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refashion: “new” skinny jeans

You know what’s weird about skinny jeans? They never look too short. There are long and ankle length. When they really get short, they become capris. You just can’t go wrong. This is good when your daughter is growing like a weed, but only up and not out.

Temps are getting cooler, so we went through her stash of jeans this weekend. The 10s were a wee bit too short, but fit fine in the waist. The 12s were also a wee bit short, and were way too big in the waist. I decided to do the only logical thing: turn the 10s into skinny jeans.

Ironically, she has a really nice, brand new pair that she hates. They have a decorative seam down the top center that “feels weird.” They look so great on that I refuse to let them go. I’m convinced she’ll come to love them. In the meantime, they became the perfect pattern for refashioning four other pairs.

It’s really amazing to see a pair of pants transformed from something that looks like they’re ready for a flood to something cute and trendy. She was particularly happy that I gave new life to her sparkly Jordaches. (I got my first pair of Jordache jeans when I was just a little bit older than she is now. I LOVED them.)

So today was a good day. I watched football, had a Starbucks, and sewed up a storm. Hello, Fall. We’re ready for you!

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fixing the other christmas jammies

christmas jammies

Last year I bought my daughter size medium pajamas from Target. Within a year they were above her ankles. I knew size large would be too big because I measured them in the store. (Yes, that weirdo with the tape measure in the clothing department is me.) However, I don’t have time to make all of her pajamas by hand, so I bought them and hoped for the best.

First problem: the waist kept falling down. I had to run some elastic around to keep them up. Second problem: she was tripping over them. I wound up hemming THREE INCHES. How can the difference between medium and large be that great? They are polyester, so I know last year’s didn’t shrink.

I’m thinking making them by hand might have been easier after all.

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how to: my third (and final?) waistband tutorial

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It’s that time of year again. Spring. When leggings from last Fall are too short, but it’s not warm enough to pair them with sandals and call them capris.

My daughter is a size 7/8 waist and a 9/10 inseam. It’s so annoying.

To the casual observer, it might seem I’m obsessed with waistbands. I’ve already written two tutorials on the subject: taking in the waist on jeans and adding adjustable elastic. But what about comfy pants and leggings? That, my friends, is super easy.

Materials
elastic
small, sharp pair of scissors
pin, needle and thread

Step 1
If you can find a seam, grab a seam ripper to open up the waist. So far I haven’t been able to do this. A lot of times the elastic is actually sewn to the fabric. Find an inconspicuous spot and snip a hole.

Step 2
Measure your/your child’s waist size and cut an elastic the same length. Thread it through the casing right along with the original elastic.

Step 3
Overlap the ends about an inch and stitch together—by machine if you’re too lazy to sew by hand, by hand if you’re too lazy to get out your machine.

Now would be a good time to try on and make sure all is good.

Step 4
Stitch up the little hole you made in Step 1. I used to just add a few drops of Fray Check on the raw ends, but my daughter says it’s too itchy.

I’ll be assembly lining a bunch of these tonight. Happy Spring!

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once a refashioner…

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After you’ve been taking apart clothing for a few years, you start to deconstruct items before you even buy them. I found this cute dress for my daughter’s First Communion, but it was sleeveless and she’d have to wear a shrug, which covered up the cute flower on the front. I immediately looked at the stitches and tried to figure out how easy it would be to remove. Then I thought, I could buy a simple veil and stitch it on to match the dress. It turned out pretty perfect. I love when that happens.

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wardrobe refashion: shorts

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I can never seem to find shorts that I like. I’m too old for short shorts and too young for culottes. The perfect length for me is cutoff style, especially when I cut them myself.

I found two pairs of pants at the thrift store for my little experiment. I put them on, marked the length I wanted and cut.

Ok, I did a bit more than that.

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I stitched around the bottom of the leg about 1/4 inch to make them look more finished. I had planned to let them fringe on their own, but after the first wash the strings were driving me crazy. I followed the Purl Bee’s instructions for fringing, but only for about halfway up to the stitch line.

I’m loving my new shorts, and giving the jeans in my closet a closer look. Maybe I should make another trip to the thrift store.

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print is not dead + an original refashioned tote

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Printed books are alive and well in our house. These don’t even include the many Magic Tree House and Ivy and Bean books my daughter regularly checks out, in addition to the craft books I bring home.

