tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60396360779593681062024-03-18T23:26:36.856-05:00A Beautiful DisasterPandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-25528904986432289392014-03-12T09:38:00.000-05:002014-03-12T09:38:22.650-05:00Teal Polyester Refab!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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While perusing the racks at my favorite thrift store, I found this! Stunning in all of its polyester glory, I know.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtqdezj2Oqnrso6KpgKDTuBxdgLYHYa_B1IKCcgFNZ9xg0vPqpHVaIcXrFDzsAKH3KejYmsM2nWD5ve0Bw7A-tlxZOI1-8p5Ln8WWBVWHXQRub2zyrlYLurOCwByZ_z4__j7mp2wZXCWv/s1600/DSC_1418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtqdezj2Oqnrso6KpgKDTuBxdgLYHYa_B1IKCcgFNZ9xg0vPqpHVaIcXrFDzsAKH3KejYmsM2nWD5ve0Bw7A-tlxZOI1-8p5Ln8WWBVWHXQRub2zyrlYLurOCwByZ_z4__j7mp2wZXCWv/s1600/DSC_1418.JPG" height="200" width="105" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeROWKGPxn8KjprjTtrFq6VYHBfK5nQMl_bektvm8qbLhrC805xYyhOkiMnHzCOo5MkoQXBCu_ZhXQyTwftRx67u6aHrWIfcM3wIrRQclSBqmMDj4qR1dD1koQaYXNdbmzpbzAEwZz72n/s1600/DSC_1419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeROWKGPxn8KjprjTtrFq6VYHBfK5nQMl_bektvm8qbLhrC805xYyhOkiMnHzCOo5MkoQXBCu_ZhXQyTwftRx67u6aHrWIfcM3wIrRQclSBqmMDj4qR1dD1koQaYXNdbmzpbzAEwZz72n/s1600/DSC_1419.JPG" height="200" width="98" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVO1erip4GIOwc7ItNwiyWHI6y3MgSADTtyqZO_PaGoRZEcqQvNT3BiHnxPGPwK_qZz77o5YZX-NXa5HjmCT-a8lV4CR-MMRF3aGDHCcUnA8WyNlueCONRYjxQwAdn7-Ez_Tm2GZHCb-0/s1600/DSC_1420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVO1erip4GIOwc7ItNwiyWHI6y3MgSADTtyqZO_PaGoRZEcqQvNT3BiHnxPGPwK_qZz77o5YZX-NXa5HjmCT-a8lV4CR-MMRF3aGDHCcUnA8WyNlueCONRYjxQwAdn7-Ez_Tm2GZHCb-0/s1600/DSC_1420.JPG" height="200" width="88" /></a></div>
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I did not waste any time. First, I chopped off the sleeves and turned it around. I really did not want to deal with buttons down the front, and this seemed like the easiest way to avoid them. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDi_h2W_1kopjYcI7dWJGtq2cbJ2H9pSa_stZzmP3kmJf5dgJkZNhor6Rqh9k45Ygto_9z91M9sqdUHdi7x4dYv_hVJ_AMFfXN0hu_XySVqA39LFaqb_Q1e3ysRt379PcEuFwVRKija1t/s1600/DSC_1427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDi_h2W_1kopjYcI7dWJGtq2cbJ2H9pSa_stZzmP3kmJf5dgJkZNhor6Rqh9k45Ygto_9z91M9sqdUHdi7x4dYv_hVJ_AMFfXN0hu_XySVqA39LFaqb_Q1e3ysRt379PcEuFwVRKija1t/s1600/DSC_1427.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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Next, I cut off the collar and turned it inside out.</div>
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I also cut off the fabric with the buttons and the button holes. Then, I pinned the seam back together and sewed it in place.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjmmxq3jjqqJf6AneGTazqz4ixvQFLD_GFZyIbjDpjueJW-qc2KHnYMa7UQ-9TPxla0TG3vbmK7-bZ1aI29Xha-niX9mD7ggk819Rxo3jVtX8-JcTYGl0Yhx6X-gvbCQMtJsdaXQq5t7z/s1600/DSC_1433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjmmxq3jjqqJf6AneGTazqz4ixvQFLD_GFZyIbjDpjueJW-qc2KHnYMa7UQ-9TPxla0TG3vbmK7-bZ1aI29Xha-niX9mD7ggk819Rxo3jVtX8-JcTYGl0Yhx6X-gvbCQMtJsdaXQq5t7z/s1600/DSC_1433.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, I got to work making it fit by bringing in the sides some<span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: both;">. </span></div>
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Then, I sewed the sides in place and cut off the excess fabric.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGdvzKHIHhWTrKfuTo_5rXeNhtkk32UxIkXI9-Nfz5xAVQD800AvkrRBd0Q1rymYGrx09O0BmVCagT52h8i061bUT6OtoSJ-nDOdDUHxtVKXSYEO1vanbMcUNHB4fRQobNRtH0cXuGRDu/s1600/DSC_1443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGdvzKHIHhWTrKfuTo_5rXeNhtkk32UxIkXI9-Nfz5xAVQD800AvkrRBd0Q1rymYGrx09O0BmVCagT52h8i061bUT6OtoSJ-nDOdDUHxtVKXSYEO1vanbMcUNHB4fRQobNRtH0cXuGRDu/s1600/DSC_1443.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Not too bad, so far!</div>
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There was some gaping on the sides, so I put in some darts to fix this. I seriously just start pinching and pinning the fabric until it lies flat. Nothing fancy. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3VavjfX5szhHYqlZVIpMrhNONI-PNuKfMT-Smssg1aGFAdhq5E4lmaR3WqSB6skgxHVbaY52wSLHtcLLSxKPvzp_0wipq_ZF8WeL5lVtioc3N7naZ0v1bGwsAOE5bJcqSmgu5CWkbBwX/s1600/DSC_1445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3VavjfX5szhHYqlZVIpMrhNONI-PNuKfMT-Smssg1aGFAdhq5E4lmaR3WqSB6skgxHVbaY52wSLHtcLLSxKPvzp_0wipq_ZF8WeL5lVtioc3N7naZ0v1bGwsAOE5bJcqSmgu5CWkbBwX/s1600/DSC_1445.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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The front was still a little too high so I cut off an inch there. I also knew I wanted a key hole, so I marked with a pin where I wanted it to end and snipped!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: both;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfPmIT5wA8h3vgrVGrbhgxiBmE5ZZKe9AIOSZiZKNfPsxWYK741OsscTvpr-uvzmKDRsXniYAZNLdOePoRJqAnbGUDsh_fU2v_K7iRWcZK14ArBTggcFA8oXRCqkjs5v0AMbvaxVpvy9U/s1600/DSC_1446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfPmIT5wA8h3vgrVGrbhgxiBmE5ZZKe9AIOSZiZKNfPsxWYK741OsscTvpr-uvzmKDRsXniYAZNLdOePoRJqAnbGUDsh_fU2v_K7iRWcZK14ArBTggcFA8oXRCqkjs5v0AMbvaxVpvy9U/s1600/DSC_1446.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then, I pinned and sewed the raw edges of the key hole. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3sVIcwFieTL3_GR4LAWiXUAqeIW5z0mKSn5wKjL2GKYHmEENHZ-wm-ZSehAmxZILuIMGiyOkucClQ8L8M1QYqkJSOiBbEpU0git7xwj3O7enneedrMwqsyd06wMbikVBUVr2wjDLNTuR/s1600/DSC_1447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3sVIcwFieTL3_GR4LAWiXUAqeIW5z0mKSn5wKjL2GKYHmEENHZ-wm-ZSehAmxZILuIMGiyOkucClQ8L8M1QYqkJSOiBbEpU0git7xwj3O7enneedrMwqsyd06wMbikVBUVr2wjDLNTuR/s1600/DSC_1447.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, I pinned and sewed the top of the key hole in place.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2srInoncFOckK7YQ8HeJjrqwdLHjGO-00VMOV7SywQkAObZgxJcb74XBKb8kdQ42VzGtUlVNPmfByha6x2msiablhfDrhFpKnyju8z49ERamYn4-bU9hZzT66Ymlrl7DChvQQkwLhTHl/s1600/DSC_1448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2srInoncFOckK7YQ8HeJjrqwdLHjGO-00VMOV7SywQkAObZgxJcb74XBKb8kdQ42VzGtUlVNPmfByha6x2msiablhfDrhFpKnyju8z49ERamYn4-bU9hZzT66Ymlrl7DChvQQkwLhTHl/s1600/DSC_1448.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Making progress! I sewed all of the raw edges around the arms and neck under and slapped it back on the dress form. </div>
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The fit was still not great. I found some elastic and decided it would do the job. I made it about 2 inches shorter than the circumference of my waist and sewed the ends together. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRoSIAUE47rf2jlhaQoNbWzmeUdBWqsw25Bqd635A7y1VBPBy0ZR9mpRJm0y0jTXLYMOK-0T54H2sEI-HzytELd3tvQ9zhDJJ0D93D3PnI_nzAtncsd-OXV9VioIBf8eZSN6r0qDSp-OW/s1600/DSC_1452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRoSIAUE47rf2jlhaQoNbWzmeUdBWqsw25Bqd635A7y1VBPBy0ZR9mpRJm0y0jTXLYMOK-0T54H2sEI-HzytELd3tvQ9zhDJJ0D93D3PnI_nzAtncsd-OXV9VioIBf8eZSN6r0qDSp-OW/s1600/DSC_1452.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, I pinned the elastic to the inside waist of the dress. I made sure that I got it on there evenly by pinning it first to all of the seams. Then, I sewed it in place with a zig zag stitch (so it stretches)!</div>
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I found some very thin ribbon type stuff that I had and used this for the straps. I sewed it by hand to the inside of the fabric so that the edges and stitches would not be visible.</div>
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And, done! </div>
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I love it! The pattern gives it a bit of a 60s feel. </div>
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Here is the breakdown.</div>
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$2.99 for the dress</div>
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About 30 cents for the ribbon and piece of elastic.</div>
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Total cost=$3.29</div>
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Seriously.</div>
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Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08771604346087923629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-44879897745874955612014-01-23T20:03:00.002-06:002014-01-23T20:03:44.134-06:00Plaid and Lace Refab!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I have seen what appears to be a resurrection of the plaid shirt phenomenon. I had not had good luck in finding a suitable version for myself because the shirts I have looked at were either too masculine for my taste or were made of fabric that did not feel nice against my skin. And really, if it doesn't feel good, why buy it? </div>
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I definitely thought I could do better. So, I set out for the thrift store and found this. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCik1T_k8OP3jYyn1wC8F0jBhqbDHWEi8CIoA3-UKTyMRVthFmjazKpu-svtOi31l77ESY3MU8piVQCkewhqYAL2Z3t2LHkbRDNxhMukAa8v1W7pZFOmX9gTcNqASGZtAj0nxCBv4DjIeL/s1600/a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCik1T_k8OP3jYyn1wC8F0jBhqbDHWEi8CIoA3-UKTyMRVthFmjazKpu-svtOi31l77ESY3MU8piVQCkewhqYAL2Z3t2LHkbRDNxhMukAa8v1W7pZFOmX9gTcNqASGZtAj0nxCBv4DjIeL/s1600/a.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGZn1pKiwMqPlsR9F1h43m5GUMMiVSX-UdVgmAxSgeNurOph91D3PGRa0Bav6_vM-3riq7UjLyDaLb5-vjpCEy5TVrSoZZHzz2tO0vJLj_-AKn8V5vToisTF4zw8Bid1pLn_ujTUY5iwv/s1600/b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGZn1pKiwMqPlsR9F1h43m5GUMMiVSX-UdVgmAxSgeNurOph91D3PGRa0Bav6_vM-3riq7UjLyDaLb5-vjpCEy5TVrSoZZHzz2tO0vJLj_-AKn8V5vToisTF4zw8Bid1pLn_ujTUY5iwv/s1600/b.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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I really liked the colors (kind of muted and retro). I also picked it because it felt so nice. This shirt clearly belonged to some gentlemanly farmer who probably wore it 2-4 times a week. The fabric is pretty thin, well-worn, and feels like a 1970s dream. I mean, this shirt could probably write a book about all the things it has seen. "Today, on the farm, I helped raise a barn and milk some cows. Oh, and some jerk dropped apple pie on me." ~Shirt</div>
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To make it easier on me, I started by removing the sleeves. Awesome plaid vest, anyone? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW76sSDO2slBvRQ0RHPaM362RAVLEsxORO7FblFttaIQM0Ln323KziL0XIPYykkCTAfYdMS736fKWikdA0gz_alsnylpuCPw2auuTuoDavaWh_h7S3Py3BvPQ-NP8xWpT9bdiifSTZxNMS/s1600/c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW76sSDO2slBvRQ0RHPaM362RAVLEsxORO7FblFttaIQM0Ln323KziL0XIPYykkCTAfYdMS736fKWikdA0gz_alsnylpuCPw2auuTuoDavaWh_h7S3Py3BvPQ-NP8xWpT9bdiifSTZxNMS/s1600/c.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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Next, I got to work on the fit. I brought in the sides by pinning them and then sewed my new side seams. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkllfGwLTG7JInpVGMD5zWmE11Yuwih2JyNQaKeOGlbKYR_-6mwM9gan-UFbeFyF8PZe1Y62wmPH3ju0OMVAhcI150_oDIohqlVI9JI-j6RcVs0yS8JHl4oFpUN-ojV-LV_pKyCNuXDPSQ/s1600/d.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkllfGwLTG7JInpVGMD5zWmE11Yuwih2JyNQaKeOGlbKYR_-6mwM9gan-UFbeFyF8PZe1Y62wmPH3ju0OMVAhcI150_oDIohqlVI9JI-j6RcVs0yS8JHl4oFpUN-ojV-LV_pKyCNuXDPSQ/s1600/d.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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To make this shirt a little more feminine, I decided to add some lace. To do this, I pinned the back pleat in place a few inches lower because I liked this feature. Then, I sewed a straight line across the back to hold the pleat in place. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-XRZzm7_mDLkbWwwnnMez9MfDib2ydRecSrPrQLGvQEvyKC2kQROqTkkDDv4t6krZhkc99EMf2RREeZ9hrwPQFbkfxHEIf6Jyo59wRIvP_MEWJyd3Du1yKopQzIU3JPHRKBpUCL95MD4/s1600/e.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-XRZzm7_mDLkbWwwnnMez9MfDib2ydRecSrPrQLGvQEvyKC2kQROqTkkDDv4t6krZhkc99EMf2RREeZ9hrwPQFbkfxHEIf6Jyo59wRIvP_MEWJyd3Du1yKopQzIU3JPHRKBpUCL95MD4/s1600/e.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, I took out my scissors and cut 1/4 inch above the line I just sewed above the back pleat. Then, I cut 1/4 inch from the shoulder and collar seams on the back side of the shirt. This left me with enough fabric for my seam allowance. This is what I was left with.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRy5G_LMtvP3OYbd5UzpxqAJRJQPmQaV2wrzX9OxsVe5b-eety0XK_RBAGr1_OkKXiWB_mJtH7HwzBQdsx9llNeUIyO2t_WF2XlSGwbp_3_zC05uOGmISfmWTZZBQZTPhKOBnlMQaSSpm/s1600/f.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRy5G_LMtvP3OYbd5UzpxqAJRJQPmQaV2wrzX9OxsVe5b-eety0XK_RBAGr1_OkKXiWB_mJtH7HwzBQdsx9llNeUIyO2t_WF2XlSGwbp_3_zC05uOGmISfmWTZZBQZTPhKOBnlMQaSSpm/s1600/f.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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I laid the piece of fabric I just cut on top of my lace as a template. I knew I wanted the scalloped edge to show so I lined up my fabric and cut the lace 1/4 inch larger all the way around. This provided me with the extra fabric for the seam allowance. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvtQudRyuyMQVIOXQTkR_KcZYiGpFTF3awi56bp-J-80MC24T7K92ebAHpvFvDQ2eLTcs0y-PS8glK70xHe2n1opBvKmuQKTpDBG3xCQWe2gda4RuU0bysvS8V2YUBmUIuZc344i4z8UZ/s1600/g.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvtQudRyuyMQVIOXQTkR_KcZYiGpFTF3awi56bp-J-80MC24T7K92ebAHpvFvDQ2eLTcs0y-PS8glK70xHe2n1opBvKmuQKTpDBG3xCQWe2gda4RuU0bysvS8V2YUBmUIuZc344i4z8UZ/s1600/g.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_R07VH6g76hmy8e1R9ajJZbIcTePgLV9RBwjZjEB-c6Nnviq8DBFiB-rqL2tO70Ju-4YL6RzwGcQKxGz0JIS9j521U8UXWdY9i35In8OY0TcY-0N7NKi4VFIia9YLGWc-X-TKpbDWaSIG/s1600/h.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_R07VH6g76hmy8e1R9ajJZbIcTePgLV9RBwjZjEB-c6Nnviq8DBFiB-rqL2tO70Ju-4YL6RzwGcQKxGz0JIS9j521U8UXWdY9i35In8OY0TcY-0N7NKi4VFIia9YLGWc-X-TKpbDWaSIG/s1600/h.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now, I folded over the raw edge on the back of the shirt and sewed it in place. </div>
