Repurposing Again!

 It started with this dress.  It was a cute dress, and I really like it, but its shoulders just didn't fit my shoulders right and it bugged me, making wearing it an unpleasant experience!

Have you ever had a piece of clothing that just bugged you when you wore it?

So, I cut it off and made a skirt out of it!  

The remaining top part, I took apart and added to my 'fabric pantry!'

And voila ... I added a t-shirt blouse and turned it into a summer outfit.  This morning, I wore the skirt and t-shirt down, without the embellishment, with a denim jacket and short boots.  It made a cute outfit that worked well for the morning cooler temperatures ... I'm filing this under transitioning our wardrobes from one season to the next!

I've had little time for sewing this week, but I did manage to sneak in this small repurposing project!  

Don't throw it away, give it away or make a rag out of it until you try to repurpose it into something more useful!

That's it for this post, what are you stitching up and or creating?

mrs. patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Drawstring Bag Tutorial

If you read my last post, you will know that I needed to make 20 drawstring bags this week for an upcoming event.  After creating the pattern and making a couple of mock-ups to get the measurements right for the size I needed, I made a schedule for getting them done in the time frame I was working with.

One day I did all the cutting and clipped together the body pieces readying them for sewing, which was Tuesday's task.  The 'body' should measure 12 x 12.5, with the fold at the bottom and the clips on the side.

For each bag, I cut:

one 12 x 25-inch rectangle for the body (If fabric is directional, take this into consideration when cutting.)  

in addition, for each bag I cut ...

one 2.5 x 23-inch strip for the facing (I folded this piece in half making it 1.25 x 23 and pressed it.)

one 5.5 x 11-inch rectangle for the loops (I turned under a quarter inch on both sides and stitched it down.  Then cut each in half into a 2.25 x 11-inch piece.  That piece then got folded in half and pressed with the finished piece measuring approximately 1.12 x 11) Each bag needs two of these pieces which will be the loops.

The next day I stitched up the body pieces using French seams.

I clipped the 'loop' pieces to each side of the bags (front and back)

Next, I fit the facing piece to the size of the bag opening, stitched the facing closed making a circle and then clipped it on over the loop pieces.

I stitched it all down, turned it, top stitched it and pressed it all.

For the last step I ran the cording through creating a 'draw string' for each bag.

I loved the way these turned out and can't wait to show you how they will be used for an upcoming event.

These make up really fast and once I got the design down and the kinks worked out, I speed through the sewing process.  This is definitely a method that I will use over and over, in fact, I think I will make up several to go in my gift trunk for gift giving purposes.

What's next in my sewing world?  Well, it's time to get the summer wardrobe out, see what I have, what I can restyle if I didn't wear it last summer and what I need to add.

What are you stitching up and or creating?

mrs. patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

It's Been a Minute or Two or Three or More ... Since My Last Post!

 ... but I finally have some completed projects to share with you ...

I started working on these two quilted zippered pouches before my hubby's medical event and I finally got around to finishing them a couple of weeks ago.  The largest one was made to carry my laptop or file folders.  When I teach a ladies Bible class or a children/teen Bible class, I usually need to carry one or both.  This pouch is large enough to protect both.  The smaller one was made for the purpose of protecting my iPad when I need to carry it away from home for any purpose.

I love sewing up pretty things for my needs and being able to customize according to those needs is so helpful as well as practical!

Are you sick of seeing my 'santa sacks?'  I finished up three more and of all the fabric combinations I've used, I think these reds are my favorite!

And finally, these drawstring bags were made for pattern designing purposes.  I need to make 20 this upcoming week and I wanted the process to be simple and streamlined as much as possible.  So, taking into consideration what I wanted the finished bags to look like, I set to work making a pattern.  I cut out and made one, taking the time to make notes as I stitched it up.  After finishing the first one, I tweaked the measurements and instructions a bit and made a second one.  I was delighted with the way they both turned out and am all set to start on the 20 I need to do this week.  These two will go in my gift trunk for gift giving purposes as needed.

What have you been stitching up?

mrs. patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Santa Sacks!

 Before my hubby had his medical emergency, I was working on stitching up more of these Santa Sacks ...

I shared in this post that I had been given the following 'vintage santa' fabric and was planning to make festive 'santa sacks' for gift giving purposes.

I finished 5 more sacks in various sizes before my plans were interrupted ...

Each sack is fully lined so the contents will be concealed!

I still have a few more to complete before I pack them away for the next holiday season!

Is anyone else working on Christmas 2025, besides me????

mrs. patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Notebook Pen Holders: I've Wanted to Make These for a Long Time!

 I've wanted to make notebook pen holders for a long time, and this week with frigid temperatures outside and 6 inches of snow on the ground, I tackled the project.

First, I watched a few Youtube videos and took notes.  Then I combined the notes, customizing the end project to fit my vision.

Here's what I did ...

