Author Archives: Jane

Sew 186 – Quilted vest remodelled

Sometimes we invest a lot of fabric, effort and energy in handcraft only to find we don’t particularly enjoy the end result. This is off-putting and something to guard against if we are to continue to invest time in creative work. I don’t know what the answer is, except to say that handcrafted items can be upcycled.

Gwen had made a lovely quilted vest some time ago but wasn’t wearing it because she didn’t like its shape. It is rare that I suggest unpicking anything, but in this case I could envisage the front panels becoming character-filled deep pockets, so I suggested Gwen unpick the side-seams of her vest and resew the lining to create two stand-alone pockets from the front panels. Continue reading →

Sew 185 – Meredith made a cape

A bit of lateral thinking can go a long way. Meredith brought this gorgeous embellished red wool skirt to our Biloela workshop wondering what she could do to morph a cast-off into something she was more likely to wear.

After turning it upside down, around and about for a few minutes, we came up with the idea of turning it into a winter cape. The skirt was comprised of panels, and Meredith unpicked most of two seams that lined up with her arms. She then used blanket stitch and wool thread to secure and define these openings as armholes. The zip became the collar when half-unzipped and with the edges secured by a couple of random vintage buttons. The zip and fastenings remain in place as collar features – and a signpost to the fact this is a refashioned creation. To finish off the neckline, Meredith sewed a piece of elastic inside the back of the ‘collar’ so it sits up neatly at the rear. Clever! Continue reading →

Sew 184 – Darn holes in wool

For those preferring an eco-lifestyle, winter means delving into the wool stocks to keep oneself warm rather than heating the entire house – especially in a climate like Brisbane’s where the winter sunshine works its magic by late morning.

That’s how I found one of my favourite scarves had developed a hole – which I darned using an op-shop-gathered ball of wool of similar tone. I like the idea of wool being visibly mended – it’s a badge of honour that says upcycled, sustainable, care of natural resources.

After mending, I used this scarf as a wrap skirt teamed with an opshop found wool skivvy from which I removed the high neck and turned it into a head band. Continue reading →

Sew 183 – Yay, half way post

On a young woman’s cloth shopping bag I recently noticed this saying: I am not a shopaholic, I am helping the economy. Well, at least it was a recyclable bag even if the message is questionable.

We have been conditioned to believe that buying more stuff is good for us and society when clearly that’s not the case. We live in a world with finite resources and it known that over-consumption on all levels is impacting our health in obvious as well as subtle ways. But some people make money out of encouraging over consumption.

As one gets older, and hopefully wiser, it is interesting to reflect on our purpose in life and what we might do (beyond purchasing) to help make the world a better place. Continue reading →

Sew 182 – Merino lives on

I’m half-way through the Sew it Again project – and celebrated by flying into the Gold Coast this morning with the sun rising on a beautiful clear sky day – and a bush walk up Mt Coot-tha with daughter Lily where the clear skies meant we could see across Moreton Bay.

I loved visiting the colourful, cultural melting pot that is Kuala Lumpur to catch up with my brother Tony Capon and his family, and my aunt Kate McLachlan from New Zealand, but city high-rise living in a tropical metropolis is very different to our leafy-green Queenslander lifestyle in inner-suburban Brisbane where we live close to nature. Continue reading →

Sew 181 – Refashioned neckline

Sometimes it is only takes a small change to render something eminently more wearable. This turtle-neck top became a boat-neck with a simple chop and sew, making for a more relaxed and comfortable look.

This is the last day of posting from KL, which has provided some great inspiration, multi-cultural colour and food for thought regarding dress customs and choices. Known as the fourth-best shopping in the world after New York, Tokyo and London, I’ve resisted the many temptations and purchased only a couple of pieces of batik (oh and the silk treats from Gulati’s Silk House). Continue reading →

Sew 180 – Upside-down trouser skirt

Bev brought a bundle of brown garments to the Biloela workshop that she was no longer wearing, including a pair of trousers. This outfit was created by flipping the trousers upside down and turning them into an elastic waist skirt, with the zip remaining in place to act as a front-slit feature.

We estimated how long Bev wanted the finished skirt to be, then cut off the bottom part of the legs accordingly. We then filleted the inside leg seams and instead of them being joined front to back (as when trousers) they are then joined front to front (and back to back) to form the skirt. It is just a matter of pinning then sewing the seams so they blend into the existing seam (which was top of trousers). The angle on the front seam was such that we did not need to add an insert panel. Continue reading →

Sew 179 – Versatile linen cape

Linen is an ancient fibre made from flax which lasts a long time and is sustainable because its production does not usually involve a lot of water and chemical use. I love the crushed look linen gets after washing and wear it that way without ironing as a badge of honour – saving effort and energy.

The upcycled part of Sew 179 is the strip of linen fabric with frayed edges which I cut into two wraps a while back. One remains as a wrap, as worn below when I visited to Heli Lounge Bar to enjoy KL’s landmarks. The other strip I’ve turned into a versatile cape, secured in its many incarnations by fabric-covered safety pins. Continue reading →

Sew 178 – Upcycled punjabi dress

Seeing Indian women in colourful saree and punjabi are joyous sights I remember well from our Australian Rural Leadership Program trip to India in 2009 and of course many of us brought one or two of the traditional garments home. I purchased two silk punjabi kits at a craft market in Hyderabad, made them up when I got home and wore them on appropriate occasions. I have admiration for the way Indian women make wearing the scarf so easy whereas I found it needed constant adjustment. To make one of my outfits easier to wear, I refashioned it as Sew 178 and sewed the scarf to the neckline so it is attached in place. I wore it out and about in KL today with my aunt Kate McLachlan as we enjoyed seeing the full range of textile construction techniques and national costumes on display at Malaysia’s fantastic National Textile Museum, see photos below. Continue reading →

Sew 177 – History in the making

Here’s the lovely and productive Bev in the History Skirt she made at our Biloela REfashion workshop which is still delivering dividends, including #upcycle number 177 of 365 in the Sew it Again year.

Although I have a few more days left to enjoy in Kuala Lumpur, I’m already planning for my next workshop Creative Chop and Change on July 12 which is being hosted by the Queensland branch of the Australian Textile Artists and Surface Designers Association – you can book here if you are interested in being mindfully creative with rejects from your wardrobe. Continue reading →