Weekend Review: StyleHacking

 

StyleHacking / Karoline Dahrling Hughes
Concord, CA: Stash Books,c2021.
128 p.

This book is a quick and dirty look at creating a 5 piece wardrobe of pattern templates that can then be hacked with various details to give you some variety. It's one of those books that is heavily DIY -- ie: sewing patterns are complicated and boring, there isn't a 'right way' to do anything, just do what you like! 

The book proposes five basic garments - a tee/tank, pants, skirt, dress and jacket, all of which you get a pattern for by "cloning" (tracing off garments that you already have in your wardrobe). Then there are a variety of sewing options to put them together in different configurations. Since there are no real rules, it's a bit of a choose-your-own-adventure way of learning. Four of the five projects are knits (easier fitting I guess) and the last can be made in woven. 

I loved the idea of this, and do like that the photos are bright and use colour. They are fun and encouraging for a certain kind of new sewist who likes to learn by experimenting. I think this one might appeal more to younger sewists who don't mind the DIY feel. 

For me, it feels a bit messy with the pattern clashing and boxy unfitted styles. There are some good ideas, though, that someone might use to create things more in their own style. This might be a different way to look at things for newer sewists who are afraid to deviate from a pattern, even with the simple ideas of adding a gathered  skirt to a favourite top pattern to make a dress. 

I'm not sure this one is for me, as I'm not a loosey-goosey sewist, I like to use patterns and fit things well. But I can see there being an audience for this book, and it's fearless approach to being just good enough and using what you have. Worth taking a look at if you can find it in your library as I did. 

Weekend Review: The Re:Fashion Wardrobe

 

The Re:Fashion Wardrobe / Portia Lawrie
Tunbridge Wells, UK: Search Press, c2023.
176 p.

I've been waiting for this one from my local library, and finally got a copy! This new book by Portia Lawrie (creator of The Refashioners blog challenge, for those who remember those peak blogging years) is a great find. 

In an interview in Seamwork Magazine, Lawrie stated that "I don't want my clothes to scream refashion. I just want them to scream 'nice clothes'!" I think she's really captured that here. The 11 projects are well conceived, meant to work together, and look like clothes you might actually wear. Sometimes refashions can be laudable ideas but not really wearable; this book is very conscious of making casual clothing that looks both in-style and wearable. 

The book is broken up into 3 main sections; first, a bit on the concept of the book, capsule wardrobes, thrift shopping and sourcing garments to refashion, and some info on notions and supplies. Then come the projects themselves, with lots of large clear photos and instructions. The book follows Lawrie's colour palette, which is cool and modern, neutral with blacks, tans, denims and so on. So there is a sense of cohesion in the projects and photos, and what will eventually come together as a capsule wardrobe. 

The book then finishes with a longish section on refashioning techniques, so that you can take these ideas and go further with your own concepts and garments, creating your own new versions. It covers a lot, from sizing, fitting, making pattern templates, adding buttons, pockets, or darts, finishing seams and edges and so on. There are lots of great ideas and examples, and I think if a reader made a couple of the projects here, and then looked at the technique section, they'd be confident in trying their own projects as well. 

These are cool clothes, ones that sewists would enjoy wearing, I think. They seem to match a casual aesthetic, and are fairly straightforward for anyone with sewing experience. I like a couple of the top refashions - a cropped blouse is especially interesting - and think I might see if I have any 'source garments' around the house to give it a try. This one is definitely worth checking out, especially if you're wary of the rough, patched together feel of many refashions. You will only find good finishes and classic lines here. 

You can see a full flip-through of the book at the publisher's youtube channel, too! 

Scraptember!

September seems to be the month of scrappy sewing over on Instagram -- I am still intending to sew along with #scrappySeptember via the Make A Garment A Month group. To that end, I've been trying to decide on a project!

I do love to use up my larger offcuts by putting them together into something else, and I especially love print blocking, when it's done right. I don't sew with too many solids so don't do a lot of solid colour blocking -- just because I don't have many of those scraps to work with.

I was thinking about some of the ways in which I might use some of my larger remnant pieces for this September's scrappy challenges, and that led me to investigate which patterns I already own that might fit in well with this technique. It turns out I have quite a few. So I thought I'd share them with you for inspiration. If you have any patterns that you find helpful for this kind of project, please share them in the comments.

Kwik Sew 4260

This is a pattern that I just bought; couldn't resist the silhouette or the scrappy potential!

Kwik Sew 4016 

Now this is a pattern I've had for a very long time, and I've made View A before. It might be time to try the short sleeved View B and use up a few interesting pieces of scrap fabric.

McCalls 7132

I just bought this one is our local fabric store's amazing moving sale. I had missed it altogether so was happy to pick it up now that I am thinking of scrappy sewing. It's made for lightweight fabrics but I'm thinking that maybe some velvety bits might work too... 

McCalls 7466
It's obvious in this pattern that View D is specially created for scrappy goodness! I can imagine it in wild print blocking -- that would be fun. There is a denim version like the pattern cover over on PatternReview; someone actually made this one and it is so fun.

Vogue 9081

Another pattern that I just picked up in our local sale. I'm not a huge Marcy Tilton fan, but I'm willing to give this one a try. I really like the simplicity of View C -- maybe this one could use up some of the larger solids in my stash, of which I have only a few!

McCalls 7361

This might be perfect for some of the smaller pieces of lightweight fabrics like challis or crepe in my scrap pile. I like a nice oversize pullover top and this one looks cute to me.

Vogue 1484

I've had this one for ages, a pretty Zandra Rhodes design that I bought thinking of a Christmas dress. But many holidays have come and gone and I still have not made it...Perfect for those glitzy bits!

Butterick 6033

You can't quite tell with this one unless you look at the line drawings, but there are

 multiple  seam lines here to help you break up the fabrics you choose. I think it would look 

nice with some subtle scrappiness in the fabric choice.

Butterick 5821

Obviously the jacket is the leftover fabric project in this wardrobe pattern. You could make

 all the other pieces and then use the leftover bits to make a matching jacket. 

Or just make a jacket  on its own with all the remnants currently in your stash. 

Any of these patterns would be fun to try! Maybe it would reduce my scrap stash.

Then of course, I might always try a Bargainista copy of my favourite Dior dress of the past few years:

Take a look at the whole show for more inspiration!


What about you? Do you like print blocking? Colour blocking? Do you like to save and use your scraps?