Hello there, friends!
I have a new outfit to share! Yay! 🙂 Someone asked me a few days ago if I was a fast sewer. I really am not that fast unless it’s something that I’ve sewn before and is simple and easy to put together [like the Moneta]. It’s just that I generally sew for a few hours every day and I guess that little by little I get things done!
[source: BlueGingerDoll]
I made this Peggy from a navy/tan wool check suiting from Fabric Mart. It’s a medium weight fabric that’s not too stuff and this particular one isn’t too scratchy either, which is why I deemed it “good to go” without a lining.
I love the little details of the Peggy skirt. This button tab version is my favorite. I put in an invisible zip rather than the suggested lapped zip and sewed two buttons on the back waistband basically because I could. The back of the waistband looked better when I was sewing on the buttons, but for some reason it looks a little wonky in the photo. Oh well!
I finished my seams with my serger and hand sewed my hem. I’m *trying* not to be lazy with hems and do them the *right* way, especially when working with wool, a fabric that looks FAR better when you stitch the hem by hand as the stitches disappear. I’m a bit lazy and rarely ever do this, but I figure that if I’m going to spend time and money on something nice, may as well make it look the best it can.
I also refashioned this tee! It’s a basic boring tee shirt that I made into a raglan sleeve baseball style shirt, which is my fave type of tee. I was originally going to use a Jalie pattern to make this, but when I pulled it out it was a dolman tee pattern and not a raglan one. Duh. The photo on the front has a girl who looks like she’s wearing a baseball tee with contrast sleeves, but of course, it’s not….. Anyway….. I self-drafted this one, which is my first time doing so and I definitely am going to do it again! I used this mauve rayon jersey from my stash to refashion this tee which happened to match the graphic on it pretty closely.
This is how I did this: 1. Draw the outline of a raglan tee with a fabric marker on my original tee and cut it out. (It helps to look at a photo of a raglan tee) 2. Use that as a pattern to do the same to the other side. 3. Use that sleeve you just cut out as a pattern and lay it out on your fabric. For me, I extended that pattern with a ruler to 3/4 sleeves after measuring my arm and where I wanted the sleeve to stop. Make sure you mark which side is the back. 4. Cut off the original neckband (I did this when it was still on the dress form). 5. Measure your new neck and cut out your band to desired thickness. 6. Now take the tee off the form and sew your sleeves on to your shirt. 7. Fold your neck band and sew the raw edge to your neckline, right sides together.
I also shortened this shirt, so I hemmed the bottom as well as the sleeves. I’ve noticed that other raglan tees have top stitching, so you could do that, too. I skipped that as I prefer this more vintage, faded look. Also, I was intrigued how this tee has no side seams…. I looked at some of Mr. H’s tees and noticed they didn’t have any either. Most of mine do. I guess they cut tees out on a tube?
Admittedly, I was never a fan of David Bowie until I started dating Mr. H. He’s a huge Bowie fan and has about every Bowie song ever recorded — even the bootlegs and the non-Bowie like Bowie songs from the ’60’s. I guess listening to David Bowie over and over again eventually turns you into a big fan. Our first dance at our wedding was to “Absolute Beginners.” 🙂 I also became an Iron Maiden fan due to my husband…. I’m not sure there will be an Iron Maiden tee refashion as I’m not really a fan of wearing a picture of Eddie. Never say never though. I even went to see Iron Maiden the last time they came to CA (which, BTW, was the BEST concert I’d ever been to) and I never thought I’d be hanging with a metal crowd.
Also…. I don’t know why I chose a tee of David Bowie smoking. I REALLY hate smoking and can’t stand smelling cigarette smoke even when it’s just remnants of it on someone’s clothes or in a passing car. I guess I thought it was cool. Yeah. Smoking is cool friends. I said it.
My skirt sure looks is wrinkled. I swear that I ironed this prior to these photos ….
This outfit is akin to something I would have worn in college and grad school. Switch the boots for some Uggs or ballet flats and you have me a few (or five or ten…) years ago. Change up my Bowie tee to something intellectually ironic like my favorite — “I dig dead people.” (I was an archy/anthro geek)
I’m also wearing one of my grandpa’s cardigans. 🙂
I’m looking forward to warming this skirt up with some sweaters and tights when it gets cold here!! As you can see, the GRASS IS GREEN! It was not green here last year at this time and it’s growing like normal. We’ve been in a bad drought here in California for a few years now and it’s looking positive at the moment as we’ve had some RAIN STORMS and FOG and DEW. I know it may sound pretty boring to you, but it’s been very dry here and too warm for fall/winter. It’s actually kind of a normal November right now. 🙂 Looking forward to some SNOW like we usually get here in the Sierra foothills in December. Fingers crossed!!!!
Happy Sewing!
- Skirt: BlueGingerDoll Peggy in navy/tan check wool suiting, made by me
- Tee: refashioned by me
- Cardigan: hand-me-down from Grandpa
- Boots: Aerosoles
- Necklace: Bauble Bar
You look great, and your finishes are so perfect. Inspirational!
