Save the Dress!

Time for Portia Lawrie’s  The Refashioners 2018 challenge! This year we had to find a look/garment we loved and produce a version of it, by refashioning unloved/unworn items. 

I came across this beauty from Save the Queen! I love the stark black/white/red colour combo, the sporty proportions, and the gorgeous playful penguin print.

So, off to the thrift store… I knew it wouldn’t be easy to find the right print with enough fabric to make me a swingy shift dress shape – I was really hoping to find a maxi dress for extra yardage, but no luck.

Finally, I found a great dress with a strong graphic black/white print and it looked hardly worn. Also picked up a red shirt to cut the sleeves from. 

I made the sleeves from the red shirt sleeves and the bottom of a black dress I’d previously chopped into tunic length. The trim was thrifted by a friend and gifted to me a while ago.

Full blog here

Re-refashion, or cleaning rag?

Sometimes, I feel the need to revisit refashions that didn't turn out well......(though, sometimes they just become cleaning rags).

Years ago, I bought a soft, bamboo knit tunic dress from a sample sale. I wore it a few times, but it was an awkward length, and the open neck always slipped off my shoulders. 
At some point, I had cut some off the bottom and used that fabric to make a neckband. I apparently also chopped the sleeves shorter (and left them raw).

I came across this unloved garment the other day, and decided to try again to breathe life into it.

I grabbed another knit top from the pile - a wide, fluid cardigan – a spontaneous purchase that I thought would give off an effortlessly chic vibe. 
Huh, turned out I looked like a middle-aged woman in an ill-fitting boxy cardigan!

So, off with the old neckband, and on with a new contrast one cut from the cardigan. 
I extended the band length to tie at centre back. I also added bands to finish the sleeve hems.

Now... I just might have a wearable garment. I’ll take it for a spin and see!

                              

 

Downsizing with flair

I picked up a pair of embroidered jeans on the clearance rack of a discount store. It was the only pair and they were nearly 2 sizes too big.

They are stretch jeans and were full length with a skinny leg. I couldn't take the waist in at the sides because of the embroidery, so I had to add darts on the back.
They still looked weird - super skinny ankles but colourful flowers bringing attention to my hips.
I chopped a few inches off the length and used some of the scraps to make flared inserts to widen the legs. I left the darker seam allowance on the outside. Then frayed a strip of dark denim from my stash to make hem trim. I like this proportion a lot more!