Operation Project $0: Day Nine with Simple SImon

For most of us Simple Simon needs no introduction.  The team of Elizabeths who brought us Project Run and Play and Project Sewn (For Adult Clothing).  These women gave me my first opportunity to do a guest post  - as a sew alonger with Project Run and Play.  And then somehow determined that I should have a shot at being a 'People's Choice' competitor the next season.  I hadn't been blogging very long, didn't know many people, and I think my blog had a following of 20?  They were so encouraging and took every step to make sure I felt like part of the 'gang'.  They continue to be a source of encouragement and inspiration.  If I were to come up with a list of who I want to be like when I grow up... Elizabeth and liZ would be near the top of that list (that is a figurative 'grow up' as I doubt we are very far apart in age ;op).  I am humbled and honored to have the privilege of introducing liZ with today's Operation Project $0 inspired post.

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Before we get started I need to admit something:

I cheated.

The outfit pictured below did not cost $0.

It cost $1.  ($1.16 to be exact.)  So I am officially disqualified from standing in the $0 circle of awesomeness. 

Shun me if you must.  I will understand.

(I by the way am liZ from over at Simple Simon and Company...over there my sister in law, whose name also happens to be Elizabeth, and I blog about sewing, crafting, and the Art of Homemaking.)

Ok, now you know who I am and my dirty little $1.16 secret.  Now we can go ahead and get started.

Here's what I put together for Grace:

 It's an 80's inspired play outfit for warm autumn afternoons.

The shoes are a pair that were given to Simon years ago but were too small so I've been saving them in the closet until now.  (My husband thought I was crazy to save them for so long but I'm glad I did.  She wears them almost every day.)

The white tank top actually came from the Dollar Store a few weeks back.  Grace was carrying it around and I thought some day it may come in handy and it has....even though it brought my total for this outfit up to $1.16.

The pants came from scraps out of my scrap bin and were pieces left over from one of my favorite projects: 

Gracie's Must Have Winter Maxi Dress.

I found two pieces left over that were large enough to make a pair of capris out of and then made them the same way that I made these pants:

And finally we added a vest that I made last year for one of Grace's Fall Look Book outfits:

It's from "The Audubon Society" outfit which was made from thrifted velvet that I picked up for $1!

It was a deal back then and she has more than gotten our money back in wear of those pants and vest.

So there you have it...in detail...the $1.16 Autumn play outfit for Grace and how it came to be.

(And actually, it's not all the unique.  The majority of Grace's clothing is a mix of hand me downs, thrifted items, and homemade clothing....

That's what we do around here.  I am convinced that dressing your children doesn't mean that you have to break the bank.)

Thanks Suzanne for inviting us over here today!  And I promise if you invite us back next year we will keep our total down to $0!

-liZ

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liZ, she is totally kickin' it in this outfit!  Watch out, Max might fly in from Australia to steal it from you ;o)  Thank you so much for being here with us today and sharing this super fun outfit.

Keep sewing up those awesome creations - and if you have been inspired to create something for $0 (or close to $0), add it to the Flickr Group!!!

Operation Project $0: Day Eight with The Shaffer Sisters

Today we have Scary (aka SarahLynn - but to me she is only Scary) of the Shaffer Sisters with us to share her Operation Project $0 creation.  I first met the Shaffer sisters through Project Run and Play - we were all sewing along and I just kept coming back to their creations and soon found myself following their blog and eagerly anticipating their next post and creation.  'Encourage, Inspire, Uplift, Create' is the mantra of their blog, and they have succeeded in each of those areas in my life.  The sisters each have a different personality and style and it is fun to see that come out in their blog posts and their sewing styles.  I have loved getting to guest post with them and am so happy to now have Scary guest posting here... and watch out, there are more sister on the way later in the month!

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Hi gals. Scary here from Shaffer Sisters. It is such a pleasure to visit you over here at Winter Wonderings. I have been planning for this day since we were invited. I have had several projects (nightgown, staple black dress, and fat quarter skirt) that were all contestants for this post but didn't make the cut. I would think about my introduction to Suzanne's dedication to Operation Zero and how the total for Project Run and Play season was $18.  I would then decide I needed something bigger and better. Her commitment to Operation Zero changed the way I thought about sewing for my kids.

I started picking knits off the clearance rack of Walmart. I started buying $2/yrd. quilters fabric that was neither hip or trendy. And I made the commitment to make less trips to the fabric store.  I used every scrap I could salvage for a useable piece.

The fabric for this skirt came from material I have for me to "someday" make jeans for myself. I purchased the fabric when it was 40% off, this skirt required less than a 1/3 yrd.  I knew this top (made for Project Run and Play: Pattern Remix from $2/yrd. fabric), needed a basic but strong item to anchor it. This skirt could be refashioned from jeans but I had fabric on hand and not jeans.

