Button Down Dress into Goth Jacket

I’m getting back in that sewing room, and loving every moment of it! I had a series of setbacks. But when you love doing something, you will always come back to doing it. I say the same thing about people! The people who belong in your life will always come back around.

Onto the project for today! Do you have a button down dress in your closet that either doesn’t fit, or that you just don’t love? I have just such a dress. I bought it and then never felt like wearing it, so it sat in the back of my closet for a couple of years. I’ve decided to turn it into a jacket, perfect for fall!

Grab a button down dress that you don’t entirely love, and collect up some old grubby t shirts to go with. Because my dress is black, and I have an abundance of black t shirts, I decided to use up some junky black t shirts from my stash. The white star t shirt was a ringer t, but I felt stupid wearing it! It was one of those things where it just looked a bit too “something”, like maybe trying a bit too hard! LOL. I’m hoping the star might be a cool addition to this fall jacket!

First, I trimmed down the t shirts. I cut around the imagery on the shirts, not perfectly centered but close enough works for me! Then, I cut right up the middle of the back of the dress. There was a large seam there, so I cut on either side of the seam and removed it.

Add inserts wherever you want to add more fullness. I wanted the jacket to be a little less form fitting around the bottom, so I added the insert into the middle back. I created a patchwork of t shirt scraps, then sewed them into the slit. Sew the inserts like a big triangle, similar to what you would sew into bell bottoms. This will make the dress more roomy and flowy, perfect to layer long sleeve shirts under. If the sleeves are tight, you might want to add some panels into the sleeves too for layering space.

Next, make it patchy! I used a wide decorative zig zag stitch, and attached patches on the front and back. If your t shirts are too thin to sew on as is, turn the logos into patches. Make sure you leave room around the logo for sewing, then attach it to piece of muslin that is big enough to include everything you want on the patch. You could add some text appliques, fabric paint and a bit of lace. T shirt fabric slips around a bit when you are sewing it, so use fabric glue or a glue stick first and let it dry overnight. Sew everything onto the muslin. Then attach the patches onto the jacket.

Add pockets if you wish, along with any other details that make it sing for you! I’m so ready to wear this jacket everywhere this fall! A quick level up to my style is much appreciated!

Turn a Tank Dress into a Patchwork Skirt

It’s finally fall! And I’ve got an equinox project just in time for the cool temps. Outside, the summer heat is being replaced by foggy nights and cool overcast days. If you have a tank dress in your closet, it might be getting too cold to wear it now. But if you turn it into a skirt, you can wear it all year round!

I bought a patchwork tank dress from Healing Heart Design Co on Etsy, and I already knew I was going to alter it in some way. It is pretty challenging to find clothes in my size on Etsy. Most upcyclers don’t get into plus sizes, and often the ones that do are not in my style. What is a woman to do? I bought a couple dresses and a sweatshirt from Healing Heart, knowing full well that I was going to upcycle the dresses.

If you have one too many tank dresses, get out your fabric scraps and give this project a try!

1. Cut off the straps of the dress. Be sure to cut below the underarm seams so that it is a straight line across the top. Then, cut along the side seams of the dress to create two pieces.

2. Figure out how wide to make the patchwork! Measure your waist and low hip, and see which measurement is bigger. Take the bigger measurement of the two, and add eight to ten inches. Write that number down. Then, measure the width of the front and back pieces. Add those measurements together. Subtract that number from the waist or hip measurement you wrote down. Divide by two. The resulting number is the width of the side patchwork panels. The length will be equal to the length of the dress panels.

3. Create two patchwork panels for the sides. If you want to add length to make it a longer skirt, add panels to the bottom to add that length. Add patchwork along the sides, then sew back together. I already had a stack of patchwork squares, so it was simple to just grab squares and sew. I added two rows of squares along each long side of the front panel, then reattached the back panel.

4. Trim off the excess fabric along the top and at the hem.

5. Add an elastic waistband. Fold over the waist of the skirt, and press. Then sew along the raw edge, leaving a two inch opening. Feed elastic through, and sew the ends of the elastic together. Then close the opening.

6. Hem the bottom! Add trim, lace, or just a basic zig zag stitch all the way around. Add pockets or an applique at this stage too! Make it something you can’t wait to wear.

I hope you are enjoying the first day of fall! I’m rocking my new skirt in patchwork heaven!

Sew an Art Dress and Make a Statement!

Wearing your art on your sleeve is so much fun! Nowadays, people have opinions on all manner of things. They always have however I find that today people feel more free to share those opinions even if they go against the grain. In the past, it wasn’t polite to talk money or politics and today anything goes! You can’t go a few minutes without someone voicing their political views. Every conversation is a kind of battle field, where your views can make or break your relationships.

I bought some secondhand fabric off Etsy last year, and in the bundle of random pieces I got an army fabric. I was wondering what good use could come of it! I support the army wholeheartedly, and I know it is a path for a lot of people. And at the same time I love peace. I love dreaming of a world where wars don’t need to be fought.

This dress came about from that idea! I had thrifted a crop top that said “Good Viber Paris”, so that needed covered up to make my statement. Truthfully I bought the top to upcycle, and then last week the stars aligned and I got to sewing!

