BLOUSE | Nostalgia

I sometimes can't help feeling a hint of emotional attachment when I upcycle clothes - especially if they used to belong to a loved one...When my nan passed away last spring I've inherited half her wardrobe.  Since then I've been thinking of ideas to give her clothes a second life and keep her memory close to me.   When I was in desperate need for a blouse in preparation for my latest summer holiday I had an idea:

I chose my nan's soft mint pastel granny top, the kind that come in never-creasing polyester with quite horrid iron-on plastic jewel designs (sorry:).  I picked it because I loved its level of colour for the summer & the fact that it was quite shapeless as I wanted the blouse to be a little oversized/ square around the shoulders.

I planned on taking mostly plain bottoms on my trip so I decided to add a little print interest to the blouse by replacing the centre panel with a gorgeous patterned strip of silk which came from fabric off cuts.  Here's how to:

one mark CF & central panel on front, width to be ca. 10 cm minus 1cm seam allowance either side
two unpick neckline of marked area, cut away central panel along line marked by inside pin
three measure length needed for contrast panel, add hem allowance, pin hem contrast panel
four pin & sew contrast centre panel to body
five close neck line
six shorten sleeves or tuck shoulders if needed

UPCYCLED DENIM

When The Upcycling Fashion Store put on an #InsideOut Photo Shoot for Fashion Revolution Germany last month I took the opportunity to upcycle an old pair of jeans and a leopard print cardi for ROHstoff.

Although the actual Fashion Revolution Day (24/04) just passed I believe the campaigns central question 'WHO MADE YOUR CLOTHES?' is valid all year round! Especially if you're upcycling your own unwanted or damaged textiles/ clothes to contribute to a more conscious way of consuming fashion! So here you go, have a look at the tutorial and get inventive! This also works really well if you want to repair any jeans with holes around the knee area, especially if you have little monsters like I do who just love sliding on their knees!

SKIM YOUR TEXTILE BIN

Search your cupboards for some old pair(s) of jeans and any other top with sleeves that you want to mix with your jeans!  I chose my fav pair of skinny jeans which had a hole and an old cardigan I once bought in a second hand shop but hardly ever wore.

STEP BY STEP

You will also need scissors, thread, pins and a sewing machine

Check here for the step by step tutorial.

COLLAR NECKLACE TUTORIAL

© Tassie Rowbotham

© Tassie Rowbotham

© Tassie Rowbotham

Here it comes - the collar necklace!  One of my all time fav accessories to lift any outfit.  Not that we haven't seen one before but now you can make your own!

All you need are some old fabric scraps from your textile recycling box and a nice fastening.
Love it - make it - wear it!

I was wearing mine at the premiere screening of post human wardrobe's fashion short film they've produced in collaboration with David Skynner .  The label is one to watch and created by the extremely talented Nim Gadhia.

SKIM YOUR TEXTILE BIN

The material I chose is a piece of my beloved nan's duvet covers,

dig through your no longer used textiles and I'm sure you'll find something very special you can use!

STEP BY STEP

To design your own custom made shirt collar pattern including collar stand follow the instructions of the amazing Emily Tao.

Check here for the step by step tutorial.

Et voila!  For my creation I sewed two vertical buttonholes in equal distance from collar stand edge and used one of my husbands bobbely cuff links as a fastening (he doesn't know yet!) I threaded a vintage chain necklace through the top of the cuff link to make for a great accessory - yeyh!

GORGEOUS!!! What is your little girl's most wanted must-have accessory for the season - the peter pan collar necklace of course!  You can make her one all by yourself and doing something for the environment at the same time by recycling some old tshirts and granny's hankies! No boogers please!!! X

SKIM YOUR TEXTILE BIN

Choose a patterned hankie for the top collar - my favourites are paisleys!

Pick an old Tshirt for under collar piece (or vice versa) - my preference is grey marl -always looks cool on little girls

STEP BY STEP

Check here for pattern & step by step tutorial

Check out the reversible denim collar necklace tutorial as well!!!

REVERSIBLE DENIM COLLAR NECKLACE TUTORIAL

Gorgeous collar necklaces never go out of season - recycle some old pair of jeans and an old pillow case, preferably with some embroidery to make this reversible collar necklace for your little fashionista.

SKIM YOUR TEXTILE BIN

I chose a not so old pillow case, unfortunately it ripped so I could no longer use it. It has some lovely tone in tone embroidery in places so that is a nice feature for the colllar.

For the other side I used dark denim from a pre-worn pair of jeans

STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL

Check here for pattern & step by step tutorial