Upcycling and printing on old suede skirts

Unfortunately I never took a photo of this lilac suede skirt before I decided to start experimenting or only the back of it. It's a rather nice lined Topshop skirt I bought second hand a long time ago. It was in perfect condition and looked after for many years but then I stupidly left two of these skirts in a car travel top ox/ luggage box over winter and with gained these dark marks which I assume to be black mould. I am intending to do something with the second damaged skirt later but more if that works out.

Initially I wanted to kick myself over my own stupidity not taking photos of this at the beginning of this experiment. Its one worth recording but the back of the skirt should do for this.

This is the skirt back when it was untouched:

Then half printed:

 

I was very upset when these skirts got damaged. I don't really buy leather being a vegan diet wise but I decided long ago it was just hypocritical selling what I already owned from my youth. After all you are still profiting from the meat industry. Yes I could donate but I love them and to replace with synthetic leather is actually conning myself since PVC etc are possibly the worst synthetic products  environmentally ever produced so anyway I keep my old leathers. I also look for leather shoes because killing the planet is not on my agenda even though I choose not to eat animals. Its actually a difficult desicion but one I intend to stick with because the planet does matter and vegan leather is environmentally terrible. There's just no other way to put it. And these two skirts ( of which only one is shown here) are ruined so what next to do?

I stuck them in my boiler house for about a year to make sure any mould died and forgot them. Well I know they are there of course but there they just stayed stored until I found stencils for sale on Ebay. 

Well how could I resist. It was the perfect time to try using something like that so I paid just under £3.00 for one including postage. Its only small. You can get larger ones for wall stencils but this smaller size is better for my purpose. And interestingly I used this and bent it around the skirt and its still in tact for use again so the slight flexibility is enough not to break it very easily. I actually expected to only use the thing once, Its Mylar. They come in various designs. I just went for leopard spots because they should look on on my fabric. 

The stencil started an off white colour and went blue with my paint. Its acrylic so I just let it dry which helps stop me breaking it. 

Though I had intended on black paint but had none so used blue instead. 

I decided rather than suede dye which is probably too runny I would use acrylic paint. I didn't have many colours to play with and this is after all an experiment so I don't want to waste money until I know it is likely to work. Especially since I have other leather items I would like to update similarly if this looks OK. Not all we're damaged the same way. Some just have stains and cost too much to professionally clean. It's my dirt so I can live with that but I do want them to at least appear good looking. So anyway I went for ultramarine blue acrylic paint and after trying several paint brushes found a bigger house painting brush is the best. It deposits less paint than a smaller artists brushes.  The one I ended up using is a 1 inch (2.5cm?). 

The sort I like for painting skirting boards and door frames. Its even an old brush but its one I like. I never used water other than to clean the brush at the end so this is essentially dry brushed onto the suede. Its a bit patchy due to some bits having more or rather thicker pain than other bits. 

Well painting leather with acrylics is not new. Punks. Bikers. Hippies etc have done it since at least the 1950s. But other than a brief teenage thing for bands on the back of my biker jacket back on the 1980s I have not done this.

Acrylic works great too and me being naturally more an oil paint type of girl ( when actually being a painter)  I never used these paints and they have just sat there for years. Though I will be on the lookout for another set of acrylics next time I see an offer now. I could probably do a better job with the stencil next time but this skirt will be worn. I kind of like the amateurish arty crafty look it has gained but it's not perfect and with practice I think it could be better. I have a few damaged jackets I will be trying this out on in the next few months. I hate throwing stuff like leather out because its an animal gave its life. It takes about 30 years for some leather to decay in landfill so really its just wrong to chuck it so if you own it I honestly think it should be worn.

This is a bit uneven due to the different brushes I tried and my own lack of skill, but I think it's going to be wearable despite that. And its fun. 

In fact I wore it today to the opticians and did not feel uncomfortable in this with a black biker jacket and my boots. Its going to be a good skirt again and I think I actually like it better than before it got damaged so this is a great project. My main issue in fact will be I like this so much I will need to restrain myself so I do not upcycle my entire leather collection - which is reasonably large being an ex-punk ( and a hoarder!!!). Most of it is nice as it is and good basic clothing for cold weather so really I should resist and leave most of it as it is but I know I tend to go overboard when I discover some technique like this.

My "new" skirt is worn here with a nice but basic black top I made a long while ago. 

