Playing Dress Ups

Hello all you lovely lovelies. A beautiful welcome to you.♥ This last little whiIe I have been in the mood for a little playing. Yes, I have been in the mood for a little dressing up. Though, in saying this I haven't dived headfirst into a bottomless trunk of swanky dresses and costumes, accessorised with swirls and swirls of beaded necklaces, nor indeed high heel shoes; as I did when I was a child.  The dress ups I have been in the mood for is a little tarting up; a little dressing up of a plain denim, white jacket.

I found this jacket in an op shop a few seasons ago with every intention of wearing it in all its 'white-ness', perhaps teamed with a pair of jeans or white pants....or a dress. But you know what, I decided this jacket could perhaps look rather spiffy with a smattering of fabrics, fun trims and a few bits and bobs.

As I always do when I am thinking of a little playing, I gathered together some pretty Japanese lawn fabrics that were in my stash, together with a few laces and pretty ribbons. I always seem to gather together a slather of pretties when I embark on tarting up a pretty; much too many really, because I never seem to use all that is front of me. I just like to have them all before me so I can play and see what combinations I dream up. 

So let the playing begin.

I hand stitched fabric to the front yokes cutting the fabric to roughly fit the shape of each yoke, trimming and snipping the fabric, and turning under a tiny hem as I stitched along. The collar is bordered with trim I made from one of the fabrics. As the buttons were fairly pedestrian and didn't appeal to me, I snipped around the 'snap' buttons which unfortunately left rather noticeable holes. Not to worry. This tiny problem was resolved by the covering of the holes with fabric. I covered the buttonhole side with the same fabric as well. After completing all the hand stitching of each fabric piece I then top stitched with the sewing machine. With the addition of vintage buttons and an assortment of laces and ribbons to the sleeves, my 'little plain Jane' jacket has morphed into an original which cannot be replicated. Did I ever tell you I love to wear clothing that cannot be bought off the rack......well, I do. =)

Yep.....I am rather taken with my little pretty.  It's been a welcome change over this last little while to fashion something other than a  quilt. I always get a sense of satisfaction when  a rather plain article of clothing which can be seen everywhere, is transformed by the adding of a few pretties. My tarted up lovely is all ready to be seen out and about this Spring. I am just waiting for the temperature to rise a notch or two.......or thirty! I haven't quite packed away my Winter woollies just yet. Come to think of it, here in Tassie one can never really pack one's woollies away for the season. A woolly or two always needs to be on hand when the weather decides to throw a little tantrum, venting it's displeasure on us mere mortals. One cannot get too comfortable with the warmth of Spring and Summer. There is always a chilly day or two just waiting around that bend in my country road.

Thank you for your sweet visit♥ Thank you for popping by and reading my stuff and nonsense. It is  Sunday morning here and I am off for a little country drive over hill and dale, to then wander around a bric a brac market with my beautiful friend, Trish and her daughter, Holly (my sewing gal).  Why, I might even unearth a  pretty that is just waiting for a little tarting up. You just never know your luck in a small country town. It will be a beautiful drive because wherever the eyes look there are thousands and thousands of Daffodils showing off in all their gloriousness. Yes indeedy, Spring is 'bustin out all over' way down here at the bottom of the world. 'Tis so, so very pretty!

Until the next time...........

Linking up this week to Kathy's, Slow Sunday Stitching and Alycia at Alycia Quilts

Sometimes a gal has just gotta sew

Another week has passed. Another week somewhat similar to the last one with daily zaps of radiation treatments for my husband, daily strolls around the city, some drives to surrounding towns and a week where a gal has just gotta sew.

Another week of carting my sewing necessities from our home in our far rural outpost, to the city cottage where we are staying during the week. Oops.....you can see I seem to cart one or two suitcases filled with my pretties. Yes indeedy, it takes a few holdalls to carry all what may be required in readiness for a little embellishing. I have to lug oodles of pretties with me because I just never know what I will need. Invariably the little pretty that I really, really need to make the finishing touch has been left at home.

At the moment my husband is having his daily snooze whilst I sit here effusing about my latest tarted up jacket.

As I hinted at in my last post, I found this little jacket at an op shop whilst strolling around Launceston. I am always on the lookout for jackets with 'good bones' that I can add the 'Kim Sharman' touch. Normally I don't do a lot of brown but this jacket tripped me over as I walked past a rack filled with rather unremarkable garments.

Did I say I am not a fan of the colour brown? Paradoxically, the last two jackets I have embellished to an inch of their lives have  been various shades of the hue brown!! Why oh why is there never a lovely blue, grey or even purple jacket to be found in these op shops?? Perhaps one of these days I will happen upon one.

Anyway back to the tarting up of my new find. I have always loved the look of a double breasted jacket or coat and I must say I rather like pin stripes as well. I love the wide, overlapping front flaps with the parallel columns of buttons.

First things first. I decided to banish the rather plain fastening doodads that were stitched on the jacket.

Normally jackets have buttons, times four or six or whatever......BUT.....I have decided I want five different buttons. As you know I am a gal that loves to play and be a little different. There are some seriously funky buttons in this lot.

Then of course, I dived into my slew of pretties in the name of all things embellishment and came up with these.

I thought it would be rather cool to stitch some upholstery fringing down the front of the jacket.

To make a statement on the sleeves, I stitched these lovely trims to the cuffs.

As for the collar I thought I would keep it simple and just border it with this pretty velvet, swirls upon swirls, ribbon. Ooops...did I say simple?? Wow.......unbelievable! I did audition other trims but thought them a little over the top.....even for me.

This jacket doesn't have a breast pocket so I thought I would gussy up my jacket by stitching a corsage-like pretty, using vintage lace flowers, crochet flowers, ribbon, a pretty fan brooch and other triflings.

There you have it, another tarted up jacket, which when stepping out and about town, one certainly won't become lost in a crowd. Another jacket which was perfectly fine and acceptable unadorned, but for me who is not a fan of wearing what all those other gals are turned out in, needed a little sprucing up....a little gussying up. Another pretty, making merry with needle and thread and oodles of bits and bobs. Another pretty with a wee bit of experimentation. Another pretty which has been transformed with each soothing stitch, calming my spirit, relaxing me, causing a li'l of my anxiety to flee for a while.

With each stitch my jacket  has slowly come together into another upcycled garment. displaying my own personal and unique taste and creativity. That is the best thing about this kind of sewing.....there is not another jacket quite like this one. Not to mention the fact this kind of stitching is rather akin to therapy sessions without having to unclasp the purse! I once read somewhere, that sewing mends the soul.

Yes indeedy.........sometimes, oh all right most of the time......this gal has just gotta sew!

I wonder what this gal will stitch next week.........perhaps I will find a grey or even a blue jacket to tart up or deconstruct??

Whatever this week brings this one thing I know for certain........

.....I am eternally thankful for the peace of God which passeth all understanding!!

Until the next time .............