Recycling with shell stitch

Mostly knitting lately, but with the Potholder Swap, I need to change into crochet mode. These are my latest crochet projects:

An old tunic, bought in Tanzania 20 years ago. I love the fabric, but the neckline did not look good. So I cut off the bad parts, folded the fabric and worked chain stitch along the edge. From the inside, I then worked sc through the chain stitches, and then shell stitch. Brilliant, don't you think?

And the same shell stitch on this lacy underskirt, here I just worked the sc row through the lacy fabric. The dress is made from a XXXL tunic bought in a  thrift store. I love the fabric, and copied one of my favourite dresses from Desigual to make this one.

Btw, there is still time to join the swap!!

Easter exhibiton 2012 at Pellestova

Remember last year's Easter exhibition?

After one year, this seems to have become a tradition. 

This year I was not able to be there on the opening, 

but I visited on the last day yesterday.

I like both the dress and the painting at the entrance (both were sold, and not to me..)

Here are some dresses that were still not sold, 

you can find them in Hedvig's Epla shop (Norwegian Etsy)

And you can see more of Thor Arne's paintings here.

Or you can go to Pellestova next Easter! It's a lovely place!

The advantage of sewing & redesign

Instant gratification!

In a couple of hours I had a new dress.

It started with a stripey pair of tights I never used. I liked the fabric, though, and thought, hmm... sleeves maybe. Then I found a t-shirt with a cute little snail at a 2nd hand shop. The rest is from my stash:

- green fabric, left over from a friend who turned a dress into a tunic


- red flowery fabric, brought to me from Tanzania a few years ago

I cut off the sleeves and the lower part of the t-shirt.

The legs of the tights became sleeves, the rest became a flower and edging.

And voilá! Ready for spring!

Easter exhibition vernissage at Pellestova

Vernissage today! It was fun. Nice dresses, photos and paintings. And music and wine. Sorry to Lars Erik and Thor-Arne that there are mostly dress photos... you see, dresses are my main interest :-)

Thor-Arne is in a blue period...

Lars Erik, some of his photos and some of his daughters.

The redesigner and a customer! Nice fit!

Another customer!

I bought a something too!

I think the designer needs to do some more sewing...

More photos on Flickr. Or on Facebook.

Green

Green is one of my favourite colours. I like most green nuances, exept the pastel ones. This dress is made of green fabric from a second hand shop and some green, flowery fabric from my childhood, I think it was a pillow case my grandmother made me. The pattern is from Stoff og stil. I think it's a nice pattern, but I had to enlarge the arm openings quite a bit, otherwise it's a nice fit. I love to relax with my knitting, but sometimes it's nice with the instant gratification you can get from sewing.




My knitting at the moment is green too: Vaila. I'm working on the raglan part, so it will soon be finished! The photo is from the start.

Recycled dress

You need:

One sweater/T-shirt that is too short.

One turtleneck sweater that is too wide.

Scissors.

Sewing machine.

And voilá:

Sewing club

Many Norwegian women are members of a "syklubb" (sewing club). This is mostly an excuse to get together, eat, drink, talk, and maybe knit a stitch or two. But there is rarely any sewing. Until recently: Some friends and I have started a sewing club where we actually sew. Inspired by Tulip and Tatamo and SiriSDesign we wanted to make our own dresses. The idea is to recycle old clothes, but so far we have bought our fabric at Stoff og stil , a Norwegian (and Danish, I think) online shop.




The dress pattern is also from Stoff og stil, pattern 23015, dress/T-shirt. I added the ribbon, and some width to the skirt, otherwise followed tha pattern. (The photo could have been better, but daylight is scarce nowadays... )