Sewing for the non-sewer

I bought a new shirt from Banana Republic to wear on my birthday date with Shane. It looked cute online and was a great price on "final sale" clearance. When it finally arrived I was thrilled with the color and the soft silk. Then I tried it on. HIDEOUS! The sleeves looked like you could stuff football pads underneath them. What to do? I couldn't return it. I don't sew. My sewing kit consists of 5 spools of thread and a few needles. Luckily, that ended up being enough.

I knew that there would be too much bulk if I added a cardigan so I took control. I cut the sleeves off. I didn't measure, I just cut them off. It was kind liberating.

I just stared at the extra material I cut off (there was a lot of it) trying to figure out what to do with it. I ended up creating a little flower pin. I used the elastic from the end of the sleeve, gathered it and sewed it together to create the flower's center. Then I tucked the material behind the center and stitched it in place. I added a vintage black bead for a finishing touch. I pinned it to my "girls night" bag (my friend Kristi is famous for them) and I had a fabulous accessory for my big night out. No sewing machine needed!

Maybe it is because I can't sew that I want so badly to win something like this for Lydia.