Polka Dot Period.

I'm calling this my polka dot period.  I can't stop making things with polka dots.  I made the above two dresses using a pattern.  Just can't get enough!  I love these two dresses so much...  

I can't say the same for this dress, however.  Yet, again I couldn't pass on the polka dots, and the stretchy fabric is perfect for a pencil skirt.

I cut the top off.  

And used my favorite Top Shop pencil skirt as a pattern.  

I thought I'd be extra crafty and make the top right side a little scrunchy.  So, I cut it a bit taller. 

Then, I pinned pleats and sewed over the top.

Hmmm....  I didn't plan so well because the back side ended up being higher than the top.  

Easy enough.  I just trimmed it up.  Next, I pinned the sides together and stitched each one. 

Lucky I have a serger.  I serged the sides up, and now it looks so professional : ).

I used an inch wide piece of elastic for the waistband. 

And I pinned it around the top.  

Loving this serger!!  I serged the elastic to the top of the skirt - on the wrong side.  If you don't have a serger, you could use a zigzag stitch.

When you flip it over, you have a nice elastic waistband. 

I stitched along the side seams to keep the waistband down.  Super easy. 

Ok...  So... The bottom didn't turn out exactly like I had planned. Neither did the side pleats add anything that obviously creative.  But all hope was not lost. 

I found a skinny piece of elastic and sewed it into the side of the skirt.  Sorry, I don't have photos.  I was so focused on making this work that I forgot to take a photo of the installation.  I was planning on "re-enacting" the photo with another piece of elastic, only to find out that I had no more. 

Here's a pretty good tutorial for sewing elastic. 

Nice and scrunchy.

***

Now I have a lovely pencil skirt to add to my growing polka dot fashion collection!

Marimekko Refashion

It was a beautiful Spring weekend, complete with rainbows, sunsets, and a trip to the zoo.  My son dressed himself, including the jewelry.  I love his quirky style.  We dyed Easter eggs and made this yummy kiwi ice cream.  Amidst all of the Easter buzz, I was able to refashion this dress...

Note:  I have no idea what is going on with my photos.  They keep disappearing, and I don't know how to get them to stay on the page.  I apologize for these technical difficulties. 

I picked it up for free at a clothing swap.  The Marimekko fabric entranced me.  Unfortunately, it was a bit too small, and the straps around the chest area were a little awkward.

Three in One Refashion

I'm really excited to post my first reader refashion!  A particularly skilled friend of mine, Junko, turned this dress into a fashionable long skirt for one of her coworkers.  She then worked her magic on the scraps.  So resourceful!

Here's how the dress started its life - not too bad but a little on the large side.

Coffee Cozy Winner and a Simple Refashion

Good morning!  The winner of the adorable coffee cup cozy is... Mamaamani (Comment#2)!  Congratulations!  I hope you enjoy using it to drink your tea each morning.  You can contact me at feelingkindathrifty@gmail.com to claim your prize.

Readers, stay tuned for more nifty prizes coming up next week.

Now for a simple refashion.

This past Friday, my friend Kim (Bearded Owl Crochet) hosted a craft night at her place, which has an AMAZING view.    

It's not often that I get to refashion clothes for others, so I was excited when Kim asked me to fix a dress that didn't quite fit.  She had purchased this adorable owl dress on etsy a few months ago and was bummed to find out that the sleeves were too tight.