Dressed Good Friends

So, time for a post to bring you up to speed with a whole heap of makery that's been happening round these parts. The creations featured in this post were all for my best mate, Vic, so now that they are all firmly in her mitts, I'm free to post them up without ruining any surprises.

First up, remember the skirt I made for Harriet's May 'Poetry and Clothing' package? Well, there is another! In fact I had a mini production line going to make two identical skirts, one intended for Harriet, and the other for Vic as part payment for some tickets she bought Patty and myself to see a Mark Thomas gig. So, in fact the original pair of thrifted £4 spotty navy sateen curtains made one Ceylon dress and two mini Simplicity 2451's. You couldn't even get a dress and two skirts for 4 quid in Primark! Slow fashion: 1, Fast fashion: 0.

Next up is a cheeky little hoodie sweatshirt refashion I made on a whim one afternoon after work. I was chillin' in the studio on my own, listening to tunes and having a nice time, so I decided to stay awhile longer and whip up a little sommin' sommin'!

The new sweatshirt is a tighter fit, with gathered-head 3/4 length sleeves, the original hoodie front pocket and polka dot Peter Pan collar. I do intend to do a 'How-to', or at least a step-by-step break down of how I create these sweatshirts in the future, but unfortunately my plans to make the pattern available has been scuppered. You see, I've made these sweatshirts for our work range, and seeing as I developed the pattern within work time, technically the pattern belongs to Traid, not me. Sorry to the peops who would have fancied owning the pattern. Anyways, here's a wee close up of the collar detail:

After Vic received the skirt at the top of this post, she found she only had one top in her wardrobe that she could wear with it. I had no intention of providing her with a part-orphan skirt, so I stayed behind at work again, cranked the tunes and made this:

Two unwanted mens white T-shirts were sacrificed in the making of this top. Reports from Vic have said that it's basically a Win, though a little short in the body (which I see now looking at this pic) but ok if she tucks it in. Good to know for future makery.

And finally, I stash-busted this amazing piece of vintage barkcloth into two wasp's-arse bags, one for Vic and one for me. This fabric came in a delivery at work and having been deemed unsuitable for the garments and accessories we make for our range, it was discarded to be turned into rag. I naturally intervened. But with a print so mental, it was tricky to figure out what it was destined to be. After dwelling in my stash for about four months, it became clear that a simple shaped bag was the only appropriate canvas for such a pattern.

I'm excited to announce that Vic will be present at the Brighton meetup next Saturday, and will be making her first ever skirt on Sunday! Soon she'll be whipping up her own wardrobe goodness, and I'll be redundant!

Me-Made-June '11: Days 13, 14 & 15: Plus Brighton Meetup INFO!!!

Ok, let's get the house keeping out of the way first. For those who are lucky enough to be in the vicinity of Southern England on June 25th, I'm organising a meetup of sewers to celebrate Me-Made-June '11 in Brighton. This event will involve wandering about one of, let's face it, the best places in the UK for creative-minded peops: absorbing inspiration, fabric and notions at will, then retiring to sit, natter and imbibe, and even partcipate in a purely voluntary swap of unwanted pieces of fabric. In short, it's going to be amazing. So amazing in fact, that many of those who flagged up their interest in the comments section of that original announcement post failed to include the crucial piece of info: their email addresses. Not everyone's blogger account automatically provides an email address, so whereas I've been able to hunt down some, others evade me. I've sent out an email with further details about the meetup, so if you already declared your interest but haven't received an email from me, OR you missed the initial announcement and quite fancy attending having read this post, y'all need to provide me with your email address. You can leave it in this comments section, or the comments section of the original post, or you can email me directly at the email address you can see in my profile on the right hand side at the top of this page. Looking forward to seeing everyone in less than two weeks!

Onwards with the ongoing documentation of my participation in Me-Made-June '11.

Day 13:

• Ruffle-front jumper
• Massive flower miniskirt
• Vest
• Pants
• Coat

Yes. I am wearing a knit jumper AND vest in June. No. I'm not happy about it. But Yes. I do still love this skirt.

