wardrobe refashion!
what is wardrobe refashion?
it’s essentially a pledge to make your own or recycle/refashion clothing that you have already in your closet, or thrift, instead of buying new clothing, in an effort to be creative and thrifty, and i suppose, make a smaller footprint on the planet.
so, as i stated in a post to the group, my intention behind committing to this project is as follows:
in the past year, due to some major life changes, i have gotten away from sewing and designing. those life changes include a very difficult cross country move from NYC to SF and working. also, i got a little obsessed with the knitting, to a fault!
after observing wardrobe refashion since last year, i decided i would give it a go, starting with a 2 month commitment.
i’m starting with 2 months, but may continue it past that commitment on my own, depending on how it goes.
as part of this commitment, i’d like to:
-save money.
-although thrifting is okay, i’d like to make a commitment to thrift less, perhaps limit it to 2-4x a month because i thrift too much!
-design pieces (woven and knit) to compliment my body and wardrobe, and execute those designs, finally making use of my learned and inate skills, damnit!
-use up my sick piles of fabric and yarn (see also: thrifting less, as to not add more fabric to the pile)
sewing/designing will commence very soon…my patternmaking table broke in a glorious crash this past sunday and i’m waiting on a new one to be shipped to me within a few weeks. i had really wanted to get started soon…but alas.
in the meantime, however…knitting with stash! yes, yes, more knitting. i’m BAD.
i’m working on this sweatervest dress from the fall 2006 issue of knit 1. the pattern calls for lion brand’s homespun, but i hate that yarn so much i’d rather knit with razor wire. it’s absolutely horrid to knit with, and is acrlyic/polyester to boot. life is too short to knit with synthetics, people!
so i’m using a huge lot of lamb’s pride bulky wool/mohair i’ve had for years instead, and i’m doing my own stripe interpretation. i’ll keep you all posted on my progress, of course. this one may take a while…
February 7 2007 | Posted in creative dabblings.
February 7 2007 at 3:49 pm
Nadia LewisThat wardrobe refashion is a good idea! I think I’m gonna go join up too. Thanks for the heads up.
Love the sorbet yarn!
February 7 2007 at 4:22 pm
AshleyWardrobe Refashion sounds like a great idea! I’ll have to look more into it and see how it can maybe function in my life.
Also, that sweater vest-dress pattern is lovely! I ought to check out more knitting publications, as you find the best patterns.
February 7 2007 at 4:25 pm
triciaashley: you totally should check out wardrobe refashion…it’s a great idea, and really makes you think twice, long and hard before actually buying something new.
February 7 2007 at 5:56 pm
AliciaIndeed this is a brilliant idea!
Recently I have felt very guilty returning from town with any shopping bags of clothes. The more bags, the bigger the guilt! I have been pondering the thought of giving my wardrobe a makeover. I get a real ‘I did it’ satisfaction when i make-over an item of clothing, more than the retail therapy pleasure, but without the guilt. My house mate has just acquired a sewing machine, which she has offered to lend me, so I have no excuse to start customising. My first project will be turning a pair of jeans that no longer fit me into a long denim skirt (that I’ve wanted for a while).
Good luck with the knitted dress. I’d love to see it when it’s done.
February 7 2007 at 6:34 pm
GiselleMy “Environmental and Social-Economics Studies” professor would kiss you after the mention of a smaller footprint on the planet
February 7 2007 at 7:57 pm
sarahooh, that yarn looks like the kind i got at an estate sale last summer (or was it the summer before? ha.. i’ve got to murder my stash) but oh how i wish i could bleach it and redye it. it’s aaaaaaaall brown. the yarn in that picture is yummmmy looking.
February 8 2007 at 2:34 pm
GwynethThis is a fantastic idea. I love shopping in my own closet, looking for possibilities at the local thrift shops and just mixing stuff up in general. I hope this new venture will offer ideas on how to tart up old pieces with some creative tailoring, etc!
February 8 2007 at 8:24 pm
jenniferi have this fabulous cotton robe that my grandmother brought me from china. the thing is, it sucks as a robe. so it’s not such a fabulous robe after, so much as a fabulous fabric sewn into the shape of a robe.
there’s enough there to rebuild it, but i’m such a horrible seamstress and even worse patternmaker that i’d trash the thing.
all i’d really want is a shift dress with a bit of a cinched waist. alas.
February 10 2007 at 5:10 pm
diHey it’s great you’ve signed up too!
I’m really looking forward to following your wardrobe refashioning work, having admired your wardrobe remix photos for a while. You have a completely different style from what I wear, but it’s exciting and inspiring to see what you create. Maybe it will even entice me to be a bit more daring?
February 10 2007 at 9:49 pm
cakebakerhi, this is my first time to your site. i laughed out loud over what you said about homespun, i started a project with it last week and ditched it after 30 rows. i’d rather eat a bowl of needles than use acrylic to knit, or wear for that matter. anyhow, maybe you’ll be my inspiration to stay out of thrift store bins until i make a dent in my own stash.
February 11 2007 at 9:04 pm
bits and bobbins » archives » this and that[...] -and starting a sewing pattern from the built by wendy pattern collection, as a way to get myself back in the sewing habit before attacking custom patternmaking i want to get into doing tout suite, as i detailed in a previous post. i’m planning on making the one shown on the far right, the one with the three quarter length sleeves and elasticated hem. the fabric is a rich pumpkin-colored wool jersey. [...]
February 15 2007 at 10:06 am
CaseyI know I’m a little late with this comment, but I’m really looking forward to seeing what comes of your wardrobe refashion commitment! I’ve thought about doing it myself (because I shop waaay too much! lol), and you have inspired me to rethink it.