Stitchy Saturday: Improv Sewing

Spring means new flowers, new baby animals, new fresh foods, and new clothes. Unfortunately, my finances are not allowing me to go on the kind of spring shopping spree that I would prefer. 
Luckily, the spring issue of Craftsanity Magazine had a great feature (among so many!) about improv sewing. 


Taking a boring long-sleeved tee from the back of my dresser, I was able to re-purpose it into a springier cardigan. I used some ribbon from my stash and picked up some buttons (with a 40% off coupon!) for inspiration.

My finished project--I love that I can  wear it with jeans
and a white tee or a blouse and skirt for work.

The "ingredients": shirt, thread, scissors, embellishments, sewing machine.
Cut the shirt along the front and fold the edges in. Pin, add ribbon,  and sew multiple
seams up and down the front. I used variegated thread that went with my buttons. 

LOVE the buttons! decided that it needed a little more
interest at the lapels, so I took one strand from 5 different colors of
embroidery floss (the colors on the button) and did a little back stitch detail.

Fancy and it will go with so much! A whole new look for about $2.00!