Welcome back to Refashion Runway Season Five.
This week the challenge is Small to Large. One of the things I love about this competition is the surprise each time I open my email and see how each of these talented women interpret the challenge and what they create each week. I hope you love surprises as much as I do…
Have fun!!!!!! 🙂
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Deana Budgell from djewelss
The first thing I thought when I saw the title of this challenge was that I needed to take something small and resize it to fit someone larger. But I immediately discarded that idea because I always like to do something surprising and unexpected.
So after some thought I decided to take something tiny and make it life-size. Side-note, I asked Beth how much creative license I could take in interpreting the challenge and she said it was open to my creative ideas.
I found two wedding dresses in a thrift store that I thought had a lot of character and could reinvented as something stunning. I wanted to do something bold so I first dyed the fabric red. I had to touch it up a bit for it to become the shade of red that I had envisioned. Then I created two evening gowns, one tiny and another life size.
I’m really excited about how these turned out, I hope you like them.
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KT
My small-to-large concept was to use children’s clothing to make adult wear. I found a little girl’s dress that was made from beautiful tulle with iron-on type black velvet designs on it. Because the dress was so small, I had limited fabric and had to get really creative, but to my surprise, I was able to make the whole dress from that single dress. Luckily, the dress had 2 layers of tulle and and some lining. I used almost every square inch of the dress. First, I deconstructed the dress. I used the existing bodice parts as a base for mine. I added the lining fabric to the side seams to make it larger and covered it with tulle like the rest of the top. I also made the shoulder straps out of tulle. For the bottom, I took out the waist gathering and made two A-line skirts. I stacked them to create a longer/ slimmer silhouette. I made a base layer from the lining because the overlay is sheer. I added some design elements to the skirt for fun. It was a lot more work than I thought it would be but I am happy with the final result..
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Sonya Blackstone from She’s So Creative
https://www.shessocreative.com/2020/02/refashion-runway-season-five-small-to.html
For this “Small to Large” challenge I decided to take something short and make it long.
I had come across this cropped jean jacket while shopping for round two challenge and I knew this would be the perfect piece.
I cut the trim and collar off of the jacket (it was all one piece) and cut the collar off of the rest of the trim. I ripped the seams on the jeans and then cut them into five 12″ high pieces; front right, front left, back right, back center, and back left. I attached all of the bottom panels and then sewed them to the denim jacket. I then took the waistband from the jeans and attached it to the collar to make a trim and then reattached the collar and the trim to the jacket. I took the remaining portion of the denim jacket trim and sewed it to the bottom.
While I was planning the jacket I thought it would be nice to add another piece to wear underneath the jacket, so I decided to take a shirt and lengthen it into a dress. My favorite part of this piece is that my son actually picked the two shirts and they ended up matching perfectly to the colors in the floral print denim!
For this dress I took the sleeves off both shirts, but kept the collars in tact. I sewed the armholes closed on the sweater, forming an a-line skirt. I then cut the bottom portion off of the shirt and replaced it with the sweater. I took the bottom portion of the shirt and made the knotted belt for the dress.
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Michelle Paganini from Paganoonoo
This weeks challenge is “Small to Large”
So many possibilities! I settled on vintage linen pieces combined to make a larger piece – a Haori-style jacket.
The two main base pieces were a linen tablecloth with fading embroidery and a large strip of a cutter quilt (too damaged in parts to be useable as a whole quilt.)
As I sorted through all the small pieces I found those that made the best color combinations, and trimmed the to size.
Sometimes I needed to square the pieces.
The flannel english bulldog is from a pair of Nick and Nora PJs.
One front side is lined linen and the other is quilted.
The sleeves are from embroidered runners and bits of an old pillowcase.
The back is a mix of both linen tablecloth and quilted pieces,. The banded collar is quilted.
was a pleasure to combine all of the smaller pieces into a larger garment!
