Linaloo

Seam rippin' yeah, that's where I wanna be

I tried something new this week.  Actually make that two things.  First was deciding that I would "have a go" at making my own clothing pattern from scratch based on two very old Monsoon summer tops that I'm very fond of.  Second, and slightly more straightforward, was making my own bias binding for edging armholes on said summer top.

Given that my clothes-making-for-me track record is pretty lame (last count 3 tops, 2 pairs of lounge pants, 1 skirt and 1 dress), new thing number one was quite adventurous.  The biggest challenge I find about making clothes is getting the fit I want and I rarely end up wearing anything I've made as a result.  Sound familiar?

Anyhow, I just focused on the process and worked using freezer paper to trace and draft pattern pieces and sewed myself a muslin.  It took 3 attempts and a lot of seam ripping to get something half decent looking.  Then my patience (or lack thereof) got the better of me and I abadoned the muslin in favour of using my chosen fabric (a thrifted Ikea Rosalie pillowcase).  More seam ripping ensued before things slowly started to improve and it suddenly dawned on me that seam ripping is perhaps not, as I had previously thought, an admission of failure, but simply a sometimes necessary part of the process of getting a piece of clothing to fit.  As soon as I got my head around this idea, instead of feeling scary and frustrating, seam ripping suddenly felt good, like it was one step closer to a potential fit. 

Could this be my "aha" clothes sewing moment I wonder?

The end result?  Well it's still far from perfect (as you can see both from the gaping and the fact that I look a few months pregnant) and I will most likely never wear it,  but I feel like drafting something from scratch was a valuable lesson in enjoying the process.  Above all, its encouraged me not to give up on clothes sewing...

PS This post's title is taken from Oceanic's Insanity (Dream Tripping) - a dire song of which I was once very fond in my first year at Uni about 100 years ago.  Please tell me I'm not the only one that remembers this one?!

Built by nervous

Not really refashioning per se, but made from some of the fabric I bought for the big red and white quilt which barely got used. 

And guess what? It fits!! Yay! 

I am still ever-so-nervous about sewing clothes and I figured this top was so simple that I couldn't possibly screw it up ( I did end up sewing the first sleeve the wrong way around and unpicking it - but every good project needs some seam ripping right?!).  I would definitely make this again, the elastic neckline helped me avoid the gaping-at-the-bust, snug-on-the-hips look which I too often achieve with clothes sewing (I'm a classic pear shape). I might even be so adventurous as to add some darts on the next version

A good solid confidence boosting start I'd say.

I'm thinking of a Barcelona skirt next and I would be ever so grateful for any other simple pattern suggestions that you might have.

Giddy

 

When I'm thrifting for fabric, every once in a while I catch a glance of something that makes me giddy with excitement.  Last week it was this pillowcase that made me gasp.  I know it's not everyone's cup of tea... but to me it shouted "summer top"!  I used this excellent (and easy)tutorial from Betz White  to turn into a totally wearable item.  I even wore it this weekend to a bbq and my son's soccer match without worrying that someone would recognize it as their old bed linen or a piece of dodgy homemade clothing.

 

It's usually these kinds of thoughts and self consciousness which make me shy away from making clothes for myself, it's just a confidence thing...but I really want to keep going.  So I just happened upon Nikki's wardrobe refashion blog recently and have now taken the pledge to refashion, renovate and recycle preloved items for myself for the next 6 months.

Wish me luck...I'll be drowning in the deep end!