C in DC

Made from two shirts: one grey and one black. Also two colorful zippers from my zipper stash. The blue zipper opens up a little pocket in the front, and the yellow is being used as a strap.

I’ve trying to cut back on caffeine and alcohol, but I don’t enjoy drinking plain water. So this “spa water” is nice to have around; it’s just water that’s been infused with herbs and other refreshing things.

I made mine with sparkling mineral water, cucumber and lemon slices, and fresh mint. I think rosemary, basil, grapefruit, and gingerroot would be nice additions as well. You could use plain seltzer instead of mineral water, or even regular non-sparkling water.

Made from a racerback workout top and one of those long rectangular scarves they have near the registers at A.C. Moore.

The workout top was so tight that I could barely breathe in it– perhaps it’s a sign I should have been using it for its intended purpose?– and cutting off the straps made it a lot more comfortable.

I like the textural contrast of the braided scarf in front and the soft loose scarf cascading down the back.

Several people here and on Craftster wanted to know how I made the shirt. Here’s the basic procedure:

1. Try on the shirt and mark where you want the new neckline to be.

2. Cut the neckline, leaving an inch or two extra for the hem. If the shirt has a collar, you will need to cut that off. Then, hem the neckline.

3. Try on the shirt again, and pinch the fabric at the bust so it gathers attractively. Mark where the gathering begins.

4. Starting at the mark, fold the fabric accordian-style. With a threaded needle, sew up though the accordian, then back down again. Do this a couple times to reinforce it. Knot securely and break the thread.

5. Try on the shirt again, tying the scarf comfortably around your waist. You may want to pin it under the gathered part. Mark or roughly cut the scarf so it’s the width you want. If you are using a long rectangular scarf, you should not have to alter it much. If you’re using a square scarf, like I did, you will probably need to cut it along the diagonal.

6. Unpin the scarf and cut it to shape– it should look something like this. Hem along the raw edges.

7. Try on the shirt on more time, and pin the scarf on under the bust and at the sides. Take it off and sew down the center of the scarf, from right under the bust to the bottom edge of the scarf. Sew a couple stitches on each side, near the top edge of the scarf. And you’re done!

This was last night’s project; it didn’t take very long and I’m happy with the results.

Before: Cheap t-shirt from Forever 21, and a $1 scarf (not pictured).

After: A sexy new top.

I have a new girlfriend.

She’s absolutely beautiful…and a lot older than I am. 25 years older, to be exact! But she’s so energetic and full of life, you’d think she was still in her teens.

Want to see a picture?