Reconstruct Your Old Clothing (part 2)

In continuation of last week's Part 1 involving reconstructing shirts and such, Part 2 focuses on sweaters. Some of these projects I found are so cool, I'm kind of tempted to scour Goodwill and other second-hand stores for high quality fibered sweaters, but that would defeat the purpose of me purging my closet and getting rid of stuff. Sometimes, the internet is not good for me.

Alpaca Wool Sweater Handbag, via The Inadvertent Farmer

Reconstruct Your Old Clothing (part 1)

I've been purging out my closet lately to make room for new clothes (and to generally get rid of stuff that I haven't worn for years and probably never will wear again). After awhile, I started feeling wasteful, wondering why I bought all this stuff only to not wear them?? If only I could scold Jen-of-the-past and tell her to stop shopping. Then I decided to check out the internet for ideas to revamp all my stuff. Boy, did I find a lot of stuff...

DIY t-shirt tutorials:

Petal Tees Tutorial, via Ruffles and Stuff

Featured: Julie and Co.

I won a temari ball from Julie and Co. awhile ago and loved it so much that I wanted to share her talents with everyone! Not only did it come in a cute takeout box, Julie also included a little explanation of the origin of temari. From her note:

"Temari is an ancient folk art form originating in China and later introduced to Japan by traveling Chinese monks. First crafted as a child's toy from remnants of old silk kimonos, temari evolved into an art form adopted by noble women in Japan's imperial society and handed down from mother to daughter..."

Isn't this just amazing?!?! This is the Starry Night ball that I won from Julie! The takeout box packaging is the perfect finishing touch.

Name: Julie
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Shops: http://www.etsy.com/shop/julieandco, http://www.etsy.com/shop/julieandco2
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/julieandco.etsy

fractal blue - hand embroidered japanese temari

Tell me a little about yourself.
I am married to a wonderful man (nearly 27 years of marriage!) and mama to four gorgeous and sweet daughters and now a son-in-law. I have been sewing and crafting since I was a teenager and love to try new things. I knit, crochet, sew, stitch, embroider, bake, cook, homeschool, read, laugh, serve, pray, and love life.

filigree

Featured Shop: Half Stitched (+ Sale Coupon!)

Fall Push Pin Set

I own some fun and colorful fabrics from Half Stitched's shop so I wanted to share my finds with you. Here's what I got. I'm thinking of making some oven mitts or other kitchen-related items with it. I'll post up pictures when I do!

My stash :)

Name: Alician
Location: Huntsville, TX
Website: http://halfstitched.com
Shop: http://halfstitched.etsy.com, http://theselvedgeyard.etsy.com
Blog: http://halfstitched.com/blog

Moondance Push Pin Variety Pack

Tell me a little about yourself.
I was previously a retail manager at a popular home goods store. I decided to return to school a little over a year ago to finish my degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology. I will graduate this May and plan to attend graduate school. I started sewing about 4 years ago when my mother bought me a sewing machine. She helped me out with my first sewing project and then I was on my own, so I am mostly self taught. I also love cross stitching, knitting, and crochet (my newest endeavor). I originally started Half Stitched with the intention of selling cross stitched patterns (thus the name half stitched) but have yet to list a pattern (the name also comes from my not finishing projects that I start ;)