That aside, I have a question for you. Bedsheets - do you ever sew with them?
I personally have always thought it was a great idea to sew with fabric from a sheet, but have yet to try it out. I love that you can pretty much count on (used) sheets always being soft, easy to find, cheap, and available in cute, funky, and eye-catching colors and patters. And, as if that weren't making them tempting enough to sew with, there are MANY cute examples out there of adorable outfits stitched from bedsheets. The two bloggers whose bedsheet makes have really stuck with me are Adey Lim of The Sew Convert, and Cindy of Cation Designs (who hasn't drooled over one of her cute outfits?).
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This cute top above and below is Adey Lim's “Darling Stash” Peter Pan Collar Blouse
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| This cuff inspired the cuffs on my polka-dotted Peony. |
And more dresses from Cation Designs...
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That's right - all of these were made from BEDSHEETS!
I'm obviously quite inspired by these ladies' cute makes. So much so, that, when I was at the thrift store today browsing through the linens section where cuts of fabric are sometimes hidden, I made a b-line for this floral sheet. Before I knew it, I'd purchased it and was skipping out the door. $2.50? GIMME!
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| check out my new sheet! |
I really like the autumn-y color scheme of this floral sheet, especially the mustard-yellow shade that's in there! I've been trying to scheme some way for me to wear mustard colored clothing, without having the unflattering hue right next to my face - this fabric could be the ticket! There's a white background and enough other colors going on, that I dont think it would make me look like I have Jaundice. Yay! There's enough fabric here in this sheet for a dress... but I'm kind of leaning towards a blouse.
What do you think?
Dress? Blouse? Skirt? PJ's?
Have you ever sewn clothing with a bedsheet? Pros/cons? Any tips or tricks to keep in mind? I'm dying to know.
i LOVE sewing with sheets! i've made two dresses from sheets :)
ReplyDeleteI've only ever used sheets for muslins. good luck with this sheet though, it's a lovely print
ReplyDeleteI have yet to sew with sheets; I really should give it a try. Just need to look for some cool sheets to use.
ReplyDeleteSheets are the best! Cheap & huge, you don't have to feel bad about cutting a piece wrong! I'm currently using a zebra sheet to make baby clothes, $2 and I've made a dozen things. I think a blouse would look lovely, maybe with a contrasting solid on the collar or cuff edges?
ReplyDeleteI have sewn a lot with sheets. They are great to work with. One bonus is that some of the vintage sheets are a high quality poly-cotton blend that is less prone to stain then regular cotton. I also keep old white sheets and pillowcases to use as interfacing. The downside is that they sometimes have stains and things that are hard to see because of the fun, busy prints. Just go over it really carefully, hold it up to the light, and use a fabric marker to mark any stains or blemishes so that you can avoid them when laying your pattern out.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how big the sheet is, but I think it would make a lovely shirt dress or blouse. Nice find!!
Sheets are awesome, especially the print of your one there. I've only made one dress with one but it turned out nice. The one bit of advice I could give is that sometimes the threads can be thin and worn out, so its a good idea to line your piece, if possible.
ReplyDeleteYup, Ive made a couple of dresses from sheets. Blogged here- http://funkbunnysgarden.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/my-creative-space-two-new-dresses.html
ReplyDeleteYeah, I have seen some awesome sheet projects! I am working on my first right now! It's cool because I'm less scared of messing it up lol :) Definitely nothing as awesome as the pics up here though!
ReplyDeleteSheets are so soft! I think they work great for dresses and garments that don't require a lot of drape, like the looks you've shown. I've mostly used them for muslins, but if I ever came across a bedsheet as pretty as the one you found I'd have a hard time hacking it to pieces just for a muslin!
ReplyDeleteI've only ever used sheets as muslins but those dresses are amazing so I am for sure going to have to start scouting the local thrift shops. The only thing I would watch out for is thread count. I find the higher the thread count, the more you really need to pay attention to the grain - they have a lot more give. I wouldn't think that would be as big a problem in more vintage sheet though. Can't wait to see what you make!
ReplyDeleteI use sheets for muslin-ing; in fact, that's all I use - I've never used actual muslin as it's too expensive here! lol So I buy sheets from thrift stores and they work wonderfully :)
ReplyDeleteI use sheets for muslins, interlings, and lings all the time! And i pick up inexpensive throws to make capes and wrap jackets!
ReplyDeleteYou could totally do all four... I just have no idea how you ladies come across such things in the first place!
ReplyDeleteOoh, these are so cute! I've only made pajamas with sheets, but I'd like to try more! A blouse
ReplyDeleteOops, cut myself off! A blouse would be really sweet in that floral.
DeleteThat sheet would make such a fun fifties-style dress with a full skirt! It really is such a great find, and I know what you mean about mustard colors right next to the face...no good!
ReplyDeleteThanks for featuring my sheet dresses -- I agree with the previous commenters about checking for stains and not making this that require drapey fabric. I wrote up my experiences regarding sewing with sheets in a guest post, so if you haven't seen it, you might find it helpful! http://www.sewcountrychick.com/2012/07/cindy-from-cation-designs-sewing-with.html
Thanks for the inspiration and the advice! I'll be sure to check out that guest post you did. :)
DeleteI think a blouse would be a lovely use of your awesome sheet, it's good to have lots dressy separates in your wardrobe arsenal, especially if you work somewhere that has a formal dress code. I am a little tempted to vote dress but only because I am all about the dresses.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of sewing with sheets and the examples you posted are fab! I have never been lucky enough to find inexpensive sheets or cute thrifted ones.
I almost exclusively work with very inexpensive fabric though. Because I work at a fabric store I know about sales and bargains which is a plus!
Bedsheets are marvelous! I find that I can usually get multiple garments out of one sheet set, especially jersey sheets. I think I prefer sewing with sheets to any other fabric, actually!
ReplyDeleteI made a top from a sheet and I love it - I never would have found fabric like it and it's nice to have all that fabric if you make a mistake (here's mine: http://www.laricci-smunch.blogspot.com/2011/11/squares-square-top.html). The only thing I would say is to be mindful of quality, some cheap sheets seem to pill after a lot of washings, but I don't have a ton of experience with sheets so take my advice with a grain of salt ;)
ReplyDeleteFound you via the DC/MD/VA blogger meetup - see you in a couple weeks...!
Hooray, I'm glad you found me! Your top from a sheet is awesome, and I just checked out the rest of your blog, too - I love your style! See you at the meetup :)
DeleteI love that sheet!!
ReplyDeleteI've never sewed with sheets before.
How do you work out the grainlines?