Refashioning thrifted clothes

First photo: Refashion skirt is now a purse. Tank top and t-shirt refashioned made a summer maternity top. Second photo: a tank top cut from one more large men's t-shirt plus the inside bottom of the skirt purse.
Thrift stores are some of our favorite shopping places. This last weekend was no different. We headed down to Chico this time.
One store was having a special where shoppers could fill a large paper grocery bag with clothes from several tables. The cost was only $2 per bag.
We decided to see what we could get into a bag. Our final total was 18 items of clothing in one bag making them less 12 cents each. Then the challenge came, how to use the clothes we chose to stuff our bag with.
Several items fit us and we can use them as is. The rest we are using to refashion into other usable items.
The first item we decided to refashion was a size three toddlers skirt with shorts attached inside. It has butterflies embroidered along the front bottom. Very cute but we can not use that size. So an idea formed to make it into a purse for our adult daughter. She likes butterflies.
First we cut the legs off the shorts underneath. Then we cut a contrasting piece of fabric from another thrifted pair of women’s pants to sew onto the bottom of the cut off short. That formed the bottom of the purse.
Next we cut another strip of fabric from the same women’s pants to use for the purse strap. After sewing and turning the strap we attached it at the sides of the skirt. The end result was a very cute purse.
The next idea came when we paired a women’s small tank top with a man’s large t-shirt. We decided they would make a nice summer maternity top to donate to CareNet Pregnancy Center.
Taking the tank top we cut it off just below the chest. Then the men’s shirt we cut straight across about 13 inches from the bottom. Next we laid the tank top and t-shirt bottom together and cut the sides of the t-shirt to flair out a few inches.
After sewing the side seams of the t-shirt we attached the two together in the middle. The result did not seem to be roomy enough for a growing baby.
After thinking about what change could be made to make the bottom a little roomier we came up with plan B. We cut two slits, one on each side of the center front and inserted triangular pieces from the bottom of the tank top. That seemed to be just enough.
Now we only have about a dozen more items left to redesign into clothes or items that we can use or give to others to use. Refashioning is a fun challenge. It also saves money when we do not have to buy new items.
This time we spent only $2 and have five items all ready in use. More ideas for the rest of the items are forming as we write.
Additional refashion ideas can be found in our March 13 blog.

Paper modeling

Paper steak, carrots, plate, knife and fork shown on napkin and placemat.

Paper modeling is one of our favorite pastimes. Most of the paper models we make are downloaded from the internet for free. We recently came across one that we just had to build: the paper steak.
Most paper models depict a vehicle or building. Only a few are of animals or other organic things. The problem with such models is that it is difficult to get a proper representation of the subject. Most living creatures are made up of many compound curves and angles which are hard to duplicate in paper.
We found this model on http://www.wombat.zaq.ne.jp/fare/steak.html website. This particular website does in fact have several models of living things, including a paper hornet, a paper scorpion and a paper roast chicken at
http://www.wombat.zaq.ne.jp/fare/chicken.html.
The paper steak model is made up of two steaks, one cooked and one uncooked. Also included are two carrots, a plate, a knife and fork. We made the cooked version. The steak is mostly flat, which makes assembly easier. The sides are the steak are somewhat fiddly to get on, especially on the second side.
The carrots were also a challenge due to their small size. They are five-sided and fold so they come to a point at the end. The fork and the knife were easier to make, each consisting of several parts to give to appropriate thickness. The plate was the easiest to make, as it has only two parts.
We put the whole thing together in about three hours. Cutting out the pieces actually took more time than the assembly.
Recently we also acquired a model of the Kremlin. It is a Micromodels kit, published in book form. Originally the Micromodels were designed in the 1950’s and printed on post-card size 3 by 5-inch cards, which makes them really micro. The one we got was enlarged to double size and printed in 1983. Even at that, a lot of the parts are still fairly small.
Our copy of this book we found at www.paperbackswap.com. At this site books are swapped for the cost of postage only.
In doing some reading about the Kremlin we found out that the original building was designed as a castle to protect the local population from the Mongols. Its walls were first established in 1156 in Moscow. Gradually it was reinforced and expanded and in 1397 the first stone walls were built. As the Mongol threat diminished, the Kremlin became used more and more for government and church buildings. During the Romanov rule, which ran from 1613 to 1917, the famous cathedrals were built.
After the communist revolution in 1918 it was used completely for the government. It covers an area of approximately 64 acres and contains 26 major buildings, including Lenin’s tomb which lies outside the walls.
More information on card models can be found in these past blogs from 2008: “Card models and P&P games” on Dec. 19, “Card models” on July 18 and “Making Dune game” June 13.

