Sewing Projects: Clothing I’ve Recently Chopped, Tailored & Changed

One of the benefits of having a wardrobe that is mostly secondhand is that it’s easier to justify cutting it up. If I had paid full price for a dress, I’d think a lot more before hacking into the hem. However, if I thrifted it… bring on the scissors!

Here are a few items of clothing that have recently hit my ‘Sewing Projects’ pile.

Caftan —-> Shirt

Back in 2020, I purchased this gorgeous caftan off of etsy from a company that hand tie dyes clothing in Bali. As much as I loved it as a Mrs. Roper muumuu when swanning through the house during the pandemic, it wasn’t getting much use over the years. And I LOVED the fabric, neckline and tie dye, so that was a shame.

One day I decided to chop it into a top – within 10 minutes, I had grabbed the scissors, chopped it down, and ironed on a hem. And just like that, the caftan went from being unworn shoved in the back of my swimsuit drawer, to being one of my most frequently worn tops of the summer!

Linen Dress —-> Shirt

I thrifted this linen dress for $7, even though I HATED the color and the shapelessness of the fit. I did love the linen fabric and the neckline though, so I dyed it a rich green, chopped off the length, sewed up the pockets and hemmed the bottom with iron on hem tape.

I absolutely love this as a top now and it looks nice with pretty much everything in my closet.

Oversized Green Floral Shirt —-> More Fitted Cropped Shirt

I thrifted this fern top in Tuscan and it was quite oversized on me (I think it was maybe 2 sizes larger than my normal). It looked fine tucked into skirts, but the armholes were large enough you could glimpse my bra and the body of the shirt was wider than I like for pairing with shorts.

I kept going back and forth on whether to re-donate it, when I decided to give it a last chance makeover. I took the sides of the shirt in by a couple inches, which also closed the armholes a bit. I also cut off some of the length and sewed it a new hem. Now it fits so much better and it’s kind of cropped perfection with a pair of denim shorts!

Embroidered shirt —-> Pillow

I loved the embroidery on this shirt, but I just could not make it work on my body. However, inspiration hit when I was staring at it because the fluffy side pleats looked kind of like pillow ruffles. I cut it apart, sewed on a new back from my fabric stash, stuffed it… and boom, look at this beautiful little pillow!

Workcation in Naples, Florida: My Remote Work + Vacation Combo

One of the perks of my new job (okay, not that new, I’ve been there since October 2024) is that I get to work remotely most days. This summer, we decided to take full advantage of that flexibility and head back to a VRBO we previously enjoyed in North Naples, Florida.

We flew down on a Wednesday evening, right after I wrapped up my workday. My plan was simple: log in from the house for two days, enjoy the Florida sunshine from my laptop, and then roll straight into a vacation. The house has its own pool and hot tub, complete with a lanai, so I could set up my workspace in the kitchen overlooking the pool. While I worked, Travis and Jack lived their best pool life, hopping in and out of the water all day long.

By knocking out two full workdays remotely, I only had to take two additional days off to stretch a long weekend into a full week of Florida sun. We flew home early the next Wednesday, and I was logged back in that morning. So yeah, I’m loving the work/life balance!

What We Did:

When I say we had the laziest vacation ever, I mean it. Most days we alternated between reading on the couch (me and Travis), playing video games from a bed nest (Jack), checking out the local thrift stores, eating all the food, going in and out of the pool, and walking along the nearby beach. One night, we enjoyed both a rainbow AND a sunset at the Delnor-Wiggins beach.

Where We Ate:

We revisited: Turco Tacos, Michaelbobs BBQ and Kilwins for ice cream. New places we enjoyed: Steamers Seafood, Mystic Lobster Roll Company, and Naples Brunch Restaurant.

Where We Shopped:

Most of our thrifting luck was had at the nearby Goodwill locations. However, I also found a couple fabulous scores at the St. John’s Shoppe consignment store.

I barely changed out of my swimsuit all week and it was PERFECT. I actually ended the week feeling rested and refreshed!

Back to School: 4 Tips to Make Your Life Easier

Source: Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash

It’s that time of year again – we just received our class assignments and school supplies lists for the upcoming year. We don’t go back to class until after Labor Day, but according to my social media timelines some kids are already starting to head back!

Here are a few of my tips to help make the back-to-school craziness go a little bit smoother:

Tip #1: School Supplies Upgrade

Order these labels and stick them on EVERYTHING: Avery Durable Labels.

I’ve been using them for years on school supplies, lunch boxes, water
bottles, plastic containers, ice packs, etc. They are dishwasher safe and hold
up really well after dozens and dozens of washes. I even have a water bottle
from 3 years ago that STILL has the label on it with Jack’s name. These things are invaluable, so keep a pack on hand!

Tip #2: Throw in a Load of Laundry

Hunt down the backpack and lunchboxes your kiddo(s) used last year, throw them in the washing machine and wash them on cold (add a few towels so you don’t waste any space). Then, let them hang dry so that they’re all ready for the coming year. Even if you bought a brand-new lunchbox and backpack, DO THIS ANYWAYS with the old ones. That way when a container of peaches opens up inside their lunch bag and makes everything sticky, you’re prepared with a backup until the new one is clean again. If you have a hard lunchbox (rather than the squishy kind), stick it in the dishwasher for a nice back-to-school bath.

Tip #3: Reintroduce Shoes

If your kid is like mine, they’ve been wearing sandals, flip flops, or crocs
all summer long. However, at our school it is required to wear sneakers on PE days. Well, Jack hasn’t put on socks and sneakers in months, so each August I have him try on his sneakers to make sure he hasn’t grown out of them.

Flow Chart 1: If they’re too small, you now have a couple weeks to
find a new pair. Find them, buy them, start wearing them to break them in so they are ready to be worn for a full school day.

Flow Chart 2: If they still fit, reintroduce shoes and socks to your kid.
According to Jack, socks are evil and so hard to put on after three months. So, we start wearing them sparingly before school starts to get the whining out of the way early.

Tip #4: Do a Clothing Fashion Show

Yes, I know it’s still 90 degrees in Maryland. However, when you realize
your kid grew out of all their pants and long sleeves it will be cold outside
and you’ll be stuck sending your kid to school in capris. Do a quick try-on of
pants, long sleeves and jackets so that you have a couple months to hunt out
sales and gather what you need.

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