Thanks for popping by my blog, Have a great week won't you and hopefully see you again soon when I may have also upcycled my white leather skirt which I damaged ina  similar way. I don't want both skirts the same so have to decide what to do with that one so its completely different to this lilac suede one. If do you try this technique please do let me know how it goes and what you discover because it could help in my future projects too and I do love seeing this kind of thing. People are so inventive and it amazes me what someone else creates with a similar technique. Art can be so exciting.

Take care

Bracken

Coat finishing

Well its taken absolutely ages for me to finish this but finally here is my coat. Its the Burda Style cape coat I began making here.

Its actually over a year since I started to make this. I got severely held up by the need to hand sew the button hole as well as the hem. But its done. Thanks really to my machine needing a service which is also now done so I should have some new things to show in the next few weeks. I say things because I have a few ideas and not everything is wearable but we will see how it goes once I get back to proper ( as in sewing machine) sewing rather than hand finishing such as this. It has kind of inspired me though to finish my other half made coats because really this did not actually take me long to finish off. I just do not enjoy hand sewing!

Its a shame though to not finish some of my half made coats. One is actually in red velvet. I really should get round to that one.

So this coat is the cape coat from Burda Style magazine 128,12/2002. So its been on ly list for years. I also had it on this years to make list as well so at least I get to tick something off that. 

And it turns out its nice to wear. Warm, stylish and swirly too...............

This is it done up- it has just the one button to fasten

The original pattern does not have a hood but living in the Uk I really do need one so I added that as an extra. You can find out all about my alterations and plans for this in the original post. I won't waste time here repeating all that. 

OK so the finishing:

 

In the end I changed the button from the last post where I had added the bakerlite round button. I just found the large bakerlite one too big. 

This rectangualr button is also vintage and from my Great Aunts' stash just like the larger round one. This one is a browny black though looks more brown here and goes very well with the brown flecks in the black fabric. I reckon its also the only time I might consider using it so best to do so when it actually works on something. Its a nice strong thick button so will work well on my coat and hold the weight of the two heavy fabrics I made it from quite well and having a hand embroidered button hole using embroidery thread also makes this a good choice.

I actually pulled out quite a few buttons. The original large round one is shown here too. 

My sewing machine being out of action has meant I had time when normally I don't for fiddly things like sewing on buttons and hand sewing hems, and I finally got round to doing some hand sewing on my coat. I have been trying to get round to this for well over a year now. I made the button hole by hand the old fashioned way that I was taught at school ( all those years ago - I finished on May 22nd 1980!)

And I am reasonably happy with how my button hole turned out. And the coat overall. Just wish I had actually finished it earlier really. But still everything in its own good time. 

My partner helped with some of the pinning and fitting - ignore the messy room please. I think he did a good job because once actually sewn up the hem is perfect and I probably could not have achieved such a good result without help.

The dress here is the dragon scale sweatshirt using the pixie dress pattern and theres info on that here.

Have a lovely week and thanks for popping by to visit me,

Bracken

Musings and another green top

I was hoping by now to show you my finished corduroy jeans. All they need is a button and button hole. I sorted out a button but then it all went caput. Well I have had a set back. To be honest it's not a new problem. When I try to sew my buttonholes my Janome just knots up. I previously just swapped to my very old Brother and did manual buttonholes but they are not as neat and in this case I think the fabric is too thick for my Brother to manage as well so it's really time I got round to fixing my machine.

The next issue is the reason this problem exists is I am unable to get a screwdriver into the gap to take off the foot plate. So I have always backed out because the machine sews straight stitch and zig zag fine. But it's getting worse and it's such a cop out because it's probably just a build up of lint/felt and in need of oiling. I also noticed the bobbin is sticking now and the whole bobbin race and unit rocks in situ so I really need to stop the sewing and do some basic maintenance. So that's what I intend to do. It might mean not actually sewing for a week or so but this poor machine has been worked hard for years and I need to just fix it. I contacted my mate who says he can lend me a socket with a screw driver so I can access the screws so that's what I am waiting on. 

In the meantime I did manage to use the fabric craps from my polo neck top to make this green puffed sleeved raglan. Its mostly overlocked with just the hem twin needle stitched and yes my Brother needs fixing because it did not like doing this hem either. 

I do like this pattern so its one I have made before a few times meaning its safe but not treally a challenge - or only in that my machine is not sewing well anyway. Its a very pretty basic raglan with just a small puffed sleeve to give it a bit of something and make it a pretty top. It also needs less than 1m of fabric so is an ideal make from offcuts. And its easy to wear. I am currently even considering this pattern as a PJ top pattern but I have not decided as yet. But it is comfy and pretty. 

