Closet Fever...

Closet Fever is a serious condition. It always seems to strike when the weather is cold and  glum and long periods of time are spent stuck indoors...daydreaming about warm weather, sundresses, bare feet, drinks with little umbrellas, golden tan sun kissed skin, big floppy hats, over sized sunglasses, driving with the windows down...that's when it strikes and I find myself spending alot of time in my closet pulling out all my summer clothes, playing dress up and planning outfits...then I strut my stuff down my hallway cat walk style.
I'll be the first to admit that yes indeed I am a dork and if you could be a fly on my wall you would be highly entertained by my modeling skillz...

So anyhow, where was I? Oh yea so I pull out one of my favorite navy blue sundresses (Target -circa 2008) that I usually wear with a wide red patent leather belt with my red peep toe patent leather pumps but let's be real, that look only gets worn to summer weddings or showers or maybe a girls night out (wishful thinking.)

This is where the gears started really going in my crafty little brain of mine...I remembered a HUGE bolt of vintage tiny flower print fabric...ruffles, I'm thinking ruffles and pleats and girly to the max...

and I winged it...if have followed past crafty adventures then you know I never measure or think things through too much...So cut 2 strips of fabric about 4 inches wide and maybe 3 ft long (maybe more, hard to tell but it really doesn't matter just long enough to get some good ruffles and pleats going) then I sewed right sides together and turned it right sides out....then I set my sewing machine to the longest stitch length and ran two rows about 1 inch from each edge (I ironed it first so I got a nice crisp flat piece to work with and flat seams)

then I started GENTLY pulling the back string and pulling and sliding the fabric and pulling and sliding the fabric and the same on the other side...tacked it once I got the amount of pleating and ruffling I wanted...BTW I did not want it to go around my waist I just wanted it to from hip to hip like an apron would...Then I sewed on some 1" heavy grosgrain ribbon on each end so I could tie it around my waist like an apron and...

VIOLA!

Really cute, simple, fun and I can wear this dress a whole lot more now. Gives it that more casual, throw on a pair of red flats or sandals and off to the market I go...ok so I rarely ever go to the market but you know what I mean :)

PS. the necklace is actually 2 necklaces layered and a vintage find that is part of my personal Icannotbaretopartwith collection.

Ok, hop to it and go make yourself some cute ruffly belts and enjoy!

PPS. I'll have a few available in my shop soon!