Repurposing Project #8: Pillowcase dress

What a personality! She certainly has some spunk! Here is Chili's dress from the same sarong skirt. Now I just have to do some adjustments so that it will stay tied and in place - 3 year olds are always on the move! Stay tuned, Nena may get one too...

Repurposing Project #7: Skirt

A sarong skirt from a garage sale, cut and added pleats, attached to the band of a pair of maternity pants. Very comfy, and very cool in hot weather. It was pretty much free, except for the 2 needles I broke on the sewing machine making it. Lesson learned: Beware of the metal buttons on the front of a pair of jeans! To come, Chili's matching dress...

Repurposing Project #6: Bread Bags

Made from curtains I got at a garage sale. These were "something to remember me by" gifts for my two besties before I moved...I am wondering if there's enough fabric left to make one for me.

Repurposing Project #5: Tissues

So, I had a ton of receiving blankets, and I figured they might as well be put to good use. It occurred to me that they might as well be cut up and made into tissues since that's what they get used for here most of the time. I like that they are much softer than other alternatives for a little nose that is suffering a cold(or mine for that matter) and that they can be washed and reused. Other than the idea, I can't take much credit for this project. It was my sister-in-law who did most of the serging while I cut threads (yeah, impressive I know). So a big round-of-applause for my sister-in-law for hooking me up with some pretty nifty tissues!

Repurpsing Project #4: Backpack

This was one of Chili's Christmas presents, just never got around to posting. I used some leftover fabric that I was going to make into a dress (but THAT never happened. If you are a crafter/sewer/knitter you probably know about those projects.) and part of an old mattress pad that doesn't fit anyone's bed (used to have a bed that fit it, but no more). It's not anything fancy, but she has a good time playing with it. It needs some sort of closure, but I haven't decided what would be best, and so it is eternally propped open.

Repurposing project #4

This came from an old denim shirt of mine, and a small piece of fabric I found at our church garage sale. I got a lot of ideas on this one from my sister-in-law, who is much more advanced at sewing than I am. I cut same sized strips for the bottom, and used a pattern for a general guide on size. I top-stitched on the green fabric to make it look nicer. And the green trim on top, I just folded a strip and adjusted it to make it work. Well, what was going to be a quick and easy play dress, turned into an all day project, but I learned a lot, and really love the result. I will have to do something in the back to make it a little more snug, but hey, you learn as you go.
Doesn't she look cute?!

Repurposing project #3

Was a stretched out dress from my niece...
Tah-dah!
New play dress made for free!

Repurposing project #2

This shirt I got at a garage sale for 50 cents. I really liked the color and print, but it just didn't fit me right in the shoulders. I decided it was time for it to get a makeover. I tried to turn it into a tank top for me, but it ended up too small. So....


The straps for it came from another thrift store shirt I got for 10 cents, and the thread I already had. So, not bad for a 60 cent play dress.

Repurposing project #1

I picked up this flowered fabric at the thrift store last summer, but was unsure of what I would use it for. It had a different texture than your typical cotton fabric, a little rougher/thicker, and I wasn't imagining it would become clothes. Plus the fact that it had a couple of spots that were lighter as if bleached by the sun. So just after Christmas it was turned into some bags. Two were given away as Christmas gifts, one as a birthday gift, and Chili has one of her own too. I think they turned out pretty darn cute. What better gift for a little girl than a flowered bag to stash her treasures!