Sew Outside the Lines™ with Jody Pearl

Removing Revolting Ribbing REfashion

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 00:06:00 +0000

'MakeOver Monday'

... sharing how I cut up & REinvent items from my wardrobe
in the hope you'll pick up some scissors & start cutting up yours!

There's nothing like the desire

to wear your newly op-shop-sourced favourite cardigan

to the last class of an 8wk workshop

that needs a Ribbing REfashion

to get the creative mojo pumping!

I dislike ribbing because of the way it drags the front of the garment to the back
and sometimes the length of a cardy is too long.

With an hour up my sleeve

the ribbing came off

and some recently handmade bias binding went on

and even though I didn't have time
to hand stitch the ends or replace missing buttons

she was perfect...

not only does she now sit comfortabley at the right length

looking good with the tunic I made last winter

she also does a great job of showing off one of the new
Frippery Pebble neckpieces.

and just in case you'd like to do something similar

there's new workshop dates/times up on the Website

....and there's still a few Fripperys left in the Shop.

MakeOver Monday - What Goes Around

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Tue, 23 May 2017 08:19:00 +0000

'MakeOver Monday'

... sharing how I cut up & REinvent items from my wardrobe
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

What goes around comes around

or is it

what comes around goes around???

Either way

here I am

on a Tuesday
pretending it's Monday...

I made a skirt

which I've named

'Merry-go-Round'
due the 5 panels of different fabrics which wrap around

in a fun & flattering nature

typically with a skirt you need a top

and because I didn't have one
I grabbed a knit skirt from the filing

and with the help of sleeves & edging

from a filed cardy

I made one

which I think works wonderfully with the skirt

and now all I need is a name for the Top?!

MakeOver Monday - A Pant to Frock Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 01:44:00 +0000

'MakeOver Monday'
... sharing how I cut up & REinvent items from my wardrobe
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

You know how it goes...

three people in a room swapping life stories

when one mentions how important it is to challenge yourself

and someone else jumps in suggesting a

Pants to Frock REinventing Challenge would be a good idea

and before you know it

everyone's getting excited about having a breakfast catch-up in a months time

to check out each others creations.

It took me a little while to wrap my head around how best to tackle the challenge
however with a new found love for linen

I armed myself with two op shop sourced linen pillowcases

a pair of linen pants

and a scrap of vintage floral cotton [an after thought]

and created a Pearl Frock

complete with pockets

which I wore with pride
to catch-up with Alex & Denise at our breaky rendevous
for show & tell

where Denise shared her once stretchy floral paisley printed as new op shop sourced jeans
transformed into a sexy sleeveless shift complete with pocket

and Alex had stitched her embroidered linen pants into a combined top/bolero attached to a billowing cotton skirt for a very bohemian look.

It was so much fun
we're already talking next time.

ps. joining in with Not Dead Yet and Not Dressed as Lamb.

Full Circle - Childrens Creative Sewing Classes

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 10:14:00 +0000

Feels like I've come full circle...

from the girl who hated sewing as a child [too many rules]

to the 20-something who decided to study it [wasn't going to be a barmaid or gulf cook for ever!]

learning that you need to know the rules

before you can break them
who for the past 15 or so years has shared her version of sewing with others via workshops/talks/blog posts

all the time developing her craft

to this point

creative sewing classes for children
with a focus on REinventing

because these are the sewing classes I wish I could've done as a child

and now as an adult

knowing the truth about sewing

[you create with your head, hands & heart]

that through the art of stitch you discover

mindfulness

slowing down, answering your own questions, listening to & relying on your intuition

respect

there's a ripple effect when you realise your ideas & thoughts are worthy

resilience

failures, mistakes & errors are the best excuse to do better next time

all attributes that ~~some~~ most struggle with in this

fast paced technology driven in your face take a number at times soulless world

because it's hard to find a soft place to fall

and I'd like to offer that
somewhere that screens are turned off & imaginations turned on
where being connected is about being the best version of yourself
and taking time out to create is cool
cos you get to make stuff!

click on image for more details

There's more info on the website [link above] however please don't hesitate to contact me if you would like more details.

