The Sewing Place
The Emporia => In the wardrobe => Topic started by: SewRuthieSews on May 17, 2019, 22:26:20 PM
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I sometimes enjoy using fabric salvaged from other garments, remnants or leftovers from other projects to make garments. There's something about there not being quite enough that spins the creative ideas.Other times it just annoys me and I park it for another time.
What approaches have you used with multiple fabrics or other ways to 'stretch' when there's not enough fabric.
I'm 5' 6" and size 18 so can't make things out of short yardage :-)
I'll share some of my ideas, but hope you can inspire me too.
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Most recent one was using a print for the front and neckband of a tee shirt, but a plain for the back and sleeves.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S6bXz8YhKXA/XEcG86Ta-bI/AAAAAAAAL_w/UF2ba0qyYJsFm82HnuyyIkeE7wItq4BQwCLcBGAs/s800/TealprintTop1%2B%25282%2529.JPG)
I've also seen in the shops (and Burda magazine) garments which have a woven front but knit back, and normally knit sleeves.
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Another idea is to make patchwork for part of the garment
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HU2DidmQ4Cs/WSfQol5f5gI/AAAAAAAAKM0/NMKnFNp9BsQb6ttkNAhhb-Egdb__pM8UACLcB/s800/NavyTop%2Bredone.jpg)
Or add a contrasting yoke
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sDZMvVCydXU/WsI5qDRQJoI/AAAAAAAALLs/yRPeUXDl-J8AiIkkNIH8DMfG3fNDNICpQCLcBGAs/s800/LeafPrint%2B%25283%2529.JPG)
Or add contrasting side panels
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ccn56DnYq4s/Ub92wRSJk6I/AAAAAAAAFsY/GTvjabv1SRw/s800/turqanimal2.JPG)
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More ideas
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BBi6r9h64Uc/UcCypfkc9GI/AAAAAAAAFso/u7L69TTl2bo/s800/PinkTee.JPG)
Floral tee
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mqiBAaVnl4M/UcNb4-BqUVI/AAAAAAAAFtI/BwYH9oABHq0/s800/tealfloral+(1).JPG)
Cardigan has contrast sleeves made from ponte and faux leather with a sweater knit wool body
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4LgWWO5momM/W33ijCuCemI/AAAAAAAALlM/ZN6qzRUOpzwWudViqDrQLyvQ75RRcuakQCLcBGAs/s800/MixedMediaJacket.JPG)
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Even more true 'patchwork' could be something like this from Ottobre
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cawY7qXlIjQ/W3EyGA0gtQI/AAAAAAAALi4/b5qNppYDkqgiRyE2cHaZBZD0kVfVO4d2wCLcBGAs/s800/PatchworkTee.JPG)
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I have cut up an old wrap dress which shrank and was unwearable. However all the panels are too small to cut a new front from my TNT pattern, so I am currently debating what to do about that.
Another fabric has odd shaped scraps left over, so I could maybe single layer cut being careful to make mirror images.
Trousers could have contrast panels down the side. Anyone ever make any where the front and back were different?
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Love these, it’s something I’d love to try as I save all of my usable scraps. I always worry though about combining different weights of fabric. Obviously one puts wovens with wovens but knits especially are so varied and have such different characteristics I’m never sure how things will work together.
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I love playing with prints, this is one of my favourite dresses. I currently have some remnants for another one like this.....
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Only thing I do is shasko to my jeans. I don't like wearing them anyway, and I just patch them with home dec fabric.
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Another idea would be to use a sewing pattern which is already in multiple pieces.
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Love this idea not sure I am adventurous enough to try it
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Re. The trousers. I've never made but have seen several times recently young women wearing trousers where each leg is of a different fabric pattern.
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This
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became this
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Leftovers of the plain red plus leftovers of another patterend fabric were used for
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KwikSew 3766 used but any basic tee would work, just slash the front and back pieces diagonally and add seam allowances.
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I now have two patchwork jackets 0_0
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made from old jeans
and
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made from vintage silk scraps
and I also have the skirt which earned me a TSP badge for use of scraps :)
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I chuck mine I the bin :ninja:
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Go @Efemera ( so do I ) :D
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@BrendaP you are fantastic at this, thanks so much for sharing your pieces.
I use what I can, pass some onto a local contact who gives to school/craft groups etc and recycle some via my council if its no use at all. These days none of it has to go in the bin, however I would like to pass on more of it going forwards than I have in the past!
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I’ve just had a massive clear out of fabric. Some small scraps went to recycling. But I had 3 bags of fabric that I didn’t want to do that with. Well that has gone to a school via my friend's DIL who is a teacher there. I had contacted a Scrapstore near here to ask if they wanted it. They replied asking me to send some photos. I was a bit miffed at first. It was bagged up, I was offering it them for nothing and I would take it over there too. ><. But I sent some piccies anyway. Didn’t hear anything till the day after I’d got rid of it......yes please they’d love it. Evidently someone had just taken over and was wading through emails.
So if you have a Scrapstore near you, try them if you can’t do anything with the fabric.
I love how you @SewRuthieSews and @BrendaP have amalgamated the fabrics. I’ve got a few out recently to try. But they just look wrong! :(. I never seem to have colours that go together.