Detail from the “Coexist Upcycled Dress” by Kathryn Sturges

My new Brother sewing machine has a basic lettering font! And I can’t wait to embroider more art clothes and projects in the future with it!

Sew a Patchwork Dress

Last night I sewed for three hours, and it felt like the best three hours of my entire life! I was struggling since January with a new sewing machine that didn’t work. However last weekend my husband brought me to JoAnn’s and we picked up a Brother! The machine is so easy to use. I set it up and got to sewing right away with it.

This dress took about four to five half hour sewing sessions. I've still had a stack of cotton squares on my sewing table, so I just grabbed some and whipped them into a dress. Super simple and the end result is gorgeous! I added lace to the bottom hem. I’m looking forward to wearing this dress when I go to the park or on my next day trip.

Here are a few tips for sewing a basic patchwork dress.

1. Try cutting off the top you are upcycling a few inches under the armpit area. That raises the start of the skirting to the top of the bust area, which gives the dress a super cute vintage feel. Hello 1960’s!

2. I used six squares horizontally, and then estimated how long I wanted the dress to be. When I was sewing, I stretched the top as I sewed so that the top of the skirting would have a slight gathered effect, and wound up needing to add more squares to complete the row. If this happens for you, just stop three to four inches before the end of the seam, add in more squares and then finish sewing.

3. Sew the vertical seam on the skirting last. This way you can add more squares if needed. When you get to the end of the seam, leave about an inch opening. Next, sew the vertical seam down the side of the patchwork squares. Trim the edge of that seam and finish the edge with a zig zag stitch. Then go back and finish attaching the skirting to the upcycled top.

Spring is right around the corner! Whip up a patchwork dress to wear on the Equinox!

Let's Talk Pockets...

I bought this flannel of Etsy a few years back. And I swear, the pocket makes the flannel just SING! Recently I got some cotton squares off of Amazon because I wanted to experiment and see what I could do with them. And lo and behold, I started adding big pockets to EVERYTHING! LOL! I keep the quilt squares on my sewing table now, and anytime I come across something that could just use some pockets, I add some.

KItten Cardigan by Kathryn Sturges

The front of these pockets is made of fabric from a vintage sheet, and the pockets are lined with cotton squares.

My husband would probably divorce me if I added these pockets onto everything that I want to add them to. Seriously though, I wear a lot of pants that don’t have pockets. So having giant pockets on things, or extra pockets, is just the way to go. I dress more for comfort today, and I love artsy craftsy clothes. So these pockets will be a mainstay for my upcycles going forward.

I’ve even been adding big pockets to some art portfolios that I’m covering! Precut quilt squares are so versatile, and I bet if you had a stack by your sewing machine you could come up with all kinds of uses for them too!

Sew a Kawaii Sweatshirt Dress

Alright!! The day has arrived! This sweatshirt has been hanging up in my closet for over two years now! I only wore it a couple of times, but the fit was not my favorite. So it was set aside to upcycle some day…you know how it goes. If you upcycle clothes, you understand the shift from the main wardrobe to the upcycle pile! The sweatshirt taunted me for years, because it wanted to become fabulous!

This project took slightly longer than I originally thought it would. I started it about three weeks ago, but then kept pausing to dream up the next steps. I could have stopped a week ago because the upcycle reached a point of edgy cool that was even better than expected. But I wanted to go all the way with this one, and add a slight steampunk twist!

Kawaii Sweatshirt Dress Phase One: by Kathryn Sturges

I went for an analogous color palette on this one, with different shade of purple with white accents. You choose whatever colors you love, or that match your base sweatshirt. Always shop your own materials first. And audition fabrics by laying them against the sweatshirt till you love what you see. Go goth with black and shades of grey, or choose tones that match the sweatshirt. Or shoot for the rainbow and do an assortment of colors! You could also add appliques on the sweatshirt, for a super cute look! I added a pocket, and love how it looks.

If you want this to be Kawaii, think mega cute. Heart prints, stars, etc. I went with a Lisa Frank inspired unicorn print that I got in an epic destash from Etsy. Both fabrics and trim I used for this project were bought second hand.

Materials:

An old sweatshirt (or two)

A yard or two of stretch knit fabric

One yard of coordinating quilting cotton fabric with cute prints

lace

basic sewing kit

Choose an old sweatshirt to start with! If you have a sweatshirt that is slightly too small, this is the perfect project. If you love the look of my shirt, where each half is a different color, you can achieve the same effect by cutting two similar sized sweatshirts in half and then sewing them together! If you do decide to sew two sweatshirts together, you can have double fun and make two different upcycles!

Remove the band from the bottom of the shirt and the cuffs on the sleeves. Save those for a different project! Sweatshirt bands are great to use as headbands, for cuffs on other projects. Or even turn them into cuff bracelets!

Measure the side seam, from the bottom edge all the way to the end of the sleeve. Write the measurement down on a scrap of paper.

Cut out two strips of fabric to insert along the side seams. Mine were five inches wide, but you could go bigger if you want the top to be baggy. Make the length slightly longer than the measurement you wrote down. I love leaving just a little extra when I add inserts because it helps prevent mistakes.

Using fabric scissors, cut along the side seam all the way from the bottom edge to to the end of the sleeve. Do one side first, and sew in the side panel. Then cut along the other side and sew in that panel. Once everything is sewn, it should look like the next photo.