MakeOver Monday - Tops as T-shirts

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 03:51:00 +0000

'MakeOver Monday'
... sharing how I cut up & REinvent items from my wardrobe
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

As a stand alone garment

I don't wear T-shirts

and haven't since I've been old enough to buy my own clothes

I'm pretty sure the initial aversion to them was due entirely to having the body shape of a boy [no shape] which has continued over the years as I've morphed into a beached whale

so when out & about on rescue missions

and I see simple frock styles made from gorgeous fabrics

just like this fabulous original 60's frock

it doesn't matter that she's not wide enough to get my left leg into

I know I can make her fit...

a cardy for every occassion

the tricky part can be deciding

which of the REinventing options on file to choose from

each choice would've created entirely different looks

meaning different uses

and with summer on the way I opted for

the least invasive & obtrusive

by cutting a wedge from the ribbon detail on the tablecloth

rather than going full floral

with lovely deep in-seam pockets being retro-fitted

as a matter of course

because who knew pockets could be so handy

and with early morning dog walking

& beach combing expeditions to maintain

having a Top I can chuck on and walk out the door in

means Tops are my T-shirts.

~~~oo0oo~~~

click on image for details

Create Before Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Wed, 02 Nov 2016 00:54:00 +0000

For those who'd like to create before Christmas

I've squeezed in a couple more workshops...

click on the image for details.

MakeOver Monday - The Exhibition Ensemble

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 04:01:00 +0000

'MakeOver Monday'
... sharing how I cut up & REmake items from my wardrobe
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

I knew back in July

I was going to my friend Reginas [aka The Mad Queen]
first solo exhibition in Fitzroy

Some of Reginas Tapestry & Tin Tea Frocks - over a third of her exhibits sold on the night!

because

when you have someone in your life

who's a diamond

you book your flight 3mths ahead of time

to fly to the other side of the country

leaving your children to fend for themselves

what I hadn't counted on

was that two days before I was due to fly out

I'd change my mind about the outfit I was preparing to wear on the big night

so armed with the understanding

I do my best work under pressure

and an extensive REinventing resource which sometimes doubles as my wardrobe

I grabbed two items

a fisherman frock made years ago from a sheer metallic fabric
featuring mens ties for shoulder straps

and an op shop sourced heavily hand embroidered silk skirt
that had been filed for years

just waiting for this moment....

the top of the frock and the bottom of the skirt

[with retro-fitted inseam pockets]

were attached to each other

which took a couple of goes

and the opinion of the eldest

to get the depth of the bodice right

and being I was heading to Melbourne
she needed a Cardet
which I REfashioned from a too-small woolen knitted cardy/jacket
by manipulating the fastenings

and for those essential items

[keys, lippy, cash]

a Fragment Bag was neccessary

to complete the

'Exhibition Ensemble'

I was lucky enough to come home with my absolute favourite piece from the exhibition

and 4days worth of wonderful memories!

Steve McQueen, Owls & Jumpers REinvented

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 22:28:00 +0000

You might not ever want to cut the back off a t-shirt

and replace it with one from the back of a mens shirt

restitch the neckline with the front tab from a woolly green cardigan

and machine embroider a bouquet of appliquéd crocus and waratah into
Steve McQueens hand

or discover how to

turn fabric owls from a rescued frock
into Fripperys

or
transform unwearable knitwear into

wearable wraps

that Fripperys always look good on

but just in case you do
there's new workshop dates up on the website.

MakeOver Monday - A Swock REinvent

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 06:39:00 +0000

'MakeOver Monday'
... sharing how I cut up & REmake items from my wardrobe
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

When you're on a roll it's hard to stop

and in the case of Swock Sewing

it seems everything hanging in my wardrobe

is a potential Swock in the waiting

the latest has the count at 5

and she was created from a green cardy

attached to what had orignally in life been steel grey cotton pants