The whole garment makes me smile. What role will it play in my wardrobe? Probably multiple: #1 super cool bed jacket, #2 playful lunch out with girlfriends, #3 sewing workshop wear… the possibilities are endless. Probably will not work for date night, as my hubby would be likely say, “This makes my teeth itch!”.
me, this one is a winner!
THANKS!
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Marisa Glied from The Refash Stash
Sorry I couldn’t model the main piece of this refashion but it was too
teeny (that’s the point, right?)
*The Shirt:*
I removed the collar, removed the bands around the sleeves and cut it
straight up the middle.
I cut a large section from the patterned shirt and pinned it to the coral
shirt. I used black bias tape in between the 2 layers for extra detail.
This panel wasn’t enough to make my shirt large enough so I repeated this
process and added a panel to the back as well.
I was lucky enough to save the original neckline from the patterned shirt
so I stitched that onto my new shirt to tie it all together.
*The skirt:*
My fun sequined skirt was just a tad bit snug in the waist but lucky for me
it had an elastic waistband. I unpicked the top seam and added 2 inches to
the original elastic.
Now for my favorite part: pockets! I used a piece of scrap fabric to make 2
squares. I unpicked the side seams of the skirt and stitched the pockets in.
I used 2 small scraps that were leftover from the patterned shirt and
stitched them together to make a large piece, which I wore as a headband!
(small to large)
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Diane Sladowski from Thoughts From a Seamstress
This time I started with two pink sweatshirts and a chambray shirt.
The zippered hoodie was shrunken and had a small puffy paint logo on the left front
and a large one on the back. The hood and sleeves were way too short and the zipper
was wonky and out of shape. The flowered pullover was too small to put on.
I cut them apart and rearranged the shirts. I used the chambray shirt to cover the
puffy paint, add a flounce and reused the front buttons. The flowered shirt becomes
the hood and lengthens the sleeves and the body. The cut flowers bring it all
together for a much more wearable fun garment!
More photos of my process on my blog www.thoughtsfromaseamstress.com
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Rose Henegar
Mi Vida Loca-An Homage to Crazy Quilting
What we are in life is a sum of our past. Sometimes it is reflected in our
actions, our emotions, or in this case as a compilation of sewing and
wardrobe options from days gone by.
I had a little southern granny who sewed crazy quilting pillow covers. On
close inspection, we recognized the fabrics from grandpa’s p.j.’s and
granny’s house dresses. The colorful assortment was a love story. The
assembly of garments and fabric scraps from quilting and mending all worked
together were made new with gentle hands.
My end result contains a skirt too small, a jacket too tight (but the
colors! Oh my!), jelly roll strips from the making of a wedding quilt…
The blank canvas used was a work vest. Ho hum, it was a boxy denim nothing.
The magic that happened converted these castoffs into a smock that exudes
color and playfulness. And pockets. LOTS of pockets! The sassy belt across
the front houses a pouch made from not one, but two pockets!
So, enjoy our venture into the she shed. I gave it a test drive and was
impressed with the versatility (a place for my hammer, my life savers, my
phone, my pencil…).
I love it! Hope you do too!
Toodles!