Using a rotary cutter, trim the excess fabric at the cuffs and bottom edges.

Cut a piece of stretchy knit fabric that is larger than the bottom measurement of the sweatshirt. Mine was about eight inches bigger. You can simply fold the fabric in half, line it up with the sweatshirt and place a dot where you want to cut the fabric. Then use the rotary cutter to cut in a straight line. You are making a long rectangle for the skirt portion of the dress. Mine was 20 inches long x the width of the bottom edge of the sweatshirt plus about eight inches.

Cut out another piece of stretch knit fabric, this time make it the same length as the skirt. But make it narrow. Mine was nine inches wide by 20 inches long. This will be for the middle front of the skirt part of the dress.

Cut out two more strips of the quilting cotton fabric, only this time make them 5 inches wide by 20 inches long. I made mine slightly longer than the finished measurement to allow for ease of sewing. These will go on the left and right sides of the middle panel you just cut out.

Sew the quilting cotton strips to the middle panel. Then using a rotary cutter and ruler, even out the edges. Then sew the middle panel onto the rest of the skirting.

Fold the skirting so that the two quilting cotton strips are lined up, and place a pin at the fold on the right and left sides of the skirting. Next, fold the skirting again with the two pins lined up in the middle, and place a pin on each end of the skirting again. You are dividing the skirting into four equal parts. Do the same thing on the sweatshirt. Place a pin in the middle of each side, then place pins in the middle of the front and back. This is to help you line up the skirting with the top when you attach the sweatshirt with the skirt.

Let’s attach the top to the skirt! Starting in the middle front, line up the two center pins of the sweatshirt and skirt with right sides together. Then start sewing slowly. Remember, the skirt is larger than the sweatshirt. So I created irregular pleats. You do this by folding the fabric and sewing down the folds as you go along. You can put the irregular pleats at any point on the skirting. If you place the irregular pleats along the area by the sides, it will create fullness around the hip area. I chose to place the pleats on the left and right sides of the middle panel, then also on the left and right sides of the center back of the sweatshirt. Mine are somewhat evenly spaced out, although not perfect!

Here is what the irregular pleats look like once sewn. You can fold them in the same direction, or in opposite directions as you go along.

This is what the dress looks like at this stage! I could have stopped here. I love how the dress looks here, it is edgy and fun! If you plan on wearing your dress every day, this might be where you want to stop. I’m loving a more fantasy vibe for my upcycles though, so I kept going. Use your own judgement. If you sell clothes, it is important to create a cohesive collection to set yourself apart. So if you love an edgy everyday look, stop here!

I went ahead and finished the raw edges with a zig zag stitch at this point. I see so many upcyclers not finishing edges. It is a mistake! Take the time to finish the edges so your pieces hold up in the wash!

Next I added a wide lavender purple lace to the bottom hem of the skirt. I could have also added it to the sleeve cuffs, or on other parts of the shirt like around the neckline or waist. I got this lace in a destash off Etsy! It came in a huge bundle of vintage lace for only $30!

Ok, so I don’t know the technical term for this step. I made it up! It is similar to the way people sew curtains. In the middle of the front quilting cotton strips on the skirt, I sewed up the middle of each panel and bunched up the fabric as I went. I made super tiny folds in groups of five or six. This will create a hi-lo hem on the dress!

Here’s how the skirting looked after that step. I wanted the front to go shorter, so I went ahead and did that last step again, making sure to bunch up the entire strip. Sewing the zig zag stitching a second time secured the bunched up fabric really well. This effect is what you see often in steampunk inspired dresses! Experiment with adding this effect to skirts and dresses for a cool steampunk vibe!

My finished Upcycle by Kathryn Sturges

Peace Out! Upcycle with Kat Sturges!

Woah! I think this blog post took longer to write than it actually took to sew the dress! Hahahahaha! J/K!

Have fun with the techniques in this project, and experiment with coming up with a look you love! Also, Halloween is right around the corner and this project would be a really cool Halloween costume in the right prints and colors! As for me, I’m going back into my head, back into my world of fantasy to conjure up my next project! Peace OUT!

Explore Japanese Style: Harajuku and Kawaii

Ok, so I have to admit I’ve been dazzled with Harajuku style for a while! Some of my previous makes slightly give a nod to that style. (I have a small cabbage patch and care bear collection…what can I say! I love anything that reminds me of growing up in the eighties!)

Harajuku and kawaii styles originated in Japan! If you search the terms on google, you will see endless photos of teen girls and guys in Tokyo donning the most colorful, inventive frocks imaginable! Harajuku is a shopping and dining destination for teens in Tokyo however the style craze has become more mainstream. Amazon even has harajuku and kawaii clothes, dolls, home decor and more! It is fun to be a maker though because you can infuse your own projects with elements of different styles you love, without having to spend money on each style trend.

Gwen Stefani took on the harajuku craze with her branding of perfumes, and some of her rockin’ styles in videos and performance. She performed at the Grammy’s in the early 2000’s from her album “Love Angel Music Baby”, and the fashion styles in that performance were so memorable to the young impressionable party girl that I was back then!

