I've been making quite a few items of casual clothing recently, (some more successful than others, but all enjoyable to do), so just thought I'd share a few favourites...
Armed with a strange, midi-length baggy T-shirt dress that I clearly never had a hope of pulling off, some scraps of floral fabric and some hopeful sunny weather, I transformed said T-shirt dress into this little springtime top. After chopping off the sleeves and bottom part of the dress, I used the removed sleeves as a pattern for making some new ones out of my floral fabric. After taking in the side seams a little and attaching the sleeves, I cut some of the excess bottom part of the dress into long strips, that I then hemmed, gathered up and re-attached for a frilly waist.
This next one is a little out-there... after a creative vision in bed one night, I subsequently invented what I like to call this little 'yeti-chic' number... I drafted the pattern myself using my body measurements, an old raglan-sleeved top as a guide, and what can only be described as a 'common sense with a dollop of luck' attitude, ending up with this fake fur and sweatshirt fabric creation! Fake fur arms may not be to everyone's taste, but I inexplicably just love it and it is very cosy indeed...
I had under a metre of this gorgeous tartan fabric hanging about in my fabric box, and was at a loss as to what wearable item I could make from so relatively little fabric. I came across a cropped Tshirt pattern on etsy, that you could download and print at home, and was pleased to discover it was small enough to work with the tartan. I edited the pattern slightly, making neckline and armhole facings for a sleeveless top rather than puffed sleeves, and also added some shoulder darts to the back for a better fit. The top has a side zip closure, and I am particularly proud of getting the striped tartan pattern nicely centred and balanced through the garment.
This top was made using a vintage pattern from 1962 that I bought on ebay. I loved working with the vintage pattern, and dutifully hand-finished all the hems and inner facings in order to follow the instructions to the letter. The fit is a very authentic 1960's shift style and I like to think it has something Audrey Hepburn-esque about it, whilst the leather collar (made from car upholstery fabric I again managed to blag on ebay) and an exposed metal zip on the back gives the garment a modern twist. The cotton-polyester blend I used is a little heavy, however, and I'd love to make the same garment in a floaty summery fabric for a totally different look.
So there we have it, a few recent favourites. As ever, I find I'm learning more and more the more I experiment, making the most of every fabric scrap I have.
