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AllModRecons.blogspot.com

This is where I have decided to be now.

Recycling and upcycling

Initially, this project was about me not buying any new clothes for a whole year. Simple as that. Well, no new-new clothes.

As the months go on, I'm getting really into the recycling element of the year. I want to use every scrap. I want to save every piece -- even if it's not going a piece of clothing. Like, last night, I worked on a quilt for a special person who I hope is not reading right now. And the pieces I can't sew into the quilt are going into my rag bag. I'll shred those pieces up even more and use them to stuff pillows or little toys. It's kind of amazing, and I feel quite industrious as I use up all the material in my space.

I also wanted to share this with you all, before I forget it myself:

http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2008/08/how_to_turn_old_cds_into_dumbb.html?CMP=OTC-5JF307375954

Pictures coming...soon. I hope tomorrow. I took them last night, and now I'm just waiting for Andybear to send them along.

Pattern Porn (tm)

Thanks to lovely Jennette from Half of Me (www.pastaqueen.com) for suggesting the title of this new feature on UpCycleIndy.com.

"I went through a pattern porn phase where I looked at lots of patterns online and then bought them on sale at Joann -- then I NEVER made any of them," she said (OK, she IMed it.).

So, I'd like to devote at least a portion of my efforts to highlighting the patterns I adore, but haven't yet done. (I'll post the finished products once they're done, no worries, but the point of this is mainly the salivation. After all, how often do you really REALLY HONESTLY drool over a pattern? Probably more often than you think, but you have to wade through a lot of patterns for orderly scrubs or hideous ruffled skirts or felt pumpkins, right?)

With no further ado (or explanation), I give you the first edition of Pattern Porn.

From McCall's:





McCall's 5686






McCall's 5701









McCall's 5702








From Vogue (owned by McCall's Patterns):

Vogue2893









Vogue 1052








Simplicity 2966









Bon appetit, or whatever, kids!

Moms are the best

Recently my mom sent me a couple of packages filled with fabrics and notions. She rules. Well, she also needs to pair down, because she sends me e-mails like this:

"I am more than happy to share it with you. I know I have a lot of garment fabric stuffed back in my 'vault.' I just have to get back there. There's stuff piled in front of the closet and heavy boxes. I don't want to ask Dad for help as I don't like him nosing around in there and seeing how much stuff I actually have. I will try to make time this afternoon to begin to get back into the back of the closet."

(Sorry, Mom. I am not narcing on you because you know Dad doesn't read this blog. Besides, all your stuff combined probably cost less than his guitar collection.)

Anyway, after two visits to the fair, I got back to working on my fall wardrobe. I made a plaid wool pencil skirt out of an old thrift store skirt (pattern from "Downtown DIY" -- photos coming soon).

I also finished and am wearing today a navy blue dress made from a trouser-weight wool.

I used the short-sleeved version of McCall's 5576. It's cute, and it goes with my Fuschia Botkier for Target bag.

Next up? Hemming my tunic dress (I'll blog about that 'un, too), my pencil skirt, and more of the fall wardrobe. Suggestions?

Yo, yosegire

"Craft" Magazine has a feature on yosegires. I have no idea how to pronounce it, but a yosegire is a quilt made of scraps that are built up in strips.

Here's an article:

http://www.quilt.co.uk/quilting-articles.asp?idNo=31

Of course I'm all on that. I have tons of scraps that need to be used up, and the yosegires sounds like a good introduction into the world of quilting. Who's with me?

In the hopper

Some days and nights my head swims with projects -- to the point where I'm pretty much overwhelmed and can't do anything for the rest of the evening because I don't know where to start. Big sigh.

While I am happy that I am, uh, brimming with creativity, a little focus would be a good thing.

I keep a sewing journal. It's this little Yoshitomo Nara number:


I try to keep track of my projects there, including inspirations and sketches. The journal, which Jess Halverson bought for me at MoMA's gift shop during her trip to Nueva York, is lightweight enough for me to carry around, but substantial enough for me to not lose.

I keep a project page and a pen, and I try to keep tabs on where I am in a project. When I'm working on a specific venture, I also keep notes on my shortcomings, tricks and problems in the pattern.

Right now I'm working on a tunic dress from "Downtown DIY"; that will be followed by pencil skirt made from an old wool skirt.
I'll likely be expanding into shoe embellishment, so if anyone has any interest in that...

Kitten

Roro:











She recycles clothes, too. She even recycles clothes from other species. Here she is in a doggy pumpkin costume: