Refashioning #4: Burgundy Blouse
Hey all!
When it comes to refashions, and even some basic alterations, a good rule of thumb is to always size-up - especially when in doubt about your size.
To make a long a colorful story short, clothing sizes are designed to be tricky - hence one of the reasons why no standard sizing system can ever exist. Additionally, because everyone typically has a different body-type, the way one garment fits on you won’t be the same as another. All that said, if there’s a top or dress, or something in particular you think you might like, but are unable for whatever reason to try it on, remember to size up just in case.
If it doesn’t look good on you, no harm done - it can always go back to the store.
But if it’s something you can’t bare to part with, well - it’s a size too small, you will be SOL my friend.
In order to demonstrate this practice, I dug out one of my new-old tunics I purchased a few years ago. I ended up only wearing a couple of times that I can think of, mainly because I didn’t like the way it hung on me.
As much as I like the color, I ended up getting it a size bigger than I needed. Unfortunately, this created a look that was not at all flattering on me.
See for yourself:
Originally, I planned for this to be a standard alterations exercise. Even though it was two sizes too large, the cut was so simple it would’ve been pretty easy to just take in the pattern a bit.
But then I realized I didn’t like the way the neckline felt -
or the length of the sleeves -
or the cut of the hem, even if the length was something I could live with -
So before I even knew it, this became a minor refashion project!
(Have I mentioned I have ‘itchy-fingers’ yet?)
Since I’m really loving the way my most recent cropped sweaters have turned out, I think I’m going to stick with that trend, partly to see how I can adapt that look into this jersey material (if I even can!).
I’d also like the sleeves to be a little bit longer, and have some kind of decorative accent to spruce up the top a little. Again, I love this burgundy color, but this shade just feels a little too plain.
Originally I thought I still had some red lace stashed away that I could use on the sleeves and on the neckline - but then I doubled checked and, since I still have so much material to use up, decided to use my remaining black crochet thread to make up some lace…
A decision I would soon come to deeply regret - for several reasons!
In the end, it turned out… okay.
It’s definitely not what I envisioned, but it is at least serviceable.
I do like that I now have easier access to my pockets, which means I now have easier access to my money, my phone, my keys, and those random lucky-pennies I like to pick up from time to time.
Because of how much longer this project took due to my insistence on crocheting my own lace, I really wish I had just bitten the bullet and went out and purchased the red lace I had my heart set on.
I’m not displeased with the the way the crochet pattern looks, but’s definitely not the look I wanted. With crochet lace, unlike the pre-woven stuff, you can’t clip the edges of the motifs to create more dynamic shapes. Unless you crochet that detail into the actual edges of your crochet piece, you end up with a straight edge and that’s it.
But, at least it did lengthen the sleeves to the measurements I wanted, so bright-side!
Okay, so, aside from the crocheting of the lace accents, this was a moderately quick refashion. The combined time for cutting the new pattern and sewing it all together took roughly an hour and half.
If I were going to produce something similar for a client, I would select and purchase a matching roll of lace instead of crocheting it from scratch - unless the client really wanted it, of course. I would discourage that option for anyone on a budget, because crochet lace would make the price go up significantly.
For example, I estimate that the cost of this refashion would be between $25-$30 total (taking into account different sizes). And that does include purchasing the lace.
Meanwhile, if a client really had their heart set on handmade lace, that would bump the price up to between $90-$95…
That’s right, it took me a whammy of 4 hours to crochet the lace - for each sleeve! (But I’d only charge for the one and absorb the cost of the other, because $90 for a blouse is insane, let’s be honest!)
So, if I were going to do this project differently, here’s the two steps I would change:
purchase lace that’s already made - crochet thread is tedious and heartless on my little fingers (in addition to being hilariously impractically, financially speaking).
raise the hemline a little bit more; believe it or not, I’m actually not too happy with the way the hem is hitting my hips as is. I actually think I can make it a little bit shorter because of how much unexpected drape and hand this material is giving me to work with; it would still look good with the length of the sleeves and better fit my proportions.
Ultimately, I’m not done with this top just yet: I think I am going to go back and raise the hem a smidge so that it hits higher on my hips. My thinking is that it would pair well with pants and even an A-line skirt, without being too revealing.
I am also going to go back and add a black lace trim to the neckline. The top just looks incomplete without it; the black lace sleeves stand out a little too much and need something to bring them into better harmony.
But, as I still have yet to make it to the fabric shop and have a z-rack full of other projects, we will just save that detail for a later date!