Another Skirt!

 Remember this prairie slip I made out of a thrifted 100% cotton sheet ...

I've been working on this skirt to go with the slip ...

I looked in my wardrobe for items to style both the slip and skirt with and this is what I came up with ...

I pulled out a black camisole from my lingerie drawer and a sweater from my sweater drawer and created this outfit!

I have a pair of brown ankle books and jewelry to complete the look ... I'm very pleased with the total outfit and will be able to wear it all winter.  On those really cold days that I wear this outfit, of course I'll sneak in a pair of leggings under the slip/skirt!

I purchased the fabric to make this skirt on clearance at a local Hobby Lobby chain store.

The slip as mentioned was made from a thrifted sheet ...

(I'll use this slip to go with other dresses and or skirts in my wardrobe as well.)

Everything else was already in my wardrobe ...

This is how I maintain my wardrobe from season-to-season while creating new looks the least expensive way I can!

I hope you've enjoyed seeing how my mind works when it comes to updating and expanding my wardrobe.  I love to hear ways you manage your wardrobe without breaking the bank.

Until next time ...

patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay, and it helps keep in sewing supplies.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

Thrift Store Cotton Sheet: Look What I Did With It!

Whenever I get the opportunity to go thrift shopping I always, always look for 100% cotton sheets that are unstained and in good condition.  Here's how I used one from my 'stash' ...

I made a prairie slip to wear under my long skirts.  I made it long enough to hang below the skirts just a bit.  I'm working on a fall skirt and when it's finished, I'll share how I'll style this slip with that skirt.  This slip will add another layer of warmth for those colder temps this winter.

I cut the slip out in such a way that the hemmed top of the sheet became the hem of my slip.  Notice the pretty decorative stitching.   This was such an easy project, and I'm so pleased with the way it turned out!  I did not have a pattern; I used the method I use to make my skirts only making them less full around the waist and hips.

The instructions for how I make my skirts are found in this post!

But that's not all I used that same thrift store sheet for ...

I shared on A Working Pantry blog about being gifted this vintage Santa fabric. I cut the Santa's apart, pressed them all and sorted what I wanted to do with each ... here's what I did with one and it's where the thrift store cotton sheet comes in ...

Look at this cute gift bag!  Do you see the thrifted cotton sheet, of course you don't because I lined the inside with it!

I couldn't resist 'styling' it!  This picture does not do it justice.  The thrift store cotton sheet lining made it where no one can see what's inside and gives it plenty of body!  I love it so much that I'm going to make more and keep them for our use here in our home.  Hmmm, another idea is to fill several with paper, etc and arrange them in a basket for decorations.  My mind is whirling with possibilities and with different ways to stitch them up.  I'll definitely save one of the larger 'Santa's' to make a throw pillow cover.

(By the way, I still have quite a bit of the sheet left to use in other projects.  I think I paid $4.99 for it, a full-size 100% cotton flat sheet that was in good condition.  I'll take it!)

Living in a small house, we don't have room for a lot of storage, these bags can be used, emptied and packed away year after year while taking up very little space.  That's my kind of holiday decor!

I hope you've enjoyed today's post as much as I enjoyed stitching up each project!

Until next time ...

patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay, and it helps keep in sewing supplies.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

Transitioning Summer Clothing to Fall and Winter Wearing

 Remember this skirt that I made and paired with a simple light gray t-shirt?

It was a nice cool summer outfit, but now we've transitioned into fall and this outfit won't work for cooler temperatures ...

but, this one will ...

... same skirt, but I switched out the t-shirt for an over-sized sweater and then added leggings underneath the skirt.

The skirt length hits me just above the ankles and all you see of the leggings is a brief glimpse just below the hem of the skirt when I'm wearing the outfit.

It's warm and oh so comfortable!

The sweater is a new purchase ($20) but the skirt and leggings are from my closet.  We can have a pretty and stylish wardrobe without destroying the budget if we try.

