Embellishing the Truth, part 1

So....I'm looking for some clothing embellishment ideas. I know about adding fun stuff to kid's clothes, although I have to admit I prefer a simpler, cleaner, monochromatic look. Occasionally, I like a bit of a contrasting color added to something, but for the most part, I want to add something of the same color or another neutral. Mainly, I guess, I'm just looking for a change in texture.

Tea Rose Home has this interesting ruffle-trim and frog/rosette closure on her blog, I'd like to give a try. I may just do it with a tee-shirt I make! Although, I may also have a sweater lying about that needs a fix-up. It looks so easy, I recommend trying it!!

Another trend I noticed, while perusing blog posts about embellishing, is the idea of chopping off tee-shirt sleeves and then using the sleeve fabric to make ruffles to sew to the front. It looks very cool, but I'm not comfortable with the idea of leaving the chopped off armhole unfinished! So, I would have to either bind it, or hem it. hmmmm. Luckily, sleeveless items aren't the least bit flattering to my arms, so I probably won't attempt that EXACTLY. I may, instead, use fabric from another shirt to make the ruffles for the front. Although, to be most honest, I will probably MAKE a shirt specifically to add the self-fabric ruffles to. That way, it will have sleeves, a finished neckline (egads!) and the nifty ruffle front.

Yellow Ruffle Front Top

Gray Ruffle Front Top

Pink Ruffle Front Top

White Ruffle Front Top

Pink and White Triple Ruffle Front Top

I saw some other neat ideas for adding stuff to the front of knit tops. I find it amusing that the inspiration for so many of these nifty things are items from Anthropologie.

This one is inspired by JCrew, of all things.  By Sarah's Never-ending Projects.

I like this idea. I can just make any top, really, and then make the flowers, and paint the stems (or hand-embroider them)

I LOVE this one!!!This blogger has a TON of fabulous ideas, and is worth spending some time reading. by Made by Lex. 

Here is a different ruffled-front tee!!! I like this one a lot!! From Tea Rose Home, again.

 

I especially like these!!!! How to make them, at Happy Together. She uses these on a baby's dress.

This one is one of my favorites, and it's a no-sew!!! Bromiliad. This is a great blog, btw, and I saw a lot of very enticing ideas on it!! Check it out!

I wanted to do a blog post about embellishing ideas mostly for my own benefit: I can find them all more easily now!! My friends at Sewing Mamas helped me find a lot of these. Thanks, ladies!! I expect that this obsession will rear it's head again in the near future, so look for more soon!