Lately I have been really into simple skirts ($1 fat quarter skirt, love you little bird skirt, and spin skirt) because they are easy to get on and stay on. Also after looking at pants for a couple of years I love seeing the skirts in the laundry.

This skirt came together really quickly and allowed me to use the edge of some eyelet that I had lying around (I just trimmed it down to 3/4 of inch from the top of the scallops) And ties back to the white buttons on top. Would you like to make one? (I know I am strongly thinking about changing the "someday jeans" into a tomorrow denim skirt for me).

Here are the instructions a skirt custom to the size you need it. I made it as a pdf file so you can print out and keep with your patterns.  

Thank you for having me and I am excited for you to "meet" my sisters later in the month and see what they did for pennies.

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Thank you so much for being here Scary, I love this skirt!  One more thing to add to the ever growing 'Must Make' list.

What have you been sewing?!?!?  Link it up in the Flickr Group so I can show it off next week!!!  And remember, this may be called Operation Project $0, but it doesn't have to be an upcycle or cost exactly $0 - I just want to encourage you to get resourceful and take a second look at what you have - then go CREATE!

Operation Project $0: day 7, upcycling the Tee Times 3 by Blank Slate Patterns

Welcome back Operation Project $0 fans - today I am continuing to build my kiddo's fall wardrobes for $0!!!  If there is one thing that I feel my children always need more of in their wardrobes it is T shirts.  I can always use a few more easy to wear basics that are super comfy for them to play in.  And the great thing is that you can pretty much always make a new T out of an old one ;o)

I was lucky enough to test the Tee times 3 for Blank Slate Patterns this summer (testing= free pattern!).  Let's just start by saying what a VERSATILE pattern this is.  You start with a basic ringer Tee... you then have the option of short or long sleeves, then you have an optional hood, THEN you have the girly version with the Peter Pan collar and key hole back.  All of this in one pattern.  It is perfect for boys, it is perfect for girls, it is made of knit and will quickly become a staple in your child's life!

As you can see I kept it cool and classic with a plain red with grey lined hood for my son, A - for this I used an XL long sleeve men's T (that hubs had never liked, or worn ;op)... which is the only reason I could get long sleeves and a hood out of one shirt - hoods take a large chunk of fabric.  The grey lining of the hood was a super soft work out T of mine that was just too short.

For baby girl, I grabbed an old Shirt of mine - I swear post three babies all of my old tops are just too short on me now ;op  So sorry ladies, that purple knit is indeed an upcycle!  For both shirts I was able to re-use the original hems which equals a professional finish and a super quick sew!  The collar and bindings are made form left over scraps of her pants.  Her pants are made from an old pair of yoga pants that were donated to my stash - so I whipped up the Lily Giggle Petunia Petal Pants to make a complete outfit.  And that perfect purple button - well, it came from my Amish button jar... so I guess technically we could say the button cost $0.01 ;op

Yep - these are the SAME pattern - and here is the funny thing, they are also the same size!  I wanted the shirt to be a little bit big on baby girl and long enough to wear with leggings (anyone else find that ALL girl tops from the stores are cut about 2-4 inches short, or super skinny... even in the toddler sizes ;op).  So you can see that the top hits her at the hip and has plenty of growing room in the shoulders... she is such a big girl.  I did cut the sleeve length to her size so that they wouldn't be too long.  A is my skinny man, he has a couple inches on his little sister...but I'm thinking he might weigh less - tall and skinny this one is ;o)

And look at these smiling faces - yeah these are two kids that LOVE their new clothes.  And yours will too!

What have you been sewing up for $0?!?!?  Make sure to upload your images to the Flickr group so that I can feature you next week!!!

Operation Project $0: Day 6 with Sutures and Sandpaper

Did you all (or 'all y'all' for those of you'ins South of the Maxon Dixon line) miss the awesomsauce  that is Operation Project $0 over the weekend???  Well I missed you, but I have also been getting to preview our amazing guest posts for this week - squeee... and LOVE them all!!!  Well, today I have the pleasure of introducing you to Kerry of Sutures and Sandpaper.  Kerry and I have only just 'met', but when I saw her up-cycle flip of the Rollerskate Dress HERE, I knew instantly that she was the type of girl that I wanted involved in this series!  In browsing through her blog, I have come to quickly appreciate that Kerry not only has some serious sewing chops, she also has a great sense of style.... this outfit is no exception, AND she uses my favorite color in the whole world!!!  So give a big round of hugs in welcoming Kerry - and make sure to take a few moments to check out her blog!