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Time for the lace! After pinning the right side of the lace to the right sides of the shoulders and collar, I sewed it in place. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig8SRqtwsXmg0SEWtkMcex7aCyAYFMqS8ER3KVpUZq4Fa01OUafMA5ouV5iSp4k6DzZYUarkOJHBVAL54cG36t2Sem_SZEFJlEVwk15G1IwaIbIO7ZCTr3J1J0evBmabRoD0aVwdVHIkJD/s1600/i.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig8SRqtwsXmg0SEWtkMcex7aCyAYFMqS8ER3KVpUZq4Fa01OUafMA5ouV5iSp4k6DzZYUarkOJHBVAL54cG36t2Sem_SZEFJlEVwk15G1IwaIbIO7ZCTr3J1J0evBmabRoD0aVwdVHIkJD/s1600/i.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QVr4QCRBoeECDtK8yd74Iueg9CJEe1syAWblfmeefExNI5C5eh6go7uZe7euZswZL1S1tYGaekKHdScb88Mg9Crn2kpeCN65jF_xzeUVnTb1pupb7kR1kCTb-DPHtPvGixf0fVlJuEqe/s1600/j.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QVr4QCRBoeECDtK8yd74Iueg9CJEe1syAWblfmeefExNI5C5eh6go7uZe7euZswZL1S1tYGaekKHdScb88Mg9Crn2kpeCN65jF_xzeUVnTb1pupb7kR1kCTb-DPHtPvGixf0fVlJuEqe/s1600/j.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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After that, I turned the garment inside out and pinned the scalloped edge to the right side of the shirt. I lined it up so the scallops were even all the way across and then sewed it to the shirt. Whirrrr! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgMPpYl8FydvOVn8lOilcN6C0iBXjWJcCUgkyC3xR4d3viIL-9BH4vrWNVcMYpqYdhM44eZxSKN15rYrs2a_LSnBOOjA0DDWf5zxQszXRILWlWxlSGlwXxyakR9dTspvDJ6DLrjSQE3Yj/s1600/k.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgMPpYl8FydvOVn8lOilcN6C0iBXjWJcCUgkyC3xR4d3viIL-9BH4vrWNVcMYpqYdhM44eZxSKN15rYrs2a_LSnBOOjA0DDWf5zxQszXRILWlWxlSGlwXxyakR9dTspvDJ6DLrjSQE3Yj/s1600/k.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now, the sleeves. For this, I simply put the sleeve on my arm inside out and pinned it until it fit me. Then, I sewed the new seam and cut off the excess fabric. I used this sleeve as a template for the second sleeve by laying it on top and cutting out around it. To save myself some work, I tapered the sleeve before I got to the cuff, that way I didn't have to mess with trying to alter the cuff. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjZTFMEDu0926hqdFx1fMUUyF62XQx1GBLXc5_OQ_nGmFrm6CTDOu1Gd3n68hHVvcWX4OjZ7U9DSXRi4t62K6lXQ9ZcYQ1AOPVyTN_d778sAGN6yJYo1ECca_-jFBMhG_Bs2l0huPm6iZ/s1600/m.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjZTFMEDu0926hqdFx1fMUUyF62XQx1GBLXc5_OQ_nGmFrm6CTDOu1Gd3n68hHVvcWX4OjZ7U9DSXRi4t62K6lXQ9ZcYQ1AOPVyTN_d778sAGN6yJYo1ECca_-jFBMhG_Bs2l0huPm6iZ/s1600/m.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, I pinned the right sides of the sleeves to the right side of the shirt and sewed them on. </div>
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And here is the final product!</div>
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I am in love. And if you can sew a straight line, you can totally do this one! </div>
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Here's the breakdown: <br />
Shirt: $3.99<br />
Lace: $1.35 ($8.99/yard on sale for 40% off, and I only needed less than 1/4 of a yard)<br />
Total cost=$5.34</div>
Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08771604346087923629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-4752149308275983252014-01-06T17:40:00.001-06:002014-01-07T06:13:40.955-06:00Polka Dot Top Refab!!<div style="text-align: center;">
Now that the busyness of the holidays is passed, I can get back to refabbing!! A couple months ago, I found this polka dotted top at a local thrift store. Let's just say that it leaves much to be desired. </div>
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I tried to strike my most 80's pose. I think I succeeded. Why did I buy it? Because I like the white with navy polka dots, and because it was cheap!</div>
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First things first, I removed the shoulder pads. I mean, that's a given. I also made the key hole a little bit bigger by removing about two inches of stitches. </div>
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Next, I removed the sleeves to make bringing in the body a little easier. Also because they were terrible. </div>
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Now to make it fit! Also, how do you like my dress form?! I love it. It makes these projects so much easier! I would also like to give a shout out to Jo-Ann Fabrics and their Black Friday sales as well as to my husband for being the first one in line to get this for me! Back to work. I started pinning the sides to make this thing fit. </div>
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Time to sew it in place!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDwZtR6ot03HJpBCYWjddxiBJ4NJjhsuQSY6uku0-0gLpsX2XFNH1RMVO2QXc32c-e4T7jzCtZNCcDN2zn3Fv9Sn7XZWNcNzAYRctyzn4OjS5F_EtYtFn63_y5EozksP3M-dA4drbM1ZG/s1600/I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDwZtR6ot03HJpBCYWjddxiBJ4NJjhsuQSY6uku0-0gLpsX2XFNH1RMVO2QXc32c-e4T7jzCtZNCcDN2zn3Fv9Sn7XZWNcNzAYRctyzn4OjS5F_EtYtFn63_y5EozksP3M-dA4drbM1ZG/s1600/I.JPG" height="212" width="320"></a></div>
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In full disclosure, I ran into a problem here. Because the fabric does not stretch at all, I could not get this top on. Solution? Put a zipper in!! I got to work pinning and sewing the zipper to the inside of the back center seam. After I sewed the zipper in place, I removed the back seam. Voila! I could get it on me! </div>
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There was a little gaping across the chest, so I put the top on inside out and pinned the darts where needed and sewed them in place. </div>
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Now for the sleeves. I decided on very short cap sleeves for this one. I started with the original sleeves and cut them to 2 1/2 inches to have enough for the seam allowance. Then I sewed them in place. </div>
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And the final product!!!</div>
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I think it turned out great!! Dexter seems to love it, too!</div>
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So, here it is. </div>
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$1.99 for the top, $3.99 for the zipper</div>
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Total cost=$5.98</div>
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That's pretty great, too!</div>
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Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08771604346087923629noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-11506141126848109622013-11-15T11:44:00.002-06:002013-11-15T11:47:18.049-06:00Thrift Store Refab!! Silky Zippered Top<div dir="ltr">
You know what's really <i>in</i><i> </i>right now? Silky tops. You know what's not? This. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even Dante hates it.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGf5UFKmC9WjfjCSDKS_w_LVwlYPexLTomTTy6ZI7uwTETyDCDSgcfn-LbIt7jC_TPR0jeLAtSok54pxuWw-x5ILVyhOoRpQH-3lNsx3IgdleVv8p7mK3zUo8n-GTgWFMYdHMhPYFO3M/s1600/B.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGf5UFKmC9WjfjCSDKS_w_LVwlYPexLTomTTy6ZI7uwTETyDCDSgcfn-LbIt7jC_TPR0jeLAtSok54pxuWw-x5ILVyhOoRpQH-3lNsx3IgdleVv8p7mK3zUo8n-GTgWFMYdHMhPYFO3M/s320/B.JPG" width="261" /></a><br />
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I found this 80s dream a couple weeks ago for $2.99 and have been hating it ever since I saw it. There's just so much to hate...the shoulder pads, the boxy shape, the sleeves. Need I go on? I finally figured out how I could fix it, but this monster resisted my efforts at every turn. </div>
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First things first, I took out the shoulder pads. I knew I definitely needed to do something awesome to this top, so I decided on putting an industrial type zipper down the back. I folded the shirt in half and cut straight down the back.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMB-Son83ZOSFCjl2DsmL8tJoi8YDd-3q9BgV5lCkPWrjzE39zHyknfEYq0hJoLa8iIuvMuZqB7aLOlqulWJ1uXYZGC_bbBVE1PG5XafHfCcheebnYQEsoZ5prtiKiYebRwRh4s7dYC4/s1600/C.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMB-Son83ZOSFCjl2DsmL8tJoi8YDd-3q9BgV5lCkPWrjzE39zHyknfEYq0hJoLa8iIuvMuZqB7aLOlqulWJ1uXYZGC_bbBVE1PG5XafHfCcheebnYQEsoZ5prtiKiYebRwRh4s7dYC4/s1600/C.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMB-Son83ZOSFCjl2DsmL8tJoi8YDd-3q9BgV5lCkPWrjzE39zHyknfEYq0hJoLa8iIuvMuZqB7aLOlqulWJ1uXYZGC_bbBVE1PG5XafHfCcheebnYQEsoZ5prtiKiYebRwRh4s7dYC4/s200/C.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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I sewed under the raw edge where I was going to put the zipper. Then, I pinned the zipper in and sewed it in place. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fOwJn-HzL__s9OVo68bQPrpnh_CVCpYFoctUUbZutcND08H1Zsy4oV-LVxqzYwpvgCB41KFtEYJx9K7Z0SqNcmbN7WRioUeDKPYx-the6o-ReVAVpjUm7u23hLfgg2oWxLOXd5MdsbM/s1600/G.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fOwJn-HzL__s9OVo68bQPrpnh_CVCpYFoctUUbZutcND08H1Zsy4oV-LVxqzYwpvgCB41KFtEYJx9K7Z0SqNcmbN7WRioUeDKPYx-the6o-ReVAVpjUm7u23hLfgg2oWxLOXd5MdsbM/s200/G.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Here is where the shirt distinctly said, "I refuse to be tamed!" I could not get the rest of the back seam to sew together correctly. It looked terrible. I ended up having to take out half of the stitching where I had sewed under the raw edge. <i>Very</i><i>, </i><i>very</i><i> </i><i>carefully</i><i> </i>so I didn't damage the fabric. This took forever. I finally got it fixed and the back seam closed. Looking good!</div>
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Next, I removed the sleeves so I could adjust the fit. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9DDbZSoYisZslOf2XCQmKtG6C00ESp3Z4sIW8dWvspwzpouAiIG4t5ZkX2ABb8hpnwHa8oBoDwdnAl_m03J0hC6kDix9z4TVBLWMGpR5A9JCum_d6Ae3J3p5y2sf7CaZDkux81D6qPY/s1600/M.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9DDbZSoYisZslOf2XCQmKtG6C00ESp3Z4sIW8dWvspwzpouAiIG4t5ZkX2ABb8hpnwHa8oBoDwdnAl_m03J0hC6kDix9z4TVBLWMGpR5A9JCum_d6Ae3J3p5y2sf7CaZDkux81D6qPY/s320/M.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I, as usual, put the shirt on inside out and started pinning in the sides. Then, as usual, I sewed the seams. Again, the shirt refused to cooperate because when I attempted to try it on it was way too small. I have no idea why. So again, I had to remove the side seams <i>very</i><i> </i><i>carefully</i><i> </i>and then redo them. Ugh. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnFmheUX5sdF8g1pltZF8LfzhA3G_k2VipqOhNJijQvtlEGZycrKWqJUFvjHhiieprx38BipW6SmbIpVdqnfIiUZYuPj483CR7qEHsXy9VOnunYpGcYMslj4D_ho67uymEuwlvJgQpcc/s1600/L.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnFmheUX5sdF8g1pltZF8LfzhA3G_k2VipqOhNJijQvtlEGZycrKWqJUFvjHhiieprx38BipW6SmbIpVdqnfIiUZYuPj483CR7qEHsXy9VOnunYpGcYMslj4D_ho67uymEuwlvJgQpcc/s320/L.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I finally got it to fit. Finally. Now for the sleeves. I decided because of the harshness of the zipper, I wanted the sleeves to be a little more feminine to balance it out. I settled on a short cap sleeve. I found another shirt I have with sleeves I liked and used this as a template. Then, I pinned them in place and sewed them to the shirt. (I forgot to take a picture of this!)</div>
