Showing posts with label re-fashion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label re-fashion. Show all posts

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Grandma's Doilies

one of my favorite ways to relax after work is to browse all of the lovely things on Etsy. I hardly ever buy, but sometimes I just can't resist.

Doilies! I love doilies, they remind me of my Irish grandmother, and at this time of year I miss her more than any other time. My grandmother who taught me to sew, to love buttons, a good book, and how to bake. And who had doilies on every piece of stuffed furniture in her house. Every sofa, every chair, antimacassars, and doilies for the arms, doilies on the marble tops of her steam radiators for resting your teacup.

I spent almost every weekend with my Pop and Grandma, we gardened, watched Dialing for Dollars in the afternoon, and went to every yard sale and flea market for miles around. I learned to save (or be a pack rat depending on your point of view) and to love a bargain.






Two bargains in one, the beautiful velvet shirt from a local charity shop,




And doilies and vintage trim from VintagePleasures on Etsy
a shop worth any grandmothers attic



the pocket is a doily fragment that has been lined, so it really works as a pocket.
the trim is hand crocheted pillow case trim.
A trio of beauties.

I know most people hear the word doily and think, "Grandma"
so do I, with love.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

the new school bag


the new school bag, originally uploaded by marcydebbie.

the new school bag made from her big brothers old shirt....and some ribbon. couldn't be easier, I just traced a shopping tote with soap (great for marking darks) cut out the front and back of the shirt, sewed them along the sides and bottom, took a strip from the bottom of the shirt and sewed it around the top on the inside to reinforce (folding it over would have cut off the design).
used screaming bright pink rock n roll gross grain ribbon around the top and for handles....added buttons for decoration and to give a bit more staying power to the handles.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

When the Pumpkin Hatched There was a Bird Inside

One very old Old Navy Halloween Shirt complete with pumpkin.
A very comfy shirt to wear one or two days a year.



So the Pumpkin hatched and there was this bird inside...reverse applique for the body, applique for the wing.




When I wasn't looking another bird landed on the back...appliqued of course



The Bird on the back of the shirt is flying around to meet



The bird on the front.



The birds flew out of a bin of fabric and other supplies passed on to me by my friend Kim....so they could make some space in her basement. There may soon be a flock of these guys in my closet.

File this one under fun, easy, and as close to instant gratification as hand stitching can get.