Thursday, March 31, 2011

Reconstructed Updated Turtleneck Tee

 Take an old turtleneck t-shirt (this is a new girl's 10-12, after season sale priced at $1.00), cut off the sleeves  in a crescent shape and the neck curving down to include the maker's mark on the back.  (I cut 1/4 of the neck first and folded it over and followed the cut line through the three remaining portions.)
 This is the finished Tee--now a junior size small.  First, I stay-stitched the neckline making sure to not stretch the fabric as I sewed.  I made one-inch strips of fabric from the length of one sleeve, cut the strips into approximate one-inch squares pinning each square to the neckline while overlapping each.  I ran a stitch directly through the middle of each square, again being careful to not stretch the fabric while sewing.  I ruffled the sleeve edges with a  zig-zag stitch.
Here's the close-up of the top of the shirt.  Pretty cute.  It goes to S'more Couture today and will sell for $36.00---I hope---and I get 60% of the sale.  Cool!  I can't wait to make more.  Salvation Army and Goodwill, watch out for your turtleneck rack (I probably wouldn't even find three turtlenecks in both stores).  Retail sellers, I can't wait to get my hands on your Clearance tee shirts.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Commissioned Roses


These are flowers I made in exchange for some jewelry, trinkets and fabric from Amy at S'more Couture.  She will use them on flip-flops--very sweet.  There are two fluffy creams, two cream and latte, two black with gray and cream and two deep navy and cream.  The navy is so dark that it looks like black unless you click on my picture to see the difference.  This is a $40 exchange and she got the better of the deal this time, I think.  It took me about 6 hours to complete all of them.  It's a good thing that I like making roses (smile).

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Try, Try Again

This is a sneek preview of a new hair accessory added to S'more Couture last Saturday.  When I tried to post on Sunday, my photo didn't make it, though my friend, L., said her feed sent the photo to her--go figure.  Oh, well, nothing's infallible.  Tune in to more little Coronne Buffante hair pieces this week.  We're hoping they catch on and sell in a big way.

We hosted one of our church's small groups last night so yesterday was spent cleaning out the toxic waste that had gathered over a lengthy time period (some people call it "clutter").  It was a good meeting but we missed a few.  It's good to live in a clean house for a while.

Our pastor has been in the hospital again--twice in the last two weeks and hopefully he will be home soon.  Prayers are appreciated and WORK!!!  Praise the Lord.

I've been busy this afternoon making flowers in exchange for some other goodies from the shop owner of S'more Couture so I'll be posting photos soon--if I remember to take them tomorrow morning.  Happiness to you. 

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Tried to Post

I tried to post a sneak preview of the newest at S'more Couture that I've been making the past week but Blogger won't post the photo.  I'll try later.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Baby Birdie Felt Hair Clip

I saw one of these in a little girl's hair the other day, stopped her to ask if I could look at it, admired it then came home and made one.  Just cut two tear drop shapes about 2 inches in length of pink felt; cut one patterned cotton small tear drop wing; sew wing to one of the felts. Sew bead eye to same felt.  Whip stitch or blanket stitch (I've got to practice my blanket stitch...mmm) the two pieces of felt together.  Cover hair clippie with grosgrain ribbon, the same width as the clippie, from the inside bottom of clip, through the pinchy part and over the top to the inside of the top.  I used a glue gun. Voile!...one cute hair clip going to a friend's grandgirl.  Now I'm going to make 5 more for my grandgirls. Why is it the girls get everything cute?  My poor boys go wanting.  Oh, well, I'm off to look for some nerf toys for them.  Easter is coming, you know.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Sheer Floral Clips

I made these from organza, seared the edges and added beads for the centers.  They're so beautiful, if I do say so myself.  Spring has arrived at S'More Couture.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Newest Headband and Totem

 This is a headband I started yesterday and finished today.  I love the Spring-y colors.
All of these went to Relics today and I decided to make a holder--a headband totem.  Three of my headbands were missing from when I took them in January.  Hopefully that won't happen again.  I've made it a little more difficult to handle.  I've put a couple of straight pins in the plastic slip-on ones in the hopes that it deters theft.  The others have to be removed one-by-one.  If she displays this close to the counter it will help also but she can't have everything close.  I hope people will like them enough to buy them anyway.  I wish people were honest; that's the bottom line.