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There was still a little bit of a raw edge so I sewed that down, too. Except the fabric moved a little as I was doing it so I sewed part of it that didn't need sewed. Aaaand I had to remove that stitching <i>very</i><i>, </i><i>very</i><i> </i><i>carefully</i><i>. </i>Gah!! </div>
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Eventually, I finished the shirt and tamed this 80s monster. Thank goodness!!</div>
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I actually love it now. :-) Black skinny jeans and some sparkly boots make this perfect for every single upcoming holiday party! </div>
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$2.99 for the shirt, $3.75 for the zipper, and I already had the red thread. </div>
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Total cost: $6.74.</div>
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Word. </div>
Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08771604346087923629noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-8334779659763398122013-10-22T18:34:00.000-05:002013-10-23T02:31:11.760-05:00Thrift Store Refab: Mushroom Skirt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On my latest trip to my new favorite thrift store, I saw this hanging on a rack and immediately knew I had to have it. Even if I didn't know what it was. I mean, look at that vintage pattern!! How could I just leave it there?? Plus, it was 49 cents and 50% off. So, less than a quarter. Seriously. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-dUUkR1Gzz474E00G09UsaD4HdXuUyykg8485QPc1XkpDOmiZBGXdWvA_eOrIQDABlvEwA_OA8QXX4KqtqF2hbSTFzjBTKg0bY-66iTq00Y73VzPZvsT6hBIvNarHTvreD0Cek4vAAA/s1600/DSC_1025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-dUUkR1Gzz474E00G09UsaD4HdXuUyykg8485QPc1XkpDOmiZBGXdWvA_eOrIQDABlvEwA_OA8QXX4KqtqF2hbSTFzjBTKg0bY-66iTq00Y73VzPZvsT6hBIvNarHTvreD0Cek4vAAA/s320/DSC_1025.JPG" width="212"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Once I got it home, I figured out that it is actually a curtain. I could work with that. After much deliberation, I decided to turn it into a skirt. So I started by removing the curtain rod pocket and hemmed that edge of the fabric to match the other side. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfsziPIjHHJkUejZwkRmVaFMu8DnLveHyiD7M3hj8T2M1G4ZuHwS1g0KFlfeBlCMbMPsr9x8XNjHgjnfUvqAlYoQrz6c4e0o0nsct2Vs0_2YxMZwsRYeCZ-FMXDki3Iea1wAMyIm7SEI/s1600/DSC_1026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfsziPIjHHJkUejZwkRmVaFMu8DnLveHyiD7M3hj8T2M1G4ZuHwS1g0KFlfeBlCMbMPsr9x8XNjHgjnfUvqAlYoQrz6c4e0o0nsct2Vs0_2YxMZwsRYeCZ-FMXDki3Iea1wAMyIm7SEI/s320/DSC_1026.JPG" width="320"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Next, I folded the fabric in half width wise and cut it to make the front and back. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL8BZR14p_0WUR9mwV10xG0gOPPD2U24Te1ZX4i5LGSwvQb_XcHqlt_ScCEYUWzXE5Nvnwoe2_WXTVwMfxDXsua4Ukg161rpDoi1izq9DzbAp5ncPvmfSxYVhlA9P1slZTcrwxZ9GtBY/s1600/DSC_1027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL8BZR14p_0WUR9mwV10xG0gOPPD2U24Te1ZX4i5LGSwvQb_XcHqlt_ScCEYUWzXE5Nvnwoe2_WXTVwMfxDXsua4Ukg161rpDoi1izq9DzbAp5ncPvmfSxYVhlA9P1slZTcrwxZ9GtBY/s320/DSC_1027.JPG" width="320"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love it already. The fabric is pretty thin so I knew I needed to line this bad boy. Unless I wanted everyone to see my underwear. And I do not, so a lining is in order. I had some plain white fabric in my stash. I laid the white fabric out, put my pieces on top, and cut out around them. That way I knew my lining and outer skirt were the same size. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzLsOBqbnNEoVftxr4-0KL6JexjKzmQixQW-28oJpq7LHHMrd7fLVB77rvtjX7qYMue-l9qV7_ZnwJw81cH5eZx7UzcJbNc0KaV7ESPq7a6E0mEVFYhr1DIFAiyKiNcCXnSi5hxruXck/s1600/DSC_1028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzLsOBqbnNEoVftxr4-0KL6JexjKzmQixQW-28oJpq7LHHMrd7fLVB77rvtjX7qYMue-l9qV7_ZnwJw81cH5eZx7UzcJbNc0KaV7ESPq7a6E0mEVFYhr1DIFAiyKiNcCXnSi5hxruXck/s320/DSC_1028.JPG" width="320"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Next, I put the right sides of the skirt together and sewed the side seams. Repeat this for the lining, too. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSglt1vTnzR_R6qupKp9vR5ekxkJsVPwNCCEWwcfNG0GUM9CkC1VAVO6Y_rREwR6_9lSkA1KgyayySWLWzQpnS4oolcmzs_mkqEJ0I6zvLXkYC4ui9AtX-aYaQgeIAMEICo-DKCg8Zfjs/s1600/DSC_1029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSglt1vTnzR_R6qupKp9vR5ekxkJsVPwNCCEWwcfNG0GUM9CkC1VAVO6Y_rREwR6_9lSkA1KgyayySWLWzQpnS4oolcmzs_mkqEJ0I6zvLXkYC4ui9AtX-aYaQgeIAMEICo-DKCg8Zfjs/s320/DSC_1029.JPG" width="297"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVMXxpaOB9gECz1A54_hyphenhyphenHQoFh88x5YIa9z54t0NsTzkwTHXJz26hSKF-XPMxwmZe7knDDJ5HfpBIfawUWqk3UirX0O0Qf8YS_xsNv-g-_vkob2SeZ1ut1asW_JsN7UOCTuyFEosu_VU/s1600/DSC_1031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVMXxpaOB9gECz1A54_hyphenhyphenHQoFh88x5YIa9z54t0NsTzkwTHXJz26hSKF-XPMxwmZe7knDDJ5HfpBIfawUWqk3UirX0O0Qf8YS_xsNv-g-_vkob2SeZ1ut1asW_JsN7UOCTuyFEosu_VU/s320/DSC_1031.JPG" width="320"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now to attach the lining to the skirt. I started by putting the right sides of the skirt and lining together and then pinned them in place. Then, I sewed them together. Easy!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZymKgJQfQ_2yoTplv2WT_cH3GyUKCE0H_JQgZeWihNpHef_3znZdfd1R1j6cx6mVT7lSq8mc1TVQSgAmZqrxEaSHKBLJ0SytU9Ibjf5J6WtkEGlB3HeY8WmhCQ606ipvI7oY6zVjSlsA/s1600/DSC_1032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZymKgJQfQ_2yoTplv2WT_cH3GyUKCE0H_JQgZeWihNpHef_3znZdfd1R1j6cx6mVT7lSq8mc1TVQSgAmZqrxEaSHKBLJ0SytU9Ibjf5J6WtkEGlB3HeY8WmhCQ606ipvI7oY6zVjSlsA/s320/DSC_1032.JPG" width="320"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now I needed to figure out how to get it to fit me and close at the top. I thought about a zipper, but we all know how I feel about that. Plus, I didn't want to lose any of this amazing pattern!! Solution? An elastic waist. Its difficult to see in the picture, but I sewed a pocket at the top to put the elastic in leaving a one inch opening (in order to insert the elastic). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tBEexsYRiXfYB7vvVZAhZTJnJ77uWwZIZ7pRxUqyzcVdRjl_LYrS9BQVnIospn0uig0MVksoGAvYnTDctShvyh86ZO3-abej7G3b8B7U5tlDr34BS44idkpV0kkWANtsYGoG7EKoGF8/s1600/DSC_1035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tBEexsYRiXfYB7vvVZAhZTJnJ77uWwZIZ7pRxUqyzcVdRjl_LYrS9BQVnIospn0uig0MVksoGAvYnTDctShvyh86ZO3-abej7G3b8B7U5tlDr34BS44idkpV0kkWANtsYGoG7EKoGF8/s320/DSC_1035.JPG" width="320"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I used a 3/4" elastic for this. As for how much, I measured my waist where I wanted the skirt to sit and then took that number x .75. That would provide the stretch I would need. The easiest way for me to put in elastic is to attach a safety pin to one end and then work it through the pocket I made. Once I got it through, I sewed both ends of the elastic together and closed up the opening. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It looked good, but I felt like it was still missing something. I rifled through my stash and found some vintage eyelette edging I got at an auction at least 5 years ago. I pinned it to the inside bottom edge of the outer skirt and sewed it in place. Whirrrrrr!! Now, it was finished!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sbLqrl3jy7UXi8oQSnsxtuQ9gbqqujN_CkP5Q4paBH7zUyeq0rfbIXyMKsVi5DtceRdEJfNXnnw7SDZzy677SYa62VnlA3cea5zuLdRtsX_pGxBO1UyHcsxWHUKYYyacOdCQtc1iYSg/s1600/DSC_1068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sbLqrl3jy7UXi8oQSnsxtuQ9gbqqujN_CkP5Q4paBH7zUyeq0rfbIXyMKsVi5DtceRdEJfNXnnw7SDZzy677SYa62VnlA3cea5zuLdRtsX_pGxBO1UyHcsxWHUKYYyacOdCQtc1iYSg/s320/DSC_1068.JPG" width="166"></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6tmd1T9jC1RW6bsWq4s3TKxHMgyHJFPgDvgqJcCJZ2Mi0oliS-JFU-70oE_s0EffjTrbRv4pKHPBn3y2joCoPEfgmlhw8bvwBfHQ0lWphRCZ9iSX5uBk70MRSKjWyhbtDpj22VrPRlo/s1600/DSC_1075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6tmd1T9jC1RW6bsWq4s3TKxHMgyHJFPgDvgqJcCJZ2Mi0oliS-JFU-70oE_s0EffjTrbRv4pKHPBn3y2joCoPEfgmlhw8bvwBfHQ0lWphRCZ9iSX5uBk70MRSKjWyhbtDpj22VrPRlo/s320/DSC_1075.JPG" width="179"></a><div><br></div><div>Perfect!! So, I spent a quarter on the curtain, maybe 10 cents on the edging, and a dollar total for the little scrap of elastic and white fabric I had. Not too bad!!</div><div><br></div><div>Total cost: $1.35<br><div><br></div><div><br>
<br></div></div>Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-23730903437382502852013-10-17T12:22:00.001-05:002013-10-17T12:22:05.862-05:00Thrift Store Refab: Polka DotsWhile I was scouring the XL and up rack at my local thrift store, I kept getting weird looks from an 80+ year old woman. She would look at the clothes, then look at me...then look at the rack and then look at me. Finally, she said, "You're not an extra large, are you?" I said, "No." I should have stopped there, but I didn't. I started to explain to the woman that I find clothes that are too big or weird and, on my blog, do tutorials on how to turn these items into something better. Then, I picked this gem off the rack...<br />
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...and said that I would probably turn it into a skirt with the buttons going down the back. The woman just stared at me for a moment and finally said, "So you sew." I said yes. She said, "That's nice" and walked away. I was kind of irritated at first. Then I realized that this woman probably has no idea what a <i>blog </i>is. I must follow through with my plan for this shirt, though, in the event that this woman finds out what a blog is and comes looking for this project. I mean, I pretty much owe it to her. <br />
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Time to get to work. I started by chopping off the collar, shoulders, and sleeves.<br />
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Then, I sewed the sides closed. <br />
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Time to try it on. Yikes!! As awesome as this looks, that woman at the thrift store would not approve. <br />
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Next, I started pinning the sides until it fit a little better and sewed them together. <br />
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I will have to fix the fit a little later. Time for the top. I folded over the raw edge and sewed it in place. <br />
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I didn't want to have to put in a zipper (please reference previous posts regarding my hatred of zipper installation). My plan? Keep the buttons functional. I also knew that having a whole line of functional buttons down the back of a skirt was probably not a good idea (two very real risks: losing a button and having my whole butt exposed, and idiots). I decided having just one or two functional buttons was a better idea. So I sewed from just above the second button to just below the bottom button. <br />
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Now to fix the fit. This shirt actually worked out well for this project because of the darts running down the back of the shirt (now the front of my skirt). These make the skirt flair out a little at the bottom. I put the skirt on inside out and pinned the sides a little more and also added some small darts in the back at the waistband. <br />
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Seeeeeeeewww!!<br />
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A hook-and-eye closure at the top and a little steam, and bam!<br />
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Total cost: $3.49<br />
