Alterations

One reason that I love sewing is because it allows you to take something from your wardrobe that no longer fits and to MAKE IT FIT. Let's take this dress as an example.


The dress in question



I bought this two or so years ago from Peacocks. Not what I'd usually buy, but  for some reason the bright green really appealed to me. The dress was also very comfortable in the hot sun, and easy to get on and off, since the back was shirred. Unfortunatley, the shirring was also the dress's downfall. Eventually, probably due to a few too many trips through the washing machine, the elastic thread stretched, making the dress impractical to wear, even with the thin removable straps that came with the dress. So the dress sat in my wardrobe for a while.


Today, I felt like fixing it. So I did. I had a pattern traced for another dress, so I decided to use that-I probably could hav e pinched and pinned the dress into shape, but I was worried that, without a properly drafted back, the zip would balloon outwards, as it did for my Giselle costume. So I removed all the elastic from the back, cut out the back panel, and used that material to trace my pattern pieces on to. Once the two pieces were traced, I "overlocked" (zig zagged around hte edged-the poor tailor's alternative to an overlock machine) the edges of the pieces and sewed everything on, adding a zip that I'd cannibalised from a broken bum bag.

Note the exposed zipper: it actually looks pretty good

Voila! Fits much better, especially since i added two tiny darts in the sides, and there's no chance of it slipping down. I'm especially pleased that it turned out so well because it means that i can use this method on another dress in the same style which has the same problem.

Alterations aren't the only project I've finished. Ever since i saw threadbanger's t-skirt video I've been itching to make one. I finally broke out my t-shirt supply and made one yesterday-with a differnece.

The frayed strips were inspired by Subcunha's skirt flap destroyer. To make them I used the remains of some velour trousers and part of a t-shirt. I think the waistband was part of a strap on another t-shirt.

More Cut Out+Keep inspiration in the form of bottle cap lockets. The bat one's my favourite. I wish i knew what it came from. The other two are beer caps.