Skirt to Cape Refashion

You may recall my second-hand tweed skirt, purchased with the intention of refashioning into a cape...

Unfortunately, the task set out was not so simple, I therefore searched for an appropriate cape pattern McCall's 3033, found here at LetYourselfSew. 

Going with pattern B (the easiest of all), she turned out great.  The biggest problem I faced was not enough tweed fabric to complete the entire pattern, resulting in an improvisation, using an alternative fabric for the rear; a navy off-cut fabric piece I picked up from resource rescue.

 

You can see the contrasting fabric change here (hood shown, is not part of the cape)..

To fasten the front, I used a brooch I picked up for a dollar on last weekends op-shop tour.

Shared with Tah-Dah Tuesday, We Sew Retro, BurdaStyle Projects, Refashion Co-op and DIY Friday.

May Bayside Op Shop Tour Wrap Up

Last Saturdays Melbourne Bayside op shop tour proved that..

...you can still find $2 clothes in Parish op shops.

.. some op shops choose colour coding to organise prices

..you can still find original vintage if you look carefully.

.. we should Keep Calm and ...

..occasionally, you'll find not just one-of-a-kind pieces, but many of the same.  Stag head brooches.

..not all that you see, is for sale, in this case, a lamp that may have otherwise come home.

.. some op shops like to organise their designer labels on separate racks...

...whilst others display their designer labels on mannequins.  Karen Millen dress

.. you'll be touched by nostalgia. #MumsOldClock

..there are treasures to be found under the counter.  Brooch for a dollar.

..and sometimes, you really will find the extraordinary.  Pig bag.

The next Melbourne Bayside Op Shop Tour I'll be leading is planned for 11th August, which can be booked through Melbourne Op Shop Tours website.

Nick and Charlie's YouTube Channel - Op Shopping Sydney

Readers, two young men from Western Sydney, Australia, have started broadcasting their "op shop cops" (new phrase for op shop finds?) to the virtual public.

Quote from 'ItsNickandCharlie' YouTube Channel "Hey guys :) this channel is all about style focusing more on how to still look fresh without a lot of money!"

In addition to broadcasting their "op shop cops", Nick and Charlie share their op shopping tips and advice, plus they refashion their second-hand finds, yes they can SEW too! All of the above, with a background music choice of their favourite hip-hop tunes.

Nick and Charlie's take on the difference between Thrift Stores vs Australian Op Shops

Denim jacket sleeve customisation

 

More videos here

Op shopping (and sewing) reached a whole new level of cool, 'bro'!

Tribal Necklace DIY by Ari of Boat People

Found this YouTube tutorial today, and had to share. Beautiful music too. 

How-to: Tribal Necklace by Ari of Boat People 

Recycled Fashion Finds #45

So I'm almost done sewing my cape from this pattern, all it needs is a big pretty button, which perhaps I'll find on tomorrow's op shop tour. In the meantime, lets see what you've been up to readers, as seen on last week's Recycled Fashion Finds #44

Refashioned floral shorts by Mongs ...

Alison shows us how to DIY Dip Dye a skirt...

In the same shade of blue, Adin's incredible vintage thrift dress, 

which would you believe, cost a mere 0.25c...

Have you been thrifting, refashioning, sewing or crafting this week?  Would you like to participate in Recycled Fashion Finds? Click here for the rules, and don't forget to grab yourself a Recycled Fashion Finds blog badge for your blog post or side bar.
 

<center><a href="http://www.recycled-fashion.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Recycled Fashion" src="http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n637/wushka/RF_fashion_finds.png" /></a></center>

A Recycled Refashioned Handmade Vintage Skirt

A recycled, refashioned, handmade, vintage skirt good enough for two.  But how can a skirt possibly be recycled, refashioned, handmade, and vintage-all-in-one? Here's how..