and a locally designed/manufactured skirt

both were op-shop sourced

and both were transformed into a skirt a few years ago

with the addition of a mens tie around the hemline

If you like to keep your sewing simple

and your wardrobe wearable

I'm pretty sure you'll love Swock Sewing as much as me.

For a bit of fun and to share the love I'm joining in here this week.

Tightrope Walking in a Trapeze Swock while making Obi Belts from Mens Ties

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 05:38:00 +0000

'MakeOver Monday'
... sharing how I cut up & REmake items from my wardrobe
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

I like my new job description
nearly as much as I love my new
Trapeze Swock
named in part because the sleeves came from a Cirque de Soleil t-shirt top

and the full circle skirt I attached to the other t-shirt top

is as big as a tent

my clothes are my tools of trade
and where some items from my wardrobe are best suited to lounging on the couch

this particular Swock was perfect for the 'tightrope walking' I did last week

when I conducted a REinventing workshop
with a group of Yr11 ATAR Fashion students

and had the opportunity to share my REinventing story

while showcasing some of my REinventions
explaining the techniques I use

before the girls launched themselves into transforming
mens ties into Obi Belts

and considering they'd never machine embroidered before
and I'd never conducted a REinventing fashion talk exclusively to teens before
we all came away richer for the experience
and I for one am looking forward to doing it again.

Joining in the Linky fun over here.

Create - It's What We Do

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 07:28:00 +0000

Sorry no MakeOver Monday today

instead I wanted to share what's been going on downstairs in the Studio

I'm a little embarrassed & sad

that with all the creating that goes on here

I'm unable to share anywhere near the amount of photos I used to

totally due to the temporary [we wont be renting forever!] lack of good light

and any decent spots where the girls can do their super model thing

for anyone who's been before I'm pretty sure you'll get a sense of the familiar

and for those that haven't

here's a glimpse of how it works and what goes on...

they came

not only for the homemade deliciousness

or the candid chats about kids, blokes & crafty stuff

as always it was to slow down

leaving the world outside the door

in order to do what we do best

create

and bond

Leonie, Jenny, Marie

Kate, Rennae, Inge & Alex

Meg & Sue

to focus on what's important in that moment

and to lift each other up

so that at the end of the day

we get to feel as good as we look!

Kate & Alex at lunch

It's always bittersweet at the end of a workshop

when everyones packed up & headed back out into the big wide world

some I know will return while others will stay in touch

and I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to share time & space with every single one...

if you'd like to join us for the next Workshop

new dates are up on the website.

Only 1 spot left!

MakeOver Monday - Sewing Swocks

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Sun, 12 Jun 2016 21:40:00 +0000

'MakeOver Monday'
... sharing how I cut up & REmake items from my wardrobe
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

What do you call a Jumper, Sweater or Jersey

attached to a Shirt, Skirt or Frock

Shumper? Skumper? Frumper?

nup

they're a Swock [sweater frock]

after creating the original Swock

I knew I'd have trouble stopping

and have since created another 3!

Sweater - Skirt

a couple have pockets
and others have the buttons stitched down at the back

Sweater - Frock

they've fast become my go-to-winter-wardrobe staple

they're quick to make
perfect with leggings & jeans

are incredibly comfy while keeping me warm

and go with ALL THE boots.

sweater - [hubbys] shirt

If you'd like your own Swock

I've created a detailed step-by-step 4page pdf for easy download

which is available in the Shop…

without the need for pattern cutting, garment sizing and fabric buying
you'll never look at sweaters, jumpers, jerseys or shirts the same way again
and will be REinventing yours
& possibly your loved ones wardrobes in no time.

A Letter about a REinvent

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 00:28:00 +0000

Dear A & K,

thankyou for having enough faith in me to ask if I'd work out how to make this picture a reality in time for your next class.

image credit

