The Renegade Seamstress

Felt Gift Bag: A New One Minute Video and a Giveaway

Posted on December 16, 2017 by The Renegade Seamstress

When it comes to holiday get togethers, there’s nothing quite like showing up at your gathering with a nice bottle of wine. Bring your gift-giving game up a notch when you present your vino in this felt gift bag featuring a cozy blanket stitch. Your hosts are sure to feel extra special when they find out you made it yourself. Whether you’re a beginning or a seasoned seamstress, you’ll find these bags are quite easy, inexpensive and fun to make. So move over paper gift bag, there’s a new bag in town!

You can see the Facebook video here:

If you don’t have Facebook, you can watch the Youtube version here:

Click here to see the full DIY tutorial.

And since I haven’t had a giveaway in a long time and it IS the season of giving, I’d like to give away one of these bags to one of you. All you have to do to enter your name in the giveaway is click here, make a comment and pin this article to one of your Pinterest boards. The winner will be announced next Saturday, December 23.

Happy Holiday Sewing!

Beth

PS. The Refashion Handbook is 20% off this weekend if you still need a stocking stuffer, click here.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Blanket stitch, crafts, DIY, felt gift bag, gifts, holiday sewing, Sewing, The Refashion Handbook, tutorials, wine bag | 11 Comments

How to Hand Knit a “Giganto” Blanket: New One (and a half) Minute Video

Posted on December 3, 2017 by The Renegade Seamstress

Who doesn’t like snuggling up with a cozy blanket, a good book and a steaming cup of cocoa when the weather gets cold outside? Make this on-trend, giganto knit blanket using only your hands. Yep, that’s right, no needles required for this gorgeous blanket and it only takes a couple of hours to make. Perfect for those chilly nights when the best thing to do is snuggle up next to the fireplace in your favorite chair and read. These chunky blankets look great whether they’re thrown over a chair, draped at the foot of a bed, or even rolled up and displayed in a basket.

You can watch the Facebook video here:

If you’re not on Facebook, you can see the video here:

Click here for the full blanket tutorial.

Just a friendly reminder that The Refashion Handbook $10 sale ends today, so if you’ve been thinking that someone on your Christmas list would enjoy getting one in their stocking this year, today is the day… 🙂

Click here to buy one.

Thank you in advance for shopping small.

Beth

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged alterations, crafts, DIY, Refashion, Sewing, The Refashion Handbook, tutorial | 3 Comments

Two Gift Ideas for the Seamstress (Or the Wannabe Seamstress) in Your Life

Posted on December 2, 2017 by The Renegade Seamstress

If you’ve already purchased The Refashion Handbook and would like another gift idea for those seamstresses or seamsters in your life, you can get my class Learn to Upcycle & Refashion Sweaters from Annie’s Crafts. You can purchase it as an on-demand online class or a DVD.

I especially like the refashioned dog sweater project. 🙂

You can get a preview here.

And, just a friendly reminder that if you haven’t had a chance to get a copy of The Refashion Handbook, and you were thinking that someone on your Christmas list would like one, today is the day to buy it.

Tomorrow is the last day of the $10 sale.

If you didn’t happen to see last week’s post, here’s the scoop on the book:

One of the best ways to learn to sew, is transforming thrift store clothes into something more modern. Not only is it much more cost friendly than buying new fabric, but you can do your part to help keep so many textiles from ending up in the landfills around the world.

If you’re looking for something earth-friendly to give to a seamstress (or wannabe seamstress) in your life this holiday season, then The Refashion Handbook just might be the gift for you. And it’s only $10 right now (that’s more that 50% off.) 🙂

The Refashion Handbook, is filled with ideas and step-by-step instructions on how to refashion ill-fitting, outdated clothes into more modern pieces. I had so much fun creating this book for you and then C&T Publishing flew me down to California for the final photo shoot at a ranch right next to George Lucas’s ranch. Had to pinch myself!

It was a beautiful day for photos and I loved working with such creative people.

Here is one of my favorite AFTER shots from the book:

Thank you in advance for shopping small this season. 🙂

Happy Holidays!

Beth

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged alterations, Annie's Crafts, clothing, DIY, reconstructed clothing, Refashion, Sewing, The Refashion Handbook, tutorials | 2 Comments

New One Minute Video: Sweater to Mittens = “Smittens”

Posted on November 30, 2017 by The Renegade Seamstress

You need to be careful what you wear around me. Be very, very careful. Each sweater I lay my eyes on these days becomes a potential mitten fantasy to me. While you think I’m listening to you talk about your elf on the shelf adventures, I’m most likely envisioning myself cutting up your sweater to make more SMITTENS!!!! You can’t say you haven’t been warned…

If you’re looking for the perfect DIY gift, you can make a pair of cozy, warm, fleece lined mittens from a couple of outdated sweaters in under an hour. I like to call these “Smittens.” Your friends and family will love receiving a unique pair of earth friendly, handmade Smittens this holiday season.