Wardrobe refashion

Skirt made from a black extra large t-shirt with boarder trim. Pattern used was Butterick 5907 view c in one size smaller than normal to allow for stretch of knit fabric.

Wardrobe refashioning is a way to get new clothes at a fraction of the cost of new garments. It can even be done by spending no money at all!
Start with going through the closets and pulling out clothing that no longer fits or is no longer desired as it is. All these items are candidates to be refashioned into usable items of clothing.
Ideas for refashioning the old into new can come from catalogs, store sales flyers or the internet. There are even websites where people show off their refashioned garments such as http://nikkishell.typepad.com/wardroberefashion/. Websites like this can inspire many ideas.
A blog by Melynda found at http://countrygirlcouture.blogspot.com/ shows examples of refashions that she has done. Many of her ideas come from J. Crew. Their website is at http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Feature_Assortment/NewArrivals.jsp?srcCode=GGLB00125&noPopUp=true.
Refashioning is a great way to learn to sew. Most ideas take some sewing skill and require the use of a sewing machine but some do not. But if mistakes are made the loss is small because the clothing was not being used in the first place. It was just taking up space in a closet.
Sometimes a refashion can mean adding trim or embroidery accents to an item to make it more fashionable. Or putting an appliqué over a hole or stain can make a piece of clothing usable again.
To completely change an article of clothing, say from a top to a skirt, may take a pattern. A place to get free patterns is http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns. A how-to for men’s boxers is at http://wkdesigner.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/boxer-shorts/. And thrift stores usually sell patterns for only 10 to 50 cents each.
Children’s clothing is the easiest to refashion. Instead of hand-me-downs make a hand-me-up. An example for a top is at http://blog.betzwhite.com/2007/10/hand-me-up.html. An example for pants is at http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/03/howto_lengthen_kids_pants.html.
Another great site to make a child’s skirt is at http://whipup.net/2008/11/12/toddler-sweater-skirt-tutorial/. This one is made from an old sweater but the same thing can be done with a t-shirt.
One of our latest finds for ideas is how to use old, men’s ties to make scarves. This site is at http://redhenstudios.blogspot.com/2008/12/alchemy-necktie-scarves.html.
If inspiration does not hit with what is already in the closet the thrift stores are a great place to find items that can be refashioned. Shopping at yard sales can also yield clothes that are good candidates for a refashion.
Bed sheets are another great source when a large amount of fabric is required for a garment. Many even use just a pillowcase to make smaller things such as tops. An example of a top made from a pillowcase by Meg is on her blog at http://theclosetseamstress.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-wear-pillowcase.html.
Since summer is coming soon even cutting off long pants that probably have worn out knees and making them into shorts is refashioning. Cut long sleeves off to make short sleeves or even cut them all the way off to make a tank top.
Be creative and save money at the same time. See how many refashioned items you can make for your family.

Overcome winter blahs

Roasting marshmallows in the wood stove when the weather is blustery outside can be a fun way to beat the winter blahs.

