Free Pattern Review: The Port Elizabeth Top

The Port Elizabeth Top is a cute boxy cap sleeved summer top available as a free pattern download on BurdaStyle.  It is certainly more work to find the free patterns on the BurdaStyle site these days, so it helps to either know the name of the project you are looking for and search it, or have the direct url of that project.  This link will take you to the page for downloading this pattern if you are interested.  The top was drafted by Sarah Magill, a UK designer who sells more of her designs on Etsy, and has an interesting blog, Goldfinch and Eagle.  Here is the line drawing of the top:

A nice thing about this top is that it is so simple and versatile you can do virtually anything with it in terms of personalization and variation.  I know!  You're sold already, right?

The first step, of course, is to download, print out and put together your pattern.  This can be daunting if you have not put together pdf patterns before, but this would be a great pattern to start with, as it lines up easily.  With this, or any other pdf pattern, it is crucial to line up the pattern lines very carefully when you are taping your pattern together.  Small errors at this phase can affect the whole outcome of the garment.

Once you have your pattern taped together, cut it as you would any other pattern.  The directions included with this pattern are succinct and complete.  The printout says "very basic, because it's free!"  I chose to make several variations, or upgrades to the pattern to suit my needs and purposes.

First, I drafted neck facings to finish the neckline instead of using the recommended bias tape finish. I did use self bias to finish the armholes.

 I have boatloads of trims I've acquired at yard and estate sales over the years and this lace just seemed perfect to accent this fabric, so instead of joining the front seam as instructed, I added lace.

And, my last variation was to add a faced hem, instead of a turned one.  I wanted a little extra weight at the hemline.

And there you have it!  The Port Elizabeth Top, free on BurdaStyle!

Do you have favorite free sewing patterns you've used?  I'm planning to do several more reviews of free patterns.  Especially if you're sewing to be frugal, free patterns can be a terrific headstart!

Franken-Tunic, Part II

When last we met, the tunic was looking pretty much just like what it is: two men's shirts sewn together.  So I decided to alter the sleeves and the neckline.

I added some pretty button covers, but you could just as easily change the buttons altogether.

Then I added a beaded applique medallion I had in my stores.

Here's the full effect:

It could have been altered or cropped more to be more fitted for those with that hourglass figure. Personally, I'm kinda shaped like a box, so I opted to leave that part alone.  I plan to wear it with jeans!

Thanks for coming by to see the end result.  Let me know what you think, and what you might have done differently!

5 Ways to Divest Yourself of Unwanted Clothing Without Using a Landfill

So, if you read our last installment, now you've identified a pile of things you no longer need, wear or want. Congratulations!  Luckily we're ready with a great list of ways to get those unwanted garments out of your house without visiting a landfill.

1.  Host a clothing swap for your friends.  This is a fun way to gather the gang for coffee, cocktails or wine without selling anything (you can probably list all the at-home party sales companies popular in your area), yet everyone still gets some benefit.  Everyone gets to pass along some unwanted items and potentially get something new to take home without spending a dime!  If you want you can even have a themed party: business casual, weekends, travel, or accessories could all be the central theme.  A really thoughtful hostess will arrange for those unwanted items to disappear after the party so no one has to schlep home their undesirables.

2.  Resell. OK, this one will probably take some effort on your part, but you may reap back a small reward for having invested the time.  Of course, usually only the cream of your cast-offs will sell, so hand select items to try this with.  Resale options include consignment (check local shops, their rules, and choose a dealer you can work with), garage/yard sales (where you are likely to recoup only pennies on the dollar), and online sales.  The options for online resale are growing daily, but the granddaddy is probably eBay.  If selling online, be sure to describe your items honestly and fully.  Sometimes even slightly damaged goods may sell if you are meticulous in your description.

