Summer semester is officially over and I finally don't have any homework! It's a serious miracle. Well this semester has been completely insane and I have been craft deprived. It's safe to say that I went craft-crazed over the past weekend.
First up.. my easy-peazy summer dress. I found this dress on the
Sweet Verbena blog. She is great at doing the tutorial, so you might want to head over to her blog.
I got my fabric at NPS which is off of California Avenue. If you haven't been there to buy fabric, please please go! This amazing jersey fabric is 60 inches wide and for one yard it was $1.29. Seriously. You cannot find cheaper fabric in the valley.
I started out just like she did. My fabric is 60 inches across and I folded it in half. I made it about 65 inches long. So my final measurements at this point were 30" x 65 ".
I then stitched down the side so I had a tube shape.
Next I stitched closed the top so it was like a giant pillow case.
To make the neck hole, I went to the center of the dress (where my stitching was). I cut a straight line down 6 inches.
To make sleeves, I went to the side and cut out 8 inch long slots.
At this point, I hemmed up the sleeves but I left the neck. I think that the neck line looked cuter without the hem.
*So here is where I made some changes. I liked the dress, but it just seemed really bulky around my sides. I wore it around a few times and made a few different changes to it, but it still seemed like it wasn't working for me. So last weekend I brought it to my sewing station one more time.
I decided that what it needed was more contouring. This jersey just hang really heavy so it needed more shape to it. The original pattern would probably work if the jersey was light and thin.
I ended up taking 4 inches off each side of the dress and I contoured the middle just by hand. I had also cut it too short the first time so I added a fringe onto it.
I can't even begin to tell you what a difference it made! After all was said and done, I love this dress. The best part? Because I got the fabric so cheap, this dress cost me less than $3!
Next up! My $2 skirt!!
I saw
this link on Pinterest. I fell in love with it! I knew I had to try to make it. My mom had given me several ripped jeans last week that I could have to sew. I took the top of one of her jeans to make this skirt. Cost: $0. (I love that number.)
Then bottom half is actually an old sheet from the D.I. Cost: $2.
I started with the jeans. I had to cut them a bit shorter than the Pinterest picture because there was a huge hole. When you are cutting it, make sure to not cut the pockets.
This is the cute fabric that I got!
First thing, I folded and ironed a hem on the sheet. It was about an inch and a half.
Then pin it to the outside of the jean.
As you sew, ruffle the fabric.
Hem the bottom to length and you are done!
I also recycled some jeans that I had...
I have so many jeans with holes in the knees and it drives me crazy! I saw
this link on Pinterest and thought it was such a cute idea. I just cut the jeans off and put some of my extra fabric on it. Super easy!
Last but not least! Another super cheap skirt! I {love} super cheap clothes. Have you seen my
circle skirt post? I made this one just like the circle skirt on
Dana-Made-It blog. The only thing I did differently is that I made a tube instead of a circle. I didn't even hem the bottom because I thought that it look better. I got this fabric at NPS ($1.29 fabric baby!) and I bought the elastic with a coupon at JoAnn's. Again, less than $3!
Crafting and sewing can be so cheap, you just have to be willing to look around and find the right deals. The better the deals, the more fun the crafting is! :)
Only a few weeks left of summer people! Soak it up!!