Tag: sweater upcycle

Summer Makes – dresses, coat and sweater

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I started this post on 28th May and today is 13th November. Things have been busy, but not that busy. I still blame Covid for twisting time! Of course, there is also the fact that Bloglovin only works here and there and that used be my main blog reader so now as I am not reading blogs, I am not updating this one either.


I had been thinking of retiring the blog as I am not sure where my pet project is going to at all….. I still sew but not as much as my wardrobe only needs tweaks, but I am still picking up stuff in charity shops with the intentions of remaking so now I am nearer a hoarder than a maker! My original intention on starting the blog was to

  • See if the remade could be well made
  • If these remades could be part of my own wardrobe rather than buying new
  • Share my makes and any patterns I drafted so others could make – and maybe skill share locally
  • donate extra makes to a charity shop for the shop to sell – to show remakes and highlight the limitations of fast fashion (I did this twice with Cope Charity Shop for fashion revolution week) – I wish I had the time or wherewithal to make this into something, but on contacting other charity shops there seemed little interest

Last month however, I did get some WordPress emails last months that some new followers (Hello & Welcome!) have joined which made me think I should put up a post seeing as I had done some makes over the summer – Dresses, Coat and Sweater (&hats)

The Wide Strap Sundress
This is a winner. I made 2! but only as I had so many linen trousers stashed in sewing room. The first was a patchwork of navy, blue and white linen. the second I just dyed 3 pairs of white linen pants a cargo green. The pattern is from Peppermint – has pockets (yipee) and wide straps (so no need for strapless bra). The seams/ joins on the ‘patchwork dress’ are the same on the green dress.


The Everyday Dress
This one was made with a dyed stash of 2 beige linen pants. The pattern is a collaboration between peppermint and ‘into the folds’. It was perfect for our heatwave this summer and again POCKETS! it drapes nicely, and I wear it without the tie – in part due it was referred to as a ‘looks like an apostle’ when I wore the belt with it… and also that it is more comfortable without belt

the before dye picture shows the joins and different colour linens


The Chloe Dress Hack
This is a hack of the Chloe Top from Fibremood. I made it as I had the fabric in my press. I had picked up some lenghts of fabric during Covid as there were shop closures (which I still berate myself about). Anyway, this fabric is a viscose mix jersey and a pain to sew, so it was handy to make a dress with few seams. The photo is from a first fit – used up all the fabric (1.5m) and ended up making the dress longer with a navy trim, and the bow longer by backing it in a strip of navy. The dress still has to be worn (as the one fancy occasion was cancelled this summer…. so no other photos


Blending in – the Curtain Coat
I really wanted to get a chintz sofa to sit on so I could blend in…but no joy. I got this pair of Sanderson linen sample curtains in the charity shop – I figured they were a sample as they were only a width wide each and a drop of 1.8m and in fantastic condition. the fabric was so lovely I wouldn’t put them down – and I convinced myself they would be a coat. I tried to be economical with the fabric and used up just over one curtain. I adapted Vogue couturier Pattern 1483 by Laroche and omitted side seams so no pattern matching. The sleeve had a small insertion to match pattern.


The made bigger sweater
On the same day as curtains, this sweater was in the same shop. I love this fennel colour and figured the sweater was merino – and I knew by looking it was most likely too small but got it anyway. Originally, I was going to crochet a panel to side but could not find right shade or weight of yarn. I did find a tee shirt and sewed inside and arm panels. I was so very pleased with this and know it’s a hack I would do again

And finally a hat

Actually I made 2. Since my rosecea has gotten worse I try and wear a sun hat during the summer if its anyway sunny (I wear sunscreen also). I have straw hats which I tend to wear in the garden but find them tricky to bring ‘out’ as if it rains they dont pack away so easily. I got this pattern for the serpentine wide brim hat from etsy. I made 2, one in canvas and one in linen (in everyday dress photo). the brim can flop down but I found wearing with a crease it stays up well

2 skirts and a red raglan sweater.

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Funny how sometimes when you change jobs, your wardrobe seems to alter a bit – maybe it isn’t that unusual but I was still surprised when I started working in my new job, that I started favouring wearing dresses and skirts more instead of trousers as in my last job. (Although, this is due to change this week as the temperatures have dropped to freezing so I will be in wool trews tomorrow morning for sure).

