Refashion Friday Inspiration: Jersey Peter Pan Sweatshirt Remake

Today's Refashion Friday inspiration is one for the Southern Hemisphere massive as they enter Autumn/Winter. A cosy little sweatshirt remake with a cute contrast collar and matching cuffs. I started out by hacking up an unwanted mens white sweatshirt and recutting the front and back pieces to a smaller size still incorporating the bottom waist ribbing. 

Having also recut the neckline to a wider, more flattering scoop shape, I drafted a Peter Pan collar which I cut from a contrast printed jersey. Because the neckline is wide enough to get this top easily over the head without stretching it, I didn't need to use the jersey's stretchy properties on the collar so I fused interfacing onto the pieces so they'd retain a more structured shape.  

I chose to make the sleeves 3/4 length, and finished them with a cuff band made from the same contrast printed jersey. This was where the stretchy quality of the jersey was useful because the cuffs need to stretch to be a snug fit round the arms. So whether you are currently heading towards the colder part of the year, or simply fancy a new trans-season garment where-ever you live, why not hunt out an old sweatshirt in your local charity shop/thift store/op-shop (or even the closest male's wardrobe!) and get chopping and remaking?!

More Mid-Maternity Stripes!

So, if you've listened to my wee podcast that I posted the other day, you'll now that I am 20 weeks preggers now, AKA half way. I can feel the baby making it's presence felt, it's kicking A LOT now. Oh, and you might have noticed from my MMM'13 documentation pics that I'm getting BIG. My beloved Mariner T-shirt is starting to get on the tight side, and I don't think it'll be long before wearing it would be asking too much of the properties of jersey! Then what will I wear to pregnancy yoga?! Time to get stitching....

And the result was this awesome stripey number! Using up another piece of stripey jersey from my stash, I used basically the same pattern as the one I developed for the Mariner T-shirt, but increased the width around the whole torso, but particularly round the belly area. This navy and white striped jersey has so much elastane content that, combined with the added girth, I wouldn't be surprised if this top sees me through the third trimester as well. 

I cut the strip for the neck binding so I would have a solid navy part running framing the neck hole. I love this jersey and this style of top and I'm pretty sure that whatever size/shape I end up as after I have the baby, that I'll be able to rework it at the side seams so it will have a life beyond the next four and a half months. 

MMM'13: Days 11, 12, 13 & 14

More MMM'13-erie...

Day 11:

Me-mades:

Blue treggings

Stripey T-shirt

Vest (camisole/singlet)

Pants (knickers/undies)

Captain jacket (not in this pic!)

Also worn: second-hand cardi

Ah! An ace outfit. Comfy AND nautical, I was very happy in this all day. In fact, I had to self-appoint myself a uniform, this would be it!

Day 12:

Me-mades:

Blue treggings

Pussy bow blouse

Vest (camisole/singlet)

Pants (knickers/undies)

Captain jacket (not in this pic!)

Also worn: second-hand cardi

Oh no! I forgot to get a documentation photo taken before it got to dark to do so. I recreated the outfit the following day with my trusty mannequin. There's some great examples of MMM'13 documentation pics on the flickr group where the wearer is not in the photo (like this one). This will not be one of them!

Day 13:

Me-mades:

African wax fabric Washi Dress

Pants (knickers/undies)

Winter wonderland coat

Also worn: second-hand cardi

I had to really force myself to not wear my blue treggings today! They are just sooooo comfy. But I wanted to A) put a bit of variety into my month of me-mades, and B) get some use from this Washi dress before it gets even more tight around the bust area! 

Day 14:

Me-mades:

Magpie Batwing top

Blue treggings

Vest (camisole/singlet)

Pants (knickers/undies)

Captain jacket 

Also worn: second-hand cardi

Jeez, I look a hot mess in this pic! Ok, I promise the blue treggings will go in the wash now and hopefully regain their formerly-unbaggy appearance! 

My First Podcast / Audio Post!

Hi there peops! A few days ago Pat (Mr So Zo) and I recorded a little conversation which, through the application of science and magic, has be turned into a podcast! I am sharing it here as my first ever audio post. So, if you've got 10 minutes on your hands and fancy listening to me chat about Me-Made-May'13, pregnancy dressing and the like, just press play below.

Oh, and apologies for the pauses and excessive use of the word 'exciting', as you can tell this was entirely unscripted!

Mid-Maternity Black Treggings

If you've been following my MMM'13 challenge documentation at all, you've probably seen an excessive amount of these treggings already. Since completing them last week I've been wearing them more or less continually. Well, every other day at least. 

