'MakeOver Monday' - Shirt REfashion #1

'MakeOver Monday' 

... sharing how I cut up items from my wardrobe

in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

I nearly didn't rescue this gorgeous light-as-a-feather frilly bibbed cotton blousey shirt covered in masses of pretty indigo/charcoal hydrangreas 

because 

even though she fitted beautifully around my widest bits, the colours were great & the style perfect

she fell way too short in length

which meant unless I was prepared to REfashion her

I'd need to adopt a permanent stoop

or risk revealing parts of my anatomy which I'd rather not

to diagnose the 'issues'

I wore her as-is around the house for a day 

and found that along with being too short 

the sleeves turned out to be a tad tight...

which was the answer to the dilemma of where to get the extra fabric needed for length 

I should mention at this stage that I also rescued her sister during the same op-shop visit

and because I want to show two different REfashions (not in the same post]

I opted to keep a cap sleeve on this one

and work with what I had 

once everything was separated  

there was also a length of elastic creating a ruching detail in the side seams 

which needed to be removed so I could work with straight hemlines 

- the elastic could always be stitched back in if I wanted cos the effect was quite sweet

sometimes there's a teeny-tiny bit of science involved in REfashioning

where it's neccessary to work out how deep your strips of fabric can be

[measure twice or 5x and cut once!]

- essentially it's at this point I knew my vision was either going to work or 

crash & burn

it turned out I had plenty to play with

especially if I didn't get too pedantic about trimming away original seams

there aren't photos for each of the next steps

as I wasn't sure how descriptive you'd like me to be - if you'd like more detail please don't hesitate in letting me know for future Motivational Mondays

- once the strips were stitched end-to-end forming a circle the seams were overlocked

- along with the top edge 

- then I read my overlocker manual and changed the settings in order to achieve a rolled hem along the bottom edge

- back to the sewing machine and two rows of gathering stitch were sewn along the top edge [longest stitch length on your machine] and gathered in the desired amount

- the overlocked edge was slipped under the original hem stitching and stitched in place, from the top

to finish the sleeve edges the original cuffs and tabs were deconstructed, joined together, ironed, trimmed and stitched in place

I should mention there's quite a bit of trying on goes on during the process

ie. when the sleeves were cut to check they were the right length - I did cut them slightly higher

the strip of gathering got pinned in place prior to any stitching in place just to check it wasn't too long - it wasn't

and when I was working out how the sleeves would look I pinned and checked the band before committing to sewing it

and I'm glad I did 

because I couldn't be happier with the outcome...

not sure when I'll take her off

probably tomorrow 

when I start working on this sweety

 in time for next weeks Motivational Monday

ps.please dont hesitate to comment on what I've shared 

especially if you have thoughts on how I could improve the presentations

- I'd like to keep doing Motivational Mondays not entirely for selfish reasons being there's heaps of clothes in my wardrobe that need attention 

but more importantly 

I'd like to think you'll see the merits in using what you've got
and feel motivated to pick up your scissors 
and start cutting up your wardrobe! x

REfashion to REinvent - Third Time Lucky!

I'm calling this race run!

The REfashion that was RE-REfashioned

has now been 
REinvented!

It was while away enjoying a few days r&r

I found I had to make myself wear her 

- a good sign it wouldn't ever happen again -

which meant she was for the chop when we got home

cos as much as I wasn't comfortable with the style

I still liked the print/colours/fabric

and chop I did

first to go was the bodice 

which I turned backwards 

completely removing the sleeves & front in one fell swoop

and the neckline was cut to the desired depth  

the sides reshaped 

using the original front neck detail to finish the centre back panel

turning the the contrast fabric that separated the original bodice & skirt

into straps

so after trialing all options

what was destined to never be worn again or donated back to whence it came

takes pride of place in this chicks wardrobe because she is now as ridiculously comfortable as was orginally envisaged...

and because she's now more Pinny than Frock

I think you'll agree 

the title of REinvent can be justified.

