Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Refashion Runway Sew-Along: Boho Chic

When I hear "boho," I think lace, florals, loose and flowy fabrics. So when Beth posted this week's Refashion Runway theme, I dove into my refash stash and came up with two excellent candidates: a $2 thrifted 90s floral dress that was too tight across my bosom (though Rosy squeezed into it okay enough) and a frazzled scarf gifted to me by a friend who told me to "just do something with it!"

Teal Floral Dress - BeforeLace Kimono - Before

First we needed to get rid of those giant shoulder pads and ridiculous mutton sleeves! Then I snipped out a few inches of the midsection to create a more well-defined waist and also shorten the skirt a smidge.

Teal Floral Dress - In ProgressTeal Floral Dress - In Progress

In order to enlarge the bust a bit, I cut two rectangles from the sleeves to insert into the side seams.

Teal Floral Dress - In ProgressTeal Floral Dress - In Progress

I attached the inserts using French seams to avoid fraying edges.

Teal Floral Dress - In ProgressTeal Floral Dress - In Progress

I folded the remainder of the sleeves in half and cut out pocket-y shapes.

Teal Floral Dress - In ProgressTeal Floral Dress - In Progress

I used my seam ripper to carefully open up the side seam of the skirt the same length as the pocket pieces, and then attached each of them to the skirt.

Teal Floral Dress - In ProgressTeal Floral Dress - In Progress

Then I sewed around each pocket, first with a straight stitch and again with a zig-zag to "serge" the edges.

Teal Floral Dress - In Progress

Then I reattached the skirt making tiny pleats to absorb the excess fabric. I also used French seams here, but my photo of that seems to have disappeared somehow.

Teal Floral Dress - In Progress

Finally, I took the strip of fabric from the midsection of the original dress, cut it in half lengthwise, and used it to bind the armhole edges, making this a near-zero-waste refashion!

Teal Floral Dress - In ProgressTeal Floral Dress - In Progress

To add a little lace to the outfit, I started in on transforming the scarf into a breezy kimono-style jacket. The lace had come undone in one spot, so first, I stitched that back down.

Lace Kimono - In ProgressLace Kimono - In Progress

The unfinished edges were unraveling quite a bit, and there was a faint stain on one end. Hemming the ends solved both issues!

Lace Kimono - In ProgressLace Kimono - In Progress

I found the halfway point of the scarf and folded the ends toward it, leaving about 3 inches on either side of the center pin. That 6-inch gap in the middle will become the back of the neck. Then I overlapped the two layers and stitched what will become my shoulder seams.

Lace Kimono - In ProgressLace Kimono - In Progress

Along both folds, I cut about 10 inches down from the shoulder seam for a couple generous armholes. Lastly, I hemmed the armhole edges, which was a real challenge with this super gauzy fabric!

Lace Kimono - In ProgressLace Kimono - In Progress

And if that didn't make sense, here's a friendly little diagram to better illustrate what I did. I sewed the shoulder seams first and then cut the armholes, but in hindsight, it'd be easier the other way around. My scarf started out around 80in/200cm long and 28in/70cm wide, but you should be able to do this with any large rectangular scarf/shawl.

Lace Kimono - Diagram


I can't wait to wear this with my burgundy tights when it gets cooler! Mostly I just can't wait for it to get cooler!

Teal Floral Dress and Lace Kimono - After

Teal Floral Dress and Lace Kimono - After

Teal Floral Dress and Lace Kimono - After

Teal Floral Dress and Lace Kimono - After

Teal Floral Dress and Lace Kimono - After


Teal Floral Dress - Before & After


Lace Kimono

27 comments:

  1. Carissa - I am so pleased that you have created the kimono jacket. I have a wide scarf that will work very well and I can just follow your instructions - Thanks You ! This is such a nice recreation of both the dress and the scarf. I also like how you have braided your hair - very attractive.

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    1. I hope you do make one! It's such a simple -- but high-impact -- project. I just added a bit more information to this post as well, with a handy little how-to diagram, if it helps. Happy stitching!

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  2. Oh wow, what a transformation! The dress looks great, but what I love most is the kimono! Total genius! And you look amazing in the outfit. Wonderful job! :) Lisa

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    1. Thank you, Lisa! I'm so glad you liked it!

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    2. Thank you, Lisa! I'm so glad you liked it!

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  3. Linda beat me to complimenting your hair! Oh well. :o) The double braids are definitely boho chic and I want to copy them right now. You really nailed this challenge...if you were competing this year this would win hands down. The color tones are perfect, the laid-back pretty vibe is perfect, yep this is perfect!

    JJ
    www.dressupnotdown.blogspot.com

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    1. I do so love to play with braids. What can I say? I guess I'm just a hippie at heart. :)

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  4. Love, love, LOVE the kimono! It's perfect with the floral dress.

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    1. Thanks, Laura! I can see myself wearing this kimono with lots of different outfits this fall - floral dresses, tees and jeans, maybe even over a sweater dress and tights as it cools off more!

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  5. Hi, what was the size of the scarf you used to make the kimono? Love what you did for the dress and the hair-do is perfect for Boho.

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    1. Great question, Cathy! I started with a roughly 80in/200cm by 28in/70cm scarf. I just added a bit more information to this post as well, with a handy little how-to diagram, if it helps. Happy stitching!

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  6. I love your kimono! Thanks for the tuto.

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  7. Love it! You look great in both and I liked your styling with the boots and the braids too. Very useful information and photos on both projects and the kimono is especially useful along with how you made the top on the dress roomier. Thank you!

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  8. Love this outfit so much... great how you make the dress so wonderfully chic... and the kimono top is to die for! You make it look so easy to do that I want to try it myself, if something should come my way... Keep up the great work. You are totally inspiring!

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    1. Aw, thanks! I hope you do give it a try!

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  9. Could you do a You Tube video on the kimono? Let me know if you do. caroldbeck@gmail.com

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  10. Wonderful Job. I can't wait to try it soon.

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  11. Tonya Tiffany12/16/17, 9:36 PM

    I have a bunch of scarves that I never wear, this is a fantastic idea that I look forward to doing so that I can wear some of them in the spring and summer. Thank you!

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  12. Just awesome! The whole ensemble is gorgeous and you look good in it. Love your braided hair too. Thanks for sharing.

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  13. Thank you, great kimono and very clear instructions. Inspired me to make one too...

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  14. Janome is a Japanese maker of sewing machines that bought American organization NewHome in 1960.Sewways.com

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