This story starts a few years back....like, 5 years back....
I had a piece of decorator linen that was probably too big of a print to be a dress, but every now and then I get this urge to upholster myself and...well...there you go! I made a dress! It actually wasn't all that bad. I cut it on the bias to give it a bit more shape and strategically placed the "too big" flowers so they didn't end up glaring out from inappropriate body parts...😲😳
I added a tweedy linen hem to get it to maxi dress length and it was fine. (can you hear the 'but' coming?) BUT, I never wore it. It was one of those garments that hung in the back of the closet and never found the right occasion. I liked all the individual parts...the fabrics, the details, the colors, the design...but all together...meh.
After it had hung in the closet, forlorn and forgotten for a few years, I thought maybe if it was a short dress I might actually wear it once in a while. So I hauled it to the sewing room and whacked it off to knee length. Obviously that was not the solution because it didn't even stay around long enough to get a picture! I can't even remember where it ended up, but the short version didn't pass muster either.
Fast forward to last week...
What do you suppose I found on an excursion into my linen scrap box? Seriously?! Yep, there was the chopped off hem! OK, why not...I still liked the fabrics and colors and the ribbon detail I had done on the hem was quite nice. I hung it on my dress form, upside down...and doggone it if it didn't decide that it wanted to be a tank top! Go figure.
Along with the hem I had enough scraps of the original fabric to make straps and just like that...a top!
Whether or not this third version ends up being THE ONE, it has been fun to keep reimagining it. We'll see if the story continues....
Looks like it should be perfect for lake living.
ReplyDeleteI am getting used to the idea of "lake living" moving is quite a process when you are not in your 20's anymore...next time we are going to get 'people' for this!
DeleteI thought the dress looked cute but if you don’t like then, in the heap it goes. I LOVE the tank. How much piecing did you do. I have a sheer large blouse that I love the fabric but hate the shirt. I was wondering what I should remake out of it.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I did for the tank top was to make a center back seam. All the piecing was done when I made the dress in the first place. When I remake a piece, part of the fun for me is to see how much of the detail/seams/pockets...I can make work in the new piece. Often it means I am ignoring grain lines, but if it doesn't work out...I am not loosing something that I liked in any case...chop away! Have fun!
DeleteI loved the long version!
ReplyDeleteI did too, but I just didn't wear it. The linen is quite heavy so it just felt weighty. But I loved the design and making was lots of fun. Making the other versions was fun too. Maybe it's a "remaking" piece instead of a wearing piece. ;)
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