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A huge thank you to Suzanne for inviting me to participate in this fun series. I'm a little star struck to be included in this line up with some of my blogging idols!! My name is Kerry and I am very new to the blogging world. I blog with my sister Linda over at Sutures and Sandpaper. I am a mum to three little buttons, wife to a very understanding husband and work part time as a doctor. 

Project $0 has been a real eye opener for me. This is one of my favourite outfits that I have made in ages and it cost me $0!! I think I will be doing a lot more up-cycling. It is obviously cheaper but it also made me feel good to take something old and unused and give it new life.

I was given a lot of clothes by friends and family when I mentioned I was doing this project. It took me the longest time to sort through and decide on the colour palate. These are the items I chose...

A short sleeved men's shirt, a pair of women's slacks and a long sleeved knit top.

 And... here is what I came up with...

Ruffle Peplum

From the men's button up shirt and some white poplin I had left over from another project I made this ruffle peplum. I used the bodice from the Tinny Pattern and added two layers of ruffles to the bottom. I had recently used the Tinny for my entry in the August Flip This Pattern on Frances Suzanne and I knew it was a perfect fit for Eloise. Next time I will lengthen the bodice or ruffles a little as it is only JUST long enough. I will also add another button just above the ruffles as I found it opened up a bit when she was wearing it.

3/4 Shorts

I used the women's pants and a small amount of the men's shirt (for the inside waist band and pocket linings) and some red bias binding I had leftover from a jacket I made. I used the free Small Fry Skinny Jeans pattern from the sew along on Craftstorming. I made my first pair a couple of weeks ago and fell in love. I chose to shorten them to make 3/4 shorts. They came out a bit long (I made them late one night when Eloise was asleep) but they also have an adjustable waist so they will grow with her for quite a while yet.

Cardigan

I used the knit T-shirt and a basic T-shirt pattern and drafted my own pattern for this little cardigan. Then I made a long tie out of the remnants. I will do a up a tutorial for this on my blog very soon.

Street Kred Cap

I was selected to test the Street Kred Cap from Apple + Fig Patterns (nothing like a last minute addition to the outfit, right?) and had JUST enough of the pants and shirt left with the addition of some red quilting cotton, I had already, to make it up. I used part of the pants pocket/waist band on one of the hat pieces as a feature. I had about 10cm of piping left after I made this so I think it was meant to be :)  Keep an eye out for this cool pattern release in the next week. I will be blogging about my pattern test this week.

I will do up some tutorials for the top and the cardigan and a pattern test review on the hat as soon as I can.

And for good measure some unashamed photo bombing of my little Eloise in her new outfit...

She has definitely got some "street Kred" in this ensemble

Eloise showcasing her range of "serious" modelling poses ;)

Thanks again Suzanne, for inviting me, I had so much fun and now Eloise has four new garments for spring :)

Kerry xx

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Thank YOU so much Kerry for joining me in this endeavor!!!  I think my favorite part of this outfit is the red piping and stitching on the pants - sooooooo my style!  I can't wait for the Cardi tutorial on your blog, I have a few t'shirts that I'll just have to set aside for that!!!  And I want the shoes!!!  I also love how friends and family came out of the woodwork to give you things.  When I started, I only had my own closet to pull from... now I get donations from family and friends all the time!!!

Keep uploading those images of your own Operation Project $0 creations to the Flickr Group!

Operation Project $0:Day Five with House of Estrela

Welcome back, I hope everyone has been enjoying the first week of Operation Project $0, 2013!!!  I am loving each thing that my lovely guest posters are bringing to the table, and today is no different.  Today, I have Magda of House of Estrela here to share.  Magda and I share a heart for upcycling and making full wardrobes for our children without breaking the bank.  Magda did a whole series on refashioning during the month of July that was awesome - and I shared my Crumbcatcher dress.  This is also the same awesome lady who designed the adorable blazer I posted earlier in the week - I hope you heard that we all want it in WOMEN's sizes girl!  If you haven't already, you really should check out the House of Estrela blog and see all the cool happenings!

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Hello Winter Wonderings Wanderings and Whatnot readers. My name is Magda E. from House of Estrela, where I blog about my sewing adventures, from Portugal. As I mentioned in my inspiration boards post, Suzanne's series might be just my favorite, because it has me, me, me written all over it. So, I loved the challenge, and am excited to be a guest today. 

I've been doing Operation Project 0$ basically since September 2012, when I made a commitment with myself of not buying anymore clothes for my daughter (or myself). I succeeded and in January I made the commitment of buying the least I could for my sewing too. For that, I decided I would only sew from my already (never ending) existing stash, or refashioning clothes that we already had or that have been given to us.

