Save Your Jammies From Being Ruined By DIY – Vintage Sewing Cabinet Makeover!
What do you get when you’ve got a passion for DIY…….no proper “paint” or work clothes…a drawer full of paint-splattered jammies, and ugly furniture like this to make over?
Well–you end up with a drawer full of clothes that look something like this:
This, my friends, is how you’ll find me on a Saturday morning: with ugly, ruined clothes in which I not only sleep, but also in which I do my projects and yard work!!
Last month I was rooting through my drawers trying to find decent jammies and I couldn’t find a thing that wasn’t speckled with paint, caulk, or stains. (I even had a pair of–GASP!-maternity leggings from nearly 4 years ago! I know……that’s crazy! What in the world am I thinking??)
The problem is four-fold (is that a word??): 1) I don’t have proper attire to DIY, and 2) I’ve ruined all my jammies because of it, 3) I look like a bum to the neighbors when I’m DIY’ing in the driveway, and 4) I don’t have any cute jammies for lounging around the house with my family because they’re all stained.
I knew I couldn’t be the only one suffering from this problem, so I posted awhile ago asking you guys if you’re guilty of DIY’ing in your jammies, too. And you know what?? You are!!
Duluth Trading Company to the Rescue!
I decided that I would get some proper work gear this month (along with some pretty jammies)! I had a chance to try some Duluth Trading Company work clothes last year and absolutely loved them and their company (can you say BALLROOM jeans? Ha! That always makes me laugh!). So I decided to order some of my favorite things from their website (see my wish list for a complete list of what I ordered). I spend a lot of time on projects, and decided that I would treat myself to some of the best I could afford.
Most of my projects are done outdoors in the driveway and garage, so it’s really not ideal to DIY in jammies, anyhow. Plus, with spring here and summer coming, I wanted shirts, like this Armchillo® cooling shirt to not overheat in the sun.
So this weekend I was working on my Ugly April project: a vintage sewing machine with a beat-up cabinet which may or may not be as old. But IT.WAS.UGLY.
BEFORE
It took some sanding and a couple coats of paint, and some gold rub n’ buff (and lots of leaning over!), but it was worth it!
AFTER!
BEFORE
AFTER!
The knobs came from this vintage buffet I made over last year.
See This Post in Action — Watch the Video!
See the transformation of the sewing cabinet and how my new work gear held up!
Believe it or not, it was a pretty easy project to complete, despite its condition. I did some sanding on the top, and painted it French Linen (Annie Sloan chalk paint), but it did take a bunch of stooping and squatting while working on it. I was stoked at how stretchy my new work gear was! And the best part: I didn’t moon anyone!! 🙂 The shirt was shaped nicely, yet long, and I could get low without worrying that someone walking by was getting a peep show or that I was inappropriately dressed (or ruining more jammies or street clothes, which I have also worked in).
And I was inspired by the gold in the vintage Singer machine. So I decided to use gold rub n’ buff on the edge. Here’s what it looked like WITHOUT it. Pretty plain, huh?
BEFORE
But the gold just sets it off nicely, I think.
AFTER!
The cord is frayed on the sewing machine so I’ll have to see about getting it fixed. Then, I’m not sure what I’ll do with this piece! For now, it’s sitting in my cluttered garage. Surprised??
I checked the serial number on it here, and it looks like the machine is from 1935! I am doubtful the cabinet came from that time, but I don’t know…?
BEFORE
AFTER!
While outside working on the sewing cabinet, I tested out one of my other Duluth Trading Company shirt, the Armchillo® Long Sleeved button down shirt. It’s surprisingly light weight and kept me cool (and it has sun protection built into it!) and wicked away sweat.
Oh, and get this–it even has a built-in microfiber glass shirttail shammy on the hem, so when your safety glasses or eye classes need cleaning (sawdust, anyone???), you’ve got one right there stitched on the hem of your shirt. Seriously, who was the genius that designed THAT feature??! Thank you!!
I might just have to save this one to wear out-and-about, it’s that pretty :). My favorite color!
And my faaaaavvorite pants: the DuluthFlex Dry on the Fly Convertible pants! OH MY! How could I have lived without these?! Those deep pockets for TOOLS……the stretch (even has a stretchy waist!), and they’re long enough for my 5’10” frame. I’m seriously considering getting a second pair for just casual wear when I’m out-and-about. That’s how good they look and feel!
