Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Tutorial~ Sweater to a Make Believe Tweed Jacket~


Before I show you this tutorial, let me talk about myself and clothing a little bit.

As I mentioned before, I like clothes. In fact, I like so many different styles that it is hard for me to say, "this is my style". Although there is one thing I have noticed about myself and that is after I experiment with many differnt stlyes, I always go back to the classic feminine stlye. There is a reason why.

I was in Junior high at that time, It was one late night. I could not go to sleep. (I was a night owl back then too). I decided to watch TV for a little bit and flipping through the channels, I found an old Movie. The actress was so beautiful and the clothing she wore in the movie was so classy and captivating.

Later I found out that the actress was Audrey Hepburn, and the movie was called "Breakfast in Tiffany's"... After that I watched "Roman Holiday", "My Fair Lady", "Sabrina", and "Charade". A few years ago on Valentine's day, my husband got me a bunch of Abdrey's DVD's!

I love how she carried herself (always with a great posture and smile) in those movies, and the clothes she wore had class. Not too revealing, yet very feminine. I must say, whenever I watch her movies, they are always fresh and inspiring. I never get tired of them. To me, Audry and the clothes she wore will never go out of style.

Lateley I have been wanting a tweed jacket. Perhaps, something like you see in Audrey's movies. No collar, fitted, it is so beautiful that, as I wear it, my back will straighten, I might feel I could be like Audrey...classic beauty...

But, hey, do I live life like that? Hmmm...maybe not, first of all, where am I going to wear it? I can't cook, clean and drive around like a maniac (sometimes) to school, to after school activities, to the groceries, etc. I should get something more real for now.

So, I went shopping IN MY CLOSET. Then, I found this old sweater I haven't touched for several years. Then, the idea came to me...


For those who read looong intro, THANK YOU! Ok, I will show you what I did.

You will need:

One old sweater (mine was cotton and spandex combined i think...)

Less then half a yard of knit fabric, and thread that matches

If you want to make your own button, a button making kit

How to:

1. Draw a line in the middle and cut! There is no turning back at this point...


2. I found the knit fabric in Joann's clearance section. It is a little darker than the sweater, but it goes well together.


Cut 2 pieces of 2" x whatever the length of the edges of the sweater. Fold the strips in half, so you will know the center of the fabric. Cover the edges, pin them and sew.

3. Measure the length of the front openings and around the neck. Add those numbers to figure out how long you will need the strip to be to make ruffles. I recommend to have at least 2-3 times its length.

Cut, 2-3 pieces of 2" wide x width of the fabrics strips to make ruffles. Piece the strips together and make a long strip.


4. Make ruffles. (If you need to see how to make ruffles, go here)

5. Pin the finished ruffles all around the edge.


6. Sew the ruffle on both sides of the big stitches. It is ideal to sew 1/8" next to the line. So, both sides combined, it will be 1/4" wide. Pull out the middle stitch from the ruffle.


After this you can say you are done. If you want to add more details to the sweater, keep reading.

{BUTTON}

I got carried away and decided to stitch and make my own button. You can buy button making kits at Joann's, or, you can buy button.


Also, I cut 1" x 8" fabric and made a rope to close the button.





{Pocket}

I also added a fake pocket opening to each side.

1. Iron a strip of interfacing in the back of the area you want the fake pocket.


2. Pin a fabric(1" X 4") in front (make sure that it is on top of the interfacing).


3. Sew in the middle


4. Fold the top half to the bottom edge, pin and sew the sides and the bottom.




{Sleeves}

1. Measure the circumference of the sleeve opening. Cut 1" x (whatever the lengh of the opening X 2 or 3) to make the ruffles for the sleeves.


2. Pin it, and sew. I must say that it was a little tricky since the opening is so small, but if you do it slowly you should be fine.


My Jacket is not quite like Audrey's but I like how it turned out.


