Easy Upcycle: Too-Big Skirt to Cute Strapless Dress

This is probably the easiest upcycling project you'll ever find. In order to make this strapless dress, I sewed two tiny seams. Well, I also added the wide white belt. Either way, this project takes significantly less than an hour to complete.

I purchased this flouncy skirt for 75 cents (really) from St. Vincent De Paul. It was two sizes too big, too long to be flattery and in general had way more fabric than I'd like. What it did have going for it: a cute polka-dotted pattern and pink trim, and flouncy layers that would be perfect for a short party dress.

In order to upcycle the skirt into a dress, I tried it on and pulled it up to where I'd like it to sit. I pinned and stitched darts to shape the bust. Literally, that's all the sewing I did on the actual dress. It still was pretty shapeless however, and while the slouchy, non-fitted look may be in at Forever 21, I don't really think I'm trendy enough to pull it off. I thought a wide plain white belt would be cute, though, so I sewed a long rectangle from some white cotton, which gave it an instant dress-shape.

And that's it. A nearly instant party dress which cost me less than a dollar. Not a bad deal at all. I've only worn it once this summer, but it was definitely a hit, and everyone was surprised to hear that it started out as a secondhand skirt!

English Muffin Bread Recipe

Not only do I love eating fresh bread, I love baking it. Freshly baked homemade bread is a completely different product than whatever you purchase at the grocery store. This English muffin bread recipe is my favorite to make and eat, and it always amazes me how something with so few ingredients can produce such a delicious bread.

One other thing: always check all of the rising times before you get started. I can't tell you how many times I've started a loaf of bread and found myself up way too late waiting for it to finish up. Also be aware that, depending on the shape of the casserole dish you make it in, you may end up with what my old roommates and I termed "UFO bread."

Ingredients:

2 ½ to 3 cups all purpose flour

1 package active dry yeast

1 tbsp sugar

¾ tsp salt

Cornmeal

Combine 1 cup flour and yeast. Heat 1 ¼ cup water, sugar, salt until warm, stirring. Add to dry mix and bowl and mix till smooth. Mix in remaining flour until mixture can hold itself together. Dust the table with flour and dump out. Knead until smooth. Shape into a ball. Place in lightly greased bowl; turn. Cover; let rise till double, about 1 hour. Punch down. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes. Grease a 1 qt casserole dish and sprinkle with cornmeal. Cover; let rest till double, 30-45 minutes. Bake at 400 for 40-45 minutes.

And that's it. I always have trouble letting it cool long enough; I just want to eat the first piece right away. I just love baking bread. I love how long it takes, and I love making a huge mess kneading it.

Despite a little turmoil with this baking process (not being used to the gas oven at the new place, setting off the smoke alarm, no big deal), this loaf turned out just great. I meant to use it for breakfast toast and an occasional sandwich this week, but it's just so good that I can't resist having toast and butter at any time of day.

Easy Patternless Apron

I haven't had very many posts lately, but more to come this week, and some to be kitchen related as I get settled in my new apartment and start experimenting with cooking again. Yesterday I bought groceries and am excited to make all my favorite things again.

I made this apron over the summer. It was quick, easy, and patternless, and I got to use a blue fabric with a cute eyelet pattern that I've been holding on to for a while for the front panel. The top ties on with a brown ribbon. It seems that I've been gravitating toward blue, brown, and cream this year; my new bedroom is all of those colors, too.

I do have some really cute patterns for ruffled aprons, and I'm trying to work up the patience to start those. In the meantime, though, I really like this plain apron, and whether I'm cooking or cleaning, it's fun to wear it in the new place. :)

Home-sewn Netbook Case

This is another project that’s representative of my style of sewing and any kind of project I might attempt: pattern-free, simple, and quickly finished.

My four-year-old laptop is still functional, but isn’t as reliable as it used to be, so I bought myself this cute acer netbook for my undergrad commencement. So far, it’s been great, and I’m looking forward to taking it to class this fall.

But while one of its most appealing traits is its ability to fit easily in my oversized purse, I still wanted a case for it. If you’ve got a big purse like mine, you know what I mean- who knows what kind of dust, gadgets, and other objects might be bouncing around in there? But I didn’t want to pay $15-$40 for something I could make myself.

I used some brown fabrics left over from previous projects- a flannel for the lining, and acute polka-dotted cotton for the outside. There’s also a layer of quilt batting between.

