chambray

Sleeveless Lace Trim Blouse

August 3, 2024 By Mary Peterson 6 Comments

I found this beautiful men’s chambray western sometime during the covid lockdowns and made a women’s blouse out of it. For some reason I never posted it so now I am getting to it…

Before

**It had beautiful pearl snap buttons and western details**

After

**What a difference no sleeves and some lace make!**

Tutorial

**First I cut off the sleeves, took in the sides and fit the armhole for a gusset**

**I finished the gussets, added lace trim and topstitched with embroidery floss**

**I did the same thing with the collar**

There you have it! Another save from the thrift stores. Let me know what you think! I love to hear from you all.

Sleeveless Chambray Lace Top

October 9, 2022 By Mary Peterson 16 Comments

Hello Everyone!

This photograph was the inspiration for my latest creation. I cut the picture from a favorite fashion magazine and it has been handled a bit as you can tell by the crimps. This blouse cost well over $100 and I wanted it, but not THAT badly! Finally though, the right materials popped into my life via an estate sale and a bit antique lace.

**INSPIRATION PHOTO**
The blouse was beautiful, but the price tag was way too much!

**MY VERSION**
I know it isn’t exact, but I think I got the same type of feeling with the style. There were obstacles with the amount of fabric and lace at my disposal.

I found the fabric and the lace used for the arms and neck at an estate sale. In hindsight, the chambray is not as vintage looking as the one in the inspiration picture, but it will get better with washing and time. The lace I used traveled from my mother’s sewing cabinet into mine over 35 years ago when I moved to California. She had saved it and didn’t remember from where, but allowed me to have it. It is still in perfect condition and many decades old. I am glad I waited for just the right project to put it to use.

**Close up of the gorgeous antique lace**

This was the vintage pattern which I purchased from the same estate sale as the fabric. I chose version B and added the pleats in between the lace. It was not possible to make as many pleats as the original because there was not quite enough fabric.

I was determined to get this project done with recycled and thrifted materials. The only thing I purchased for it was the thread. This was one of the most satisfying things I have finished in a long time. As always, I would love to hear your comments about it and hear what you are sewing as well. Until then, take care and happy refashioning!

Chambray Shirt with Applique and Boro Stitching

January 19, 2020 By Mary Peterson 4 Comments

Happy New Year Refashion Friends!

It was a busy Holiday Season, but I am back at my refashion quest saving the fashion world one garment at a time! HaHa! Let’s get started on my latest “Rescue.”

Before:

**This fabric of this shirt was in great shape but it was missing buttons**

**This ugly print shirt had some beautiful parts to it but it would require some surgery to get them out!**

I decided to take a break from denim jackets and try my hand at boro stitching and applique on a chambray blouse. The chambray blouse on the left was only $3.50! It was in beautiful shape except for the need to alter the size and the buttons were broken, missing, and not to mention ugly. Speaking of “Ugly,” the blouse on the right had been in my stash for a while. The print was hideous but contained beautiful sections that just needed liberating from their awful surroundings.

After:

I used a blanket stitch around the edges of the top two appliques, then did a variety of boro style stitching throughout.

I played around with many different pieces cut from the “Ugly” blouse and finally chose these spots to place them. First I used iron on adhesive backing and secured the appliques in the desired spots. Then I used a cream colored pearl cotton embroidery thread for all of the stitching.

**I prepared the appliques with iron on and peel off adhesive**

The top right and left sleeve details covered up the awful evidence of those button tabs that so many long sleeve shirts have to hoist up your sleeve. (I can’t stand them and I almost always cut off the fabric tab and remove the button)

What are you refashioning for the New Year? I would love to hear your comments on my project and hear about what everyone is working on these days.

Happy Refashioning!!!

Love ya!

Refashioned Again-Part 2

July 14, 2019 By Mary Peterson 8 Comments

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the second part of a series: Refashioned again Part 2!

Sometimes with this hobby you just know when you have gone too far. On the other hand, sometimes you don’t push yourself far enough. Then let’s face it, sometimes the finished project is just not right!

My Chambray Shirt with a Twist from 2015 is a case where it was just not right. How did I know? I was never totally comfortable with the end project, and even more telling is that every time I wore it, no one ever noticed it. That, I must say is highly unusual. People tend to notice my work-and I like it when they do! So, this one went back into the re-do pile until recently!

BEFORE:

Here was the original finished version. It was so cute in the front but so so in the back.

Originally I added that clumsy and overused triangle across the the back that screams: “I NEED MORE ROOM!”

In order to make it look more like this shirt was meant to be, I added a black panel across the back like you see here. Even after that, I still felt it needed something more…

FINAL VERSION

To take it a step further I added a stripe across the back like you see here and finally I felt like it was “Just Right” to quote Goldilocks. Now I get compliments almost every time I wear it!

Well there you have it! I would love to know what you think of the new version! Talk to me… I am finally on summer vacation and ready to sew and share!

Happy Refashioning and love to you all!
Mary
AKA as Thrifty Chic