A couple posts ago, I mentioned that I was interested in participating in the Sew For Victory sew-a-long. I had picked out a modern dress pattern with a 1940s feel that I already owned, and dropped by my local Joann to pick up some fabric. When will I ever learn? There was literally no fabric I could or would want to use for it, not to mention the prices have skyrocketed severely since I last did apparel sewing. So, for now, that's been back-burnered until I can get out to Fabric Depot/have money saved again (fabric money morphed into ant killing vacuum money.... c'est la adult vie).
BUUUUT, I did get a bit of sewing done these past few days! On my last trip to the Bins, I found a nasty hot mess kimono laying on top of one of the fabric troughs. I very, very, very rarely will venture into the clothing bins. I never had lice as a child and I don't plan on getting it now, so avoiding a slopbucket of clothes the Goodwill couldn't even peddle seems paramount. I made exceptions for this kimono because I've been wanting one of those kimono style jackets that are so popular both currently and in the 1920s. It was wrecked, and I didn't really notice how badly until I got it home and soaked/handwashed/soaked/sunwashed/machine washed/handwash again-ed it. One of it's sleeves was missing. The main material (I'm assuming it's polyester or acetate or something.) had shatters/holes all over. The hem was super stained and dirty. All in all, I can see why someone dragged it out of the abyss and left it on top, but the total cost for it wound up being like 83 cents, so I couldn't pass it up.
I ended up hacking off a huge amount of the bottom and making a second sleeve out of the remaining material that wasn't too dirty. As I worked with it, it disintegrated even more, so I tried to reinforce all the main seams with machine stitches. It's in one piece, but still very delicate. I had to had patch a bunch of small holes (and one huge one that I accidentally hacked into it. Eeeee), but it feels like it's wearable now?! I'm pretty excited! It'll be a great edition to my Dapper Friday wardrobe, which I'm slowing decided to just make my every day wardrobe. Baby steps.
It's very dark in the house today, but when I opened the blinds it was too bright?! Ah, iPhone photography. Anyway, enjoy these grainy weird pictures.
( It hangs a lot better on the body than my dress form)
I didn't even think to take before pictures, but it was a wreck.
These photos don't do the fabric justice. It's a deep plummy maroon that is a bit changeable with a gold cast.
Overall, I'm pretty pleased with how it came out! I'm very much back into apparel sewing mode, which I've been out of for years. I wish I had more room, as I'm currently working in a space about three by four feet that is carpeted (it suuuucks), but I'm looking into getting a tv tray that I can work on my machine with. Currently I'm using my chair as a table for the machine and am sitting hunched over on the edge of my bed, and it's killing my back!
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