3.  Donate.  This option is rife with ethical considerations.  The charity you donate to, is of course, your choice.  Some things to consider might be what works are supported with the funds raised, how much of each donation goes to support these charitable works, and what is done with any "non-salable" goods.  For instance, some groups sell clothing not perceived to be salable in the US to foreign second hand goods markets, others sell them to be made into rags for cleaning, or to be made into fiberfill for soft-goods. Don't forget that you are generally entitles to a tax deduction equal to the resale value of the items donated.  Check with your tax professional for details.

4.  Give away.  Not quite the same as either donating, or swapping, where chances are, you are getting something in return (a tax deduction or another item of clothing), giving your clothing away entails exactly that - giving.  Think hand-me-downs for grown ups.  If you are tired of a perfectly serviceable sweater or coat, perhaps another family member could get some use out of it.  At the office where I work people often bring in items they no longer want and leave them in the break room.  If nobody takes them in a week or so they are donated to the charity next door.  You can also use your local Freecycle online group to give items away for free.

5.  Restyle or re-use.  Well, the last stop on our list does not exactly remove the item from your home.  However, restyling two or more old garments into one new, upcycled one is all the rage!  Think how crafty you'll feel as you make something new and chic out of something that just hung in your closet unloved and unworn!  Or, if you are really never going to wear it again, make it into something completely different - a rug, a potholder, a fort for little ones - the possibilities are endless!  And, if you really can't think of anything, you probably need some cleaning rags, too.

Isn't That Pinteresting? - 6

My pin this week is central to the very theme if this blog!  It leads to a wonderful post by Sarah at The Fuzzy Square, where the author condenses a ton of great ideas for recycling and upcycling clothing onto one easy and inspirational page.

As you know, I do not like to see clothing and textiles go into land fills.  I much prefer that they be donated to others, or, if you're of a creative bent, upcycled into another garment.  I have (literally, I think) a ton of clothing I need to get serious about refurbishing.  If I run out of ideas, this pin will jump start my creative engines, and I hope it inspires yours as well!  What are your favorite upcycle ideas?

Making Over Victoria: Laundry Rules

 One of the more minor decorating projects around the new home has been completing our laundry room. This is also temporary home to my sewing area – in the spring we hope to begin renovations to our 140 year old basement to put in a finished room down there which is planned to be my new sewing room.  The planned room will be large enough to accommodate an actual cutting table, as well as multiple sewing machines and ample fabric stash storage!

I believe this pretty much un-insulated laundry area was once an upper-level back porch, with its five bright windows, and near access to the back stairs.  I’m not sure when it was converted to a laundry, but that was the purpose the previous owners assigned to the room as well.  I think the it is coming out pretty cute, so I’d like to share a few pictures from the room… while not haute couture, I am sewing the curtains for this room, using one of the latest Pinterest trends, burlap and lace.  These are the completed valences.  The burlap was purchased from www.burlapfabric.com, and the lace was a yard sale find.  I scored a whole spool of it for pennies.  As you can see, there’s plenty left to complete the curtains, and then some.

This legless dresser was left behind by the previous owners of the home.  It makes a great place to store sewing supplies, and an equally nice window seat.  I’m planning on covering a cushion to make it even cozier.

While I lack a “before” picture, the walls in this room were formerly stark white. We definitely wanted to jazz things up a little, and we wanted to pay homage to the Victorian era without sacrificing modern convenience.  Corrugated galvanized steel roofing is the paneling we chose for the walls, with a periwinkle blue upper wall.  We first saw this used as a wall treatment in a regional fish fry restaurant. Galvanized buckets are used as light shades, and antique washboards, wringers, and clothes drying racks help to tie the theme together. 

We chose to stack our front loading washer and dryer because this saves floor space, and allows free access to the attic via the pulldown ladder in the ceiling of the laundry.  Please feel free to comment and let me know what you think about this room renovation.

Thanks for stopping by!

Bits and Pieces

I'm so happy, I actually won another giveaway!  I got a super package in the mail yesterday from Molly over at Molly Sews.  There are four patterns in the package.