It is pink and ruffley, I like to pair it with jeans or cargo pants so it won't be overly feminine. It is very flexible and comfortable, since it was a sweater before. Perfect for someone like me... I will take baby steps on the path to become like Audrey.

112 comments :

  1. The 1940's/50's actresses had a class of their own, such elegant women, they put our modern day "stars" to shame. I too love their style. Thank you for the tutorial :)

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  2. GORGEOUS!!!! I am in love with this!!! You are much too talented!

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  3. Wow! I love it! Now I wish I had a sewing machine. :)

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  4. Love truly lives in the details. The button and button closure is just magnificent. Thank you for a beautiful tutorial.

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  5. I like this tweed jacket..but I do not know sewing.I would just follow.Thank you :)

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  6. This is really cute. I want to try it, but I have problems sewing on stretchy fabrics. They end up looking stretched out an puckery when I'm done, do you have any suggestion?

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    Replies
    1. Put wax paper on top of your fabric and it will help the presser foot slide more easily over the material. When you're finished, just tear it off. (Carefully so you don't break your thread.)

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  7. Love the sweater. You come up with such wonderful refashion ideas for your clothes...I'll have to try this one.

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  8. Lovely tutorial! And I do love Audrey Hepburn's style, too. She was a fascinating and classy woman.

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  9. This is really beautiful. Great work!

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  10. This is absolutely divine!! I read your tutorial and immediately went to raid my closet for a sweater. I have one all picked out - just have to find the coordinating knit for the ruffles.

    I blogged your tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing:
    http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-vintage-inspired-ruffled-sweater-jacket/2010/01/28/

    --anne

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  11. So elegant and feminine! Did you use a regular sewing machine or a serger?

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  12. Oh, I just love this idea and I can think of at least three sweaters that I could resurrect by make this change - now I just need to find someone who sews :-)

    Thanks for sharing this idea!

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  13. Dear Audrey,
    I love your new pink 'tweed jacket'.

    Guess I'd better pop over to JoAnn's and see what dbl knit is in stock. I'll have to work backward and match a 'jacket' to the knit.

    Great, wonderful project.
    We, all, should give ruffles a try.

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  14. Ruffles are so in and you do them beautifully when you refashion a piece of clothing.
    My daughter loves Audrey's style as well as I do. She was a classy lady on and off the screen. Her fashion is timless and feminine and I can see why you like it.
    thanks for taking the time to share your tutorial. I love all the ruffley refashions I have been seeing. I don't know that I would look good in them though. I am not petite and I am short.

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  15. So beautiful. And yes, very classy. You did Audrey good.

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  16. I think I just died. This is the most beautiful thing ever!!!

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  17. I'm on my way to my closet right now to find a sweater to transform! Such a lovely jacket!

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  18. I just love all your ideas, I will be looking in my closet this weekend for something to recreate. Thanks for all your helpful ideas.

    Denise
    mommiesmemorie@yahoo.com

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  19. This is too amazing not to feature! I will feature this at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com today. This jacket will be EVERYWHERE in blogland!!!

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  20. Looks amazing!! If only I could properly thread a bobbin.... lol -from a fellow Audrey lover!!!

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  21. i enjoy your refashions. i have done two sweaters almost identical to this. i love the addition of the embellished button and the faux pockets. great thinking!

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  22. Oh, this ones resembles my ruffled bolero! Yours more beautiful due to the added ruffles at the collar and at the cuffs. Great job!

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  23. I love this.
    Rach--make sure you have a sewing needle with a ball point tip. This could mostly be done by hand, too, and that would help anyone who has trouble with stretchy fabric.

    I just adore this idea.
    Thanks for sharing it!

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  24. So gorgeous! I just found your blog the other day and LOVE it. I think I need to learn to sew.

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  25. This is so very cute! I absolutely adore it! I'm going to tell some others of your blog and this idea to send them your way! Thanks for sharing your tutorial!

    - Elizabeth
    Co-Owner
    www.missimagination.com

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  26. WHATEVER!!! This is amazing, Sachiko. You are truly the goddess of creativity and innovation. I bow down to you! THIS is for sure becoming my weekend project. LOVE IT!

