I love a good refashion. I love the idea of taking something unloved and turning it into something wearable again. So when I heard about the Big Stitch campaign from the British Heart Foundation, I hopped straight on the makers’ train!
The Big Stitch is an awareness campaign, encouraging crafters to create unique additions to their wardrobes using items purchased in British Heart Foundation Shops. A bit of fun for a great cause. Here’s what I came up with.
I’ve said it before, but for me, refashioning isn’t about creating jaw-dropping pieces – it’s about making something you will wear. What is the point in spending all that time and effort making something if you don’t intend to wear it? So, after much deliberation, I decided to make myself a neutral top. It’s the most grown up thing I’ve made in a long while.
The fabric
My starting point was two men’s shirts – one being 100% cotton and the other a cotton linen blend. They both had a similar texture and drape though, which is what I was after. I used the black check shirt for the bodice and the plain black for the collar and facings.
The pattern
I used my very first Seamwork pattern. I have been a subscriber to Seamwork for ages, but rather shamefully, haven’t made anything until this. It’s the Addison top. It was a very easy pattern to follow, but I still got to try out a couple of new techniques.
- I have never sewn a v-neck before. Now, if I’m being totally honest, I found this part to be really fiddly and difficult. However, I confess to not having done any research into the ins and outs of v-necks before sewing – I just jumped in. Next time, I will most definitely look into it in more detail because I must have been doing something wrong. It’s still a bit funky and I’m not 100% happy with it, but it’s hidden by the bow so I’m not getting too bent out of shape about it.
- The way the facings and side seams come together is really interesting and completely new to me. It’s hard to explain how it’s done, but I’m wondering whether it’s the ‘burrito’ method I’ve heard about? Whatever it was, it worked!
Modifications
I did the pussy bow hack provided by Seamwork as an members’ extra. I thought it would make the most of a contrast collar and waste less fabric. Although the pattern doesn’t have a button band, my shirt did, so I kept it for a bit more interest. It is sewn closed at the top so it is a purely decorative feature. I switched out the boring shirt buttons for prettier ones from my stash (which were rescued from a holey cardigan). I also reused the hems on the shirt as a time saver, so the shape of my Addison is slightly different to that of the pattern.
Notes
I love this top, and I really like the fit. However, if I had traced and cut my pattern according to the body measurements, as suggested, it would have been huge. I ended up going two sizes down, after looking at the finished garment measurements and realising that there is rather a lot of ease involved. I would definitely advise a look at the finished garment measurements before you trace or cut – decide how much ease you’d like and go with your gut.
The cost
The shirts were £7.50 (for both) and the pattern set me back one of my Seamwork credits, which we’ll call £3. I already had everything else I needed. That’s a grand total of £10.50.