Fixing Last Years Mistakes and Problems

I actually did all this back at the beginning of summer, but I'm just now posting it.  I don't have a large closet so anything that isn't working has to be fixed or get out.

The first problem was this dress I made last year.  You might remember it had short sleeves.  Even though I prewash and dry all my fabric before using it, this dress shrank in the dryer.  (I always line dry my clothes but my husband was doing the wash -- he knows to line dry all my stuff now.)  The dress still fit in the body except I couldn't move my arms good.  It pulled across the chest rather badly.  So take off the sleeves...except some idiot seamstress sewed them in too well -- stitched, trimmed, and then zigzagged (pre-serger days).  I cut them off at 1/2 inch, turned them under, and stitched them down.  Now it's wearable again.

Next was this peasant top I mentioned before.  I nipped the sides in a bit.  Also, when I made it I only had some old elastic that turned out to be a bit stiff and uncomfortable.  I pulled that out and put a newer soft one in.

Last year I made this A-line skirt (with a lining) which fit perfectly but I never wore it.  I decided this year that I had hemmed it too long, so I shortened it.  The photo is from before the bad haircut -- and the gray spot behind me is my cat.  This skirt has become one of my favorites this summer.

The last thing I fixed was this robe I rediscovered in my closet.  It a Victoria's Secret silk robe that I bought at a local thrift store last year for $2.00.  The problem with it was that it's a size large.  For silk at that price I figured I could hack it down to my size -- which is what I did.  I undid the hem at the side seams and simply cut off the sleeves about 3 inches up.  Then I just redid the side seams from the bottom to the bottom of the sleeves in one line.  Not well done but acceptable for a robe.  I did at least French seam them.  I didn't snap a photo for after; the one above is from before -- it looks the same but smaller.

All of this fixing took only one afternoon and now I can wear all of it!