Albany NY Chapter of the American Sewing Guild: Show and Tell 2025

TWO...TWO...FOR THE PRICE OF ONE (a little jeans repurposing story)

Sallye Romagna

Sometimes my hairdresser and I "trade services"...she'll cut my hair and I'll cut of a pair of jeans, make pillows from an old curtain panel, etc. The most recent project was to shorten a pair of too short jeans to make crop pants. She found them at a thrift store and loved the flowers going down each leg. She liked them so well and wondered what I could do with the cut off portion. My first thought was that they would make a nice focus piece on a bag. So off I went to create something new from old. Below are the pictures of the before (top) and after (bottom) pair of jeans:

She had given me other non-embroidered jeans thinking I could use them for the body of the bag. I didn't like the color of the denim because it didn't make the flowers pop. I was really trying to do this without buying new fabric, but we know how that goes sometimes, so off I went to the store. I found a vibrant royal blue at Michael's that brought out a similar colored flower on the jeans. I decided to line the bag, include inside pockets, and use webbing for handles. I had a piece of cotton in my stash for the lining and red webbing for the handles. The inside pockets were made from the leg backs. Since I didn't want to mess with installing a zipper, I made a loop from a piece from the leg back and found a button in my stash. There was very little left over. Pictures are below...see what you think!

Sallye

Hello! I have a few show and tells to share. This is a blazer I made for a work function. I was very happy that I finished in time to wear. I was also pretty pleased with the pattern matching. This is a princess seam 3/4 sleeve fully lined jacket that is not supposed to have a front closure. I didn't like the way the pattern had the lining, so I added a yoke to the lining which you can see in the first picture. The lining per the pattern would go all the way to the bottom hem, without the upturn of the fashion fabric. I didn't want that, and thought it would pull when worn, so I did my own thing, but as you can see it looks like it might peek out when worn, I don't think it did, from my swiveling in the full mirror with a hand mirror. Still, it doesn't look very pretty, I am contemplating fixing it a bit and bringing to the Saratoga Fair. It is Fair season ya'll! Is it fair quality?

I made this dress out of very thin fabric, it has a bit of stretch, I should have used it for a lining for something, but I really wanted a dress with this print. I don't think I'll be able to wear it. I could add a slip under. Anyways, I didn't like the pattern much, or rather it didn't come out as I had hoped. I did do a bit of pattern hacking to make it fit before I cut out the fabric, and with all the time I spent on it, it makes me a bit sad that I won't enjoy it.

Another pattern fail, another pattern hacking to make it fit before I cut it out, and this is what I get. The top is made with a stiff cotton, almost felt like quilting cotton, but I don't think it was. I might be able to wear it out, but I made this a bit ago, and still haven't made it to see the sun.

I made a barn quilt! This was a class I took with the Saratoga Agricultural Society. You guys, these classes are so fun! I encourage you to look into classes when they are offered. I hope to enter this in the Fair, along with a basket I made, which I don't seem to have a picture of. Also, no picture of a bra I just made, that I hope to enter also in the Fair. I wanted to make another, so if it is done in time I will enter the one I am most happy with.

Posted by Bonny D. on July 8, 2025

--------------------------------------------------------------------

I've been sewing a few new tops. The most recent is the McCall's 6963. I have made it at least 5 times before! This time, I made view A, sleeveless, where the sleeves are finished off using a binding. I was really impressed how neat and nice it looked afterwards. I used my new BabyLock Celebrate serger to make the inside seams pretty, and used my coverstitch machine for the hems. Anyone recognize the fabric? I'm pretty sure I picked it up at our Fabric Sale.

This is how I styled it, I mean, it's still cold out there you know? This little jacket was on discount, it is a cotton gauze. I took it in a little at the sides to reduce the boxiness a bit. I find I rather have a bit of waist definition for my body type.

This is a fun print I couldn't resist at Joann's. Same pattern as above, I was planning on the same view, but found that I didn't like how it looked without sleeves. Fortunately, I had just enough to cut the short sleeves of view B.

This one is Simplicity 9451. This was a first sew for me on this pattern. It has options for the gathering at one shoulder to the opposite side waist, or plain waist. I chose view C, has a plain sleeve and only one shoulder gathering. I lengthened it 1 3/8 inches because some other shirts I did 2 inches and I found I just ended up with too long a hem anyway. Well! That was a fail, because I finished it and found it was too short to hem. Luckily, this is knit and doesn't really need a hem, so I just left it unfinished. I wasn't thrilled with this make up and may not do this one again, or if I do, I definitely need to do the one with the waist gathering.

These next two are both Vogue 8323 that I made 3 times before. One of those was unsuccessful since I made it in non stretch, that was a mistake. I learned that lesson and made is successfully afterwards. Why I choose to NOT listen to the pattern fabric suggestions is just something I do on occasion to keep myself humble I guess! Sometimes it works out. Anyway, for these I made view A but with the view C sleeve. I love this pattern, and it is very comfortable and warm. I'm pretty sure the fabric for the butterfly top above and these two below came from Joann's. The butterfly fabric is much thinner, so it worked with the gathering quite well, these below are a bit thicker and so buttery soft. I love this fabric. I have at least two other prints I haven't cut into yet.