Tutorial: Full Length Skirt to Shirt in 4 STEPS! Guest Poster

Guest Poster: Tutorial

Full Length Skirt to Top in 4 Steps

Let’s talk refashioning! Sometimes called UPCYCLING of clothing – this is one of my favorite things to read about on other people’s blogs. It seems so practical, so environmentally friendly and looks SUPER EASY!

Erica Louise of http://www.recycled-fashion.com/ is going to show us how to take a thrifted full-length skirt and turn it into a top in 4 steps. That’s right! 4 steps! That’s because the construction of the skirt and seams are already taken care of and sewn professionally.

Erica Louise focuses on zero-waste – using every bit of fabric and scraps from her projects and turning garments into repurposed, purposeful items to add to her wardrobe.

She has banned herself from clothes shopping!

Before you GASP just check out all the amazing pieces she has made for herself and be inspired!

Oh, what I’d give to walk in her closet and dress myself for a day!

You can find her blog here - Recycled Fashions by Erica Louise

Take it away, Erica!

A simple refashion, from a full length skirt, to v neck top, in 4 easy steps.

A leafy print skirt, purchased for $1 in an op shop last year, has remained in my wardrobe unworn. Its length is not my style. The skirt's side split gave me an idea to transform it into a neckline, so here is, a simple refashion, which could be done without a sewing machine, and requires no cutting and therefore zero waste material.

Step 1:
Put skirt on (if in public, do so over the top of trousers, you'll see why!) and twist around to have the side splits at front and back


Step 2:
Lift entire skirt up, inside out, to your shoulders, and using a safety pin, pin to the point you would like your neckline opening to stop - leaving enough room to get over your head. I used a mirror for this part.

*Black cat optional!*

Step 3:
Take off, over your head; you can undo the waist zip (which will be at your side) if you need. Then pin from the end of the each 'arm' to your safety pin marker, and sew a straight line.


Step 4:
Put back on over head, tuck the waistline underneath a little, and you have yourself a brand new top.

*Click on image for clearer picture*

Not cutting the original garment means if you ever decided you wanted to wear this top as a skirt again, you'll simply unpick where you've sewn across each shoulder. Easy peasy.

Cheers,


Erica

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Can't wait to see your creations!

Jenny

My sweet ladycakes inspires me! (above)

I love when women sew up their own fashions!

Baby clothes...need I say more?

Little boys need their mama-made things, too! :)

New Release! Women's Tunic PDF Sewing Pattern

I'm thrilled to announce the release of my first sewing pattern for women!

The Laurie Claire Tunic

Beginner Sewing Pattern and Tutorial

Women's Sizes 0-18 (XS-XL)

Now available through my etsy shop. Seamingly Smitten Etsy Shop - Click Here.,

Pattern testers raved over how trendy, comfortable and stylish this tunic was

and how quick it was to whip up. On average it took under one hour

(Or if you think in terms of naps, that's only 1 naptime!)

Try it out today!

Happy Sewing!

HELP...Advice Needed...Shirt Making in Progress

The neckline is where I'm stuck...keep reading if you have some advice for me.

Any help would be awesome and appreciated!

Anthropologie Please Inspire Me (as usual)

Do you ever browse at all the eye candy at Anthropologie and become inspired? Today was one of those days. The above three are some shirts that I came across and found they have some things in common....two have cinched waists (I need that since I am petite and would love more curves), the v-neck or cowl neck (I think they're more interesting and flattering than a scoop neck) and the winged/bat sleeves. I like how the contrast of the fluttery sleeves and the cinched waist give the shirts movement but some nice fit and structure.

I'm a huge fan of print fabric. Where can I find fabric like these Anthropologie shirts pictured above?

Is there some amazing online fabric store that would simply wow me in apparel fabric?

The store in my hometown doesn't have this type of quality. But what I managed to find was a large flowery print in a stretchy material and it sat around in my fabric pile for a while until I saw these pictures today. Then it came to me....a v-neck, fluttery sleeve, cinched waist shirt :) OBVIOUSLY :)

(The top two pictures are of the shirt I'm making...black and white flowery print....)

But I'm Stuck! The fabric is very stretchy so I'm using a stretch stitch. However, should I make an interfacing/some type of lining near the neckline in the front? I don't know how to make the V neck a V neck by simply ironing and pinning.

Any hints??