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Garment 6: Grey tunic transformation

21 Monday Aug 2017

Posted by Beth Duffus in dressmaking, Fashion Design, Sewing

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dressmaking, garment transformation, tunic

I am a little cross with myself for forgetting to take a ‘before’ photograph of this garment, so this post can really only serve as a record of progress for myself, though I hope it might be of interest to some. Basically, I have owned this grey tunic for about eight years. I bought it in H&M because I loved the faded grey chambray fabric. It was originally a pull-over-the-head tunic with only three buttons on the front placket. It was always a terrible fit: the back was very baggy due to my swayback and the poor cut of the garment; the skirt section was gathered and sat at an odd angle over my backside; and the front swung forward so much it made me look about 8-months pregnant. Yet I still wore it constantly, which is testament to our willingness to wear ill-fitting clothes in the modern era.

It was put to the back of the wardrobe for some future fixing that I honestly thought I’d never get round to. I was about to donate it to charity when I thought I would at least try to salvage it and I’m so glad I did.

greytunic
greytunicside
greytunicback

 

I took the skirt section off completely, removed the gathers and took in the side seams.  I reshaped the darts on the back of the bodice and, using my skirt sloper, created plain darts on the back of the skirt. I cut the skirt up the middle of the front and took it in there too but I left enough fabric to create extend the button band turning the whole thing into a shirt dress/tunic. I really wish I had remembered to take ‘before’ photos because this really is quite a dramatic improvement. I’ll get a lot more wear out of this practical garment. The pockets are a good size for pens, pencils and erasers when I’m drawing.

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Garment 5: Frumpy Dress to Cool Tunic

15 Saturday Jul 2017

Posted by Beth Duffus in Design, dressmaking, Fashion Design, Sewing

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dressmaking, sewing transformations, tunic

After the challenge of the chiffon shirt (Garment 4), I decided to give myself a bit of a break with an easier and faster project. I bought this L K Bennett dress about 10 years ago and I have never worn it. It was quite expensive, which is why I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it but, honestly, I don’t know what I was thinking. This is the right way round on the dummy with the boat-neck at the front and the V at the back. It sat a few inches below the knee.

Although it’s good quality, heavy jersey, I knew this thing was either going to the charity shop or it would sit in my wardrobe for another 10 years. So I got my scissors out!

Voila! A little tunic that hits me a little above mid-thigh and has been turned around to give me a V-neck at the front. I had to alter and stitch the V-neck as it was far too revealing otherwise. There’s a little wrinkle under the bust but it’s not too noticeable. I’ll be able to wear this with a pair of skinny black jeans, heels and a sparkly necklace. I’m quite pleased with it as transformations aren’t always that easy and I feel as if I’ve got something for free, though that’s not quite true.

 

 

 

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