Day 20 - Bridesmaid Dress Redo!

(outfit of the day - cardigans make everything office appropriate!)

What I "made:"

In June of this year, I was a bridesmaid in the wedding of these dear friends. I wore this vintage-inspired dress from Modcloth (I'm on the left):

And it was a very lovely dress and I adored the detailing on it, but it was just too short for something I would be able to wear on a normal basis. So instead, I shortened it by another 6 inches, reattached the trim to the bottom, and came up with this:

What I made it:

Yesterday! Took about 30 minutes from start to finish.

What I like about it:

I would call this a successful transformation because I got to keep everything I liked about it before (the trim, the pintucking on the front, the tie), but make it into something I can wear all the time, even to the office! Also, I may have been inspired by a recent Project Runway episode...

Day 19 - Little House on the Prairie-Inspired Mini Dress!

What I made:

Simplicity 2998 (now out of print)

Fabric from Hobby Lobby

Fun fact - I made an identical one for my friend Jo as well :)

When I made it:

Oh-so-long ago...I think in the fall of 2007.

What I like about it:

It's my first ever knit garment - and it's frankly a miracle this thing ever got made as I had no idea the proper techniques for sewing knits at the times.

I like the seersucker fabric with the navy.

And I am embracing the Little House on the Prairie-ness of this dress, because I think Nellie would be totally jealous!

Day 18 - Repurposed Grey Pants

What I "made:"

I took a pair of Old Navy pants that I'm fairly certain I've had since 2006 and remade them into something a little more wearable in 2010. They used to be rather wide-legged and longer, and just not that modern of a cut. They still fit me (miraculously) around the waist and the hips, so I took the legs in to make them a skinnier fit and then brought the hem up 4 or 5 inches so they would be more of an ankle pant.

When I made it:

Last Wednesday!

(ew, ankles look real gross in extreme close-up)

What I like about it:

I haven't worn these pants in over 2 years, but now with the changes I really like them! They were always a darn comfortable pair of pants anyway, and now they just look cooler than before. :)

Day 17 - Dress to Skirt Transformation

What I made:

I got this dress from Target (see below for a picture of its former self) sometime in 2007, but the only occasion I could ever find to wear it for was winter weddings. I decided to convert it into a skirt instead to get a whole lot more use out of it!

(hey there, old roommates!)

(how I wore it today)

When I made it:

Last Tuesday!

What I like about it:

The border print - it's so pretty! I didn't want it to go to waste, and I'm so glad I decided to make this one into a skirt and keep it rather than just give the whole dress to Goodwill.

Dear Jacksons, Living and Dead...

(currently listening: "The Love You Save")

Why did you guys have to grow up to be so weird when your music was SO GOOD?

Day 16 - Chambray Blazer of Glory!

**Blazer of Glory refers to the fact that although this jacket did everything it could to defeat me, I managed to emerge victorious! The instructions were incredibly vague, and since I've never made a jacket before, I didn't have any prior experience or knowledge to go on! I ended up omitting the pockets and the buttons at the cuffs because I just plain did not understand how in the world I was supposed to do them. The rest of it I basically just made up. This one was A STRUGGLE, folks. But look, I did it!**

What I made:

Blazer from the Jorinde jacket pattern on Burdastyle

Chambray fabric from Fabric.com (same fabric as my shorts from Day 5 )

Lining fabric from Goregous Fabrics

When I made it:

Sometime between the months of March and June, I think. It took that long for reals.

What I like about it:

The lining - love, love, love the lining fabric!

The fact that I was even able to finish this thing and it is somewhat wearable. Seriously, guys. It was SO HARD!

The covered button - I know that's a tiny, almost insignificant detail, but for some reason I just love the fabric-covered button I made for the front!

Day 15 - Dead Flowers Tunic!

What I made:

Floral tunic - and, surprise! I made it all by myself, no pattern! Which is probably why the fit is fairly poor...oh, well!

Cotton/silk fabric from Manhattan Fabrics (it was a FREE sample!)

When I made it:

April 2010 - the night before our girls' trip to San Francisco, in fact, because I wanted to take it with me!

What I like about it:

Even though it doesn't fit all that well, I do like this tunic solely because I figured out to make it all by myself. Also, I like the fabric for two reasons: 1. it was free, 2. it looks like dead flowers, and I kind of dig that.