Saturday, July 16, 2011

Thrift store skirt converted to an assymmetric top







I found this amazing pleated skirt for $2 at at thrift store, I loved the fabric-yellow and black plaid.  It is so fun, but as a skirt it was too big and it was frumpy.




I have been watching Mad Men a lot recently and want a cape or an A-line jacket, I know this isn't either, but those silhouettes inspire me, so this is a change from my more usual fitted silhouettes.

How did I change it from a skirt to a top?





I unpicked the waistband and the lining, as this was a lot smaller than the skirt (as it was not pleated). Luckily the hole was big enough where the waist band had been, that it fit well under my arm and over my shoulder. I then rehemmed where the waistband had been and took a dart from the shoulder so it would curve better over the shoulder. I rehemmed the waistband so I could make it in to a strap. I pinned a giant sleeve out of the giant top and sewed some seams in there as it is so billious and I wanted to be able to wear a belt with it. It took about an hour-if that. Then it was all done :)


 What I am wearing

My new thrift store skirt to assymetric top
My purple merino top from Shanton
Black gloves from the $1-$8 mart
Belt off another dress I bought
Black skirt from Glassons
Red boots from Number One Shoe Warehouse


Have you made any recent thrift store alterations?

Have a happy week, from Kiwibubbles :)

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

From pattern follower to designer!!!

I have not updated my blog much as I have been working on a new project... my designs are going to be in a fashion show!!!

The competition is on in 2 weeks and I am driving out of town to go and see it (it is a 7 hour drive to Gore). I am super excited, models are going to be wearing my stuff on a catwalk in a real life fashion show!!! I feel like i'm in my very own project runway.




made from 3 different colours of stretch drill



I had to design my own outfits and make them, as you know, for me, that's tricky as i haven't done much designing, usually I use patterns. However I did make a wearable dress in my purple one shouldered ruffle dress I designed from scratch, so I chose to give it a go. I used my mannequin and made the same block for all my dresses and then drew a pattern off this altering it for each dress. I can't show you all of the ones I entered in the show til after the show is finished-I made seven all up, but only entered 5. I entered three dresses as a mini collection, and two dresses wre entered in the streetwear category. I made them all using a 2 directional stretch drill-this elminated the need for zips and darts-haha, that's my kind of design!

These are the least favourite of the seven I made-hence they didn't go in the competition.







made from red stretch drill, the stripey stuff is fleece! and a yellow button on the shoulder