While working on my latest upcycling project, to convert a silk dress into a two-piece set, I had a lot of thoughts and emotions turning up about the process.
What was it, that I did so far?
cut the dress...
...secure the sip
...copied the pattern of a trousers for the bottom of the two-piece
...got rid of laces
...sewed some trousers (waaay to big)
...tried to turn it into skirt-trousers, trousers underneath with the silk wrapping around as a skirt.
It somehow worked but didnt fit at all.
Why am I sewing?
As far as I remember I always enjoyed to “make” things, create, design imagine. I like my days best when I did something “productive” in that sense. Even though I do not have to come up with a tangible thing at the end of the day, it could also be an idea, a thought or a conversation that opened up new doors and perceptions.
Could I say I enjoy it more to create things than consuming them? Definitely.
Since I was very young, I always had the desire to make my own clothes. I remember when I was a kid, making myself clothes that would fit my fantasy on what kind of character of any book or story I was into. Mostly I wasn’t fully satisfied with the result, a lack of patience used to be the reason for it in many cases.
Over years I explored different skills and ways to express my creativity. I did a lot of painting and drawing. Nevertheless, I never gave up the crafting part, sewing, or building different objects.
Until two years ago when I got stuck, thanks to all the borders that where closed. Which, nevertheless, it turned my plans upside down, turned out as a huge inspiration in the end. Because thanks to all the time I had, I could finally dig out the idea of sewing my own clothes and fully immerse in learning that skill, since I had no distraction, nowhere to go and not much else to do.
Funny enough the first thing I made was trousers, lol, something I am still learning a lot about. They turned out wearable though, and I still have them, even though I can’t say that I am wearing them very often. For my defense I do have a very good reason for it, which is, that I have no idea what to combine them with…
Shortly after that I went into upcycling, first because I love the idea behind it (using old clothes to make something new) and second because I was limited in the amount of fabric I had (not just the borders also the shops where closed).
In that sense I can resume that since I started sewing, I already set my focus on two different ways of starting the process.
There are for sure many different reasons to start a new project. As many as there are reasons to abandone them again.
One is I that I make the garment I want to wear, the other is creating and designing something resonating to me through the concept, fabric or idea.
The upcycle of this silk dress is surely about the first reason.
It is hot, I realize I have no shorts, alias I have nothing to wear. Which makes me sew, in underwear (since nothing to wear hahaha) waiting for the clothes to be finished so I can finally leave the house dressed.
Not really the most sustainable way of working on anything, that’s what I learned.
The later it got the more I got impatient. And baaam made a lot of mistakes, then tried to fix them quick and easy which lead to more mistakes. Until I found myself with a huge row of super small stitches to reopen, if I wanted to fix the problem.
I gave up, choose some different clothes and left the house, nevertheless.
Leaving gave me this time to reflect. Realizing that starting a project because I want to wear the clothes, I imagined that day by the evening isn’t the way I can keep up a constructive and resonating workflow.
Makes me thing, I should sew winter clothes in summer and vice versa. So, like that I am sure not to fall for the same trap again.
Instead, I should sew for other people.
Or just separate creating-for-myself, from creating-my-brand.
Coming back to the #wip process, don’t you worry, I am not giving it up. I am just going to start again, making sure I have something to wear and nothing to get impatient about it.
I do have some shorts now, so it could actually work:) (buying some 2euro secondhand trousers and just cut them, made it in the end, with a lot less frustration and way faster result)
Thank you for the time and the space for me to share my thoughts and the process with you!! Have a very lovely week, and see you around!
(all photos are taken by me)