So last weekend, I took inspiration from the 'revolution' and got on with it. Having finished the kitchen blind to complete the collection (most of the job was DIY as I'd done most of the sewing already). Once that was up, I braved a new concept for me - upcycling.
I've never been all that confident at altering clothes, so the thought of somehow reusing the fabric from a garment to make something completely new was rather daunting. But having been brought up by two war-time children, I find it difficult to throw something out that may have a 'second life', and I've been piling up DH's worn out work shirts for a while in the hope I'd be brave enough to make something out of them.
Not wanting to start too big, I opted for Colette's Sorbetto top - a popular pattern from what I've seen online and a favourite of Lauren from last year's Sewing Bee - and also my first foray into online patterns. Having taken my own measurements, compared them to the chart with the pattern, I traced the correct size onto tissue paper. Not as difficult as I'd expected :-) I then made up a toile out of some left over curtain lining fabric (or something) to see how it suited. And apart from being a bit loose, it was ok.
Ok, I admit, I did have a bit of a melt-down with DH because I couldn't work out how to alter it to stop the armholes gaping. But a cup of tea and a hug (or two or three, or four!) later, I retraced a smaller size and started again, with a better result. The fit still isn't perfect, but it is at least passable.
So, on to the Real Thing. I chose a shirt and tried fitting the pattern onto it. I knew that the pleat at the front may have to be sacrificed, but in the end I opted to keep the buttons/placket and move them to the back and have a plain front.
So, now it is onwards and upwards. I'm certainly going to give the pattern another go, although I'm going to try and alter it slightly by moving the darts to a better position for me. So it is just a question of which shirt I should upcycle next?
I've never been all that confident at altering clothes, so the thought of somehow reusing the fabric from a garment to make something completely new was rather daunting. But having been brought up by two war-time children, I find it difficult to throw something out that may have a 'second life', and I've been piling up DH's worn out work shirts for a while in the hope I'd be brave enough to make something out of them.
Not wanting to start too big, I opted for Colette's Sorbetto top - a popular pattern from what I've seen online and a favourite of Lauren from last year's Sewing Bee - and also my first foray into online patterns. Having taken my own measurements, compared them to the chart with the pattern, I traced the correct size onto tissue paper. Not as difficult as I'd expected :-) I then made up a toile out of some left over curtain lining fabric (or something) to see how it suited. And apart from being a bit loose, it was ok.
Ok, I admit, I did have a bit of a melt-down with DH because I couldn't work out how to alter it to stop the armholes gaping. But a cup of tea and a hug (or two or three, or four!) later, I retraced a smaller size and started again, with a better result. The fit still isn't perfect, but it is at least passable.
So, on to the Real Thing. I chose a shirt and tried fitting the pattern onto it. I knew that the pleat at the front may have to be sacrificed, but in the end I opted to keep the buttons/placket and move them to the back and have a plain front.
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| trying to decide which binding to use |
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| Almost finished (except for some girly buttons) |
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