Kawaii style is a new fashion subculture sweeping Japan! Kawaii is more cutesy with small details like animals, hearts, and stars. Kawaii is typically softer colors like pastel pinks and white. If you research the two styles, there is some overlap. Harajuku has louder rainbow colors, while kawaii is more like doll clothes with lots of lace detail. Kawaii styles will almost always have a stuffed animal theme. Dark kawaii style is a bit more grown up gothic, with lots of black and grey tones and an edgier aesthetic.

Every now and then I see glimpses of harajuku and kawaii style here…in the heart of the Midwest! I live in a sleepy little city in the heart of Iowa. And if you can find harajuku and kawaii styles here, surely they are everywhere by now! The other day I saw a man riding a motorcycle wearing a panda helmet. And every now and then I spot girls and guys wearing incredible colorful looks downtown.

The secret to wearing these styles in the states…especially if you are in your forties…is to tone down a piece with solid colors. Think vivacious tops with solid pants or skirts, or a wild skirt with a black t shirt! You can even get a harajuku or kawaii look by wearing a plaid or fluffy skirt with a colorful top or t shirt.

I mean, if you have play doh colors in your hair or don’t give a shit what people think…then I say rock whatever you feel most confident in! Word of caution though…if you are in your forties or older….you might want to steer slightly clear of some of the more youthful aesthetics of kawaii.

If you are going for sex appeal, lean more toward harajuku styles with white lace accessories, mini skirts or fluffy minis and lace tops or t shirts. Baggy pants in bold colors also look great with a lace top, or puffy top. Deck out an old blazer or jacket with lace and crochet doilies. Florals work for harajuku too…it’s all in how they are used! You can go ultra femme with these looks or tone them down to suit your style. Rainbow colors are also very harajuku, and some of the looks give a nod to Rainbow Brite. If you want to have a colorful look that works, include elements of the color throughout your entire look. That will make it look more cohesive.

If you are going more toward a cute look, go kawaii with purples or pink, sea foam green, sky blue, buttercup yellow and white. Add appliques or use accents of a cute print fabric with animals or cute shapes. You could also get some patches from Amazon or destash patches from Etsy. You can make your own patches too! Use fusible adhesive, and iron it on the back of fabric and then cut shapes out of the fabric. These work great ironed onto jackets or fabric bags. Plaid skirts are always welcome, and take the styles toward a more punk aesthetic…if that is your thing! Add an animal hat or headband with animal ears will level up your look for a party night.

My next project will give a nod to these Japanese styles! I’m going all out to bring you some of my coolest upcycles to date!

Make It! The Patchwork Top

Ok, so I’ve long pondered what it would be like if clothes could fit even if you gain or lose some weight. Years ago, I had a friend who also loved that concept. And we came up with this idea for a shirt! It is open in the back and has a piece of elastic in back along the bustline, for stretch. What is it about knit tops that make them so comfortable? I mean, I seriously just touch the tops in my closet each morning and always gravitate to stretchy tops. Well, this shirt combines the beauty of flannel and denim with a bit of stretch, to make it gorgeous as well as cozy!

Materials:

About 1/2 yard to a yard of flannel in one or two prints

An old pair of jeans

Muslin for lining

A bit of elastic banding

Basic sewing kit and sewing machine

Wide lace for straps

Step One: Sew some patchwork! You can get super creative, using traditional patchwork or improv. I used squares here, but I plan on sewing some scrappy tops too.

Step Two: Cut out pockets from an old pair of jeans. Try to get them centered, leaving enough room to stitch onto your top. Add patchwork pieces to make the panels long enough for the top. What I did was stack both pieces together for the final cutting…just to be sure they were the same size. It is tricky cutting ‘round the pockets. Just press your ruler firmly along the cutting line and go slow with the rotary cutter.

Step Three: Here are the patchwork pocket panels, sewn onto the checkerboard pieces. I created two…and reversed the sides I sewed the pocket panels on so that they both were placed toward the middle…with patchwork panels to go around the back of the top.

Step Four: Get out a sharpie and draw some lines. I first measured an inch down from the top and made dots along the sides, then made another dot on each side a half inch down from those markings. Then create dots all along the sides where you want the lace to go. I messed up and accidentally drew my lines a little off, but as you can tell it isn’t all too obvious!

Step Five: Sew lace or ribbon in a corset style manner onto the front middle panel. Then attach that panel to the other two, with pocket panels on left and right of the middle panel.

Step Six: Add wide lace or ribbon for straps. I did a halter top strap, however regular straps would be excellent for this too!

Step Seven…be sure to leave an opening to be able to flip the top right side out after adding lining! Also leave an opening at either side of the back near the top for a piece of elastic. Flip right side out, then add the elastic and stitch the openings shut.

Play with this idea! The thing with a top like this is you can be super creative with the patchwork…from colors to layout of pieces. And the top itself is really simplistic in design. Never be afraid to experiment with your fabrics. What do you think of making clothes that fit at various sizes?

It's Tunic Time! Crop Top to Empire Tunic

This stretchy tunic is perfect for Plus Sizes! The gathers make it super comfortable, and the form fitting top accentuates curves. The style of this dress is perfect for women with bellies and hips, as the skirting is oversized to float away from curves you don’t want to show. My motto for plus size dressing is to show off my favorite attributes and play down the aspects of my body that make me self-conscious.