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Word. Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08771604346087923629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-87952440536705402692013-10-10T20:15:00.000-05:002013-10-10T20:15:18.936-05:00Thrift Store Refab: Sweatshirt EditionIt's Autumn!! That means crisp nights and walks in the leaves. What could be better than a great sweatshirt?? Anyone who uses <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> has probably seen people pinning these DIY sweatshirt pictures (<a href="http://practicalenrichment.wordpress.com/2013/03/30/home-made-sweat-shirt-re-do/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://littlecraziness.tumblr.com/post/22772355701/via-see-kate-sew-sweatshirt-liposuction" target="_blank">here</a>). I figured I would give it a shot!! So, I headed to my local thrift store to see what I could find. <br />
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Lo and behold, I found this beauty!! Size XL, and for only $1.74?!? Yes!!<br />
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First things first, let's cut it down to size and make it fit. I put it on inside out and started pinning the sleeves until they fit. Once I was done pinning, I sewed them using a zigzag stitch. Why zigzag, you say? Well, zigzag stitches stretch a little, and that is good to have on a stretchy material. Otherwise, I might bust a seem, and that would not be pleasant. I also cut off the excess sweat-scraps, otherwise my arms wouldn't fit in the sleeves!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89pqebyyTXuZh-n_N8hP-RrLtd_bdURrJTao63r-s9li-DNNvz1tIBGfUQZwnl23S8nYLZjDDwQ0utuHbzb9EVvLrpYCax0G5IBP9ar1nUKxnhZ79tHYRE2_rT6eGFnuFBghAFe2poS8/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89pqebyyTXuZh-n_N8hP-RrLtd_bdURrJTao63r-s9li-DNNvz1tIBGfUQZwnl23S8nYLZjDDwQ0utuHbzb9EVvLrpYCax0G5IBP9ar1nUKxnhZ79tHYRE2_rT6eGFnuFBghAFe2poS8/s320/2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, I sliced it right down the middle. I could have left it like this, making it a weird sweat-cardigan, but, alas, that was not my long term plan. Back to work!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTvCNN3_OpK7dHyCIKrgxpc3F_Qr4IuPiwTIx8sS5kroXVwjNIreW1X9zvTdclbhiBCn-sX5I06gX-wzKtA9tpV4AmgnsxFNbynLq808hWgNNV4r-wloGSC4g0-50yUgnh9DqtHnSpYA/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTvCNN3_OpK7dHyCIKrgxpc3F_Qr4IuPiwTIx8sS5kroXVwjNIreW1X9zvTdclbhiBCn-sX5I06gX-wzKtA9tpV4AmgnsxFNbynLq808hWgNNV4r-wloGSC4g0-50yUgnh9DqtHnSpYA/s320/3.JPG" width="261" /></a></div>
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I also had this gem hiding in my stash that I got for $1.50 a couple months ago. I like the stripes so I decided to use the material as an accent. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7v87X5_G4inxKHfdf8Iw0p_peCQbneVaAHjCN77mWSqIM09C43orZWx5SCc2yvhFtRU5cFVwN_1UnzFzswg8QLcY7mGp8gCUUfeZwnf3NVp3E10uI5lV4uOzZDeMEbmO9aXpKbHqW9KU/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7v87X5_G4inxKHfdf8Iw0p_peCQbneVaAHjCN77mWSqIM09C43orZWx5SCc2yvhFtRU5cFVwN_1UnzFzswg8QLcY7mGp8gCUUfeZwnf3NVp3E10uI5lV4uOzZDeMEbmO9aXpKbHqW9KU/s320/6.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I cut off the bottom hem, and sewed it to the edge of the opening I just made.<br />
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I knew that it was going to take some work getting this thing to fit me. So, I put on my beautiful sweat-cardigan and pulled the edge over pretty far. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLL8mum0Rfhnd3Qn1vaL88C4H7TggKl-OtFxdoi1xSTSToZZwlG3Oua83nIMX5vHvG1jh_YoEjku6czMYIh30GbKfx7mg9vcnLIzzcPtYLn6og1ALuPcIvOg4yGb1OhtQfixRIX_-tFc/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLL8mum0Rfhnd3Qn1vaL88C4H7TggKl-OtFxdoi1xSTSToZZwlG3Oua83nIMX5vHvG1jh_YoEjku6czMYIh30GbKfx7mg9vcnLIzzcPtYLn6og1ALuPcIvOg4yGb1OhtQfixRIX_-tFc/s320/4.JPG" width="316" /></a></div>
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I used some chalk to mark where I wanted it, and then sewed it in place. Weeeee!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktYEH-xKbxr2qQA2HMvcLBKXU5IkACWodm2-kRY4-3TTs3FznQs23uxPG5ekh_nLNmRRBY8B7ZvkSh-fAxVr82B2qqIiZFR-cvt4ACxb5dBUKAfwYUUtvsVWNIZaNIe9XbT2e9yg67QM/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktYEH-xKbxr2qQA2HMvcLBKXU5IkACWodm2-kRY4-3TTs3FznQs23uxPG5ekh_nLNmRRBY8B7ZvkSh-fAxVr82B2qqIiZFR-cvt4ACxb5dBUKAfwYUUtvsVWNIZaNIe9XbT2e9yg67QM/s200/5.JPG" width="151" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86pS54EvMSIcId6OcA8U3fBvROguO1Q4TYz-RnjIwWtrvQETp67-g50CdqVHBaZ9B6WlxNA4wDTGmwzBmQKRIJVWH7J8-gFA3ySSIoiE7mt57z2tdo8ifev5ediE-mHDrm2n-WTDlQFI/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86pS54EvMSIcId6OcA8U3fBvROguO1Q4TYz-RnjIwWtrvQETp67-g50CdqVHBaZ9B6WlxNA4wDTGmwzBmQKRIJVWH7J8-gFA3ySSIoiE7mt57z2tdo8ifev5ediE-mHDrm2n-WTDlQFI/s200/9.JPG" width="132" /></a><br />
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It still didn't quite fit, so I put it on inside out again and started pinning the sides. Sew sew sew! It finally fit!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3DSXBlR0Y-1I2wMOBpsOwz3yIZwOpruQSTwyuSS0CTiYEzfaW0Z9_oea2R6pmc75E-JuDugQn4rD_3piXmeVQJM7VXUy8pci7VKlwI2d_LoaRovq87H6_s69sDZhEzUZEXi-sdOR19Q/s1600/9a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3DSXBlR0Y-1I2wMOBpsOwz3yIZwOpruQSTwyuSS0CTiYEzfaW0Z9_oea2R6pmc75E-JuDugQn4rD_3piXmeVQJM7VXUy8pci7VKlwI2d_LoaRovq87H6_s69sDZhEzUZEXi-sdOR19Q/s320/9a.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is what I was left with, but I still wasn't happy with it. What to do? What to do? Aha!! Remember my sleeve sweat-scraps?! I bet they would make an awesome cowl!! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4L_yk0rv4IFDsUJDXqkJ8lGYc3OKqv1cwkJK_GHUBX2BZKGD1WgFjsPnSbT0FE3QB6GvipSP_P8SdMSY3erDuuPrX5-IBRwkhX5vImZQ2ouCAIhruti5tDx_oAnU1S1OzVM8WM0UsDIs/s1600/9b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4L_yk0rv4IFDsUJDXqkJ8lGYc3OKqv1cwkJK_GHUBX2BZKGD1WgFjsPnSbT0FE3QB6GvipSP_P8SdMSY3erDuuPrX5-IBRwkhX5vImZQ2ouCAIhruti5tDx_oAnU1S1OzVM8WM0UsDIs/s320/9b.JPG" width="249" /></a></div>
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I sewed the two pieces together, cut it in half length-wise, and sewed on some more of my striped fabric as a lining. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIXW7t-Db73eow3ZC65rA2HBbSw8SF3DsX6Ug7CtVi1FVOSwgcy6oQ5Ssm1Bh0CdDPITHgvPXSi0R6Lts0r8Sa_zXZEedOMMk_dPBuSIkjvzIbC-CjwkXM1CQQslcrMn055q_5tC0DyFc/s1600/9c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIXW7t-Db73eow3ZC65rA2HBbSw8SF3DsX6Ug7CtVi1FVOSwgcy6oQ5Ssm1Bh0CdDPITHgvPXSi0R6Lts0r8Sa_zXZEedOMMk_dPBuSIkjvzIbC-CjwkXM1CQQslcrMn055q_5tC0DyFc/s320/9c.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then, I sewed all of my raw edges under and pinned this bad boy in place. I messed with a few options, but finally decided on doing a cross over in the front. The hardest part of this whole project? Sewing this damn cowl in place. There were just so many layers of fabric that my sewing machine said to me, "Look, lady, I just can't do it today. I need a break. It's you, not me." But after a long talk, a few tears, and a cup of tea, we worked things out and powered through.<br />
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For the finishing touch, I found two yellow buttons in my stash and slapped them on there. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOEh0Yll27FWMUSAEOwxloFXnid6kZx3-pDCYvTrMTHEWr-ci6b2NC6qEJD9XSRWNod_jVgraapJHecn5Nsf1r_d9tq4N9vV3oKdZ_lMkUw4BYluCiQvAdwEJosUvjqAlpU9_JlsRGKo/s1600/9d.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOEh0Yll27FWMUSAEOwxloFXnid6kZx3-pDCYvTrMTHEWr-ci6b2NC6qEJD9XSRWNod_jVgraapJHecn5Nsf1r_d9tq4N9vV3oKdZ_lMkUw4BYluCiQvAdwEJosUvjqAlpU9_JlsRGKo/s320/9d.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And here's the final product!! Seriously, though, you can do this one.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWlWMUpTbedQZSVFi2H2_-Ptt2ieSVvhdTXvivIVM5sqiKoFMUNUkdqFpGKT5NQfROA-SaZRrljQHkzP4F-6awQ8S5eoFoZ4bsIA2vPsAeMIvu98vZCfqbWaAVQpxQgdE6bhI_f-sv1E/s1600/9e.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWlWMUpTbedQZSVFi2H2_-Ptt2ieSVvhdTXvivIVM5sqiKoFMUNUkdqFpGKT5NQfROA-SaZRrljQHkzP4F-6awQ8S5eoFoZ4bsIA2vPsAeMIvu98vZCfqbWaAVQpxQgdE6bhI_f-sv1E/s320/9e.JPG" width="146" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuI7KA9S0IDCaOCMePlCzZHYalRbNChsWbcAq56ucznp9vGKPqOoC6Epw2W2AsUMIDcQ4Fh16hbAYVrbjc4rqF-Xqu3l7Lhn-e9ElUDwU9madwM5SZorgMyZH_3cBmxTLamP1DeUomjM/s1600/9h.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuI7KA9S0IDCaOCMePlCzZHYalRbNChsWbcAq56ucznp9vGKPqOoC6Epw2W2AsUMIDcQ4Fh16hbAYVrbjc4rqF-Xqu3l7Lhn-e9ElUDwU9madwM5SZorgMyZH_3cBmxTLamP1DeUomjM/s320/9h.JPG" width="120" /></a><br />
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Total cost (with a little extra thrown in there for the buttons and thread in my stash): $3.50. <br />
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Word. Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08771604346087923629noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-20753868023967448522013-10-07T18:04:00.001-05:002013-10-07T18:04:49.574-05:00I really "need" another dress. I looked in my closet the other day and thought to myself, "I really need another dress." Keep in mind that <i>need </i>is a relative term. This is what I made...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LyzmzlZNCmZTdI8p9drwZOBajcRTBr6PnpxRUeDWUOz4mWc7v9XA0774Zak9rMwqmBzKEk8P6kjVv7YdkcSi33kCYEzydnLw2_KZXRMmZDnq5YZsHJNGxG1CicB-eRqaoGl24yT6Ri0/s1600/DSC_0888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LyzmzlZNCmZTdI8p9drwZOBajcRTBr6PnpxRUeDWUOz4mWc7v9XA0774Zak9rMwqmBzKEk8P6kjVv7YdkcSi33kCYEzydnLw2_KZXRMmZDnq5YZsHJNGxG1CicB-eRqaoGl24yT6Ri0/s320/DSC_0888.JPG" width="164" /></a></div>
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Now, let me show you how I made it!</div>
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First, I found some fabric. I actually bought this fabric about five years ago, and I have no idea where I got it or why. But when I saw it in my stash, I knew it would work for this project. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMA48mKZyQRgKI_F-VfJ_LXZDtmigrUcnM0vbiAWbsJMTXuvOOf9uZ85eydFOnQziikEtJW97k_6jHvP4CdO80Q-gX2Y38qBIpgUNvjwnE2eYptBuFFsbgeB1OQd7RNFKCX3A-qbM5ye8/s1600/DSC_0859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMA48mKZyQRgKI_F-VfJ_LXZDtmigrUcnM0vbiAWbsJMTXuvOOf9uZ85eydFOnQziikEtJW97k_6jHvP4CdO80Q-gX2Y38qBIpgUNvjwnE2eYptBuFFsbgeB1OQd7RNFKCX3A-qbM5ye8/s320/DSC_0859.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I decided the easiest way to make this dress without a pattern or really knowing anything was to find some items I already have in order to get the shape I wanted. I used this black BCBG dress for the bodice shape, and this polka dot skirt from Forever 21 for the shape and length of the bottom. Just lay them on there, and trace around them, leaving a little extra for a seam allowance!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmXp8_1RUDsjFcMpxNh6IqR_jiF2IUKhQVMg0fVEdCTjhGpzVi0jzLiys7TR6RgRy53bOkkJPz_2EWPVQIM86TYtxqjNj1p-Cs1evRLPNvRptsWJwIlmUojEyNpPG9sThWFq65aQd34o/s1600/DSC_0860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmXp8_1RUDsjFcMpxNh6IqR_jiF2IUKhQVMg0fVEdCTjhGpzVi0jzLiys7TR6RgRy53bOkkJPz_2EWPVQIM86TYtxqjNj1p-Cs1evRLPNvRptsWJwIlmUojEyNpPG9sThWFq65aQd34o/s320/DSC_0860.JPG" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSZUJ-cR7hbZQWO3pn4gJId3ruiEkTCiO94riVXwnA1kYoCS9bI-wGNPmGJWpiCcf1yQFpivH6ZgRq9-FdPZ7Itcp7hWnO7JAcCp4DjZFKJPShV-mkOAEg46mIkmne6yIYWlgAbL-7fk/s1600/DSC_0861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSZUJ-cR7hbZQWO3pn4gJId3ruiEkTCiO94riVXwnA1kYoCS9bI-wGNPmGJWpiCcf1yQFpivH6ZgRq9-FdPZ7Itcp7hWnO7JAcCp4DjZFKJPShV-mkOAEg46mIkmne6yIYWlgAbL-7fk/s320/DSC_0861.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
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Cut, cut, cut!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqt5NVxJ8-9hubQweu_BTkH-HaV8MYr8-wpFjcDhPa6kkQ5PlXVU3_1fqYoy_9H7Zl3PwOHgEa_Bsn-ful9k27hFify-1AA6yZTK7f3GTp5knU-1WLhvgA-Edq9gyz2NY4Yn7PT9FtTV8/s1600/DSC_0863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqt5NVxJ8-9hubQweu_BTkH-HaV8MYr8-wpFjcDhPa6kkQ5PlXVU3_1fqYoy_9H7Zl3PwOHgEa_Bsn-ful9k27hFify-1AA6yZTK7f3GTp5knU-1WLhvgA-Edq9gyz2NY4Yn7PT9FtTV8/s320/DSC_0863.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
