Jeans and Shirt Refashion

Bringing my refashion post at House of Estrela home and linking it to the Project Run and Play link party.
I am so excited to participate in January Refashion Month. Thank you so much Magda for inviting me! I love taking something old, unused and breathe a new life into it. For this refashion I used a pair of old jeans. They looked like something Britney Spears circa 1999 would wear - too low, too flared. I like refashioning old jeans. You can almost always keep some of the original details. I was able to keep front and back pockets, which can be tricky.

 

 

I made them a bit long since the girl is growing like a weed. The pattern came from a  Japanese pattern book Polka Drops. This is my fourth pair - they are easy to make and the fit is good. When refashioning an existing pair it's important that both pant legs are symmetrical. I use a simple trick to achieve that.

Trace your pattern piece onto the pant leg. Cut it out. Be careful not to damage the back side and the waistband. I might or might not be speaking from the experience. Flip the piece onto the second pant leg, matching the front pockets perfectly. Trace and cut out. This helps to insure both pant legs are identical.

 

 

The shirt is a garage sale find refashion. Last summer, we stopped at the sale to look for toys and Ania found this shirt.  The print and the beads made the shirt look more grandma-on-a-cruise, then haute couture, but Ania loved it. 50c later the shirt was ours. :) I didn't use any pattern to make it. I just eye balled the sleeve opening, then cut out the sleeve that looked like it might fit that opening and sewed everything together. To my great surprise, it worked. :) The best part is that I guessed the sleeve length correctly. :)  

 

Ania loves her new outfit and wore it two days in a row. It's comfortable, practical and it sparkles. What not to love! Now if I can only convince her to wear shoes. :)