*Scroll down to see the step by step in pics!

Crop Top to Tunic

Materials:

Basic sewing kit and sewing machine

Rotary cutter and mat

Two t shirts and a crop top, ideally stretch velvet

1. My crop top is made of stretch velvet, so I’m using two t shirts for the bottom part of the tunic. One has a decorative logo on the front and the other one has logos all over.

2. Using a pair of scissors, cut along the seams of the t shirt with the logo. Then create a rectangle panel, so the logo will be front and center of the tunic.

3. Grab the second t shirt, and using a ruler and rotary cutter, cut just below the armpits in a straight line. I folded mine seam to seam first and smoothed out wrinkles, then cut. Next, fold the front of the shirt in half so that the side seams are together with the front middle of the t shirt to the right. Using the ruler and rotary cutter, cut along the middle of the front. This will create an opening for the panel insert. Sew the panel into the second t shirt.

4. Next, grab the crop top and put safety pins on each side seam and in the middle front and back. Do the same thing with the t shirt tube you created in step 3. The pins are to help you line everything up when sewing.

5. Set your sewing machine to a narrow zig zag stitch, my machine is set to 4 for the length and 4 for the width. Start at a side seam and sew, while lining up the middle point pins. If you need to stretch one of the pieces to make the pins line up, do it as you sew. This will create gentle gathers in the tunic. Do the same for the back. If there is extra slack, try to get the extra material gathered evenly along the middle back.

6. Hem if desired by either cutting off the bottom edge or with a double fold and zig zag stitch. And you are done!

The Smash Together Dress

I’m going to let you in on a secret…smashing together dresses is so easy anyone can do it! Above and beyond, of all the upcycles I have done I love the smash together dresses the most!

Go through your closet and find three tops with similar prints. For my smash together dress, I’m going with a star theme. I have two pajama tops with star designs and a tarot t shirt based on “The Star” tarot card. If you look in your closet it should be very simple to find three shirts with similar themed prints or colors. One thing I know for sure is that people are creatures of habit! But people also go through phases when they are buying clothes. I know in my own case I gravitate toward certain prints and colors at different times of my life, depending on my interests and the look I’m going for.

Once you have your three shirts, figure out which shirt will form the basis of the dress. I love to choose one for the top, the one with the best neckline and sleeves. In my case I really love the super soft thermal pajama top with the constellation print, it has a button placket and long sleeves that I like. So that will be the top of my dress.

After you have chosen the top portion, set it aside. Cut down the other two shirts into workable pieces of fabric. I typically cut along the seams so that the shirts have as much available fabric as possible. You can set aside the sleeves, just in case you want to make pockets for the dress.

If your shirts have decorative slogans or panels on them that you want to work into the design, use a rotary cutter and ruler to cut those out to create panels for the front and back of the dress. Measure along the top of the decorative front and back panels. Then cut off the hem of the shirt that you set aside for the top of the dress, and measure along the bottom edge of the top. Subtract the measurement of the panels being sure to include seam allowances. Divide that number by either two or four. Divide by two if you want two side panels that will connect the decorative panels, or four if you want each panel to have its own borders.

I wanted my dress to have patchwork, instead of just straight panels. When I measured the top I figured out that I would need 16 inch patchwork panels to go on either side of the decorative prints. That’s where shit got cray cray! I have a new cutting mat, and didn’t cut out the pieces right. This might happen to you if you sew on a wing and a prayer, like I do. So now I have odd sized pieces to fit together. The great thing about patchwork is there really is not a wrong way! If need be, you can always add another old t shirt to the mix for more fabric.

Start piecing together the side panels and make more pieces as you need them. My back panel was shorter than the front, so I added a lower trim to the back. Patchy makes perfect! If a piece isn’t long enough, work in another piece.

Once the front and back are sewed together, attach them to the top. You can choose to hem the bottom edge of the dress, use pinking shears or leave it raw edge. I kind of love a raw edge on the dresses! It lends to the handmade look of the dress. You can add a pocket or two if you want, or an applique for a really sweet look.

Here’s my finished smash together dress! It is perfect for the colder temps of Winter! I can’t wait to wear this!

The Star Dress by Kathryn Sturges

The Star Dress Back by Kathryn Sturges

The Sweatshirt Dress

This upcycle is super quick, and barely needs instructions. I wound up taking out the stitching because I made a mistake and sewed the skirt part on inside out! :( Sweatshirt dresses are huge this fall, but you don’t have to run out and buy a new one to take part in the trend. If you have twenty minutes to spare you can sew your own! I think this dress would look super cute with a huge patch pocket on the front, or even with a wider neckline and off the shoulder look.

Materials:

Sweatshirt

T shirt top that is approximately the same size and width

Sewing machine

Rotary cutter and mat or ruler, scissors and Sharpie marker

Optional

Pinking shears, eyelets and tool for attaching, bleach

Step One: Cut off the t shirt just under the armpits. If you want the dress to stretch, use a stretchy t shirt and sew with a narrow zig zag stitch. I set my machine to a 4 width/length when I sew knits. If your sweatshirt is not very stretchy you can use a woven fabric instead, or wide scarf or bandanas sewn together for the skirt.

