Possibly my favourite thing that I've ever made...ever...

Today's post is brought to you from my sofa, under a fuzzy blanket, wearing my huggie (for those out of the loop a huggie is lil knitwits name for a hoodie and I think it sounds much nicer) 

I'm poorly, like down in the dumps, everyone feel sorry for me poorly. 

But I still have an dress to show you today, luckily I took the photos last night when I was just feeling icky, rather than today where the world is ending! 

The top of the dress is made from the bottom scrap of my bridesmaid dress, and the shorter corset pattern from the gbsb book! 

All the seams are flat felled (or welts I can never tell the difference!) and these were super fiddly I think it's because of the type of material I used (some sort of thick silky stuff) 

The skirt is a self drafted gathered high, low, cross over, hybrid type thing (technical explanation right there!) and because this fabric was lighter and moved faster than usain bolt it was tricky to hem! So I stitched down a piece of ribbon and used that to get an even double fold . I did try and use my rolled hem foot but apparently there's only so many times you can curse until the air does actually turn blue!

My method worked pretty well though and left me with a glitzy trim on the inside.

The zip is repurposed, but I think it's too heavy for the fabric so I might switch it for something lighter. (Must stop putting my head down on behind shots, I look like the hunchback of notredame) 

The zip seems to be bubbling where it's attached to the lighter fabric! 

And the straps are repurposed from an old bra, the double strap v was a spur of the moment detail! The straps are not supportive they are just there for peace of mind and decoration! 

All in all I LOVE this dress, I wanted something with a structured top and a softer skirt so I'm pleased with how that looks. I wish it was a lil more modest at the front, here I'm wearing it with a lace slip, I did make my own but it was far to long so I've kept that for other decorum emergencies! Although I did check and I can sit down in it without my hoohar being on display. I like the finish and to be honest I feel pretty darn fabulous in it! 

Much love

Frankie

Xxx

Is it an A? Is it a rocket ship? No actually it isn't..

This is embarrassing, there's nothing worse than the thin line between success and failure, but more in that later! 

Welcome to a first for my blog! A step by step refashion!!! (I'm not calling it a tutorial becuase I think that pretty hard for refashioning, unless you stalk me and find an identical jumper , and identical buttons, and fabric....  You weirdo) 

Anyway I started with this! 

A too small mr Knitwit jumper, in grey in a lightweight knit fabric.

I took out the faux tee shirt thing (let's all just take a moment to giggle about the fact it looks like knickers) 

And removed the buttons! Meh still hideous! 

So I cut a new neckline and stitched on some bias binding. 

Which I then folded back in! This wirks in two ways you get a clean edge and (hopefully) your garment won't fray. 

Voila! There's a little bit if bagging at the neckline but I like the slouchy look! 

Next I channelled my inner old man and decided elbow patches were the way to go. Luckily I have some faux leather ones in my stash so used that as a template for my new ones (using scraps from my mimi blouse fabric) 

I cut interfacing the same size and stitched up up pairs. 

Next I hand stitched them to my elbows on the jumper (it's worth trying on for this, my elbows are not where I thought they were) 

Now I decided I needed a lil something more! 

I folded a peice of paper in half to get a semetrical shape and voila! 

  

I drew the shape on my top using the template and cut a fabric one which I then covered in buttons! And then stitch to the top by hand! 

Please excuse how awful I look , the boys have been poorly and mama is exhausted. 

Now here's my problem , I wanted an Eiffel Tower ! Which I think it looks like! Mr Knitwit however says I'm channeling Alvin from Alvin and the chipmunks and lil Knitwit keeps saying it's a rocket ship! 

What do you think? 

Much love 

Frankie 

Xxx

Singing those shudda, wudda, cuddas

One question I get a lot when I alter my clothes is "what if you want it back how it was?" 

It's a perfectly reasonable question, if your thinking of altering something you spent actual money on rather than pulled from a charity shop then your bound to be aprehensive. 

So to start I always divide mine into two piles the ones that I'm hoping to salvage, this includes shrunken tee shirts, mr Knitwit jumpers, and old jeans. These are what I consider throw away projects, things that if they don't work it doesn't really matter because chances are they'd end up in the bin anyway. 

Then there's the alterations, things that just don't work right now! The things that I like but I just don't seem to wear for some reason. I like to make these item reversible so they can be used as they were originally intended! 

EXAMPLE! 

This skirt used to reach mid calf, it wasn't maxi and it wasn't midi. It was however filled with sentimental value (my dad brought it for my mum) 

Now I knew I didn't want to bin it, I love the lace and the waistband, but I also knew I didn't want to cut it incase a 30/40 year old Frankie still wants to wear this skirt but would appreciate more coverage! 

That's why this skirt has a 30cm hem. No seriously on the off chance longer poofy skirts are back in fashion all I have to do is unpick my hand sewing and I'm sorted! 

I guess what I'm trying to say is, it doesn't all have to be so drastic, on refashioning program's and blogs we see them hacking away at garments. Well the thing is you don't have to, embrace deep hems! Keep the sleeves you didn't want one the off chance that maybe one day you will! Make the collar detachable and you'll find you can really turn your wardrobe into a workhorse! 

And then as you gain confidence in what works you can start to take bigger risks! 

Much love 

Frankie 

Xx

It's a monster mash!

I'm not sure whether this is a refashion or a repurpose? 

Basically I've made a dress! I used the bodice from my simplicity 4070 pattern, which I made using some spare suede fabric I had from recovering the living room cushions and the skirt is made from this. . 

 

This is a silk dress my mum picked up in a charity shop, (when she brought it the front had some kind of beading so she harvested that for her own projects) and I got the dress which was made up of the front and back panels and the lining. 

As the lining and front fabric were different I split them into panels then frankenstiened them together to make a panelled skirt. 

I'm actually kinda pleased with it even if mr Knitwit does think it's very brown! 

I took the zip from my fake Louis Vuitton handbag that I brought in Rome,It was falling apart but the zip was still working and it's a pretty substantial zip! 

The skirts gathered quite simply onto the bodice. 

And seen as it was a bit sheer and less poofy than I thought I lined it with this old shawl! It's got a nice velvet floral pattern on it so some of that peeks through aswell. 

And the best bit? 

That's a fully lined bodice ladies and gents! Using scraps from a projects yonks ago! I love that you can't see any raw edges! 

So.....

Bodice fabric - free

Skirt fabric - free

Skirt lining - free

Zip - free

Bodice lining - scrap so therefore free!

Yay free dress! Even if it is a bit brown! 

Frankie

Xxx