Refashion

We all have clothes that we don't wear, right? Whether we changed sizes and the clothes no longer fit, or we bought them when we shouldn't have, we all have a few garments we just plain don't wear. I like to go through my closet a couple times a year and purge all the stuff I don't wear. If it's in good condition, but doesn't fit, it goes in a bag for my sister. If it's torn or stained and I was stubbornly holding on to it, I force myself to throw it out. If I have discovered that it doesn't flatter me, or I hate wearing it, then I donate it (or send it to my sister). But what about those garments that I just really really really want to wear?

I have more than one of them. Things that are fun, exciting, and trendy. I want so badly to wear them, but I don't. Maybe I can't find outfits to go with them. Maybe they're a little too much, and I feel insecure in them. This skirt falls into both of those categories. I spotted it in a store a year or two ago, and fell in love. I was smitten. The bright pink colour, the gathers and drape, the hi-lo hem, the way it flowed and flared out behind me. I loved wearing it and walking down stairs. I loved the way it moved when I spun. I really really loved it.

But I hardly ever wore it. And to be honest, I used to wear it more. But I moved, changed jobs, developed a new friend group, and found my personal style changed. This skirt hung in my closet feeling dejected. I pulled it out a few times, tried it on with something, examined my reflection, and hung it back up in the closet. I went through that routine half a dozen times, before the skirt ended up shoved in the very back of the closet.

I pulled out a few weeks ago, and lovingly fondled it. I was still smitten with it. Since I was short on fabric (I don't keep much of a stash), and I wanted to sew something, I decided to refashion my skirt. I put on a Netflix show, and curled out on the couch with my seam ripper and this skirt. About six hours of Netflix later, I had two pieces of pink polyester knit, an elastic waist band, and a pile of pink serger thread. I pulled out the patterns I had, and tried to squeeze a couple different ones onto it, but that front skirt piece was just so short that I couldn't get much onto it.

Until I tried my Seamwork Aurora tank. I managed to squeeze the front and back of the tank onto the back panel of the skirt, and I cut the yoke out of the front of the skirt.

Let me just say - I'm completely in love with this tank. The front gathers and back pleat offer just enough shaping to be flattering, while still subtle. I love the options for colour blocking, and I love the length and hem line. I didn't even have to lengthen this pattern! Mind you, I couldn't for this version, because I barely had enough fabric as it was. But I don't think I will next time, either.