Step Two: With right sides together, sew t shirt onto bottom of sweatshirt. If there is excess t shirt material, fold in the middle back or off center in front and make a pleat to even out the fabric.

Step Three: Add a pocket or widen the neckline with pinking shears last! Or even deconstruct the sweatshirt a little with some carefully places slashes or bleach. Another idea is to add some eyelets evenly spaced all over the front of the sweatshirt for a heavy metal look.

Step Three: Rock your new trendy sweatshirt dress!

Applique Your Sweatshirt Dress

Ok, so I bought some items of clothing last week and I am just totally let down by the things I got. I’m trying to upcycle my clothes instead, and my first upcycle completely bombed. :( It sucks when you have a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear. It can be so easy to just keep buying new things when the newness wears off from the things you acquire. But a more eco and super fun option can be to alter your clothes to turn them into pieces you are totally excited about! Going green does not have to be dreary and bleak, you can have fun along the way, learn some new life skills and figure out ways to live that totally jive with your values.

Last month I bought this sweatshirt dress and when I wore it my husband said it looked like a night gown. That is always the worst thing ever, when you are totally jazzed about something new and your partner doesn’t like it much. Instead of resigning this sweatshirt dress to dreamland, I leveled it up instead with some simple applique! Now I can’t wait to wear it!

Applique is really easy, and if you sew you have probably already tried it before. These patches can be sewn on by hand or machine, so even if you don’t have a sewing machine you can still do this upcycle. You don’t have to sew up to the edge all the way because the point is the fabrics will unravel a little on the edges to create a lived in look. Applique is so incredible for covering stains and holes on clothes. I actually did a similar project before with a holey black t shirt dress and muslin for leaves. It was my favorite item of clothing after that and I wore it all the time!

Here are a few tips for doing this project. It is pretty self-explanatory, but I did learn some things along the way.

1. You can use pretty much any fabric for the fabric leaves. Just make sure the color contrasts enough so that the leaves pop.

2. Pin the leaves onto the sweatshirt dress first before you sew! I just grabbed the pile of leaves and went to town, but had to go back in and add a few more to get a look I was happy with. If you pin them on first you will have a pretty good placement of everything before sewing. Once the fabric gets all bunched up at the machine, it can be challenging to see the overall design. So lay everything out first and pin with safety pins, then sew.

3. When you are sewing on the leaves, always try to keep the sweatshirt material flat around the leaf shape you are sewing. I was fighting the sweatshirt the entire time, because it kept bunching up around the needle. So just take your time, go slow, pull the fabric taut around the leaf as you are sewing and you will rock this!

I am so excited to wear this dress everywhere I go! Applique is a great way to level up a basic top or dress. This only took me about an hour to finish, and I’m off to enjoy my new look!

Stencil Some Weekend Jeans

I think a lot of women have that one pair of super baggy jeans…or at least one! I got these jeans but then felt really uncomfortable wearing them. I usually wear skinny jeans that are more fitted through the legs so these baggy jeans made me worry that the look wasn’t right. I was going to cut them up and turn them into scrap fabric, but then I realized that maybe they would work with a little love!

First, I grabbed a letter stencil and wrote a quote I love from a song by Shannon and the Clams. I had bought a bunch of strawberry patches and was waiting for the right project. Well lo and behold, the back pockets were the perfect spot! So I stitched them on with a needle and thread. I accidentally pricked my finger like a million times, but no worries! I’m ok! (I suck at sewing by hand and don’t have the patience to practice.). After that was done, I folded up the cuffs. It is so annoying when the cuffs roll down when I’m wearing them, so I tried a patch of fusible web. It would not stick the cuffs in place, so I sewed them down with my sewing machine and a wide zig zag stitch. Here’s a walkthrough in pics!

Exploring Patchwork Clothes

It just hit me like lightening! Patchwork and upcycling go so well together, they are like peanut butter to jam. A lot of my upcycling journey has focused around patchwork. I’ve worked patchwork into handbags, bell bottoms, tops and dresses. I’ve even gone as far as to turn some of my quilt tops into patchwork skirts! The truth is, if you love an alternative look in your clothes patchwork can be a strong design element. Check out some recent makes I have done with patchwork in the last couple of years, and scroll down for more ideas!

The Star dress by Kathryn Sturges

Checker board dress by Kathryn Sturges

Patchwork skirt made from a quilt top by Kathryn Sturges

Here are some ideas and tips for working patchwork into upcycles!

1. If you are upcycling a bunch of t shirts, try cutting them into squares or rectangles and create patchwork first. These can be worked into tops, jackets and dresses with sweet success. Another idea I love is to get a pattern for wide leg pants or yoga pants, and then use large t shirt squares to create the pants.

2. Try sewing panels of patchwork to create bell bottoms or to add into the side seams of pants. Additionally, panels of patchwork can work well in the side seams of jackets or on denim skirts. Panels of patchwork are also a great way to create the skirt portion of a dress, or skirts in general. Panels in dresses and skirts are so simple to make, especially if you create a template to work with.

3. When sewing with patterns, create a patchwork first and then use the pattern as you normally would. Be sure to use the proper weight of fabric for the pattern for best results, and if it is a skirt or dress you may want to line the piece with muslin.

4. Handbags are an awesome way to use some patchwork! Quilt the bags with a lot of stitching using thread that pops for a chic look.

