Refashionista // A basic fix for a ripped sleeve (going sleeveless)

 Today's refashion is something really basic. It's the ABC of refashioning really. As I shared yesterday, my refashion story started with the need to fix thrifted clothing. Hemming, patching holes and hiding stains it what forced me to alter the clothing I bought. And, although over the years it's turned into a passion I now specifically thrift for, time and time again I come back to the very basics. Most of my jeans still need hemming. There are still clothes that get stained, or just don't fit right. 

And while with all these refashion-oriented blogs out there we probably won't even open the post unless it says "How I turned shirt-sleeves into a dress" (well, I guess I came close enough with this one), I think there's still room for some simple refashioning. Because, when you're just starting out with altering your clothes, maybe turning a skirt into a dress isn't going to be your first project. Or, maybe, you just want to be able to mend your own clothes, and aren't all that interested in re-doing the whole garment. 

Which brings me to today's post. I found this top in the maternity section at my favorite Tallinn thrift shop (#notpregnant), and I really loved the colors and the fabric of it, so I tried it on, and loved it. And hey, it's got future potential! I loved it and wore it so much that the sleeve seam ripped in the back. I tried to mend, but it ripped again. Sigh. I was not ready to call it quits yet, so here's what I did...

1. I cut off the sleeves right at the seam-line.

2. Tried the top on, and marked how wide I wanted the shoulder to be, and saw that I also needed to take in the sides a tad.

3. Took in the sides (about 3cm from each side), and re-cut the armholes with the help of the big french curve ruler (love those). 

4. Finished the armholes with pre-made bias binding, tried the top on again, and took it in some more from the sides. 

My tips for this type of refashion wold be to try and try again, meaning try the top on between each step, to make sure the armholes are going to look ok once your done. And, when sewing the bias binding, make sure to "stretch" the binding slightly as you sew, for a better and more snug fit. You could even pre-curve the binding by stretching it into a curve while pressing with the iron. And, finally, a good press at the end always makes it look 100% better (that's best tip for all sewing).

Luckily, I found some matching binding in my stash, but I am getting a little nervous. I used to almost always have what I needed in my stash, and now I need to start planning my makes ahead, and even then, this shit is really expensive here. My first visit to the German garment stores had me thinking only rich people get to sew in Germany. I mean, when making your own garment is going to cost you at least twice what you'd pay at the store for a finished garment, you really have to be passionate about it to do it. This only means two things: I need to find a decent online fabric store fast (any suggestions?), and I need to fly as much of my previous stash over here as possible. 

I'm content with the way this turned out. No, it's nothing mind-blowing, but it means I can wear this comfy blouse at least a few time more. As I was writing this, I got to thinking. Would anyone be interested in a series of refashioning basics?

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you in the comments!

xo. Hanna