Wardrobe Refashioning

There's a new craze out there. Well, new to ME anyway...I've never claimed to be "up" on the latest trends! I'm talking, my friends, about wardrobe refashioning. This is taking clothes you already have, or used clothes you have come across, and repurposing or "redesigning" them. It could be as simple as adding some trim or fabric paint to cover stains on a shirt, or as complex as taking apart a dress, making adjustments to it, and putting it back together to create a whole new look.

I love this idea, because as a large person, not only do I have a lot of clothes hanging around that are too small, but it is also very difficult to find clothing new (even if I had the money for it) that meet my standards. Anything I buy has to be feminine, modest, and not "loud". Modest means dresses or skirts only, nothing tight, no slits, everything covered from the base of the neck to mid-calf, and at least mid-upper-arm, if not longer. Oh yeah, and a 3X. Oh, and no straight styles, as I am very bottom-heavy after four c-sections. Needless to say, a trip to the dressing rooms in a store is not just an exercise in frustration, but enough to send me into a depression!

Wardrobe refashioning is an excellent choice for anyone who likes to recycle, who doesn't have a lot of money for new clothes, or has a lot of "useless" clothing items in their closet. One example I saw was a woman who had a dress she loved, but couldn't fit into. She took the side-seams apart on the lower part of the dress, and sewed in panels of complimentary fabric, and added some trim to the bottom. It looked really good! Another reason I like the idea, is because when I do find something that fits, it often looks very tent-like, especially on top. I don't want something tight, but neither do I want something that makes me look BIGGER than I already am!! Many projects I've seen are merely narrowing the waistline of a shirt so it's not so baggy and frumpy.

If you are interested in learning more about it, check out Wardrobe Refashion '06. You don't have to be an experienced sewer. Some ideas, like the t-shirt dress, are really easy. I don't know how to sew (I've only done one jumper so far, it was kind of funny, lol) but I'm trying to teach myself. I think refashioning what you have is a great way to to it. If it's something you never wear anyway, who cares if you mess it up?

I also think it's a great idea to re-use clothing for its material, buttons, etc. If you donate a stained item to a thrift store, they often throw it out anyway. This is a great way to re-use it, and save money too. Have you ever priced buttons? Yikes! Sewing your own clothes should be cheaper than buying them, but if you pay retail for supplies, it's more expensive. Refashioning is the way to go!

Lovely Aprons and Pretty Dresses

Journey to Homemaker

Aprons are making a big comeback nowadays. At least they are in homemaking circles. Most Christian homemaking blogs contain a post or two about them, particularly if the blog owners believe in modest dress. There is something about how you feel in an apron. It is the homemaker's "uniform". When you put it on, you feel as if you have truly begun your day.

I often feel more productive when I am dressed, my hair done, and wearing socks and shoes (I am a lover of slippers). But when I don that old-time wardrobe necessity, that's when I feel truly ready to work. The aprons I have now are simple, modern, solid-colored aprons with logos on the front. Only one is long and has pockets. As a plus-size woman, most aprons don't give me the coverage I desire.

A lot of homemakers like the cute half-aprons of the fifties, the kind meant to use while serving your dinner party guests. But for me, those are kind of pointless, because when I spill stuff, it's down the front of me, not on my lap. There are many styles out there, the no-tie type often seen in Jane Austen movies being a popular one. The type I like is one I would consider more of a pioneer style--feminine but not frilly, flowing and very practical...giving me the full coverage I need. These are hard to come by, but I found a pattern for them online here: www.candleonthehill.net/store/catalog.php?item=40&catid=12&ret=catalog.php.%3Fcategory%3D12

I plan to get the pattern at some point, but I may for now try to just wing it. I know, I know...I don't know how to sew. LOL. But I found a free pattern online that tells you how to make a similar apron for a child. I just have to figure out how to make the back of it, since I think it is different. I have some nice blue toile I plan to use, and then make one for my older daughter to wear. That style with that particular print should make a really lovely apron. If I ever get the time!

Lately I've been wearing my nicer dresses around the house. I always avoided that, for comfort and also to keep them nice. But how many "church" dresses can you have? Plus they are mostly prints, so stains won't show as much as they do on my solid-colored casual tops. And most of them are actually pretty comfortable, and really aren't all that dressy. I twist my hair up and clip it, then blow dry my bangs and curl tendrils over my ears. It's quick and easy, and I look pretty good.

Now I need some comfy shoes for the house. I feel silly in a dress and sneakers. Those go better with my denim skirts. I have some nice sandals I wore all last summer. Very comfy, and I don't have to search for matching socks. I'd never worn sandals before because I thought I had ugly feet. But I did my toenails (and plucked hairs from my big toes--I know, too much information, lol) and moisturized my feet, and they looked pretty good. I actually felt prettier.

Wednesday I was on the back deck with the children, sweeping up the sand from their sandbox. I actually wasn't worried about people seeing me, because I had on a nice dress, an apron, had my hair done, and was peacefully sweeping the deck. As a mother of a "large" family (small compared to most people at my church) I often feel like the "poster child" for moms of large families. You feel uncomfortable if you and your children look like slobs, and you're screaming at them as they run wild. Really, it's the moms of one kid who should feel like that if they look that way, they don't have as much of an excuse, lol! But since you're a spectacle if you have more than two kids (especially as young as all mine are) you don't want to be any more of a spectacle than you have to!! So looking nicer is definitely a good thing!

Sewing

Journey to Homemaker

Candy at Genuine Profit (http://genuineprofit.lifewithchrist.org/) is doing a homemaking series about necessary homemaking skills. You should read it, her blog is really great. She mentions sewing, which is a very important homemaking skill. I really don't know how to sew, though I made myself a jumper once. It wouldn't have been too bad, if I hadn't chosen a plaid material (note: new sewers should pick a random print like flowers, not one with lines that have to be lined up properly, lol). I wear it just around the house.

I have plans (we'll see if they get done) to make several baby items. First on my list is a baby carrier. I'm trying to decide between a wrap and a Mei Tai style. I may try both. You can't mess up a wrap, just cut the material to size and hem. I think I can handle that. ;-) My big problem is getting the machine going. It's used, and I keep having problems with it. Probably it's a tension problem. I have NO idea what I'm doing! Maybe today I'll have time to set it up. I'm sure it needs some basic maintenance, like oil, etc.

Even if you don't know what you're doing, try to find someone to help or research online so you can teach yourself. You may never be great at it, but you should have basic skills to teach your children. Then find someone who can tutor your daughters to improve their skills! I'm really bad at it, but once I had a JoAnn's employee explain how to read the pattern, the jumper was really pretty easy. I chose one of those super-easy patterns. Even though I have NO patience, I was still able to do it. So just give it a try!