Yes, I do tend to read a lot electronically, but if it’s not interactive, my daughter prefers her books on paper. I’m happy with that, and I’m not alone. A recent Pew Research report found “More than nine in ten parents of minor children say it is important to them that their children read print books.”

We bring home a back-breaking bag of books from the library each week, but I’m not complaining. My daughter will most likely spend a good part of her life in front of a screen. There’s no need to rush it.

tote note: This is one of the first refashioned bags I made out of one of my very favorite shirts. I tried to look for the original link in my archives, but I either didn’t write about it or didn’t do a good job of making it searchable. Anyway, it’s still the favorite shirt/bag I own.

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refashioning and thrifting doesn’t take away my guilt

I can’t stop thinking about the photograph taken by Taslima Akhter of a man and woman embracing each other in the ruins of Rana Plaza.

The gold bangle on her arm.
Her bright pink and orange sari covered in concrete dust.
An embroidered flower on her sleeve.
The way his arms wrap around her never letting go.
His single red tear.

Is cheap clothing really worth this? More than 800 1,000 dead and they’re still searching. What are we doing?

In my closet I check the tags for countries: China, Hong Kong, Nicaragua, Guatemala, India, Jordan, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Vietnam, Macau, Cambodia, El Salvador, Philippines, and Sri Lanka. That’s just the shirts.

Refashioning doesn’t alleviate my guilt. Thrift store racks are filled with inexpensive brands: Old Navy, Walmart’s Faded Glory, Target’s Merona and Mossimo, Kohl’s Sonoma, and more. They’re here because we don’t wear our clothes until they’re worn out. We buy new when we’re bored. Why not? It doesn’t cost us much.

It doesn’t pay much, either. Just over a dollar a day in Bangladesh. $37 a month.

We demand cheap clothing. Companies push manufacturers for lower costs. Manufacturers cut corners to avoid losing contracts to competitors. Governments look the other way because their economies depend on these industries.

It’s a vicious cycle we’ve created. An enormous problem on a global scale. The only thing we can do as individuals is demand better. Pay attention to clothing labels. Educate ourselves. Be willing to pay more.

We can do better, and we should.

recommended reading: Kimberly Ann Elliott is a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development and an expert in international trade policy, with a particular focus on labor standards and trade as a tool for fighting global poverty. In an interview with The Washington Post, she shares relevant knowledge about what’s happening in these countries and how things can improve.

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mending: t-shirt holes

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I usually don’t spend time mending holes in my daughter’s shirts. She’s growing so fast that it doesn’t seem to make sense. However, sometimes holes happen to a favorite shirt — one we bought a little big so she could wear it a long time.

Usually, holes show up in sleeves and seams — easy places to hide a few stitches. This one was right in front. I was extra careful, but there was no hiding anything. So I decided to turn it into a decorative element.

I don’t do a lot of embroidery. I’m not the best at it, but I sewed a little daisy in matching thread. The result is actually kind of cute. I’ve seen people mend holes with a star stitch, but I think this is a little nicer. Of course, it would help if all of the petals turned out the same size!

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could cutoff jeans be more brilliant?

cutoff shorts

On the way to school: “Mom, my legs are cold.”
On the way home from school: “Mom, my legs are hot.”

I have a theory. Sometime, way back when, a child uttered those phrases over and over in a whiny voice, until her mother couldn’t take it anymore. The mother grabbed a pair of scissors and jeans with holes in the knees and BAM. Cutoff shorts were invented.

I’d like to thank her for that moment. You see, shorts and skirts are too cold for 50 degree mornings. Jeans and leggings are too hot for 80 degree afternoons. Cutoff shorts are just right. (This is starting to sound like a fairytale.)

My daughter just might wear these everyday until the first frost. Thank goodness I made two pairs.

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instant cowl

cowl from unraveled sweater

Yesterday I started unraveling this sweater. When I detached the neck, I thought, “This would make a beautiful cowl.” I slipped it around my neck. Lovely. I doubled it up. Toasty.

cowl from unraveled sweater

It’s the fastest cowl I’ve ever made. In fact, it kind of looks like the Burberry-inspired cowl by The Garter Girl, which just happened to be on my to-knit list.

Sorry for the mobile phone pics. It’s been a busy week.