Recycled Sewing

Skirt made using Blue Scraps

First off, this skirt took me forever to finish.  Too may interruptions, with sick kids, then I’m sick, then school ending for the year.  But it is finally done and I am super happy with it.

Second off, I recently joined Twitter and am having a blast connecting with other artists, vintage clothing collectors, etc.  On twitter I hooked up with Solsisters Handbags and on her blog was a tutorial for Flip and Sew handbag.  It was exactly the technique I was looking for to make this skirt.

Laying out the Sew Lines

 Normally I fully line all my skirts.  I decided to use my lining as the base for sewing the strips of fabric.  Using my taylor’s chalk, I marked where my sew lines would be and created a sunburst pattern.  I then created the same pattern on the back of my skirt to match the front.

Just remember the strips are sewn to the opposite side of what is shown above.  Therefore, the design will be on the opposite side from your chalk marks.

Front after sewing

 I’ve wanted to make this skirt for awhile using the increasing stash of vintage fabrics hanging around my studio with no where to go.   Above is the front of the skirt with the strips sewn to the wrong side of the lining.

Sunburst Hippie Chic Skirt

 Here is the front of the skirt.  I decided not go too far up the top side of the skirt with sunburst.  The reason was not to have seam bulk across the waist and hips.  This style is a-line and it hugs the waist and hips.

Skirt Back

 Here is the backside.  There is a seam down the middle and I was a little off on matching my lines up.  Next skirt I will work to clean that up.

Side View

 Side view.  You can see that the front and back meet up.

Close up

 Close up.

Inside of skirt

Here is the inside of the skirt.  I have the fun pattern from the lining showing on the inside.  If you look carefully, you can see where I’ve sewn the strips to the lining.

Pennant Banner Red

Finding new uses for scraps is always fun.  All these vintage fabrics are beautiful and I hate to throw away the scraps.  Here is one of my newest ways to use up the scraps.  Above I made a bunting garland or pennant banner from vintage tablecloth fabrics in reds. 

Pennant Back Vintage Chenille

Then on the back side, I used my scraps of vintage white chenille.  When flapping in the wind, the chenille helps give each pennant some weight and texture.  I am now working on a blue banner, then a pink banner.

Vintage Tablecloth Fabric Pennant Banner

These banners would be fun for weddings, baby’s room (out of reach of course), birthday party or any party.  For next year’s Cinco de Mayo, I am going to put together a vintage tablecloth southwest theme!

Wedding Pennant

My first pattern tutorial is finally available for sale.  The first pattern is for making a vintage embroidered tablecloth into a suntop.  It is a patternless pattern or tutorial. 

All that is needed is a vintage tablecloth, some elastic, ribbon, longer quilting ruler and a disappearing ink fabric pen. 

All measurements are included for making sizes 18 months to 9/10 years.

The pattern can be purchased in my etsy store.  Here is the link:  

PDF Pattern

If you have any questions while making the suntop, feel free to email me through any of my websites or stores.

Sign up for my recycledsewing.com newsletter and receive $3 off the pattern purchase price.  (I do not sell any of my emails to other entities.)

My husband and I threw a birthday party for ourselves this year. He is only 2 days older than I am, so we share our birthdays. It was a Mexican theme and I was looking for inexpensive decorations for the room. I made tissue paper pom poms or luminaries in red and yellow and it looked fantastic.  You can find the directions for making the pom poms at Martha Stewart Weddings.

It made me think of all the store bought patterns I had laying around which have been cut into. Why not use the tissue paper from the patterns to make the luminaries? So here we are.

     I even made tissue carnations from the vintage pattern tissue.  Here is a great online tutorial at Folding Trees.

Put together as a bunch.

Close up.

To kick off my new blog, I am posting a free pattern for making an eyeglass case from a vintage tie. First click here to download the PDF file of the front side pattern piece and click here to download the back side pattern piece.

Note:  Depending on your printer, sizes may vary from the original design.  I recommend trying the pattern with muslin first to check the size with your own glasses.  The pattern can be increased/decreased vertically and horizontally at the center of the pattern.

Tie fabric is usually made on the bias. Remember this info when working with tie fabric as it will not perform the same as fabric cut on the grain. You may have to work the fabric a little to get it cut straight and sewn straight.

Materials:

Vintage Tie
Lining fabric such as: flannel, velveteen, velvet, fleece, cotton, etc.
Thread

Tools:

Seam Ripper
Scissors
Fabric Marking Chalk or Pen
Sewing machine
Iron

All seam allowances are 3/8″.

1. With a seam ripper, open the back seam of the vintage tie.

2. Iron the tie completely open, outline the pattern pieces with chalk and cut out. Repeat with the inner lining fabric.

3. Take the tie fabric pieces and put the right sides together. Match the short side of the back piece to the long side of the front piece. Sew this seam. Repeat for the inner fabric.

4. Place the right side of the lining on top of the right side of the tie fabric. With chalk mark the long side seam with an opening you will not sew through. The opening will be used to turn the fabric right side out after sewing.

5. Starting at your first mark, sew completely around the piece, ending at your second mark. You should now have an opening in the fabric on one side. Trim your seam allowances and corners. Turn piece right side out. Press with an iron.

6. Slip stitch the opening closed.

7. Fold the piece in half vertically with the lining on the outside. Match the bottom corners together. Pin.

8. Sew down the one side and the bottom with a straight stitch.

9. Turn the entire piece right side out; so the vintage tie fabric is on the outside…And you are done!

Here are some addition vintage tie eyeglass cases I have made:

(Anyone wishing to use this pattern for selling handmade items, please email me for the purchase price and use restrictions.)