My answer to Spring/Summer 2011 - Cheap Ways To Update That Wardrobe

Spring/Summer 2011 - Cheap Ways To Update That Wardrobe from PrelovedReloved, One girl’s challenge to wear only second-hand for a whole year!

Some good ideas here, and apparently for a good cause.

Since my budget for new clothes has been really tight lately, I've made it a habit to "shop in my closet" before running out to the department store. For example,

Consider re-purposing some long pants/trousers into shorts and capris, rather than putting them away for the summer. It's quite easy to simply cut and hem to a shorter length. I do this with my yoga pants all the time because they fade and wear out eventually anyway, and I have to replace them. Might as well get multiple seasons out of them.

How to hem pants, from About.com.

A bit more challenging to do, but also worth it - turn some of those old jeans into skirts:


How to turn old jeans into a skirt, from Threadbanger.

Turn almost anything into a skirt - a simple a-line skirt is one of the quickest and easiest sewing projects you can do. Consider using any light, drapey fabric - an old sheet or pillow case, and experiment with all manner of embellishment techniques - tie-dying, batik, block printing, fabric painting, embroidery, applique, &etc.

Sew What! Skirts: 16 Simple Styles You Can Make with Fabulous Fabrics [Spiral-bound] on Amazon.com

How-to Make a Tee Skirt, Threadbanger [Video]



5-Minute Skirt [pattern] on AngryChicken.



Off-The-Shelf Fabric Painting: 30 Simple Recipes for Gourmet Results [Paperback] on Amazon.com

Create Your Own Hand-Printed Cloth: Stamp, Screen & Stencil with Everyday Objects [Paperback] on Amazon.com

Victorian/SteamPunk Space Marine

What I've been working on lately...

I made the corset out of digital urban camo fabric (to match the USMSC uniform) for MegaCon last year, but didn't have anything else to wear with it, so...

I decided to experiment with the Truly Victorian patterns (that I purchased from ReconstructingHistory.com). This petticoat/underskirt is based on the 1878 "Natural Form" pattern.

The long, draped overskirt here is also based on the Truly Victorian 1878 pattern, with some modifications. I trussed up the back from the inside in a different way, but still appropriate for the period. There is no bustle pad (hence, "Natural Form").

A blouse, bag, and hat are also in the works.

Speaking of bags...

...these look interesting. Bags made out of natural cork, which is a sustainable resource, and they look and feel like soft leather. From Corx.

Original post found on this blog - http://girlfromnorthcountry.com/2011/02/corx/

Pink Camo Cell Phone Pouch

You remember that camo bag that I made out of an old pair of BDUs? Well that was actually the second one that I made, for fall. The first one I made was actually this pink camo bag that I carried around all summer. I loved that pair of pants, but they didn't fit anymore so...anyhow, there was only a tiny bit of scrap left, plus the zipper, and I decided to turn it into a cellphone pouch, big enough to hold the massive EVO.

Upcycling BDUs

This is the story of a very sad pair of pants that no one loved anymore. The pants sat in a pile with other unwanted clothing for a very long time, wishing that it could become useful again, until one day...

I cut the pants apart into useful pieces...

...and sewed them back together. Clever huh? Actually I can't take all the credit. I used a pattern specifically designed for this purpose: Simplicity 2597 Accessories, Bags Go Green Collection

DarkThreads Designs: USN Camo Kilt

Finished. This is what some call an "American"-style kilt, because it's not made of Tartan, but rather of a more utilitarian fabric, in this case USN digital camo twill. It features two attached, hanging cargo pockets, extra-wide belt loops, and a d-ring key keeper. The pleats are sewn in, so it's wash and wear. I'm happy with how it turned out. I just hope it fits the client.

My wishlist

I must say I really like the Reconstructing History pattern line. So far I've gotten a lot of use out of the ones I have. I think they are particularly good if you are going for historical accuracy and authenticity. As soon as I saw these, I thought "must have":