Sewing With Purpose and Repurpose

In the quest to find clothes that are kind to my menopausal body, while filling my need to re-use clothing I am tired of wearing I came across the Burda 6851 pattern . This is a dress/top pattern and I was sold on it instantly, for 2 reasons: Muffin Top be Gone: It has side block panels to camouflage muffin tops or back bra strap bulges. Re-use Factor High: There are small pattern pieces which leave me open to re-use clothes I am tired of wearing but still like and have life left in them. I made 3 versions of this pattern, one dress and 2 longer tops, the tops can be worn with tights. I modified the neck line on all three version because when I asked my husband what he thought, during the sewing process, he said it looked like a scuba suit. Ask an honest question and get an honest answer. Version 1: I reused fabric I that was leftover from a previous project on the top sleeve fronts. I love this fabric it is a 60's design, crisp and fun. Version 2: I have a habit o...

I have experimented with sewing hand drawn simple and complicated designs on garments to add some interest. Below are a few simple ideas: View 1: This is a way of being noncommittal if you want to try this out. Draw your design on a piece of scrap fabric and sew with the desired thread colour (use a contrasting colour, preferably using upholstery thread). Use a stretch stitch so you have some movement and the design shows up better as well.  Then pin your sewn design to the garment you want to display it on and sew away. View 2: With this version of the project you need to be a brave, draw your design directly on your garment and sew, again with stretch stitch and high contrast upholstery thread. Best to make you design somewhat organic and whimsical so if you mess up it still looks good. View 3: This is a bit more work. I found a design I liked on the Internet, re sized it and printed in on computer fabric transfer paper. I cut around the design and ironed it onto my gar...

I saw the pattern for the Watson Bra from Cloth Habit the week it came out and instantly knew it had to happen. I had slowly been replacing all my underwire bras with sports bras for comfort reasons, and was thrilled with the idea that I could sew my own! I've always shied away from buying bralettes at the store, since I have a pretty small bust so that fitting the band to my ribcage would leave lots of extra fabric in the cups. I was busy with class and thesis work at that time so I didn't get around to putting it together until January. During that time, I was OBSESSED! I probably would have saved more time if I had just bought and sewed the damn pattern in November, instead of incessantly googling new projects as soon as they were posted. Watson Bra, Courtest of Clothhabit.com Do you know what you get when you google "watson bra"? Paparazzi photos of Emma Watson out for a jog in a sport bra, looking notably annoyed. Poor girl! Anyways in my time lurking, I...

JUST ADD SCARF Looking like you made an attempt to present yourself to the world, but don't like to shop, is a challenge. My fall back outfit is a safe neutral, usually black, accompanied by a fun scarf. For that reason, my collection of scarfs needs to be wide and varied, if I am going to put together something that looks unique and like I put in a few minutes of effort. Some of my scarfs need a new life, so I have taken on a project to re-purposed a few old scarves, making a fun scarf can be fun squared. FUN SCARF SQUARED! To begin my "fun scarf squared" project I started with a few old scarfs, for various reasons, I no longer wear. In the photo below, the centre scarf, my first husband brought me back from India, while I love the pattern and think it is beautiful, it is too scratchy, the other 2 don't have enough body and have frills and frills won't do. The colours go well together and I through in my brother-in-laws old tie for a colour anchor. STE...