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After cutting out the pieces, I pinned them together to see how the dress was going to fit. Here's where I messed up...I didn't leave enough extra room for a seam allowance, so there was no way the dress was going to fit me (apparently I am wider than I thought!). I problem solved my way out of this one by cutting some extra fabric and sewing it onto both sides of the front piece, like this!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-r_MvqZEx544GfAPVJTBg4FMbgY7tBGXOVUWJSVGR02JmQJUeHI2szpLuhdO0Kg2rrtY2rJKvYauReHPv37_gCjEDFazkNvxIr-u5YItG1e9XlxL1Fo37qORvtpWHN2Gnss35pFeSsaw/s1600/DSC_0864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-r_MvqZEx544GfAPVJTBg4FMbgY7tBGXOVUWJSVGR02JmQJUeHI2szpLuhdO0Kg2rrtY2rJKvYauReHPv37_gCjEDFazkNvxIr-u5YItG1e9XlxL1Fo37qORvtpWHN2Gnss35pFeSsaw/s320/DSC_0864.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Problem solved!</td></tr>
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<br />This added a little bit more width to dress so I could get it over my butt, and it added a neat design element. Don't worry, you'll see in the end. Next, I sewed the front and back together, and then I got started on the opening for the zipper and the vent in the back (so I can walk!). <div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnPr1aICeT1HqFzOY0djZKmxymZgDyxkz3YVpuGre1Kvall6VAXi-O_zin23dOrmWMO7gJBHfbWS9dJiixUB9zNovsTJ663kp1emEJOXYQaMhOIRZuuEH2tp9qNTayScjq0OmZcR-cFY/s1600/DSC_0867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnPr1aICeT1HqFzOY0djZKmxymZgDyxkz3YVpuGre1Kvall6VAXi-O_zin23dOrmWMO7gJBHfbWS9dJiixUB9zNovsTJ663kp1emEJOXYQaMhOIRZuuEH2tp9qNTayScjq0OmZcR-cFY/s200/DSC_0867.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8UcSL5fqWEf7sdUTzpTClAXmd6EwKG7OItS-g4-Q1fYoCQPj3aVWy5wDOC8fOlEfONim0Nx97x-qoRGX2XVMp6ANnRj6CQLsPjMIPiXAOIYi62OL6PgIPsrq8BoI364w2R9Ur3o9fA4/s1600/DSC_0868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8UcSL5fqWEf7sdUTzpTClAXmd6EwKG7OItS-g4-Q1fYoCQPj3aVWy5wDOC8fOlEfONim0Nx97x-qoRGX2XVMp6ANnRj6CQLsPjMIPiXAOIYi62OL6PgIPsrq8BoI364w2R9Ur3o9fA4/s200/DSC_0868.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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I hate putting in zippers. Very much. But there was no way I would be able to get this dress on without one. I tried to follow the directions on the package, but it seemed more complicated than it needed to be. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOrWqWYHjSFS-JRBSOG-4_T1plaqGRZNW4IVnDWKy9-n_7DwLg8k8h9VXBSVvNyyBd9BrCmjTBoVgG3vBrQAmV1mbXYEC4IVg-tDpwAcLoq-8Sou2lKuCdQAK0ShS-d_gxpTmQ4kIF7Pg/s1600/DSC_0871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOrWqWYHjSFS-JRBSOG-4_T1plaqGRZNW4IVnDWKy9-n_7DwLg8k8h9VXBSVvNyyBd9BrCmjTBoVgG3vBrQAmV1mbXYEC4IVg-tDpwAcLoq-8Sou2lKuCdQAK0ShS-d_gxpTmQ4kIF7Pg/s320/DSC_0871.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Iron the zipper?" Why?!?</td></tr>
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<br />I gave up on the directions and just sewed the zipper to my opening fully expecting I was going to have to either rip it off of there or just throw the whole dress away. Surprisingly, it turned out great! In order to get the dress to fit me right, I had to add in some significant darts in the front and back. I also realized that the top of the dress was a little see-through, so I decided to use some of the extra fabric to line the top of the dress. Like this!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6hyphenhyphen1hOmGT9tu3j9zqQsjfQkQdh03KcaG5MIwTIvAU21jDsa97ZSJleFVnszlKvwGPO5VnXxOoU2nB12SKIo-8_sexsuwF4waq3eNrXQXNemQH8veJTsfP1P9BEL1r7pNgxOPQAqpUCA/s1600/DSC_0874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6hyphenhyphen1hOmGT9tu3j9zqQsjfQkQdh03KcaG5MIwTIvAU21jDsa97ZSJleFVnszlKvwGPO5VnXxOoU2nB12SKIo-8_sexsuwF4waq3eNrXQXNemQH8veJTsfP1P9BEL1r7pNgxOPQAqpUCA/s320/DSC_0874.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I added some edging at the top since it looked a little blah. I paired it with some "pearls" (every woman should own a set of pearls...just don't tell anyone that mine aren't real and I got them at a garage sale for 75 cents!), and voila! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhds0h7eyiGkIwBKevXqyY_XngUkcC4CDRgA1hdbWr0Ht8nwBfehWMiUcGUEIDOrY5DYNV89XnXdWEyWvaY9drb4s-T7sZ0nxVnMsI2pHjf4i1eO38vAd4_YVD1Td8-ZNSuesWWw197-98/s1600/DSC_0890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhds0h7eyiGkIwBKevXqyY_XngUkcC4CDRgA1hdbWr0Ht8nwBfehWMiUcGUEIDOrY5DYNV89XnXdWEyWvaY9drb4s-T7sZ0nxVnMsI2pHjf4i1eO38vAd4_YVD1Td8-ZNSuesWWw197-98/s320/DSC_0890.JPG" width="124" /></a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LyzmzlZNCmZTdI8p9drwZOBajcRTBr6PnpxRUeDWUOz4mWc7v9XA0774Zak9rMwqmBzKEk8P6kjVv7YdkcSi33kCYEzydnLw2_KZXRMmZDnq5YZsHJNGxG1CicB-eRqaoGl24yT6Ri0/s1600/DSC_0888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LyzmzlZNCmZTdI8p9drwZOBajcRTBr6PnpxRUeDWUOz4mWc7v9XA0774Zak9rMwqmBzKEk8P6kjVv7YdkcSi33kCYEzydnLw2_KZXRMmZDnq5YZsHJNGxG1CicB-eRqaoGl24yT6Ri0/s320/DSC_0888.JPG" width="164" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAugq-G00TSuKx408L-hbbYEd7kPuEipmB22PiJ-a8RxXazC69tx6TzeDY4aZtepzYBrab7TazMBRGVlDw5MjGbo9MjRwRTxtvWdGPgz41Ljz6DZAK50tKLHBxnayDFPzM8jhbMCNrC8U/s1600/DSC_0891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAugq-G00TSuKx408L-hbbYEd7kPuEipmB22PiJ-a8RxXazC69tx6TzeDY4aZtepzYBrab7TazMBRGVlDw5MjGbo9MjRwRTxtvWdGPgz41Ljz6DZAK50tKLHBxnayDFPzM8jhbMCNrC8U/s320/DSC_0891.JPG" width="129" /></a></div>
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Boom!!</div>
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Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-8158197197859486772013-08-30T14:51:00.000-05:002013-08-30T14:51:26.781-05:00Refab! Plaid Do-Over<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So, about a month ago, I found this dress at a local second hand store. It was about 6 sizes too big for me, and was just kind of weird. It had buttons, and pockets, and weird sleeves, and strange side pleats. The up side? I loved the plaid because it is so retro! But this monster definitely needed some help. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAhB65VXFALVihkpykpkTfsrCB31vvjftDQGaKxumeN43uKp20yl1pDfY1qrc8w3B-gqkY3lnW8FJJmb-ub-iqmyJhm6hfaXElTpPYbLJF-aJy4J2dnT5Br0JiLIlJvB9HuUGxfvbst0/s1600/DSC_0732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAhB65VXFALVihkpykpkTfsrCB31vvjftDQGaKxumeN43uKp20yl1pDfY1qrc8w3B-gqkY3lnW8FJJmb-ub-iqmyJhm6hfaXElTpPYbLJF-aJy4J2dnT5Br0JiLIlJvB9HuUGxfvbst0/s320/DSC_0732.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What is this??</td></tr>
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I knew for sure I wanted to keep the buttons, but nearly everything else had to go. So I started by taking off the pocket, sleeves, and strange side pleats. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcPdZXWBiUahBCHCgl9hvtT_croHhjhhuiHU3aglaEsK5TJsDezZYinU7Vs3jMMqBbOraLwzqpQuhZpuHIgpIzxDJB7gBhJBQ0I0SkQE9F7T2PZ4yMkWWN8sS_MMjx1YqrfPzO2kIuvA/s1600/DSC_0796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcPdZXWBiUahBCHCgl9hvtT_croHhjhhuiHU3aglaEsK5TJsDezZYinU7Vs3jMMqBbOraLwzqpQuhZpuHIgpIzxDJB7gBhJBQ0I0SkQE9F7T2PZ4yMkWWN8sS_MMjx1YqrfPzO2kIuvA/s320/DSC_0796.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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After all of that, I was left with this beauty!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMOMHPzk8b0jZi2CnYBHJcjBe8k_d5loGWa9dRUN5qh8g-RG2AB85TMvavIPsnj7ZTht2Nze67wDuRo8nfDGh1uMHbEzW5II6pzROk2f1QcM-QxUIBFk9Me9b-mYAfvVPLclGLKyNJmWU/s320/DSC_0800.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="212" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Help!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgau4xroafzs4D3UlQBwdPQl_5N8RudJ1wW0XR9Xl0e0O5bMQmSz-G_IcSqeDIYe8Zu5gHyML0tJsEmbiea07q67oQ6ySr3KwKySMFYdF4F3C4hquqN-ICV5Me5KxZ0AbHAFlnJdAxCN_4/s1600/DSC_0802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgau4xroafzs4D3UlQBwdPQl_5N8RudJ1wW0XR9Xl0e0O5bMQmSz-G_IcSqeDIYe8Zu5gHyML0tJsEmbiea07q67oQ6ySr3KwKySMFYdF4F3C4hquqN-ICV5Me5KxZ0AbHAFlnJdAxCN_4/s320/DSC_0802.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please help me!!</td></tr>
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I got to work trying to make this beast fit. This took a while. How I do this is I put the dress on inside out and then just start pinning it smaller until it fits. Sometimes I have to make a few adjustments to make sure my seams are straight before I sew it up, but this seems to work pretty well for me. Now, if I only had a dress form! Aaaah...the things I could do. Back to work!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnk21G8VtrZLVB93wXoptmbDTj8DgMu-iVYxsUCXMiToUXMbtDUWOAISv9cjgfkYQ5Mp20W86NNgshXrlJ742qCleue1k2gRmKhsWPYKtBtjxqgWYWYGLOZP70hXGn8cPGghe-lJSMiA/s1600/DSC_0805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnk21G8VtrZLVB93wXoptmbDTj8DgMu-iVYxsUCXMiToUXMbtDUWOAISv9cjgfkYQ5Mp20W86NNgshXrlJ742qCleue1k2gRmKhsWPYKtBtjxqgWYWYGLOZP70hXGn8cPGghe-lJSMiA/s320/DSC_0805.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Could it be????</td></tr>
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After bringing in the sides, the dress still did not quite fit. There was still way too much fabric in the back. My solution? Darts! Basically, I laid the dress out flat and pinned where the fabric refused to lay down. Very scientific. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HX_r8YF3B0Rxj-N5lokYlo98uQsEl6lFq0Be83LXlKXpX0dW9k5q_LEScmgVWpDKgii2GzIj3vuHYaY5UqQ70ygtk1AX39MeXU4zBcZv9d9U-neOroeOcc4rlMtPwz3wjlvB1SwnRAM/s1600/DSC_0807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HX_r8YF3B0Rxj-N5lokYlo98uQsEl6lFq0Be83LXlKXpX0dW9k5q_LEScmgVWpDKgii2GzIj3vuHYaY5UqQ70ygtk1AX39MeXU4zBcZv9d9U-neOroeOcc4rlMtPwz3wjlvB1SwnRAM/s320/DSC_0807.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why is this picture sideways? </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYWIkwY3N44FEfCjOMLq_qRijvS3RH6BV1JQi-owFK-xlg7qGJVki6EECDDk8iwtGmj3RwiEK5e3Li2eTn-vZ4ePW0XtGvK1_nlnAixfq6w0ZresSQ9O-60O8oYXSoRrjGZkUFDLrWJU/s1600/DSC_0810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYWIkwY3N44FEfCjOMLq_qRijvS3RH6BV1JQi-owFK-xlg7qGJVki6EECDDk8iwtGmj3RwiEK5e3Li2eTn-vZ4ePW0XtGvK1_nlnAixfq6w0ZresSQ9O-60O8oYXSoRrjGZkUFDLrWJU/s320/DSC_0810.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whirrrrrr!</td></tr>
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Finally!!! It fit! Now for those sleeves. I can't say that I have ever sewn sleeves before, at least not successfully. So, needless to say I was a little nervous about this. I came up with a plan. I found an oxford-style shirt in my closet that was a similar fabric and had a sleeve shape that I liked. Then, I just laid my pieces of fabric over that shirt and used it as a template! To my surprise, it actually worked! On the first try! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnZ_YKV7RtEYqdSYfCJRo3jZaJ6LkpxXsIcMRTawLII26GzDwdbQ4aUR-pPgijQAOmAoz-OdwrXVSwKw1yR_pQujf1Ghu6yHfnS35kMU4eOhMeo8PdCsQbIEtI5GBCYhJus6lR8nJf-Q/s1600/DSC_0812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnZ_YKV7RtEYqdSYfCJRo3jZaJ6LkpxXsIcMRTawLII26GzDwdbQ4aUR-pPgijQAOmAoz-OdwrXVSwKw1yR_pQujf1Ghu6yHfnS35kMU4eOhMeo8PdCsQbIEtI5GBCYhJus6lR8nJf-Q/s320/DSC_0812.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I do need two sleeves. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2PwnTp6Qc50Bo3_fsfx3e1h92f7MMYYS0gRoLZdGvlewJ_uw3J3SDms98MvpknrV40x6w_oMOKmTFH6JTdSxPV1vxMTvxdJivPFzhIqARyubIfYSQkASyGe2r0VpMPzUcVsTSyvcaWE/s1600/DSC_0817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2PwnTp6Qc50Bo3_fsfx3e1h92f7MMYYS0gRoLZdGvlewJ_uw3J3SDms98MvpknrV40x6w_oMOKmTFH6JTdSxPV1vxMTvxdJivPFzhIqARyubIfYSQkASyGe2r0VpMPzUcVsTSyvcaWE/s320/DSC_0817.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now, pin that sleeve!<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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I sewed those babies in place. It was all downhill from here! All I had left was to hem the bottom (I shortened it up quite a bit from the original) and hem the edges of the sleeves. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDul2A8UyJANi7bdMXuFFfECLlpYgidkZe0zOLQFM9HAP9RkZUt3KA6s2OVvksDzNImSYqpjyk-CgJBNQT-emPy5vtEJGPFV0iSSGekuvQohIWgE6zwSy2_C-9KUneLNgOatq-jaVLqMU/s1600/DSC_0811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDul2A8UyJANi7bdMXuFFfECLlpYgidkZe0zOLQFM9HAP9RkZUt3KA6s2OVvksDzNImSYqpjyk-CgJBNQT-emPy5vtEJGPFV0iSSGekuvQohIWgE6zwSy2_C-9KUneLNgOatq-jaVLqMU/s320/DSC_0811.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7Z_UqY2NztiDeHn5wAx5IzZzN_lS5vdXHfKUWY8q61ASSuPfSPWhLutmq1XOSfietUu9YvlZxZbwZElU2ompw6lTZ-GfbgGrTOufHrmC3EvqNF4SiszBOaXkAO3L7putnokYeeVjTdA/s1600/DSC_0814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7Z_UqY2NztiDeHn5wAx5IzZzN_lS5vdXHfKUWY8q61ASSuPfSPWhLutmq1XOSfietUu9YvlZxZbwZElU2ompw6lTZ-GfbgGrTOufHrmC3EvqNF4SiszBOaXkAO3L7putnokYeeVjTdA/s320/DSC_0814.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dexter, the refab overseer. He approves!</td></tr>
