Thursday, August 20, 2015

Recycled Runway Challenge: Part 1 - Refashion skirt and shirt

This ended up being a huge post so I've split in into 3 parts


Our local library runs a sewing competition each year, the idea is that you get a bag of 2nd hand clothing and have to refashion it into an item of clothing or outfit.
In my bag of clothes I got a kilt, 2 shirts and a blazer. After a lot of sketches and googling images I decided on a military/punk look (though my daughter reckons it looks like a weird school uniform!) and managed to convince the daughter to model for me.

The Kilt

Before
After
This was a pretty basic refashion - All I did was shorten it and removed about 3" of the front overlay plus moved the buckles. The fabric is a scratchy wool that pressed like a dream and completely hides the hand stitched hem.


 
The Shirt

Before - Shirt 1

Before - Shirt 2
 
After - front
 
After - back

Shirt 1 - Cut off the sleeves, added princess seams to the front and back, shaped the hem, used the fabric from the sleeves to make an overlay for the back with the eyelets in it.


I used the shirt 2 as bias binding to finish the arm openings and the hem.


Most of the time taken on this was in the fitting, I pinned out the princess seams on Amber and had to refit them a couple of times. The back overlay I used muslin pinned on to get the right shape and fit then cut them out, interfacing the inside facing where the rivets are attached.


The fabric is a poly blend so it was really hard to get a smooth press with it, it still looks a bit wrinkly.

We did a trial outfit run and after seeing it on her I shortened the hem another 2".

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