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

Upcycling #4

Hmm...so...  OK, the last dress, with the new-to-me shirt pattern used for the bodice?  Mmmh.  Yeah.  The sleeves Do Weird Things, as I later saw in many reviews of the pattern (whether or not the person who sewed it even realized.)  Plus, since I had omitted the dart and that meant a little extra work to even things out, I decided i was not going to use Simplicity 8523/8061 again as a bodice

except

I really liked the neckline, especially how it was narrow enough that I didn't have to wonder about showing bra straps. (Yes, I know, I could make loops to keep the neckline from shifting around that much.  Don't wanna.)

So, I went back to Butterick 6470, modified with the neckline/facings from Simplicity 8523/8061

except

The bodice for this one was made from a skirt I made a while ago that had the zipper break, and I wasn't immediately inclined to replace that zipper, so it had been in the "mend?" pile for a while...but...when I was looking for something to use with another skirt (sewn when I was pregnant 12-ish years ago) I was going to turn into a dress, I realized that the purple in both of the skirts was too amazingly close to ignore.

and I ended up with this

Upcycling #3 with one iteration

This time the skirt is one I made--earliest photo of it I found was an outfit of the day photo from 2010, so we'll say it was made in 2010.

And now it looks like this

although for a little while it looked like this

Upcycling #2

This time with two thrifted skirts, because they're both on the sheer side (and they both originally had built-in slip layers, but I removed those ages ago so I could wear little petticoats under 'em)

And I also used the super simple extended shoulder bodice from Simplicity 9153, and ended up with this

I suspect it'll be more fun to wear than to look at

Doll Clothes Pattern Roundup part 2

Here's another post with the doll patterns I've shared since the last big doll clothes pattern roundup post in July 2018

Upcycling #1

I grabbed all of the skirts in my closet that I have not worn for a year and decided I would use them as skirts for more loose pull-over dresses.

And then they sat in a box in my sewing room for a few weeks.

Chip said it made a great cat bed.

Two days ago I made myself cut out the bodice pieces for one, and yesterday I started sewing it, using the "sew one seam, go do something else for fifteen minutes" method.  I got the bodice assembled and picked apart sections of the skirt side seams to insert pockets yesterday, and early this afternoon finished.

Yes, it's another fake Burda 6401, with a skirt variation because, as mentioned above, it was a thrifted skirt so I didn't make the decisions involved in sewing it.

Yes, I know, such a cheerfully summery frock!