Oh my gosh, I love your little Iron Maiden story. Teaches us all not to judge a book by it’s cover, because you definitely don’t seem like the typical Iron Maiden listener!
My parents love Iron Maiden, and my mom actually had an Eddie tattoo that takes up her entire thigh! Definitely a little creepy!
Oh, and she’s a mom of 9 kids, so it’s a little surprising on her too!
Great job with the skirt – you look really put-together and stylish. And thanks for sharing your t-shirt refash. I have a couple of beloved astronomy t-shirts that were only available in that boxy men’s shape (too big in the shoulders and waist, tight in the hip and neck) – I’m going to have a try to make them wearable now.
Thanks, Mel! Refashioning tees we love seems so much better than not wearing them, doesn’t it? 🙂
I have a 24 year old daughter who, in her teens, said she’d only get married to David Bowie. He’s an amazing fashion icon, as well as an artist. Anyhoo, I love the out fit and will purchase the pattern one day. I would like to know where you get your wide-calf boots.
Thanks, Cindy! These boots are the A2 Aerosoles Ride Out. They have two zippers on the inside for adjusting the width.
I adore this. I love Bowie (also, hate smoking, but for some reason Bowie is cool doing anything…) and I love the skirt. You look super fab.
Thanks, Andie! Yes, he makes just about anything look cool!
I love the skirt, but I especially loved how you styled everything.
Thanks, Erin! 🙂 I’m loving separates right now and mixing and matching things, so looking forward to wearing these pieces with others.
I love this. Graphic tees must remain a part of a hand-made wardrobe.
Thanks, Laura! No, we don’t want to lose our graphic tees!!
Ooh, love the outfit! I still dress like a grad student, myself, but that should be obvious to anyone who has ever looked at my blog. I married into Primus, so I can relate. On the other hand, my husband married into Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, so we’re even.
Thanks, Michelle! 🙂 I don’t think my husband became a fan of any bands/artists because of me. He is, however, a Chicago Bears fan now and that’s a very nice trade.
I’m loving this outfit, Tanya. You are right, its very college/grad school, except that when I was in grad school I had to pretend to be a super serious geology lady and had to wear pants way more than I wanted to. It was horrible! I love what you did with the Bowie tee (and I love Bowie, hello Labyrinth), I think I need more graphic tees in my life. Of course, then I would need more skirts too! Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks, Megan! I spent a lot of time in pants and jeans as well as I was out in the field a lot. I’d say that this would be akin to a lecture/warmer weather outfit. Below zero temps in South Dakota would not let me wear this!
What a cool outfit! I was a Bowie fan after the first time I seen Labyrinth. As a young kid I thought he was the coolest. Now my husband is a huge Iron Maiden fan. He owns practically all their songs. I was never in to them until we got married. I need to get him to a concert. It’s only right that you see your favorite band in concert at least once in your life, right!?
Thanks, Shannon! Yes! You guys definitely need to go to a Maiden concert when they come back here! I can’t wait to go to another one!
Bowie is my boyfriend. He doesn’t know it, but we were destined to be together the first time I watched Labyrinth, age4. HA. I married into Pearl Jam. Mike, much the same way you married into Bowie. And, there’s been no looking back. It’s funny how contagious the passions of another person can be. Anyway, great outfit. LOVE the wool. And, the shirt refashion is fabulous.
No, he’s my boyfriend. 🙂 haha I remember watching Labyrinth as a kid, but don’t remember much more about it then Jennifer Connolly. Guess it’s something I should rewatch as an adult! Brian is also into Pearl Jam as well as STP and Alice in Chains. It’s like the 90’s up in here! I’ve never got into the punk or reggae that he loves though….
What a great idea to refashion Bowie with contrast sleeves! Looks great, even if smoking is foul. I’m sure Bowie can partly credit cancer sticks for his vocal sound. I love the wool you have used for your Peggy, and the buttons are perfect. I noticed how dry the farms are getting around here – just when the grass is looking green at your place. xxxx
Thanks, Poppy! I’m really going to have to refashion some other tees that I think need to be changed up. I was looking through my button jars and was lucky to have these faux tortoise ones that look pretty good. Yep — winter here means green grass (usually). 🙂
I love this whole outfit SO much! The skirt is so beautifully made and is perfect with the traffic shirt and cardi. I really want to peggy pattern but I think it’s got a limited size range, is that right? Did you need to grade it all all? How hard was it?
Thank you!!! Yes, I forgot to mention that this is graded up to about a size 22. Abby has been adding more sizes to some of her patterns, but she hasn’t got to this one yet. It’s easy to grade the Peggy up. There arent’ many pattern pieces and it wouldn’t be hard at all for you to do it. I also shortened this version.
Brilliant, thank you! I shall order it forthwith! 🙂
Also, I meant to write t-shirt, not traffic. Sigh.
Your grandpa has style by the way!