Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Candice Ayala’s Upcycling Challenge



I am a huge fan of upcyling and I have done several upcycling projects in the past. I also love challenges, and sewing competitions, I have done several from those in the past as well. Not because I think that I would have a chance to win ( I usually drop out after the first round), but simply because they inspire me. The Candice Ayala’s Upcycling Challenge functioned exactly like that. I had all the materials that I need already in my stock, but somehow had not come around to using them yet. I am so happy I did now!


Here you can read more about the actual upcycling assignment, but quickly summerized, you had to upcycle and use new fabric as well. The piece that I upcycled, I received from my sister in law, she thrifted it for me, it consisted of natural materials, cotton and silk and had three very interesting textures, drapey silk, knitted cotton that was super soft an fluffy and cotton lace, plus the skirt part included a knitted lining). Candice gave some great tips in her kick off post. When I upcycle I always try to use as much as possible from the garment, so of course I worked according to Candice's tip of really dissecting the garment with a seam ripper. The shape of the individual fabric pieces usually inspire me like the shape of a rock can inspire a sculptor. I also like to to use original details, like the tailored finishes that Candice mentions. The original garment contained two straps to fixate rolled up sleeves, those I turned into shoulder straps on the sundress, including the original button hole and button.



I used one meter Michael Miller Mermaid Magic Blossom and turned the fabric and the garments into four pieces to create three outfits. I always make before pictures, but this time it was also a requirement. Full disclosure, I did line the bodice of our eldest daughter with a remnant fabric from my stash and I used an earlier made bias to finish the arm and neck holes on the top of our youngest, but those were the only extra pieces of fabric that I used. I lined the lace middle piece on the smallest top with a piece of excess silk that I had to cut off and I used the original lining of the tunic to both line the dress of our eldest and to back the lace on the sun dress of our middle one.



The dress that I made for our eldest is a hacked Brueram dress by Sofilantjes. I have already sewn so many of those, I keep getting warm feelings every time that I see the back of that pattern. Our eldest has started to develop, so I crated two small darts inspired by this blog post. The resulting fit is perfect. The skirt part is simply the skirt part from the original garment, but now I used the back of the skirt as the front, I just loved that flutter detail.



The dress on our middle daughter was totally free styled.  That lace on the back of the original garment had a bit strange shape, but when I but in a triangle of the knitted fabric from the original garment, it totally looked like bodice. Like I wrote before, I lined this bodice with a piece that I had cut of from the skirt knitted lining. I gathered a rectangle of the Mermaid Magic Blossom fabric that was as wide as the fabric as a skirt. It is not a full skirt, but the pretty fabric which includes golden details more than makes up for that.



Our smallest is wearing Scuttle shorts. They are designed for knit fabric, but I felt that the color blocked pocket should work in woven, and it totally did. From the sleeves and front of the original garment I had enough fabric to cut those cute trousers from. I managed to squeeze out a woven top to finish her outfit. I used the other half of the lace as a center piece, I really needed that piece, I would not have been able to create a top out of the Mermaid Magic Blossom fabric that I had left. I used the Sally dress pattern as a base. I tested it a few years back and I remembered that it fits over the head without closure.


6 comments:

  1. <3 for every brugram you ever made.
    I love this one too :-)

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    1. BRUERAM is a word, Mr. Spellchecker ;-)

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    2. Thanks! Ik schrijf de naam van dat patroon sowieso altijd fout ;)

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  2. Love the results and great photos of the girls!

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    1. A shame that I could not squeeze something out a another boyisch option ;)

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    2. You always try to make something for all four, so impressive :)

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