Recycled?  A gift from friend and fellow blogger Leeyong of Style Wilderness
Vintage Handmade? The original, a handmade vintage skirt, purchased for $7 from Savers

Refashioned? Can't take much credit for a refashion here, however, kudos to Leeyong for using the bottom hem of the original piece to rework into a wearable knee length skirt to suit her style. Here's how it looked 'before' and 'after' on Leeyong

My version..

You know what this means readers, there are two almost identical second-hand vintage skirts that have the potential to appear at the same Melbourne event, almost unthinkable! Big thanks Leeyong, loving my  gorgeous skirt.

Gratuitous matching coloured bird photograph, you know, just because..

 Orange and Black Baltimore Oriole c/o digidiva

Facebook Page Liking, The Good and The Bad

When I log into facebook of a morning, my feeds are not limited to everyday life updates from my worldly friends, but I am also flooded with news-feeds of numerous blog and business pages that I follow.

I have to admit I 'like' far too many facebook pages than I perhaps should, and have becoming somewhat of a facebook page hoarder.  (I just checked, I like 508 pages..uh-oh)

There is nothing better than checking through my facebook feeds of a morning to; be tempted by sustainable fashion pieces, be intrigued flabbergasted by upcycle projects, read up on market and op shop news, see what some of my favourite bloggers are up do, and check out a nice wildlife picture or two, you know, just because.

This morning, I am delighted to see I am tempted to clothe myself in a stunning fair trade dress... 

 

Fair Trade Bold African Print Dress 

as seen on Fashion-conscience.com

Which, wouldn't you know, match the most amazing lampwork earrings as seen on Artizen Magazine's facebook page..

Lampwork Earrings Handmade available here

Some of my fellow bloggers have been talking about the following (brilliant) article  

Why Charity Shops Aren't Cheap

from Pearls and Wisdom

Altogether now, awwww.. a newsfeed from Our Beautiful World & Universe

And then, there was this... what the?

Now don't get me wrong, I adore Recyclart, which is filled with upcycling inspiration, and fabulous recycled art, but I am just not sold on the idea of  'seat and weigh'!?

Do you follow lots of facebook pages? Do you find facebook feeds interesting or annoying? Is there a facebook page anonymous group I should know about?  Anyone care to join me?....

Love Vintage Show Melbourne

Vintage fashion proved to be alive and well in Melbourne last weekend, on a visit to Love Vintage Show.  I met Laura from A Little Boutique Near Home (her review blogged here) we thoroughly enjoyed the morning exploring Royal Exhibition Hall's vintage wares and activities. It was a delight to see visitors wearing an array of vintage fashion outfits to the show, and the variety of vintage fashion from the 1900's to 1980's available to buy.

Model @ Love Vintage Show

Judging by the hustle of visitors and shoppers, Love Vintage Show appeared to be a great success. It was a pleasure to meet Linda from Recycology, who'd traveled to Melbourne from Sydney to sell her vintage wares. Linda tells me she'd had a successful weekend, she'd won "Best Small Exhibit" award for her stall, and her famous "newspaper" trench-coat appeared Melbourne's weekend Herald Sun.

 Linda from Recycology


Recycology's Newspaper Trench

 


As featured in the Herald Sun..

 Linda's display using an upcycled vinyl record cake stand, and her adorable jewellery pieces

For visitors game enough to pose for a beautiful vintage photograph, All About Eve offered very reasonably priced photo shoots for $20, aimed at individuals visiting Love Vintage Show complete in their vintage attire, alternatively for visitors that may have taken part in a vintage hair and make-up workshop.

A necklace by Circa Collectables, so good I could eat it...

The coolest lounge setting I would very much like in my own home please..

Whilst juggling motherhood with fashion is not always recommended, I did take my 3yr old son with me to the show.  With a bag of 10c op shopped toys I picked up during the week, leftovers from a party bag, and a promise of a visit to Melbourne Museum, Junior RF behaved himself very well!

Op shopped treats for Junior RF