Up-cycled blanket into boots

In the last week we had family to stay, which is lovely, but the circumstances were heart rending. Our gorgeous cousin had passed away doing what he loved. Another cousin Kerryn and her family stayed with us for some of the time. They came from Brisbane to the coldest wettest week we had had all summer. You can imagine that it was a shock to have 17 degree C days when you have come from days in their 40's. Poor Kerryn's feet were cold. She was using a wheat pack on them. So I whipped out the left over woollen blankets I dyed, got her to select her colour. Found some left over minky material for the inside, some bits of leather for the soles and did some sewing from one of my favourite Twig and Tale patterns.

I was really pleased with being able to keep the stitched edge of the blanket as the top of the boot but made a bit of an error when doing the soles. I put the inside suede of the leather on the outside. That was a bit to do with brain fade over this time. I offered to unpick but Kerryn thought the suede would slip less than the smooth leather, so we left it as is.

Linking to these pages and Twig and Tale, whose pattern this is.  

Whipping up some Merino Kids trousers

My brother in law and all the family came over on Saturday. After a bit of discussion about how difficult it was to find trousers that fit wee Alex, I decided to jump on the sewing machine.

Only 15 minutes later he had a new pair of Merino trousers. Get an adults jersey - this was a old fashioned cardigan. Cut the arms into leg patter shape at the top. Do not cut down any other seams and make sure the cut leaves enough leg that it becomes the hemmed bottom of the trousers.

Cut a waistband and sew it on with the appropriate length of elastic. Voila. A very happy three year old.
I link to these places

Refashion a business man's shirt - sewing for me

From this

To this

I really liked the material that this shirt was made from. 100% organic cotton and it has a natural look and image to it. I should have taken a close up of it to really show. Anyway. There was enough material in it to make a little cap sleeve top for me. I actually used a pattern this time (very unlike me!). I have decided that the front looks OK but I do not like the back, it is all puffy and doesn't drape. So I am going to try putting the pattern on the bias and see how it goes as I think that will give it a lot more shape. As Gilli pointed out - it could do with being longer, but because it was a refashion I did not have enough material to do that.

Linking to these places.

Recreating a Regency Jacket

A wee peek at what we all looked like dressed up at Oamaru

Before - Front

Before Back

After - Front

After - back

On the weekend we had planned to try a second attempt at going to the Victorian Festival in Oamaru.
This time was highly sucessful - but more about that on another post.

The forecast was for 12oC and it was only that!! I was very worried that my dress was made as Regency Ball dress for Aaron's 25th birthday and that I would be cold. Which would definitely have happened.

So talking about this on Saturday Aaron suggested that I go to Save Mart in Dunedin (as we were staying in Dunedin with my sister Ruth) and have a look for something there. I needed to make a Regency style short jacket to go with my dress.

Well right away I spotted a Stax size 12 tweed jacket that I knew I could turn into something for only $6.99.

It is a long time since I used a needle and thread rather than sewing machine but out came thread and a needle. I altered the sleeve bottom to be tighter. I cut the back right up to my dress hem and made the front a bit pointed ( a little bit like Lydia's jacket in Pride and Prejudice when she is going to be "a particular companion" in Brighton). I then stitched up all the button holes and took off all the extra buttons. I folded the lining and the jacket edges in towards each other and slip stitched all around the bottom. Then I resewed on the back tab but in it's new position. A perfect jacket to finish my outfit.