5. If you have a stack of old quilt tops lying around and you know you will not finish them, turn them into skirts or jackets. Jackets look especially good when made with quilted fabric or even vintage quilts. One time I sewed a small quilt, but once it got quilted I just didn’t love the result. So I turned it into a large zipper bag and now use that to store my lingerie.

6. If you have a lot of scrap material, sew yardage of patchwork to have some ready for different projects. You can also do this with old clothes! Break them down into smaller pieces and whip them into patchwork by the yard so that you have patchwork ready when you want a new dress or skirt.

7. Corduroy is incredible for patchwork bags and bell bottoms! Go to the thrift store and gather up old corduroy pants and jackets to use in projects. Corduroy blends well with denim because it has a similar weight, and it is easy to cut down with just scissors because of the lines in the weave.

The Garden Delights Dress

I SOOOOOO wanted this dress to turn out! It is so beautiful! I love the color because it is chic and close to my skin tone. This started as a bodycon dress and the fabric is super clingy. When I first tried it on the spaces in between the buttons gaped in certain spots. So I sewed down the placket starting just above the bustline and stopping one button up from the bottom hem. I cut off the sides starting four inches down from the underarm area and added the gorgeous green floral. Then I rooted around in my stash of scrap materials and found a velvety floral patch to add as an embellishment.

I loved the first upcycle…so simple yet pretty. But the dress was still to tight. It was too form fitting in the bodice. So the dress sat in the back of my closet for a couple days, and I kept thinking that if I had just removed the sleeves altogether I could probably make it work! So I went to work this afternoon. First I cut off the sleeves with a pair of scissors. Then I cut a straight line down on either side of the placket, about six inches away from the placket on either side.

I cut out two huge pieces of knit fabric that measured 22 inches wide by the width of the fabric. I did not measure the width, instead I started at the front of the dress and sewed the piece on either side. It was the weirdest thing, because even though the length of each piece should have been the same measurement when sewn, they in fact were not! So once I got the two side pieces attached, they were not long enough to go all the way down the back of the dress and one side piece was shorter than the other!

So I got out my cutting mat and rotary cutter again, and sliced off the back of the dress to even everything out. I added a panel in the back, it goes horizontally across the mid back to the bottom hem. At this point the dress looked kind of like a poncho.

I pulled it on over my head so that I could estimate the sleeves. I was originally thinking I would do a wide sleeve, but because the finished dress was going to be so roomy I thought a form fitting sleeve would look best. (Look up basic caftan pattern instructions online if you want to try this yourself. The sleeves I did are basically the same only more form fitting.) I wound up measuring my just above my wrist, then at the widest part of my arm right before the elbow. I added an inch to each measurement. Then I folded the dress in half, with the raw edges of the fabric at the outer edge. I started at the sleeves and simply cut them out, with the starting measurement matching my wrist measurement plus one inch angled out to the measurement from the widest part in front of my elbow plus one inch, then went from the armpit area down to the lower hem of the dress at an angle. It finally started to have the shape of a dress again!

I flipped it right side out and, starting at the sleeves I sewed the side seams. Because the fabric doesn’t fray, I left the edges raw and just trimmed everything off.

I love the way this dress turned out, and cannot wait to wear it everywhere!

Sew Some Hawaiian Style Bell Bottoms

Summer will be here in 2 weeks in the USA, and I’m already starting to gear up with some upcycles! I’ve had this pair of pants for a few months now, but they were a little to snug across the belly and hips, so I decided to turn them into disco gold…Hawaiian style!

Bell bottoms are so much fun to make, and they are super easy. I got my start sewing bell bottoms back in 1999, at that time I was sewing them for people in my college town. Today I make them when pants are too tight or don’t fit how I want them to. If your pants are too small around the waist, you can add panels that go all the way up to the waist band. If you want more width through the hip and leg then start four to five inches down from the top.

I started the cut just to the right of the side seam, on the back panel of the pants. That way I could leave the pockets in place. I used my ruler and rotary cutter to cut the fabric.

Next I created panels of fabric that were 9 inches wide by the length of the pants, with an additional few inches at the bottom for hems.

Next I found the middle of the first panel, and starting pinning at the top of the opening. As I worked my way down to the bottom hem I angled the pant leg out towards the side of the fabric panel. That way I could get the full width of the fabric into the bell bottom shape at the hem.

I sewed the first seam, with a quarter inch seam allowance. Then I trimmed off the excess fabric along the seam and finished the raw edge with a zig zag stitch. I did the same thing for the other seams.

Here’s how the panel looked inside out, after being sewn.

Smocked Top to Dress Walkthrough

I wanted to create a mushroom dress to wear for the back cover of my book! I already had this smocked top in my closet and was not in love with the way it fit. Often times smocked tops are more of a crop fit and I prefer a bit more length to my tops. I don’t know why crop tops are all the rage right now…and if you love wearing them then you are probably loving the way brands are cropping tops at the moment. But I keep buying tops thinking they are of normal length, only to find out later that they have a cropped shape. Fortunately as a seamstress I can use those tops as a basis for tunics and dresses!

This project took 1 yard of cotton fabric with mushrooms on it, sewing machine and basic sewing supplies. The patch is completely optional!

