Vintage Looking Baby Peasant Shirt - a Refashion & Free Pattern

I originally made this shirt from a table runner for my oldest daughter's baby and was so happy when I realized it got passed down to my youngest daughter for her little girl.  I love that my children share their baby clothes with each other!  Nearly a year and a half ago, after my youngest daughter saw this vintage looking baby shirt, she commented that she wished she had a girl that could wear it. My mother always warned me to be careful what you wish for because it just may come true.  And of course, it happened.  Eight months ago that baby girl of mine gave birth to this darling baby girl of her own.

Earlier this week, I finally got around to recreating this peasant shirt pattern in two different sizes: 6 month and 12 month.  If you want to create this vintage looking baby shirt, go to THIS post and download the free pattern.  Peasant shirts are so easy to sew together but if you've never made one, there is also a tutorial HERE on how to make a peasant shirt.  If you need a different size pattern, I found several free patterns HERE and HERE.

To make the baby shirt pictured in this post, you'll cut the sleeves edge and hem along the edge of the table runner. You also need to adjust the pattern just a little by shortening the sleeve's hem to 6 inches long. I also added two casings to this shirt. The first casing is at the bottom of the sleeves and the next casing was added 1 1/2 inch below the armholes. To add the chest casing, I sewed 1/2" white bias tape to the wrong side of the fabric and then added elastic into that casing using the babies chest measurement.  

This peasant shirt pattern works great with classic linens.  If you don't have anyone who wants you to cut up their table clothes or table runners, go to your local thrift shop or a garage sale and see what treasure you can find to use with this pattern.  There is a lot out there if you know where to look.

For more close-up details of this vintage looking baby shirt, go to THIS post.   I hope you enjoy creating vintage clothing using linens, because I sure do.   xoxo Grandma

Turning a Tablecloth into a Shirt

Tablecloth Into a Shirt - Tutorial & Refashion

I love clothing made out of linens and lace!  I found this ivory tablecloth for $5 at a thrift store and decided to turn this classic into a peasant shirt for my granddaughter. This tablecloth has pretty cut-work lace edges and cut-work around the center too.

As you can see, it took two separate photo shoots to get these photos, so you could see how cute this refashioned tablecloth looks sewn up as a shirt.  The finished length of the sleeves is 8" and the finished length of the shirt is 12".

My granddaughter got mad when I pulled a handful of sand out of her mouth...what a mean grandmother!

If you want to turn a tablecloth (or something similar) into a shirt, here's what you'll need to do.  When cutting out the pattern, line-up the pattern's hems along the edges of the tablecloth.  The advantage of doing this is the shirt wouldn't need any hemming.  HERE's a free pattern to use to make this classic peasant shirt.  It's available in two sizes: 6 month & 12 month baby.  If these sizes aren't what you need, there are a lot of free patterns available for peasant shirts on the internet so start searching and I know you'll find the right size for your project.

Supplies needed:

• A tablecloth
• Bias tape the same color as the tablecloth
• Thread
• This pattern
• 3/8" elastic

Now, here's how to make that shirt:

1. Cut out the pattern pieces and making sure the hem lines up with the finished edge of the table cloth.
2. Sew the sleeves to the front back and top pieces as shown. Attach both sides.
   
3. To the neck, unfold one edge of single fold bias tape and sew to the edge of the neck.
4. Now iron the bias tape to the wrong side of the neck.
5. Sew close to the edge of the bias tape.
6. Measure around the babies neck, add an additional 2 inches extra so the shirt slips easily over the babies neck.  Using 3/8" elastic cut the elastic for the neck.
7. 3" from the bottom of the sleeve, sew on bias tape the same color as the tablecloth.
8. Thread elastic the length of the babies upper arm through the seam tape on both sleeves.
9. Sew the side seams.

You're finished!  No hems for this shirt!  I hope you like this pattern.  If you have a favorite peasant shirt pattern, use it instead of the one I created. I'd love to know if you plan to try this technique.  xoxo Grandma

FYI: I used the center of this tablecloth, cut around the edges to make a doily and then used that doily to make THIS doll skirt.

Vintage Looking Baby Shirt

This shirt was made from a table runner using the same pattern.

Linked to: Frances Suzanne, Nap-Time Creations, Smart Party Planning, Threading My Way

2 Shirts & 1 Skirt = a Dress - a Easy Refashion

If you read my last post, you know it was Kids Clothes Week this past week. I'm so glad I participated, because I got a ton done! 

In addition to the leggings I showed you here, here is another project I was able to complete for Kids Clothes Week: a toddler dress refashioned from two shirts and one skirt.  This is one of the easiest refashions I've ever put together! As I was rummaging through my stack of stuff to refashion, I came across two shirts and one skirt that coordinated. I love the happy peach and pink colors mixed with the white in the Gap shirt. It makes me feel like spring is almost here.

