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Saturday, November 16, 2019

Changing It Up

I made this denim shirtdress in June 2018 during my shirtdress making season.


I wore it a couple of times.  Every time though I felt like a jailhouse matron. When I pulled it out in the spring it just sat with all of the bad feelings attached to it. I thought it would make a great vest. Not something I would wear during the spring/summer months, so I left it to make the alterations in the fall. Then my sewjo went on vacation and the dress sat. 

I'm missing my sewjo. It's my friend and keeps me company...engages me creatively...takes amazing adventures with me...so I want it back.  In an effort to coax it to return, I thought I would do some simple creative tasks. Clean off my cutting table, trace a pattern out that I want to sew and alter this dress.

Alterations to the dress ~

Of course I removed the sleeves first.


Next I cut 7.5" off the bottom of the dress because I wanted a cardigan length vest not a maxi one. As pictured below, I chose to cut it off right before the last buttonhole. It would allow me to have enough space to hem the vest without having to remove a buttonhole.


The hem was topstitched with a 6.0mm twin universal needle using a 4.5" stitch length. This was done to match the existing twinstitching on the garment.



When I was reworking this, I realized that the accents for this dress/vest were made from some of the same blue gingham fabric I used for this shirt (which is one of my faves). So naturally I paired them together for a photograph.  This is how I will wear the vest and shirt over a pair of jeans or leggings.


I won't be taking "modelled" pictures of this alteration.  Just wanted to share how I updated the dress and made it wearable. I'm happy I shortened it into a vest. It will definitely get more wear this way.  Don't know if this actually made my sewjo come home but Imma keep plugging away at smaller sewing tasks so it knows its missed. Though this little bit of sewing felt good and I'm hoping my sewjo will come home soon! 

...as always more later!








23 comments:

  1. ... If I may suggest? Sparkly or bright enameled buttons would definitely take it out of utilitarian and into resort collection.
    And if you don’t want to go through the hassle of removing difficult buttons for laundering, in a very old ironing manual I saw a tip about sewing the buttons to a strip of twill tape and making button holes on both sides of the shirt. (Which, tbh, is catching all my attention for future makes. A button wardrobe. Buttons as accessories. Never feeling I need to hoard precious buttons again.)

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  2. Amazing save! Would you believe, I had the same thing happen to me. Made a denim shirtdress (although sadly without your cute check trim) and it looked like a bad uniform. My first move was to take out the sleeves too, but I still do not like it, and it has only left the house twice. Maybe I should try a vest too :)

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  3. This is a perfect makeover which will be very useable unlike the dress. You trusted your instincts about the original garment and followed the Tim Gunn's words "make it work"! I think your sewing mojo is returning and will be in full swing once you rework your sewing studio. Karen

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  4. Good save! My sewjo was lost for a bit too. I re-organized my fabrics and cleaned up my sewing room a bit and that really seemed to kick start something for me. Thank you for sharing your projects, I always enjoy them.

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  5. I liked the dress, but love the vest!

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  6. I liked the dress too, that said I understand when you're just not feeling a make. I've been there. So, bravo on a great save. It looks great with the shirt.

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  7. love the change - I am a lazy sewer I would have just tossed it. Hats of to you.

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  8. Great work. I love your creativity.

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  9. A plain dress is now a stunning vest and paired with the shirt...just perfect! I'm with Natasha, cleaning and clearing a sewing room creates a vacuum for creativity. Open a window, burn a candle and take a broom and sweep down the walls to remove stagnant air. This can also happen with the changing of the clocks and darker days of winter coming.

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  10. Awesome update to an unloved garment!!

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  11. I think this is proof your sewing mojo hasn't left. But maybe it needs to quietly power up for a minute or two. I loved the dress but the vest is wonderful especially with the blouse underneath. You are amazingly productive and creative. Give yourself a break. Jean

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    1. Jean - I know I'm strange but when my sewjo is in residence it speaks to me loudly. Gives me new ideas when I'm just journeying through life and some times burns so brightly that I can't help but sew. Although lately as I'm getting more into the sewing room redo, I starting to think it's giving me a break so I can concentrate on redoing the room. If I was burning to sew, I would change the room up...I would just sew.

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  12. Nice redo. Vest is much cooler than the dress was. Love it with the gingham shirt.

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  13. Love the vest with the shirt! Fabulous remake!

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  14. It looks SO good with the shirt!!!

    Great save!!!

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  15. Brilliant idea! I liked your dress a lot but what good is that if you don't wear it?
    PS.
    Is there a housekeeper out there who just does sewing rooms???!

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  16. I too " love the vest with the shirt". And I am sure your Sewjo will return!

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  17. Really like the gingham shirt with the vest. Good job!

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  18. Clever you. Agree that some bling in the buttons would elevate.

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  19. I love this with the gingham shirt. The larger gingham on the collar really pops everything to me and it all works so well together. As far as the sewjo, I think getting your space reorganized will really restart your engine. Hope that's going well for you.

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