Having an original, one-of-a-kind garment is interesting, fun and an expression of creativity – but it is not for everyone.

We all have our own preference and taste, whether that is conservative, conventional or high fashion as determined by so-called trendsetters and style leaders,

Because I’ve never been one to follow the crowd, upcycling existing clothing suits me well – I can experiment with different styles and enjoy natural fibres without breaking the bank.

My Upcycled exhibition in Coolah was a unique opportunity to present an alternative and adventurous way of engaging with our wardrobes, rather than simply buying off-the-rack, ready-made fashion as has become the norm over the past two decades.

My premise is that home-sewing is a life skill, just like home-cooking, and the Sew it Again project aims to transform the way we think about and wear our clothes.

Sew 137 was a wool cardigan and cotton t-shirt which I’ve reshaped together to become a bespoke skirt. I turned the cardi upside down and draped the buttoned edge across the hips and pinned it in place before cutting the arms off and sewing the sides together. One sleeve became a beanie. I used the bottom of the t-shirt as a waistband with elastic inserted at the top edge. I then cut across the shoulders and collar of the wool garment, and trimmed these cut edges with strips from the t-shirt. I finished off the skirt by using darning stitch to secure the buttoned edge to about half-way down the front, leaving the bottom half overlapping and open to make walking easier. It is hard to show the making process in the photos, but each jumper will be different anyway so just experiment with what you have.