I'm not sure if you realised just how excited I was for you to leave that day so I could start cutting up shirts & jumpers

and after selecting a couple of volunteers that's what happened.

It's been a while since an idea for a REinvent had me racing to the finish line and even though in reality it wasn't my idea

it was none the less refreshing to be looking forward to a project that didn't involve another tunic.

It happens on occassion where you can see the process laid out before you like a road map and all you have to do is stick to the speed limit dodging any obstacles that might happen along the way.

With all eyes on the prize I was confident enough to start taking photos

excited to share the journey with you in class

and everyone else via a MakeOver Monday post

the other volunteers

after hours of repeated cutting, pinning, trying on & taking off

and the selection of two more volunteers

I have to admit to using your names in vain
as I could see that road along with the idea disappearing over a cliff...

sorry girls some ideas don't work
[and some people look good in a paper bag]

it turns out the bottom of a jumper stitched to the top of a shirt is one of them

gravity is a bitch and as soon as you move the whole thing ends up like a straight jacket

even shaped it not only looked ridiculous it was uncomfortable

to say I was disappointed is an understatement

on a personal level it would've made a great sample for an up-&-coming teens workshop

and I knew how much you both wanted it in your winter wardrobes

so I took my own advice before binning/refiling it

I walked away returning the following morning less pissed off with fresh eyes

and came up with the

~~Shumper~~ 'Swock'

so thrilled was I with the outcome I retrieved the original and did a similar thing

which Sue kindly modelled during Saturdays class

I wasn't sure about the pockets

however am totally convinced now.

So there you have it.

Moral to the story

on the rare occassion that some books make better movies
it happens that some garments make better photos...
meaning a shift in perspective can make all the difference

look forward to seeing you soon and hearing your thoughts.

Love, Jody x

ps. not sure I'm able to stop!

MakeOver Monday - The Short Story of Two Wooly Skirts

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Mon, 16 May 2016 00:44:00 +0000

'MakeOver Monday'
... sharing how I cut up & REmake items from my wardrobe
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

2 wooly skirts literally leapt from the back of the wardrobe

as they excitedly volunteered themselves

for this weeks MakeOver Monday

like me they recognised they'd make better tunics than skirts

and that's exactly what happened

before I knew it

armholes were cut

necklines played with

& accessories made
[just like this one]

[Frippery Brooch made from scraps using machine & hand embroidery]

and two neglected back-of-the-wardrobe skirts

are now much favoured warm-as-hugs tunics

[the machine embroidery was created when I first REfashioned the original skirt 10yrs ago]

If you'd like to do similarly with volunteers from the back of your wardrobe

a spot has become available on these dates at the Spearwood Studio

Winter Wardrobe Workshop

31st May, 7th, 8th & 14th June

9-3pm

come for a day or stay for four!

$480 [4 days]

$145 per day

Next Week

another enthusiastic volunteer

the leather straps have to go

and she's too long...

I do love the crinkly wool and will try and keep as much of the printed bits

thinking a mens tie might make it's way into this one.

MM - The Ruby Red Cardy That Was a Jumper

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Mon, 09 May 2016 06:45:00 +0000

'MakeOver Monday'
... sharing how I cut up & REmake items from my wardrobe
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

What to do

when your new frock doesn't have a cardy to match...

you make one that does

turns out red is a hard colour to capture on an iPhone

having picked a colour in the frock to try and match

it was a ruby red jumper which volunteered

due to the open light weight semi-ruched nature of the cotton jumper

it was essential that some hand sewing happened on the couch

the walking foot was attached to the Bernina

& differential feed was dialled in on the Bernette
to help avoid any unwanted stretching

the front band was the bottom edge of the jumper
- this is the best representation of the actual colour

and as luck would have it [or fate!]

my keen treasure rescuing eye

caught a glimpse of 6 perfect 'light garnet' coloured thread spools