In case there's anyone who's reading this wondering what they hell 'treggings' are, let me explain. In the same way that 'jeggings' are a hybrid of leggings and jeans, 'treggings' are the spawn of leggings and trousers. I feel these are treggings as opposed to straight-up leggings because I made them using a thick double-knit fabric which I feel separates them from their jersey-based cousins, the leggings. I also think these are more flattering than leggings. And I made them so I can call them whatever I like!

(The original hand-me-down jeggings: love at first wear)

But how did they come to pass? Well, at some point last year my best mate Vic donated me a bag of clothes she no longer used and/or were too big for her. A pair of black jeggings (those were definitely jeggings, way more jeans-esque IMO) were in that bag and from the second I tried them on, it was love. Unlike my self-stitched attempt from a few years back, Vic's hand-me-downs (pictured above) had an elasticated waist rather than a zip fastening. The fit round the waist was tight enough however, that there was no ugly gathering occurring with that elastication, just pure comfort! I didn't know it was possible to be that comfortable in what could legitimately be worn outside, in public. 

So those hand-me-down jeggings got worn, worn, then worn some more. Until I became preggers and even then they continued to be worn until finally my growing belly forced them into the 'Drawer of stuff I don't fit anymore but hope to again, one day'. That was when I knew it was time to flex my mad-skillz and attempt a more maternity-friendly version. So I took the originals and traced around then, making a 3-piece pattern (front, back and waistband) to start fiddling with. 

To make them more bump-accommodating, I dropped the waistline by about 3cms all the way around, then made them up in some nasty-arsed super-synthetic navy double knit. The silhouette was actually bang-on first time, but I found as I kept wearing them that I had to keep yanking them up at the back waist. I'm still not sure if that was the result of A) the waistline being too low, B) the elastic not being tight enough, C) the fabric being so unpleasant and unforgiving, or most likely D) a combo of all three factors. 

(gratuitous bump shot, look away those of a delicate disposition!)

I tried tightening up the elastic, but downwards-bound they continued to be. I decided to set them aside and dwell on the whole project for a while before taking my next step. However, I then signed up to a pregnancy yoga class and realised I didn't have anything appropriate to wear to it. So perfecting the leggings/jeggings/treggings pattern was forced back on the agenda. I went back to the pattern and raised the waistline a couple of cms at the Centre Back, blending out towards the side seams. I then made them again in some much nicer black double knit with tighter elastic round the waist and the whole outcome was way more successful. So much so I can't stop wearing them! (Yes,  I am wearing them as I type this.) 

Earlier this evening I cut out another pair in some blue ribbed jersey/double knit that was hanging out in my stash so I have something else to wear whilst these black ones get washed. The blue ribbed jersey is care of Claire of 'Sew, incidentally' who is an incredibly generous lady. I've still got a fair bit of it left, enough for a couple of baby/toddler projects me thinks. For my blue pair, I have actually lowered the Centre Front a couple of cms in the hope that they will be even more accommodating in the longer term than the black pair by sitting more comfortably underneath my bump. I guess the frequency of their wear during the remainder of MMM'13 will show if that pans out or not. 

MMM'13: Days 8, 9 & 10

Clocking in to keep on track with my MMM'13 challenge documentation....

Day 8:

Me-mades:

Mustard trousers

Black batwing top

Vest (camisole/singlet)

Pants (knickers/undies)

Also worn: second-hand cardi and Captain jacket

We had a day off and went to London for the day. We wandered all about, visited the Idler Academy and spent some time by a canal. And ate the most amazing pulled pork sandwich EVER. I'm still thinking about it, I may never stop.

Day 9:

Me-mades:

Black treggings

New stripey jersey top

 Vest (camisole/singlet)

Pants (knickers/undies)

Captain jacket

Also worn: second-hand hoodie

So Thursdays are now officially Pregnancy Yoga day for me. I didn't want to go in exactly the same outfit as I did last week, so I was spurred on to whip up a jersey top that I'd been planning for a while anyway. Oh, and do you like my glamourous backdrop?! Got to love a 1960's built municipal building! It's the first thing you see when you leave our flat in fact. 

Day 10:

Me-mades:

Grey Tova dress (which I'm not longer calling 'Mild-Maternity, as I feel way passed that stage)

Black treggings

 Vest (camisole/singlet)

Pants (knickers/undies)

Also worn: second-hand cardi 

It's Friday, which means THEMEFRIDAY over at the MMM'13 Flickr group. Today's theme was to have our documentation picture taken in our sewing/knitting/creating space. Ironically, the night before a photo inside my flat was required, literally half the electrics blew out in the flat so I've nicked a standing lamp from elsewhere to illuminate my dark little room so I get on with my projects. 

