Self-Stitched-September Item 1

As you remember, I have pledged to make (and wear) 6 new items for Self-Stitched-September this year. To give myself a bit of focus to do this, I have decided to use challenges set by the awesome Mena at Sew Weekly. I'm going to be doing a bit of picking and choosing, and although I want to get caught up with the challenges, I may not actually achieve that. And to get caught up, I may cheat and use things I have already sewn (although, I won't be counting them towards SSS '11).

The first thing I planned to make was a skirt inspired by the Piped Sailor Skirt from Anthropologie. It's been pinned to my pinterest style board for a while now. I love the contrast of the dark piping lines and warm skirt colour. The buttons add just that little bit of 'pop.'

Source: anthropologie.com via fyrefairee on Pinterest

I used the free Kasia pattern from BurdaStyle with some thrifted red corduroy, and black piping.

Extending the straight line down from the pockets, I added a line of piping. I also got rid of the pockets (I tend not to use pockets) and, the front bib, instead putting in a centre back zip. I had to resize the gathered front panel after getting rid of the pockets, and resized the yokes, so that the piping would line up properly.


I have, up until this point, tended to steer clear of high waisted skirts. The simple reason for this is that there are generally 4 sizes between my waist measurement and my hip measurement. For this pattern, my waist was a 36 and my hips were a 40. I decided not to do a muslin (really not sure why) and to just cur a straight size 40. Which, no surprises, was miles too big for me around the waistband. But the hips fit really well. So, I took a bit in from the side seams, and a bit in from the back seam. Most of the excess was taken in from the centre back seam, as the gathers on the hip accentuate the hips a bit, and I really didn't want to accentuate them any more. 

I even managed to get the piping to line up on the zip!

I really ummed and aahed about which challenge this should fit into. Should it be Rule, Britannia? Or Ahoy, Matey!? The piping gives it a nautical feel, but the red makes it feel more British... Part of my conundrum was that I don't like most of the 'sailor shirt' styles. I can do stripes, but those collars just put me off. I'm trying not to buy anything new, and I know that I don't have any striped knits in my stash, so that ruled making a striped T-Shirt to go with the skirt. Then I saw this.

Source: skins-fashion.livejournal.com via fyrefairee on Pinterest

Just enough of a stripe and detailing to make it feel nautical, but not so much that it has the costume-y collar look. So, that became my inspiration for the top. Although I usually go for a more fitted style, the high waist of the Kasia really lends itself to a less fitted style that gets tucked in. 


Using the free 1 piece Kimono Tee pattern, I redrafted the neckline and added a seam below the bustline to allow for the navy stripe. I also shortened it about 10cm. I made a plain version of this up (which I'm planning on counting towards another Sew Weekly challenge), and it came down to my hips. Which is fine, but leaves just a bit too much excess fabric to have ride up during the day when it's tucked into the high waisted skirt. Less length is less to ride up, and it's still long enough for me to tuck in.  I'm really happy with how this turned out, even if I did manage to (completely by accident) draft the line straight across my nipple line. Oh well. And, I'm really please with the look of the crepe scraps with the solid knit.

The Facts
Fabric: Thrifted Red Corduroy from stash; White Cotton knit from stash; Navy crepe fabric scraps

Pattern: Kasia pattern Free; 1 piece Kimono Tee Free

Year: 2011

Notions: invizible zipper $2.00; piping cord from stash; thrifted buttons $0.50

Time to complete: Kimono Tee: 1 1/2 hours, including redrafting neckline.

First worn: September 2011

Wear again? Yes! It's a super comfy outfit.

Total Cost: ~$ 2.50

Upcycled T-Shirt gifts

I gave my sister an upcycled t-shirt as a Christmas present, and a friend from my sewing group, Squirrel, two upcycled t-shirts as a birthday present. They were really fun to make. 

For each of them, I started with a plain item, sourced from an op shop. In this instance, they were all T-Shirts.

Then, I stared at the t-shirts, and the findings and other fabrics I have in my stash. Picked things up, put them down. Looked at the colour combinations. Swapped things around. Stared some more (seriously, I can stare at things for a long time trying to figure out exactly what I want to do with it. I could be all wanky and say that I want the original items to ‘speak to me,’ but really, it’s just a case of being happy with my colour choices).

For my sister, I started with a blue T-Shirt, and white beads. 

I thought the scoop neck was really cute.

It reminded me of the colour of an outdoor swimming pool. I added rows of white beads, slightly gathering each row, and was was reminded of the line markers for lap swimming. So, the top was named - Lap Lanes.

The beads were added in two places - three rows down the front centre, and five rows on each shoulder.

For Squirrel, I upcycled two T-shirts - because I couldn’t decide which one to give her. Both were grey T-Shirts to start with. (I am growing to really love grey as a base colour to work with. Which is odd, because it is a colour I basically never wear myself.

The first one had a cute, but boring button detail, and cap sleeves

It was just screaming for some bling.

So, I took the buttons off, and added bronze beads and sequins and findings. These were all from an op shop.

I love beads and sequins - so pretty

In the beads, I found a few bells and coins. These became the start of me design, and then I randomly placed the beads and sequins around them.

The double cap sleeves were doing that annoying turning up hem thing, so I added a row of sequins on each of the hems to hold them down.

And, ‘Bronze, Beads and Bells’ was complete.

The other T-Shirt for Squirrel used reverse applique. I am growing to love it as a technique - it’s so fun, and easy, and because I do it free hand, it’s fun to discover what and where the design goes.

Like with the Birthday Dreamings Tank top, I used a chain stitch, and circles. The grey T-Shirt seemed perfectly suited to a navy thread and navy cut outs. 

I tacked the backing fabric in place before starting to sew, because then I could hold bunches of the fabric in my hand without worrying about it moving or stabbing myself with pins - in some of the photos you can see the tacking stitches before I took them out.

I started my design at the right shoulder seam, and worked down. 

I then turned the T-Shirt over, and worked part of the design down the back, so that the design goes over the shoulder.

Then I cut away the circles.

The blue circles reminded me of lakes, interconnected by waterways, so I named this one ‘River Systems.’