My Patriotic Top Wardrobe
After re-posting Patriotic Shirt Blog post earlier today, I talked my hubby into taking pics of my other two Patriotic UP-Cycle Projects. I didn't take many pics of the center one, but I did snap several of my most recent top....so with a bit of time this July 4 weekend, I'll just go ahead and 'BLOG' once again!
The full blog post of earlier today on the left-most shirt is HERE. I'm actually using the remains of that light blue shirt in a new Up-Cycle project right now.
Shirt # 2 is my Convention of States Shirt. I didn't take may other pictures because it was a 'rush job' before a Convention of States event I was making it for last minute, but here are the few and some details...
I ALWAYS start by pulling together ANY and EVERYTHING I think I might use.
Most of those fabrics at the right are men's neckties. You can see what I utilized in the upper left - a 'holey' navy sweater.
Just because I pull something from my stash as a possibility does NOT mean that I MUST use it - NO, NO, NO! If in doubt - leave it OUT!
In this 'in process' photo below, let me identify that I had cut out the red square from the red T-Shirt, turned under the edges, and set it on top of the back of the navy T. The 'flag' at the upper right was on the sleeve of the navy T. I cut the sleeves out of the 'holey' sweater top and re-inserted them into this top.
The pattern I ALWAYS utilize is my master T pattern: Londa's Terrific T Top Pattern. You can find it HERE.
In this photo, you can see how the side of the garment looks, again using that holey sweater as 'fabric'. Obviously, I worked it over top of the red T-Shirt 'fabric'. I think the fringe worked out great. I love irregular hemlines, and think that they are really quite flattering to all body types.
For your closer examination, I'll add a picture of the front of it below. Note that I placed the 'stripe' effect of the sweater knit at an angle. The T-shirt graphic portions, I placed so that they direct the eye up and out toward the shoulders. The V-Neck is purposely OFF-center, but when I try to do that again, I'll make it MORESO so that it doesn't look like I 'missed' centered!
A word about the message of this top and why I created it..... I am a District Captain for the Convention of States. This is provided for us in our Constitution - Article 5. At the very end of the convention, our founders realized that inevitably, power would go to the heads of those IN power, and that they would never voluntarily give it up. How right they were! Now in my 70's, I'm very concerned about the direction of my country, and I have 5 grandchildren to leave it to, so I CARE. Therefore, I ACT. Much of every day is spent doing just that, and I challenge you to do the same. The petition now passed by 20 of the 34 states needed to CALL for the Convention of States includes these 3 things: 1) Put the federal government back into the constitutional constraints as written. 2) Balance the budget. 3) Term limits. Go to: www.conventionofstates.com
To learn more about our country's founding - the REAL story, go to: www.patriotacademy.com Click around and take a class - they are all FREE! Call or contact me if you want more details. I am a Patriot Academy Coach.
ONTO my most recent top.....
There is a wonderful display of these T's at a great local restaurant/tourist place here in Jackson, TN. When I offered a Biblical Citizenship Class there earlier this June, I just couldn't resist - I HAD to purchase 2. That ran me $40, but everything else on this top is from my stash, and of course it was a boatload of FUN! I especially like my 'holey' right shoulder treatment using the ribbing of the red T-Shirt.
I padded out my Fabulous Fit dress form so that this would be for 2X - 3X sized ladies, and fully intended to put it up in my A LONDA ORIGINAL collection but, alas, it 'called' to me to be worn this weekend, so with a few tucks at the sides under the bust, it is a nice, cool, loose-fitting top to add to my Patriotic Wardrobe.
In the 1st photo above, you can see that I cut off the ribbing allowing for a generous 1/2" seam allowance. The center T is one I picked up on sale in the men's department or at an Estate Sale - I can't remember which. In the 3rd photo above, you can see that sooner or later, you just MUST cut into the T and start playing with it on a dress form. Without a dress form, one could work on a master pattern piece.....
HOWEVER, you can see in the photos above that working on a dress form is SO MUCH MORE FUN and EZ!!! Truly - if you're gonna do much of this type of sewing, you just MUST invest in a dress form. I'm loving my Fabulous Fit one. You can see in that We the People one in the first threesome, how I used the pads that came with the form to 'grow' the size 12 into one with some more 'fluff'.
The pleating of dart-type shapes on the right shoulder was just exciting! It's experiences like this that make creating in my Sunroom Sewing Studio my soul-restful HAPPY PLACE.
Designing the Back of a garment is never as fun as doing the front, but is just a place one has to 'go'. You can see mine above. It seems I do alot of 'godets' or trianbular shapes at the side hemline areas.
The stars in the photo below cover up an area that just didn't look all that nice. I'll also admit here that while I have a great BIG Brother machine that does all that embroidery, that I went and gladly paid $5 for them at JoAnn Fabrics. I just do NOT do machine embroidery. Maybe someday..... but for now, it just doesn't 'float my boat'.
Went to a BlueGrass Music Festival yesterday with my hubby and received 2 compliments on this shirt. We all have to admit that that is fun - and YES, I reply: "Thanks and I made it from some T-shirts because I love to do UpCycle Sewing!"
I do hope these posts encourage you to give it a try yourself. Think you need some help? I do offer Sewing Escapes here at my Sunroom Sewing Studio. Read all about them HERE.
Roughly, I just charge $249/person/day and keep it to 2 Sewers.