RE-REfashion - It's Okay to Change Your Mind

One of the best things about REfashioning and REinventing is
you can change your mind
without ruining the design
freaking out over not enough fabric 
or beating yourself up because you hate the finished garment

something drew you too the garment in the first place - try holding that thought
in the case of this frock it was the colour combos
comfort of the fabric 
and I didn't feel she needed to change much in order to make her mine

however I knew as soon as I saw her on after the initial REinvent 
that I wasn't comfortable with the front bodice
apologies to the girls at lunch for subjecting you to what the bloke assured me 
looked like I was wearing my bra on the outside 
it really wasn't flattering 
which meant 
I wouldn't wear her and that's the golden rule
'what's the point in having something if you're not going to use it/eat it/wear it'

so with care I unpicked both bodices 
gave one a quick press and did this:

1.

using the cut off remnant sleeves from the original REinvent

cut them open along the seam line

2.

place the sleeves flat & even wrong-side-to-wrong-side 

positioning the bodice on top

because this is a 2-way stretch I could have placed the bodice anywhere

however size dictated I place her here 

3.

once cut out it's important to copy/transpose any of the original design details

in this case I needed to add gathering under the bust

I then carefully pinned, stitched & overlocked the new bodices in place
- couldn't be happier with the result

and if the whim takes me I can play with some favourite Fripperies

ps. she's now packed in my bag ready for a few days away 
so will report back as to whether or not she will live out her days as-is...
or will become a skirt.

Latest REfashion in 5 Easy Steps

 As much as I'd love to pop down to Coles or turn up at a parent/teacher meeting
  wearing a picture frame sewn into my frock
or wake up every morning knowing I look good in a paper bag
I'm realist enough to know it ain't never going to happen

I need/want clothes that I can throw on
that will allow me the freedom to express my individuality
without being uncomfortable, making those around me uncomfortable
 or breaking the bank in the process

short of turning back time, indulging in plastic surgery
and in the absense of much motivation to exercise or give up sugar
REinventing & REfashioning
are my preferred options for creating wearable wardrobe items

REfashioning by my reckoning is when a garment is altered 
unlike REinventing where it's completely transformed

my latest REfashion happened through necessity - lunch with the girls
and long sleeves in the middle of summer meant having to wait for winter in order to wear a recent treasure rescue
in any event I'm not convinced I'd even wear it with long sleeves
being I like a cardy with a frock in winter

so she needed to go from this 

to this

and in 5 steps this is how it happened:

1.
it's always a good idea to check options before picking up the scissors 
I checked to see if the existing hem detail would work as well as the new hem detail once it was shortened
 realising quickly it wouldn't

2.
I then measured down from the shoulder
the depth I wanted the finished sleeve to be
adding 3cm for hem allowance


3.
with the frock folded in half and both sleeves lying flat & even on top of each other
I marked a cutting line with my trusty soap shard 
99.9% of the time I use 'old' soap to mark lines 
especially when dealing with clingy knit fabrics as it glides rather than grips
4.
I cut 


5.
to finish the sleeve edge 
I overlocked [for stability]
then turned under my hem allowance and stitched with a twin needle

so when finished it looked like a bought one

in 30-45minutes I took a garment I'd not wear as-is
and turned it into one that will feature quite heavily this summer in my wanderings.

ps. lunch was delicious and the company devine. x

Memories of Yarloop

Today I'm haunted by the memories of a visit we made to the Yarloop Workshops months ago
thank goodness we did [thanks Dan!]
because they don't exist anymore….

it seems that this time of year every year
parts of Australia catch fire
and even as I type 
the same fire which claimed these 115yr old structures and their contents

along with two lives and over 140 homes
 is still raging…
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I'll admit to being less than enthused at the suggestion we go visit 
old railway workshops 
on one of the rare days the bloke's in town

I'm also not shy to put my hand up and share that as soon as we walked in 

I was smitten

and after hours of walking the length & breadth

poking in and out of rooms





up well worn stairs

and over aged floor boards

taking in every nook & cranny
while noticing every detail

everytime you turned your head 
while wandering and soaking up the charm 
remnants of a simpler time revealed themselves

  and it appeared as if like the Marie Celeste

everyone had downed tools and disappeared 

leaving everything as it was
ready for their return

and as reluctant as I was to leave

the plan was always to come back…


This wonderful little video popped up in my FB feed and gives you a more personal account of what it was like growing up with the Workshops always in the background.