Archive for the ‘ Fixed it ’ Category

UFO: little pink sweater

I started this baby ballet sweater more than a year ago to give to a little girl born right before Mr. O.

ballet blossom cardigan because new friend is lovely

Got 90 percent done – it was all knitted and partly sewn together – and hit a roadblock. I didn’t like the seams, I didn’t know how to neatly attach the wrap binding to the edge. I put it down.

ballet blossom cardigan because new friend is lovely

It sat. She grew. It sat some more. I swore off seamed sweaters and moved on to one-piecers. She’s way too big now and has been for many months.

ballet blossom cardigan because new friend is lovely

But 2015 is the year of finishing, of using up, of enjoying. So I picked it back up, decided it wasn’t bad and finished sewing her together. She will find a home with a sweet little girl who just popped out last month.

ballet blossom cardigan because new friend is lovely

Voila.

ballet blossom cardigan because new friend is lovely

Details here c/o Ravelry.

2015
03/13
CATEGORY
Finished it
Fixed it
Gifted it
Knitted it
TAGS









Leave a comment

Eking tiny khakis out of scraps — and rejiggering a pattern to make them fit

pants O khaki s2907 size 1/2 18 mos

This pattern is a hit. And I’ve been pulling all kinds of fabric from the stash for Mr. Baby.

This khaki twill came from a thrift store and made me a skirt muslin years ago.

It’s such nice stuff I had no business making a muslin from it. But I don’t wear khaki so I chopped it up. At any rate, there was not enough left to cut pants straight from the envelope.

With some finagling, though, I turned the scraps into baby pants. Simplicity 2907.

The backs from went from four pieces to two. I lengthened the bottoms of the upper back pieces by about six inches, essentially making shorts into long pants.

pants O khaki s2907 size 1/2 18 mos

The front uppers got cut out according to the directions. I eked out a two-inch piece on the bias for the knees, and then four-inch bottom fronts on grain. The bias cut wasn’t so much for design as just how the pieces fit.

pants O khaki s2907 size 1/2 18 mos

Stitched the legs together and carefully topstitched them as directed.

Zigzagged the seams inside. And added a red tag in the back of the waistband.

pants O khaki s2907 size 1/2 18 mos

No pockets this time. I just couldn’t make the pockets work, and didn’t want to mess around with any contrasting fabrics this time. Too classic.

pants O khaki s2907 size 1/2 18 mos

(The orange markings came right out in the wash.)

2015
01/29
CATEGORY
Finished it
Fixed it
Made it
Mr. Baby
Sewed it
TAGS





Leave a comment

An old sweater needs a fix

pearl cardigan

This dainty little sweater is an old family favorite. It belonged to one of my mother’s friends back when she collected elderly ladies. My sister had it last, then it started to fray a little in the neck. She gave it to me.

pearl cardigan

I don’t sew much anymore because I don’t have space at home to iron and cut out. So it’s super gratifying to find small projects to do.

I am going to pin this in place,

pearl cardigan

start sewing the inside, and then carefully hand stitch the outside.

pearl cardigan

The pearl adornments make it worth the effort, not to mention the sentiment of keeping this little guy going.

2011
10/09
CATEGORY
Fixed it
Love it
Sewed it
TAGS





Leave a comment

Sweater fix: the neck (a how to?)

purple pearl sweaterI loved this silk cotton purple sweater with the pearls all over the front and the sleeves.

IMG_6563

IMG_6564

But the original crew neck was such an ugh. It was so ugly, I never photographed it at all.

Picked at this sucker over months, trying to figure out the best way to fix it and then getting up the nerve to cut into this baby, too.

Finally I unraveled the knitted crew neckband. Pinned the fabric back into a bateau neckline.

IMG_6566Picked off the couple pearl beads in the way.

IMG_6561Then I cut bias strips from the back side of some old irridescent purple taffeta because it was a pretty close match to this lilac color. The taffeta’s light enough that it doesn’t add bulk, and the bias means the neckline will give a little.

IMG_6569Pinned them in place, wrong sides together, sewed. Pressed them back out, pinned pressed and sewed.

IMG_6570

purple pearl neckAnd neckline. Now the question remains: Should I leave the sleeves long or cut them to cap? Which will I want to wear more? (Am leaning toward CHOP.)

2011
03/28
CATEGORY
Fixed it
How to do it
Refashioned it
Sewed it
Thrifted it
TAGS



Leave a comment

Long dress all done

Took a beloved T-shirt pattern and lengthened it into a solid gray dress I will wear all spring.

gray long dress

Raglan sleeves, nice scoop neck that’s not too deep, long length, ruching around bumpy middle. That part photographs terribly:

gray long dress

And I did the hem with a band I sewed onto the dress’ wrong side at the bottom so there’s texture.

The style was inspired by a thrifted wool-blend dress that went down to my feet. And there’s enough old gray Gaffney’s knit leftover to make something else.

2011
03/19
CATEGORY
Finished it
Fixed it
Love it
Made it
Refashioned it
Sewed it
TAGS





Leave a comment

Word on Georgie-girl

Sleeping standing up. Nose pokes out.