Day 14:

• Stripey T-shirt
• Denim sailor trousers
• Pants
• Saint cardigan on the way to work

I don't want to fall so easily into the British stereotype of always going on about the weather, but by contrast to chilly, drizzly Day 13, Day 14 was seriously hot! That's the schizo weather we are dealing with here. It makes it very tricky to plan outfits, let me tell you. I'm not complaining, mind, it felt lovely to be wearing so few layers. Umm, upon reflection I'm thinking these trousers make me look pretty wide round the mid-section. Of course, it could be that I am just pretty wide round the mid-section, but if that is true, these trousers are doing nothing to disguise the fact. Maybe I need a lower waistline? A darker colour (do my black version of these trousers create the same effect)? Or a narrower leg fit? Any ideas?

Day 15:

• Black jersey top
• Denim high-waisted shorts
• Pants
• Coat

You're going to be really proud of me: I did it! I spent a day in my other pair of high-waisted shorts! Remember how I was all going on about how I felt really uncomfortable and self-conscious in the shorts I'd been making, and that I'd decided to challenge myself to wear both pairs for a whole day each during this month? Well, tick! Done!

I have to say, I LOVE these shorts now! Thanks everyone who offered advice and your own thoughts on short-wearing in that initial 'Thoughts on Shorts' post. I have to say, for me I think the limit of my comfort-zone is with the tights wearing. I feel good in these shorts with opaque tights on, but I don't think I'd enjoy wearing them with flesh-coloured tights or bare legs. Maybe that'll change in the future, but I feel like major progress has been made in this field, so I'm happy with that right now.

I also must admit, I only put the belt on for the photo (taken at lunch time) and then again to go out after work (along with some red lipstick, FYI). The belt is too tight to wear all day, who can work in what is effectively a corset?!

Fabric Acquisitions: May 2011

Ok, so you know how I recently sorted and documented my fabric/refashionable clothing stash? And how that I was recommitting myself to using or giving away the contents of my stash rather than letting all that wonderful potential just sit there? AND, how I planned to use/give away at least in proportion to how much was coming in? Well, it would make sense to document what is going in, right?

All the fabric and refashionable clothing that goes into my stash is second hand. Most of it comes from the deliveries of donated textiles at work; probably about 50-60% of what we receive isn't suitable for using in our range so if I like something that we can't use and I can imagine myself actually using it, I'll absorb it into my stash rather than let it go back to the warehouse with the rest of the undesireables to be turned into rag. Some of our fortnightly deliveries yield quite a bit for my stash, some will yield nothing. Some pieces will be unearthed in a mid-week sort-out. However it appears, I think it would be useful to document here on this blog what's come in to my stash from time to time, and talk through my ideas for each piece and hopefully gleen any ideas you might have to its use. I really don't want to be adding more to my stash unless I can see a use in the near-ish future. So here goes: my recent acquisitions:

Sample knit panels:

I'm thinking these'll be useful for more knitwear refashions when the weather gets colder again (perhaps along similar lines as this knitwear refashion unless I have any other ideas).

Vintage curtains:

I was tripping pretty hard when I saw these. Both sets of curtains are in really good condition and I'm guessing from the mid-1950s. They are the same design but different colourways. How on earth have they stayed together for 60-odd years? God, I could get really obsessed with the journey fabric or items of clothing take throughout their lives if I allowed myself! I'm thinking amazing shirtdresses using a vintage pattern, thus creating New School Vintage!

Red stretchy stuff:

Unless I've made a glaring omission, I don't think I have a top in one of my very favourite colours! Mental! This fabric is fairly thick jersey with some sort of elastane content making giving it a good stretch recovery. My long-sleeves leopard print top has been super-useful since its creation, perhaps something similar. But a simple round neck plain T-shirt might be a bit boring, no? Boring, or useful? Should I add some kind of design detail, or would that spoil a potentially versatile garment? Thoughts please!

Heart-stopping Atomic print Vintage fabric:

Umm, I left this til the end because if you saw it at the top of this post, you might have been so stunned by its wonder, you'd never get through the rest of what I had to show you! This gem appeared in the form of a strange collection of curtains and cushion covers, some pieces in better condition than others. Along the selvedge is written ''Nautilus' by Mary Warren', and a little research led to the discovery that Ms Warren designed this print for Heals in 1954. Incidentally, or not incidentally, the film '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' was also released in 1954 and featured a submarine named 'Nautilus'. The film was based on the novel of the same name written by Jules Verne and published in 1870. This fabric design even featured in an exhibition entitled 'Designing Women of Postwar Britain: Their Art and the Modern Interior' in Colarado Springs a couple of years ago. I cannot tell you how I wish I could have seen that exhibition!

