Project Run and Play - Week 3- Repurposing

Well, that was a challenge. I don't normally refashion, or repurpose items. Part of what I love about sewing/creating, is searching for fabrics, and shopping for cool notions. I don't spend much time in my closet or in the thrift stores looking for things to change. Nothing against it, I just don't do much of it, and when I do, its usually a fail.

 

 

So, it took me a while to figure out what I was going to do for this weeks challenge. I thought about it... and thought about it,.... pictured lots of different looks in my head and nothing really seemed to come together.

I did find this old white shirt in Hannah's closet that I think came with a jumper of sorts, and I have always hated the ruffle sleeves. So this was my starting point.

I also asked the husband if he had any items in his closet he wanted to get rid of. He is always taking items to the GW and reorganizing his closet. He gave me this item.

 

 

An old black gap button down... knit.

 

I am into collars these days, so I cut the collar off the black shirt and attached it to the neck of the white shirt.

 

 

 I also removed those awful ruffle sleeves (so 2012!) and added some pink contrasting bands to the sleeves and the bottom band.

 

 

I wanted this top to turn into more of a dress/tunic. To do this I just cut one band of pink knit fabric, (that I picked up from Hobby Lobby ages ago) and folded it right sides together, sewed and then turn the raw edges to the inside and sewed it around the bottom of the shirt. Note: I made the band smaller then the width of the white shirt. I pulled the pink fabric as I went along so it would be a better fit. It worked out really nicely. Sometimes when you do this to store bought knit shirts, it can pucker and bubble but as long as you stretch the band and NOT the shirt you are sewing it to, it should work out great.

 

 

I also made these little leather shoes with some vegan leather I lad left over from making some pouches. I love these shoes! Surprisingly my girl keeps them on, and cries when I take them off. I guess they are comfortable? Either that, or she just likes the way they look!

 

I loathe making shoes but I knew they would come out cute, so I didn't mind this particular pair. I used a little pattern I bought in a cute etsy shop called Winterpeach. I tried to use a few different colors (blue, white, green inner, and hot pink elastic),  in the shoes so they didn't look like the basics you can get everywhere for toddlers.

 

 

 

I think the whole look came together nicely, despite my repurposing disabilities. I should have added a low belt of some sorts (around the hips, where the white meets the pink) but I might go back and do that later.

 

 

 

Um yeah, I have no idea what she was doing here....

 

 

She is kind of a goofy kid.... a REALLY goofy kid....

 

 

So, this part is an add on........ I did not intend to keep this in the post but thought I might explain what happened.

 

I also wanted to try to make a cape. Um, this is exactly why I don't repurpose stuff. I think this is a total EPIC FAIL.

 

 I had a piece of kelly green corduroy and then the body of the black shirt. I just winged it with cutting out a circle, but I should have cut a deeper neck on it. I used the corduroy for the main fabric and then the black as the lining. I suppose it could be reversible. But black doesn't look that great on Emmie so I decided to go with the green. Yuck. It clashes with the shoes. Not good.  

 

 

This did not work out. It's like toddler Robinhood gone bad. What was I thinking with this combo?

I had to show you one pic because I did make it,  and I guess it would be ok with maybe a cute plaid skirt or some leggings and a plain top. It's just not cool with the look I was going for here. 

 

So I am just going to exclude it, K?  Judges... please don't judge me on the cape! I know it sucks!

 

Here are a few more pictures from our photo shoot.

 

 

Toddlers are so hard to photograph. I had to give her marshmellows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She's like, ok are we done?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read through this weeks post!

 

 

 

 

 

 

XOXO- Lauren