Confessions of a part-time refashionist

I must apologize I have been on a blog-o-holiday that is to say that my piggies haven't touched a keyboard in a while, but this post will make up for my absence.

Here is a small list of what I have done, some of which was destroyed by Rain at the Roskilde music festival.

I made 3 bags and a tent, all of which lies under 1 meter of mud in Roskilde. 40 cans of beer and a sleeping bag are keeping them company.

2x Trousers, 1 pair of shorts and a blazer (like a suit but not near as posh) has had salvaged buttons sewn into them.

I have also repaired 2 shirts. One of which is seen in the fur bag picture.

PUNK JEANS

I have Punk'd or refashioned punk style 1 pair of jeans. I wanted some very punkish jeans, so I had taken my cheese grater and roughed up the most un-attractive pair of jeans I had been given. I then went further and ripped bits with a very sharp hobby knife (I avoided cutting my fingers, by cutting away from my body and hands very important). The jeans was further improved by the salvaged arms of a Halloween shirt which I had destroyed for a half-finished project. The skull fabric and some purple cloth was then hand sewn on to the insides of my jeans. I then added some safety pins and crushed metal elements from throw-away-lighters (I had seen punks, goths and emo kids do it (it is the metal cap from where the flame comes out)).

THE FAKE-FUR AND BELT BAG

In the picture of my handsome self, I am sporting a 100% refashioned look, even the shades was from a charity shop. The jacket is my longest running refashion project, it dates back from about 2001 and is my official festival jacket, on the back it has all the major festivals and dates at which I had been at them on it. Plus my own interpretation of the Meatloaf bat out of hell album cover. It has been added to every year and is an expanding art work in progress. I have in fact I have about 10 elements to sew on to it (badges, patches etc...)

I wanted to make the coolest bag ever and this bag, which is mainly intended for when I am in town and still need to have a few things with me, is pretty close to hitting the spot. It is fake fur, bought from a charity shop. The belt which serves as a strap together with a reused backpack strap, is also a charity shop find. I sewed the entire thing during a 6 hour long visual youtube feast.

A Night time pillow vision image.

PILLOW MANIA

I have made 7 pillows and 7 pillow cases. The pillow filling was made out of cloth scraps, old jacket inner lining and sponge. The actual pillow is made of one of my old linen pieces for my bed, cut into squares and sewn together. I had left a small hole in order to be able to turn it inside out and stuff them. I promptly filled them up with the filling once I had turned the pillows inside out, so the rough stuff was on the inside. The pillow cases were made out of old furnishing fabric, they are a deep red with a modernistic flour pattern.

Projects not completed

This is what I am working on at the moment. It is a bit of a to-do-list

The purple and reverse colored pinstripe backpack didn't make it to Roskilde, as I still need to sew all the elements together.

I have promised almost all family and friends at least one fabric shopping bag. I think I have to make about 30-40 before most of my own needs and those of my friends and family are meet. It is the best way to get them off their plastic bag addictions.

I have a suit that is half-finished, I started it in 2003-4, so I should really finish it off. Besides it is pretty cool. It is flower patterned.

I want more pillows, I don't lack fabric so I expect that is on the menu.

I also want to refashion a few more jeans, not in the same way, I have quite a few cool ideas up my sleeve.

I also have to make an alternative Christmas suit for the Summer-Grill-Christmas-Party which my brother will attend, he can't sew, so big-brother will have to help him out. He wants it done in the most freaky-material in my collection.

I also want to make some neat clothes for wearing when i am in town.

I also have to do a lot of back to school stuff, covers for books, folders, school bag, neat refashioned bits so I will stand out when I start in Teachers College.

Well, now you know, there is certainly some thing on the books to look forward too.

Just one more thing, I have been given a 1 meter high cardboard storage drum, previously it was used for something industrial, it is now my primary storage for fabrics. I have painted it a screaming red color, so it matches a lot of the other elements in my apartment which have been painted in primary colors.