If you'd like to refashion a shirt or two along with a skirt then read along to learn how you can do it too.  

First, I cut off three inches from the bottom of the floral top.  Then I cut off the bottom part of from the second shirt.  

Next, I cut a piece from the white skirt 1 1/2 inches shorter than the shirt bottom and the same width as the shirt bottom. (Of course, I saved the rest of that skirt for another project.)

Now, line-up the shorter fabric (skirt) onto the wider fabric (shirt) and run a gathering stitch through both layers.  Gather the fabric and pin onto the floral top.  Sew through all layers and voila-- your dress is completed!  The best part of this project was that in less than an hour I had a cute new dress to ship off to a granddaughter.  If you try this, let me know.   Okay?   xoxo Grandma

Linked to: Frances Suzanne, Creating My Way to Success, Nap-Time Creations

Adult Leggings Refashioned into Baby Leggings

Last week was Kids Clothes Week , an event where participants commit to sewing at least one hour every day for a week.  I choose to participate... only with a little twist. I do my sewing everyday but Sunday. And on Saturday, I get in as much sewing as possible and stay up way too late sewing and watching old movies. Well, this time the goal was to recycle, which if you follow my blog, you know is one of my favorite things to do.

The first project I worked on last week was recycling a pair of jean stretch leggings (also known as jeggings) that looked great on my tall, lean daughter. That is, until we went on this roller slide in Okinawa, Japan and she ripped a nice sized hole in the seat of her pants.  She kept saying that these were her favorite pants but the hole was just too big to salvage them for her. So although I couldn't fix them for her, I did what any good mother/grandmother would do...

I cut her leggings into two pairs of baby leggings for her daughter.  For one pair, I retained the original hem and for the other pair I retained as much of the original top of the leggings as possible to fit that adorable baby (pictured above with her mother wearing those once deemed "favorite leggings").

I decided to spruce up one of the pairs of jeggings a bit. So, I used a linen napkin to add a little ruffle to the bottom of the pair of leggings that I retained the original top.  I cut the napkin into 2, two-inch strips. Then I gathered the strips and sewed them onto to the hem of the leggings.  The last part of the refashion was to unpick the pockets and scale them down by cutting off about 1 inch from each side and an inch from the bottom.  I resewed the pockets about 3 inches higher so they'd fit on my granddaughters bum (you gotta cover up those diapers, you know). The thread color I used for this project had to match the existing thread, so when I top stitched it would look like it belonged.  Once that was completed, I sewed the crotch together.  

The second pair of leggings was super easy to sew because I used the original hem and kept this pair simple and basic.  

The end result was being rewarded with two pairs of baby leggings all from one adult pair of leggings. Baby 2, Mom 0.  My daughter could have just thrown these leggings away, but what fun would that have been for me?   xoxo Grandma

Linked to:  Creating My Way to Success

Coral Dyeing Experience - Fun & Easy Fabric Art

A few weeks ago, I went to Okinawa, Japan to visit my daughter's family.

While looking for a place to park to tour Shuri Castle in Naha, we came across a cute shop called Shuri Ryusen.  At this quaint shop, I noticed beautiful scarfs and other fabrics which were decorated with coral stamped images. When we entered this shop, we were handed a brochure in English, which explained that they offered classes to learn this technique. I was smitten, I had to attend this class. We signed up immediately.

Photo not taken by me it can be found HERE.

So, one of the last things my daughter and I did before I left Okinawa was take a coral dyeing class at this shop.  While briefly instructed in English on how this technique is applied to fabrics, soft Japanese music played in the background making this shop a peaceful haven for creativity.  

We were first instructed to choose what we wanted to stamp on.  A few of the items we could decorate were a t-shirt, scarf or a tote bag. We chose to decorate scarves.

Next, we were shown four dyes (red, yellow, blue and purple) and how to apply them using a stamping tray. We were also given a chart which showed us how to mix the dyes to make other colors.

The tables held a lot of different corals with a variety of textures on each one.  The smaller pieces were adhered to cement blocks.  There were really large coral pieces too.  All the coral pieces were cut flat so the fabrics would easily lay down onto the coral.  If the coral was smaller, once the fabric was laid down onto the coral, an elastic was stretched over the fabric to keep it in place while you rubbed the dye over the fabric.

A small sponge was wrapped in a cloth which we blotted into the dye.  Then the sponge was rubbed across the surface of the coral.  The lightest dye color was to be applied first followed by darker colors.

The coral dyeing experience was supposed to take just 30-40 minutes but we took a lot longer because we were having so much fun!  

Once we finished our designs, we were invited to go upstairs into a designers studio to watch other artists dyeing fabric items.  Here's another detailed article about this shop.

