Tag: upcycle

02 Jan

Summer Blues Skirts

Amelia Hoskins / Skirt / / 0 Comments

Blue Fabric Coordinates - Summer Craft Show Project

Skirts designed as holiday wear; inspired by mixing and matching my 'blues' collection with blue/white and blue/green.

Turquoise Dreams 

Wrap around skirt has good quality vari-toned turquoise viscose curved edge side panels, waistband and sash, with semi transparent printed voiles forming main skirt attached to turquoise silk lining, as hip covering. Long sash belt to wrap around. (slit feed through to be added)

TURQUOISE DREAMS available £70:00 - Direct from maker (new purchasing coming soon...)

Blue and Purple Tiger

Blue, purple and black polyester voile layers over airforce blue satin lining, plus a contrast light blue floral fabric as frill decoration and front edge.  Elasticated waist facilitates wearing style in any position.  See 'Making'.   SIZE: Length 18 inches/46cm. Waist 30 inch/76 cms (max elastic stretch 36 inch/91 cms).

AVAILABLE : £65:00 - Direct from Maker

BONDI BEACH II   -  AVAILABLE: £35:00 - Direct from maker

Stretch swimsuit fabric top print with black tie cord to wrap around through loops.  Cotton abstract ethnic print lower part.  Waist tie will wrap tighter for smaller size, or extend looser as beach wrap for larger size to 34 inch waist, which could also be worn dropped to a 34 inch hip.  To be added to shop.  SIZE: Length 18 inches/46cm.  Waist: 26-28 inch/66-71 cm

Prussian Dolphin  (Sold)

Skirt in blue/white viscose main, with elasticated waste and floral voile patch print lower panel. Patched pocket. Fringe on blue viscose overlap side. Floral voile lower section is cut from blouse bottom.  Summer feel achieved with light voile fabrics lower panel.

BONDI BEACH I (Sold)

Original surf print fabric was one small skirt: cut in two to make two new skirts.  See MAKING for waistband sash slit and sash.

INDIAN BLUES wrap around (SOLD)

Main skirt area repeats use of blue/white abstract thin cotton print.  Additional smaller geometric print hem layers (viscose/polyester).

Waistband, side overlap and sash in Indian navy blue/green cotton, which is not slippery: good for waist and sash as will hold a knot well.

(Commissioned by Jennifer)   See Indian Blues MAKING: waistband with slit for threading long sash through around to back.

MAKING Wrap around skirts

  • A-line shape created by putting darts at top of front and back waist of an A-shaped rectangle (waist to hip).
  • Skirt rectangle can firstly be made with variety of patches. Recommended patch quality: cottons at top with viscose or polyester lower which hangs well.
  • When darts made and pressed, lay skirt pieces flat and cut lower parts following the curve created in top part.
  • Allow extra 12 inch to rectangle, for overlap side.  Due to patch joins, I use a patch length for side overlap.  Choose feature fabric which can also be waistband.
  • See making photos for bound slit which must be in waistband to pull sash tie through, to hold waist in place.
  • A-line shape fabric can be taken from a dress which is too small: add slit at side with added flap length.  Use upper dress part for side flap.
  • A curved front flap edge is optional; on one side or both.  Alternatively to a flap section, rectangle can have piped edging. (not featured here).

SLIDE SHOW - Prussian Dolphin - Blue Tiger - Turquoise Dreams

22 Aug

Clothes Treasure Paradigm

Amelia Hoskins / Bespoke garments, Ethical Fashion / / 0 Comments

A mixing of fabrics to create a NEW LOOK.

'Guinevere' dress modelled at Cockington Court Crafts show.  [sold].  The name is suggested by the medieval style influence of the sleeves.

Rachel really liked this dress and was a perfect model for me as she was so happy trying it on.  'Guinevere' is a good example of a new way of designing clothes: a dress with contrasting fabric types, all held together by the coordinating of colours.  A 'treasure paradigm'.  

Lace knit - viscose - acrylic wool knit - polyester - wool-cotton.

 

I started with the navy lace as top piece, cutting the V shape, then adding the fabric frills to lower waist-hip position.

The khaki brown fabric frill and narrow beige frill echo the colours in the lower skirt pieces.  Polyester beige and khaki had identical prints, very subtle.

Skirt tartan was soft fine wool texture.  Beige 'V' inset to centre back and centre front to give more flare, as the original material was a small size.

Navy lace was cut from the same fabric as the top, to give a lace hem.

 

Its a bit wild in formulation, being an unusual mix of fabric types, but later sold in a shop.

 

 

The peplum is longer at the back, to give an elegance over the rear and to utilise the pleats which existed in the skirt it was taken from.

The skirt pieces are sewn up under the first beige peplum.

However skirt pieces became available, after cutting away from their original garment, I allow them to hang as they are, 'handkerchief style'.  When insets are needed, to create flare, I add a coordinating hem, in this case lace as the top; which hols the whole structure together.

I prefer craft show sales where I meet the buyer; when it creates a relationship between the maker's effort and the end user.  Its always nice to see the buyer in the garment.

Images copyright Amelia Jane Hoskins Please email for use permission.