Sundress UPCYCLE!

This is sort of a different topic for me to post about, but its exactly what I have been up to this week, so I thought I would share it! Who knows, it may even become a "thing" I do every once in a while. The good thing is, I can do that, if I want to! AHHHHHH. I love my space! I love Mine.

OK, so moving on...

As you may already know, I have a serious passion for creating, sewing, and accessories and basically all things crafty. Since I bought my ironing board about a month ago, I have done a couple small projects, but nothing major. I have taken-in a few of my favorite skirts that I am not quite willing to put in the “I’m too skinny to wear that anymore” (high-five myself) bag and I have hemmed a couple pairs of pants. Oh, and I whipped up a peasant skirt for Pumpkin at Easter, but that’s about it.

I am such an on/off person. One week I will be all about sewing. The next week, I am all about crochet. The next week I can’t put down my pliers and wire. Then the next week I can drop all things craft, and bring home thirty library books on some random topic and that’s what keeps me busy for a week.

It frustrates me because often I have one or ten project halfway to completion at any give time.

But today, I was inspired by a blog I stumbled upon called At Second Street. This lady is amazing, and has created a blog filled with so many cool things. I couldn’t help but be inspired to haul out my sewing machine again. She makes clothes for her five children. She uses old clothes to make new clothes for her children. It's so awesome, and right up my alley. You should see what she can make from a men's button-up shirt! Go check it out after here, k? 

I am kind of obsessed with the idea of Upcycling. In fact, I have been doing it/trying to do it, since before it was called Upcycling. It used to be called turning old junky stuff into new junky stuff. But now it is being more widely embraced by everyone. Apparently, our generation has decided that being environmental friendly is a good thing. Took us long enough...

Anyways, long story short (kinda)... I was inspired to start making more clothes for my children. 

As parents, we (and our relatives) spend so much money on our children’s clothes, only to have them eat one hot dog with runny ketchup and they are ruined! As I am sure you know, ketchup stains are NOT easy to get out.

Frankly, I am sick and tired of throwing away clothes that have stains that I can’t get out! I don't even like to put them in the consignment bags because I know the next mother to get it will be pisses that she can't get the stain out either!

I know, I know, there are magical potion infomercials for laundry soap that can get out that fifty-seven year old set-in stain, but I don’t have time for trial and error. I'm a mother, I gotta act quickly before they grow out of another size.

So, my quick fix? Cut-out the ketchup stain, add a little this, and a little that, and make something brand new. Something cool and fun, with a personal little touch by Mama! 

Today, I decided to peak into Bears closet and see what I could transform. Right away I found a dress that she had only worn twice. Low and behold, ketchup was the culprit and there was a huge stain on the bodice. So then I rummaged through her t-shirt drawer and found a tank-top that had the hem busted out. Its the tank top that I tell her to take off whenever she puts it on because its more like a “belly top” now-a- days. My child is growing like a weed.

So then I hatched a plan to replace the top of the dress, with the top of her tank top!!

Brilliant, I know.

This beloved tank-top has a cute little owl on it, and says “Give a hoot, Please recycle” but during construction/deconstruction, I was unable to keep the part that says “Please Recycle” which is terribly not cool, BUT I think it still looks cute. The only thing that I "Give a Hoot" about is that she LOVES IT!

Check out the finished result! 

See that brutal ketchup stain? It looks so much better now!

It only took me about forty-five minutes, from start to finish, and I ended up using that busted hem piece to make a cute little attached braided belt to go around the waist.

Bear absolutely loved it, and Thrifty Kate IS BACK!!

She loves getting new clothes, and she has been very concerned about the environment and recycling since she was about three years old. So needless to say, she really appreciated this little project. She told me that I may as well just hand her over the money I would have spent on a new sundress for her this summer. 

She's a sneaky little rascal sometimes. I laughed. 

THAT'S not gonna happen because Mommy's gonna need some new threads for all the new ideas she has!

I love being inspired!

Love,  

Kate