I'm on a roll.... to create a 'collection' of Elvis unique one-of-a-kind Up-Cycled garments that I believe I'll put up at auction on Ebay! Here are my latest 2 creations:
Left 2: different looks created from scraps of a metallic-looking black/silver knit using Vogue 8859 from Marcy Tilton. The Elvis motifs are from a cotton sheer scarf purchased at Graceland in Memphis.
The red jacket utilizes a pair of Nike 'parachute' type pants I picked up at the Nike Outlet in Memphis as I looked for the perfect pink to go with the new Elvis T-shirt in pinks.
Below, you can see the Marcy Tilton pattern - Vogue 8559 that I used for the black/silver jacket. The center back scoops up for an interesting back silhouette.
I had to underline the sheer cotton scarf to make the white - a solid 'white' for strong definition of Elvis. If you look closely, you can see that I used clear monofilament thread to 'quilt' the layers together. When using clear thread, I ONLY put it into my needle as the 'top' thread, with regular thread in the bobbin.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE to use sheer black soft 'netting' - I believe it is a Raschel Knit as trim. You can see here that I used it as the finish at the center fronts, hemline, neckline and sleeves. I gathered it at the sleeves and that curve at the center back. It is doubled, with a fold at the outermost edges. You can see in the photo above a black/rhinestone button that I added as a detail on the sleeves. I had only so much of the black shiny knit available for this project, so the sleeves are a plain black poly jersey fabric.
Look closely at the photo above to see the black/grey/white bias that I added as that all-important 3rd 'element' which is actually a men's tie.
Here's a closer view to see the Tie trim.
That 'tie' trim also serves to 'bind' those seams, because I added the black knit with the seam allowance on the OUTSIDE of the garment. This construction allows the inside to be totally finished.
Personally, I like this jacket the best with the right side hooked up at the left shoulder, and the left front hanging down.
To 'hook' it as a 2nd way of wearing this jacket, I added a black hook under the button at that corner, and crocheted a thread chain loop at the shoulder that you'd never know is there unless you looked REAL close. I have a video on how to crochet a thread chain at my YouTube Channel.
This garment is now available for sale HERE.
This jacket was pretty quick to create since it was really from a pattern - pretty forthright. It seems that for me, to intersperse 'normal follow-the-pattern' type sewing with more creative up-cycle sewing projects helps to rest my brain and creative juices.
The Red Elvis jacket has a much longer story - so I'll separate that into another post.
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