Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Jogging Set Makeover Tutorial

I have had this outfit in my closet and even though it was a hanging-around kind of outfit, it was boring. Gray.  The top was also too short for my liking.   I thought about donating it.  Hey, I need room in my closet(don’t we all)

Boring Gray Jogging Set

Old Gray  Outfit

I like that the pants are a capri-length but overall a big yawn.

I thought I might wear it if at least the shirt wasn’t SO short.  Okay.  My husband had a tshirt that no longer fit him.  I think it may have made its way in the dryer and shrunk!  Oh, I LOVE Kauai.  I can almost feel the ocean breeze right now.  Really.  I am crazy about this Hawaiian Island-it is by far my fav….  But, anyhow, I just needed some white knit fabric to elongate my short top. 

100_0211

I cut the bottom off of the Kauai shirt and tossed the rest aside.  I just needed a couple of inches to make my shirt longer.  I came up with 6 inches including a seam allowance would work fine.  I used the very bottom of the Kauai shirt because it is already hemmed.  Win! Win!

100_0212 

The Kauai tshirt and my gray shirt were different widths, so I cut the Kauai tshirt so it would “fit” my gray shirt.  I cut it a little larger allowing for seam allowances on both sides.  Yes, I had to seam both sides and matched up the seams to each side of my gray shirt.  Use your pins-they are your friend when it comes to sewing knit fabrics!

100_0213

100_0214

Placing right sides together and making sure seams all line up, I serged all the way around the bottom of my gray shirt!

100_0216

100_0217

Okay, job done, right??  I added the length to my gray shirt.  Still boring.  But now the capri pants look like they don’t belong.  Sigh.  Sigh.

I looked at my scrap pile from the Kauai shirt and it appeared that the sleeves from this would fit perfectly along the bottom of these capri pants.  This is also already hemmed. 

100_0218

Following the same steps as above, I pinned them to the bottom of my capris and serged.  Now, I am done!!?  Not…. still blah and boring…

100_0220

Kauai’s ocean breeze was calling me.  How can I throw this knit fabric away engraved with my favorite island?

100_0223

Are you thinking what I’m thinking?  What can I do with this piece of lovely Kauai scrap and somehow embellish my gray shirt?   I only wish I would have thought of this sooner.  Like the first step.  Live and learn….

I decided to attach it to my gray shirt front and back pieces to look like part of the shirt.

I cut my gray shirt just below the underarms.  I then had to size the Kauai fabric to fit the width of my gray shirt.  I seamed both front and back pieces of white knit fabric.

100_0224

100_0225

To center “Kauai” on the gray shirt, I first found the center on the “Kauai” fabric and placed a purple dot with my marking pen.  I then found the center on my gray shirt and placed a purple dot.  I matched up the dots and pinned!

100_0227

100_0228

I then attached the original piece that I had extended in Step 1.  Using the same directions!

100_0229

I am done!  Really!  Here is my newly-fashioned Kauai Jogging suit!

100_0236

The back view!

100_0237

100_0238

I do know that this makeover is not going to win any Project Runway awards, but I refashioned this outfit which I thought was ugly and boring into something not SO boring.  I am still not a gray person but I think it is much more appealing.   Just think of all the fun alternatives you can do with this tutorial.  Tshirts with fun sayings, concerts, places you visited, etc….

Now at least I can keep Kauai close to my heart.  It always is….Red heartRed heart

 

Monday, April 4, 2011

Loving my new Capris

Yes, I really am!  Enjoying these new capris and the nice weather to go along with them!  I LOVE the shirring detail on them.  It is what made me want to sew up a pair for myself.  It reminds me of many years ago when pants had details on them, zippers at the ankles, buttons, drawstring, and yes, shirring on the sides.  Yum.

100_0204

 

I honestly was not crazy about the elastic waistband, but I figured if I paired it with a tunic-style shirt, no one would be the wiser.  And can you say comfy?  It’s almost like having a pair of PJ bottoms on.  ReallyOpen-mouthed smile

100_0198

Paired with one of my fav black peep-toe wedges, it looks stylish and oh-so comfortable!! 

100_0189

Yes, I am LOVING my new capris!  It is the same pattern I used on my DD’s skirts!

Simplicity # 2258

Definitely a fast, easy-sew that will put a smile on your face, too!

100_0202

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...