All that detailed background research might lead you to believe I won't be cutting it up. Wrong, I am going to cut it up. If it was all in mint condition I might have thought differently, but I reckon I can squeeze out one incredible dress and still have one of the cushion covers which are the best condition to keep and stroke and adore as it is. I'm thinking a traffic-stopping mid-century wiggle dress. I think the gods were telling me something when I came across this Imelda May video on Youtube a matter of days after I aquired this fabric!

Me-Made-June '11: Days 10, 11 & 12 (plus a cheat for charity!)

Helloooooo. Hope you had a great weekend. This post proves I spent mine in hand-made wares, mostly!

Day 10:

• Black sailor trousers
• Sacred heart blouse
• Refashioned cardi
• Pants
• Coat

In case you were wondering, I was trying to perfect a jump-photo, like the girls on America's Next Top Model, as they always get commended for 'thinking outside the box' and attempting a jump in their shoots. It's frikkin' hard though, maybe I'll nail it by the end of the month.

Day 11:

• Black sailor trousers
• Black stretch top
• Refashioned cardi
• Pants
• Coat

I travelled to my old home town on Day 10 to spend the weekend with my fam and friends, so you'll no doubt detect a lack of variation in outfits for these three days. However, I was able to answer the perennial question: can one successfully rock hand-made garms to a cider and perry festival somewhere in the middle of the Essex countryside? YES! In case you were in any doubt.

Day 12 (morning):

• No me-mades!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you even believe it?! The very creator of Me-Made-June '11 has cheated her own challenge rules and is wearing not a stitch of her own creation! And she appears to be proud of herself! Well, me and my lovely mummy there did a 5K sponsored run called Race for Life, for the charity Cancer Research UK, along with about 7000 other women.

In fact, seeing as I'm in a confessional mood, I'll admit to having regularly donned non-me-made sportswear throughout this month. I could have knocked up a me-made T-shirt to run in, and I doubt a pair of sweat trousers wouldn't be beyond my abilities, but I really don't see the point in making me-made sportswear just for the sake of this challenge when I already own a drawer full of old sportswear that I can through on for an hour to sweat in. All my sportswear was either bought by myself years ago or given to me fairly recently as hand-me-downs. When these existing items eventually become unwearable, unless my best mate donates me even more of her unwanted sporty garms, I'll happily replace them with me-made versions, particularly if I can find suitable fabric secondhand. That's really how I hope most challenge-participants are approaching Me-Made-June '11: making themselves items that will be useful to them, that maybe fill a 'wardrobe gap', rather than making essentially multiples of things they already own which serve the exact same function, years before that original is due to perish. As awesome as rocking me-made garments is, I can't see making garments which function identically as things you already own as a particularly sustainable or useful tack.

Day 12 (afternoon):

• Black sailor trousers
• Long-sleeved leopard top
• Refashioned cardi
• Pants
• Coat

I'm back in me-mades. Hope you haven't lost faith in me!

Me-Made-June '11: Days 7, 8 & 9

Hi peops, time for more proof that I've been sticking to my word and fulfilling my pledge to wear only me-made garms for the duration of the month.

Day 7:

• Denim sailor trousers
• Stripey T-shirt
• Remade jumper
• Pants
• Yellow jacket to and from work

That's a pretty nautical outfit I'm rocking there! I approve. I'd like to think that my furry colleague, Piglet, also approved, but I doubt he had much of an opinion on the matter considering the subject in question didn't involve him eating someone's sandwiches or running around the park:

Day 8:

• Massive flower mini skirt
• Mustard T-shirt (not visible)
• Saint cardigan
• Pants
• Leopard coat to and from work

I'll be honest with you, I'm basically falling in love with this skirt. The fabric is just too awesome. Every time I caught a glimpse of it in the mirror, it made me smile. It feels really nice to wear as well. The impulse-project mustard T-shirt I recently made does go nicely with it, as I'd hoped, but it was too damn chilly in the studio to wear my cardi open so you'll just have to trust me until a warmer day graces us.

