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I too, went crazy at a swap-a-rama (in Canberra) and brought home a few things for re-fashioning. Here is frankly quite a daggy black crocheted top with metallic decorative stitching. I thought it would make a cute casual top, so I took great glee, I removing the sparkles and, in it's place I have woven some velvet ribbon.
I left the ends long as an interesting detail - pretty cute and an easy re-fashion.
This is one of the pieces of clothing I brought back from Swap-o-rama-rama to work on later. I wanted to try the freezer paper stencil demo from Adorn magazine last year, but I'm just getting around to it. You cut the shape from the freezer paper—I did leaves—iron down, add fabric paint, wait to dry and then heat set it. The hoodie's gray outside and aqua blue inside, so I used some aqua canvas and orange cotton to applique leaves and a bird.
That is probably going to be all for my wardrobe refashion subscription this time. I have a couple really busy months coming up, so I'm not able to renew right now. But there are several half-done projects that I will continue working on, and hopefully can renew this summer.
Cheers to all and I'll keep reading about all your great refashions,
B
Helen's clutch project reminded me that I had a piece in my studio that I had been wanting to refashion into a clutch.
Thanks to Helen for prompting me into finally taking some action!
Further details are over at my blog: So, anyway....
Phew. I haven't posted in FOREVER. It's not for a lack of sewing and refashioning, I swear. It's just that I haven't had the time or ambition to write about what I've been doing. Ever have those days? Like, yeah, I'm doing something, but I don't feel like describing it?
I was somehow talked into sewing up some sleeveless choli tops and hip scarves for my belly dance troupe's annual "Nebraska Belly Dance Spectacular!" 16 tops and scarves later, I'm finally finished. Well, I hope I am! I have two girls who need to try theirs on and one is 6 months pregnant. The other is on her 3rd fitting - I keep messing it up. I had to fit everyone, even though I basically used a pattern, but half of my girls are in sizes that weren't available in the pattern.. So I got to learn how to draft larger patterns. Fun stuff, let me tell ya...
The costume project occupied the majority of my free time the past month of so (now that I ever have much of that). I did manage to do a couple of things for myself. I made up some reusable bags out of guys' Hawaiian shirts. Hey, if they're going to be functional, they may as well be bright and colorful too, right?
I finished my first knitted item - a very lopsided scarf. Oops! It may just get frogged, or tossed in the donation pile for the homeless shelter. Is that bad? To give away something that looks a little funny? Or should I just take comfort in knowing that the individual who ends up with it will be warmer and doesn't' care what it looks like?
I also made a couple of pairs of pants from Butterick 4807 (Fast & Easy is my style!). One pair is dark dove gray "Julia" knit, View B. They are super comfy and cute! Plus they make my butt look good... :) The other pair is a dark brown jersey, View A - shorter length, perfect for spring. Both pairs are casual but dressy enough for work (it's a pretty casual office) - I wear them on days when I have dance class right after work, so I can just head straight to the studio.
I didn't post any photos this time, 'cause none of my stuff seems worth the time. Now that this project is over, I'll be making some jpeg-worthy refashions! :)
This is the end of my "pledge" and while I was seriously considering NOT resigning in May, just thinking about the free time ahead of me now that I don't have to look at stretch panne velour anymore makes me want to pledge for another few months!
While waiting for posting inspiration to strike, I have been faithfully checking this board - I must say, you ladies are incredibly talented and have some great ideas! I can't wait to see what y'all come up with next!
I work at a community college and every year we have "Truth" week for the students. This t-shirt was one from about two years ago. 
I don't wear it anymore and it had been sitting in the drawer. I recently bought Generation T: 108 ways to Transform a T-Shirt. I got the idea for this refashion from Number 47 - The T Bird. However, instead of a scooping the back for a halter, I made the back just like the front. What did I use to make the drawstrings? Check my blog to find out! 
I'm totally saturating the lines right. sorry...
I have two new reconstructions, and news about some shopping. Gah, sale, mom told me she would buy for me (she hates that i'm not buying clothes and tries to convince me all the time). pair of pants that make my butt look fantastic! A really sweet spring cardigan, and two pairs of shoes (5 bucks each.)
yeah fashion bug. So first to the reconstructibles... then to the evil splurging.
A Helmet shirt I got at their concert, guy at the table convinced me to get a medium baby since I liked the design. Too small when I got home, So I added lace to the sleeves and sides to make it a little bigger.
This is an Indigo girls tee that a girl gave me at work. I liked it, but it was so big that the only thing I could use it for was a sleep shirt. Made it into a dress instead.
A lot of you said you wanted to see the splurges. I guess it's better to see than do... so here you go. It's been 3 months since I bought anything new. I hope I don't use my last get out of free card.
I haven't done much sewing over the last couple weeks. About the only clothing project I've worked on is socks. Here's one almost finished sock and one sock in progress. What I love about knitting is that I can do it on the bus....
I have a butterick retro pattern, for a 57 halter. I really love the street punk style on taking black jeans and ripping them up, sewing them back together with white thread, then sewing patches all over them. I took the idea, and made it into this cool dress. It's super comfy, if not a little big. I wanted the inspiration of the punk world and the original pattern to collide and work together. The skirt is made from my roomies recycled jeans, and some scrap material for the top.
thank for taking a look!
This is a little bit off the topic of clothing, but it is along the lines of reusing and recycling
There are many places over the internet where you can get free seeds just for the shippings and handling, but have you ever considered extremely free options?
1. There are many stores that sell plants just as spring hits, do you wonder what happens to the ones that aren't bought after the season ends. They are thrown away. Living things just tossed into a dumpster. If you find a really nice establishment, they might actually give you the plants after they "expire". Many other places won't, because they think of it as a loss of profit. they would rather throw them away than give them away to a happy home. If you're brave enough, just look for the signs, and lift up that lid for some free happy plants.
2. There are many buildings that are demolished in cities and rural areas. Many of them expensive landscaping that is just plowed under when the building goes down. You can often ask the people in charge of the demolition if you could remove the plants before they go on with their work, or ask them to set them aside for you.
3. neighbors are another option. If you already grow, you can go to a green thumbed neighbor and trade clippings and plants. it's a good way to get to know one another and get some neat plants.
4. Hikes or outings can be another great way to get plants. Just think before you act. Some one might consider something a weed, you might like the way it looks. around here there's black berry bushes, wild green onions, and wild flowers. just remember to be kind to mother nature while taking things, and try not to destroy anything or massively deplete anything.
hope you guys found this helpful.
Its been awhile since I've posted here. I moved house and it took a bit longer than expected for me to get connected on to the net again.
Anyway, I did this back in March. I've never sewn from a pattern before so this is a huge achievement for me.
Pattern (vintage pattern, I think?) and vintage fabric I bought at an Op Shop for the grand total of $5.50 (Australian).
I'm very happy with how this dress turned out. I will definitely be making a few more different versions of this dress. I learned a lot sewing this dress ( I rambled quite a bit at my blog: http://consumption-rebellion.blogspot.com/) about it. The cool thing is that I am now more confident about trying a few other patterns. I can't wait!
