Frugal Sewing - Clearance Re-fitting

 Seeing children's clothing - little girlie stuff in particular - is a grave temptation for me. I'd be afraid to total up some of my eBay sprees when Nana's Kiddies started coming along. With 7 little 'kids' - all 7 and under - I have quite the stable of little lambs for whom to buy.

As has been said, "necessity is the mother of invention", so I have found some solutions to my short on cash conundrum.

Buy off season clearance 

and do alterations!

I found this cute little number on sale for $5.00 and decided to alter it for warmer weather. This eliminates buying ahead and taking a chance on not gauging sizes correctly.

ALTERATION:

Then I simply folded the long sleeve over (using a short-sleeved top as a guide for the proper length) and cut off the extra. I then cut off the cuff from the bottom and pinned it to my shortened sleeve. Since the upper sleeve is wider than the bottom cuff, I created a little 'tuck' to allow for the difference. Now it was ready to sew and I wound up with a cute, cuffed short sleeve.

                                                                                FUN STUFF:

So I admit it, I'm one of those non-girly girls who doesn't wear makeup and wanders around my domicile in bare feet and a jersey dress most of the time - but when it comes to my granddaughters, there isn't a ruffle or a tutu that I can resist.

It all started when our first little granddaughter, Abby, turned two and I bought her two little dance leotards with tutus attached. I just fell in love with that waddley little butt and the spontaneous attempts at leaps she regaled us with!

Warning for the future - Abby, Nana has video!

I just 'happened' to have some left over tulle, so I measured out 5" x 6 times the width of the skirt. Yes, it takes a LOT of tulle to have the desired effect! Next, I stitched two rows of stitches to create the ruffled effect (you will pull on the thread to create the gathers). Due to the width of my tulle - about 42" - it took 6 separate pieces to get the necessary fullness. I didn't stitch them together, but simply used them separately - end to end (note: tulle is a pain in widths wider than 42" or so).

Now simply stitch the gathered tulle in place and your tutu skirt will be complete!















Now, find a willing model and check out your frilly-thrilly tutu outfit that will elicit giggles all around!







The finished product is suitable for playtime and at just $5 is quite the deal. Plus it fulfills the need for frills and giggles and dancing little lambs!


Such fun! I love being a Nana (and a stay at home Mom for the second time around!