Refashion Friday: Interview with Jillian AKA ReFashionista

(all images sourced from ReFashionista, except where stated)

With fabulous style, an accessible approach to her projects and a killer sense of humour, Jillian from ReFashionista is by far one of my, and many other's, favourite refashioning bloggers. I was so delighted when she agreed to be interviewed for Refashion Friday for the twin purposes of getting inside her head a bit (in a non-creepy way, I promise!) and to introduce her and her blog to anyone who might not have chanced upon it yet. If you have even an inkling of interest in sewing of any description, it's bound to become one of your favourites as well! 

1) Refashioning, upcycling, remaking, reworking.... How would you describe what you do and/or what term do you use? 

I think I might have refashioned myself into a corner when I named my blog "ReFashionista". ;) I'd describe what I do as fashion hacking... finding a way to work around having to buy new clothes while still looking fashionable. Free time is extremely valuable, so I try to make the process as quick and efficient as possible for all of us ladies on the go! (Jillian has even created lots of awesome 'no-sew' refashions, like the dress pictured at the top of this post!)

(an action shot of a refashion mid-process!)

2) You are a damned prolific thifter/refashioner plus you haven't been regular clothes shopping for years, what proportion of your wardrobe is now comprised of refashions?

Haha. That's probably why I'm so tired all the time. ;) I would say at least 90% of my wardrobe is refashioned. I try to hold on to my old clothes for as long as I possibly can, then I eventually refashion them too!

3) What appeals to you about refashioning and can you remember how you begun? 

I started refashioning because I was tired of being too poor to be able to afford nice clothes, and because I was bothered by the unethical practices of most fashion manufacturers. When I started refashioning, I really felt like I was getting one over on "The Man" (whoever that is). It felt empowering and wildly subversive. I didn't have to limit myself to just consuming... I could create instead!

(Jillian rocking an ill-fitting 'before' frock, about to work her magic)

4) Where's your favourite hunting ground/s to source your 'raw materials' and what do you look for when selecting a garment to refashion? 

I like to go to the sketchier shops that less brave refashioners dare not enter. I also love the Dollar-a-Pound Goodwill Clearance Center (Don't worry! I wear gloves!!!). :) I try to find the ugliest and most outdated pieces I can find -- items that I truly think would be heading straight for the landfill if no one saved them.

5) You clearly have a lot of fun with (and in!) your refashion projects, how do you approached a thrifted garment that's destined for some reworking? 

There really isn't any method behind my madness. I look at refashioning time as a sort of dress up/playtime! I don't always know what I'm about to do when I begin, but any step forward is probably in the right direction.

(Jillian celebrating another successful refashion!)

6) Who or what inspires your personal style? Where do you go (physically or virtually) to find inspiration? 

I do a lot of boutique window shopping to get ideas. I like to see clothes in person so I can really look at them and see how they're contracted. I get a lot of inspiration from websites like ModCloth, Urban Outfitters, Free People, and Anthropologie too. But at some point, you really have to step away from getting too caught up in whatever is "trendy" and have the balls to cultivate your own personal style, no matter how silly anyone else thinks it is.

7) What would you say are your three favourite refashions you've completed? 

I'm pretty stoked with one of my most recent ones, the Gala dress (pictured above). Then there's this clown suit I wore on the Rachael Ray Show. I also love this black dress refashion (pictured below), mostly because it's an easy one that could work with lots of long-sleeved dresses.

8) Can you share with us a couple of your favourite refashions by other people? 

Dude. Have you seen Sally over at Charity Shop Chic? (Of course you have, you interviewed her!) Her refashions kick my ass right down the street. She even does math. MATH!!!! I pretty much love everything she's done, but I remember her Stella McCartney tribute dress refashion (pictured below) realllllly impressing me early on. Then there's this one that you just might be familiar with. I love that you did this (used unwanted T-shirts to make undies), because this is SUCH a practical and fun rehash (and I hate shopping for underwear!!!).

(image source: Charity Shop Chic)

9) You are clearly a girl after my own heart in that you appreciate a tasty beverage or two. Seeing as I'm off the booze for a while, I'd like to live vicariously through you for a while. What self-created outfit (either existing or in your head) would you wear if you and I went for a couple of cocktails?

WHAT!?! You're pregnant! Lay off the sauce, Lady!!!! (teasing!) Definitely this Modcloth copycat number right here (pictured below). You have a fun vintage style, and I imagine you'd be wearing some cute collared blouse/skirt combo. We could then hang out and sip martinis and chat all about our adventures in stitchery! :)

10) Describe your dream thift shopping day. Where are you? What do you find? 

In my fantasy dream thrift shopping day, I first find a unicorn that I ride around the store. A waiter hands me a blueberry mojito, which I sip luxuriously. Whilst atop my unicorn, I find a perfect combination of gorgeous vintage dresses that require no refashioning and lots of ugly duckling dresses with gorgeous details just waiting to be brought out!

Enormous thanks to Jillian for taking the time to respond to my probing questions! And for writing such an amusing blog, of course.