Handmade Outfits Are Back!
Whoo Hoo!! Remember my Handmade Wardrobe series last year?! Well it's back for a Summer 2014/15 series!
My wardrobe is desperate for a New Zealand summer overhaul. I scraped through last summer all hot and yucky, dreaming of cooler dresses, less sleeves and more swooshy, lightweight clothing and I'm not planning to do it again. Warm weather is in the air, I need new clothes and since I'm still on a quest to create myself a totally handmade wardrobe I'd better get started. These clothes aren't going to make themselves!
Like last year, I'm plotting and scheming in terms of outfits - rather than individual pieces - planning new clothes outfit by outfit gets me all excited and motivated. But this time I'm going to go a little easier on myself. Last year I aimed for an outfit a month and my plans were scarpered about half way through the year when we began our big move downunder to New Zealand. At the moment, with Christmas around the corner, a few more knitting designs in the wings and a buzzing family life, I don't fancy imposing any rules on myself. They'll only get broken!
So, my plan thus far is to make myself one outfit at a time; bags, jewellery and accessories included. No time limits but ideally I'd like to have made a bunch of new clothes by the end of the summer ... that's about March/April 2015. I'm also thinking I'd like to stretch myself a little and try some new techniques. Isn't it all sounding more exciting by the minute?!
I'm also hoping to use as much as I can from my fabric and yarn stash and limit what I buy. I had a rummage through my fabric stash over the weekend and really and truly, it's crazy how much stuff I've got hidden under my bed.
So, where to start? The motley assortment in the photo will be my first outfit. I like to name my outfits and I'm calling this one "mother of four tries to look a little chic while still feeling very comfortable" or something like that. For this outfit I'm doing a little finishing off, a little "making-over", as well as some making from scratch.
The black and white fabric is an almost finished Washi top. The black is actually more dark grey than black; it's an old Amy Butler cotton print. The top is sleeveless with a keyhole neckline and it shouldn't take much to finish. I just have to bind the armholes with the vivid orange cotton I dyed a while ago and them hem it.
The dingy brown fabric is a stretch denim that I'm going to dye grey (along with the battered blue shoes). Once dyed it's going to become a short, funky Moss Skirt. Fingers crossed about the shoes. I'm not sure how they'll go. They're jolly shabby and terribly stained.
Everything will be finished off with a chunky necklace featuring these rather fabulous wooden beads around the front. I do love making jewellery.
Best I get cracking. I'll be back soon to report how I'm getting on. Anyone fancy joining me in whipping up an outfit?