Could Be Better

Another remake, this one not as flattering, but still a functional garment. 

I took two of these denim dresses, picked up from a clearance rack, and remade them into one that worked better for my needs. 

I really liked the way the dresses felt on, but they were too long, lacked the large, useful pockets that I love, and had a horrible belt that made the dresses look like a pillow tied in the middle.

So I chopped the sleeves off of one of the dresses, and other than opening them up by making a vertical cut above the sleeve placket, I used them 'as is', buttons, pleats and all, to create large detailed pockets on the second dress. 

I also shortened the dress to become more of a tunic length for wearing with leggings.

The fit is loose and comfortable, not clingy.

And I love those extra large pockets!

The scraps left over from the remaining dress will be used in my boro/sashiko embroidery work. 

Hicks Lake

Another quick day trip. 

Hicks Lake BC

Less than an hour's drive from our house.

The weather was beautiful!

3 into 1 Upcycle

I'm quite pleased with this "upcycle" project. I used "The Patti Blouse" pattern by Paganoonoo as a starting point. The pattern gives details on how to take 3 men's shirts and remake them into one ladies' blouse with a high/low hem.

I added my own little touches like sashiko inspired hand stitching and button embellishments.

The pattern instructions detail a fun way of relocating the breast pocket from one cannibalized shirt so that it becomes a functional, larger pocket at hip level.

The designer, Michelle Paganini, suggests using the button bands, intact, buttons and all, from both of the additional shirts to add detail and interest to the final shirt.

While removing the breast pocket from the main shirt I had an "oops" with the seam ripper and created a very tiny hole. I covered it with a patch from the gingham shirt, embellished it with a running hand stitch design crossing both shirt fronts, and it became a "feature".

I love the high/low hem created by adding the back of one accent shirt to the back of the main shirt. The addition also adds more hip room to a place where men's shirts are quite narrow in relation to the shoulder width. 

This project went from the three men's shirts on the left, to the finished ladies' blouse on the right.

Success! Yay!

I have two more shirts (dark navy and an eye searing chartreuse green!) that will be receiving this treatment as well but first I must find a third, coordinating shirt.

Upcycled Hat

A hat I like!

And it fits!

Other than the eyelets which I had to buy new, it's completely "upcycled" from old denim jeans.

I purposely left the edges exposed so that they would fray with repeated washing.

Did I mention that it FITS? I have a large head and can't buy ready made ladies hats. I made this one using the multi-sized "garden hat" pattern in the book, "Happy Hats and Cool Caps", which I picked up at "The Bookman", a used book store in town.

I'm very pleased with the end result. It is SO comfortable and provides protection from the glare of the sun on my long dog walks.

There may be others in the future. I'd like at least one more so I have something to wear when this one is in the wash.

Happy Canada Day, 2018!

The first 6 months of the year are all rolled up,

And they've been good ones. 

(This is the first six months of my "Year In Temperatures" scarf.)