Here’s the Facebook video: (be sure to turn on the sound, it’s more fun with the music.:))

For those of you not on Facebook, you can watch here:

Click here to see to the full tutorial.

Happy “Smitten” Making!!

Beth

For more sewing and refashioning ideas, click here.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged DIY, reconstructed clothing, Refashion, Sewing, smittens, sweater mittens, The Refashion Handbook, tutorial, video | 8 Comments

A Great Gift For the Seamstress in Your Life: The Refashion Handbook $10 Sale

Posted on November 26, 2017 by The Renegade Seamstress

My book, The Refashion Handbook, is filled with ideas and step-by-step instructions on how to refashion ill-fitting, outdated clothes into more modern pieces. I had so much fun creating this book for you and then C&T Publishing flew me down to California for the final photo shoot at a ranch right next to George Lucas’s ranch. Had to pinch myself!

It was a beautiful day for photos and I loved working with such creative people.

Here are a few of my favorite AFTER shots from the book:

The photographer called the next two pictures my “Martha Stewart” photos. And….I’m totally fine with that. 🙂

I REALLY love how this next dress was transformed.

In The Refashion Handbook, you will also find out how these dresses morphed into something more wearable along with 16 more refashioning projects, and sewing instructions:

Thank you in advance for supporting The Renegade Seamstress by purchasing

The Refashion Handbook.

Click here or on any of the photos or links on this page to buy a book.

Sale ends on Sunday, December 3, 2017.

I hope your holidays are filled with love, friends and family!

Happy Sewing!

Beth

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged alterations, clothing, DIY, fashion, reconstructed clothing, recycling, Refashion, The Refashion Handbook, Thrifting, tutorial, upcycling | 12 Comments

New New One Minute Video: Create a Cozy Cardigan Cowl and Boot Socks From an Old Sweater

Posted on November 25, 2017 by The Renegade Seamstress

Well, it’s official. Thanksgiving is over so let the Christmas festivities begin…

Here’s an idea for those of you who love to recycle and create handmade gifts for your friends and families but don’t have loads of time.

Create a sweater cowl scarf from an old cardigan sweater. Click here to read the step by step directions or scroll down to watch the video.

Here’s the Facebook video:

(Be sure to unmute the sound. It’s always better with the music. 🙂 )

For those of you not on Facebook, here’s the Youtube version:

For more refashion and sewing inspiration, click here.

Happy Sewing!!!

Beth

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged alterations, cardigan cowl, clothing, DIY, fashion, reconstructed clothing, Refashion, Sewing, sewing video, Thrifting, tutorial | 2 Comments

Transform a Pullover into a Cardigan

Posted on October 17, 2017 by The Renegade Seamstress

Pullovers just don’t do anything for my body. But a cardigan…..SO MUCH MORE FLATTERING, not to mention versatile. Here’s my newest ehow video on how to change a pullover sweater into a cardigan. And yes, it really is this easy. 🙂

Here’s the Youtube version:

Here’s the Facebook version:

To see the full step-by-step tutorial click here.

Happy Sewing!

Beth

For more sewing and refashion inspiration, click here.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged alterations, clothing, DIY, fashion, Pullover to cardigan, reconstructed clothing, Refashion, Sewing, sweater, Thrifting, tutorial | 6 Comments

How to Put a Zipper in a Sweatshirt: My Newest One Minute Video

Posted on October 7, 2017 by The Renegade Seamstress

When the evening air gets a bit brisk and vibrant leaves start to contrast the brilliant blue skies, you know autumn is here and it’s time to start wrapping up again in your coziest sweatshirts. You could just grab a pullover hoodie, which would keep you plenty warm, but if you want to add some personal style to your sweatshirt, a zipper just might be the design element you’ve been looking for. With a zipper, you can open it up and layer it with your favorite T-shirts, wear it like a cardigan, or even use it as a light jacket. So this year, how about welcoming the cooler weather by putting a zipper into one of your comfortable hoodies.

Click here for the full tutorial or scroll down to watch the video.

If you are on Facebook you can view the video here:

If you’re not on Facebook, you can view the video here:

Click here for the full step by step tutorial.

Happy Sewing!

Beth

For more refashion and sewing inspiration, click here.

For more videos, click here.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged alterations, clothing, DIY, fashion, hoodie, Refashion, Sewing, sweatshirt, tutorial, zipper hoodie | 6 Comments

Soup Bowl Hot Pads: The Newest Video (Almost 9 Million Views Already) :)

Posted on September 26, 2017 by The Renegade Seamstress

Oh. My. Gosh! My latest eHow video has almost 9 million views already! (UPDATE: It’s now received over 35 million facebook views…. Shesh-ka-bob!!! 🙂 )

I’m soooooo excited!

I’ve been hoping one of my videos would break the million mark, but this surpassed all of my hopes!

I love the idea of this Soup Bowl Hot Pad. Use it for hot bowls of soup, or even cold bowls of ice cream.

My friend Barb suggested using them to put between dishes in the camper to keep everything safe while traveling. BRILLIANT!