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Julie Kong from Sugarcane Sweet Designs
Hi Everyone,
This week we have an unusual challenge of making something bigger. This is something I need to do to all the clothes in my closet! Anyway, I picked a dress to work on that someone gave me a few years back. I called it my Morticia Addams dress. Do you remember that old TV show, The Addams Family? Morticia always had on a super tight dresses that trailed behind her. Now that’s just what this dress did. Either I was going to have to grow Three more feet and loose 20 lbs or fix the dress. My only option was to fix the dress! I felt like a superhero saving this beautiful crocheted garment. Apparently, I now have a new superhero power!!!! Okay, I’m getting distracted girls, on to the dress. This is the kind of dress you don’t cut up and make into a skirt or a top. It’s to beautiful as it is. I had to save it while keeping its beauty intact. First, I knew I had to create more room in the top and change the neckline. I took a chance and slit the top down the center front. It seemed like it was going to unravel! Yes, it was going to unravel. Oh, no, Mr Bill what have I done!! Yep, a total panic moment for me. Luckily, for me, a good zig zag and seam binding did the trick. Yes, it’s stable and it survived. Next, I added lace, trim, flowers and beads to the neckline. I felt the neckline was the focal point of the dress. It needed to be elegant. All of which was achieved with the trims I had purchased from a local organization called, Redding Fashion Alliance. They were selling scraps of lace and fabric to raise money for sewing scholarships. What a great program. After that, I cut off the bottom of the dress. Wow, let me tell you, I can make a whole other dress with that bottom piece. Moving forward I then used part of the bottom piece to make a ruffle. I sewed it on at an angle to create eye appeal. I also had an antique piece of lace that I sewed on over the ruffle. The lace is so beautiful and delicate. Oh and I did tea dye all my laces. I love using Red Rose Tea. It gives things a slight rosy color.
THE DRESS HAS BEEN SAVED! Just think, I almost gave it away.
I hope I have inspired you with me ideas. Hope to see you next week.
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Beki Biesterfelt from Beki’s Custom Sewing
I love the color of this wool coat dress a friend gave me a few years ago. It was a bit snug across the back & I didn’t care for the straight silhouette.
By removing the sleeves I gained freedom across the upper back. I used the sleeves to make 5 godets. By adding 3 godets to the back and 2 to the front I was able to achieve the fit & flare volume that I had envisioned.
I wet felted this wool/mohair scarf last year and really didn’t have any coordinates to wear with it.
So I took the leftover wool/mohair roving and needle felted it into the bottom of the vest.
I hand beaded the center front, armholes and collar topstitch lines.
The gold buttons were replaced with beaded round balls that I made from the leftover beads.
I really liked how this turned out!
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Peggy Latta from Heirloom Textile Art
RED HOT STATEMENT SUIT
As I think about the challenge for each week, I try to achieve this set of criteria:
Will the finished restyle be something I will be proud to wear? Does it reflect my creativity and personal style?
Does the restyle inspire my followers and those of The Renegade Seamstress?
Are the restyling techniques adaptable for all sewing skill levels?
This week’s challenge…small to large…is something that I do frequently. In my dreams I am a petite size 6; in reality I have a mixed size figure…12ish on top/14+ on the bottom…and I have a slight hip deformity. Enlarging beautiful thrift finds to fit my body is definitely in my skill set.
With the help of a size 6 pleated skirt and a size 4 A-line skirt (for additional fabric), I have enlarged an extremely ill-fitting jacket (ok in the shoulder, way too tight over the tummy/hips, ridiculously long sleeves) and tiny size 6 crepe pants to create a mixed fabric, shades-of-red suit.
Asymmetry is extremely helpful in camouflaging my figure discrepancies. And, I think asymmetrical garments are just more interesting! My restyled, too tight jacket now has plenty of tummy and hip room with the addition of pleated peplums. The tiny crepe pants gained waist and hip ease with pleated side seam insets.
As I prepared my challenge this week, I was thinking about two of my favorite quotes:
“When in Doubt Wear Red” and “People Will Stare. Make it worth their while.”
My entry checked off the criteria for me (creative and reflects my personal style.) I hope you are inspired to find your RED, try some restyling and go out there and turn some heads!
~Peggy
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WOW!!! This week is one of the best ever!! I hope you had fun and now it’s your turn to vote for your favorite designer in the Small to Large Challenge.
Be sure to click on your favorite designer then scroll to the bottom of the poll and click vote so your vote will be counted. You can vote once every 24 hours.
If you don’t see the poll click here.
Next week’s challenge is:
Southwest
Week One: Statement Sleeves
Week Two: 1970’s
Week Three: Faux Fur
Week Four: Small to Large
Week Five: Southwest
Week Six: Kentucky Derby Hat
The Renegade Seamstress 
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Where is Beki’s thumbnail to vote for?
