nine inches, the garment had a brand new look, much like one of those magical haircuts that bring out one’s best facial features. The project was pretty...

08 Feb WORTH IT

Posted at 13:51h in New Look Sewing Patterns, sewing blog, skirt pattern by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

Four years ago I bought this skirt at a Worth trunk show. Worth is one of my favorite clothing lines, but the clothes are expensive and I consider my Worth purchases to be very special. At the show I tried on a sample several sizes larger than what I usually wear. After the Worth representative carefully adjusted the skirt to my body with clothespins, I pictured myself wearing this beautiful silk skirt everywhere and bought it. I n e v e r w o r e t h i s s k i r t. When the skirt arrived...

17 Jan New Look, New Life, New Home

Posted at 15:18h in Refashioning Clothes by goodbyevalentino 14 Comments

The tale of three garments...

10 Jan Skinny!

Posted at 13:12h in Refashioning Clothes by goodbyevalentino 10 Comments

This morning I cut out the paper pattern pieces for my next project, a dress using a Missoni knit I found at Mood Fabrics...

05 Oct Doncaster Remake

Posted at 21:13h in Refashioning Clothes by goodbyevalentino 8 Comments

Will the real homemade blouse please come forward? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? How did you guess? Never mind……… Last year I discovered how much I love wearing sleeveless silk tops. I bought the two above last fall, and I wear them all of the time. The safari print is a St. John and the red...