Spring is still a couple of weeks off and the rainy weather we have had recently can be very depressing. The children may be bored and your marriage may be suffering. Beating the winter blahs can energize your marriage and family.
Consider some of the following ideas:
- Have a picnic on the living room floor. Gather your indoor plants, spread a table cloth or blanket and pretend you are outside. You can have a great picnic and be minus the ants all at the same time.
- Try a new recipe for dinner. While enjoying the meal with the family, take turns sharing something you are looking forward to this spring.
- Have a window shopping date with a twist. Look for all the things you already have!
- Call, write, e-mail or text someone you haven not contacted for a long time. The children can get out the rubber stamps and or colored markers and make a card for their grandparents. It will brighten your day as well as theirs.
- Clean out a cluttered closet or junk drawer. Donate the usable items that you do not need to a charity or save them up and hold a yard sale when spring arrives. Children will be interested in this idea if they get to keep the money raised from the items they contribute to the sale.
- Have a dinnertime shuffle. Have each family member sit at someone else’s place and act like that person.
- Take a picnic lunch to work. Include a checkered tablecloth to spread out on a lunchroom table. Also add some colored eggs. Plan a few days ahead and get your coworkers to join in.
- Visit someone in a nursing home or a friend in the hospital. Bring flowers or a balloon to brighten their room.
- On a rainy day put on boots or shoes that can get wet and go splash in the puddles. When you have had enough go inside, dry off and make hot chocolate with marshmallows.
- Roast hot dogs and or marshmallows in the fireplace or wood stove. Talk about your favorite past camping trip or talk about plans for one you can take this summer.
- Get out a favorite board game. Make popcorn or the family’s favorite snack to munch on while playing the game.
- Get out the seed catalogs or go to the local nursery to look at seed that you might like to plant in a few weeks. Plan what you want your garden to look like.
Remember spring is just around the corner. Invest time now in your marriage and family. Then you can begin the new season with healthy relationships.

Loose change date

A count of our loose change totals $17.80. It has been awhile since we have gone on a loose change date!

Loose change is something most people have at least some of laying around. Many people come home at the end of the day and empty their pockets or purse of the loose change. Some days there is more than other days but the pile slowly grows.
We like to go on what we call a loose change date. After counting up all our loose change we then plan what can be done with that amount of money.
Sometimes is only enough to go out for coffee or tea, an ice cream or maybe French fries. Other times we have enough to go thrift store shopping at one or more places. Finding bargains is always something we have a lot of fun doing.
Back when our children were just babies we did a thrift store date. We hit the jackpot and several nice outfits for the children as well as a few other items for them. The total for all items was under $5, just under the amount we had in change. We were patting ourselves on the back for doing so well. Then a problem came when we got in line to pay. The clerk did not want to take a large amount of pennies as payment for our purchases.
Standing there we were at a loss for what items to leave behind. It was too hard to part with any of the items we seen as treasures. It was a busy day at the shop and a line had formed behind us.
Then one person in line offered to buy our pennies. We do not know if he felt sorry for us or was just in a hurry. So we gave him the pennies and he gave us larger coins worth the equivalent in change. We made our purchases and left. He went home with a pocket full of pennies for his change collection.
It is always an adventure when going on a loose change date. Try coming up with your own challenge and have fun. Email us at the address below and tell us about your adventures.
During this down time in our economy we have to find ways to stretch our money, making it go further than we normally do. There are also no cost dates that can be just as fun as ones that can break the bank.
Go for a walk and tell your date what you most admire about them. Discuss what your dream vacation would look like if money were no object. Recall what your most favorite dates have been in the past. There are endless fun and uplifting topics to discuss while on a walk.
Dust off your old tennis rackets or borrow some from a friend. Play a few games at the public courts in town.
Spend and evening at home doing one of the following activities: play card or board games, put a puzzle together, or take turns reading a book out loud to each other. Enjoy each others company.
For more ideas see our March 28, 2008 blog on "Date your mate" and our July 13, 2007 blog on "Romance."

Walnut tree removal

Excavator lifting up walnut tree after it is pushed over.