NVM, it wasn’t there when I first went to vote!
My mistake. sorry about that!!! Hopefully it’s fixed now.
Best Dress!
Should be there now.
Absolutely stunning Peggy!!!! You never cease to seize the challenge and take it above and beyond!!!! Love love love it!!!!
She is definitely a master!
Thanks Nikki ❣️
Omg….how to choose. Talk about talent.
Thanks so much for playing along Judy!! It’s fun to know you’re having fun, too. 🙂 Love you and miss you!
I love Peggy’s entry! The bold red is fabulous! This outfit is totally wearable and is such an eye catcher!! Stunning! And the perfect shoes! So flirty 😍
A show stopper for sure! 🙂
Thank you “Anonymous“! Please keep the votes coming 😉
Peggy Latta your red outfit is truly a showstopper!!!
I agree!
Thanks BJ! 🥰
Beautiful
Thank you for your kind comment Kristi!
These challenges have been fun to watch! I like how these women take inspiration from each other’s ideas!
They are definitely inspiring! 🙂
Hi, the photos do not show up in original email. I did access them when I went to comment. They were all there on that page. I don’t know if this will affect the voting turn out.
Sent from my iPhone
>
For some reason, if it’s accessed through WordPress it doesn’t show up, so I put the link above the poll. I hope that helps. Pease let me know if it doesn’t.
Fantastic job
Thank you for making a kind comment, Ephrem!
Peggy, love the red! Voting for you!
🙂
❤️❤️❤️
These are so great! I love Beki’s new creation. That felted wool is really beautiful!
She is an amazing fiber artist!!!
Deanna your creations are truly amazing!!!
🙂
This is the first time I have voted, because I could not find any way to do so before. You may be missing many pople.
For some reason, if it’s accessed through WordPress it doesn’t show up, so I put the link above the poll. I hope that helps. Pease let me know if it doesn’t.
Love the mix of reds. The pleats add an elegant detail.
I love the pleats, too! 🙂
Thanks Susan! The pleated skirt was my starting point. I’m so glad it was red!!
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I don’t have much experience with my sewing machines but I definitely love “creative recycling”, these challenges are mind blowing and the designers are blowing me away with how they create completely different & gorgeous clothing out of older items.
Thank you so much for your words of encouragement, Laurie! These ladies are amazing me each and every week, too. 🙂
Love the dress KT made, beautiful and so creative!
I agree, such a great transformation. 🙂
Week after week Peggy continues to share creative, wearable entries. Her red suit this challenge is stunning! But what struck me even more was her story. It’s so thoughtfully written and offers encouragement for the readers. She is a gift to this event and shares her beautiful spirit each week! You’re lucky to have her!!
I am definitely humbled by the level of expertise and talent we have this season. Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging comment. And thanks so much for following along. 🙂
Oh my gosh! Thank you for actually reading my story! I’m glad you liked my message 😊
I absolutely adore Peggy’s red outfit. That it is so wearable is the best! BUT I had to vote for KT’s creation. To get an adult’s elegant dress from a child’s dress blows me away. That is some crazy kind of magic as far as I am concerned.
Well done.
I agree! What an amazing transformation!!!
😊 and 😩
Maybe you could give my suit a couple of votes? 😉
Easy winner here! DEANA !
I am humbled by her amazing sewing abilities!!! 🙂
I must respectfully disagree! All of the contestants have worked their butts off for this challenge and their entries show it. Deana dyed two gowns and combined the fabric into a lovely ball gown and Barbie dress. But, I’m sorry. That does not compare to the creativity displayed by other contestants.
Hi JoAnn, I’m really hoping that this stays a “friendly” sewing competition. Please find a way to be encouraging to the designers you like without trashing other’s designs. Thank you for understanding.
I think creativity is open to interpretation and, since no one else made a ball gown fit for a queen and a Barbie gown my two girls girls would DIE to have for their Barbies, I’d say it’s incredibly creative!