tossed in the bottom of a bin

to help get the job done

note to any op shop bosses who might stumble upon this post
PLEASE stop pricing stuff with PERMANENT MARKER
not only is it annoying for the purchaser
to have their treasure permenantly defaced
it's disrespectful
to the person who took the time to donate said treasure
- it's lazy and did I mention annoying!

rant over...

I couldn't be happier with my perfect

ruby red cardy

which it turns out goes with this frock and a few others!

Next Week

These wooly skirt's will be tunics...

I hope!

Winter Wardrobe Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Thu, 05 May 2016 11:38:00 +0000

Update : these classes are now FULL!

There's new dates for the

ALL DAY Winter Wardrobe Workshop

available on the website...

you can come for a day or stay for 4

the choice is yours!

Opera Wrap

Grab the opportunity to breath new life into old favourites

create new favourites from scratch

or make Opera Wraps for every day of the week.

Hope to hear from you.

Warm regards,

Jody x

MM - The Little Red Dress That Was a Skirt

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Mon, 02 May 2016 05:54:00 +0000

'MakeOver Monday'
... sharing how I cut up & REmake items from my wardrobe
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

Sometimes a REinvent sneaks up on you...

while mucking around making a wrap pattern over the weekend

I REdiscovered

a rescued Miranda Brown Conscious Cloth soft-as-butter merino wool too-small skirt
tucked up at the bottom of a cupboard

and thought I could use it to sample the new wrap pattern
while having a bit of fun

so without another thought
I started prepping her for REinventing

and before I knew it I'd cut off the waist & removed the zip

meaning I had to re-pin her in order to get some before shots

next came armhole placement

this took a bit of deliberating because once there's holes in the middle of the fabric

there's no going back...

after leaving the room a couple of times and a couple of cuppas later

I opted for a not so high neck,

giving me more length

& the stripes coming up higher in the front

I was already aware of a few nibbled holes along the back zippered seam
which had been cut away without interferring with the design

however it wasn't until about now

that I discovered a teeny one centre front

which threatened to derail the whole project

I figured I'd soldier on

and when she was finished
ignore the hole

or work on adding darning to my repoitoire

of make-do-and-mend skills...

it was only after laying out every length of bias binding in the place
without finding a match to finish the edges
that I decided to retain the original skirt lining

lining runs a 2nd to bias

as my preferred way to finish edges

it hides a multitude of sins

and especially helps a woollen garment sit & feel better

and after all, at the end of the day

if you feel good

you'll look good

especially

if it means you get to wear your favourite red boots!

Next Week:

I need a cardy to go with the butterfly frock
and this jumper volunteered!

Workshops - The Venue Has Nothing to Do With It.

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 23:03:00 +0000

Yesterday I remembered the reason for the delay in making the decision

to offer workshops again

was because I didn't think the new studio space would be suitable

after all half a garage under a 1970's suburban palace

is a far cry from the garden studio under a flowering Jacaranda Tree

however now that they're a happening thing

I'm reminded that it's not the venue that makes a good workshop

it's the people that do

with their busy hands

and curious minds

l=r Kate & Rennae

who are open to being courageous

that creates an atmosphere

infused with laughter & shared experiences

which will make any venue perfect...
and how lucky am I that you guys think so too!

l-r Marie, Leonie, Jenny & Alex

If you'd like to join us for the next round of classes

the details are over here.

Update - there's 1 spot left.

MakeOver Monday - The Twice Rescued Butterfly Frock REinvent

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 06:05:00 +0000

'MakeOver Monday'
... sharing how I cut up & REmake items from my wardrobe
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

Sometimes it's not diffcult to work out why something ends up in the oppy

[ugly pink piping]

and not for a moment did I think I'd ever wear this linen frock as-is

when I rescued her

[ugly pink piping]

however it wasn't until the girls in the Wednesday class

started rummaging through the sales rack

