Frankensewed Outfit

There is nothing more fun for me than having somebody comment about something I'm wearing...and I get to say, "thanks. It cost 25 cents."

Honestly...every article of clothing I wear comes from a thrift store. I simply cannot pay retail...and, after all these years, even Walmart feels expensive to me.

The thing is -- when you're only paying $1 for something -- you can TAKE A CHANCE...mess with it, do some alterations, or try to make it work.

And if it doesn't work (hey, it happens)-- IT GOES RIGHT BACK TO THE THRIFT STORE...

This is a poor picture -- but the neckline of this turquoise top is what I loved...it just wasn't big enough.  So I added the white panel on both sides.  Now -- PERFECT.

I found this great pair of WHITE JEANS (with the tags still on them) for $1. at the Salvation Army.  They were too long...and had a BIG WIDE BELL BOTTOM. I narrowed the bell, and shortened the pants. Because of the interesting zigzag stitch,  I reattached the original hem.

Also, I LOVED this bejeweled sweater, but my butt is still too big, so I created side vents.

Vents can be a fat girl's best friend, and I've been doing this for YEARS. But there IS a trick to it. I learned this from Mary Mulari (many moons ago). Instead of making the cut and THEN sewing a facing in place --  do this:

1. Cut a piece of black t-shirt knit into a rectangle...and place it over the UNCUT side seam. (Right Sides Togethe
2. Sew up one side of the uncut seam,  a few stitches across the seam, and down the other side.
3. THEN, cut through the sweater and the black t-shirt facing.
4. Turn the facing to the inside and stitch. 

After I turned the knit to the wrong side, I ironed the new facing into place with some hemtape before I stitched it.

So, let's see.  Pants?  $1.00.  Shirt?  44 cents.  Sweater?  $2.38