Anyway more on that if it actually ever happens.

In the meantime I think maybe I shall stick a few patterns together and do some bulk cutting out. I haven't cut a big pile for about a year but I do like to have loads if garments I can just get on with sewing so that's my plans for this week. Its good to have lots cut out because it means you can just pick something up and sew when you have time and it doesn't really get in the way of any bigger projects but means you can do something fast when there is little available time.

Really sometimes I wonder if I will ever in my entire life have time to sew even a quarter of what I have on my list. And it seems to grow weekly!

I am currently exploring the concept of wide circle skirt pixie coats. I had though of crocheting one but there is the fact I am rubbish at crochet. And it seems the best patterns are for tunisian crochet which i know a bit about but have never attempted. This will impede me !

I have no idea how long such a project will take me but there is the option to sew something similar based on the amazing Catwise coats that I have had in my Pinterest for at least 10 years. I think if I used either French terry or even regular boring sweatshirting this could turn out to be a lovely summer coat. Well if you can't sew then you may as well plan for the future projects.

So that's where I am at right now. 

The trousers were made a while back and I do not wear them often I have to admit, because they are not at all work worthy and are just for fun and only really worth wearing when I am feeling confident because they do get attention. Thats fine when you want it but if I have one of those days where you want to just become invisible to everyone its not a good look. Today must be an outgoing day because I have enjoyed them. But then I am not at work today.

I also have a knitted baby Clanger to construct. I have knitted all the bits now and need to sew her together. That's looking quite complicated as well. I read through the construction last night and it's not easy but hopefully now I have spent over a month knitting it I can figure this one out. 

Have a lovely weekend,

Bracken

Green polo top

In recent months I am suddenly aware ( and upset by) the changes to my neck. Its becoming very "turkey neck" and there seems nothing to be done about it so I decided to make a new version of a Burda top I made several years ago. When I looked back at this I had similar concerns about my neck then and  it would seem though I must have just forgotten them and moved on afterwards.  I actually really like this top anyway and always meant to make another but I think now my neck is aging I might make several. Its polo necks or scarves I think!

Of course aging is unavoidable and even if I was to suddenly become very rich I would not go down the surgery route. I might go for a few collagen ( or whatever is currently used because this is an area in which I know very little) injections if I could afford them but they would be for the face not the neck so I would still have the same neck issues. Its not really that bad as yet but of course aging is just constant downhill as far as looks are concerned. You just have to accept it but I reckon a polo neck or two would currently do wonders for my own confidence so I decided to try this and see how it goes. 

For some reason I have a problem with the font today and I have not discovered how to fix it, so I apologise for that and hopefully I should work it out by my next post. As you can see the rest of this post is in a different or smaller font. According to my HTML (font-family: arial; font-size: medium) for both different fonts, but there is definitely something wrong here. Still as I say I have not worked out how to change this.

Back to my top: 

I have only worn this the once so far since I literally just made it. Its currently waiting to be washed. 

The pattern is from Burda style magazine 114, 12/2014. Last time I made the neck a bit too big for a polo. I have still very much enjoyed this top though but its now quite pilly and has a few pulls on the very delicate fabric. 

The khaki green fabric I used for the new top is actually very similar ( in feel) to the first version of this pattern, so I think it will be similar when made up and really I want to repeat the first top but correct the not so good bits. For example I have always found the cuffs a bit short for my arms so I made them double the length plus an additional 10cm longer just to make sure. It means they fold right over but that also means I have more substantial ( thicker) cuffs and they are adjustable as I need. Hopefully that will stop my sleeves from going up my arms inside jackets and sweatshirts. 

I made a dress last summer from this khaki green fabric and this top will be good to wear this Spring I think under/ over that dress. On top of that it should also go well with my new, not quite finished jeans. I still need a button and buttonhole for them so will give you an update once I have braved that bit. For me button holes are almost as bad as welt pockets. I am rubbish at both!

Anyway,  I am aiming for some khaki green co-ordinates for Spring. I have a second top planned from the left-overs after making this top, which will give me a pretty easy mix of garments for those "I haven't got time to plan or think, I just need to be dressed and get out to work" days. 

I cut the neck out as accurately as possible to ensure its a proper polo neck and it worked. Not sure but maybe this fabric is more stretchy. For some reason my previous version of this pattern has a very loose neck which almost makes for a cowl rather than a proper polo. This is how its meant to be.

And of course you could actually make the polo shorter simply by folding it over. I want it high to hide my neck. And its much warmer than a normal T-shirt neck which I need right now. 

