Fabulous Fall Sweater Refashion

Fall is my absolute favorite season! I love falling leaves, cozy warm food, fall fashion, but most of all, I love the cooler temperatures (like a true Northern girl)!

I found this really cool sweater dress from the 80s (I am guessing) at my favorite thrift store in the South while visiting my granny, and I have been saving it for the cooler temperatures.

I don't think I have mentioned this before, but I usually do not try things on when I am in the store. This is especially true if they are cheap like the "stuff a bag" thrift store I love, and anything that is inexpensive. If I am in an actual store, I will try things on. :) In the case of this particular sweater-dress, I tried it on when fall was approaching and realized that the top fit perfectly, but the hips and butt were a little too tight for what I like, so I thought it would make a wonderful sweater!

I love the pattern, it is just 80s enough. I also love the sleeve length and the little front buttons. There is a bonus... it has pockets!

Since it is knit, and me + knit almost always equals a disaster when using the sewing machine, I tried something new. I folded the bottom raw edge over once and used the sewing machine on it. As expected, it was really uneven and unsteady-looking. After that, I folded that end over one more time and sewed it by hand with a whip stitch from the inside. That worked marvelously! I love this sweater.

Since the bottom of the dress didn't fit, I took the before picture on my dress form.

You'll have to pardon my use of bathroom selfies... I haven't worn this sweater out yet (because it has still been a little too warm, darn it!), my sweet husband wasn't awake yet to take a picture, and I was just so excited to share it with you! :)

Look how cool the pockets are!

I love the henley-type buttons on the top!

Are you doing any fall refashioning? I would love to hear about it!

Infinity Scarf From Old Tee Shirts!

Fall is coming! Comfy coats, pumpkin everything, cool weather, cuddling, boots, fall colors, and... SCARVES! 

This is the perfect time to start getting ready. Do you have any old tee shirts around your house? Personally, I hate throwing things away when I know they still have a lot of life in them. Why not make yourself a soft, comfortable infinity scarf for fall and winter? :) 

Guess what? I have already made one of these. I made one last fall when I had some of my husband's old tee shirts and didn't know what to do with them. After it turned out so well, I was totally kicking myself for not taking pictures along the way.

Well, this time I did. 

Here are the tee shirts before I got to them with my scissors. 

I cut across the chest, so I would be left with only the bottom part of the shirt. I gave the tops to my dad for rags in his wood shop. :) See? No waste!

I then cut the seams off of the shirts on the sides and the bottom, so for each shirt I would be left with two squares. I pinned them together to make one really really long flat strip. After I sewed that together, I folded the long strip together "hot dog style", right sides in. I sewed down the open side so that I would be left with a long tube. I turned that inside out and fit one side of the tube into the other one and sewed it down. I know that sounds like a lot, but it was so easy!

Here is the finished product!