Wardrobe Refashion

It's been a whole month!

So I signed up for my wardrobe refashion pledge around the end of October, which means for a whole month I haven't bought anything new...so I've been making some things to fill the void!

The red skirt was originally a giant shirt dress, very 90's looking -  I wish I took a before pic but I was too keen to get cutting! The idea was based on this skirt and this pattern, I just cut the length I wanted using the existing buttons down the front, took it in, added a few small pleats in both sides at the front and back and attached a waistband (just measured my waist, added an inch and hoped for the best!)

I've also learnt that I'm not good at posing for photos!

 

 

 

 

 

...the second floral skirt is a gathered skirt made from a bedsheet! both the red dress and the sheet came from one of my frequently visited op shops, and the sheet had a great edging of little painted yellow flowers so I just used that as the hem!

 
 

 

 

 

The slightly blurry photo is from me trying to show off the 'swirl ability' of the skirt haha

Check out my blog for more pics, details and other lovely things!

- On another note, thanks to Nikki for all her hard work - I feel very lucky to make it into the last intake of refashioners after having looked through the blog for so long.

Stripes

Hi! My dad brought me back this shirt from overseas:

I loved the stripes but the fit not so much! The fabric was also alil warm coming into summer so it got the chop:

I used an old singlet for the red waistband and used fabric from one sleeve to make a bow:

I also used one of the cuffs+some black lace and a cute heart shaped button to make a cuff bracelet:

 

simple skirt

hey, it's vic!

Been awhile, but I have finally taken a couple pics of things I've refashioned.  This is a skirt, made from, well, a skirt, but the original was really big for me and it was just not my style.

it has an elastic waistband in a casing, pretty simple, and even though this is a summery sort of skirt, I can still manage an outfit or two for the fall weather!

I really like it with the square coat and tights--the whole thing has kind of a schoolgirl vibe.

First refashion: Dress to skirt

The skirt did not exactly turn out how I envisioned it, but it works.  Rayon is a  bit tricky to work with as it stretches.  I used my rolled hem foot on alot of the edges.  I added some double fold elastic to the back panel (I love that stuff but it's hard to find!).

Before: long dress

after: over skirt

and back

more pictures on my blog.

I'm sad... and grateful

I posted my first refashion just before I read the post about the imminent end of Wardrobe Refashion. I'm very sad about this... but also very grateful that it existed in the first place. I'll keep posting as long as I'm still able to, though, and accept that this is the end only when it really is! 

Here's another refashion - a skirt I shortened a while ago. The mournful facial expression is quite apt for the occasion but actually just a result of general sleepiness... 

You can read more about this skirt here.

Cheers,

poet 

How would you refashion it (men's shirts)? and so long!

I am so sad to see Wardrobe Refashion stopping and that I won't be a Wardrobe Refashionista anymore. I so enjoyed this! I for one fully understand Nikki's decision to step back and try out new adventures and I think that she has done a wonderful job with Wardrobe Refashion that she can be very proud of.

But, I just started being a refashionista in September and I am not ready to stop yet.  Also I don't want to stop sharing refashions and ideas with all the lovely people I have met through Wardrobe Refashion. Let's keep in touch! I will continue to be a refashionista on Grey Duckling and will follow all of you through RSS for now. 

Now for the last 'how would you refashion it' on Wardrobe Refashion while there is still time. Last time we looked at jeans and the response was great. I have updated the jeans post with all your ideas and a couple of my own and I will go on to doing some refashions with jeans that I can share with you next week over on Grey Duckling. If you are interested you can check out the Jane Austen Dress in the meantime. It is a refashion of a purple skirt taking aboard some of you great ideas for skirt refashions.

This time around I would like to know 'how would you refashion men's skirts'? Like the last couple of times I will summarise your ideas in a couple of weeks and then I will follow it up with a shirt refashion of my own. I can't wait to hear your ideas.

How would you refashion it? (jeans)

This is a follow on from the 'How would you refashion it? (purple skirt)' post from last week which has been updated to include a list of comments and ideas for refashioning skirts into new and exciting clothes items.

I have now updated this post to include lots of great ideas on how to refashion jeans and demin!

This weeks question is: How would you refashion a pair/stack of jeans?

Share your links and ideas with me in the comments on Grey Duckling or Wardrobe Refashion or twitter (@EddieDuckling) and I will include them into the post together with some of my favourite jeans refashions.

This is also posted on Grey Duckling!