Overall, it was a pretty productive weekend! I had just gotten back from South Carolina this past weekend (did you hear about my exciting news??). And then to have completed this ugly project, and also make over my own ugly work gear and jammies, I’m feeling pretty great about now! 🙂
Meet My New Jammies
Well, you just met my new work gear. Now meet my new jammies. Yes, I am be vegetarian, but cute piglets with glasses don’t count. 😉
And although these are cutesy, I feel amazing in them! Finally, paint-free clothing! WOO HOO!
Worktime!
Playtime!
My boys had fun rolling around with me this morning. And I didn’t have to feel all gross in my bed. LOL
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I used my pair of comfy pants to paint in, and now that’s really all they are good for – grey primer just doesn’t come out easily! The shirt I used also has grey primer on it. I need some new comfy clothes! And new DIY clothes! I’d go with one of their longtail t-shirts and a great pair of pants. Maybe some shoes…oh who am I kidding – a couple of pairs of shoes! LOL!
I can sooo relate! I think everything I have to lounge in has paint on it somewhere! How I would love to win some awesome Duluth duds! They pants look so comfy and quite stylish to paint but at least I could save the jammies! By the way, the sewing machine redo is awesome!
Hi Debbie!!! Congrats!!! You’re one of the Duluth Trading Company winners of the $50 gift card! WOO HOO! You were randomly picked via Random.org. Be sure to send me an email (th**********@***il.com) so that I know you’ve received this! 🙂 Congrats!!
Serena
in my comfy (and possibly eons years old!) sweats!!!!
Do you have a camera set up in my house? How did you know I was painting in my jammies? I am usually pretty good about separating my DIY clothes from my bed clothes but just the other day I found myself working on my April Ugly Makeover. It was late; I was in my jammies; There was my project – and I just had to touch it up. Next thing I know – paint across the top of my pretty purple nightgown!
I have been eyeing those Duluth Flex Dry on the Fly convertable pants for a while now. I have been buying Duluth stuff for my hubby for years now, but I don’t recall if i have ever gotten something for me!
Beautiful job on the sewing machine cabinet! You inspire me.
I have a pair of glue- covered yoga pants that I work in, along with a stained t-shirt. I liked those pants, too. I was just too excited to get started to change……
PS: I absolutely love the Duluth work pants!! I’m a layerer so it would be a tank top, long sleeved t shirt and my Carharrt depending on the weather!!
I LOVE the gold accent on the sewing machine!! It added so much warmth and richness with just that little bit!! Very cool!! And I DIY in a pair of sleep pants- have even ruined underwear by having paint bleed thru the threadbare fug pants. They were cute about 15 years ago!! And I actually have 2 DIY tank tops that I work in . A black and a purple and a carharrt hoodie that my husband begged me for years to get rid of it was so bad. Since prying from my cold dead hands wasn’t an option, he did the next best thing and bought me a new one for Christmas!! I’ll definitely post the old one and the new one on your FB page! I posted them on mine at Christmas time.
For my continuous house remodel I usually wear a sweat shirt or tee shirt (most over 10 years old) with a pair of medical scrub pants that I bought for $1 a pair at the thrift store.
Just a suggestion, but have you considered putting your project on a sturdy counter or table to work on it, to avoid the bending?
Wow! I never thought about work clothes for myself! Yes, I have ruined lots of Jammie’s and nightgowns. I had a really cute pink gown that I really, really liked and it was so comfortable. Well, one morning I gotta wild hair that I had to stain a table top, and it needed to be done like NOW, know what I mean? Needless to say, I had this big brown stains all over myself…..I had to pitch it, it looked like I got over excited and forgot my depends! By the way, good job on video, your doing great!
I just had to laugh! I hate it when my sleep clothes “stick” or “hang up” when I’m turning over in bed so I usually wear nylon tricot. I’m a major tumbler at night, lol! But I mostly wear sweats during the daytime, or something stretchy ‘cuz I like to be comfortable. My biggest goof was the time I wore an old brunch coat over panties, no bra, to paint in. The kind that has big gaps between snaps. This was summer time back in Missouri where it’s HOT and STICKY. It’s 7:30 or 8:00ish in the evening and I’m up on a ladder painting away when the door bell rings. Guess my husband wasn’t paying attention because he invited the folks in and promptly brought them into the bedroom to see what we were doing. Now I’m stuck with only a ladder between me and visitors and wondering what might be hanging out, hoping he’ll get them out of the room ASAP so I can get down without a peep show! Never did that again! But several pairs of sweat pants have become paint pants. I’m not familiar with Duluth, so I’m going to get online and check them out. I’d probably get tee shirts and the pants if I won. Serena, you rock! The sewing machine cabinet is awesome. I have the same question as another poster; what did you use on the sewing machine to get it to clean up so well?