Im not lazy it's just the time of year...

It's beggining to look a lot like Christmas! I've been really busy, it always happens this time of year! I've made a mouse costume (photos to follow another day), started a self drafted pinafore dress (still needs straps), made Christmas presents (two can be blogged about this week the rest will have to wait) wrapped presents, brought presents, had one mini rant in tkmaxx about consumerism, written lil knitwits Christmas cards (because apparently that's a thing for three year olds now) decorated our house, and various other tasks. Apart from my usual sewing I've also set myself some more mini tasks to get ready for Christmas, today was a choice of making fudge or recovering the chairs, I'd just cleaned the kitchen so the chairs won! 

  

There was nothing particularly awful they were just a bit grubby, mainly from feeding lil knitwits and the time me knitwits decided to stand on one in his boots the cut the garden hedge, let's just say it's a blooming good job I love him otherwise I'd have cut something of his off. 

Nothing too drastic just a clean cover, I used a staple gun given to me by my grandad (mans a legend) and he's said I can keep it (just furthers his legend status) and the fabric was our old bedroom curtains , I walked them in the wash with a bit of bleach to make them whiter. 

The whole job including the screwing stapling and cutting only took about half an hour, and now I don't have to be ashamed of them when we have guests!! 

Much love 

Frankie 

Is it an A? Is it a rocket ship? No actually it isn't..

This is embarrassing, there's nothing worse than the thin line between success and failure, but more in that later! 

Welcome to a first for my blog! A step by step refashion!!! (I'm not calling it a tutorial becuase I think that pretty hard for refashioning, unless you stalk me and find an identical jumper , and identical buttons, and fabric....  You weirdo) 

Anyway I started with this! 

A too small mr Knitwit jumper, in grey in a lightweight knit fabric.

I took out the faux tee shirt thing (let's all just take a moment to giggle about the fact it looks like knickers) 

And removed the buttons! Meh still hideous! 

So I cut a new neckline and stitched on some bias binding. 

Which I then folded back in! This wirks in two ways you get a clean edge and (hopefully) your garment won't fray. 

Voila! There's a little bit if bagging at the neckline but I like the slouchy look! 

Next I channelled my inner old man and decided elbow patches were the way to go. Luckily I have some faux leather ones in my stash so used that as a template for my new ones (using scraps from my mimi blouse fabric) 

I cut interfacing the same size and stitched up up pairs. 

Next I hand stitched them to my elbows on the jumper (it's worth trying on for this, my elbows are not where I thought they were) 

Now I decided I needed a lil something more! 

I folded a peice of paper in half to get a semetrical shape and voila! 

  

I drew the shape on my top using the template and cut a fabric one which I then covered in buttons! And then stitch to the top by hand! 

Please excuse how awful I look , the boys have been poorly and mama is exhausted. 

Now here's my problem , I wanted an Eiffel Tower ! Which I think it looks like! Mr Knitwit however says I'm channeling Alvin from Alvin and the chipmunks and lil Knitwit keeps saying it's a rocket ship! 

What do you think? 

Much love 

Frankie 

Xxx

Hybrid.9 Tshirt Re-Vamp

Does anyone remember the album artwork I did for Hybrid.9?

 

Well I also did a revamp on one of their band t-shirts ages ago, I just hadn't gotten around to blogging about it yet because its always either on my body or in the wash. When I was given my t-shirt it was a size xxl, so it was a lil big! to say the least.

 

 

It was a basic t-shirt shape with the logo on the front and nothing on the back.

 

I started off by browsing Pinterest looking a t-shirt revamps for inspiration. If anybody is looking to get into sewing and fashion and isn't really confident on a sewing machine, I would definitely recommend starting with a t-shirt revamp because so much can be done by just cutting and a little bit of hand sewing!

 

The only request that my sister whos married to a member of the band requested was that I try and keep most of the fabric, I think it was a polite way of saying I don't want my baby sister wandering round with just the logo across her boobs and not a lot else on!

 

This is what it ended up looking like, and I literally got rid of seams that was it!

 

Photos taken by Momma Knitwit in her beautiful garden.

 

I kept the front simple and just cut a slightly lower neck and chopped off the sleeves.

 

 

 And then I sliced and plaited the entire back, I have no idea how I managed it, I know I was worried at one point that they wouldn't reach across but luckily strips of t-shirt stretch when you pull them. The only thing I had to be really careful about was how many strips I cut so I'd have enough for plaiting and none left over. And that meant that I need all the material the back had to offer! Haha Big Sister!

 

 

I used the material from the sleeves to bring the shoulder seams together and I criss crossed all my plaits using the under over method.

 

 

I love it! I usually wear a vest top underneath during the day to keep it a bit more modest and to make sure I don't get any trampy momma comments, But if I'm wearing it too a gig I usually don't bother with the vest top, which works out quite well because it means I have my own ventilation system for hot and sweaty gig rooms!

 

All in all it one of my best revamps! But it was really nerve racking to do! mainly because my brother in law (who's in the band) was nice enough to give me the t-shirt for free. So I definitely didn't want to screw up!

 

But I think its cool enough and rock and roll enough! And you can see the logo!

 

Much Love

 

And Rock On!

 

Frankie

 

xxx

Gotta Catch Em All!

Sometimes I do something impulsive and immature. In fact I do a lot of things impulsively or immaturely and sometimes I do both. I think it makes me adorable, a lil crazy but definitely adorable! 

 

Anyway if there one thing I love its Pokemon, well not Pokemon . Just Pikachu.

 

 

And if you don't fins his adorable then I'm sorry but you might not have a soul!

 

So one morning I decided (probably in an exhausted haze of creativity) to remake a purse.

 

 

This purse is actually from the same place as my moustache bag. I think when things are cheap I just buy buy buy. Oh well at least I'm getting use out of them!

 

 

I have used it a handful of times since buying it, but it always seemed a bit grown up for me. Plus I already have a good beige bag and a good brown bag and to be honest I don't actually wear that must brown in my wardrobe anyway.

 

 

I started by painted it white, I should have sprayed it but the exhausted haze of creativity waits for no man, or spray can.

 

 

Top tip: if you do ever up cycle a purse, stuff it with rags or news paper makes it so much easier to paint.

 

 

 After a while I also cut of the strap this was going to be a very special purse and I didn't want to spoil it by hiding it under my arm.

 

 

I ended up doing about four coats of paint , and then...... Pikachu happened!

 

 

I've been lusting after Pikachu accessories on Pinterest for so long now! I just had to have something!

 

 

I just used standard acrylic paint for the colour, I did use felt tips at first and although the colour stayed put I didn't like that it was so wishy washy colour wise! Anime/Manga artwork always pops!

 

 

I had a little more room to play around with on the back so I really went to town!

 

 

And in my opinion it turned out a lil better than the front, I think I might be carrying this clutch around backwards!

 

 

Love the Pokeball, doesn't it kind of remind you of the art deco era?

 

 

I'm definitely getting into the unusual purse frame of mind! I'm starting to get quite the collection of unusual bags! I have my American number plate bag, my moustache bag (up cycled by me), my coffin bag and now my Pikachu bag (Up cycled by me)

 

 

So do it love it? - Ummmmmmm YES!!!! It's fun and free and fancy! And so young!

Is it practical? - Ha! Probably not! The colours might fade/run, but by the time I've worn it out I think I might be a little bit to mature for it! (that or I'll just make a new one!)

Can I get away with it? - I dunno? I suppose that just depends on the opinions of the person looking at me, but will I care? No definitely not!

 

Ever made/worn something crazy? That the rest of the world probably hated?

 

Much Love

 

Frankie

 

xxx