Monday 22 May 2017

Sewaholic Renfrew x2 (and one is upcycled)

I got annoyed pretty quickly with how I somehow left all my me-made basics behind with this move.  I wear a uniform at work and sportswear most of the time when I'm not at work and there's no way I could have attempted me-made-may under these conditions!  The result is that I basically listed up a capsule wardrobe of basics to sew, just so I can make sure I'm always wearing something I've made myself.  Tshirts were the first on the list because I hadn't brought enough with me.

I got settled into my new place and turned my room into a sweatshop producing tshirts like never before...I've decided to categorise my blog posts by pattern and I'm actually pretty curious which of my tshirts will stand the test of time and become my favourites.

First the boring, tried, tested Renfrew.  Size 4, modification: 2" waist shortening.  I am 33-27-37 and very short waisted, 5'4".

The periwinkle fabric is a merino blend with some poly in it, and has a very small terrycloth knit inside, which does give it a bit of a variegated look, although it's not actually striped.  It's moderately warm and I snagged it at The Fabric Store to make some new Anima sleep pants.  (More on those later.)




I think the wrinkles above the bust are just because I didn't pull it down because I never notice them when I wear it!

The red top is upcycled from an XL shapeless top by one of New Zealand's real sweatshop chains, Glassons.  It was about $4 in an op-shop.  As you can see it had some gathers in the middle.  What you can't see is the ridiculous elastic neckband.  Sorry as always I forgot to take before photographs.





I have nothing to say about construction except that as always, with upcycling you have to let go just a little and it makes things more exciting.  The jersey was tissue thin and my room was cold so it got fiddly.  I used the original arm bands, just cutting them shorter to match the pattern.  The neck band is my own, and the gathered bottom is the original.  It was mostly luck that made it match up lengthwise on the front and the back, although I did try, I thought the front would be shorter.



I love both of these, as the Renfrew really is my favourite pattern ever, and these both went into immediate rotation.  Although my upcycled top might be made of older fabric that will fall apart, I was particularly in love with how it turned out.  The waist feature makes it that something different and the ancient fabric means it already feels soft and worn-in.

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