In November I made 2 new skirts. Both were made from discarded pieces in the Community Sew room discard box.

The Brown tweed skirt was made from a short piece – approx 75cm length It has a black line and some orange and yellow flecks so was fine to wear with a black polo.  I used the reliable vogue pattern – and it pretty much sewed itself. The pattern also uses petersham instead of a waistband so useful when there is little fabric.

 The Black skirt was a half made something and it was all black, it may have been a dress cut in half. It would not be my usual choice of fabric, and it also had some strange laundry instructions (ie do not wash) so I tossed it to the machine before I cut and it seemed to survive.  I recut a basic a-line skirt. I put a seam on the front to the side, so I could embroider some detail, originally it was to have a mock pleat, but in the end I just sewed it as a seam. I was going to embroider a geometric pattern in shades of pink and red but could not find a suitable motif so used this ‘spring’ one.

Both skirts work well with a black sweater, but I often find black a bit severe and thought ‘if I could only find a red sweater to recut….’ and sure enough, same day in the charity shop, I did! I got this ‘vintage’ one. It is a fine knit and was an XL. I had thought there was more wool content but it is 35% wool and 65%  somthing else/orlon (I was shopping without my glasses!)

I drafted a raglan knit block and recut the sweater. I had tried to figure a way to incorporate the neckline, but it did not seem feasible. It sits as a v-neck and was not that flattering. I had originally hoped to put the button placket to the back but it could not sit flat. So in the end, I had to cut it out, and sew a small seam in.

I did a wider slight funnel neck so I can wear a base layer underneath (it is not a warm sweater), and finished the neck and cuffs with a twin needle turn over hem.

I am going to do a scan of the raglan block and put it up with the patterns on craftsy as I am find these remade sweaters so useful, and a very quick sew. As well as which its a style of sweater I find difficult to get in RTW as they tend to be straight up-and-down, where as this one has a small bit of waist definition.

 

Another Slouch Sweater – Maroon Merino

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I hadn’t intended on making another sweater, but the longer the winter goes on, the more sweaters I need, and also this sweater pattern I adapted is perfect for me.  It sews up quickly, and layers well.

I got this sweater a few weeks ago, and only for the label ‘100% fine merino’ I would have left it there!  As it already had a good ribbed polo, I decided to work with what I had rather than take it apart fully.  I cut off the sleeves and cut the sleeves keeping the original seam in the sleeve rather than lose 1cm by resewing.  I cut up the side seams.  Before I cut, I double checked where the centre shoulder was by trying it on over my head, and this corresponded with how it folded when lain flat.

 

I cut around, and sewed the side seams to underarm and inset the sleeve, and I added a pleat to the ‘cuff’.  All of the cut and the sew to this point took less than 30 minutes!  I tacked sleeve hems and sweater hems and pressed them, and finished by using the twin needle.

centre shoulder
cutting on fold
cutting sleeve

 

 

Love how it turned out.  Have yet to wear it layered with the floral blouse but know they will make a good match!

I have a few other makes half done, and in between I moved the site to wordpress (so the half makes are still half-made).  Really glad I did as I never got a proper working template with blogger.  My bloglovin profile was updated too, but I was unable to transfer the subscribers from feed-burner.  I don’t know how well the subscriber form works on WordPress yet, as one email worked on it but another didn’t….so if anyone cannot subscribe and would prefer email, just let me know!

 

 

 

Sweater Remake

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I got this sweater at the euro rail – its one of the few things I bought in a charity shop this year.  I am trying to get through what I have here – but I seem to make an exception for the euro rail – I often think these are the ‘no hope-ers’ and bound for landfill.  I love this colour, the fabric is cotton knit/ jersey.  The sweater colour is uneven due to wear and laundry, but to me this was part of the appeal as the colour now looked slightly textured,For the remake, I used the Astoria initially and also my own block.  It was all straight forward.  I added 5 inches to the length, and made the sleeves as long as I could.  I sewed it using the overcast stitch on the ‘new’ machine.  (so handy)

Cut out

 

Cutting Sleeve – I use bulldog clips to keep the two layers together, and it stops the fabric rolling back in.