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<br />A little steam, and voila! My new favorite dress for Autumn! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I prefer the Before and After Side By Side Mind Explosion: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAhB65VXFALVihkpykpkTfsrCB31vvjftDQGaKxumeN43uKp20yl1pDfY1qrc8w3B-gqkY3lnW8FJJmb-ub-iqmyJhm6hfaXElTpPYbLJF-aJy4J2dnT5Br0JiLIlJvB9HuUGxfvbst0/s1600/DSC_0732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAhB65VXFALVihkpykpkTfsrCB31vvjftDQGaKxumeN43uKp20yl1pDfY1qrc8w3B-gqkY3lnW8FJJmb-ub-iqmyJhm6hfaXElTpPYbLJF-aJy4J2dnT5Br0JiLIlJvB9HuUGxfvbst0/s320/DSC_0732.JPG" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqSfo3IdR4kCMELqS1JZ-6QHWOjwR5YD4fYZbZO7W8fFL2YwZLaKKVqfvKkw9HLkqEwFmywvAOV2zwhw9rt5cVTRpTDXxJmDT6zp5wm9c6y3-rlupofCiBHd-tu8A3k7PqCzV9d6zNH5s/s1600/DSC_0833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqSfo3IdR4kCMELqS1JZ-6QHWOjwR5YD4fYZbZO7W8fFL2YwZLaKKVqfvKkw9HLkqEwFmywvAOV2zwhw9rt5cVTRpTDXxJmDT6zp5wm9c6y3-rlupofCiBHd-tu8A3k7PqCzV9d6zNH5s/s320/DSC_0833.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
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Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-89713838658800193832013-08-10T18:11:00.001-05:002013-08-10T18:11:39.548-05:00Thrift Store Refab!!One of my latest obsessions is finding clothes at second-hand stores that are <i>meh</i>, to say the least, and refabbing them into something awesome. My most recent find was this boring and ill-fitting dress. I liked it because it has kind of a vintage feel to it, but I was not crazy about it the way that it was. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lMtSsitxEZ0-1oPO94rPXDp2A79DM39_0TQDxpvC8vMeJIJ77r8glcxIiiuCNZfxNtxtKMCIhbWoMi_agdJJIIBkO1zrD97iUCkYxQG2-uWwzL3cxGONAO8vBnB3Dk2bLrJDElTTJC8/s1600/DSC_0728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lMtSsitxEZ0-1oPO94rPXDp2A79DM39_0TQDxpvC8vMeJIJ77r8glcxIiiuCNZfxNtxtKMCIhbWoMi_agdJJIIBkO1zrD97iUCkYxQG2-uWwzL3cxGONAO8vBnB3Dk2bLrJDElTTJC8/s320/DSC_0728.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before. Blah. </td></tr>
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Now, please, keep in mind, I am not a seamstress. I am a girl with a basic understanding of how to operate a sewing machine. My methods may not always be <i>right, </i>but they work for me! (Usually.) So I gathered some supplies...the dress, pink thread, black thread, some black matte fabric paint, ribbon, black double fold bias tape, and a heart shaped pop-up punch. I also had some black tulle, but I decided not to use it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgO-nSEBermh97ApAPzKj0Rnk7Y4RJaYkz7aDFRK9rJZQb76avSsXU25knrxGElegmzcKMZtvbMTxzHDO-iGOHC8EepfgfNrFI5zAYzpAT4t0d7RWwuoqLLL1-QfVgFOhiGKJhxprRAA/s1600/DSC_0734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgO-nSEBermh97ApAPzKj0Rnk7Y4RJaYkz7aDFRK9rJZQb76avSsXU25knrxGElegmzcKMZtvbMTxzHDO-iGOHC8EepfgfNrFI5zAYzpAT4t0d7RWwuoqLLL1-QfVgFOhiGKJhxprRAA/s320/DSC_0734.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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First things first...I needed it to fit me! Since it's strapless, I wanted to make sure it wouldn't fall down. So I started by cutting off the weird trim at the top and bringing in the bodice about two inches. I also cut off the excess fabric so that it would lay flat. </div>
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Next, I added some awesome ribbon (also from the thrift store) to the top edge. For me, this served two purposes...most importantly, it looks killer. Secondly, it covered up some ugliness from where I cut off the trim at the top. Before I added the ribbon, though, I folded the ends under and sewed them so the raw edge wouldn't come unraveled. Then, I just pinned it to the dress, and sewed it in place! It's looking better already!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUsuTLTT0NZvmmczNrBou6V7BatpCvmECMJ6RFxnuxng5vYkjuRcu8u3_fmuZ3deCfMwl6a7K_Lk0rlFI6WBgfUKa5JJ2kHx10ZghZwKPSM9Kwl_SS4J_F2335NYhAWRSGvjzF1kJPAlY/s1600/DSC_0739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUsuTLTT0NZvmmczNrBou6V7BatpCvmECMJ6RFxnuxng5vYkjuRcu8u3_fmuZ3deCfMwl6a7K_Lk0rlFI6WBgfUKa5JJ2kHx10ZghZwKPSM9Kwl_SS4J_F2335NYhAWRSGvjzF1kJPAlY/s200/DSC_0739.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0djsN8FGIklm7CzM3pdk-SdQbcMGCZbtP0E10pRbk0v0r85z7GIeuXgcLyKJtwpeqV8yid683Ajpkxdt-7de2bjI8b3awFanFSWai2Zg-CzPMZ__7NqyzIrqvz89cbTGWBfg2VEOWBLw/s1600/DSC_0740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0djsN8FGIklm7CzM3pdk-SdQbcMGCZbtP0E10pRbk0v0r85z7GIeuXgcLyKJtwpeqV8yid683Ajpkxdt-7de2bjI8b3awFanFSWai2Zg-CzPMZ__7NqyzIrqvz89cbTGWBfg2VEOWBLw/s200/DSC_0740.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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The dress was a little long for my tastes, so I cut about six inches off of the bottom. Since I am lazy, and didn't want to take the time to hem the bottom of the dress, I pinned the black bias tape all the way around the bottom and sewed it in place. This solved my problem of the raw edge at the bottom, and it looked awesome. Even after this stuff, I thought it still needed a little something extra. Here comes the fabric paint. First, I used the pop-up punch to cut a heart shape out of some card stock I had. Then, I painted the heart onto the bottom of the dress. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdYGEXaiKUAxECh1HmABaBIPdG_HQMoFdyVxaOOWD2qwhYaXl7egQbNTV7ZIP5NOLedIEHYHTHQyH9N-Dr5crESK9Izu1EUxGGFGe23cRjFhYwcU1XfiIRFQgTawA7Uc7JLkdKPOWSRA/s1600/DSC_0743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdYGEXaiKUAxECh1HmABaBIPdG_HQMoFdyVxaOOWD2qwhYaXl7egQbNTV7ZIP5NOLedIEHYHTHQyH9N-Dr5crESK9Izu1EUxGGFGe23cRjFhYwcU1XfiIRFQgTawA7Uc7JLkdKPOWSRA/s200/DSC_0743.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYvb7YVE_qvorWmHsqgKLs8LnB76lCMOMa65fKnnCH0ezcPJWaWu-WuaM46jPUStcpV2aJ40IWJED8uEgAngjroPYepT0qJbeRYyzwW2uxrIJi8XwM2hbIgoLoEkYZGlIJb9JLwMYMAw/s1600/DSC_0745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYvb7YVE_qvorWmHsqgKLs8LnB76lCMOMa65fKnnCH0ezcPJWaWu-WuaM46jPUStcpV2aJ40IWJED8uEgAngjroPYepT0qJbeRYyzwW2uxrIJi8XwM2hbIgoLoEkYZGlIJb9JLwMYMAw/s200/DSC_0745.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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After that was dry, I ironed the dress, and <i>Taa-Daa!!</i><br />
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Check out the before and after...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vWhXVQzo-IFkxAfLLVRi_260IlFQEDn0EahvyRiDHC2Zv_rJeikBFKpLq9VBO9uH2RbkPNdIwgtXBXkCpo4lpjo46CvkTlDiVLimtuCPk1zy2hc9EV891jN-7bGZZ5CaheWW5DoXBTs/s1600/DSC_0728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vWhXVQzo-IFkxAfLLVRi_260IlFQEDn0EahvyRiDHC2Zv_rJeikBFKpLq9VBO9uH2RbkPNdIwgtXBXkCpo4lpjo46CvkTlDiVLimtuCPk1zy2hc9EV891jN-7bGZZ5CaheWW5DoXBTs/s320/DSC_0728.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before =(</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgCV7azyef8fnm4WsC6hAqT0ruMaZEjR5zkYh_7898AGEaIUCmTVkewa2JowSy6-VHxGMas-5vPQ9gQGzTUZd7PemeffT4-3y4Y3EDm2I3PMlV339do_NfaNDId_Tk0WrI-6wpmMTuGY/s1600/DSC_0748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgCV7azyef8fnm4WsC6hAqT0ruMaZEjR5zkYh_7898AGEaIUCmTVkewa2JowSy6-VHxGMas-5vPQ9gQGzTUZd7PemeffT4-3y4Y3EDm2I3PMlV339do_NfaNDId_Tk0WrI-6wpmMTuGY/s320/DSC_0748.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After! =)</td></tr>
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Waaaaaay better, right? All together, with the dress and supplies, it cost me about $7.00 to do. Now I just need somewhere to wear it! <br />
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Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com3Chatham, IL, USA39.676163 -89.70454389999997639.578378 -89.865905399999974 39.773948000000004 -89.543182399999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-67071705100289394982012-06-10T15:22:00.000-05:002012-06-10T15:22:49.696-05:00Garden War: Round 2The weeds may have won a few battles in the garden last year, but I believe I won the war. I had so many tomatoes, zucchinis, and squashes that I did not know what to do with it all (other than schlepping it off on every person who came to my house in the months of July and August).<br />
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I used last year's yields to help me plan this years garden and make a few changes. My favorite thing about last year's garden was the beans. I had never grown beans or really had them fresh very many times, and I was blown away by how awesome they were. So, this year, I planted six different varieties of beans and about 12 plants of each variety. I know, I know, I am probably going to be drowning in a sea of beans by the end of the Summer, but it will be a delicious sea full of yellow, green, purple, and yellow and purple striped bean pods!! <br />
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As far as the tomatoes, I learned my lesson. Last year, I planted about 16 tomato plants that produced enough tomatoes to satisfy all of Italy for a year. This year, I only planted 12; it's not much less, but it is less. I just like canning them so much that I was unwilling to plant any fewer than a dozen. <br />
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I decided that last year's potatoes required more work than I was willing to do for too little yield, so no potatoes this year. I did, however, plant about twice as many broccoli plants that all did great! The four cabbages I planted have had me saying to myself, "What am I going to do with all this cabbage? Perhaps more egg rolls!!" <br />
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While I am definitely still battling weekly with the weeds (and losing about 50% of the time), overall, the garden looks like it is doing well, and it is only June! Here's to a Summer full of vegetable deliciousness!!Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-44969941803018478822012-03-15T16:36:00.002-05:002012-03-15T16:38:17.945-05:00roxy the foxyOh, the things that happen.<br />
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Last Saturday, the dogs were in the backyard barking for-ev-er. I finally went outside to get them, and I realized there was something on the other side of the fence. At first glance, I thought, "Great. It's a kitten." I was not excited at all about it potentially being a kitten. I actually started thinking, "What am I going to do with a kitten? Who can I pawn it off on?" But when it made a weird hyena-like noise, I realized it was most definitely not a kitten. Upon further inspection, I realized it was indeed a baby fox!<br />
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This probably goes without saying, but I proceeded to run inside screaming. I found Matt, and demanded he come out to look at it. He just leaned over the fence, picked it up, and carried it inside. The whole time, I'm following him saying, "Oh my god, you are carrying a fox."<br />
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After some quick research, we determined that it was about 12 days old and that we could feed it preemie formula. As you can imagine, I immediately went to the store and got some formula. When we found her she was about 10 inches long (without her tail) and 4 inches tall. She weighed a little less than one pound! I have not measured her again, but I do know that she now weighs one pound, two ounces.<br />
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Her name is Roxy, and she is awesome. Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-68740009305343462572011-12-31T15:08:00.000-06:002011-12-31T15:08:24.035-06:00they don't teach this in kindergartenWinter is often a strange time for me. Even though the weather has been awesome (60 degrees in December?!), I have still been a little bored and stir-crazy. Usually, when the colder months come rolling in, I get my craft on. I have been seeing a lot of people posting on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a> and other sites (<a href="http://decorate.tipjunkie.com/melted-crayon-art-diy-art/">here</a> and <a href="http://www.theconfessionsofaproductjunkie.com/2011/12/diy-crayon-art/">here)</a> about melted Crayon art. I really like the way all of the colors blend together, and I knew I had to try it! You simply use a hot glue gun to affix naked crayons onto a canvas and prop the canvas up at a little bit of an angle. Then, use a hair dryer to melt the crayons into oblivion. <br />