Her gown gown is red carpet worthy in my opinion and I think Deana’s entries each week portray modern and stunning looks, along with a mass amount of creativity… I mean, she turned a couch into an outfit, for goodness sake! 😆😊🙌💞
I think creativity is open to interpretation, too. That’s why the challenges are very open ended. I think it’s much more fun that way and it encourages creativity.
JoAnn,
I do not believe I am reading this. Deana no Creativity? You must be just joining now. Have you not seen the creativity of Deana I the past weeks? Talk about ‘thinking outside the Box’. This lady is nothing short of a wizard! To take 2 tired unappealing white wedding gowns and the transform them Into a vibrant Red jaw dropping, show stopping ball gowns for a barbie and a lifesize model is nothing short of miraculous which clearly demonstrates, talent and creativity beyond your wildest Imagination. You go DEANA! Be bold, be you!
Singling Deana out with a petty comment just sounds like a personal problem. I think her idea and creativity is brilliant!
Beautiful
🙂
KT’s transformation of a little girl’s dress into an elegantly chic lady’s dress is “Pure Magic”. What creativity and a brilliant imagination ! We all have (had) those precious little girl dresses we adorned our little girls with–Who knew?? Thank you KT–keep those creative juices flowing–I’m fascinated by your elegant creations.
Such a wonderfully nice thing to say. I know these designers appreciate each and every word of encouragement. I love how KT thinks so creatively and is able to wow us each week.
Everyone did a fantastic job! The red dress and red outfit are stunningly beautiful!
Beautiful reds on Valentine’s Day Weekend!
This is certainly going to need to be a week of multiple voting because I just can’t decide! Fantastic work ladies, this is some amazing creativity on display.
Thank you so much for voting Holly!!
Deana!! This dress is GORGEOUS! It’s like a Disney Princess outfit, but it’s fit for a QUEEN! I love your interpretation of the theme this week, it’s just stunning. 💞
🙂
Peggy’s skills and creativity are incredible. The red suit is stunning!!! I would love to wear it so people would stare!!
I’m looking forward to wearing it too! Thanks for the love🥰
You look amazing in this red outfit. You will turn heads for sure when you walk in wearing this!!
This is gorgeous!
🙂
Beautiful!!! True artistry, but I expect nothing less from Peggy!!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
🥰
She is definitely an artist!
You’ve outdone yourself this time Deana Budgell!
🙂 Deana has such loving fans!
Deanna! Amazing as always! I LOVE the creativity that went into this
🙂
This week is a tough one for voting. I have several favorites. Wonderfully creative work.
Thank you for voting, Catherine. I hope you’re able to vote for all of your favorites at least once.
This competition is amazing!
Deana and Peggy both chose red. Smart choice!
Peggy reveals her physical realities, and with courage and confidence she explains how her creation compensates. A classy woman!
Deana takes small-to-large to a red-as-it-gets extreme, from a doll-scale gown to a larger than life ball room gown.
Wonder if Deana knows that Peggy has worked the opposite, from large to small, hundreds of times, with Heirloom Textile Art wedding gown miniatures. Hundreds of brides have Peggy’s exquisite, hand-sewn miniatures of their bridal finest, right down to the embroidering and floral bouquet.
Uncanny!
David,
Thank you for mentioning my Replica Miniature Gowns! They have been my passion (and basically my life’s work) for 30 years. I took a short break in my schedule to complete in Refashion Runway but will be back to the teeny, tiny details very soon 😊
I for one, am amazed at Peggy’s gown miniatures. So beautiful and what a wonderful keepsake for brides.
Keep up the good work Kedi
Beautiful dress!
Nice work
🙂
Wowwwwwww this is amazing Deana!!!! This is soo cool, you go girllll!!!
🙂
What a beautiful dress, just at Valentines day! Very creative.
🙂
Deanna, what a beautiful dress, just at Valentines day! Very creative, keep up the great work.
🙂
What a group of talented people!!