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There are some fabulous ideas there and thanks for bringing the subject up Ruth. I'm kind of ashamed to say I take anything that may be usable for patchworking etc to the charity shop, anything else goes to the recycle skips.
@SewRuthieSews I like that top pattern, which one is it please?
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@BrendaP I am green-eyed over both of your jackets, and have had the picture of the blue one in my 'inspirations' folder for quite a while. I am collecting pieces of velvet in order to pay homage to it. When I do eventually get around to making it I shall call it my 'Brenda Jacket'. :D
I also have several t-shirts, bought from Mountain Warehouse in their sales, which are quite a few sizes too small (I knew there was no way they would fit me, but they were bargains, and have such lovely motifs). I have several patterns (StyleArc) that will work very well using them as panels, but I am having problems finding jersey that will go with them both colourwise and weight/stretch-wise.
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I have some knit scraps that are not enough for a sleeveless top but too large to toss. I like the idea of using the print on the front and a solid on that back. I'm pretty sure some of them have enough left for that. It would function well for my work wardrobe because I wear sleeveless with cardigan and never take my cardigans off at work. Nobody else would know if was slightly off color-wise. If nothing else some scraps may be suitable for bindings, pants pockets, etc.
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You can mix knits with wovens. There is at least one Burda envelope pattern that I know of (own) that actually is designed this way. Burda 6631 There is no reason why most t-shirt patterns can't be designed to use a woven fabric on some part.
Burda 6631 (https://www.simplicity.com/simplicity-storefront-catalog/patterns/brands/burda-style/burda-style-pattern-6631-misses-shirt/)
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Yes - there are a number of StyleArc patterns that do - Bianca and Annika off the top of my head, but there are others too.
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I mostly use New Look 6735 for my tops
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_98lUESk1Q3g/TOrStUjBHAI/AAAAAAAADl8/ZZRkCZOrJzk/s800/6735.jpg)
It doesn't have any panels, so I created 2 alternatives. One copied the side panels on a sport shirt and the other has just the front cut into multiple pieces (inspired by a photo). For both of those I traced the existing pattern and cut it up and marked where I needed to add extra for seam allowances when cutting out.
Even simpler was to use the simplest top from New Look 6216 and cut the bodice half and half from 2 fabrics. I just folded the tissue out of the way when cutting.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gfsW2s_lpek/WqrvtAnYixI/AAAAAAAALHk/x6phiiE5uFkGEccVRoUTXarGeqqwjm6DQCLcBGAs/s320/6216.jpg)
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The other thing I've enjoyed has been using stretch lace fabrics, and then having a scrap of something else as the lining for the body section. It changes the construction order and means you don't need a neckband.
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HRU5EpqYASY/XK-xTzy2G4I/AAAAAAAAMRU/IfUttBr3g1oiSdJCSTx1_XL50hENW5VwwCLcBGAs/s800/InkLaceTop.JPG)
Its made from my favourite pattern New Look 6735.
I've used the direction with the greatest stretch going around the body, which was actually lengthwise on the fabric. So the hems are the selvedge.
Construction therefore was different
- centre back and shoulder seams on lining body
- centre back and shoulder seams on lace body
- neck seam (with inserted elastic)
- topstitched neckline
- basted lace and lining together around the armhole and inserted the sleeve flat.
- topstitched sleeve seam to body
- basted lace and lining together at each side, then basted the side seams and sleeve seam.
- once confirmed OK, stitched and overlocked, threading overlock ends back into the seams.
- the knit lining has a high cotton content so should be nice to wear, it is left unhemmed and slightly shorter than the lace.
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A sewing friend liked to make herself PJs from scraps, for example navy legs with red cuffs, red top body with navy sleeves and red cuffs.
That sort of approach works well for PJs or kids clothing, so we are not talking tiny scraps but still not enough of one fabric to make a whole garment.
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Love that pattern @SewRuthieSews It makes me wish I had the ability and patience to make clothes :)
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@SewRuthieSews love the idea of the lace front. Where do you get your stretch lace and knit lining from?
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@SewRuthieSews love the idea of the lace front. Where do you get your stretch lace and knit lining from?
@Ohsewsimple the lining was just in the stash, but too little to make a whole top and the stretch lace I bought from my local roll end shop, Economy Fabrics S42 5RA, though no idea if they still have any, its a bit random as to what they get in.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/economyfabrics/about/?ref=page_internal
http://www.economy-fabrics.co.uk/home
They don't sell online. The shop is just off Jn29 of the M1.
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Some great ways of using scraps but unfortunately mine are never that size. I buy according to what I think I can manage with so usually the end piece of the fabric is all that's left. I do save them and generally use bits here and there where I can. Eventually I have a total clear out and put them on Freecycle. Last person who took them, used for dolls clothes and quilting.
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My leftover pieces are never the right colours :( I think it's because I make something, then buy the next fabric to be completely different - and of course they all go with jeans anyway.
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I am using scraps to make Boro fabric.
You can google pics. I also got out a library book on it called Wabi Sabi.
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I am using scraps to make Boro fabric.
You can google pics. I also got out a library book on it called Wabi Sabi.
Ooh what are you going to do with it afterwards @jintie ?
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I am going to make a sewing machine cover.