The recycled item
This week I started on my recyling project. Do you remember the nasty, long, beggar-woman skirt?
Hours later…..I tell you, those Indian textile workers sure know how to over-engineer a garment. This tiered skirt had five sections and an encased, elasticated waist band, tight gathering stitches, seams, plus overlocking, lining, elastic, satin ribbon hangers and yards and yards of thread. I tried every way of unpicking it, including tearing and cutting, but as the strips were so narrow I wanted to preserve as much of the cloth as possible. I did create a few rips as the fabric itself is quite fine – I think a cotton lawn.
Neatly ironed and tidied up, it appears to be a pitifully small haul. But I got intimate with the bird which is rather lovely, isn’t it? I like the colourway and quality of the cloth. I need enough for one sleeveless blouse. Shall I join the fabric and then cut it as a piece, or should I try to work more the sensitively with the pieces (which are very long, but not very deep)? If there is not enough fabric for the top should I add some white lawn or try to print something to go with it? Having spoken to Morley college about their advanced Pattern Cutting classes I have concluded they are too advanced for me, and I shall go back to the Mary Ward Centre textile printing class.
Also this week my new pin board arrived, which should give me somewhere to hang my rulers and other sewing equipment. Nick has ordered some extra strong Velcro to attach it to the wall.
And finally I said goodbye this weekend to my friend Galina who is returning to Latvia on Wednesday. It has been so nice to have a real life sewing friend, and I will miss her very much.
BeaJay
Interested to see what you make of it. You could always add some white like you said or maybe match the blue or red. Will be a great project.
annieloveslinen
Rather than much fabric there is try a more analytical approach, is it a design you would want to wear a lot of? It seems to me that you lean toward linear fabric designs rather than curves.
This would make a nice contrast inside a collar or placket, and be soft against the skin, or perhaps a solid top with a contrast pussy bow, (beware of the bank teller look though), or you could join it and make bias binding. You could make a deep contrast hem band with it.
Love decisions like this and look forward to seeing how you use it.
Stephanie
Annie always has great ideas. I don’t wear busy patterns much either, but I do have a weakness for birds and have a soft cotton lawn blouse with birds on it in my wardrobe! I even have a vintage DVF dress in black and white that I bought specifically for the bird pattern. I love your printing and risk-taking so I would be interested to see what you would make with a mixture of fabrics (no pressure though!). Also, I can definitely visualize Annie’s idea of using the fabric for binding or a contrast hem on something.
So sorry that you are losing Galina’s presence. I don’t know her in person, obviously, but I have enjoyed the lively and intelligent exchanges I have had with her on the Internet and wish she were around the corner from me. I wish her (and family) the best for the move.
Maria
Good luck. The bird certainly is interesting. Look forward to seeing the end result.
ejvc
This is the kind of pattern I would wear all the time, but I agree it is more on the romantic side than I typically see you wearing – to me you are a modernist classics sort of person (apologies if I’ve misread you). Tou could pipe your top in a dark brown. Or – once I fell in love with a denim jacket lined in a liberty lawn. could you use it as a lining for a more classic jacket? Or – how about using it as a contrast, for example HotPatterns has something called a “blouse back” tee – perhaps with a solid front – I certainly think the back of that tee could be pieced to good effect.
fabrickated
Thanks alot for the helpful suggestions Annie, Stephanie and Elizabeth. I agree that this fabric isn’t really “me” (I don’t like very girly stuff or a romantic look) but I was keen to get a bit of pattern into the SWAP and in the end I sewed into one piece and cut out a sleeveless top.
I actually like all the ideas proposed – especially the denim jacket or shirt with a bit of internal contrast. Using patterned fabric for piping (never piped) or bias binding (not done much of that either). I will bear these thoughts in mind for another day. I really appreciate that you have all taken the time to work out what will suit me, and give such sweet advice. I am really very grateful.