Hey, you, that's MY fabric!

Sunday 6 April 2008
Another of the reasons that I sew (aside from not having to buy outrageously priced clothes that never fit) is that I like being able to wear clothes that are unique and different from everyone else. It is unlikely that you would ever see someone else wearing your exact same creation because of the millions of patterns out there, individual adjustments to the patterns plus the wide variety of fabric available to make into clothes.

Given that I do buy a fair bit of fabric from large chain stores such as Spotlight and Lincraft it is possible that I would see someone else wearing something made from the same fabric. But it is still surprising to see it, and it hasn’t happened before until just recently when I had two encounters.

First up I spotted a lady wearing a shirt from this same cotton that I purchased from Spotlight that I had made into a skirt using a now OOP Butterick 5172. My husband and I were walking through Chinatown heading for yum cha at the Marigold (the best yum cha spot in Sydney) when I spotted her walking ahead in the same direction. I wanted to go and say something to her, but my husband thought she might be freaked out by that so I didn’t….











Shortly after this photo was taken a few weeks ago this skirt met it’s demise and is now in the great rag bag in the sky (or rather my laundry). It’s a sordid tale of a close encounter in the washing machine with a new piece of red fabric which left it’s tell tale pinkish hue all over the skirt. Sadly a soak in a bucket with colour run remover drained all the life and colour out of the print. Notes to self: (1) read the instructions on packets and (2) colour run remover works exceedingly well but is best used for whites……..

Moving right along, whilst reading the delightful ethellovesfred blog by Claire (who manages to find the greatest op shop buys ever) I see in the background of one of her older posts curtains made from the same fabric (again Spotlight) that I used to make this quarter circle skirt with a wide yoke band (a very flattering cut for pear shapes) made from Simplicity 4599:














And that is just too funny, but since I do use curtains and sheets (usually vintage) to make clothes it’s only natural that someone do the reverse.

7 comments:

  1. Hello Kristy! I just wanted to letyou know how much I am enjoying your blog. I really love your choices of fabrics and patterns. Thanks!

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  2. That's only happened to me once - when I "interpreted" an Ann Taylor skirt using some very similar fabric to the original...saw a woman wearing the Ann Taylor skirt in the street and she didn't look amused that this plus size chick was sporting it too! Especially since it didn't come in plus sizes! *LOL*

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  3. Beautiful!!! Your skill is amazing, no that's an understatement it's incredible and fabulous and inspiring!! God bless!

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  4. How beautiful! I don't think I've ever seen S499. VERY cute!t

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  5. I think those skirts would look a lot better with busily patterned shirts(kidding). You must sew non-stop! Everthing looks like it fits perfectly and your fabric & pattern choices are great. You make everything look really contemporary, even when you use older patterns. That's impressive!

    The fabric thing happened to me once - the only dress I made when I was in high school turned out to be the same fabric as a dress my friend bought at the mall.

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  6. I love it when I'm wearing something made from 60s sheeting and I get bemused stares from middle-aged women who I know are just SO SURE that they used to have THAT EXACT pattern in a noice Sheridan sheeting...

    In fact, a friend of mine walked up once and said, "Hey. I had that doona."

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  7. Love your blog, seeing your finished items, and that Australian but I also have to say I've fallen in love with your red shoes! Where did you get them ?
    Rubydarling

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