Happy New Sewing Year for 2023!

Do you make sewing resolutions for the year?

I do, usually overly ambitious ones for the amount of time I really have to sew.  This year I thought 4 x significant refashions was a sensible amount, but the year somewhat got away from me in the second half.

So I'm rounding out the year with two mends and two refashions of the simpler variety - but whatever saves an item from landfill and makes it useful in the closet again right?

  

Mend #1 - The very much liked jacket

A favour for a family member, who caught the pocket on a cupboard handle and tore the jacket right across the front.  The check design meant there was no way to match the pattern over the tear 

 

 

 

 

 

I sewed a strip of black fabric over the mend and added a hook detail to make it look like it was meant to be there.  The teen approves (which almost never happens).

 

 

 Mend #2 and Refashion #1 - Back in service

These could not be simpler - a very good laksa left a shadow of soup stains on the t-shirt that were never coming out - and cut-offs.

The circles are scraps of t-shirting fabric left over from various projects.  I bulk fused doublesided interfacing to the scraps and cut out a range of circles using different size lids as templates.  I arranged them over the stain shadows then elsewhere to round out the design, and ironed them on.

 

 

 

To make sure they stayed put after repeated washing I hand stitched around the edge with embroidery floss.

Sorry, I forgot to take before photos but I am sure you know what a stained t-shirt and jeans with holes look like.

Refashion #2 - The better than before dress to skirt

This was a new dress from Shein, tags still on.  Although a large size, the design of the dress put the first tier exactly where it was least flattering ( I bet you can figure out where) and the fabric is tissue thin and completely see-through.  You get what you pay for... (and yes, I did jump in again without taking photos so this is a reconstruction).

Cut off the unflattering bodice under the armpits, salvaged waist elastic (leaving it pre-sewn from previous garment saves time - whoo!) and some very thick white stretch material that's been in the stash (mumbles) long time.

Because the dress fabric is so flimsy I sewed the 'lining' which is heavier to the seam at the top of the first tier.  Then I measured and overlocked the top edge and made a fold over waistband over the elastic.

 

At this point there was a lot going on so I hand stitched the overlocked edge to the top tier seam as these were the strongest parts.  The lining is to the knee but the now skirt is maxi length.  And wearable.

Happy 2023 sewing!

Mimi-made