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  27. i have been enjoying all the ruffles!!! & actually i had a question about that for you, with all the knit fabric you have been using to make all these ruffles, i was wondering about through time & washings... does it fray a lot? just curious if you own a serger, maybe using a serger on the edges would prevent any possible fraying. would love to hear your experience, thanks !

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  28. serious loveliness here! I'm just learning to sew but thinking of attempting this....darlin!!!

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  29. WOW! You are so creative! Thanks for such a wonderful tutorial! I will have to try this tomorrow!

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  30. Absolutely amazing! I love your tutorials, but I also love how thrifty you are. A woman after my own heart :D

    uberchicforcheap.blogspot.com/"

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  31. BEAUTIFUL...how clever! and a great tutorial! Thank you...now to scour my closet for a sweater to change!

    Lovely on you!!

    Blessing..
    HOPE

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  32. You are awesome. Another amazing tute. I can see this on myself and my daughter.

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  33. This is lovely! My goal for 2010 was to make one green change every day of the year (and blog about it at http://GreenIn2010.blogspot.com). Anyways, one of my green changes was not to buy any new clothes for the year because I already had so much (so many I don't wear!) and it was just a waste of resources and money to have all these clothes sitting in the closet, unworn. I have a large bag of clothes that I had planned to donate to the Thrift Store, but I'm thinking I might dig through and see if I can find something to replicate this tutorial... I'm not great at the sewing machine, but I think I'll take a whack at it.

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  34. Everything you make is beautiful. I love your blog and thanks for your tutorials!

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  35. Okay, I LOVE this! Very ingenious. I will be shopping in my closet VERY soon! Thanks for the tutorial. You are fabulous!

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  36. I envy your seamstress abilities! And you are so right: Audrey Hepburn is the epitome of grace and beauty.

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  37. I just had to come back and look at this again, it's so lovely! I'm sitting here bragging about how great you are to my husband (who is Korean), and he says "it's 'cause she's Asian!" haha :o)

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  38. Wow! This is lovely. I can't wait to make this. Thanks for sharing...you're so talented.

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  39. I love this! It turned out so cute! I am going to feature in on my Friday Favorites this week! So darling!

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  40. Wow this is soo cute! I am an amateur when it comes to sewing but wow I think I could do this. I LOVE IT! You are soo tajented thanks for sharing

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  41. I am also an Audrey Hepburn fan. I just love her. I have so many of her movies too. The sweater is absolutely beautiful! It looks just like something she would wear. Thanks for showing us how to make it.

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  42. so very cute! I am not great at sewing but this looks like a lot of fun! Thanks for the great tutorial!

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  43. so my sister in law turned me onto your blog and I now am a true follower. The way your brain works is RIDICULOUS...in a good way! You really are amazing.

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  44. Positively perfect! You are a genius!

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  45. This is absolutely gorgeous, thanks for the tute, you're ruffles look perfect, I wish I could do ruffles like that!

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  46. It's beautiful! You did such a great job! Thanks so much for the tutorial...I'm going to have to try this one! Thanks!

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  47. Wow, I would buy that in a heart beat! I have always been a ruffle girl. I love the extras you put on it.

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  48. Wow! That is beautiful! I wish I was that talented.

    Anyway, this is Megan from your ward, and this is super embarrassing, but I gave you an award on my blog. Not the family one, the one I've hid from everyone I know in real life because it's too embarrassing. Ha. Anyway I just had to let you know!

    -Megan

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  49. Oh my gosh I love this SOOOOOO much. I want it - I adore the color of the sweater you used!!! Beautiful little touches with the button and fake pocket too.

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  50. Just found your blog the other day. I LOVE you tutorials and old clothes made into new! This is daring... I will sneak into my closet without it knowing and pull an old sweater out (I'm bad at holding onto things for a long time thinking I'll use it later) add some ruffles and make it new and beautiful!!!!! Thank you thank you for the inspiration!!!!!!

