I am notoriously bad at tossing out old scraps of fabric. Particularly if I really really like the colour.
And I really really like olive.
So; after finishing my patched pockets skirt I still had some promisingly largish pieces of grey-green corduroy and olive-green moleskin leftover, and I unearthed from my “useful scraps” bag the remains of a different pair of grey-green corduroy pants that both my boys had worn at the age of eight to ten or thereabouts. Yeah, I keep stuff a long time. The knee areas were a bit thin in them all but there was still some nice sturdy fabric to be had there. And the colour!
So I’ve made a little skirt; just a casual knock around kinda of a thing. It is patched together from three different fabrics but it still looks quite plain I think since the colours are so similar to each other. I’m pretty chuffed with it! Of the pluses of working with old unwanted textiles; it’s green, it’s economical, you can sew to your heart’s content unfettered by fear of failure. If you’re reworking with the constraints of an old garment it exercises the ol’ brain cells a bit. And so a successful outcome feels like a mega bonus!
The boys’ old cords had kinda cool, oversized patch pockets on them that I’ve always liked and kept because I thought they might come in handy one day. I used these pieces with the pockets still in situ. Some of the leg fabric of these pants had previously gone into making the Green parliament, here. I also added some oddly shaped patch pockets to the back of my new skirt too, just because the back was a bit boring-looking without them.
Technically speaking; I used the upper skirt pattern pieces of Vogue 1247 to cut the waist to hips part with the waist-shaping darts but the overall shape of my skirt is more A-line than the pattern. This is pretty much my favourite “little skirt” silhouette at the moment.
I used an invisible zip in the back, an old button harvested from something else long forgotten, long ago, and plain white cotton to face the waistband, I made a bias strip of the same plain white cotton to finish the lower raw edge, turned up the lower edge once and stitched in the ditch by machine to hem. I reckon this is the best hemming method for thick fabric since bulk is minimised by only turning up once and a bias strip looks a lot neater and prettier than overlocking. Also if you are short on fabric you can still get a nice deep hem without losing length off the skirt. .
Details:
Skirt; my own design based upon Vogue 1247, made from three old pairs of jeans
Shirt; my own design variations upon Burda 7767, deep olive linen, details here
Thongs; Mountain Designs
Great job! I love projects like this and like you I hold onto every last bit for aaaageeess! I had to force myself to throw a small square of oilcloth yesterday that I thought could make a coin purse. May still go and grab it out of the bin!!! X
wonderful green project, but you wouldn't never know it wasn't designed to be just like that.
Man you have a knack for making scraps look awesome – no wonder you keep things! Love the photo bomb. Smiling dogs are great food for the soul! Rachel ☺
Your 'scrappy' skirt is nothing short of inspirational. I am sure most people would have chucked those bits away and now you have a gorgeous new skirt (dog gorgeous too). I am not sure I have your skills but I will be thinking harder before getting rid of old clothes!
Great skirt! You are such a creative inspiration!
Ps. I think your dog is just gorgeous.
Such a clever skirt! I do wonder where you keep all the scraps. I have to have regular purges because I get overwhelmed. Maybe I need a bigger house!
This skirt has just turned out so well, and to think it's made of cast offs and scraps. You have got me thinking now… Oh, and those photos look so moody with the dark sky. You are a very talented lady.
You inspire me too! I need to learn the art of refashion. I always, always get rid of stuff that doesn't fit anymore, I'm super efficiant at that. Your new skirt looks very pretty on you, and I'm sure it brings lots of memories of your boys. Love the picture of Sienna!
I like your skirt, a cool refashion!
Christine
I love how you recycle old clothing into something modern, new and fun! Love the skirt!
I think it's fabulous that you keep clothing that's no longer needed and turn them into something new and interesting again. Another great refashion!
It never ceases to amaze me what you make out of things that other people would throw out. What a great skirt!
Carolyn, you are amazing with the way you turn your scraps into such beauties.
Thoroughly enjoy reading of your creative creations like this fantastic skirt! You inspire the rest of us to think 'outside the box'. You look lovely. 🙂
Fun project Carolyn, and yes, so green!
This is so cool! And amazingly economical! I love olive too – such a great, earthy hue.
Skirt turned out super. It very cute and fits nice :O)… Love you made this from recylced items.
Nice job, Carolyn!
wow!! such a great refashion Carolyn!!!!
Beautiful. I love recycled fashion. Also, I'm going to have to look up that hemming with a bias strip technique because it would help a lot of my garments.
I love up cycling and didn't realize it was called that until I started reading blogs. I thought it was just where everyone got their fabric. You do this So SO well! Love how the pockets came out on the front.
So impressed!! I love the utility look and that it's upcycled. It reminds me of Isabel Marant's stuff, of which I'm a huge fan. Do you have any tips for organizing/storing scrap fabrics? I really do like having them on hand but sometimes I feel scattered just looking at them in their bin!
Your creativity amazes me! I have this pattern but have yet to make it, I'm thinking that I should and soon. I too find it difficult to get rid of fabric scraps but I tend to lean toward prints and I don't like to have multiple garments in the same print. I will have to start using my scraps for lining pockets and bags and for facings…. Great skirt!
I can't belive it !! You réally do this skirt with this fabrics scraps !!! Nice job !
Your scrapsewing is impressive! Another gorgeous make, upcycling project!
You make amazing garments with your scrap bag very impressive, I just freeze! Sienna you are gorgeous!
another great scrap make! i too hang on to those pieces just large enough to maybe be useable. my problem is i have no organization system, so i can't find what i need when i need it. one of these days i need to fix that!
Amazing skirt!!! I had to go back to see what you were wearing with it…hadn't noticed your shirt because I was too busy trying to figure out how you could possibly make that skirt out of old cords and fabric scraps when it looks like it was made by a famous designer. The shirt is perfect with that skirt and no one would ever know that you made them both. And Sienna made me laugh!!!
Thanks for your constructive comments to fix my dd's dress. Great idea and very thrifty reuse of garments.
Fabulous skirt! My upcycling will never reach the heights of yours, but I love to try now and then. You are my hero.
Oh, you know, these are my favourite of your outfits, the things you make from 'nothing'. There isn't anything else so satisfying to my mind to find the value in what other people would carelessly discard. And I so understand you love of colour! I'm currently about 90% done extracting bits of fabric from a PILE of decorator fabric samples. Sadly it's almost all polyester and the stuff that is silk has obvious print on it and some of it is completely hideous…but the colours! I've had fabric fever for weeks now and I'm just getting to the point where I'm sick of it all (but not before I pulled out the colourways that make my heart sing!
I love these kinds of designs, such innovation. I like to resuse old stuff too, I am nearly through a little girls school gingham dress at the moment but I reckon there are still a few more patch pockets in it yet!! Jo x
Wow, that is seriously super cool!
Carolyn, you have been seriously upstaged in the last photo – such a gorgeous face. Extra Big Pats…
Now, about your skirt – this is really lovely- a great rustic feel about it, lovely as a casual. Lines are great, and the use of the different pieces really works nicely.
You seem to have a nack for making something out if nothing. A very clever use if scraps!