I hope you've enjoyed this little glimpse of how I manage my wardrobe while keeping the cost of doing so as low as possible.

Until next time ...

patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay, and it helps keep in sewing supplies.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

Working on Draw String Bags

I finally got back around to doing some sewing and went straight back to sewing the draw string bags I mentioned in this post.

I have several at different stages of completion and finally finished these two today ...

These are so cute; I wish I had more of this fabric!

It's such a soft pink and white rustic gingham ... hmmm, I may keep one of these for myself!

Two down and many more to go!

What about you, what are you sewing ... more specifically what are you sewing for Christmas?

Until next time ...

patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay, and it helps keep in sewing supplies.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

Putting Together a little Something for the Grands!

We are long-distance grandparents and try hard to use everything at our disposal to stay in touch and foster a relationship with our grands.

One of the things we do is send them things through the mail ... they love getting G & G (grandma and grandpa) mail.

While we don't go in for the scary aspect of Halloween, we do put together a little something for them and send it on their ways this time of the year ...

These little baggies of goodies will surely bring a smile to their precious faces and let them know that grandma and grandpa are wishing them a happy Halloween.  We also included a little mad money with instructions to their parents to take them to their favorite 'happy meal' place on Halloween!

Contents of the bags ...

a few pieces of candy

pumpkin stickers and

small glow sticks

That's it!  It didn't cost a lot of money, and it sure was fun planning and putting together!

The bags I buy in bulk about every other year at a non-electric Mennonite store and the ribbon was purchased after Halloween a couple or more years ago on a clearance sale.  I likely paid $.10 to a quarter for each roll, and it didn't take a whole roll of any of the colors used.

Last year I made them BOO bags that looked like this ...

I hope this has inspired you!

Until next time ...

patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay, and it helps keep in sewing supplies.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

What I've Been Making This Week: 9/22/24

 A friend and I were chatting across the email fence this week and she was sharing some things she was working on for Christmas gift giving.

I was so inspired by what she was sharing that I immediately started formulating plans to work on some gifts of my own.  (Normally, I have a good stash of gifts ready for gift giving, but this year has brought challenges that distracted me from keeping my gifts pantry well-stocked.)   

The first thing I need and want to do is restock my gift pantry with these cute project bags.  I put in use and or gifted the last one I had so it's time to stitch up some more.  The sky is the limit with what you can put in them.

In this picture are supplies to make 8 bags.  The fabric pieces are all cut and everything I need to make them is on hand and ready.  I'm going to 'batch' sew them.  Not pictured are fabric pieces for my grands but I like to keep all my 'grand' gifts a secret until they are received ... just in case.  I like for their parents to be as surprised as the grands when the packages from grandma and grandpa are opened!

The completed bag in the picture houses my current cross stitch project.  The handle on the bag makes it easy to grab and go.

The tutorial for the project can be found HERE.  Be warned, you really, really need to watch the whole tutorial before making the first stitch.  You'll thank me for the 'heads up' when you don't have to rip out a seam!

I would love as in I might just be begging ... please, please, please share what you're making for Christmas gifts this year.  Let's inspire each other!

Until next time ...

patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay, and it helps keep in sewing supplies.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

What I Made This Week: 9/14/24

 This week I've been playing catch-up from being out of town, so I don't really have any thing I've completed, but I do have a finish to share.  

Remember this project, from this post?  I was going to make a summer dress out of seersucker, but the more I thought about it the more I decided that a cool summer blouse out of seersucker would better suit me, so I changed my mind and did just that.

Here's what the finished product looks like ...

I paired it with jeans for a casual outfit.  I also have a denim skirt that can be substituted for the pants for when the occasion calls for it.

My next project will be creating something with a fall theme to send through the mail to my grands.  I'm gathering ideas right now.

Until next time ...

patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay, and it helps keep in sewing supplies.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.