Goodwill Toward All...

I stopped frequenting second hand shops about 4 kids ago.  I realized I had enough of my own excess and didn't need to be dragging home things others had culled.  This was sad on one front as people really do get rid of some great junk!  At one point all my furniture was on its second or third life having been stripped and or reupholstered.  For a song you can even find things that still have the original sales tags.  However, the more little people I had the opportunity of introducing to the art of procuring goods for our home, the less stops I wanted to make in town.

Stops=car seat wrangling!

Also, my unattached garage was across the farmyard.  As I only have two arms, I learned the joy in the challenge of seeing how few bags with which I could come home.

Fewer bags=finding fewer new homes for the articles brought into the house.

All that being said, last Mother's Day I was surprised to find several packages from my husband.  I had been in a repurposing phase.  Having had 6 kids in 9 years I have a large size range in my clothing.  I keep them all and simply rotate.  I usually don't stay in any one size long enough to wear out or tire of them.  But after #6 I started to refashion many pieces of my wardrobe.  So, Breadwinner went on a shopping spree at Goodwill and provided me with refashioning fodder.

Fast forward to present day-  Just when I was thinking I would bite the bullet and purchase 2 new lamps for our living room I was cleaning out my closet and came upon one of the skirts I was gifted for Mother's Day.  I liked the fabric color and print but not necessarily for me to wear.  I decided it would look great in my living room with the lamps I already owned.  The lamp bases were from my Grandma's basement.  At one point half a century ago she purchased them from Ethan Allen.  They are classic.  The lamp shades I found at Goodwill for $3 a piece.  I liked that they were rectangular.  Originally they were brown as well.  I used them that way until this inspiration struck.  I got the bug the Sunday of the Daytona 500.  Breadwinner went to watch at a friend's home and the kids and I stayed home and got crafty.  Here is how the transformation went.  I didn't include pictures of the destruction that became my home as I turned a blind eye to the kids craftiness.  I would hate to stunt their creativity- or have to put down my glue gun to restore order...

1. First you must remove the old fabric cover.  This is a shade I refashioned last summer.  I didn't like how it turned out as the fabric choice was poor.  It didn't let through enough light.  Only cut through the outer layer.  Try to keep it in one piece.  It will become your template.

2.  Use a piece of chalk to trace around the old shade fabric.  I left plenty of allowance around the edge.  You will most likely need to trace the 2 halves and seam them together.  Take notice of the grain of the fabrics.  It will make a difference as they get tugged and glued.

3.  After you have sewn the 2 pieces together it would behoove you to use clothes pins and attach the fabric to the shade.  Glue a small section at a time.  If you don't use the clothes pins you will most likely glue the fabric crooked and come to the end a triangle short.  I forgot the clothes pins trick this last time.  Good thing I am used to correcting my sewing flubs...

4.  If your lamp ribs had bias tape lengths over them you can glue new bias tape to the ribs and top and bottom edges.  I didn't want to make bias tape, and I am way too frugal to buy it, so I made ruffles instead.  The skirt I refashioned my lamp with was 2 layers.  I used the outer printed layer on the main body of the lamp and the lining fabric for my ruffles.  I didn't finish the edges of my ruffles.   I simply cut pieces 2'' wide and ran a basting stitch down the middle and gathered to the desired fullness before gluing them on with a glue gun.   

After I was done with this I went back to my closet.  I found another skirt I haven't worn in awhile that I think will make some great new throw pillows...