It’s pretty clearly a simple project and much like the iPod cozy- just sew a rectangular pouch, and use whatever type of closures you prefer. This part is always a challenge for me; I haven’t quite mastered buttonholes, and I didn’t have a zipper handy (and let’s face it, who likes to sew on a zipper?).  So, I sewed on a couple buttons and thin tied loops, which I think makes the project cuter than a simple buttonhole would have done,  and it’s easier, too. I haven’t taken my netbook many places this summer, but when I do, I can drop it in my purse or backpack without fearing for its safety. And I’ve got to say, I prefer the soft, diy-look to a sleeker, synthetic case any day.

Crocheted Little Big Planet Sackboy

I hope to be able to get on a more regular posting schedule soon. This week, however, I've been in the process of moving to Madison, where I'll be starting grad school, so between packing and limited internet availability, I haven't been as productive as I'd like.

If you've ever played Little Big Planet, you're familiar with its main characters: customizable “sackboys,” who look like they're made of a knit burlap material. Little Big Planet is one of the only games my boyfriend and I can play together, so I decided to make my own sackboy and surprise him. These guys are the perfect project; after all, even in the game, you design them exactly the way you want, so there's a lot of freedom for creativity or...unplanned quirks. And while my boyfriend may not have an actual desire for a amigurumi sackboy, I think this surprise gift was a cute addition to his bookshelf.

I'm not a knitter, however, so I opted for a crocheted version. This was my first attempt at amigurumi, and I think it turned out pretty well. Check out this tutorial at Nerdigurumi for more info. I used a size bigger crochet hook, and I like how the stitches turned out. Instead of Nerdigurumi's idea to make a crocheted zipper, I stitched one using embroidery floss, and knotted a tiny zipper, which I might improve someday. It's a little small and the stitching's not very zipper-like. But with this little red cape, it's hard to tell, anyway. So there you go: a crocheted Little Big Planet sackboy, complete with adorably disproportionate arms and legs.

And of course, here he is with an obligatory adventure shot in the tomato plants:

Sew an Easy iPod Cozy

Today, a quick update for a quick project. This is one of the simplest projects you can make. I hand-sewed mine, because I needed an on-the-go project, but with a machine, it's just a few quick seams. It's really easy to sew a case for any kind of simply-shaped object. In a future post, I'll show the case I made for my new netbook. Again, all you need is a rectangle with some kind of closure.

But, back to the iPod cozy. I used two layers of cotton fabric, with some leftover quilt batting in the middle for a little extra padding. The idea for the elastic band came from Julieree's great tutorial, which can be found here. You'll find hers to be a bit more detailed and cuter, but for a quick hand-sewn project, I'm pleased with how mine came out. The little pink part on the bottom was an add-on. I didn't make the original rectangle quite big enough, but I kind of like the little flap added on to the bottom. I like to imagine that it offers a little more protection from the dust and whatever else might be at the bottom of my purse, where my ipod invariably ends up.

I don't do much crocheting in the summer, but I do like to have a portable project, so I'm going to try to do more hand sewing in the future. At any rate, it certainly makes me appreciate my sewing machine a lot more.

Upcycled T-Shirt to Ruffled Top

Like I've said, I don't like using patterns. I'm not very patient, and I don't like measuring. Upcycling projects are perfect for me. Structurally, everything's all there, and often there's not much more to be done than a quick seam adjustment or two and some fun details.

This project started as a plain long-sleeved t-shirt, the kind most clothing stores can sell for just a few dollars. I always end up with one in just about every color.

To make the strapless top, I cut straight across the underarms, cutting off the top and the arms. I cut one of the arms into four long strips, from which I made a double front and back ruffle. Although I knew the basic idea behind making a ruffle, I'd never done it before. It's pretty easy and kind of satisfying to pull that straight piece of fabric into a cute ruffle. Before I attached the ruffle, I sewed a tubed hem around the top and inserted elastic all the way around. I used the other arm to make the belt. And that's it! The best part of sewing with a knit t-shirt material is that it doesn't fray, so you don't have to worry about finishing the edges of the ruffle.

I've done a couple upcycling projects this summer, including a simple skirt to strapless dress which turned out quite well. Upcycling projects are a great way to design and make your own cute new things without spending a ton of money. Check back soon for more ideas!