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I opted to paint the canvas black to add more contrast. And I only picked out the colors I liked, instead of going for the rainbow effect. The results? I love it! I just don't think this is what my Kindergarten teacher had in mind when we had "Crayon Time" in the classroom. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h6Bhm_ZxRO0/Tv935I2mpkI/AAAAAAAAACQ/--4RFd2TJr8/s1600/IMAG0159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h6Bhm_ZxRO0/Tv935I2mpkI/AAAAAAAAACQ/--4RFd2TJr8/s400/IMAG0159.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><br />
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Here are some helpful tips I found along the way:<br />
1. Use a diffuser, otherwise the wax will splatter all over the place. <br />
2. Take your time! You can have a little more control over the final product by directing the hairdryer in the direction you want the wax to run. Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-65133171556715074322011-12-26T14:20:00.000-06:002011-12-26T14:20:47.036-06:00Artsy Crafty Photographic AwesomenessI love to create, whether it be food, clothes, knitted wonders, art, jewelry, music or what-have-you. There is just something about combining the thoughts in your head and the hands you were born with to manifest something that was not previously there that is intriguing, mysterious, and fulfilling. When it comes to gifts, it also adds a little "Bam!" that you can't buy in a store. <br />
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For Matt's birthday last year, I wanted to give him something especially awesome. Family is very important to him, and I came up with the greatest idea! Off to Hobby Lobby I went and bought black resin letters that spell out our last name. I set up my tripod and had each of us hold one of the letters in our hands and...Voila!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FpsD9mdKjzg/TvjXAoWqMWI/AAAAAAAAACE/4omqIRZfFuM/s1600/IMAG0152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FpsD9mdKjzg/TvjXAoWqMWI/AAAAAAAAACE/4omqIRZfFuM/s400/IMAG0152.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One awesome picture! The floating frame works great for this display, but you could use individual frames or a sectioned frame as well! </div>Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-40824899619679482892011-11-16T19:59:00.001-06:002011-11-16T19:59:36.498-06:00Don’t get drywall dust in your eye, and other lessons.<p>Progress on the house is finally being made! The tile will be installed by the end of November, and then the carpet will follow soon after that. The only thing left to do will be to finish the kitchen (cabinets, countertops, appliances, etc. You know, the important stuff). </p> <p>What follows is a list of various things I have learned so far through this looooong project:</p> <p>1. Dream big, but plan realistically. </p> <p>2. Drywall dust turns into drywall mud once it hits your eye, so always wear protective eyewear.</p> <p>3. All of the blue painter’s tapes are liars. They will pull off paint, no matter what they say.</p> <p>4. Sometimes items do come with extra pieces. I swear. </p> <p>5. Paint thinner will eat through plastic Solo cups and turn the whole thing into a gooey, sludgy mess on the floor. Good thing the tile had not been installed yet. </p> <p>6. There is no “standard size” to anything, be it vent covers, light switches, outlet covers, dryer vents, trim, windows, and the list goes on. Please note number 7. </p> <p>7. The employees at any hardware store are unable to help you in the following situation: You come into the store looking for an item. They ask how big said item needs to be. You respond by holding your hands out and saying, “About that big by that big.” </p> <p>8. Flat-head screws and screwdrivers are worthless.</p> <p> </p> <p>I’m sure I will learn many more tidbits along the way!</p> Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-91612392083377650832011-11-08T17:12:00.001-06:002011-11-08T17:12:46.134-06:00<p>The weather has changed, and that means that my garden has gone into hibernation. It seems like just yesterday I was placing my little seedlings in the ground and waiting with anticipation. Where does the time go? Autumn is definitely a bittersweet time. While I love the little bit of chill in the air and changing leaves, it’s definitely sad to look out at the garden that is now just a dirt rectangle. The idea of the “circle of life” is driven home. </p> <p>After pulling out the tomato cages, I pulled out all of the plants. Some of them went into the compost bin, but the rest of them were mowed over and have been worked back into the soil. Next year’s harvest will be strengthened by this year’s remains. </p> <p>Even though I will not be harvesting anything, does not mean that I am not still benefitting from the garden. The garlic and onions that were picked in August will last in my basement for months, and the jars of stuff I canned will surely be eaten soon! There is nothing like a little taste of Summer in the dead of Winter. </p> <p>Now to begin planning for next year…</p> Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-73922840576341278152011-09-07T18:42:00.000-05:002011-09-07T18:42:17.677-05:00Lesson 2 in Canning: Peach JellyOne of my favorite fruits of summer is the peach. I hit the jack-pot when I bought my house because there is a peach tree in the back yard. Last summer, I had more peaches than I knew what to do with. We had a lot of peach cobbler last summer and fall, but I also turned a lot of the peaches into juice and froze it. I am glad I did that! This summer was terrible (perhaps due to the crazy plague of locusts), and my tree did not have a single peach on it. <br />
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Since my sister has been demanding peach jelly from me for a year, I thawed out some juice and got to work. Jelly is an awesome way to preserve the sweetness of summer fruits to enjoy all year long. One swipe of this jelly on a piece of toast in the dead of winter will bring all the thoughts of summer and sun right back. <br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Peach Jelly Recipe</u></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ingredients:</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 cups peach juice (about 3 pounds of ripe peaches and 1/2 cup water)</div><div style="text-align: left;">5 cups of sugar</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup bottled lemon juice</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 box powdered pectin</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Directions:</div><div style="text-align: left;">To Prepare Juice: Wash and slice or chop fully ripe peaches. Do not pit or peel. Crush fruit. Place crushed fruit and 1/2 cup water in saucepan. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Extract juice (I usually squish the peaches through a mesh strainer for this).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">To Make Jelly: Measure sugar and set aside. Measure prepared juice, powdered pectin, and lemon juice into a large sauce pan. Bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. At once, stir in sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, quickly skim off foam. Pour jelly immediately into hot, sterile canning jars, leaving less than one inch space from rim. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And be sure to send a jar of it to your sister!</div>Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-49066939446302988932011-08-28T19:40:00.000-05:002011-08-28T19:40:13.698-05:00The Awesome Girl's Guide to Easy CanningWhile fresh food from the garden is delicious and great, it unfortunately does not last forever. Thankfully, someone in the 1800's put his brain to use and discovered <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canning">canning!</a> Even though food preservation has been around for years and years (just ask your grandma), many younger people are showing an interest in it. This might be tied into the organic trend or because it is simply awesome! <br />
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The canning process is relatively easy and uniform with just a few tweaks depending on what you are actually preserving. So get yourself a big ol' pot and can something by using the steps below!<br />
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<ol><li>No matter what you are canning, you will need some basic supplies. Large stock pot, glass mason jars, lids and rings, tongs, and a glass of wine (to sip while you wait for the water to boil). Also, a sweet polka dot apron might come in handy.</li>
<li>Fill the stock pot with water and get it on the burner. While you are waiting for the water to boil, prepare your food (tomatoes, apples, or what have you). Because you are dealing with food, you will need to sterilize your jars and lids. I usually put them in the boiling water for about five minutes. Putting the lids in the boiling water will also help to make the rubber portion a little tacky, which helps the lid to seal onto the jar.</li>
<li>Take the jars out and put in your food. You want to get a good seal between the jar and lid, so be sure to wipe off the rim of the jar. Set the lid on the jar and screw on a ring. </li>
<li>Some stock pots come with a metal rack that is used to lower the filled jars into the boiling water. Don't fret if you don't have this. You can use tongs! Either way, lower the jars into the boiling water. Be sure that there is at least one inch of water covering the jars. </li>
<li>Now, sit back with your glass of wine for about ten minutes while the water boils. Depending on what you are canning, this time may be different. Once the time is up, remove the jars from the water and set them on a counter at room temperature. The urge will be there to touch them, but leave the jars alone! </li>
<li>The best part is yet to come. As the jars and their contents cool, the change in temperature creates a vacuum, which pulls the center of the lid in, sealing the jar. If you listen, you can hear a distinct "POP!" when the lid indents. This tells you that the jar has sealed and is safe to move to it's storage location. If you press on the center of the lid and it presses in, the jar has not sealed and you will need to boil it again. </li>
</ol>Look for more posts on canning specific foods! Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-32876013995065602812011-08-17T22:06:00.000-05:002011-08-17T22:06:12.615-05:00TomatotopiaI might be deconstructing my house little by little, but the garden lives on! The zucchini production has slowed down, but I am still harvesting one or two a week and just as many yellow squash. Unfortunately, squash bugs invaded, and only a few brave plants were able to withstand their attacks. <br />
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Tomatoes, however, are another story. For approximately three weeks, the tomato plants were only producing one tomato a week. I was certain that I had done something wrong, and that they were a lost cause. I did not factor in that it was very early for tomatoes to even begin to ripen. And then it happened...Tomatotopia. I quickly realized that my wimpy mixing bowl was not going to suffice. I went back into the house, picked up a laundry basket, and went back out to the garden. Keep in mind that my neighbors are already not particularly fond of me and my garden endeavors, but on this occassion, they seemed especially confused and concerned. <br />
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I started harvesting tomatoes, and by the time I was done, I had picked 68. In one day! Over the course of the next week, I went out to the garden four more times and ended up with a grand total of 236 tomatoes in a one week period. Instantly, a new rule was instituted in my house: Everyone must eat at least one tomato at every meal. <br />
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Right now, when I open my refrigerator, all I see are tomatoes. I have been slowly working on turning some of them into sauce and other various creations, but I think that this coming weekend will be full of canning tomatoes! Keep an eye out for more posts on that...and perhaps even a video if you're lucky.Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-51000979825494786742011-07-26T18:44:00.001-05:002011-07-26T18:44:42.022-05:00Project #3- Why walls are like snowflakesI have realized that no two walls are alike, no matter how similar they may appear on the outside. In my grand remodel, my plan was to open a doorway between the kitchen and living room and to remove the wall between the kitchen and dining room. The progress on the doorway between the kitchen and living room has been great! There were two outlets that needed moved, but that was not a big deal. <br />
