Catch-up - Repair, refashion, repurpose, reuse, recycle

Have been a little busy over the last while - no need to go into detail, but I have been studying in preparation for a career change, sort of eliminated any spare time I might have had. But after Uni finished for the year, and while the kids were still at school, I did manage to do a few things.

That blouse to dress from my last post was really lovely to wear, and made me feel good. Unfortunately, during efforts to remove some staining from the blouse, the skirt and sleeves got bleached. So I remade them in a different fabric.

Another project was to refashion a gorgeous Country Road cotton lawn dressing gown that I was given many years ago but rarely wore (because if I don't shower and dress as soon as I get up it tends not to happen at all). It has become a light and cool summer peasant blouse.

Before 

Hmm, still needs some tweaking,
I added small pleats at the shoulders, and darts from bust to waist.

As the boys grow and their legs get longer it is harder to patch their trousers on the sewing machine. So  when the holes are too large the legs are cut off and the cuffs bound with a contrasting or co-ordinating fabric to make shorts. They have a lot of shorts. Good thing we live in a semi-tropical climate!

3 new pairs of shorts - means 3 less pairs of trousers!

One of my favourite summer blouses, a plain white cheesecloth peasant blouse, got a hole, right about belly button level. Darning would have looked daft. I really love the result, using one of the very first fabrics I bought when I started quilting in 1997 - so pretty!

Beginning - cut right through the hole.

Add an insert (the hole is in the seam allowance).
Needed more - so added matching fabric to the sleeves.

Found another hole on the rear right shoulder.

Fused and blanket stitched appliqué to cover it -
plus a couple of extras to balance the design.

I did actually get a few other projects done during the year - but didn't find the time to blog about them. So here they are now.

Another repair due to a hole, this time in a lightweight cardigan (?). I picked this up during a workshop on refashioning at the Craft Show two years ago, and added the triple layer black red and white braid then. But when a hole appear in the front of the jacket some major changes were needed.

Before

After - decorated with a Japanese crane fabric

Then an op-shop find. A black, 100% lambswool turtle neck that someone had probably put through a hot wash, or a dryer. A dreadful shame for them, but a bit of creative fun for me! Easy to work with because the wool has become felted - so no unravelling! The refashion only took a fat quarter of fabric - of spooky black cats. I purchased the fabric from Voodoo Rabbit at the Craft and Quilt Fair (Brisbane) in 2012. You should check their website, their fabric range is different to the 'norm'.

Before - waaaaay too tight!

Cut straight up the middle.

Turtle neck becomes open collar. Add width with a fabric
insert (the placket is a false one, just a pleat).

A little 'peplum' to add length and cover
my kidneys (and my tummy!)

The final result. It has had so many positive comments and enquiries as to where I got it.

I have also given needle felting (by machine) a go - embellishing a $2 fleece scarf from the op-shop. I need a bit more practice I think.

Before

Centre back after

Front after

And lastly - repurposing a favourite, but worn out, pair of jeans into a bag. By folding it in half it no longer looks like a pair of jeans, and I get a more compact shoulder bag with an extra central pocket. It actually has 3 large pockets (one secure and accessed using the zip, now at the side of the bag), and three smaller ones that were the original pockets of the jeans.

Decorated with Suffolk Puffs (Yo-yos)

Here is the zip for the secure pocket.

Lots of handy pockets to make finding things easy.

I've replaced a lot of elastic in school shorts and pyjama bottoms - but nobody needs to see photos of those do they?

Isn't it fun to find ways to give things another life?

Merry Christmas, & Happy New Year!

Ravs