Distraction Project: Not so well planned

 I had an idea to make another patchwork bomber jacket, this time from knits, and largely inspired by the way a lot of the left-overs from recent projects looked good together.  I didn't honestly, though, think I'd wear such a thing, so I put the idea aside.  Then the unexpected vet fees happened, and I revisited the idea with the possibility of auctioning the jacket toward that.

With that idea in mind, I started cutting squares.  Knowing I would use a different pattern than I used for the last patchwork jacket--a different pattern with a much larger size range--I knew I'd need more patches than before.  I cut up all the left over pieces from the previous projects, scrounged through the doll knits drawer for more, and still came up a bit short.  From the larger yardage knits, I chose a velour that I had no ideas for...then realized that it was a cotton velour.  (It was part of the friend's generous sharing of a relative's fabric stash, thanks again!)  As soon as I realized it was cotton (or at least cotton-inclusive), I wanted to make it into something for me.  Something...long-sleeved.

So I started by cutting the sleeves (from the "no longer anywhere near the correct size but I keep it anyway because sewing shirts from it 15 years ago really changed--for the better--something in my relationship with sewing" New Look 6217) and then very quickly realized there really wasn't enough of the cloth left to make an entire bodice.

I was still determined to make something from this.

I laid out the front side of New Look 6217 to use the armscye, then used New Look 6068 in the correct size to fill out the rest of the front...then arbitrarily cut a dramatically curving "empire" height bottom edge for that piece.  I repeated the combination of patterns for the back, using the edge of the front piece to determine where to cut the relatively straight lower back edge.  "Empire" is in quotes because it ended p way too high--like, above the fullest part of the bust high.

So.  Having realized that I had cut what was, essentially, a yoke...from a slightly heavy purple velour...I had to pause to figure out what to use for the rest that wouldn't result in looking like a background character from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

After toying with using a woven, digging through my fabric to find something suitable, and failing, I remembered an extremely synthetic knit I've had a lot of for a long time.  I made an effort to stop second-guessing myself and used that

I'm not saying it doesn't look like something from ST:TNG...

Upcycling #6

Many years ago I couldn't resist thrifting a bit of yardage with loads of colors that I usually don't wear, but...butterflies and moths...although...manufactured by Shamash and Sons, so: butterflies and moths rendered in the most direct, unstylized--yet vague--way.

I immediately made a skirt

(the files say June of 2013)

I wore it a lot!  And managed to spatter paint on it from an airbrush mishap (not the first or last time that happened.)  And then gained weight.  But I kept it, because, as subtle as they were, there were still paint spatters, so it was completely inappropriate for donating.

Then I decided to do this whole skirt-to-dress upcycling project.

Upcycling #5

I made this shirt a few months ago.  I honestly didn't realize at the time, but it was way too big, even considering that it's supposed to be loose.  The main reason I hadn't realized is because I hadn't been wearing it, because I stopped wearing skirts and pants (because I am shaped like pregnant.)

I liked the print enough that I decided I'd make it over into a dress

and that's when I realized it was way too big

MadrasPatch Pants

Yesterday, a patchwork pillow.  Today, patchwork pants.

The base fabric is the other piece of ready-made madras patches, which I know is a "traditional" preppy thing, and I was ready to make a pair of shorts for my sarcastic child to wear.  When I double-checked with him that he did want shorts made from it, he asked for pants.

Hmm.

I consulted the measurements listed on good ol' KwikSew 2544, and confirmed that he's currently at size 12 in leg length and somewhere between size 10 and 12 in waist width.  (That pattern goes to size 14, so I think there are a few more years of use coming from that pattern.)  I then laid the pieces roughly on the cloth and confirmed that there was just enough for the main pieces.

Redestashing

About six months ago, I did a big cloth destash.  I was pretty good after that at resisting bringing home any more cloth--sure, a few doll friends sent me a few bits of doll-appropriate cloth, but that was easy enough to add to the (admittedly, already overflowing) open suitcase that has held doll cloth that had been either also given by generous doll people, or else that came from the thrift store cloth grab bags that were my downfall.

Then, another doll friend visited from out of state, bringing about nine large plastic storage tubs' worth of cloth (and one more tub's worth of lace, elastic, thread, buttons, and zippers.)  I knew she was bringing some cloth, but that level of generosity was overwhelming!  (I believe the cloth and notions had belonged to a relative who had been a bit of a hoarder,)

I was immensely grateful and spent a fun few days taking over the living room and sorting everything.  I separated out the wearable clothes (there is so much yardage in my life that, unless the clothing is already severely damage or made of something I am specifically looking for, I feel better letting the clothes be clothes--and several of the pieces fit!  The kiddo is wearing a shirt from there now, too.) I separated out the household linens, which included several table cloths (some of which are lovely vintage items that I really want to figure out how to safely remove the stains that may be older than I am), some Incredibly 1970s bed sheets and curtains, a few blankets, and a stack of napkins and dish towels, many of which were in the vague color scheme I like for the kitchen, and the timing was fantastic because the napkins I'd made about four years ago, and the dish towels that I bought longer ago than that, really weren't looking good any more.  But these new-to-me napkins and dish towels make me happy!

There were also two rugs, which both quickly found spaces in the home.

And then there was the rest, the stuff for sewing: clothes that had already been cut into, and proper yardage.  So much yardage.  I separated that into "tiny pieces suitable for doll clothes," "yardage that looks useful, but isn't inspiring me at the moment," and "WOW that is AMAZING" (OK, and also a very small pile of "heavily textured 1970s synthetics that, with all due respect, I don't ever want to touch again.")  I put the "useful but uninspiring" things back into some storage tubs, which are now in the basement, and brought the pile of WOW in here, to take up a lot of space while I tried to figure out how to store it.

I finally realized that what I had to do was to go through my cloth again--all of it this time--and destash for the second time this year.

I removed this much

That's two stacks that are roughly 18" tall each.  They just about filled two of the large plastic  storage tubs.  Most of what's visible came from thrift store fabric grab bags.  Maybe I've learned my lesson on those...

I was able to work the WOW cloth into the spaces where the goodbye cloth had been, and I decided to re-stack just about everything.  The interesting bed sheets and tablecloths and such went into the top of the closet with the blanket tops I've made (and the sheets thrifted to use as their backs), and some of the more utilitarian cloth (like the four yard cut of vinyl/oilcloth) went into the bed-in-a-bag bags that had been holding a lot of the cloth that got destashed. (and that black trunk visible in the goodbye cloth piles picture--a trunk which arrived full of buttons and zippers and thread and more--replaced the plastic tub that had been holding my cloth scraps.  The trunk is possibly precariously balanced on the closet's wire shelf, but it will be easier to get out than the plastic tub was...if I don't drop it on my head in the process.)

And the rest...

OK, technically not all of the rest--I didn't touch the top of the shelving unit, with the wool and the faux fur and the jaquard/tapestry pieces.  Someday...

Anyway, I wanted to document this, because I know it won't stay this tidy for long.  And it is so pleasantly tidy