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I recently began work on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room. I used a similar method for removing the drywall, but instead of a hatchet I used fists and feet this time. Unfortunately, the results were not as good. After several holes had been punched/kicked in the drywall, the following was revealed...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxukf1YR3xA31kzn1aM0Nf6-Z5BjNZRtAk6w35p4g_q8GwVOvPphSx9yh7BfLorexVcrXdxue1hNly3UWlTVi-95ijdvVsFhjHrRwOiWK-gA1zYv1WyWLj9DdJLkcvrpqCxMcrx-62Vk/s1600/DSC_9558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxukf1YR3xA31kzn1aM0Nf6-Z5BjNZRtAk6w35p4g_q8GwVOvPphSx9yh7BfLorexVcrXdxue1hNly3UWlTVi-95ijdvVsFhjHrRwOiWK-gA1zYv1WyWLj9DdJLkcvrpqCxMcrx-62Vk/s320/DSC_9558.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
That is correct. That is a giant metal pipe behind the drywall. Some detective skills revealed that it is attached to the hot water heater in the basement, and that it runs completely through our house and out the roof! My favorite search engine informs me that this is used to vent harmful carbon monoxide gas out of the house. It also tells me to never attempt moving it unless I want to die in my sleep from carbon monoxide poisoning. Do they really have to be so dramatic? I say yes, because until I read that, I was still considering moving it. <br />
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For now, my plan to eliminate the wall between the kitchen and dining room has been altered. Removing a wall sounds simple enough, but you never know what will be inside! Could be nothing...or it could be certain death! And that, my friends, is why walls are like snowflakes.Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-14555637697737341592011-07-24T15:55:00.000-05:002011-07-24T15:55:01.993-05:00Project #2- I think this wall would be better as a doorAs is common in older houses, my house has a separate kitchen, dining room, and living room. Unfortunately, that is not my style. A more modern look is the great room, open floor plan concept. While I may not be able to fully achieve this without my second story becoming one with my first story, there are definitely some things I can do to open up the space. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tEulHXlJYYWIlkVMLuJO5RfqMDfuzNEc9OQ6oeB3pQRlj4kTO0OyDCrLTHpKH0VefNMhxC1URRK16oV35KwZ_lhrwoJ9wvx1jjfzQO66bQorK6qYYZ1DDOQ26xlphqq9x-IkH15pez8/s1600/DSC_9555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tEulHXlJYYWIlkVMLuJO5RfqMDfuzNEc9OQ6oeB3pQRlj4kTO0OyDCrLTHpKH0VefNMhxC1URRK16oV35KwZ_lhrwoJ9wvx1jjfzQO66bQorK6qYYZ1DDOQ26xlphqq9x-IkH15pez8/s200/DSC_9555.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This picture is taken in the kitchen, looking out into the breakfast nook. As you can imagine, this area was not used for dining, as evidenced by the elliptical. On the other side of that wall, is my living room. I thought it would be so much better if that wall was a doorway instead. So...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtZUCZnVR5Gh4XiSBzFE3ye4yaRD5huSb_Dowc_r3Oo7W3zJ9TTmUgTDli7OlQ9a4uzM4Y0pA_I1eZiVtzz-lag4ADC9Gg6O2T2FP-93ZkhbRKYr3SWP5QhGSlGgRmuLAjSfK7nVuMDQ/s1600/kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtZUCZnVR5Gh4XiSBzFE3ye4yaRD5huSb_Dowc_r3Oo7W3zJ9TTmUgTDli7OlQ9a4uzM4Y0pA_I1eZiVtzz-lag4ADC9Gg6O2T2FP-93ZkhbRKYr3SWP5QhGSlGgRmuLAjSfK7nVuMDQ/s200/kitchen.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...I got to work. Yes, that is a hatchet. I am sure there are other, more appropriate tools for this job, but this one seemed to work well. Until...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yl8o37dQWNg0bssRag5ymhzaJqADU1OMeJhIhM0Bg96j6UsKqR1fKJ-8FziW609t-rRwSFtH4uybRuGhhvnZ3LFPv56v5qY0xEWOzTiOkEcsxwqJitNu6sz6gAtM28qVohQuiRV3TYk/s1600/kitchen2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yl8o37dQWNg0bssRag5ymhzaJqADU1OMeJhIhM0Bg96j6UsKqR1fKJ-8FziW609t-rRwSFtH4uybRuGhhvnZ3LFPv56v5qY0xEWOzTiOkEcsxwqJitNu6sz6gAtM28qVohQuiRV3TYk/s200/kitchen2.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>...I thought for sure I smashed through to the other side. Eventually, I will need to smash through to the other side, but now is not the time. Luckily, I did well and ended up with an opening about 7-feet tall. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLfKlKeo6p1KrcCRRjXAEMKTgW8uvLn21OWRScN56iz5SF8Qxe-CkI6XoNc6TaKLl9ZK235nluygr64z543vzVBONm7_xRDkEyTJLzvkMuUxXVEV_0HuX6hRNTOVhyphenhyphenvHvezjiWbW8MRg/s1600/kitchen3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLfKlKeo6p1KrcCRRjXAEMKTgW8uvLn21OWRScN56iz5SF8Qxe-CkI6XoNc6TaKLl9ZK235nluygr64z543vzVBONm7_xRDkEyTJLzvkMuUxXVEV_0HuX6hRNTOVhyphenhyphenvHvezjiWbW8MRg/s200/kitchen3.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I promise, this will be awesome when it is completely done, and you will want to do the same thing in your kitchen. Now, what to do about that wiring. </div> Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-23410558199329476332011-07-23T11:39:00.000-05:002011-07-23T11:39:26.750-05:00Project #1-Get rid of the popcornSince my house was built about 30 years ago, it is a given that it has popcorn-style ceilings. I have no idea why anyone ever thought popcorn ceilings were a good idea, but whoever invented them is most certainly my worst enemy right now. <br />
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Luckily, I am not the one actually doing the work on this one. We hired someone to do this for us, and believe me, it is worth it. The method they are using is to scrape off all of the popcorn, prime the exposed drywall, texturize the ceiling, and then paint it. It seems relatively easy. What's the worst thing about this project? The fact that the entire first floor is covered in a quarter inch layer of white dust. While the contractors did put up sheets of plastic to keep the dust to its designated room, it doesn't appear to have helped. The coffee maker had to be moved to the upstairs bathroom, the stove cannot be used, and I am pretty sure that is not flour in my blender!<br />
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The contractors assured me that they would clean everything up once they were finished, but I am skeptical. I anticipate the ceilings on the first floor should be complete within another week, and then on to the next project!Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-8591247409174922672011-07-22T20:02:00.000-05:002011-07-22T20:02:52.219-05:00Construction: According to PandoraMy husband and I have lived in our current house for a little over a year. We have a history of remodeling every house we live in, and this one will be no exception. After putting up with the green "faux-marble" laminate counter tops, abnormally shaped pantry, and awkward flow of traffic through the first floor for the past year, we have finally given in. <br />
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Historically, we begin with one small project which quickly snowballs into a full-on remodel. In our first house, replacing one interior door turned into replacing all of the interior doors; painting the bedrooms; re-carpeting the stairs; painting the stairway, dining room, and living room; installing new flooring in the living room and dining room; and installing new light fixtures. Let's just say, our motto has become "Go big or go home!" <br />
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Our renovation on our current house has begun, and I will be occasionally posting on the progress. Please keep in mind that I know very little about construction so the way that we do something might NOT be the "right" way. But it will most likely be entertaining!Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com0Chatham, IL, USA39.676163 -89.70454389999997639.643426500000004 -89.73819589999998 39.7088995 -89.670891899999972tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-55363052114317097322011-07-17T10:38:00.000-05:002011-07-17T10:38:38.172-05:00One Enemy DefeatedBased on where I live, I was convinced that deer were going to be the biggest enemies to my garden. There is a walking path behind my house where I have literally seen a herd of deer going for a late night stroll, straight down the paved walkway. I have seen them step over our neighbor's fence and also pick every single apple off of my apple trees that was within 10 feet of the ground. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bKl_zha4AXJDdfOmaZlg7MSlVu0MGDoFuVbASQTIdewiCqm3PZBcXEsjFTl_VtuKXxbEj0UmEZzSI9RfETc6OFaQ6FT0YF-5B_apanDDwOBc8baDErI6TyuACJZ8KqgXfd40udT-cPE/s1600/DSC_7598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bKl_zha4AXJDdfOmaZlg7MSlVu0MGDoFuVbASQTIdewiCqm3PZBcXEsjFTl_VtuKXxbEj0UmEZzSI9RfETc6OFaQ6FT0YF-5B_apanDDwOBc8baDErI6TyuACJZ8KqgXfd40udT-cPE/s320/DSC_7598.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caught!</td></tr>
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Even though I decided to put in a four-foot fence around the yard, I figured this would do little more than irritate them. To my surprise, I have not seen them in the yard since the fence was installed. This might be in part to my dogs Ajax and Dante who patrol the yard and bark at anyone or anything that might so much as even look in the general direction of the yard. Needless to say, the neighbors adore them. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6q68jOPAdu-JFhl-P0ugQYdfzXG3TssHJbV7wcfWP76nldwJUJTaqp4AkN3Z9p6_c2RujvvDF9vt0WUd3-0hstaf2VTQjilpOTD5Ji5a0e6KVY_OfZ2D6VvzAEx_4jZgJpjNqb4RR9jc/s1600/ajax+and+dante+6-2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6q68jOPAdu-JFhl-P0ugQYdfzXG3TssHJbV7wcfWP76nldwJUJTaqp4AkN3Z9p6_c2RujvvDF9vt0WUd3-0hstaf2VTQjilpOTD5Ji5a0e6KVY_OfZ2D6VvzAEx_4jZgJpjNqb4RR9jc/s320/ajax+and+dante+6-2011.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dante and Ajax</td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">I have read about numerous methods to deter deer, such as putting out human hair, rubbing soap on trees, and even urinating around the perimeter of the yard. But it seems as though the best deterrent is having two big, loud dogs. Glad I dodged the bullet on peeing around my yard, and I'm sure the neighbors would rather put up with the dogs.</div>Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com0Chatham, IL, USA39.676163 -89.70454389999997639.643426500000004 -89.73819589999998 39.7088995 -89.670891899999972tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6039636077959368106.post-63553212174488169222011-07-03T15:03:00.000-05:002011-07-03T15:03:25.373-05:00Sneaky zucchiniZucchini has always struck me as some kind of mystical vegetable. It has a way of magically appearing in the break room at work, hanging in bags on strangers front doors, and even finagling its way into birthday gift bags. A check of the garden in the morning yields nothing, but by the time the evening sets in, a zucchini the size of a VW Beetle has miraculously appeared. The guiles of the zucchini are limitless.<br />
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The inexperienced gardener, such as myself, is often tricked into planting several zucchini plants. The instructions on the packet of seeds directs you to plant two to three seeds per hill. What the seed packet does not state is that every seed you plant WILL grow into a plant. In my situation, I planted four hills with three seeds in each hill. That is a total of twelve zucchini plants. And, I have learned that every plant will produce approximately (this is a rough estimate) one million pounds of zucchini. <br />
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The problem then becomes what, exactly, to do with 12 million pounds of zucchini. So far, we have grilled it, sauteed it, baked it into muffins, and fried it. Soon we will be experimenting with options such as stuffing it and baking it, making "hash browns" (squash browns?), and using it as lasanga noodles. Perhaps I could use it to build a log cabin. The possibilities are endless!Pandorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046796824892629328noreply@blogger.com0Chatham, IL, USA39.676163 -89.70454389999997639.643426500000004 -89.73819589999998 39.7088995 -89.670891899999972