The idea of taking this line of thought and create a Fall/Winter wardrobe for my daughter was already dancing in my mind when I was invited by Suzanne to be part of this, so it was just the kick I needed to follow my idea. But, when I started to go through what she already had and what she could probably need, I realized this girl already had everything she could possible wear in one season.

One of my points of spending 0$ (or as close to it as possible) is not wasting time... who hasn't heard the saying Time is money!? Well I know I have and believe to be true. So, in order of putting all of it together, I chose to sew the one garment she really needed in her wardrobe, and that was, a robe.

All the way back to February 2012 I had a brilliant idea. I made her first robe out of a small (travelling) fleece blanket. It turned out so cute and warmth and it lasted! But, kids grow, and although she looked adorable in the pink and purple one, it was time to get a new one. I went with red this time. Her first robe matches the decorations from her nursery, but I plan to re-decorate it one of these days and use reds, and that's the reason why I used a red blanked this time. 

I didn't have it in my stash. I bought it for 3,5€, but since I have behaved so well (only bought about 3 pieces of fabric this entire year and have used them right away) and refashioning as much as possible, I could go with the 3,5€ for a robe. 

I honestly like the first one better. For this one I used a pattern I recently won: The Little Lady Jacket by Seamingly Smitten.  - FREE pattern, see?! - Yes, it is a jacket pattern, but it was really close to what I had in mine. I didn't make the lining though, so I finished my seams with bias tape, and used 5 small front buttons instead of 3. The buttons and the polka dot fabric in the bias were already in my stash. 

I had tried to use the B buttons several times, but never got around to it. I thought this was the time though. My daughter's name is Gabriela, but I often call her just Biela... see?! Starts with a B. Perfect. But I only had 4 of this and needed at least one more. What to do? Well, use another button that was in my stash forever, a bear's head. I think it's a nice detail snapping in the middle of the B's.

I didn't like the collar though, it's slightly ruffled but I think it looks weird. I'm starting to think I am picky with collars. really. I think I liked the first robe self drafted pattern better when it comes to the collar and details, but I really wanted to do one with these sleeves this time. I only added polka dotted band in the left side of the robe's front piece, and simple finished the right one with a zigzag stitch.

I tried to get pictures taken to my little miss wearing her robe. It's been quite hot to wear anything fleece these days, but that wasn't really a problem for her. She wore it happily, actually she was so happy that these were the best photos I got from her:

Then I got silly and tried my 6 year old niece to try it on... ahahah... it was too small and tight for her, but at least she was a more cooperative model, so you can have an idea of how the collar looks on.

And that's it, I hope you all liked it. If you'd like to see some more of my refashions click here.

I'd like to thank Suzanne for having me and for being such an adorable person. It's great that we can do things that are sustainable, save some money and pushing our imagination while we have fun in the process. 

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Thank you so much for being here Magda, I love the robe... and that it is RED!  What a perfect addition to your daughter's fall wardrobe.

I hope you are getting inspired to sew!  Remember to add your own creations to the Flickr Group, and have a Great weekend - I'll see you back here on Monday!

Operation Project $0: Day Four with Feather's Flights

Today I am so happy to introduce the sweet and talented Heather of Feather's Flights.  She has a passion for upcycling (just like me) and loves designing for and dressing her adorable son Henry.  This summer I got to join in on her Playtime Pants Blog Tour - and I absolutely love those pants. 

you can read my post about them HERE

If you haven't checked out Heather's Blog, you totally should, it is filled with fun tutorials for children and mamas... she also has a weekly sewing round up called 'You Flew Tuesdays' where you can link up all your sewing goodies.  Anyways, I am so happy to get to share Heather  and her $0 project with you today!!! ----------------------- 

I am so excited to be here today! I love the idea of Project $0 and have tried to keep the goal of $0 for my son's wardrobe this whole year. I've been successful so far! When Suzanne asked me to be apart of this series, I couldn't think of anything to make for Henry. I am planning on making him a Fall/Winter collection, but it hasn't gotten even remotely cold yet here. I could think of lots of things that I needed, so I decided to make something for myself. Recently, one of my friends gave me about ten of her husband's button up shirts that they didn't want anymore. I used two to create a fantastic dress for myself.

I cut two shirts up and sewed them together at the waist to make a dress. I kept as many button-up shirt details as possible like the pockets, collar, and front button plackets.

 I've decided this is the perfect dress for women. It's super comfy and "chasing kids" worthy, it can grow with pregnancy or shrink with post-partem, it has nursing access, it has pockets, and it's just cute and fun.

It started raining right at the end of my photoshoot. Luckily, the camera was under a covering, but I wasn't!

Henry snuck in this picture wearing leather work gloves. Don't mind his naked legs!

Thanks for having me Suzanne! Thanks for the $0 inspiration; I can't wait to get started on Henry's Fall/Winter collection!