A New Blouse

I was at the thrift shop the other day and bought this VERY cute summer blouse - it fits me perfectly and has the best little details.  It also has a peplum, which I just LOVE.  Well, I started to wear it and something about it just didn't seem quite right.  I walked around the house in it for awhile, but there was just something about it that bugged me.  I finally figured it out: it was the collar.  It was just too big and floppy to suit me.  

Oh no!  Now what to do?  The blouse was so perfect otherwise! And, I paid $3.99 for it at the thrift shop, a premium price.  Well, it hit me - I could ditch the collar altogether, which I proceeded to do.  Now the blouse is absolutely just right.

         

Here is the blouse with the collar cut off. I used this vintage seam binding to finish off the cut edges.  I have to say, it does pay to be a packrat!

Isn't this the most beautiful ribbon?  It's really easy to use.  Just remember it has no stretch at all, so you will have to ease it a little bit around the corners.

The next thing I did was add the binding starting from the right bottom front, all the way around and ending at the left bottom front.   I sewed the binding on the INSIDE of the blouse.  

Then I pressed the binding towards the edge of the fabric.  After that I wrapped it around to the front and sewed it down.  If you have trouble with the buttons making your lines wavy, try using a zipper foot for the button edge.  

Here's the same blouse without the collar.  Much more to my liking!

Here's a close-up detail where you can see the bound edges.  Now I can't wait to wear my new blouse!

New Dress

I have definitely been in the mood for sewing.  I had found this beautiful lavender colored linen dress at the United Methodist Thrift Shop in St. Francis, Kansas,  and even though I knew it wouldn't fit me, I bought it anyway for the fabric. I cut the dress apart and used the fabric to make this cute spring little girl's dress.  Since the fabric is so beautiful, I put extra care into the construction by making all french seams and then hand-sewing the linen bias facings.  I put a line down the center of shell pink and milk chocolate polka dot grosgrain ribbon for just a touch of contrast, and the back neck closure is an antique pearl button.  It was really a lot of fun to take something that was not being used and re-imagine it and give it a second life.  

  

Here is the original linen dress cut apart 

and ready to be given a second life.

  

Here is the linen dress re-imagined into a 

cute spring dress for a little girl. 

Here is a detail of the back of the dress.