Refashioning for Winter

This is a refashion of a pattern to take a summer shirt into winter. Great for getting more use out of children's clothing when a piece that fits one summer may not fit the next.  All the above shirts came from the one pattern that I made using this tutorial Rhonda's Sleeves on Saturday. I really like using yokes in clothing as they allow a mixture of fabrics/patterns can be used. 

I made the pattern in Autumn when short sleeves were fine but with the Aussie winter coming up, long sleeves were going to be required. I measured my daughters arm at the wrist and at the spot the sleeve finished, added about an inch and made a final pattern piece shaped like a trapezoid.  This piece was then sewn into a tube and then the edge of the sleeve was gathered onto it. Voila, the pattern is now extended into winter.

You don't have to sew an item from scratch, though, this method will work on nearly any existing top/dress, woven or knit. You just need to ensure that the edge of the sleeve is slightly larger then the new sleeve piece but flared sleeves work best as this creates a nice puff in the sleeve. Also, although the initial sleeve can be woven (shirt on right the block grey is a woven), the new sleeve piece will need to be a knit, unless you want to spend time creating an opening in the sleeve as well.

For these outfits (except the first pink skirt) it wasn't just the pattern I refashioned, they were all made from fabric offcuts. I was lucky with the silver pleated fabric as it was already hemmed so I all I had to do was add a wide elastic at the top as a waistband.  Wish all my refashions were so quick!

If you are interested in seeing other outfits that I have refashioned and made, please visit my blog:

www.orangewho.com.

Cheers

Mary D

Orange Who? At least it's not all Pink and Blue