Here are a few coral designed items that I thought looked great:

Here's how my scarf turned out:

Does coral dyeing sound like something you'd like to try? If so, you'd first need some coral. If collecting coral, be careful not to remove any live pieces from the ocean especially red and black coral because that would be forbidden according to international laws. Luckily, coral that has washed up on the beach is alright to collect but it would be advisable to check the local laws to confirm before you put pieces into your suitcase. If you already have some coral, you are on your way to a very fun craft project.

This is such an easy and fun fabric art technique! I hope you try it! 
xoxo Grandma

Easy Heart Ribbon Wreath - a Tutorial

Are you a big holiday decor person?  I like my holiday decor to be nice and simple. Simple to make, and simple to decorate (equating to simple to clean up when the holiday is over). With Valentine's Day right around the corner, here's an easy heart ribbon wreath that you can make to spruce up a door or wall.  

There are 7 easy steps to complete this project.  Plan about an hour to make this cute heart ribbon wreath.  You'll need the following supplies to make it:

• Heart tinsel wreath (I found my wreath at my local dollar store.)
• Red ribbon 
• Gold wire cording
• Heart tinsel
• Scissors
• Bowdabra tool (or just really amazing bow making skills)

Now follow along as I show you how easy this wreath is to make:

Step 1:  Fold the cording in half and add the cord wire to the Bowdabra tool.

Step 2:  Add about 2" of red ribbon into both sides of the center of the tool; twisting the ribbon as you add two layers of ribbon loops per side.

Step 3:  Add 6" of red heart tinsel on top of the ribbon.

Step 4:  Remove the ribbon from the Bowdabra tool by lifting the gold cord and looping the ends together.

Step 5:  Pull on the gold cording tightly and loop the cording around the ribbon one more time and tie the cording into a knot.  Repeat the first 5 steps until you have 13 ribbon bundles or stop with just three ribbon bundles for a simpler look.

Step 6:  Tie the ribbon bundles to the back side of the tinsel wreath and twist the ribbon so it looks how you like it.  You can stop at this point for a simpler look or continue to make more of the ribbon bundles for a complete heart.  

Step 7:  Add some of the leftover heart tinsel to the back side of the heart and twist the tinsel together to use as a holder for your wreath.

Making this project is so simple! The wreath would also be fun to use for a wedding or anniversary and could be made from any combination of colors.  

Do you have any special plans for Valentines day? xoxo Grandma

Linked to: Crafty Allie, Nap Time Creations

"Franklin the Frog" Stuffed Toy - a FREE Pattern & Tutorial

This frog is a little stuffed creature that measures 8" from leg to leg and 3 1/4" wide. His name is Franklin (I created him on Ben Franklin's birthday).  I created him to take to this little boy (pictured above) and his sister.  We played games with him as we explored the island that he and his family live on.  One game was to put the frog on top of our heads and ask each other where the frog went? The other game was to hide the frog in the tree outside his home. Once he found the frog, he would take a stick and try to knock the frog out of the tree.  The lower right photo shows my grandson kissing the frog after he hit it out of the tree.  He said, "Oh froggie, did I hurt you? I didn't mean to."  Sometimes he's such a sweet, gentle boy!  My almost 8 month old granddaughter just liked to suck on her frog.  

Below is a free pattern I created so you can make a frog or two for your favorite children too.  
Supplies needed to make Franklin the Frog:

• Fleece or felt
• 2 3/8" plastic animal eyes
• black embroidery floss
• thread that matches your fabric selection
• embroidery floss that matches your fabric selection

Download the free pattern HERE  - make sure your "fit to paper" option is not checked when you print this pattern. 

1. Cut out the pattern and pin the fabric with right side together.
2. Sew around the edges using 1/4" seam.  Leave a hole from stuffing the frog as indicated on the pattern.  Clip the curves.
3. Turn your frog right side out.
4. Cut a small hole through one side of the "eye" placements. 
5. Add the plastic eyes pushing the plastic holder in place through the wrong side.
6. Slightly stuff the tips of the frog legs and stitch through all layers of fabric to create the bends in the frog's legs.  (See the pattern for stitch lines.)
7. Stuff the upper frog legs and stitch again.
8. Stuff the head and the body.  Sew the opening closed.
9. With green embroidery thread, sew frog finger-webs in place on all frog legs.

10.  This is what your frog's webbed feet will look like when finished sewing.

11.  With a basting stitch, sew a circle around the frog's eyes and pull the thread tight to create depth to the eye area.

12.  With the black embroidery thread stitch along the seam to create a mouth.

13.  Your frog is finished and ready to play.

If you have any questions about making this frog, please let me know. Also, I'd love to know if you and a child come up with a different game to play with Franklin the frog.  xoxo Grandma
Linked to:  Threading My Way - Softies, Crafty Allie, Nap Time Creations