This last week we had 15 acres of our walnut trees uprooted. Walnuts only last so long and then they have to be replaced. An orchard can be nursed along to a pretty old age, 60 years or more, but the quality and quantity of the nuts will continue to decline to a point where the costs of maintaining the orchard will eat up most of the returns from the crop.
Replacing an orchard is a huge job. Walnuts are large trees and they require big machines to pull them out. We hired a company to do ours. They have a large excavator that is big enough to actually push the trees over. After the trees are pushed, the excavator picks them up, shakes off the dirt and lays them in neat rows. Later, after the uprooted trees have had a chance to dry, they are shredded and the chips sent to a co-generation plant to be used as fuel.
The next step in the process is to remove the roots. Walnuts have big root systems that spread out over a wide area. It is important that as many of the old roots are removed as possible because they harbor plant diseases that will affect the new trees when they are planted. A large bulldozer such as a Caterpillar D8 or D9 with rippers is used for this task. The root pieces brought to the surface by the bulldozer are picked up by hand and removed from the field.
Once the old trees and roots have been removed, the soil must be fumigated to destroy pests and diseases that are in it. We attended a class recently regarding this. It was amazing how many disease organisms were in the soil just waiting to eat the new little trees we need to plant. Soil fumigation is an essential step – walnuts cannot be successfully planted without it.
That is actually a problem these days. State regulations have strictly limited the amount of fumigant that is available for use. This drives up prices and in some cases forces the use of inferior materials. It may even mean we have to wait an extra year before planting new trees.
To properly fumigate the field, the soil must be dry. There are strategies to dry out the soil. One is to plant a grass called Sedan grass. This grass has long roots that pull up moisture from several feet deep in the soil. After it is matured, it can be mowed, bailed and used for animal feed. The fumigation process can be started after the grass is removed.
If everything is properly done, the ground will be ready to receive the new trees. Spring of 2010 will be the soonest we can plant. But more likely it will be spring of 2011.
Looking ahead it will take four or five years to start getting a crop after the new trees are planted. It really is a lot of work and expense to replace an orchard.

Bird mobile

First picture: Single bird with feet. Second picture: Birds on mobile made with pattern found on Internet.

The warm, sunny days that we have been enjoying over the last month or so makes it feel like spring. And springtime is when the birds are busy building nests and laying eggs.
Putting us even more in the mood for spring was our project of building several bird mobiles. They are from another idea we found on the Internet. The web site is at: http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/2008/05/16/bird-mobile/. And the bird pattern is at: http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/birdpattern1-1.pdf. Sewing directions for the birds are with the pattern.
The birds are made out of assorted small print woven fabric. The type a quilter uses is great but just about anything similar will do. Even fabric from a dress or shirt that is no longer worn can be a good candidate for making a bird.
It takes two contrasting fabrics for each bird, one for the top of the body and one for the bottom. Solid colors can be used but prints are more interesting.
These are easy to hand sew. They are also addicting. After we made one bird we were back to the fabric pile we pulled out to find two more coordinating fabrics. And after that one it was back to find two more matches and so on. Before we knew it we had more than a dozen birds.
After making the birds we went out to collect small branch pieces to attach the birds to and make them into mobiles. We used fishing line to tie the branches together. To attach the birds to the mobile we used regular brown sewing thread and that turned into their feet. Some of the birds tended to flop upside down so we added hot glue under each one to give it a better hold on the branch.
So far we have two mobiles complete with six birds each and a few birds left over. A third mobile is probably not far behind. We are donating our mobiles to CareNet Pregnancy Center here in Red Bluff. They will give them away to clients chosen from a monthly drawing.
The mobiles are great for hanging in the window, above a baby crib or even in a child’s room as decoration. Multiple colors are best when using for a babies room as it will keep them more interested.
Individual birds can be given feet with two shank type buttons. This makes them stand on their own. Then they can be placed on a windowsill, table or even in a flower arrangement. But we bet you can’t make just one. It would be like eating just one potato chip.
For an example of a single bird with button feet we will post an additional picture at the blog site listed below. Pictures at the blog site are in color and can be enlarged to see details.
Have fun crafting a few dozen birds. Let us know how they turn out.