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Mary's Thrifty Chic

Upcycling thrift shop clothing/sewing

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  • Refashioned Upcycled Clothing

Goodwill Purchase

Instant Dress Refashion

August 31, 2013 By Mary Peterson 18 Comments

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Hi Everyone!

Meet my latest makeover.  This one took me all of 20 seconds!!!  I don’t know about you, but I absolutely despise self fabric tie backs. 🙁  I am not 8 years old anymore, they never look good from the back, and when you sit in a chair they make you feel like you have a tumor on your back!  Manufacturers should save the fabric and labor costs and streamline their designs.  Get rid of them! That is what I did.  Snip, snip and this refashion was done.  This dress was a Goodwill find @$7.99.  It had a great print and appeared to be unused.
I paired it with this handmade beaded necklace made with an Australian opal. I don’t do much beading anymore, but little did I know when I made this one it would be perfect for this dress.
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Australian opal necklace
Australian opal necklace
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What do you think everyone? Do you hate ties as much as I do? If so, unite and free yourself. Declare your independence from them! Just snip, snip, and you are ready to go!
‘Til next time
Love Ya,
Mary

Filed Under: DIY, Dresses, Goodwill refashion, Jewelry, Sewing, Upcycle Tagged With: diy upcycle, Goodwill Purchase, goodwill refashion

Refashion Runway Week 4-Summer Dress

June 28, 2013 By Mary Peterson 12 Comments

Hello Everyone!

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Now for the last week of Refashion Runway.  I am not much for frilly, fussy, summer, dresses but I have been admiring all of the great maxi dresses out there.  The trouble is, I am now spoiled by refashion and refuse to pay full price!  Enter this lovely (cough, sputter) rectangle from “Goodwill” for the bargain price of $7.99.  I know that is expensive by thrift shop standards but this is L.A.  You don’t get any breaks even in the thrift shop. Here is the before and after:

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Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway19

Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway17

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L.A. is really hot in the summer so it had to be short sleeve. The original was too wide (20W) and too short so I had to add length in the waist and on the bottom. How did I do it? Check out the tutorial to find out!

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Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway18

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1) Make fit changes to the side seams and cut off the excess. These pieces will be used to make the waistline, bottom edge and belt loops.

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Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway3

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2) Decide where you want to separate the bodice and skirt and cut the bodice from the skirt. (Take out the zipper first.) Using one of the strips you cut from the side, create a waistband of the desired length. Attach it to the bodice. Make sure you put some gathers over the bust area to create shape in the bust line.

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Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway5

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3) Attach the skirt back to the bottom of the waistband. Make sure to match the side seams. You will probably have to release any back darts in order for the skirt to fit back onto your hips. This is because when you cut the skirt from the bodice and place it lower, you are taking a smaller part of the skirt and putting it over a bigger area. Depending on how big the dress is you may have to cut the bodice from the skirt before you shape the side seams. Mine was quite wide so it did not matter but I still had to release the back darts from the skirt.

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Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway6

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4) I added a metal zipper down the back sewn on the outside of the garment which is totally the fashion at the moment. I set the zipper 3″ down from the original neckline as I decided to make a dipped V back.

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5) I had to get rid of the awful, mangy facing on the inside. I turned the facing out and sewed along my new neckline. Then I trimmed the facing to 1″, turned it over and basted the neckline down to make inside binding. After basting, I top-stitched the neckline from the outside. Good riddance floppy facing!

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Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway7

Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway8

Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway9

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6) I used the remaining pieces from the side seams to add a band to the bottom and make belt loops for the waist.

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Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway10

Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway11

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7) The last step was to make some removable bling for the belt I planned to use. Dipping into my bead selection I created this little piece to add to the belt for a finishing touch. The lobster claw makes it removable!

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Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway12

Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway13

Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway14

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DONE!

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Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway15

Refashion Runway Week 4 and Giveaway16

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Hope you like this one. Love ya!

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Mary

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Filed Under: Dresses Tagged With: diy sewing refashion, Goodwill Purchase, goodwill refashion, sewing, sewing refashion, thrift shop refashion

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