[I have a sales rack for rescues I wont use]

and Kate nearly bought her

that I remembered what attracted me to her in the first place
[quality linen, colours & print]

so I rescued her for a 2nd time...

first to go was the pink piping

which ran down the front & around the hem

once these & the sleeves were removed

the front bits were sewn back together

allowing me to open up the shoulders

revealing what I was now able to work with

if you've been following my REinventing over the years

you'll know exactly where this is headed

a Fisherman Frock

is my go-to wardrobe staple

partly because I like/suit the style

but mostly because I don't need a pattern

which usually equates to a quick-fix

however with all the cutting done intuitively

this doesn't always mean it's actually going to be quick

as proved by the amount of time spent getting the straps just right

however with patience, pins & some handmade bias binding

while remembering not to cut anything off until absolutely sure

I got the straps just where I wanted them

and am now looking forward to wearing her heaps...

once I work out the best colour to wear under or over her...

who'd have thought I wouldn't have a cardy ready to go?!

MM - The 33min Cardy REfashion

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 10:00:00 +0000

'MakeOver Monday'
... sharing how I cut up & REmake items from my wardrobe
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

Todays class wasn't starting 'til 9am

and with the brownies baked, jug filled & vacumming done

I decided the pink cardy I planned on wearing

[with the latest frock REinvent]

needed REashioning

because of the ~~revolting~~ ribbing

and length

all it took was

bias binding, scissors

[to save time - mark the finished length & cut
while folding the bottom edge as you go using it as the cutting guide]

a walking foot

[wide bias binding makes a fantastic false hem & stops the knit from rolling]

and if you take into account the time it took for photos

then a dash up stairs to get the teen to take more

it was really more like 25mins of my time

to complete the Ribbing Removal REfashion

and if you dislike ribbing as much as I do

it was 25 minutes well spent!

'MakeOver Monday' Cardy Party Show & Tell

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 00:19:00 +0000

The bloke's home

so yesterday I donned my latest REinventions

wrangled two of my greatest creations

sisters

jumped in the car

and we all headed to the hills

on a road trip in search of lunch

Jarrahdale Pub

and I'm thrilled to report

that the newly REfashioned Cardy

passed her first outing with flying colours

working beautifully with the Frock REinvent from a few weeks back

and the first Petal Necklace

although breezes are to be avoided as the petals flip over - hoping some strategic stitching will help.

to re-cap

here are links through to the posts I did stepping you through the process I took

to REfashion two cardys I wasn't wearing due to their small sizes

into one I will wear often because
now it fits...

Day 1 - Requirements
Day 2 - Cutting
Day 3 - Stitching

An InLinkz Link-up

MakeOver Cardy Party - Day3 [with a video]

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 08:05:00 +0000

Changing buttons is sometimes enough to change a whole garment

or be the key in bringing a REfashion together

because the two grey knits I've used are different tones

I was hopeful the right buttons would help tie it all together

so at the end of Day2

I swapped plastic buttons for a selection of random silvery grey ones

which sounds as perfect as it looks

Day3 - Stitching

This morning with the overlocker in situ, threaded
and her differential feed dialed in
I overlocked the sides of the keeper
and the edges of the wedges

please don't fret or chuck a wobbly if you don't have an overlocker
being a knit fabric the overlocker is purely decorative
as once stitched a knit fabric isn't going to fray

to help with the next step where we insert/attach the wedge
I made a short video

which I hope helps

because at the end of the day

you want it to look like this.

Now you have ALL weekend to play
[please don't hesitate to ask any questions]

and I'll meet you back here or on FB this Monday
for the 'MakeOver Cardy Party' reveal!

Jody x

Make Over Cardy Party - Day2

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 07:58:00 +0000

I like a grey cardy

a grey cardy goes with most things

unless of course it's too small

then knowing how to rememdy this

is the handiest skill of all

following on from yesterdays post

