Tutorial Tuesday: Dashiki Refashion

Back in July, I collaborated with House of Estrela, an amazing refashion blog, and shared this refashioned dashiki over at her place. 

Here, I will share the tutorial in it's entirety including a couple of extra shots. As is custom with my summer projects, my sons are in the photos. Although it is more difficult to create in the summer, this time does allow me to include them in the show and tell process. It's all good and it's all me baby!

You start by taking a v-neck shirt that fits you well

I love the dashiki because of the power it emits. I bought my dashiki back in 1998 in a flea market in North Carolina while visiting my sister. I was newly married,  had no children and was continuing to explore my cultural and political identity. I did feel quite empowered in it and wore it often until it got too small for me and tore.

Here's the tear, boo hoo. 

I cut the entire design off of the body of the dashiki. This is what I was left with. 

I pinned it onto the front of the t-shirt first for proper placement.

Then I continued pinning on the dress form. Don't look at the background. The house gets messy during the summer, don't judge! lol

Here's a back view with backpack just thrown in the back ground. Yup, it was the beginning of summer. 

This is how it came out. I love it!

Here comes one of the kiddos 

 "Stay Strong Mother!" I first heard this from Liela Joy Marie Fuller; author of Life's Reflection. I interviewed her here.

 And here's the other kiddo. Not so little anymore, he is going to pass me soon. 

  We had such a great summer. My little one spends more time in summer school than this one, so we got to have alone time and bond. I love him so much. 

Back view

What summer projects did you accomplish? How did you work with the kids during the summer?

First Attempt at Romper

I have been sewing a lot for myself this summer as I realized that my wardrobe needed a pick me up and I am bursting at the seams (pun intended) with fabric so I needed to do some serious fabric stash busting. I have made two rompers, a top, and two dresses. I will definitely show pics soon!

Here you have my first attempt at making a romper (sorry for the blurry pics, I think I need a new camera!). I chose a black knit with leafy detail that I got for $1.00 a yard at Savathon on Fordham Road. When I first embarked on this journey I thought, "how hard can this be? It's just a top and pants attached at the waist with elastic, I don't need a pattern." So I went on my merry way and cut it out without a pattern. Well, it is not what I envisioned it to be. The top turned out too fitted and the waist is lower than what I wanted, it looks like a dropped waist. That said, it is passable and I have worn it twice already.

I since have made another one that I really like, from a pattern. Hey, sometimes a girl needs a little help. I will show pics soon, hopefully better ones.