Grooooowwwwwwwwwlllllll

Is anyone else having trouble posting on Blogger blogs?  Or is it just me?  I write my comment, click "Google Account" and it sends me to the Google sign in page, I do, then it sends me back to the comment page, but as "Anonymous" and when I try to post it goes back to Google Accounts sign in page...repeat....

If you're having trouble commenting on here, please email me at tracykm at yahoo dot com.

A few weeks ago I had plans to go to Value Village after a doctor's appointment as they're close by.  Then I saw that it was 50% off day....I went before on a 50% off day and it was nuts.  But I decided to try again as I had just seen some fabric there that I had passed over but I couldn't stop thinking about.  It was gone though :(  I did find some jersey sheets that I thought I could use to make summer dresses, muslins, and/or a baby wrap sling for Lucy's teacher.  I didn't find much else that I thought would work for me as is, or to refashion.  I did grab one dress that caught my eye.

I didn't get a before picture, but it was long!  I didn't think the bodice would fit me (it was a size Large), but thought the skirt was long enough that I could take the bodice off and get a short dress just from the skirt.  I tried it on at home, and surprise, it DID fit!  So then I thought I'd take off the woven strips on the bodice, and use them to make wider shoulder straps, although I don't seem to need a bra.  However, when I held them out of the way, the bodice was really boring looking.

I needed to shorten the dress by about 7 1/2".  I know "maxi" dresses are still in (I can't wait for them to be "out" so they'll appear in the thrift shops!), but it's a summer dress, and I like my legs!  I marked the new length, but saw that the skirt was several inches wider at the bottom.  I debated how I could shorten it from the top of the skirt....there's a band on the front, but no "waist" seam on the back.  I thought I could cut the back and make it seamed, but worried I'd mess up the seam allowances or something.  In the end, I do wish I had tried, so I could preserve the swishiness of the skirt.  But it's still okay!

I took the 7 1/2"  off the bottom and slip it in half, and hemmed the half from the top.  I tried a twin needle to see if it'd match the original.  The needle wasn't a stretch needle so it didn't work.  I gathered the long strip, pinned it on, sewed it down, and presto!  A great, new summer dress!  The ruffle sweetens up the sultry animal print, and a black stole gives a little coverage.  Perfect for a day trip to Toronto, or for date night!