Project Alteration; playsuit
2025-May-29, Thursday 02:00 pmOne day, some time ago, I found myself in London, on a rather hot day, failing to find the shop I was looking for. I popped into a second-hand shop, for a little respite. And stumbled upon this unusual item that seemed like a cross between a playsuit and a jumpsuit. An item I would not normally wear. But the print of the fabric called to me. And the prospect of expanding my warm weather wardrobe seemed like a rather urgent one. I tried to try it on, but failed. The waistband, that looks like it's shirred, is actually not stretchy at all. The width of the item seemed to fit me, but I couldn't get into it to check. I figured I just needed to put in a zip, and bought it.
( Details )
( Details )
Finished, front
Photo by ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chebe
Project Alteration; dungarees
2025-May-08, Thursday 02:00 pmThe problem with focussing on repairs and alterations is that there is rarely anything significant enough to blog about. But I'll try and highlight the pieces that involve a bit more work as they happen.
Like these dungarees shorts. ( Details )
Like these dungarees shorts. ( Details )
Altered dungarees with additional side seam width
Photo by chebe
Studding clothes
2021-May-12, Wednesday 06:05 pmI got a taste for customising clothes and wanted more. The internet told me Studs and Spikes had what I needed. So I ordered a beginner studding kit, and a bracelet kit to get started.
The beginner kit comes with a load of round cone and pyramid cone studs, a tool that is like a bent flat-head screwdriver, an awl (that you only need for thick fabrics like leather), and instructions.
( Stud all the things )
The beginner kit comes with a load of round cone and pyramid cone studs, a tool that is like a bent flat-head screwdriver, an awl (that you only need for thick fabrics like leather), and instructions.
( Stud all the things )
Customised hoodie, showing studs along edge of hood
Photo by chebe
Rescue a hoodie from its branding
2021-Mar-24, Wednesday 06:35 pmSo you have this hoodie. It's very comfortable, and has a lot of life left in it. But you find out the name/branding on it belongs to an abuser. It's time to deface it.
( Process and photos )
( Process and photos )
Back of hoodie with patch sewn over fabric paint coverup
Photo by chebe
Turn a hoodie into a zippie
2018-Feb-15, Thursday 05:02 pmHoodies. Ubiquitous. Incredibly awkward and uncomfortable to wear for so many of us. Solution? Add zips!
Step One; Take a hoodie. Be warned, this process will result in a loss of fabric in the centre of any front graphic.
( Details )
Step Six; Wear in comfort. (I used fabric paint to tone down the chest print.)
Step One; Take a hoodie. Be warned, this process will result in a loss of fabric in the centre of any front graphic.
Band Hoodie
Photo by chebe
( Details )
Step Six; Wear in comfort. (I used fabric paint to tone down the chest print.)
Zippie, modelled
Photo by chebe
One dress becomes two garments; skirt with added yoke
2011-Jul-21, Thursday 07:12 pmSee, I bought this dress several months ago, €10 on sale, and figured I might wear it for New Years or something. But I didn't. Eventually I decided that it was simply too lacey, and too short for me to really feel comfortable in it. So I did what any sewist would do; I fixed it.
Firstly I found a point where I'd be happy having the dress end, if it were a top; just a bit below the centre-back zip. I pinned the outer lace to the lining, and just cut across. And left the pieces (carefully) to one side.
Next, made a yoke. I have mentioned before about a straight skirt block tutorial from House of Marmalade that I'd followed. I was pleased with the result and used the top part of this block to make a yoke.
I picked a point low on my hips where I wanted the yoke to end, and marked that as the bottom. I followed the skirt block for a bit, until I felt it had narrowed sufficiently. Then I continued the line straight up from there to the waist (instead of curving in to my waist measurement). Also, because the block tutorial was for a high-waisted skirt, I stopped a fair bit down where I would prefer the top of my skirt to sit.
Then I added seam allowances, and allowance for an elasticated waistband (roughly width of elastic multiplied by two, plus seam allowance).
( End result )
Copied it out onto some fabric I had simply laying around, which happened to be purple interlock/knit, placing the degree-of-greatest-stretch around the body/hips. Only two pieces; front and back. Sewed them together, then added the elasticated waistband.
Took this yoke, and the band of purple lace-with-lining I'd cut off the dress earlier, and with right sides together I matched up the side-seams, and sewed it all together. (Seams were finished on my overlocker/serger.) The lace/lining was already hemmed, so I was done! One quirky, casual/dressy skirt made-to-measure.
( Pictures! )
What about the top? Well, that's another story.
Firstly I found a point where I'd be happy having the dress end, if it were a top; just a bit below the centre-back zip. I pinned the outer lace to the lining, and just cut across. And left the pieces (carefully) to one side.
Next, made a yoke. I have mentioned before about a straight skirt block tutorial from House of Marmalade that I'd followed. I was pleased with the result and used the top part of this block to make a yoke.
I picked a point low on my hips where I wanted the yoke to end, and marked that as the bottom. I followed the skirt block for a bit, until I felt it had narrowed sufficiently. Then I continued the line straight up from there to the waist (instead of curving in to my waist measurement). Also, because the block tutorial was for a high-waisted skirt, I stopped a fair bit down where I would prefer the top of my skirt to sit.
Then I added seam allowances, and allowance for an elasticated waistband (roughly width of elastic multiplied by two, plus seam allowance).
( End result )
Copied it out onto some fabric I had simply laying around, which happened to be purple interlock/knit, placing the degree-of-greatest-stretch around the body/hips. Only two pieces; front and back. Sewed them together, then added the elasticated waistband.
Took this yoke, and the band of purple lace-with-lining I'd cut off the dress earlier, and with right sides together I matched up the side-seams, and sewed it all together. (Seams were finished on my overlocker/serger.) The lace/lining was already hemmed, so I was done! One quirky, casual/dressy skirt made-to-measure.
( Pictures! )
What about the top? Well, that's another story.