I was unsure about the neck finish, and luckily I had some of the same shade in yarn, left
over from a previous project!  (its a colour I like).  I turned the edges and machine basted them, and blanket stitched them.  The trim is a mix of double and treble (uk) stitches.

Inside….

 

Outside…..

Love how it turned out -I cannot believe how quick and easy these types of sweater remakes are, (and the corresponding amount of sweaters on the men’s rail in charity shops).  I have a few more sweaters to remake soon, but I am hoping to try a few different finishes, like embroidered hems and embroidered embellishments….

 

Happy Christmas – with or without christmas jumper……

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The Christmas jumper just wasn’t going to happen – so I have decided to frog it.  Its a pity as the stitch finally worked out for a raglan, but its too bulky.  I may try the stitch again in the new year. 


 Meanwhile, I am thinking of making a swink , which has a knitted collar and cuff, and seeing as I just learned to knit a few weeks ago at the sew social.  My first knitting is below and the dropped stitches are where I was attempting purls…… and when I cast off I used a crochet hook.  Currently I am practicing some knitting before I start the sweater to make sure I can knit, as I am still unsure as what to do with dropped stitches and I certainly don’t understand the book instruction! The second swatch is my second practice.  Half way up, I decided to try seed stitch and I am not sure what I did wrong yet, but I had to unravel that row and start some plains and purls to get used to knitting and to be able to recognise the stitch (still all looking the same to me!)


I started on another up-sew, of an old cardigan.  Its a primark from some years ago, and I used wear it in the summer, its incredibly thin, and has limited life left in it but I really like the colour, and remaking will extend the wearing of it.   I have to stitch down the neckline, and fix the hem yet.  It will be a rather light sweater.  I had to make the front from three pieces as taking the pockets off made some holes, and the ribbed panel at the front of the cardigan became the centre back of the back and the side panel in the front!  I used a basic jersey block and left the sleeve seam intact and just reattached the sleeve at the armhole.

 



I did manage to get my cards made and printed in time for international post dates.  When I used make my own cards first, I used make a lino or etched plate and print on the press (one year I even printed wrapping paper!), but in the last few years, I found the best cards were also the quick doodles/sketches I did in my notebook and since then, I do a drawing, scan and print…………..

my favourite card done in the last few years is still this one….. (I  finished it in photoshop and I should have done it by hand) it reminds me of the ee cummings poem, I carry your heart in my heart








Merry Happy Christmas!

grey jumper #2

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wool sweater remake

I got a gorgeous grey merino men’s jumper a few weeks ago.  Its a large mans jumper, and a great shade of grey.  The crochet sweater I am making for my grey wrap skirt is still being hooked (I am on the fourth restart ….. this better be the last version), so I thought I would make something from this.

I had a few thoughts in my head,
– a wrap close cardigan with a length of satin ribbon as trim
– a cropped sweater, 3/4 sleeve with boat neck
– a regular cardigan

but decided on copying an item from my wardrobe.  I copied a pattern from a thrifted fine knit I got some years ago.  Its probably a ‘neither here nor there’ sweater, but its a good layering piece (its cashmere ), easy colour and gets worn quiet a bit.

sweater remake

I laid the sweater out, and traced, folding over the main sweater trace and cutting to make sure each side was even.  In the remake I had to do a few strips to make the sleeve width, but it was worth it as I was able to do a generous box pleat at the ‘cuff’ of sleeve (the pleats in the thrifted sweater are in different locations and are knitted into a cuff).  I would have liked (and am thinking of trying this pattern again) to give a bit more weight to the collar by doubling up the fabric (rather than using a strip of fabric and hemming it).

sweater remake

The sweater has a nice shape, its got a dropped shoulder, and some shaping at the waist – I kept the ribbed band in the cut for hem and its perfect.  I am glad I put the one large pleat in the sleeve as it gives a bit of ‘interest’ and the pleats in the original are a bit puffy.  The sweater is a quick sew, and works well with jeans and looks fine with skirt, and I am sure will work with the grey wool trousers if I get to remake them soon (or at least this year), and wears with the poncho too!.  photo below is a bit dull – but only one taken so far.