{dying to be different 2} here comes the sun

Two refashions

1. Hand dyed silk cotton top

2. Cut off jeans

Amaze balls! Even the buttons turned yellow

Thanks to iDye and iDye poly

Guessing competition: which is whiter, the cat or my legs?

...ready for summer

dying to be different: second chance silk tunic

salvaged silk dress

dyed

unstitched

restitched

and remodelled: defrilled and belted

 This dress had great bones. A divine silk damask fabric. Fitted yoke, grandpa collar, generous cuffs. And the finest row of self covered buttons, a dozen on the cuffs! Irresistible. So I respectfully fulfilled its wish for a new life, liberating it from Anglicare, Summer Hill.

But, urgh. The insiped coulour, stained upper arm and frilled hem: had to go! Enter, DIYers... you know what follows. But for those that don't:

1. DYING

After a small poll (thanks, Nieve!) the iDye Brilliant Blue won. First dye bath of half a packet of iDye (for natural fabrics) in Brilliant Blue. Then, I realised I had forgotten an iDye poly to cover the synthetic stitching. I dyed again. The second bath with the other half of the iDye Brilliant Blue and half a packet of iDye Poly Blue. Unfortunately, the stitching didn't take beyond a pastel blue. Though, the silk did benefit from the second bath and took on a stronger hue.

2. UNSTITCHING

A couple week's of train trips to unstitch. First, the facing stitching that refused the colour. And, second, the frilled hem - gross!!

3. RESTITCHING

Let's not understate this. Each and every facing seam restitched. From collar to hem. Oh, and thread really does come in every colour. I found a perfect match in this scanfil #1355 

4. REMODEL

Picked up the discarded ruffled hem. Ungathered it. Fashioned it into a new belt!

-> NEW LIFE

The recycling's done!

silk jersey top

silk jersey remnant rescued from tessuti

mokuba fold-over elastic trim

stretch interfacing

Silk jersey. Slinky, fine. A gorgeous drape. Don't leave it to the likes of Calvin. Just watch Cesar in The Fashion Show effortlessly turn out gown after gown in this gorgeous fabric, to give your confidence to work with it a boost. 

The edges are finished with an overlocked rolled hem. But it wasn't becoming of the silk's lustrous finish.... what to do, what to do...? Mokuba fold-over elastic has a similar sheen and fine profile. Done.

The sloper that came from my variation of the Lydia top has proven its worth again.