saving my (thrifty) Hungarian bag

Hello again everyone!

It's been a while since I post something in TGR. Here's my latest project, saving my dying thrifty Hungarian Bag, purchased on a flea market for 60 cent on 2000. The labels sewn inside says "Made in Hungary", "Hand Embroidery" and "55%wool 45% cotton". Even the labels was handwritten! I don't have picture of the original bag, but it was something that looked like this :

I got bored with tote bag and on 2004 I change it to a sling bag with cotton webbing strap. But the bag looked uneven due to stretchy woolen material the bag was pulled to the north a bit and the bag never seen the day again.

Until last week, I was tidying up (switching our summer clothes to winter clothes) and I saw this poor old thing. A bit snip in here and stitch in there, I got a brand new bag which I really really love. I can wear it as shoulder bag or sling bag.

The complete Tale of the (thrifty) Hungarian Bag can be read here.

Old sheets into a tablecloth and summer skirt

Hello! I've just joined you all and wanted to introduce myself. I'm an American in Paris, mommy of two (and thus blogging as "Mommy en France") and have recently returned to sewing after a very long hiatus. I am interested in refashioning, adapting ready to wear to my own shape and style, and in extending the life of my kids' clothes. I'm also slowing starting to sew "properly" from patterns, although this terrifies me a bit. Oh, and I blog over at Two little cabbages & cie.

I have a great stash of old sheets from my French mother-in-law and I have been starting experiement with dying some of the less ornate ones, then turning them into things. This weekend I dyed a few green and made a tablecloth and a skirt.

The tablecloth was very simple. I just folded a large sheet in half, ironed it flat, sewed around almost all four sides, very close to the edge, then turned it right side out (like you do when making a pillowcase), ironed it flat and sewed shut the opening. It's a lovely colour and a nice heavy old cotton fabric and looks good on the table, without being too fancy. The kids can spill on it, I can throw it in the wash and it will be fine. It's lasted at least 75 years as a sheet, so I'm sure it will make it a bit longer as a tablecloth.

The skirt was more fun to do. I used another sheet I'd dyed green and this "Super Easy Patternless A-line Skirt" tutorial from Sarah at Boulevard Designs. The sheet itself had a cool pattern of embroidery and cut  outs along one edge, so I used that as the front hem. I recycled a hidden zipper from a dress in my "refashion" pile and I made a tab to cover the top, using buttons I already had and an old hair elastic of my daughters. So the cost of supplies was almost free - I only had to spend money on the dye. Thirteen euros (about 15 dollars) for a box of Dylon, which resulted in a tablecloth and a skirt. You certainly couldn't buy them here for that price!

More importantly, the skirt looked pretty good and it only took me about two hours. I'm sure it would take a more experienced seamstress even less time.

 A shot I took myself of the front hem...

...and a shot my husband took. As you can see, the fabric wrinkles easily. But the skirt is a nice shape! Please excuse the boots - it poured earlier today, so we all wore our wellies to the park  this afternoon.

Knit Wit

I was told by my midwife to take it easy and just cruise on the couch. That's not an easy thing for me to do, so I've been knitting. I found all of the patterns on Ravelry, but since you have to have an account (totally free and well worth the few seconds that it takes to set on up) to view the site, I've linked to the original location of the patterns.

 Pixie Baby Hat

 Baby Bonnet with Ears/Horns

Baby Bubbles Smock, Saartjes Booties, and DROPS Bonnet

 Lucille Cardigan and Bonnet

I've also finished Charlotte and Penelope's outfits for the open house that we're having in April. I wrote about the projects here and here a few months ago. The total cost of materials was probably around $15. The denim came from 2 clearance remnant bits, the lining was a donation from my mom (more than 15 years old), the lace was from a skirt I got in 8th grade (I'm almost 34, you do the math). I also used snaps, thread, elastic, hooks, and thrift store zippers, that I already had on hand.
 

McCall's 5791, a combination of views. The denim is not this dark in real life.

The jacket is View E from Simplicity 3513, and the skirt is McCall's 5461 (discontinued).

 

I found a spot of time for some sewing…

I saw a girl the other day wearing the most beautiful jacket – it was navy with white piping, with big white double-breasted buttons. It was fitted and lovely.

I pointed her out to my friend, and realised that I had that jacket, or at least I could have it if I took in the shapeless 60’s ‘land ahoy!’ jacket below…

It was a bit of a faff, because I had to remove the lining, add multiple darts, reset the sleeves and then hand sew the lining back in, but I think it came out ok and is much more wearable now. I may never look like that lovely girl, but at least I now have a similar jacket!

Pop by my blog for more refashions!

Beccy

Patched Jeans

I patched a pair of Trinity pants last night.  It's hard to find stuff that fits right...she's really hippy. (these are Old Navy) I have another pair doesn't have holes yet but she wants me to do. 

The owl and 3 (you can only see 2) flowers at the bottom were iron on patches I found at Jo-Ann's the knees I just cut different size circles.  Before I added the circles I reinforced the knees with those old school iron on patches.  I did that on the inside of the pants.  I also used interfacing on the circles.  I hand sewed them on with embroidery thread.  I also stitched around the iron on patches because they always seem to fall off.  I think they ended up kinda cute :)

The Bookshop Bag with PDF pattern download

I know I haven't posted anything in a while and that's becuase I haven't really made anything in a while!

I decided to make a bag out of some fabric salvaged from an old men's suit jacket that I bought at an estate auction. Actually I got an entire closet of handmade vintage wool suits for $2.50. lol I used some scrap for the liner, two free buttons and some trim that a friend gave me. I'd say maybe the whole thing ended up costing about 60 cents.

I liked it so much that I made a free downloadable PDF pattern. You can get it on my blog!

Old Jeans Into an Apron

I made this apron for my mother in-law using an old pair of jeans and some thrift-ed lace and heavy duty strapping.
For the flower I cut out graduated circles and cut into them to make the rough petals. I squeezed each one and rolled it around in my hand to get them frayed, stitched the pile together, made a running stitch along the lace, tightened it up, stitched it down and added the button while securing it to the apron.


See Art, Adventures and a Toddler for more projects and other stuff...
Thanks, Tamara