For the skirt, I ironed the fabric then cut the yard in half. I squared off the edges with my ruler and rotary cutter. Then sewed the pieces together at the sides to create the skirting. Next, I used safety pins to mark the side and mid points on the lower hem of the top. I did the same thing on the skirting, only this time it was on the top edge. Next, put the top into the skirting, right sides together with the bottom seam of the top in line with the top seam of the skirting. Line up the pins, and attach the skirting and top together, again at those four points.

Start sewing, and stretch the smocking as you go so that each section of the skirting lines up with the top. If there is additional fabric than there is smocked area for each section, simply stretch the smocking most of the way and then sew the rest of the way without stretching. The key here is to make each quarter section of skirting line up with each quarter section of smocking.

I decided not to hem my skirt, because I wanted to keep the length. I zig zag stitched the hem, but you could use pinking shears for a cute look too! The mushroom patch was just what I needed to finish the look for my faerie book! You can use another style of patch or applique for a cute look, or even some lace detail on the color or hem of the skirt.

You can use this same technique for t shirt dresses and other upcycles too! This method is a great way to pair up a top and bottom that aren’t the same size, but still retain some stretch in the waistline.

Play around with this technique and see what tops you can restyle to make them fit more comfortably and get more life out of the clothes in your closet!

Sew a Quick Maxi Skirt

It is holiday season, and you might not have your holiday look together just yet! If you have a yard and a half to two yards of fabric and some elastic, why not sew a quick maxi skirt to wear to those holiday gatherings! Better yet, do some patchwork and make the skirt even more fabulous!

The length of the skirt is up to you! You do not need a pattern! All you really need is the waist measurement and length measurement for the finished skirt.

I made the above skirt in a few hours! It would have taken a lot quicker, but when I put the elastic into the waistband, the elastic rolled up and twisted on me. So I had to remove it and put it back in. In a few easy steps, you can make an elastic waist skirt! These are great for a holiday look, or even as a gift!

1. Grab a yard or two of fabric. Depending on the waist measurement, use a piece of fabric that is one and a half to two times bigger around the waistline. That way the skirt will fit well and gather nicely when you add the elastic.

2. Decide which side of fabric will be at the waistline, and then sew the perpendicular edges together. This will form a huge tube of fabric.

3. Fold over the waistband with enough width to feed the elastic through, then sew down. Be sure to leave an opening for the elastic. I used a knit fabric, and used a zig zag stitch for this part. That way it would still retain some stretch. If you are using a woven fabric you would want to use a straight stitch.

4. Pull some elastic around your waist, and then go about five inches smaller beyond that and cut a piece of elastic for the waist. This way the elastic is tight enough so your skirt will stay on but still comfortable to wear.

5. My elastic banding was two inches wide. Whatever the width of your elastic, attach a safety pin to one side, then feed it through the waistband. Now this is the important part! Straighten out the elastic as you go around, so it isn’t twisting. Then sew the ends together with a zig zag stitch, going back and forth over the ends to really lock them together. Next, add four rows of stitching approximately equal distance around the waistband. Be sure to gather the fabric along the elastic evenly so the gathers are even along the waistline. This will prevent the elastic from twisting in the future.

6. Last, hem the skirt. If you are using a stretch knit, you should just be able to trim the bottom hem and leave it because stretch knits usually don’t unravel. For a woven skirt, you would want to iron the hem and then sew.

The Colorblock Dress

This upcycle is so easy, and I have to warn you! Once you get the hang of this you will want to upcycle all of your tops! One issue with Plus Size tops is that they often are not long enough. For some reason a lot of brands seem to keep the length of plus size the same as they do for regular sizes…which is just a shame! Plus size bodies have different requirements, and if you have a longer torso then sometimes you just have to improvise. If you order clothing online like I do, then you probably have some tops that just aren’t quite long enough. Try this upcycle and those tops will become your favorite things to wear!

Materials:

Two stretchy tops that are the same width across

Rotary cutter and mat

Sewing machine

Step One: First, chose one of the tops to be the top and bottom portion of the dress. You can use a plain top, sure, but if you have something with a fancy neckline or back details, all the better!

Step Two: Hold the first top up to your body, and figure out where your bustline is. Then, cut off the top in a straight line just below the bustline. I folded my top in half, lined up the edges and used the rotary cutter and mat to cut straight across. If you don’t have that set up, draw a line with a marker and ruler, then cut with scissors. Set the bottom portion of the top aside.

Step Three: Now cut off the second top, just below the armpits. You will want to check to make sure that the tops are about the same width across. This will be the middle panel of the dress, so make it as wide or narrow as you want. I removed about five inches from the bottom portion, which removed the lower hem.

Step Four: Sew the pieces together! I used a narrow zig zag stitch, which was set to about 4 in width and length. This will allow the fabrics to retain their stretchiness, and makes it so you don’t have to do any fancy stitches for stretch. First sew the middle portion to the top, then attach the bottom of the first top to the bottom of the middle portion.

This is such an easy upcycle! I’ve done this a couple of times now, and it literally creates something that I can’t wait to wear. Colorblocking is very body friendly, and looks great if you have some curves. This project probably only took me about twenty minutes in total, so you could easily do this in as an evening or weekend project. Happy sewing!