Recycled Denim - So Very Vero!

As you know, I love thrift store shopping. When I see the clothes on the rack I am mostly envisioning how I can cut something up and transform it into something else. That's especially true with jeans and denim of every type. I made these bags with a jeans pocket, cute fabric, and even a denim top. They are so cute! I sold several of these to my friends. I used vintage junk jewelry and even silk flowers on some of my bags. They are lined with coordinating fabric. These would make great Christmas gifts along with my Texas scarves. By the way, I just bought a denim dress at the thrift shop. I'm trying to decide what to do with it. Do I embellish it? Do I shorten it and turn it into a cute jacket? Not sure yet. I'm sure inspiration will come to me soon. Oh, and you wouldn't believe what I'm planning to do with a recycled denim shirt. Inspiration came to me while watching a cooking show. You'll have to wait until I finish.

So much to embellish and so little time...

Thrifted Treasures

One activity I really enjoy is thrifting (shopping at resale and thrift shops). I go to my local shop once a month or so. These are a few of the treasures that I have found. It doesn't hurt also that I have a friend who volunteers at the thrift shop and buys me lovely things (she gave me the cups).

I love to collect milk glass, interesting glass bottles, cool accessories, vintage pottery wear dishes, and anything vintage. I also look for vintage fabrics and sewing patterns, yarns, designer and one-of-a-kind outfits, and anything denim. Today I had an outstanding thrifting day. I bought vintage felt scraps, 2 classic movies, a milk glass piece, 2 decorative chain belts, a denim dress, and 5 Metlox dishes from 1968 (a super bargain!). What a joy for just $22 total! If you haven't tried resale shops or thrift shops before this is your chance to start and save lots of money. I get all sorts of complements when I wear outfits from the thrift shop. Also, I love to buy interesting denim pieces and embellish them or cut them up and make other things. You can see some examples of these on my website. Well, what are you waiting for? Go to your local thrift shop and go out and live the embellished life!

Longing for Cooler Weather...

My Texas scarf

Wrap it around your neck a few times

Use coordinating decorative yarns and a large crochet needle

Close up - it's only a chain stitch!

Make a whole bunch of them!

I live in southeast Texas and our summers are brutal - usually close to 100 degrees and 100% humidity. Summer seems to last from May thru November. I really long for cooler weather around this time of year. Sometime last year I came up with the idea of making a Texas scarf for our not so cool winters. It's so easy to make. In fact, I made a whole bunch of them. You need 3 or 4 different coordinating yarns and a large crochet hook. For my sample above, I used only 3 yarns, including a ribbon yarn. Holding all yards together, leave about a 6 inch tail and make a knot. Chain stitch to your heart's content till you have a chain about 80 inches long - or however long you want it to be to go around your neck a few times. When done, make another knot and leave a 6 inch tail. It's that simple. If you want the tails to be fluffier then you can make two skinny tassels and tie them to each end. Then you're done! They take less than 10 minutes to make. They look great layered together if you live in cooler weather. What an inexpensive gift also. So dig up your favorite decorative yarns, you know, the ones you haven't done anything with yet because it's too time consuming to knit or crochet anything elaborate. Make yourself one of these lovelies and go out and life the embellished life!

I'm back!!

I'm back blogging again after such a long time. Such much has happened. Rest assured, though, I have been living the embellished life. A very busy job and a kitchen remodel job got in the way for a while. Here's a picture of some of the things that I've been up to. I still love thrifting and recycling. I'll try to post something weekly and keep you posted on what I'm working on.

A black and white bag

 

So here is the black and white bag that I made for my friend. I just love the fabric! It measures 17" wide, 12" tall, and 5" deep. I used metal rings to accent the handles. The inside has lots of pockets which she really wanted. I used decorator weight fabric and interfaced the outer fabric to give the bag body. I made a second bag which I am really tempted to keep but I plan to sell it. I did order 2 more yards of the floral fabric which actually turned into 7 yards total of various other fabrics so that I could get free shipping. I guess I better get busy making more bags. Next, pictures of the belts I have been making. I also have to get busy making things to sell at my home boutique in November. So much to do and so much fun doing it! Now go out and live the embellished life!

Inspired by Amy Karol's book "Bend the Rules Sewing"

 

Here is my version of the clutch purse on the cover of Amy Karol's book "Bend the Rules Sewing" which I saw on her blog. I used Chinese brocade and embellished it with one of my ribbon roses. It was so easy to make. I designed my own pattern, of course, which is basically two rectangles for the outer and lining fabrics. I purposely pressed the lining so that it would show on the outside of the bag. It didn't take long at all to make. Lately I really think that I should be making things that take one hour or less to finish. I love instant gratification when it comes to creating with fabric. I have so many ideas that it's hard for me to focus on a longer project. To think that I used to spend weeks working on a quilt. What patience! I think smaller projects are better for now. Next project - a bag for my friend. She wants black and white fabrics. I love black and white! Now go out and live the embellished life!

Sewing Tools I Couldn't Live Without

It's taken me a long time but I have accumulated a lot of tools that I consider essential in my sewing studio. I'll list a few here.
-rotary cutter and cutting mat. I hardly ever use my good scissors any more. I have several in different sizes.
-acrylic rulers - 2.5" square, 9.5" square, 12.5" square, 6" x 12" and 6" by 24"
-heavy duty scissors that look like pruners to cut up recycled jeans - a must if you recycle denim
-measuring tape
-long pins - I can see them better
-craft scissors so you don't ruin your good scissors

There's also sewing equipment I couldn't live without but that's for another time. Let me know what sewing tools you can't live without. Now go live the embellished life!