Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Going Sleeveless

 Hello Readers. I am writing from Corona virus isolation/quarantine. I hope you are well and safe. I'm having a sewing machine malfunction. It's more than a malfunction. My machine is done for good and when I started using my daughter's machine, it started to malfunction as well. We sent it off to get serviced. I moved on to my mom's old machine and it literally locked in place. It is still frozen in position on my sewing table. 
So, let's have a flashback to a 2016 refashion. My daughter gave these shirts to me recently. She refashioned them back in 2016. Read on to see what she did.

Hello Readers. It is the last hot, hot days of summer. I am battling a bad case of poison ivy and the heat just makes it even more itchy. I am taking lots of medications to try and get rid of it but since I am not at my sewing best, I am going to share a little of my daughters recent sewing. She has finished college and is working in an office and has been trying to add to her work wardrobe. She was working on a couple tops this week.
This first top looked so cute and fresh with this blue and white color scheme. The only problem was the pattern went from cute to overwhelming and crazy when she put the top on. Her solution was to remove the sleeves.

She simply cut the sleeves off right next to the seam and then turned the raw edge under twice and stitched it down. Below you can see actual sewing.

Here is the new seam. It is very small and narrow. It was very easy and the fabric didn't pucker or twist. She made the smallest seam she could to keep the armhole about the same size as it was originally. I think this helped the shirt keep it's shape.

The new shirt is great for summer and it seemed to calm the wild pattern down when there was less of it. Sometimes less really is more.

***UPDATE- I made this shirt a few inches shorter because it was so long on me.I used iron-on tape since I don't have a sewing machine. I will stitch it down someday so it is stronger.

She also used the same fix for this floral top. It had puffy cap sleeves that were just a little too puffy.

The new simplified arm holes were quick work.

She liked the new look much better. It was just a cleaner simpler look.

***UPDATE- My daughter made these shirts over 3 years ago and I am really happy she gave them to me. Staying home is really getting to me. Stay safe everyone. 

Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.


6 comments:

jenny_o said...

I'm sorry to hear about the poison ivy. Hope you are starting to feel better. It kinda sounds like chicken pox deja vu ... so so itchy.

Your daughter's alterations are good ones. You are so right about "less is more" in so many cases. That's one thing I have seen over and over with refashioning!

I Can Work With That said...

Thanks Jenny_o. I think it is going away, thanks goodness.

KD said...

Love the tops. Removing sleeves can make a big difference in the wearability of a top or dress.

I hope you can get one of those 3 sewing machines working soon. So frustrating to have plans, both productive and creative, that are stymied by uncooperative machinery.

Thanks for your blog. A lot of us are trying to stay calm and focused by sewing and refashioning what we have on hand, for the better days to come. You're an inspiration!

I Can Work With That said...

Thanks for the sweet comment KD! I don't know why I keep causing these sewing machines to malfunction and die. I feel pretty bad about it. It can help a lot to stay busy or at least keep my hands busy. Stay well!
Chickie

eva @StyleMyThrift said...

hi there! i've been following you for a few months now and I love what you do!...i am also a Refashioner/Upcycler...
i would be honored if you could check my work out?
and eventually i would like to start uniting all us Upcyclers, maybe once a month? to do some challenge together?
xo Eva
here i took a sleeveless dress and transformed into a Pouf style blouse...

https://www.costumetakeout.com/single-post/2020/04/18/Refashioned-Thrifted-Sleeveless-Dress-Into-Puffy-Sleeved-Blouse

I Can Work With That said...

Hi Eva! Thanks for the comment. It's always fun to meet another refashioner.
Happy sewing to you!
Chickie