I really like the puffed sleeves on this. And the princess seams which is something I tend not to go for. I never really knew why I made the first version of this because its really not at all my usual look. Still I have very much liked something a bit different in my wardrobe so it proves I ought to try and be a bit more adventurous. I have literally hundreds of patterns yet tend to make the same few again and again. I need to still do that of course because its all stuff I want to wear, but include the occasional "different"  pattern so I explore other sides of myself ( and fashion!). 

In case you wondered this top is a very easy make. Its was a bit slippy due to the silky fabric ( I think its a viscose mix from what I remember)  I chose but even then its an easy one and well worth the effort. The hardest bit is over the CF panel because its a double layer of fabric on that panel only, where I found it wanted to pucker but I just sewed very slowly and adjusted the foot occasionally and it worked out ok.

Thanks for popping by. I hope by next week I will have braved the buttonhole on my new jeans so I can show you them and also so I can wear them because its the right weather now and they will I think look great with this new top.

Have a great week,

Bracken

Making jeans!

I bought this Butterick jeans pattern to ma ke up an order so I got free postage. That was probably 8-10 years ago. I thought,  well a jeans pattern can't really be a mistake but in all honesty I had zero desire to sew jeans.

There are certain fabrics in my stash I particularly want to use this year one of which is a rather nice khaki stretch needlecord. I have 2m of this. I started off thinking of 70s burda's because I have loads and I  want fancy some flares. I made a few pairs of stretch flares the last couple of years but always by bodging the same free pattern which is really for yoga pants. My flares have all worked and been wearable but I reckon I could do better so I spent days looking through my vintage 70's magazines only to realise that 1970s women were it would seem bigger than me and I also never knew their trousers have no pockets!

So then, back to modern patterns. It was not all a waste of time though because I have added a few to-makes to my ever increasing list! But flared jeans type trousers, No!

1990s and 2000s styles were better because they usually do have pockets.

Well, I don't mind making clothes with no pockets, but I do like pockets in my jeans and I cannot conceive of flared trousers / jeans in corduroy with no pockets of any kind. Then I remembered this pattern so I found it out from it's storage, (most of my sewing stuff is in storage due to a very small house and we had intended to move to a different country. For now the move us on hold for family reasons, but the stuff remains stored in the hopes we eventually get it sorted.)

So I sorted out the right pattern pieces and worked out the best way to get them out of this piece of fabric and to see if this is going to work. My fabric measures 140cm wide. The pattern is for 160cm or 115cm. I only have 2m but hopefully this will fit and I can make some flared trousers- with pockets. 

Well I got the bits cut out a few weeks ago and started to make them. Well nearly 4 weeks to be exact but this jeans making is something you need to spend a little time over. Its not difficult but it is time consuming.

On first look the pattern directions were really good but as I started to sew I found loads of problems. The basic directions are OK. But in some instances they say to finish the edges here and then do X. But not in all instances and I decided ( wrongly) to trust the directions not my own self. 

So now I have a raw edge on the inside crotch seam and would have other problems if I had not decided after doing that to add-lib. Annoying I actually thought about overlocking that seam too before top stitching but the previous directions had been correct so I trusted the pattern. There is also a problem with the inside fly cover. I will not enclose the seams next time. Directions say to do so but it makes the fly too small. It still works but next time I make these I will need to remember so hopefully blogger will still be going then so I am able to look up what else I change.

I have not yet finished these because its a big job but to be honest its actually straight forward to make these and relatively easy.  You just need to have the confidence and to believe in your own understanding of stitching and as I have discovered don't expect a pattern to tell you everything however good it seems. After all I am used to thinking for myself with the likes of Burda so why would any other pattern company be different? 

A lesson learned!

Then I went by the pattern markings for the back pocket positions and decided, luckily to pin and try these on before doing the flat felled side seams. The pockets were well out from where they should be for my clothes size! 

I took the pockets off and repositioned but the move has slightly marked my fabric. I am hoping it will wear in and be less notice-able. 

The inside pockets have a contrast lining as does the inside of the waistband though I actually did have enough fabric to make them in the same cord fabric. 

I am not very happy with the zip but next time it should be better.

So after moving the pockets I took the plunge and did the side seams as flat fells and then did the inside seams and except for a waistband I have a pair of jeans. 

Perhaps if all goes to plan next week I can actually say I made a pair of jeans and show you my photos. Fingers crossed...........

Have a lovely weekend,

Bracken