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  51. What a FABULOUS idea! I'm going to Goodwill after work today to find a cheap sweater I can make new! :-) Thanks for the ideas!

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  52. Absolutely gorgeous. I've been tempted by many of your creations to try myself but always end up saying "someday"...I love this one so much I MUST give it a go! Thank you for generously sharing your ideas...you are amazing! And p.s., I loved the intro :).

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  53. WWOOOWWW! I love this! You are so imaginative! super job!

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  54. great tute! i love what you did and cannot wait to go 'shopping' at home.

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  55. i love the button!!! i think out of the whole thing i love that part the most! absolutly beautiful!

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  56. How beautiful!! Every last detail!! Love it!

    Judy@cutest-little-things

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  57. I am very new to arts and crafts, sewing and decorating but I am in love with it. I have been looking at many blogs just pondering and yours is my favorite. We have very similar style but I dont have the creativity you do. I love it and thanks for sharing your talent.

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  58. This is adorable! Your buttons are just amazing! What a wonderful idea : )

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  59. I've always loved Audrey Hepburn's style. Class is never out of date or fashion.

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  60. that is super cute! way to go! will have to file this away as yet another "to do" project! thanks.

    **also, I wanted to make sure it was OK to use one of your pictures on my blog (the brown shirt with ruffled collar) with a link back to your blog on the tutorial. I recently did a post on "D.I.Y. ruffled shirts" and used yours among a few others. I can take it down if that is not OK, please let me know. Thanks so much.

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  61. "my name is heather"-

    Thank you for your comment. It is perfectly kind to use one of my images as long as you do link back and mention my blog. Thank you so much.

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  62. This is just lovely Sachiko, i can't wait to try one of my own, Amanda

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  63. That is just so pretty! All of your details make it so, especially the button and closure- really beautiful. I love that it is upcycled, SO much better than going to a store and buying something new. ~ Theresa

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  64. LOVE THIS! got here frmo every day crafts blog

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  65. So very pretty and practical. Thanks for the directions!

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  66. So cute!! I stumbled onto your blog when I Googled how to make a denim flower. I love your blog! Thank you for sharing your beautiful creations and ideas with us. You have inspired me! I hope you are feeling better soon.

    Jamie

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  67. Your sweater/jacket is beautiful! Thanks so much for the detailed instructions! I think I have a couple of items in my "donate" pile that would work well for this!

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  68. You will surely have the whole world following you soon. Your projects are amazing, your creativity beyond words. Your posts are entertaining and cover such a wide range of topics. Plus your photography is super!

    Can you tell that yours is among my favorite blogs --ever?! This sweater jacket is gorgeous - TFS!

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  69. I love this sweater. You might want to check this J. Crew sweater out (http://moodboard.typepad.com/my_weblog/). Also, since you love Audrey Hepburn, one of my favorites too, try this movie for fun: Love and Other Disasters. Very fun and upbeat.
    Susan

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  70. I'm so afraid to cut up my clothes but hey I'm recycling

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  71. This is a really pretty way to recycle!!! I love it! Just stumbled on your blog...it's really nice...thanks for sharing this tutorial!

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  72. I just found your blog the other day and I LOVE it!!!! I do alot of sewing and I just love your DIY posts. I have knocked off some items from anthropologie and really enjoy DIY projects. That sweater is gorgeous. Keep those DIY's coming. I learn alot from you.

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  73. Oh this is fantastic! I did something similar last fall with turning an old sweater into a jacket, but I just used contrasting seam binding to finish the edge, and used two pieces of ribbon as a closure. I love the idea of the ruffles and I'm definitely going to give this a try.

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  74. wow! you are amazing! that cardigan is amazing! i so what to make one but i am a chicken! thanks for sharing! beautiful!

