Show off things you have sewn!

Marianna Marinda wrote:In the long term (in response to another thread I saw about long-wearing styles), the simple denim have worn best, only the crossed straps on sundresses have kept straps properly in place (so that's the way all of them are made now), and other than some of the stitching on my blind hems... the main things to really show wear (and also the only wear damage that I don't really know how to repair) is in the front where the elastic ruffling abrades against countertops I lean against and whatever.  With a loose enough elastic, shirred waists have proved quite nicely flexible over different clothing-size needs... but with the daily wear pattern I've run these styles through, the shortened lifespan from abrasion becomes a real problem.  Wearing a shirt over them (so I can enjoy them at all now), makes them no longer a sundress in effect... thereafter only suitable for cooler season wear.  Even that much is kind of problematic with shorter hem sundresses less suitable for cold climates.  This has been my favorite style, though.

I love those  dresses! I can see why you like them so much and already have thoughts about how to make something similar!

No elastic shirring for me, though. I might do some self-fabric loops for lacing to get a similar effect. The fitted waist really makes me feel pretty and I love full skirts, but I seem to be leaning more toward separates - blouse, skirt, fitted bodice/vest.

Would an apron work to protect the waist from damage? Or would it help to hide the damage once done? It's a shame to have to redo the dresses completely once the shirred part gets damaged. Is there anything you can do that would cover that area after the fact? Maybe take out the damage and ... I dunno.
My mother's t-shirts tend to get damaged at about her waist from where she leans into the counter to do things. I have altered a few tops into loose fitting dresses by cutting above the damage and sewing on a gathered bit of fabric, but that needs replacing on an irregular basis - I can make the fabric last by altering how loosely or tightly I gather it before sewing, then releasing the gathers over time as I remove the damaged area, but she would never consider wearing an apron (she has several).

Thank you for the beautiful and very creative process-provoking pictures! I do really love those dresses!

Pearl Sutton wrote:

aurora sev wrote:
Made via thrift store sewing machine with a nut epoxied to the wheel, and a ratchet to spin it by hand.
A piano tuner was at this point taped to the ratchet because im fancy like that

I was quite proud of that, because I had never made even a shirt or jacket or anything at that point.
hell of a project, it took like 2 weeks.

Beautiful job! And I am totally amused by the sewing machine modifications, I'm like that too
You have every right to be proud

Thank you much!
sometimes you just gotta make it work haha.

aurora sev wrote:leather pants I made 3 years ago, I was too innocent and didnt know leather pants were some kind of fetish thing. Wore them in public once or twice and that was enough staring for me!

I was quite proud of that, because I had never made even a shirt or jacket or anything at that point.
hell of a project, it took like 2 weeks.

You did an awesome job!
I would love a pair of leather pants to wear around for certain things - lots of protection from all sorts of things, even if it can be awkward when you're in-town.
I hope to, one day, have the courage to make myself a pair of leather pants. Or a suede skirt. Or a leather jacket. ALL The Things!

To be fair, they are only something that's next to a fetish - used by people with certain proclivities to signal each other - but all you need to do is let them know you aren't interested and they should leave you alone. Folks with certain hobbies understand that it can be hard to meet other people with certain hobbies and there's a lot of very odd cross-over.

Trust me in this. I was active in the SCA in Groton CT at the same time a certain fringe religion was getting started there. There's a lot of crossover between the Society for Creative Anachronism and The X Church of America. It was awkward at times, but ... they're surprisingly friendly people.

Kristine Keeney wrote:I would love a pair of leather pants to wear around for certain things - lots of protection from all sorts of things, even if it can be awkward when you're in-town.

Think of how much less microplastic there would be around if we all stopped wearing artificial everything and went back to leather pants - or leather chaps over denim pants made with just plain cotton?

Permies could start our *own* fashion trend! One that would involve clothing that would last *much* longer than fast fashion clothes!

No elastic shirring for me, though. I might do some self-fabric loops for lacing to get a similar effect. The fitted waist really makes me feel pretty and I love full skirts, but I seem to be leaning more toward separates - blouse, skirt, fitted bodice/vest.

Would an apron work to protect the waist from damage? Or would it help to hide the damage once done? It's a shame to have to redo the dresses completely once the shirred part gets damaged. Is there anything you can do that would cover that area after the fact? Maybe take out the damage and ... I dunno.

I have thought about 2-piece versions to address this issue, and I think it's a great idea... I'm just not sure it would truly solve it.  The apron idea could work if it fit with the dress design, but I'm not sure how to do that well with a sundress when the idea is to avoid extra layers for summer wear.  It's so easy to get hot out there in the sun.

Fray check has helped to slow the damage, and the bodice lining is still whole (though where it is very different in color, it shows), but the unlined skirt ends up with holes.

Thank you for the beautiful and very creative process-provoking pictures! I do really love those dresses!

 Thank you for your ideas, praise, and enthusiasm!  It's fun to hear.