Replication

It looked like Philly Aids Thrift got a big donation of fabric, there was quite a bit when I last went, and I ended up buying a few pieces. I'm determined this fall to buy less, and make more of my clothing. The top piece feels like upholstery fabric, burn test seems to indicate cotton. The bottom is a pretty amazing woven pattern with animals, it seems to be cotton or rayon maybe--might eventually become a vest. 

I think this was originally a tablecloth, it's a nice thick cotton. It's a huge pieces of fabric, I'm hoping to get a scarf and a shirt out of it. 

Definitely going to incorporate the border print into the shirt. 

I've had this jean jacket for a year or so, and I wear it all the time, with sweaters shoved under it when it's gotten too cold to wear it on it's own. And I thought the very first fabric I got from the thrift store would be great to make a replica of my jean jacket with. First, of course, I traced out the pattern from the jean jacket. I omitted the bottom pockets, they've always been sort of tiny and useless. 

I forgot (like usual) to take pictures while I was working, but here's the finished replica with the original! The fabric was sort of a disaster to work with, it liked to warp and bend, and frayed everywhere. But I'm still pretty happy with the outcome.

I'm making a terrible face because it's too hot in my un-airconditioned studio to put a jacket on. The pockets a sticking out a bit funny, I'm hoping when I put the snaps on them, they'll lie flat. This fabric would definitely not do well with buttonholes, so snaps it is, I found some decorative silver domed ones I like. 

And the braids are starting to get joined together. I haven't quite gotten the trick of laying the tape so it's right in the center of both sides. I've been pinning one side, flipping over, they basting all the way through to hold them in place while I stitch on both edges. It takes forever! I'm hoping to figure out a better way.