100 Days Project, Lutterloh,Up-cycling and Me!

Forty one days into the 100 Days Project, I am loving it. And friends and family are watching me, commenting and telling me that they are having a good time.

My friend Kass, that I mentioned in another post said she has never enjoyed sewing as much as she has while following me in this project.

At the farmer’s market, my friend Lei says:

“I was waiting to see this one in person.”

Or on the day I just could not finish it in time to show it off. she said

“Where  is that gorgeous blouse that you have been working on?”

Friends and neighbors, male and female are telling me that they are enjoying seeing my work pop up on Facebook. So what I thought might be considered a huge ego trip is something that friends and family are actually enjoying and looking forward to!

Every day the 100 Days Project participants  make something, whether they make words, food, clothing, art, grow things, they  must get it done and chronicle it on Intsagram. Miss Meliss, my gorgeous, smart and favorite (only) daughter did this last year. She wrote one perfect sentence every day. Here is the link to her announcement of this year’s 100 Days Project.

100 Days Project

Naturally I chose to sew and chronicle my work. This project is forcing me to sew as much as I can each day, and to complete projects, and then wear them in town so that my Beloved can take wonderful photos of me.

I am energetic, productive, happy and also loving showing off! I have also started to learn to pace myself. There is no deadline. Anything I do from choosing fabric, buttons, pattern to laying out the pattern, cutting and sewing it into a garment is part of the creative process. It is not a rush to the finish.

Today’s post is about enjoying a gifted fabric, and upcycling a 17-year-old blouse! I chronicled all the iterations that I am about to share with you as part of the 100 Days Project.

My friend Sheryl gave me this fabric that she purchased on eBay. It was billed as denim. What arrived was a tissue-thin voile. The weave looked like denim. I call it chambray.

It has been in my stash for about a year, and I have been pondering what to make.

I like this particular Lutterloh blouse, and I thought that making the facings in white and turning them to the outside would look crisp and cool for summer.

Well the first attempt, with the pieces laid loosely on top looked like 1960s military wife. You know, sweet, conservative. My friend Helen said:

“More like Catholic school.”

You get the picture. Certainly not a look for me!

I decided to make my own white seam binding, and also make the button placket white. This looked better.

Then I decided that I would remove the pocket from one of my old, but loved Faconable white shirts. I have not worn any of my Faconable (Nordstrom house brand) in years. They seem to have shrunk in the closet!  But the fabric is superb, and they cost a lot, and they are the last holders-on of my old life. I could not bear to donate them. So I carefully removed the pocket and reapplied it to my polka dot blouse. Looks really crisp. This composite shows the pocket on the final version of the blouse with the points of the sleeve placket as front detail. It also shows the blouse with short sleeves on the hanger. It only looked good with sleeves on the hanger!

Then I decided that the sleeve placket would look wonderful as a detail on the sleeve. And yes that detail looks sharp.

However, in grading this top down from the fuller figure pattern, I cut in the armscye too deeply. I really didn’t realize that I had done that until I applied the sleeves. They look good on the hanger, but the sleeve seam is inches into my shoulder, rather then sitting right at the knob where arm joins shoulder.

I removed the sleeves and bound the armhole. Then I removed the sleeve plackets and applied them to the front. In days gone by, say prior to the start of the 100 Days Project, I would have tossed this blouse and moved on. But I am publicly chronicling my creative efforts. I want to show finished work. And also show that  bloopers can be fixed

I like the blouse. It looks good with my white shorts and Capris. It is light and airy and crisp. Crisp. I just love that word.

The blouse is a touch snugger than I like. I graded it down a little too far. But I am working on grading down the body underneath. It will loosen up.

So here I am again in my blouse with the two different white bottoms that i also made.

I made the shorts and the Capris. I now have white pants, shorts and Capris. I try to make all three pants lengths in the same fabric and at least two tops so that I have a nice selection of things to wear. This photo was taken after I had been sitting for a few hours.

The 100 Days Project has helped me focus and plan what I make. And I love wearing the clothes I make for myself.

I also feel good that no one was forced to sew my clothes in unsafe conditions for low pay.

And here is what sunrise over La Paz looked like yesterday from my terrace