These are going to be fun to play with. As I mentioned yesterday, I'm cleaning my sewing room.  While in that process I unpacked a bag of things I acquired at a yard sale about a week ago, and a lot of it is perfect for these patterns.  Some of this stuff is OLD, as evidenced by the bag some of it was packed in.

Do any of you remember Zayre's?  Wow!  Blast from the past.  I was very excited about my haul from this yard sale.  I got everything in the following pictures, AND MORE for only $6.50!  Gotta love the yard sale!

I'm seeing some very 60s-70s sewing ahead.  Also, the homeowner was clearly into lace.  This is a wonderful thing because I have several projects on the horizon for lace, including my wedding dress. I also want to do another Lady Mary Armistice Blouse, this time in cream and laces. 

I also snagged some cream satin ribbon,

and some pink satin that might make a cute flower girl dress.

Well, back to work I suppose!  Gotta get things prepped for my next few projects!  While cleaning, I'm also pre-washing that lavender linen for my sixties suit dress re-do.  What's on your slate this week?

Lesson From the Past:3 - Collar Craze

I went to college in the beautiful and historic city of Troy, NY.  Troy has many an historical claim to fame.  It was the home of Uncle Sam, the place of the first publication of A Visit From St. Nicholas ('Twas the Night Before Christmas) and it was the birthplace of the detachable collar.

The detachable collar was first invented in 1827 at #139 3rd Street, Troy, NY, by Mrs. Hannah Lord Montague (1794-1878).  Mrs. Montague was tired of scrubbing her husband's collars.  The inside of the shirt collar seemed to magnetize sweat and dirt, while the body of the shirt remained quite clean.  In answer, Mrs. Montage fashioned a detachable collar so that the shirt could continue to be worn while the collar was removed, and replaced with another, while laundering. Her husband, Orlando Montague, proudly showed-off his wife's invention and soon several commercial concerns embraced the idea, including the Cluett-Peabody Company, makers of the Arrow shirt.  Troy became a major producer of shirt collars for the entire country and earned its moniker as the "Collar City".

Women also embraced this new fashion creation.  Especially in the lean nineteen thirties and forties, detachable collars and faux blouse fronts, called dickies, were used to extend the wardrobe by making it seem as though one owned multiple different blouses.  One could wear one well made dress or suit and change out the collars or dickies for different looks.  Make and Mend for Victory includes several ideas for making these incredible wardrobe stretchers!

Refashioned Top: Frankenstyle

I was reading a thread on A Fashionable Stitch about refashioning.  Sunni was asking her readers' opinion about refashioning.  One commenter described the results as generally looking like a girl scout project gone horribly wrong.  I agree that sometimes it does seem that way.  I've seen many an item in Altered Couture, for example, that I would not be caught dead in.  However, that being said, I really enjoy refashioning, and I try to keep my stuff wearable by the average Josephine.  Here's my latest.  You be the judge, please.

I had a leftover Mom Jumper top portion.  You may recall that I made a sixties top wearable muslin from the fabric I harvested from the skirt of the jumper.

I ripped off the remnants of the skirt that were still attached.

I also had an old T.  Love the color (brings out my red hair), but it shrunk in the wash and was too short.  I don't like to be suddenly showing my tummy when I'm loading groceries into the car.

So I married the two together to make a new Frankentop.  The top now hits at my hips, so there's no danger of scaring small children and animals with a view of my tum.

Now, this is nicer looking than my usual hockey tournament T shirts for everyday wear.  Once it warms up I could wear this out and about.  I can even put a sweater over it.

Economically it works out well, too.  The jumper was $9.99, but I used most of it for the other top...I'd say $3.00 toward this top.  The other T was free, as I already had it and had stopped wearing it due to the shrinkage.  Thread, negligible... so, new Frankentop for about $3.00 plus labor!

Thoughts?  Girl Scout project gone horribly wrong, or CPR for unwanted clothing?  Let me know what you think (and I promise not to be sensitive!)!