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  75. Wow, this is absolutely beautiful! I know just the sweaters I can do this with. I wish I had a pink one like yours. It's so sweet and feminine and looks like it cost a lot or money at a trendy boutique. Audrey is indeed a classic inspiration. I love her too.

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  76. this is beautiful!! I shared your project (with a link to your blog) on my blog about finding cool garment embellishment ideas.

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  77. You are crazy good!!! Love your transformationhttp://www.debsartisticpainting.com/ projects.

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  78. oh my got.very very beautiful blog and great work.
    thanks. love
    by by

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  79. I love this I took an attempt at it and posted it to my blog if youd like to see what you have inspired! Your page is amazing thanks for all the great ideas.
    ~ tasseledrags.blogspot

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  80. Love this tutorial! I was inspired by it and did one of my own. I credited you here: http://garrettandleanne.blogspot.com/2010/02/sweater-reincarnation.html

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  81. Love, love, love this tutorial! I'm going to dig in my closet and if that fails, Goodwill and find a sweater to do this to!! Thanks!

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  82. Yer a genius; I love it! Audrey Hepburn has always been a favorite of mine also! Thank you!

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  83. Audrey would be proud and you look fabulous wearing it in your photo. The button really adds a great finishing detail. I want to make one- I just need to find a sweater. You are very talented with a sewing machine. Thanks for the step by step.

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  84. Coming back over to have a look at this great sweater! Was out thrifting and looking looking for a sweater to do this with- didn't find one but I am determined I am going to have me a ruffly sweet cardigan like this soon!

    Thank you for sharing your amazing creations!

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  85. Love, love, love this tutorial!

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  86. I made something like that! But I must add that yours turned out a lot better. I'm all over the place with my clothing styles too! But the classic feminine is still the one I always return to :)

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  87. I love this tutorial. This is so cute. Thank you! :)

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  88. WOW! I really enjoyed the long intro :) Every time I look at your blog, I am so impressed by the things you have made or refashioned. I've always thought I was born at the wrong time and should have lived during Hepburn's era. Thanks for sharing!

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  89. What an amazing re-fashion! I just went to my closet and picked out 4 different sweaters that I want to gussy up!

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  90. Aw thanx for your sweet comment on the clown makeup Sachiko :) I got the idea of the clown makeup of Drew Barrymore when I came across her picture online. Must have been a Halloween thing or so... I linked back to you today as you inspired me to ruffle up a sweater :)

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  91. absolutely beautiful. I recall that you have made several sweater make overs that were equally WOW.

    so, come link this one up with us in our DIY tutorial linky party so that our readers can find you and your blog! http://www.finecraftguild.com/diy-tutorial-linky-party-6/

    it's a weekly tutorial party, so if you have more good ones coming, do visit us every wednesday!

    rose

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  92. i loved this creation from the first sight! so i tried to make something for me! here is my creation with some variants!
    http://vallys-creations.blogspot.com/2010/07/blog-post_01.html
    i hope you like it!

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  93. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

    This tutorial inspired me to upcycle a cardigan destined to be donated. Now it has new life! I have pictures on my blog.
    http://meekandchic.blogspot.com/2010/10/cardigan-to-ruffle-shrug.html

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  94. How beautiful and clever idea!
    Now I know what should I do with my old clothes!
    Thanks for sharing! :-)

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  95. FABulous idea! I want one!!! What a beautiful way to look feminine and classy with a casual modern edge!
    I too find Audrey's classic feminine style contagious!
    Have a beautiful weekend~
    ;-D Kathleen

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  96. I just made this yesterday and it worked so well! Thanks for posting the tutorial!!!

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  97. I just made this yesterday and it worked so well! Thanks for the tutorial!!!

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  98. Just discover your blog LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!
    A french reader

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  99. Very cute! Now I want to make one!

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  100. Very pretty and feminine make-over - well done. I'm off to hunt in my wardrobe for something suitable to dress up.

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  101. I enjoyed everything you had to say and I will give this a try thank you.

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  102. It's beautiful. I love your tutorials!

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