Salvage operations…

After sewing my Motor City Express jacket for possibly the whole of last month, I decided to tackle the small projects lying around next.  Mending, shortening Mr. G.T.’s shirt sleeves from long to elbow length, and salvaging a few garments that I have made but don’t wear.  Like many I have had a few Me Mades that turned out perfectly fine, BUT were not perfectly fine on me.

Perhaps you remember this dress, blogged about here, a vintage pattern, Butterick B4598, which I made last August 2014.  I love colour blocking and this is a really nice vintage pattern.  Unfortunately, when I wear this dress I feel short, really short!  It’s too long and I think I need some waist line definition.  It has been hanging in the closet, unloved, ever since. 

MY BEFORE

Or there is this more recent dress I blogged about here.  It’s McCall’s 7238, another vintage pattern.  I loved the print on this fabric, but the fabric was very light, as light as a tee shirt fabric.  

AND ANOTHER BEFORE

I know that if it looks good on the model or the mannequin or on the pattern envelope or on someone else – it might not necessarily be the style for me.  

I know that just because the fabric has a pretty design or the perfect colour – the design or colour might not be suitable for me.

I know that I should consider the drape and weight of the fabric – as they might not be suitable for what I have planned.

But hey!  You know, sometimes I can’t see the forest for the trees.

To salvage these two garments, I re-made them into tops.  

With my black and white one, I cut it to a comfortable waist length and finished the hem off with self made bias tape.  (Please click the first photo to start the slide show.)

I cut some fabric strips from the remnants of this dress.

Pinned and sewed them together to make self made bias tape.

The excess “triangle piece” was cut off and the bias tape was flattened out.

I sewed the bias tape on to the bottom of my hem – right sides together. I used Wonder Tape to hold the pieces together until sewn.

I ensured the beginning of the bias tape strip was folded over to make a clean finish on the bias tape when it was turned over to the wrong side.

I finished sewing the bias tape on.

The bias tape was folded over and pinned. I used my blind hem foot to “stitch in the ditch”.

AND MY AFTER

My flowered print dress was even easier to salvage.  I took out the elastic waist band, shortened it and re-hemmed it.

AND ANOTHER AFTER

(I just noticed the two hair colours in these photos, which reminds me, there will be no head shots this week.  I have, again, changed my hair colour and my sisters have not seen it yet!)

So come on!  We all have them.  I know I’m not the only one!  What was your last garment that turned out perfectly, but actually didn’t?

Well, back to cutting.  I am cutting out the fabrics for My Sister Project.  Boy, am I anxious to start on her garments!

Happy Sewing!