Momma Art

I found these two lovely articles of clothing at the thrift store. They were both in great condition. No stains or rips. They seemed fairly unused buuuuuut, the top was not so flattering, and the pants were a bit too big, and just the wrong cut for my body shape.  Do I look like I belong in Saturday Night Fever? That collar! Those white pants! I started by chopping off those three quarter length cuffs and making it into a half sleeve. The collar needed some chopping too! I folded this fabric over twice and hemmed.  (It would be fray-city if I didn't) The front of the top was too big and I decided to dart the front. I put the top on inside out, and pinched the extra fabric. Then I measured, pinned and sewed. The white pants needed to become skinny pants. I measured and pinned, and chopped and sewed. I usually blog about all my success with a re-fashion. However, things happen. These white pants just didn't work...

     I haven't posted here in a while. I do apologize for that but, I've been very busy gettin' my masters degree and being the summer school coordinator/internship for a month. I hope you forgive me? This beautiful dress refashion will make up for it.  I found THE best batik print dress a few months back at Goodwill, and I had to have it!  Alas, the top of the dress was too tight, and the style of the dress was just eh. I was inspired by my friend  Leslie  and I decided to turn it into a lovely skirt. Here's how I did it: I figured out where the skirt fit me with a little wiggle room, and I made a little chalk mark on the inside. Look at that gorgeous print! Then I gave it a good chop following the same curve of the bottom hem. I measured a piece of wide black elastic that fit snuggly but comfortably around my waist. I overlapped and sewed with a zig zag to secure the elastic in a circle.  I ...

I had this old white tank top, and I wanted to spruce it up a bit. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do (like always) but then (like always) it hits me like a truck.... BOOM!...SHIBORI!!! I took a class on Shibori back in March, at the National Art Education Convention, and I thought I could put my new skills to the test.  You can check out that post from NAEA,  HERE . Just recently, with the encouragement of a few of my students, I decided to create a YouTube channel for some of my classroom demos. Shibori fabric dyeing is one of those videos. We did this as a fun end of the year project. In my class we created Shibori techniques with geometric shapes and patterns with the type of folding and binding used.  I am so excited to share one technique with VIDEOS with you, right here on my blog as part of this refashion.  Please subscribe to my channel  RIGHT HERE ! My tank top was ready for a makeover! All clipped up! Lookin' like a centipe...

I saw a skirt that my high school friend Leslie, posted on a popular social media site and I just fell in love with the cut, the print and the way she styled it. Leslie looked so glam, and I had to see if I could make something like that too (imitation is the highest form of flattery). I'm working on something as we speak... We graduated from Lane Technical High School in Chicago in the 90's *cough cough*... not too long ago. I had no idea about her skill of sewing back then, but I was a ditzy teen who thought the world revolved around her. I've heard that's a common trait among teens. LOL! I was so interested in her sewing journey and since I have only just begun, I hope to instill a love of sewing into Olivia just as Leslie's mom has for her, and for Leslie to pass on to her sweet Nola. Here's Leslie's story: I’m the daughter of a seamstress, so I I had no choice but to learn how to sew.  My mother first taught me how to sew by hand when I was m...

Can you believe I have been blogging for two years?  Me either! It's gone by so quickly! I thought I would recap a few things I've created this past year with some photos. Please let me know your thoughts, likes and dislikes. I want to make this blog amazing! Thank you! Thank you! This is my 100th post as well!! Pretty cool!!!  I hope you have enjoyed reading my blogs as much as I enjoy making, creating, and sewing!! Thank you so much to my family, friends, and followers  for all your support and encouragement! See you next time!