Sewing: Refabrication: Value-added Custom T-Shirts

I made some fun t-shirts for the ten year old. Or, to be precise, I added some iron-on transfers to store-bought $3 t-shirts which I customized for her style.

One t-shirt got a scalloped hemline plus some photo pile-like arrangement of pictures (iron-on t-shirt transfer) from her recent trip to Winston Wildlife Safari, Humboldt Redwoods, Golden Gate Bridge, Monterey Bay Aquarium and such.

One white t-shirt was partially dyed blue to evoke a feeling of flowing water in which I ironed on some pictures from our recent trip to Monterey Bay Aquarium.

One t-shirt got an angular and slightly asymmetrical hemline, to which I added cute picture of her pets - cat and guinea pig - with the words, "Make new friends but keep the old; One is silver and the other's gold."

And her favorite is this white one with a picture of the cake pops that she had made a couple of years ago; the special feature being the fringe hemline and sleeves that I added. Coupled with white capris, this t-shirt has become her favorite outfit of late.

Sewing: Refabrication: Flags T-Shirt

The shirt front has flags of 6 Russian oblasts, krais and republics; the back of the shirt has 6 German Bundesländer flags.

The youngest was into studying administrative divisions of various countries and wanted badly to have shirts with flag of his choice.

Simple iron-on transfer, no fuss, no mess.

Sewing: Upcycle Adult Skirt to Girls Asymmetrical Hem Dress

On a whim while shopping with a friend over a decade ago, I had bought this skirt with a sort of tiger-like print as I liked the flow and the style. I wore that skirt about thrice in the last decade as it was not exactly my style, the print at least. But I didn't have the heart to give it away as I thought I could reverse engineer and learn how it was made.

I really liked the design of the skirt - flowing lines, asymmetrical hem, a little detail at the front that gives the illusion of layers... but, after a decade of no reverse engineering, it seemed like it was ready to go.

My daughter, however, wouldn't let it go. Her heart was set on it as she loves that print.

So, I upcyled this old skirt into a nice dress/tops for her to wear over capri shorts or Bermuda or biker shorts, or even leggings. It has all the hallmarks of being a favorite and most-worn dress in the near future.

Sewing: Up-cycled dresses for girls from adult tunics (kurtas, kurtis)

A few of my old tunics from India - kurtas and kurtis and kameez - were collecting cobweb as I don't fancy those colors or patterns anymore, opting for a more sober brown/black/navy palette for my everyday wear as well as work wear.

They were perfect candidates for up-cycling into little girls' dresses. The colors which were my rejects just happen to be my daughter's favorites. So, when my mom visited lasted year, she turned these old one-size-fits all adult kurtas/kurtis (tunics) of mine to a few dresses for the little girl by chopping and trimming and adding her unique style.

I love how each turned out differently!

Flowing halter-tie maxi dress - the tiny lilac calico print is the main attraction

Calf-length tie-back dress from a really old kameez my mom gave up wearing.

A similar one from another old kurta- a lilac print that I used to like... makes a really nice tie back free flow dress.

Skirt and tops set made from a large kameez that I never wore often enough to warrant keeping.

Sewing: Old-fashioned pieced long skirt

With all the scraps from quilt cottons and sarees, my mom decided to make this gorgeous full skirt for the 8 year old.

It turned out perfect for her pioneer peasant girl costume for her school play, when paired with the peasant tops I had made for her a couple of years ago; plus the apron and bonnet I quickly sewed the weekend before the play.

A uniquely lovely skirt that brings a certain vintage charm to her wardrobe.

Sewing: Wrap-around Double-tie Sarong-style Thai Pants

About 8 years ago was the first time I wore genuine Thai pants - at least it came from Thailand - and loved the pattern very much even if it doesn't flatter my frame much despite deftly wrapping the lower body in elegant fabric.

And since then, I've worn those pants only a few times a year, not because I don't like them, but because the style I was given is hard to put on - it is a double-tie wrap-around sarong-style pants. Ties are such that one fastens in the front and one ties in the back, and together they cover the legs in that elegant way that loose pantaloons tend to, but provide the elegance of a wrap-around.

Why not more often? Well, using the bathroom always turned out more of a challenge than I wanted it to be. Although that can be handled by smartly wrapping the front over the back and tying it in the back first, then tying up the front. And even then, the weather here is so cold that I have to wear leggings underneath and that poses a whole new level of challenge to use the bathroom.

However, I love the style as it is so simple to sew. So, this summer, I sewed one for my 7 year old. Only, rather than ties, I used hook-and-loop fasteners so she doesn't have to fumble with the ties.

And I got to recycle an old dupatta (shawl) that was part of a Salwar-Kameez outfit, that I wasn't using anymore.

It is not quite the loose pants with a tie that is popularly known as Thai Fisherman Pants, but a wrap-around one; but it was easy to sew with some reverse engineering to extract a reusable pattern.

And, the peasant tops she is sporting in the picture below is also recycled salwar, sewn a few summers ago.