Day 9:

• Navy sateen skirt
• Remade jumper
• Vest
• Pants
• Leopard coat to and from work

Yes, more unseasonal knitwear. Oh well, I have to remind myself I didn't move from Spain to the UK for the weather. I love this skirt though. I forget in between me-made challenges how much I love this skirt. The sateen has some stretch in it, and it's washed into a really soft texture so it feels so nice to wear. I preferred wearing it when I had red tights to rock with it, but they died and I've failed to replace them. I'm going to stop my outfit-based wittering now and wish you all a lovely weekend, see you on the other side!

Poetry and Clothing Project: May

Time to update you on the progress of my 'Poetry and Clothing' project in which I'm making at least one garment a month for a year for my inspirational and super-talented friend Harriet. The first installment was in April, and now that May's package is firmly in her mitts, I'm safe to divulge its contents.

Using my latest pattern obsession (which could soon rival Simplicity 3835 for my affections), I made Harriet a Simplicity 2451 in some of the leftover spotty sateen from my Ceylon dress. This curtain-in-a-former-life fabric was the perfect weight for this style, plus it doesn't crease particularly easily so this skirt should hold its shape well when worn all day. It's possibly not quite the basic wardrobe staple she could really do with, but hopefully it is plain enough to match its way into a few outfits.

Along with the skirt travelled a canvas bag I got at a recent etsy networking meetup I went to (which wasn't particularly useful or interesting, but I got to have a natter plus there was free wine).

In response to the package I sent her in April, harriet wrote me a poem, it's so beautiful that it seems a shame for it to only be read by myself. I'm sure she won't mind, want to read it?

April

She was on the right side of light
tucked her edges between nautical stripes.

She found gambling to be
much as the films had promised and

played poker out on deck, with a frosted glass
in one hand and the ocean in the other.

She forgot the sickening tug of the tide,
or that she has hidden somewhere up her sleeve

that loyalty was to love them and leave them
and love them in the creases of here to there.

She wore battered plastic (low tide treasure)
and a well-worn squint (high sun demanded it)

time was elastic out there, throwing buttons
into the swell for good luck

to wash up, stretched and new
on someone else's shore.


I feel so special to have had a poem written for me!

Me-Made-June '11: Days 4, 5 & 6

So, let's do this!:

Day 4, AKA 'Self-Stitched-Skirt-Saturday', (daytime):

• Cotton blouse
• Denim skirt
• Pants

Plus, the world's pastiest legs! It was sooooper hot on Saturday, so I was able to reach for one of my standard outfits from my Barcelona days. This cotton blouse is really fine and not at all clingy, so great for sticky days.

Day 4, AKA 'Self-Stitched-Skirt-Saturday', (evening):

• Black stretch top
• Black sateen Jenny skirt
• Pants

Poker and cocktails night!!!!!!!!!! It's tricky trying to figure out what to wear when you are just staying in your own flat for the evening, but want to rock a femme-card shark kind of look. How much is too much?! I've got my ganster shoes on that I picked up at a charity shop for £5, and seeing as they are too high to actually walk anywhere in, this was kind of the perfect evening to rock them!

I felt really good in this outfit, because I think it's a pretty good reflection of my style as it currently stands: kind of kitschy-glam with a vintage flavour. Actually, looking at the pics again, it's not as kitschy or glam as I'm capable of, but considering the other players rocked up in jeans or shorts and T-shirts (except for my boy, Patty, who rocked a ludicrous black and gold vintage western shirt, gawd bless 'im!) I felt the most flashy in the room!

Day 5:

• Jam-jam bottoms
• Long sleeved leopard top
• Pants

Despite what you may have expected, I wasn't as hungover as you'd think on Day 5. I'm rocking a comfy top and jam-jams because it was raining and I had no plans to go outside, considering I'd been so busy the day before preparing food and drinks, cleaning and tidying the flat, hanging paintings and buying lamps. That leopard top really was worth the making. It's very versatile. During Winter, I rock it with a vest underneath and cardi over the top, but now it's a little warmer, it acts like a lightly more flattering sweatshirt.

Day 6:

• Bustier T-shirt
• Grey wool dress (recently fixed coz I'd made a rubbish job of the back slit and a belt loop broke)
• Refashioned cardi
• Pants

Today was a throroughly miserable day. I wish I could have stayed at home again in my jam-jams, so grey and chilly. Anyways, this dress turned out to be a major investment in effort. I'm going to make some more wool dresses for next Autumn if the fabric surfaces.

If you are playing with this challenge, how are you getting on so far? Any notable observations or revelations?!