 

Ideas
Let's have a look at all the ideas for jeans refashioning that were contributed from Wardrobe Refashion and Grey Duckling:

• "As you've got a lot of pairs, have you thought about a chair cover?" says Fiona from The Eco Stitcher
• "My first-ever refashion was a throw blanket made from all of my old pairs of jeans. I used the different washes to make a "round the world" pattern, then used other bits of leftover fabric around the edges. On top of those non-denim sections, I sewed on the back pockets from the jeans I had cut up. The pockets hung over the edge of the bed and were great for storing things like a tv remote, a small paperback, or my glasses." says Jilly Bean from Knit Like a Rock Star
• "I cut up a stack of old jeans and made a quilt" says Maggie from Pearl Schell
• "I once used a pair of jeans to make a onesy for myself" says Victoria Clark
• "You should call past the Ecouterre recycled denim challenge Hun. There is so much inspiration there" says Stephanie from moobeardesigns
• "Maybe use a yoke (like what you did for the black linen pants convert) and make gores from the other jeans, providing they aren’t too heavy weight. I’ve made jeans quilts and placemats, totes, music stand carriers from jeans, too" says Wendy
• "I like the idea of turning the top part into a short skirt and adding layered frills to the bottom. The overall skirt should be above the knee." says Cherrie from willywagtail
• "The last issue of Marie-Claire Idees (a French magazine) had an example of strips of cut off jeans and woven onto a peg loom to create a rug.
  A previous issue was focusing on denim, and there was a few nice ideas. For instance a denim covered board on which back pockets, lighter pockets and belt loops from different jeans had been sewn to create a kind of desk organiser board." says Cecile
• "I made my dog a pillowcase and I want to make a blanket next" says Bethany from MrsMulticraft

That's all the ideas you sent me for now. But if you have anymore keep them coming in the comments and I will add them to the post.I am loving  all the ideas and I will make something from my pile of jeans asap.

Now for the ideas I found:

• Matching Pairs Game for kids - as seen on Recycled Sewing
• Jeans craft bucket or basket - as seen on Whip-up
• Jeans Tote Bag - as seen on // Between the Lines //
• Recycled jeans corset or dress - as seen on ecouterre
• Jeans Seat Cushions - as seen on ecouterre
• Woven Demin for a bag or basket - as seen on ecouterre
• Baby bibs and shoes - as seen on ecouterre recycled demin challenge
• Work belt for all your bits and bobs - as seen on ecouterre

Off to a Flying Start

In honour of signing up to wardrobe refashion (or, perhaps because I had the day off work), I went thrifting. I was mainly aiming to get stuff for Christmas presents, but did end up with a few things for me as well. Specifically, four skirts. Three of them fitted perfectly, so didn't need any alterations, but the fourth was a little... well... tight around the waist. I don't have a 'before' photo of it on me for just that reason.

This is the skirt, pinned to the ironing board. It's jigsaw. The zip was fine, and I will be saving it for some future project. It needed a hook and eye replaced. But, that wouldn't have fitted me.

So, I cut off most of the top panel, pinned down a casing for elastic at the top ruffled section, and ta-dah! New and wearable skirt.

Plus, it's a much cuter length on me now.

More details (photos) are on my blog here.

The after shot:

Jane Austen dress refashion

Remember a couple of weeks ago when I asked how you would refashion a purple skirt that I had left over from Halloween? I received some pretty good ideas and most of them were focus sing on making it into a dress. This idea got caught in my head but I didn't feel that the skirt was long enough to just add straps. I just think that dresses/skirts below the knee suit me better. So I had to come up with another idea. I have now refashioned the skirt adding a black knitted blouse to the top.

Below you will find some instructions and images of the finished dress which I wore yesterday for the first time. This is one of my favorite refashions so far. I thought the sleeves on the blouse were too long and a little too slimline. Also I have always wanted to try making bubbly sleeves. So this is my first attempt at that and I think it's worked out well. I would love to hear what you think about this refashion.

If you have a skirt you want to refashion you are welcome to use these instructions or you can visit the 'How would you refashion it (purple skirt)?' post where I have added all the ideas I received and some extra ones I found myself.

 

Do you want to help me out with ideas to my next refashion conundrum: 'How would you refashion jeans?". Next week I will update the post with all the wonderful suggestions and some ideas of my own.

In the meantime you can visit me on Grey Duckling and see what else I am doing. At the moment I am making Christmas Gifts!

Have a great week!

@EddieDuckling

Slice of summer skirt

Take one gloomy October Saturday, add a gorgeous summery vintage linen tablecloth ....

 

Mix with Favourite Things' pleated 'Little Hip Skirt' pattern:

 

And voila - ten panels, some waistband jiggery-pokery and three hours later, a skirt that is a pure slice of summer to cheer up a chilly autumn day.

 

The thing I love most about it is that the blue is so icy-cool, it'll work in winter sunshine with a woolly jumper, tights and boots, too. Honey is happy, and so am I.

More over on my blog.