you'll have selected two cardigans or a cardy & a jumper...

choose the one you wish to make bigger [keeper]

and the one you're prepared to sacrifice [volunteer]

we'll be adding a 'wedge' created from the volunteer

to gain the extra width needed in the keeper

Day2 :: Cutting

take the folded sleeve of the 'volunteer'

and lay it along the side seam of the 'keeper'

to check the sleeves you are about to remove are long enough

to fit the gap you are about to create

[if it's not you can use the fronts &/or back of the 'volunteer' cardy]

carefully remove the sleeves from the body of the 'volunteer'

open them up along the seams

because they've had a life you might notice they're a little stretched

a quick steam/press will help bring them back into shape

with the 'keeper'

carefully cut up the side seams

stopping 1cm from the underarm point

even though you know the 'keeper' is too small

you'll not know by how much until you try it on

and unlike me you wont have to expose your lumpy bits to the world by taking a photo of yourself

instead you'll use your camera hand to measure the gap

taking note of that measurement

in my case the amount I needed fell short of the amount I could acheive

[determined by the width of the sleeve hem]

however I don't wear my cardys buttoned up

so figured any extra was better than none

and forged ahead

having made note of the width needed for the bottom of the wedge

I measured down the opened side seam on the 'keeper'

to get the length measurement required

and marked this measurement up from the bottom of the folded sleeves

then ruled a straight line from the top to the bottom

creating the wedges I'll need.

Tomorrow we plug in the sewing machine!

MakeOver Cardy Party - Day1

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 03:42:00 +0000

Welcome to Day 1 of the first ever

'MakeOver Cardy Party'

where we're going to smash out a gorgeous signature cardy which fits

from two annoyingly small ones...

lets do this!

Day1 :: What We Need

I've thrown together the items I know I'll be using along the way

with the exception of my sewing machine

and I'll probably use the overlocker aswell
[couldn't fit them in the picture]

the walking foot is my preference for sewing knits

however a regular foot is perfectly fine

you might just have to adjust your tension

according to how the fabric is feeding through the machine as you sew.

Requirements

minimum 2 knitwear garments which are a size too small, of similar weight & thickness i.e. like with like. The garment to be sacrificed to make the other bigger [can be another cardy or a jumper] needs to have a long or 3/4 set-in sleeve [not a raglan sleeve].
sewing machine with size 70 universal needle.
walking foot or straight stitch foot.
sharp pins.
ruler & tape measure.
sharp scissors.
unpicker/seam ripper.
fabric marker.
matching thread.

If you haven't any cardys in your collection ready to volunteer themselves

keep your eyes open in the op shops

or spread the word amongst family & friends that you're in need of a couple of donations.

Tomorrow we'll pick up the scissors & plug in the machine!

Jody x

ps. please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
pss. you'll find this post on cutting up cardys very helpful aswell.

'MakeOver Monday' Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Jody Pearl) — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 02:33:00 +0000

You're invited to the first
'MakeOver Monday Cardy Party'

I've come up with a way to share 'MakeOver Monday' so you can do it too!

Having realised I've a small window of opportunity in which to create next weeks offering

because I need to get organised for workshops starting up again...

it's April already?!

From my collection of cardigans I selected two grey ones which don't get worn due to their small sizes

and was going to go ahead and REfashion them on my own

when in a flash of brilliance

I thought why don't we all do it!

Starting tomorrow & for the following 3days

I'll share detailed instructions on how to transform a couple of unwearable cardys into one that'll be a favourite...

the Course Outline will go something like this;

Day1: where to start
Day2: the first cut...& more
Day3: putting it back together

which leaves the weekend to play, in time to share your creations next Monday using one these options;

Blog - on the Linky thing I'll put up.
Facebook - if you haven't liked my page you so should.
Email - send your images and a little story about how you went and I'll share them with everyone.

Hope you can make it!

Jody x