Saving More Money

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I made myself 5 simple A-line, elastic waist skirts. These, mixed and matched with solid tanks, t's, and cardigans, make it easy to get dressed in the mornings. Keeping my legs shaved? Not so easy.

I took the wardrobe pledge again, for 6 months this time.

On the list (in the pile):

• silk blouse (alter it from size 3x to medium)
• re-fashion 2 messenger bags and 2 totes ("gifts" from text book publishers)
• make some light weight walking shorts
• change a long sleeve t into a cardigan
• A new skirt out the the kid's old jeans

I love summer clothes, the real wardrobe challenge starts with the new school year and cooler weather.

If You're Ever In Cambridge, MA

and you've made a commitment to not buying new, factory made clothing, this is a good resource. If you want once-in-a-lifetime bargains, stay downstairs. If you want a department store-like shopping experience, go upstairs. Upstairs, all the garments are organized by type and hung by size. When I was there, prices ranged from approximately $5 to $25. And you can try stuff on.



If you stay downstairs, you will notice a costume shop on the right. I stayed away from this part. On your left and in the back is a big, purple room that looks like this. Here you fill your bag with items. When you're done, your bag is weighed, and you pay by the pound.

You have to get down on the floor, crawl around, and dig. And dig. I spent about an hour and $11. I found:

3 funky t shirts
a bathing suit
a 100% wool cardigan with embroidery and shell buttons
a beany
linen trousers
a purple top with elephant designs
a turtle neck sweater
a fleecey jacket

It was so much fun. And I would have bought more if I were feeling more courageous.

New Cardigan

I had these two worn out, threadbare, moth eaten tshirts,



and I loved them.



I thought I'd try to make a single, striped shirt out of the two.



So I put one inside the other, drew chalk lines every 2 inches, pinned, sewed along the lines, and snipped out stripes.



But I didn't really like it. I cut down the middle and finished the edges.



I'm very happy with my work. And no one else has one like it!

I enjoy making bags. Quality of life improves when you can contain your stuff. And if your stuff is contained, you are likely to have less of it.

This potato sack came into my life before we made the change to organic. It's purple and plastic. I just had to make a puple plastic purse. (Anybody else love Lilly and the Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes? I'd link, but I still don't know how to cut and paste w/out a mouse.)



Here is the inside. I made a lining with muslin, and added some colorful pockets.



A casing, a drawstring, and a strip to cover the label. There you go.



I also added a lining and pockets to...



A rice bag.



No tutorials, I just keep working until everything looks right. And I rarely do the same thing twice. Those bags became birthday presents to two deserving 20 somethings.

From an Old Sheet

I bought a sheet from the second hand shop for 50 cents. From the sheet I made, kitchen curtains jammie pants, and this bag. The bag was a birthday present for a friend.



I also made this bag out of a fat quarter from the fabric store. I almost never work with yellow.



I cut the scraps up into strips and squares, ready for future projects.

Another Something For Me

I took the trim off an old pair of flip flops. They were so worn out that my feet hurt. But they have great sentimental value to me. So I saved part of them hoping to find a use.



I found a use. It's and iPhone bag. The lining is leftover fabric from jammies. There are pockets on the outside and the inside for debit cards, the licence, and such. All it needs now is a ring to attach the car keys to. It's my new purse!

A Scrappy Project

The Friday before school started, I was tasked with sorting through the possessions of a retiring teacher whose classroom I had inherited. All I will say about this is that there were piles and piles and piles, and the custodians and I were utterly overwhelmed with the volume of stuff I had no use for.

My principal helped out when she could, so did friends and the assistant assigned to my room. When it was time to leave for the day, I told my boss I was taking the weekend off, even though there was more work to do before kids came back. She said,
"Good for you! Make sure you do something for yourself this weekend."

So I did. I made a cover for my planbook.




It's a fitted, sleeve kind of cover.




With pockets on the inside for pencils, pens, and notes.




Made of patches and strips from my collection, and leftovers from recent projects.



I love it when my skirt matches my planbook!

Lucky Find

This vintage pattern and fabric waited for me at a church sale. The fabric provided enough for a skirt and this dress (the sleeveless version). I will make the dress next spring. I made, wore, and put away the skirt already.

Pajama Management

The dog needs to do his business right around 5 AM. I don't make the kid walk him, because he needs sleep more than I do. I roll out of bed, slip on some flip flops (or boots, depending on the weather), and walk the dog. Since rolling out of bed is the best I can do at 5 AM, I always make sure I have proper coverage before I go to sleep.

Recently, I went a step beyond proper coverage and made myself some decent jammie pants. There are 3 full length, 1 capris, and 2 shorts.


I put in special feature, like cuffs!



And tags in back! So I can tell how they go on.



Depending on the weather, I mix and match them with tanks, t shirts, or sweat shirts.
And best of all? They are pretty and they fit.

Next up? Fleecey jammie bottoms for the whole family.

School Bag

We are always receiving promotional items from textbook companies. A couple of years ago, when we were deciding on a new math series, the companies tried to out-do each other. My favorite was the company who "set" the tables for the big meeting with water bottles, chocolate bars, lunch boxes, and a tote bag. I still use the lunch box as a back up.

A company that was promoting a series on nutrition sent me some materials packed in this messenger bag. There was a logo on the flap, a big, ugly orange and yellow logo. I covered it up with a black sharpie.



And then I covered that up with a bitchin' sunflower patch. Now, I happily carry my bag to and from school, even if I don't have any homework.



(Yes, that's my new grown-up teacher chair with wheels. And I got to pick out my new desk... it's a 1950's blond wood one that does not squeak when I write! I love, love, love my new desk and chair.)

Cut The Crap

I bought these capris at the local 2nd hand shop for $2. I bought them because they were cheap, they fit (2 sizes smaller than last summer! Yay!), and I have this thing for green pants. I own 4 pairs, and I have the fabric to make another (as soon as I find a good pattern for side zip trousers).

These particular pants, though, had lots of extraneous stuff hanging from them...zipper pulls, cords, straps, d rings...

So I cut them off with a pair of scissors. I kept everything, just in case I find a need for it later (who knows?). I was thinking about ripping some of the pockets off, but couldn't without leaving a mark. There are 8 (!) pockets. You know what though? I got addicted to them.

I love my new pants.