I feel so humbled to have so many brilliant contestants this season. We are so lucky!!!
Love the red dress! Power at love at it’s finest!
Love your red outfit Peggy! Power in the red! Red means love!
🙂
Deana WOW!! This is absolutely stunning! ❤
🙂
This was a major change with lots of skill involved.
Lots of skill this season for sure. I get so excited to see what everyone comes up with each week.
WOW WOW Deana, your a cut above the rest for sure. You blow us away every week.. Very amazing talent. So proud of you doll.
Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to encourage 😘😘
WOW! Deana has such a loyal and encouraging fan club! Thank you for leaving a kind comment for her.
Amazing!
Thank you so much for joining us Barbara!!
Really difficult website! Not friendly to revisit and continue to vote.
Hi Lynn, Could you tell me what you’re having difficulty with and I’ll try to fix it for you?
Is there a way to get to the voting without scrolling through everything or an I missing it? Or Signing In when replying ?
Hi Lynn, Thank you for being specific in your concerns, it helps me to know so I can try and make this a better experience for everyone. I just tried putting the voting poll at the top of the post but apparently it can only be in one place. I hesitate to put it at the top instead of the bottom because the contestants have worked so hard and I really want first time voters to see everyone’s hard work before they make their choice. As far as the signing in goes, I just switched it to signing in for comments because there were some trolls commenting and I thought this would eliminate that. Are you a subscriber? Do you have to sign in each time to comment?
neither
Many years ago I stopped posting my comments on a specific blog because several small-minded people complained that I always posted positive comments. I was taken aback by such negative remarks and decided not to post on that blog again. I find that most sewers really appreciate positive comments, and constructive criticism–NOT mean, petty, or negative comments. A substantial amount of refashion transformations require work that is often not visible. Thank you to ALL of these ladies for sharing their new creations and allowing us to learn about the stories behind their inspirations. Each week I am amazed by the garments they ALL create.
Thank you for protecting us from reading comments from those trolls!
Thank YOU Gilda for being positive. You are so right, EVERYONE pours their heart into their designs and they ALL deserve encouragement. I’ve always been so lucky and most of the comments from subscribers are encouraging and kind. In the past, I’ve deleted negative or mean comments. I did ask one commenter this season to please give encouragement to their favorite designers without trashing the others. Hopefully that helps. Thanks for following along!!
Deana, I loved seeing your Valentine week confection. What a beautiful gown of love and confection. I’d love to wear it to our Symphony’s next gala or to the annual Scottish Ball. So yummy. I can imagine one of our performing soloists wearing this lovely creation. It is a dream come true.
Oh yes, Jolynda, it would be a lovely dress for any of those occasions. Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
Becki< your felting techniques are amazing and delightful. The details added of beading and trims are a thrill. How did you find a blouse to wear with the jumper in the right color? Love the new flare of the vest. Very inventive.
You are such a kind person Jolynda! So nice of you to notice all of the hard work that Beki puts into the details of her creations. 🙂
The silk jersey is a thrift store find from years ago. It feels so dreamy on that I couldn’t pass it up. Thank you for your kind comments.
Deana it’s just so gorgeous!!
🙂
Lovely work.
Thank you Lea! I know these creative women appreciate your nice comment!
Beautiful
🙂
What a beautiful dress! Great job!
🙂
Deana 😍 your amaze me every time. You go above and beyond!
Peggy looks great.
She does!!!
Wonderful outfit!!
🙂
Wonderful outfit!!
🙂
Peggy you are so talented!
She is!!!
Awesome
🙂
Superb
🙂
I ♥️ Red
Me, too!
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Beautiful!
🙂
I love it!
🙂
I love this redesign!!! ♥️♥️♥️
🙂
I like Deanna’s idea of magnifying a dolly’s dress.
Such an interesting take on the challenge. 🙂
Best dress !!!
🙂
Deanna…stmply amazing as always. I vote as often as i can. Blessings and hugs!
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