Refashioned

jenjoycedesign©linen-shirt-upcycle-back I took a big men’s blue check linen shirt I found at Goodwill Thrift shop a few months ago, for a couple of dollars, and this morning reconstructed it into a pretty shirt with details I have done so much I call them ‘signature’. I took my time before I cut with scissors because I really put a lot of thought into the details I wanted.

jenjoycedesign©shortened jenjoycedesign©pinned

Such as the cut off cuff hemmed with sleeve placket and then a button for show.

jenjoycedesign©detail 3

This time I took some of the length cut off from the shirt and made a little detail sewn over pleats. (oops, I forgot to photograph the before photo), then added buttons.  I love it !

jenjoycedesign©linen-shirt-upcycle-detail (1) I also separated the felled seam at the bottom edge and rather hurriedly made a make-shift after-thought side seam placket, and decided to make the front shorter.

jenjoycedesign©detail 2

Also I sewed the button placket down because I hate gaping button plackets on shirts. Voila ! Refashioned 100% linen summer shirt ! For two dollars !!! Did I already mention that I love it?

jenjoycedesign©linen-shirt-upcycle-detail (2)

New From Old

I took a short break from knitting, and made something fresh and new from something old and tatter’d.  Like the saying goes ” a silk purse from a sow’s ear”.


Well,  not exactly a sow’s ear. But a dearly beloved shirt I’ve worn to threads, bought ages ago from a thift-shop. Twice used !

Really nice linen.

Probably Irish Linen.

From the back side I cut out a large square.

(really, I ripped on the grain, for perfect edges)

Folded hem, ironed, pinned, then

settled into stitching . . .

 I am intrigued with the thing which is mitered corners.

I figured out how to do it all by myself !

Well, not exactly a silk purse, but in my opinion better.

 Something new from something old .

A hand-made linen handkerchief !

Twenty by twenty inches.   A generous sized hikers’ pocket companion.

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