Cut: (These measurements are for an 8-inch notebook.  For a different size notebook, measure the length and substitute it wherever 8 inches are called for in these instructions.)

2 pieces of fabric 2 3/4 inches x 8 inches 

2 pieces of lightweight fusible interfacing 2 3/4 inches x 8 inches

1 contrasting piece of fabric 2 3/4 x 10 inches (For a different size notebook, add 2 inches to the measured length of your notebook.)

1 piece of lightweight fusible interfacing 2 3/4 inches x 10 (For a different size notebook, add 2 inches to the measured length of your notebook.) 

Iron the interfacing on to each piece of fabric, fold the 10-inch piece in half lengthwise and press.  Top stitch 1/8 inch from top of fold on folded piece.

Place pocket on top of one of the 8-inch pieces, aligning the bottom of both pieces of fabric.  If you want compartments, stitch down the middle of the pocket piece.  As you can see, I wanted compartments.  (Do not stitch across the fold again!)

Cut 1 piece of elastic 8 inches long and place it pretty side down on top of pen holder and stitch across both ends of elastic.

Place remaining 8-inch piece of fabric with right sides together on top of piece with pocket.

Stitch 1/4 inch around leaving an opening for turning. I also trimmed the seams to 1/8 inch to reduce bulk in finished product.  Clip corners, turn and press being careful not to let the iron touch the elastic.

I'm so pleased with the way these turned out, as you can see, I made two.

I hope you've enjoyed this little tutorial!  I will be making more, next time for larger notebooks!

mrs. patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Another Recycle and Repurpose Project: Robe #2

 In the last post, I mentioned that I had been given two robes and shared how I repurposed and recycled one of them.  In this post, I'm going to show you what I did with the second one.

It is also flannel and the pattern made me think of the little house on the prairie style ... so that's what I went with ... I knew I had the perfect pair of boots to go with whatever design I came up with, so I took those boots into consideration as well!

Just like in the last 'robe' I cut it off right under the buttons giving me enough of the rest of the garment to stitch into a skirt.  All I did was make a casing for the elastic, inserted the elastic and stitched closed the opening.

Here's how I styled it.  I knew I wanted to play upon the ruffled 'hem' so went to my closet to see what I had that would create the 'prairie' look I wanted.  This top was the perfect color, soft pink, plus it complimented the style of the skirt.

Next, I pulled out my 'cowgirl' boots and the look was complete! 

I have thoroughly enjoyed recycling the two robes I was given into something I would wear!  I hope seeing what I was able to do will inspire you to take a more serious look at recycling and repurposing what you have and or are given.

mrs. patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Another 'Recycle & Repurpose' Project!

We enjoyed a quiet Christmas at home and when things slow down, my heart wants to sew, so I started recycling and repurposing this flannel robe.

It, along with another one, was given to me by a dear friend who had purchased them new but, they just didn't work for her.  Thank you, my dear, dear friend ... you know who you are!

For a robe, it would not work for me either, but I immediately knew what I could do with it ...

 

I set to work by cutting off the bodice part and laying it aside.  If you'll notice in the first picture, the robe is closed via snaps all the way down.  I didn't want to have to deal with snaps coming unsnapped on a skirt, so I removed the snap placket and sewed the opening up using a French seam being careful to match the plaids.

Next, I folded down 1/4 inch at the top and pressed it down.  Then I measured down 1 1/2 inches (I used 1-inch-wide elastic), folded and pressed again.  I stitched all the way around approximately 1/8 from the top of the fold.  Next, I went to the bottom of the fold and again stitched 1/8 inch all the way around leaving a 2-inch opening to put the elastic through.  I inserted the elastic and stitched closed the opening. The skirt was completed.

Here's how I styled it ... 

I knew I wanted to accent the really small white lines in the fabric of the skirt and the pockets, so I went to my closet and pulled out the white slip I made from a thrifted sheet.  I tried them together and viola ... I liked the way they paired together.  My vision was to use a white sweater for the top that was short enough not to cover the pockets, but I didn't have a white sweater at all.  I looked at some other options, but nothing really felt right.  I decided to just 'sit on it for a day or two' and think about it.

Fast forward a couple of days and my hubby got a phone call from a friend who had a friend who knew my hubby, but didn't have his phone number. He had several bags of men's clothing he wanted to get rid of and thought of my husband, did he want them?  Hubby went to get them and when he got home, I immediately started going through all 9 bags!  (I am on a mission to declutter my home and the last thing I wanted was to have 9 really big bags of clothing sitting around.)  I pulled each item out of each bag and hubby, and I made a decision about whether to keep it, recycle it, or donate it.  When we were finished, we had a small pile to keep and bagged the rest to be donated.  (I'm happy to report that that has already been done!)  Long story short, in the 'keep pile' was the white sweater you see in the picture above.  It was perfect ... shhhh!  I won't tell anyone it's a man's sweater if you won't!!!

mrs. patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine