Michael's NDAD Creation

When I saw this piece from Michael come in, I was in love with it. He went with a vintage pattern to get his sew on and it's making me want to make a version of my own. Check out what he did...

I'm disappointed in the selection of clothing for my daughter so I figured, I'm an ironworker and I can build darn near anything, why not sew? I used to watch my mother and grandmother sew, so how hard could it be? I first tried to create a blind hem, as I'm very good at three-dimensional thinking, however fabric is a whole new world and the sewing machine mocked me. I tried another time and then I purchased a pattern - this vintage Du Barry, at the flea market.

New Dress A Day - DIY - how to sew a dress - vintage pattern - DuBarry

 

What will Michael's finished product turn out looking like??

With this pattern, I created a dress for my daughter.

New Dress A Day - DIY - how to sew a dress - vintage pattern - DuBarry Dress

The fabric, along with the buttons and facing, was probably about $40, tops. It's the second dress that I've made for her. The first was more of a 'testing the waters' affair and it inspired me to purchase a few old and new sewing reference books.

New Dress A Day - DIY - how to sew a dress - vintage pattern - DuBarry Dress

A dear friend gave me a sweet Kenmore sewing machine., so next up will be a dress for the wife and a pair of pants for my son.

I love what you made, Michael! How incredible does it feel to have such a sewing success? Your daughter looks great and that vintage pattern is just so chic. I would totally make this dress in my size! Hope that Kenmore machine is treating you well - I look forward to seeing how the dress for your wife and pants for your son turn out...make sure to send them along!!

Earth Month: Nena & Co.

When I first saw a Nena & Co. bag, I nearly passed out.  The colors and patterns were spectacular and it made me feel like I was on vacation.  Anything that makes me feel like I'm on vacation without having to actually go to the airport and try to make my way through security without TSA patting down my sock bun to make sure I'm not smuggling anything inside it (yep, happens all the time) is quite the golden ticket. If that wasn't enough, the story behind the bags made me like them even more.  The fabrics (made from raw cotton that are then dyed and spun into thread) are all recycled coming from Guatamalan huipils (the traditional tops of Maya women) and portions of each sale go to providing filtered water, jobs, or an education to impoverished Maya families.  What an awesome way to give back.

The collection is a mix of gorgeous beach bags, weekenders, and these adorable mini Huipil clutches made with the fabric and leather by local artisans.

New Dress A Day - DIY - upcycled clutch - Nena & Co. - Earth Day

I love the size of these little guys - perfect for a phone, keys, some cash and a gloss for a night out.

New Dress A Day - DIY - upcycled clutch - Nena & Co. - Earth Day

This is such a great "get and give back" piece.  Nothing like a little bit of upcycling to turn a garment that is no longer being used into something so outstanding and chic.  Kudos to Nena & Co - I totally heart you!  

Nena & Co. www.nenaandco.com Price – $24+ Styles – weekenders, tote bags, clutches, tunics, camera straps, shoes, turbans.

Remake: Mr. Rogers Cardigan

You saw the teaser shot of this lovely vintage cardi... New Dress A Day - DIY - vintage cardigan - Mr. Rogers swaeter - thrift store shopping

...that totally reminds me of something that Mr. Rogers would have worn in his sweet little neighborhood. I mean, check it out...

New Dress A Day - DIY - vintage cardigan - Mr. Rogers swaeter - thrift store shopping

I was super inspired by this amazing Free People sweater...

New Dress A Day - DIY - vintage cardigan - Mr. Rogers swaeter - thrift store shopping

...but at $248, it was a bit out of my price range.  So, I decided to use another old sweater that was ready for retirement...

New Dress A Day - DIY - vintage cardigan - Mr. Rogers swaeter - thrift store shopping

...and work it into the cardigan!

I started cutting out the tiger from the old one shoulder piece that has been around for quite a bit.  I'm not doing the tight, asymmetrical, knit anymore so I thought it would be a rad addition to the cardigan.

New Dress A Day - DIY - vintage cardigan - Mr. Rogers swaeter - thrift store shopping

With the tiger cut and let out of its cage...

New Dress A Day - DIY - vintage cardigan - Mr. Rogers swaeter - thrift store shopping

...I went to my stash of Heat n' Bond iron-on adhesive and trimmed out a piece using the tiger as the template.  I ironed the paper right side up to the wrong side (back) of the tiger.

New Dress A Day - DIY - vintage cardigan - Mr. Rogers swaeter - thrift store shopping

Once the adhesive backing was affixed, I trimmed around the patch so the lines would be clean against the tiger and pulled off the paper layer before ironing it directly to the top left of the sweater.

New Dress A Day - DIY - vintage cardigan - Mr. Rogers swaeter - thrift store shopping

It's like the tiger is my mascot!

New Dress A Day - DIY - vintage cardigan - Mr. Rogers swaeter - thrift store shopping

Turned out pretty well!!  You can always hand stitch or machine sew around the edges to keep it super secure, however I didn't have time for that before I left for Bali.

New Dress A Day - DIY - vintage cardigan - Mr. Rogers swaeter - thrift store shopping

When I get home, I'll make the final touches.  I've got the eye of the tiger!!

New Dress A Day - DIY - vintage cardigan - Mr. Rogers swaeter - thrift store shopping

It's just a bit of cool to give some edge to a basic tee and jeans combo.

New Dress A Day - DIY - vintage cardigan - Mr. Rogers swaeter - thrift store shopping

I was quite thrilled with my new sweater that was just a few bucks and just love that hint of inspiration from Free People!