Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Upcycled big button down man's shirt to girly office shirt

So I didn't get any before pics but oh, well.

Here she is:

Black shirt recon finished

Black shirt recno - detail

I will edit this post to include a tutorial if I get bored enough to write one.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

shit I gotta get done

Tasks
Take pictures of the following:
  • grey shirt recon
  • black shirt recon
  • blue shirt recon
  • black and blue corset outfit
  • Jeans skirt 
  • Red and black dress 
Take new face shots of self cause everything you have on line is older than dirt.

Make vest from pattern (get lining material - see thrift store for deal and for sheets to make mock ups of)

Find light over coat or frock coat pattern for wearing over event cloths. Then get stuff to make it.

Finish tree corset

Make little halter dress from black materials

Make short circle skirt pattern from thrift store sheets

Make longer circle skirt pattern from thirft store sheets

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Corsety fun

So I have my material (a cotton twill I think might be too light weight)

I have cut out to of each piece (two left two right) with seam allowances on the sides. Now I gotta figure out my construction method. I am winging it as you can tell.

I want the result to be artistic, somewhat rough and de-constructed with maybe a nod to the steampunk aesthetic without going over the top. Of course I want all that with rock sold construction.

So I was thinking of doing it like this.

Take my mock up and sketch out mock trim and free hand my design with a sharpie

Try it on and adjust it

Then transfer the design to the unassembled pieces of the outer layer. The seams allowances are chalked to knowing where to put the design shouldn't be a issue.

Next face stitch my design in

Then get out the embroidary hoop and add any extra bits that need adding

Then I think I am gonna work the assemby like this:
  1. First the inner layer I am going to sew together and add a band at the waist for support
  2. Next I am gonna sew together the outer layer 
  3. Then I am gonna install the busk... I am still not clear on how to do this but I think that is lack of confidence more than anything. 
  4. Now I am not sure if I am going to use my boning tape or just sew the channels straight in or not.. and I am thinking of using a combination of panels, store boning and cable ties, and proper boning. If I am going to use the tape it is now or never.
  5. Now to intall the grommet tape. First sew the outer edge together to create the slim boning channel
  6. Next I am going to turn back the extra seam allowance for one of the set's of boning channels and pin bast the inner layer, grommet tape, and outer layer together into a sandwich with the right sides and tape facing in.... and slowly sew it together one row of stitching next to the grometts.
  7. Then turn it right side out and face stitch that line down.
  8. then turn it right side in and use the extra grommet tape to measure out a channel for the fat steel bones.
  9. then turn it right side out again and sew the channel in as tight as possible.
  10. Next sew the remaining channels at the seams (this is where I have to decide to have exposed channels or just use the two layers to make the channels... I think I will use the two layers since I did a design on it at the beginning.
  11. Next I am going to add my trim to the top and bottom (lots of hand bits) being careful not to close the channels
  12. Next I am going to sew closed the bottom with at least a few rows of stitching
  13. Install the bones
  14. Sew the top closed
  15. Re-enforce the bone ends with stitching (aka flossing)
  16. Add the finished edge
  17. lace her up
  18. dance for joy