Normalising remakes

Recently, I did a bit of a review of my makes. I was partially prompted by the urge to spring clean and then I saw the “REFEBULOUS” prompt and took it as a sign! The #refebulous sewing challenge is hosted by @madebyliesl which encourages everyone to review anything that hasn’t worked in the past and to repurpose the fabric or see if the make can be improved so it could be worn.

I chose to remake a slip dress that I had sewn in 2020. The lovely rayon fabric was from my local Spotlight Store, and I haven’t seen it restocked since. It’s a beautiful soft fabric which is a favourite to wear in summer. I love the beautiful print of tropical palm leaves set on a white background. 

The slip dress was a bonus inclusion with the Leila Dress from Marsha Style. It can be worn under the Leila Dress, and it could also be sewn as a stand-alone dress. I hadn’t been sewing for very long when I made this, and I don’t remember making a toile for the dress. I think even with a toile, I wouldn’t have known how to alter the dress to my fit. 

Initially, I thought I would still sew a slip dress, but I don’t think the style really suits me anyway. The Hana Tank Dress from Patternscout Studios is something I have worn on repeat, and I was thrilled when there was enough fabric for it. I managed to use 90 percent of the fabric in my remake, and I’ve saved the muslin lining for future use.

It’s great to normalise repurposing or remaking garments that don’t fit or no longer serve a purpose. It’s been a great prompt to keep us mindful with our makes. I’ve also just finished with the “Threads” podcast by Veronica Milsom and was appalled by the statistics of fast fashion. Sewing has been an eye opener in many ways! I’ll be doing regular reassessments of my makes from now on.

Thanks for reading and happy sewing!

X Em