Buzzmills: Recycled/Upcycled projects

04/24/2013

KCW Day Three, More Knits, and I lied...

I lied a little bit yesterday when I said I didn't mind the mess! Ha,ha,ha. I thought I didn't mind it, but I do. Well, maybe it was the fact that my husband was coming back from a business trip today...none the less, I had to take some time to straighten up, do some laundry, cut the grass you know...

And so today, just more knits...another cardi for VioletThis crazy Spring weather has us so confused and after several cool days, it was super warm today, so Violet wasn't really into getting pictures taken in it, mostly because she didn't want to take off her fish dress, she was so excited to be able to wear it today. But, she is quite happy with it!

And for Henry and awesome upcycled Flashback Skinny Tee... I've been wanting to use this shirt for a while now, just never got around to it. I love it, totally awesome, I think so anyway. I only wish I made it too big (I think), a size 4T instead of size 3T, so that we would get more use out of it. Oh well. Anyway, Henry loves it too. He thinks it's hilarious. Hilarious that he has a moustache and beard on his shirt! And when he takes it off, "it's like I shaved", ha, ha, ha, yes it is Henry! And, just in case you aren't familiar with those silhouettes... Yeah, only thing...he's not busting any myths about boys here, he's such a boy!

That's it, end of day three!

Posted at 06:11 PM in KCWC 2012, Recycled/Upcycled projects, Sewing | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

04/23/2013

KCW Day Two, a Cardi and a Star Car...

Alright, so day two of KCW brings a mess of a house (it's always nice when my husband is out of town during KCW, makes me feel less guilty about the mess), a sick kiddo and the power went out just as I was sitting down to sew (thankfully that only lasted about an hour). The mess I can work around, the sick kiddo...well, that's harder to work around, especially when the other one is a ball of energy! Ack!

Anywho...so, today I started with a knit cropped cardigan. Violet has two of these types of shirts, both given to her and both pink. She loves them! The reason she loves them? Because they are shorter and more open than your regular cardigan and that way "you can see my shirt or dress more!". This project had actually been on my to do list since about Easter. I used a tee from my upcycle stash and a bit of jersey knit I inherited along with Rae's Flashback skinny tee pattern... I shortened the sleeves, cutting at the 2" cuff line, then I sewed up 4" from the bottom of the sleeve along the top center line of the sleeve with elastic thread to add a bit of runching. I hemmed the sleeve after runching. I snipped up the center in the front, folded the neck and cardigan opening in toward the wrong side about 1/4" and sewed around with a double needle. I added elastic and a button. This is one of those shirts that doesn't photograph well, or the photos don't really do it justice. It's definitely not perfect. The hemming is wonky. It was kind of a pain in the you know what to sew because the knits were so flimsy, slippery and soft. I made it as a "prototype" of sorts with plans to make more (there will be more!). But, despite it's imperfections, I am in love with this shirt! It's yellow, Violet has some serious love for yellow right now, (me too, it must be Spring) and it's perfect.

Yes that is a kitty litter container in our back yard...sorry I just wanted to show the back, that's all...and no the kitty litter container is not trash...it's part of our outdoor drum set (hmmm, maybe I should paint it or cover it with fabric or something...)

It's one of those shirts that when it's not on the body you made it for it looks a bit blah, but when it's worn it has a light of it's own! I think so anyway, but maybe it was just this little girl's sunny smiling face. (How did she get to be so big?!) And, not to be left out, Henry got a little something today too. Last week I spent a couple of days making appliqued shirts for GALA where I sell some of my things...

After making this car shirt for the second time I realized that I still had not made Henry one of his own. With his love of cars (well anything that moves really) it didn't seem fair that he not have one of his own. So today I added a blue star car (hey that rhymes!) to one of his shirts. He wasn't quite ready to put it on today, but is excited about wearing it tomorrow!

I really like the way it turned out, but ten minutes after I finished it, I was going through a bag of hand me down clothes that a friend of ours had given us for Henry and what was inside?...The original car shirt! Ha, ha, ha...it is nice to give handmade clothes and then have them handed down to you when they no longer fit! I should have spent my time making him a lion shirt instead I guess, eh, two car shirts, there are worse things...besides, I promised Violet I would make her a lion shirt.

Until tomorrow...oh and don't forget to check out the KCW Flickr group.

Posted at 10:13 PM in KCWC 2012, Recycled/Upcycled projects, Sewing | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

04/22/2013

Happy Earth Day, and KCW day one...

Alrighty, so today is a big day...Earth Day and day one of KCW and somehow we managed to get in a lot of beautiful outside time, a recycled craft and an upcycled outfit!

Where to begin?

First, we painted some egg cartons. I cut the egg cartons into flower shapes yesterday and then we painted them with watercolors this morning. Once they were dry I strung them up to our ever present stick with butcher's twine. Violet wanted to bring back the birds, which we may do in a month or so, but for now I'm really liking the crafty flowers. (ps. check out some of the other things we've hung from our sticks here.)

Next, we left the beginning of my KCW day one project on pause... And headed out for a hike through the woods... Which also included a bonus bulldozer (ok, that's probably not what it's called, but that's what I call it...) digging and planting a tree! A fairy "construction sight", fiddle fern, and a mini library... After the hike, we found some tulips! And then it was time to finish my KCW project...an old button down of daddy's... Snipped across just under the arms, with a Geranium top for the top I actually squared the top off, you can see where I drew my line for that above. Here's the result...
Violet loves that it's one of daddy's old shirts. She chose which shirt she wanted (we have a few) and then helped me to choose the top fabric as well. Once she saw the fish, it was decided! I've had the fish fabric, Heather Ross Mendocino, since Violet was a baby. I bought it back before I really even knew who Heather Ross was and before I knew that I needed to hoard her fabric because it's hard to find once you use it all. I used the majority of the fabric in a little car seat quilt I made for a friend.I used the rest of the shirt placket that didn't get used in the skirt as the closure for the back of the dress... Violet really loves the dress! She wanted to keep it on, but today it's only in the 50s here so she will have to wait until another day.
So, that's it, day one complete! It's not perfect, but pretty good.

I think it might be a late night here...I've got to get some prep work done...

Oh, and I forgot to mention...that the flower mobile was inspired by this garland. And the dress was inspired by this dress.

And, one more thing...As it turns out, squaring the neck allows the neck opening to be just big enough for Violet to slip this dress over her head, super bonus! It's always nice when she can put something on all by herself!

Posted at 06:13 PM in Crafty things, Creative Kids, KCWC 2012, Mobiles, Recycled/Upcycled projects, Sewing | Permalink | Comments (17) | TrackBack (0)