Fun With Fashion and Scrap Busting Too

Since I am so late in getting to this post, I decided to just call it fun with fashion rather than our usual Monday Morning Inspiration post.

My husband broke his ankle a few weeks ago. Of course it was his right ankle, so no driving, and no much of anything else either. So, I am doing all the driving, and running all the errands. I have always been extremely grateful for all he does to help me, but now that it's all on me...I am all the more grateful!!! 

I absolutely love fun fabrics, something that's just a little out of the norm. I shared the jacket below earlier this summer. I had it in the Haute Couture fashion show this past May. It's such a fun jacket to wear, and I always get lots of compliments on the jacket. Look closely and you'll see the faces in the fabric pattern. 

I found the fabric below at Oak Fabrics here in Chicago. I ended up pairing the dress with the jacket. When I wear the two together, I call the combo, faces in the dark, and faces in the light :) 

Below is another fabric from the same designer. I found this on the Mood website. It sold out quickly! I actually bought this fabric before I found the white knit at Oak Fabrics. The white faces knit I just could not resist :/ I'm sure you know the feeling ;)...Anyway, I was just a little short on the fabric for this skirt, so the skirt is a little shorter than I would like. To remedy the issue, I added a black band around the hem. Rather than leave it a plain black band, I bought some embroidery floss and did a little stitching. I'll share that in an upcoming post. 

As I was going through Pinterest, I came across a number of ideas that I thought would be fun to do. We all love something a little fun, and too, if you've sewn for more than a minute, you have scraps. So not only are these ideas fun, they offer great ideas for doing a little scrap busting too!!! 

I absolutely love this little skirt! And it's a great way to use up scraps. 

This is the same skirt, but rather than fabrics, a tape was used to create the silhouette.

Another fun use of scraps. 

Here's the top in a skirt version.

I thought this top was especially sweet. It's patchwork, but super fun!

This is a gown that would get you noticed at any gala!

Another great way to use some scraps.

Wishing you an absolutely wonderful day, and have a little fun with YOUR fashion! 

Rhonda

Sewing Room Inspiration and Cleaning/What To Do With Scraps

In my ongoing pursuit to clean out, declutter and organize my studio, the question that looms is what to do with scraps and fabric that we no longer want. For so many of us, this has almost become a war cry. We love to sew, we love to create, and yet we feel so guilty about throwing out fabric scraps that we know could be used for SOMETHING!!! And then there's the fabric that we once thought was great, but our tastes changed and it's just the sad old piece that continues to sit there because we feel, once again the "G" word, guilty about not using it. 

To lighten up the mood just a bit, now that I have us all feeling guilty, I came across this on Facebook this morning. Made me laugh and I thought you might enjoy it as well :)

At the moment, and I say at the moment, because I have quite a bit more to go through, I have 3 bags full of fabric and scraps. So what to do? 

 

A few years ago, a very energetic and creative woman came to speak to our sewing group, The Haute Couture Club of Chicago. I was amazed by what she has done and the impact that she has made. Her name is Monika Neuland Kimrey, and she is an artist who believes that you can change a life with a scrap of fabric or a piece of yarn. 

She works with the elderly, the developmentally and physically challenged, children's programs, and has recently started programs in the Englewood area of Chicago. For those of you who do not know Chicago, this area has become notorious for gang activity and murders.

Monkia believes in creating opportunities for those whom society has labeled as unable and and giving them the new title of artist. 

Below, an after school program. 

Monika teaching a developmentally challenged young man to sew and ultimately create.

Another example of what can be created with scraps.

After meeting Monika and experiencing her vision, I no longer look at my bags of scraps and unwanted fabric as a burden. I see them as possibilities in waiting.  

If you live in the Chicagoland area and have fabric and scraps that you would like to donate, please email me at sewbussted@yahoo.com and I will be happy to pass along Monika's email address. Sadly, she does not have a website.

Now, if you don't live in Chicago, what can you do? I've given this quite a bit of thought and here are some of my ideas.

1. Put an ad on Craig's List and direct it toward artists. There are many artists who use fabric scraps in their artwork. You can always arrange to meet them at a fabric store to pick up the fabric rather than coming to your home.

2. Contact a local art center. Again, many artist's use fabric and scraps in their artwork and would appreciate the donation.

3. Contact your local government or schools and see if they have an after school art program for children.

4. Talk to school teachers, especially those teaching kindergarten classes. They are always looking for materials that can be used for art projects. 

These are just a few ideas that came to mind. 

Do you have any resources or ideas that I can share? If so, please leave a comment and I will do a follow up post and share your ideas with everyone. 

I posted this last Sunday for the week's inspiration;

Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world, for indeed that's all who ever have.  

Even a scrap of fabric can make a difference.

Next week, I will share more of your studio pictures and my progress as well. In the meantime, if you would like to share your studio with all of us, you may link up your pictures on THIS POST. We want to see the good, the bad and the ugly :) Come on!, I showed you mine!!!