Circle the Wagons, it's the Official Launch of Make & Mend 2011!




Banners are here!



You know how bad things often happen in 3s? For me, it's been the last couple of days. I got banned from the Queen Mary Hotel, the video card in my desktop computer went bad, so I had to use my slim savings for a replacement, and my tub drain is clogged! Geeze, will it ever end!?

But I must solder on. We all must, and now that I have absolutely, positively no cash, what better time  to do the official launch of MandM'11.

This year the main focus of my sew along is repairing what you have and using what you have. Let's face it, pattern prices are through the roof. We have all seen them. We all have that stash of garments we have made that we skip over in our closets because there is this *one* thing wrong with them that we have to get to later. NOW is later!

I won't stand for a mess of "I can't get it done"s. I know you all can get it done! I have faith in each and every one of you, and we can all encourage each other. You still have time to gather supplies and materials. 

What you will want to have for this MandM is a dress form. As most know, Onda has been patiently waiting for me to start this sew along. She cant wait to go through more photoshoots. Don't tell her I told you all this, but she is a little vain. 

Making a duct tape dress form is not very hard. 


I followed the tutorial on Threads Magazine's site. All you need are $20 worth of duct tape, an extra pair of hands, and a couple of hours. 

Muslin. Get about 5 or six yards or use an old sheet if you have one/some. I'm going to be going over drafting on a form and making some base patterns like a blouse and perhaps a good base for a skirt. I've had a lot of busty ladies ask me about making a bodice that does not gape. I'm gonna share some secrets that I've learned along the way.

Modifying an existing garment is something I really need to work on. I have this pattern that I want to actually use on a dress I have and I'm going to be using some of my vintage fabric on it and make it happen.


Also I want to make a dress I've been lusting over for some time. This Du Barry. 


Mmmm.

Plus, if there is time some other treats are in store including a fab 40s pattern giveaway.
As always the Flickr forum is open for business. Drop on by if there are questions or concerns or just for support. We all need it from time to time.

So who's with me! Come on gals and dudes! Lets Make and Mend!

36 comments:

  1. I'm tentatively going to say I'm in!

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  2. I've never officially done a Make and Mend, but heck, I have a stack of mending on my sewing machine as we speak. No problem there! Also, I've got projects galore waiting in the cupboard. And finally I've been eyeing up an old pair of my overalls that would be better suited to my daughter. Would that count for repurposing? I'm in like Flynn!

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  3. Drat!! I wish I knew about this yesterday!! I just mended several pairs of jeans for the hubster. However, I've got lots in my current stash (patterns and fabric) that have plans....sooooo yippee skippee I can play!!!
    I'm in!!!!

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  4. I am in.

    One of the things I need to mend is my blogger account, it keeps kicking me out when I try to comment :)

    Karen

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  5. New commenter here. Enjoy your blog and your beautiful fashions! I have a question...I have my mother's professional dress form but it's about a size 6 and I am 18-20. How hard would it be it 'fatten' it up to my size?

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  6. Hey Lisa,
    I think it would be pretty hard because not only would you have to add volume width wise, but even length wise, and that could be a challenge.

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  7. I would like to be in too but not sure how much I may have to dig for some mending though I know I bought a lovely swirl dress off ebay knowiing I was going to have to do a few diferent mends on it does 3 mends on the same dress count as 3 mends or only one? I know i have a skirt that needs clasp repair hmm. I bet if I dig in the a bit deeper I can find some more. I am tentatively in good thing school will be out in 3 weeks then I will a have a few weeks of free time to put into this I hope.

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  8. You can always find mending! :D Mend something for someone else.

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  9. Hi Shelleyj.I just stated my own wardrobe refashion on my blog but will be intrested to see yours. I'm not using a dress form though because I'm annoyingly changing size quite a bit.I'm using the existing clothes I love.taking patterns from them to use on the things I don't love so much. Just at the cutting stage for my first refashion and am procratinating.Cutting always scares me particularly when there's not a lot of spare fabric http://thecreativemissw.blogspot.com/

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  10. This is perfect! I've just had a bit of a wardrobe cull, and set a side a big pile of things that don't fit or that I just don't like any more, but the fabric's really too good to waste. Besides, I've been spending too uch on my projects - this will help with the thriftiness!

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  11. I've got stuff to make for which i've had the fabric on hand for ages. I've got stuff to fix, including cutting a new (bigger) bodice for a dress made from a late 30s DuBarry pattern, which otherwise fits me. Thank goodness I have extra of the original material!

    -d

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  12. My wardrobe (and pocketbook) is begging me to join, so I'm in!

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  13. I'm in. Needed this. Good timing.

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  14. I'm in! I'm in! I'm in! Do you have a make do and mend button? I am so up for using my existing fabric and I already have a list of mending to do for me-made-June and repurposing/refashioning is high on my list :-) fabulous timing!

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  15. I'm going to make a couple of banners soon for people to use on their blogs ;)

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  16. I'll post a banner as soon as it's ready!

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  17. I think I can safely say I'm in. I might not get everything done between a full-time job and a Saturday volunteer gig and church stuff on Sunday, but I'm game to at least try! I'll figure out how to put a banner on my sewing blog as soon as you get one up. :)

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  18. I love this idea! I have a huge pile of things that need a new hem, a zipper fixed, to be let out/taken in. I'm also getting crap from my husband because he says the amount of cloth coming into the house is exponentially higher than the amount leaving. The fabric stash ie definitely out of control!

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  19. Banners are up and available, thanks all!

    Yay sewing!!

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  20. First of all, I've always wanted to get banned from something, so that makes you my hero. And second, I'm in!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Okay, newbie question here. Should we post our finished piece on our blog, use the above banners and link back to this intro post? Will our posts be linked from here somehow?

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  22. Post progress and links to projects in the flickr group, Bo Peep. That way we can all keep track of what each other is doing.

    And also post what project you like on your blog. Thats a great was to inspire people who don't read mine to Make and mend :)

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  23. I'm in - I am ready to sew, mend, and repurpose!

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  24. Ooops...a bit late but I'm definitely in! I had just posted yesterday on my blog about how I intend to get to my fix pile before buying anything else. What a great way of accomplishing this! Thanks!

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  25. I'm a bit late to the party but I'm in! Too bad it didn't start a couple of days ago since I just finished upcycling a pillowcase into a skirt!

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  26. Ooh, I want to do that! I'll have to come up with projects, but I already have some mending to do!

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  27. A bit late but I'm in.As I was allready doing my own resfahion on my blog I didn't join straight away but I had a think about it and really there's no reason I can't do both.Am going to find you on flickr now.

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  28. Hello! I'm late joining, and am a complete beginner sewer, so I'm a bit nervous. I just loved the idea of Make & Mend though so I couldn't resist!

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  29. Hey there. I'd love to be involved. I don't know how much mending I will have, but I definitely need to start using my stash instead of buying more new materials. Tech-dummy question, how do I put one of the banners on my blog? I like the first one but no idea how to grab it. Also, I've never done one of these before, do we post pictures of the items or otherwise document somewhere, on the flickr group?

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  30. Erin, just drag the image to your desk top then go through blogspot's process of adding images. Easy as pie!

    I'm so happy there are more people doing the Make and Men this year than last year! :) Yay!

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  31. I'm relatively new to sewing, but count me in for this, I'll give it a go!

    Miss P xx

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  32. Are we documenting our 5 bits of mending somewhere? Sorry if that was addressed already and I missed it.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Erin, there is the flickr group, and also you can post them on your own blog. In the flick group there is a thread to introduce yourself and post links to your blog.

    ReplyDelete

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