Rose-print summer dress (was curtains!)

I love curtains.  There's always loads of fabric with which to create whatever you desire!

So I saw some rose-print curtains in a charity shop and bought them there and then.  Well, you would, wouldn't you?!  The roses were not too big and not too small.

It's summer.  So I knew that a summer dress was the order of the day.  It is loosely based on an existing dress that I adore, but I tweaked it here and there.  I added a waistband to lengthen the dress somewhat - I seem to have a long body!

And because it's cotton, it's very cool to wear.

 

 

I also shortened the shoulder straps because there's nothing worse than having to tame a wayward strap every so often.  It was either that or employ paperclips!

 

 

But after I was happy with the straps, the front of the dress rode up a bit higher than I liked.  So I tamed it with a bit of ruching and a piece of leftover strap.  It gives it more shape too.

As I said - gotta love those curtains!

 

 

 

Next...

 



 

Rosey rosey

It's amazing what you can find through local Facebook selling groups.  I originally bought a different preloved dress to this but was asked if I would like this one too.

Oh yes please!!!

When I got it home I realised that it wasn't shop bought and that somebody had made it with love - which made it even more special in my eyes.  Think of the history of the dress.  Where it's been.  Which little girl twirled around in it.  Love it! 

As it seemed very weddingy I decided to make a clutch bag from it, incorporating the rose decoration too.  If I can find a way to use up the little bits and bobs which make something unique, I will.

I also added a strap.

As there wasn't quite enough fabric to line it as well, I used some preloved sheet for the interior.  I think it goes rather splendidly, don't you?

It was topped off with a matching baby blue zip and - ta-dah! - ready for its first outing!

 

Next...

Roses, roses, roses

Many moons ago I discovered a preloved rose print skirt which I just knew would come in really handy.

In the meantime my daughter decided she wanted to wear it for a year or so.  Which was fine.  I'm patient.  I knew I would get it back at some point!

So the time arrived.  My daughter returned the skirt.

She had already seen the clutch bag I made the other day and wanted something similar to take with her to the wedding tomorrow.

Ta dah!

I added a strap to this one.

 

And lined it with yet more skirt.  There wasn't a lot left over after I'd finished with it!

It's also padded and perfect for that little box of confetti and a lipgloss.

Next...

Embroidered denim bag - or is it a skirt?

I came across a delicious embroidered denim skirt in a charity shop one day - it was too nice to leave there so I brought it home.  I spotted its potential from a mile off!

Of course I immediately thought - bag - but I wasn't quite sure where to start - what with all those thick seams between the gores and everything.

Those roses are quite something, aren't they?

After much humming and harring I eventually figured out that I could cut the skirt between two gores and keep the design relatively straightforward.  I just had to go with what I'd been given on this one!

What I hadn't banked on was that each of those gores not only had a different hem length but they also were different widths!  That had me scratching my head as to how to do that, but I finally identified two sets of mildly equal gores and began cutting the skirt up.

 

The front of the bag lent itself more to a label so I used the three rose panel for the front and the four rose panel for the back.  Sure I could have made two bags (I have enough roses left over to open a florists!) but I wanted this bag to be special.

 

Initially the bottom corners of the bag were pointy but I curved the edges slightly to give it a better shape while still making sure that the rose embroidery wasn't cut into.

While on a different foray into a charity shop I discovered a teal coloured sheet.  It virtually begged me to be used as the lining for a bag.  I love the denim and teal together - must be my new favourite colour combination!

There's even a pocket in there too!

I chose not to add a magnetic snap fastener as the top of the bag is quite narrow anyway due to the constraints of the gores.

Oh, and I needn't have worried about the thick seams on the gores - my needle was fine with them and they virtually disappeared in the end result.

Next...

Grace lunchbags

I have a thing about lunchbags. 

Actually, I have a lot of 'things' about a lot of things!

The reason I made it? 

I couldn't find a lunchbag that would keep a tupperware container up the right way. 

So I made one.

Why a lunchbag?

I take my lunch with me here, there and everywhere.  Being able to do the food on the go is really important to me.  And a bit of floral styling never went amiss either!

So I put the versatility of oilcloth to good use by creating the Grace lunchbag:

The inside has been lined with clear vinyl tablecloth to make it not only easier to clean but also to make it much stronger.

And I've used velcro to fasten the top and sides to keep everything exactly where it should be!

I made this bag for a friend but I can't wait to make one for myself now!

Oh I do love a unique bucket bag!

So I had enough fabric left over from the preloved rose-print skirt to make another bucket bag.

I do like to make unique items so this one has a pink polka dot handle and a fabric flower (magnetic snap) closure.  This handle is softly padded.

The reverse of the bag took another section of the skirt as its focus.

And the base and interior print was from a different black and pink rose-print fabric than before.

It is, as I speak, winging its way to its new owner who I hope has lots of fun with it!

A rose by any other name...

There's something quintessentially English about roses. 

So when I spotted a couple of skirts with rose-prints on I just had to add them to my collection.

I put the two prints together and added a green polka dot to make another bag - I really can't get enough of bags!

I chose the darker fabric to line it and for the base.  I added a pocket too for mobiles, pens, you name it!

It's funny, whenever I make something out of preloved fabric - I just want to keep it!

But I know it's going to a good home!

To the lovely American lady it's destined for - I hope you have as much fun with it as I did making it :)