Create a Cuff top out of a vintage wildflower tablecloth or remake your husband’s jeans to a new pair of Almost Long trousers! Your imagination is the limit.
Be stash-tastic! Have another go-through of your fabric stash and a re-think of old clothes and curtains. Go thrift shopping! Second hand stores are often filled with rare fabric, so at a small price you get to be unique AND sustainable.
Your stash or any used fabric is also perfect if you wish to make a toile first, since you don’t have to be nervous about potentially ruining a more precious fabric.
Remake inspiration 1:
From tablecloth to cuff top
“I’m always on the hunt for pieces that showcase our beautiful Australian Flora and one of my recent purchases was a vintage wildflower tablecloth from @etsy . It was listed as being in “good used condition” but when it arrived it was clear that a better description would have been “well-used condition”.
I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it – it had a number of holes and stains that made it unusable as a tablecloth, but I didn’t want to throw it out either; the pretty print around the borders was still in good condition and the fabric had a well-loved softness to it.
I’m glad I didn’t consign it to the rag-bag, because after some thought and some interesting calculations I managed to scrape a whole entire #TALcufftop out of the salvaged fabric, with the gorgeous native motif on the shoulders and the grotty stains hidden away in the neck facing”
Story, images and make by Lilli
Remake inspiration 2:
True boyfriend jeans
“My #talalmostlongtrousers refurbed from an old pair of my husband’s jeans.
My method:
- Removed the broken zip and sewed up the fly
Cut up the outside leg seam and removed a metal rivet on the outer edge of the pocket - Used the pattern to reshape the leg, cut leg to length and make leg cuffs
Insert elastic into back waistband - Resew side leg seams
Love how these turned out!”
Story, images and make by Kirsten
Remake inspiration 3:
From shower curtain to Marimekko dress
“Here is a box pleat dress with 2 inches added to the hem.
Marimekko fabric is expensive, but here’s a tip: this is a shower curtain which is 72” X 72”, currently selling on amazon (US) for $50. This is a medium size and even with pattern matching I was able to get the whole dress out of the shower curtain.
Maybe you can find it online by using keywords “kivet marimekko shower curtain”.
Hope to see some shower curtain dresses! 🚿💕 “
Story, images and make by Lisa
Remake inspiration 4:
From scraps to wearable work of art
Let’s call this my blue phase. I was not feeling good during the last days, a lot of thoughts kept running through my head. So I decided to kick them out by being creative. Turned out I instinctively searched my stash for blue scraps and started to combine them to a shirt, inspired by the work of @susaneastmanstudio.
As pattern I chose the #talcufftop by @theassemblylineshop as the sleeves are part of front and back bodice. This made me free to puzzle my scraps. I’ divided the pattern into squares and rectangles before cutting, but didn’t follow this way exactly. The only thing I wanted was to frame the shirt by using the dark blue fabric as a kind of frame.
This is my entry for #jumblejuly, hosted by @suestoney, @bayhouse7023 and @sewing_in_spain. I might be the last one to join, but I made it… Painting in the background by @svenkroner
Story, images and make by Nic
Remake inspiration 5:
From old makes to new wardrobe staples
“When something does not totally win you over, the best thing is to change it !!! And so I did was …
I had 2 dresses that I barely wore, so I decided to put myself in recycling mode ♻️ and transform them ✂️✂️ .
With those 2 dresses I made 2 high cuff sweater from @theassemblylineshop. It is a Sweater that is made with woven fabric and is finished with ribbing.
A very easy pattern, comfortable and not as sporty as a sweatshirt.
The fabrics I used were a viscose and a cotton seersucker.
Matilda has left me her 🐾 everywhere !! 😄 “
Story, images and make by Raquel
(Translated from Spanish by us)
Remake inspiration 6:
From old men’s shirts to gorgeous puffs
I bought two button-down shirts for a dollar each at a local thrift shop and they spoke to me in the middle of the night. I got the idea of preserving the front button plackets and featuring them on the sleeves. I loved this idea because keeping it in its original state also meant less work– I just wish I had been able to go back to sleep more quickly. Gotta load the fabric up with some Xanax before bedtime or something.
Anyway, the multicolored shirt gave me the left sleeve and the front, while the blue shirt gave me the right sleeve and most of the back. I had to patch 7 pieces together to create the back because the blue shirt had a stain on it that I had to dance around.
Greedily, I would like to submit this as an entry for three awesome sustainability-minded challenges. This is actually my first time submitting to any challenge (thanks introducing these to me, @sheilasewsherclothes!):
- #refebulous hosted by @madebyliesl (Different sustainability themes for every day in February– today’s is Reinvent!)
- #SewcialistsZeroWaste hosted by #sewcialists@sewcialists (Encouraging sewists to consider reducing waste using various methods!)
- #TALusewhatyougot2021 / #TALusewhatyougot hosted by @seamstoanend (Challenging sewists to use their stash with @theassemblylineshop patterns!)
Thank you to all of you for encouraging sewists to think about our responsibility to the environment!
Story, images and make by Nancy
Remake inspiration 7:
From thrifted bedlinen to fashion
“Made from a thrifted duvet-cover (very good things, duvet covers, lots of fabric!). Never fear a bold print, as the saying goes!”
You inspire us with your remaking skills! Can you tell us a bit more about where you source/find your fabrics?
I have raided my parents, friends, and parents-in-law’s cupboards for old bed linen and curtains. I also like flea markets (back in the days before the pandemic…) and thrift shops.
It’s usually easy to find a good woven second hand-fabric, but more difficult to find stretch and knits.
… and what comes first, the finding of the fabric or the garment idea?
I usually buy fabric that I like because of the print or colour, and then I think about what I could turn them into. As I started to sew again quite recently, I am still making my way through the TAL-“very easy” and “easy” patterns!
Story, image and make by Maria
