Waist not, want not

Have been on a tear lately, what with altering seams, hems and such to personally tailor ill fitting garb. Chrysanthemum gave me a Burberry plaid skirt and the waist band either made me cry ~or~ I wouldn't button it. Even moving the button over wouldn't cure the problem but the skirt otherwise fit perfectly. Instead of blaming my own body, I deemed it to be a manufacturing misfit as the waistband was simply too small. But you know I loves me some plaid so out comes the seam ripper.

The waist band is gone, I tell ya.

Serged the lining and the skirt together.




Attached grosgrain ribbon from my stash.

Folded the ribbon to the interior of skirt.


Hand sewed the ribbon for hidden stitches.


Top stitched the skirt, following the tartan plaid for less obvious machine sewn lines.


WooHoo!
It's plaid!
It's a skirt with a no-cry waist band!

Girl, I like your skirt

While Crysanthemum and I "pirooted" through the goods at the salvage store, I picked up a cute and colorful skirt. Chrysanthemum kinda snorted and said, "I think the size 16 refers to a girl's size, not misses."


And while I've lost a few pounds, I am not so delusional to think myself to have a pre-pubescent waist. No, instead I already had in a revamp in mind.
Take a look.


Measure your non-size 16 waist and match it to a corresponding width of the skirt. Chop off the fabric above the measurement. OR~~~ forget the measuring part and guess like I did. See if you can shimmy the pre-junior skirt over your very womanly hips.
Check out my posts on foldover elastic. It is sewn with a stretch zigzag stitch on Angry Chicken's blog.


You can change it up by zigzagging only on the interior of the skirt waist and top stitching the outside for a neater appearance.

Get yourself to the girl's department and see what you can find.

Salvaged shirt

There's thrift stores and charity shops and outlet centers but you haven't "pirooted" for treasure until you've been to a "salvage" store with an eclectic array of liquidated or closeout merchandise AND every weirdo in the joint wants to chat with ya. (Shut up, freak, you're cutting into my shopping time.) Anywho, while visiting Chrysanthemum in Mississippi, we hit the local salvage store. Fancy schmancy decorative tile, oscillating fans galore, random bedding and a ton of Target clothing. Remember this blouse from Target's spring Liberty of London collection?

(yeah, that's not me)

Slap a $4 tag on it and watch it gain potential. The peacock feather print is cute so what's my hesitation/objection to a $4 blouse? Um, could it be the completely unnecessary and very stoopid gathered ruffle at the hem? Yes, dear one, ruffles at the widest point of the body are not figure flattering bu-uut . . . $4 is a throw-away price, why not try a revamp.

Firstly, the ruffle is cut off.
It's gone, I tell ya!
Hacked a few inches from
the sleeve length too.

Serge the cut edges on hem and sleeves.
Apply Wash Away Wonder Tape.
Remove tape backing.
You got yourself a
self sticking hem fold.
No pins!

Top stitch hem.
Spritz hem with water
to remove tape goo.

Solar powered lamp revamp

Purchased a solar powered lamp typically used for outdoor path illumination and did a revamp. (now on sale, doggone it!)

A too-rusty shelf bracket was lightly covered with flat black spray paint then lightly wiped with dried leaves. Why the wipe? Dunno, I saw the leaves on my work surface in the garage and a voice in my head wondered if they would knock down the too-perfect black. Yep, it worked. Who knew? One of the myriad of craft personalities living in my head, that's who!

With an embellishment of some Rub and Buff stuff,

highlights of gold are added.

The too-perfect and too-black

hanging lamp received the same treatment.

To avoid smearing on the lamp glass,

a cotton swab applied streaky detail.

A sodalite stone pendant

from my people give me stuff jewelry cemetery

with the center dangle removed.

Added a split key ring

for the easy hanging of ~~

a pool gate lamp!

Tote bag recycle

Do you know what a chair back pocket is? It is sewn like a slipcover with pockets for school kids to store items at their desk.
Because next year's class doesn't use them, this kid's mom gave me his chair back pocket to disassemble for craft fabric but, instead, I recycled it into a tote bag. His name was already embroidered on it, so why not a sturdy heavy weight tote?

• I sewed the open bottom closed and cut the top to form a bag.
  
• Red bias tape applied to top cut edge.
  
• Two plaid neckties were zigzagged and straight stitched for stability and reinforcement then stitched to bag for double straps.
  

Yay! A bag for transporting library books and such.

Y'know you have a craft problem

when you spy a Welsh Corgi dog image on 2 HUGE dog food bags in a stranger's cart while at the grocery store and wonder if there is any possible scenario where you can ask them for their empty bags because although you don't own dogs, you would love to make a tote with their cast off bags . . . .and the scenario did not include
1. them calling the manager and accusing you off harassment
2. making tote bags for them in exchange
3. being thought of as the crazy lady hoarder

You'll be proud relieved. I didn't approach them.

Have way too much stuff to make as it is,
I am,
Skitzo Leezra

The closest I'll ever get to having a white beaded gown is this tank top

My favorite "cute" white tank died on me so picked up this simple lace trimmed tank last week while at WalMart for $5! That's how they get ya: go in for groceries, come out with a shirt.
Anywho, my old favorite had bead embellished lace trim so this one was a good replacement except . .

. . I couldn't help myself and sewed tiny white seed beads at regular intervals using the lace pattern guide. Nice but dang, you can't even see them! Added the larger pearl beads while watching the Survivor finale.

Easy peasy and mo' better.

It started with a hole

Have a soft and comfy T-shirt with a small mystery hole. DANG!

What's a girl to do?

A girl with a sewing machine AND a long strip of black and white gingham selvage from her latest fringed scarf jag?

Placed shirt on form and had the gingham scrap coiled in my left hand and let it drop. I shit you not, it fell almost as you see it in the top photo. What could be easier? Pinned it and tacked down with a fast and sloppy stretch zigzag stitch. Added a big old vintage button to flower's center.

Still have the hole but not visible to the naked eye. Did that sound nasty to you too? You're welcome.

Recycled art

Check out the Earth Counts Green Matters art exhibit at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Most of these pix are works by students with a few by art teachers. Amazing talent!