Work in Progress - Repurposed Maternity Top

I've been trying to think a little outside of the box as we have been going through our stuff and purging. Since I sew, I want to be able to repair or repurpose things into something we need.  Now while it is hardly possible that my daughter needs MORE dresses...I needed a chance to work with knit fabric again.

This was probably my favorite maternity shirt and I found it stuffed under my bed with a few pre-baby items (that FIT NOW thank you Jesus!). Obviously DON'T need a maternity top, but it is made of a really nice light knit fabric and would make a really cute little sundress.

Now I didn't get to finish this because my needle broke when I tried going through the sash that ties around back, but let me show you what I got so far and maybe you can start working on one too.

 I started out by cutting the dress in half and I also set aside the ties for the back.

 Using her measurements, I cut the sides in. The empire waist will fit at her natural waist so I don't have to mess with that.

 I also took in the chest/arm hole area about 2 inches.

I pinned it together right sides facing and placed the ties where they used to be as well and pinned them in.

Then I started sewing it up the sides.  Then my needle (my last needle mind you) broke around the area where the ties were pinned in.  Oops.  BUT, overall the dress was coming together really nicely and it looks like it will work. 

My last experience with knit wasn't so good. So this time I tried an overlock stitch up the sides inside of a straight stitch.  I don't have a serger (which apparently rocks with knits) and this seemed to work really well and I couldn't really tell a difference in the seams.  It doesn't pull and stretch out the fabric like a straight stitch, making it easier to deal with.

So until I can get out to Joann...I will have to leave you in suspense, haha! Finished pictures will be up soon :)

Fun Little Jumper

So I FINALLY finished the second project from my One Yard Wonders book.  This one gave me a few problems, mostly because I over-complicated the instructions, didn't read things and because I am a ditz. HAHA!

My main problem is that I keep buying unidirectional patterns.  Meaning that it has patterns that go ONE WAY.  I need to pay more attention to this when buying fabric.  I mean, it is IN THE DIRECTIONS.  Not for use with unidirectional patterns...my blonde roots show...a lot.

The first problem was, I sewed the wrong sides together for the skirt.  Instead of the shorter sides, I sewed the long sides.  When I went to sew the top band on I had issues because DUH, the back and front GATHER!  So I had to take it apart.  Then I sewed the straps on wrong (THREE times).  Amazingly enough, I did the buttonholes perfect the first time!  What should have taken an hour...took me two days...but that's ok :) 

Aside from the issues.  It's a very easy dress to make and what I love the most about this book is how nicely everything is finished in the end.  I am learning lots :)

I'd be happy to post the directions with little tips on how to NOT do it completely wrong :) but let me know what you all think first :)

 

So my next venture is tackling the yard of lightweight denim I bought for a paperbag skirt and maybe some shorts, still looking for the right tutorial...