Sadness today--my son-in-law's aunt was killed by a teenage driver today.  She was riding a Ranger (ATV) on a country road in front of her home and was about to turn in when the boy passed the two slow-moving vehicles behind her.  He hit her broadside and killed her instantly.  This is so wrong.  Teenagers--please drive more slowly and pay attention.  Now that child will have to live with that image and this tragedy the rest of his life and the family of the deceased will also never be the same.  Life can change to death in an instant and this makes me not want my husband to leave the house tonight for his meeting.  Enjoy life while you have it.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Rolled Roses with Buttons Now

 These three were made into a pin and given to my friend, Mary, whose birthday is today.  Happy Birthday, Mary.  I used a black slip, red straps of a nightgown braided and then rolled (after it was washed, thank you), and a piece of a dress that I plan on transforming into a prom dress.  Stay tuned.
To these others, after grouping them in threes, I've added vintage buttons or beads.  They await their transformation into headbands or pins.  The bottom left and right and the red, black and cream are made from recycled potato bags, onion bags, cheese cloth, rope, burlap and muslin.  Saturday those three are going to RE- and the others are going to Relics
Yesterday I finished another remade dress for S'More Couture and will have to take a picture to show you how it turned out.  It looked like this before.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Rollin' in Rolled Roses

More rolled roses for Relics and RE-.  I've been experimenting with recyclable materials like small cotton rope ( upper left), cheese cloth (right below that), twisted muslin (to it's right), plastic grid from potato sack (dark brown below cheesecloth), plastic mesh onion bag (bright red to left), burlap (obvious), others are lack, tulle, nightgown hem, sparkle tulle, chiffon, nylon spotted mesh, bonded satin, and various other pieces of lingerie.  The large patterned in the foreground is ethnic fabric from JoAnn Fabrics that just matches a tote bag I have.  All these need centers and then I'll be putting them in groups for headbands, pins and hair clips.  Busy, busy.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

On A Roll With Rolled Roses

  I made many rolled roses the past few evenings on my short break with my family.  Fun, fun, fun.  I'm getting ready to add some of them to Relics in the form of headbands in a few days.  I've used swatches from nightgowns, wedding dresses, vintage gowns, tee shirts, silk blouses, ties from dresses, hosiery and lace. 
I love recycling this way.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Busy Week

I created another vintage lace skirt (remade from a plain white one purchased at Salvation Army), a multi-white fluffy rose that I put on a tank top, an altered plain camisole from which I removed the straps and added small curtain rings and tied lace straps instead.  I forgot to take photos of all of these because I was so busy getting them done and ready to put in the shop.  I sold all my rolled roses headbands at Relics so I have to make more this coming week and restock them.  I'm doing a workshop next weekend to teach my rolled roses for Re-, an eclectic little shop in Metro Centre that sells handmade-from-recycled items.  I've been looking for unique fabric, etc. with which to make the roses other than the traditional.  It's cool to use the unexpected and make something beautiful.  I'll take photos and show them next week.  Hope you all have a great weekend.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Thinking Weddings

This is a bouquet with long streamers to be worn as a pin on the side below the waist of a long-waisted t shirt dress.  It probably measures about 7-8 inches across.  Amy at the shop had a lady buy the dress there and she called me to accessorize it.  I will also be making a lace wristlet with streamers that I will post later.  I loved working with all the whites and creams and pearls...mmmmm....so soft and delicate.  Happy, peaceful Sunday, everyone.  It's sunny here for a change.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Craft Items--Money Goes to Missionaries

I've had these craft items and flowers around my house for quite a while and our church's Jr. High Girls are having a craft sale next week to raise money to send to missionaries in Greece.  You crafters know how this happens.  These are some things that didn't sell or I made for myself and I'm ready to see them go or just some extras I had lying around that I hadn't decided their fate yet.  All I had to do was go gathering and then put the flowers on some headbands I already had.  I'm allowing the girls to price them and the money goes to a worthy family.  Does your church have craft auctions or bazaars?  We have a craft/baking auction every Spring and the money goes to the cost of travel or registration for our out-of-town youth activities in the summer and our church has a blast at the auction--such fun for such good causes.

Friday, March 4, 2011

What to Make Out of a Corset? Reconstruction 3

SOLD
The top is a knit stretchy fabric--thinking 60s-ish--with a silky light pink background and almost brocade leaf pattern in dark pink with a hugh pink zipper in front. It was provided by Amy at S'More Couture who had this idea.  I'm just the flunky who put it together.  I added rows of black tulle over a black slip and a black flower with crystals for the center and a couple of tails. I think it's pretty cute and hope some Prom-goer-to-be will like it a lot.



I keep altering this dress.  We cut the peplum tulle, making two layers, and added both pink tulle and black sheer nylon to either side of the bow.  I was not liking the see-through lace on the bodice and wanted something more modest.  There's enough showing as is.  (See the Feb. 26 post to view the original remake.)  Someone wanted to try it on the other day but Amy gently said, "It's a 2-4, I think." and the girl backed off because she was much larger than that.  I'd hate to ruin the dress since it is a snug try-on.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Revised Design--Reconstruction 2

This is what I did with the shirt I posted last. First, thank you, Kathleen, for your comments. I added streamers to the flower and lightly ruffled the bottom edge of the shirt which breaks up the "plain" front. I decided to totally reconstruct the sleeves and instead of using the silk and working like an idiot to do so, I added lingerie fabric I had on hand and was blessed that it was almost the same blue as the silk and SO much easier with which to work. I think it turned out cute and Amy, S'More Couture owner, thought so, too.


Check back tomorrow and see what I did to this little 50's/60's?? corset with stays and a zip-up front. Mmmm.