UPCYCLING..Red tee

I have finished all my paintings for now and want to get some clothes ready for warm weather. I really don't need new ones but am a tad tired of the old ones. So rather than give to the needy I am giving a try at revamping them and at the same time trying new sewing techniques and ideas. 

My first endeavor is to re design this tee using this printed fabric. 












Originally it had a border on the bottom and sleeves  made of a different lacey fabric that shrunk when washed, then faded to a strange variation of red and looked pretty awful. I cut the trim off and now will add the printed fabric to replace it. If I don't it will be way too short for my taste.

Today I decided on doing a scalloped design for the bottom and perhaps even for the sleeves. The sleeves will have only a very small border so not sure the scalloped design will look good...I can decide later...when I get to them.  









After the borders are all sewn on and finished I will use the Alabama Chanin way of hand sewing, using a cardboard template shown to add leaves in a design down the front from the shoulder across to the opposite edge on bottom. I am using some fabric from an old sleep shirt I never wear for the leaves. They are ever so slightly different in color which is a good thing but also I am backing some of them with the border fabric letting only a tiny bit peep out to tie the whole thing together. 




This is an experiment for me. I usually do not like to remodel, would rather sew from scratch but my way of thinking has changed over the years and I have learned so many new thing I am excited to give this a try. When I am finished my hope is that this will make a nice addition to a denim skirt I have as well as a jeans go-with.


January 29, 2014

A new day of sewing and I finally have the designs laid out 

and a small start on the hand sewing.








January 30, 2014

Worked today and managed to get all the sewing done on front. I like the way it looks and have decided to leave the sleeves plain with no  fabric trim. Tomorrow I will finish it off by hand stitching the sleeves since I have no red machine thread to use. Hoping to wear it along with my blue skirt to the outdoor Elvis concert in Crystal River tomorrow evening. Now I just need to decide on what chunky jewelry to wear with it.



January 30, 2014

Put the finishing touch on my upcycled tee this morning by doing a back stitch along the two slits on side of tee...

Here is a pretty awful shot of me trying the skirt and shirt together to see how they will look...I think they work together...In fact it will work nice for jeans and other skirts...I'm happy with it.