Hello Everyone,
I hope you and your family are all remaining healthy and happy! I am grateful to be done with my second shot and very shortly being able to return to my campus to teach. Being as busy as I am, I haven’t been feeling all that inspired, but then I saw this picture:
The Inspiration
The Result
The resulting garment made me happy, although I did make some very conscious changes. I think you will be interested from an upcycling perspective why I made the choices the way I did:
Color: I loved the layout of the color blocking but the red, white, and blue was too “Tommy Hilfiger” for my taste. (BTW I have no idea who made the inspiration picture). Also, I had scrap jersey and some animal print left over from other projects. It all coordinated so I thought, “Why not?”
Fabric: I made a decision to use less of the animal print because it was not a woven fabric and a good deal lighter than the the jersey. It was opaque, so I knew it would not be see through, but using too much would draw attention to the difference in the textures.
Pattern: I used a basic T-shirt pattern that I created by taking apart a well loved t-shirt that had seen better days! For people who don’t know how to make patterns, I recommend this all of the time. When you love a garment but it’s time in your closet is over, take it apart and make it a pattern! I did have to use my draping skills and a ruler to create the new front sections, but that was just a blur to me, so I apologize for not documenting it with pictures.
Sleeve stripes: In order to eliminate bulk I decided to make strips, overlock the edges, and sew them flat.
Neckline: I am a fan of using bias tape on necklines whenever I can. Ribbed necklines wear out too easily and can make a garment look shabby. I also feel that it makes the garment look more expensive.
Well there it is in black, brown, white, and animal print! I hope you like it and can’t wait to hear what you think. Until then, be safe and HAPPY REFASHIONING!!!
