I actually DID do some clothing remodeling like I said I would in my previous post, but didn't take pictures. I cut the bodice off a shirt-dress that didn't EVER fit right, hemmed it, gave it to the thrift store because maybe someone could use it as a shirt albeit more of a cropped style. Then I cut the button placket off the skirt that was left, sewed up a seam instead, put a zipper in the back, added side pockets and a waistband, and called it good. New stripey skirt: check! Get rid of a dress that never ever fit: check! I don't know if reusing the elastic from a pair of worn-out pajama pants counts, but did that too. In a new pair of pajama pants. Bright pink pajama pants! I had considered trying to alter a shirt, but decided it would be too much of a pain so I just gave it away. But, with all of this "make-do and mend" stuff in mind, I bought a skirt two sizes too big because it was A) pretty and B) $6.50 on sale. I will unpick the waistband and take the side seams in by about two inches and have a pretty coral and brown nubbly skirt for winter.
My friend Amanda pointed me to this blog post (warning: language) about altering and tailoring. I must say I wasn't very surprised, in retrospect, by the idea that People With Money have all their clothes custom tailored, but I WAS surprised (and a little shocked) that I hadn't really thought of it that way. I'm pretty sure I could teach myself some better alteration techniques and get more mileage out of my shopping that way, especially when one of my favorite brands has pants long enough but too big in the waist (I suppose I should be grateful for that but it's a PAIN IN THE NECK I TELL YOU).
Anyway. To the cushions part of this. I have my grandmother's cedar chest that was manufactured during WWII--it's a Lane and has a little card explaining that the metal latch and key normally installed in the cedar chest has been left out so all extra metal can go to the war effort. It has a nifty, optimistic sentence that says "when Victory is ours, please write to the Lane Co. for your key and replacement latch". I love it so much. My mom spent DAYS refinishing it after my grandma died, and when it was done, she felt very strongly that it should go to me. It is one of my treasures. Because it sits against the wall of my room, instead of in front of my bed (as would be ideal), I'm thinking of using it as a bench/sofa. In order to do that, I should make a cushion, right? I think I'd like a REALLY BIG floral or pretty stripe (in pink, of course); it shouldn't be too hard to do if I get some 3" or 4" foam, cover it with muslin, and make a removable cover in a heavy cotton. I'd probably need some piping and a heavy-duty zipper--if all goes as planned, it should only take a few hours to do everything.
Now. To find the perfect fabric, which we all know doesn't really exist. ha.
