Shop Small : Upcycled and Recycled Businesses

November 19, 2020 trishstitched1 Comment

Hello and welcome back to another blog post where I’ve scoured the internet for businesses doing things different and shared them with you! I really love putting resources like this together, and I hope you get something out of it like I do when finding these amazing companies.

Looking for other informative posts?

Read about where to donate/send your old textiles in Clothes Are Not Trash

Shop Deadstock, Reclaimed and Vintage Fabrics for all your sewing projects!

This year has been a whirlwind. I think everyone feels that way. Holidays and gifts are very possibly the last thing on your mind. And if you aren’t gifting this year, consider treating yourself, supporting a small, sustainable business or sharing this post with a friend who may find a new company to love and support. And as always, if there is a business you think should be included in this list, let me know!

(please note different shipping times and each individual shop policy.)

Apparel:

Zero Waste Daniel (US): One of my favorite sustainable apparel companies! Zero Waste Daniel is leading the force for sustainable clothing, using fabric scraps in their apparel collections, and most recently, their mask collection!
Silly Girls Club (International): I’ve been following Silly Girl’s Club on Instagram for a while now and love the company’s fun fashion! This shop specializes in making clothes, fanny packs and other fun accessories from upcycled kids cartoon bed sheets!
Wasi Clothing (US): I found Wasi Clothing from a video on TikTok talking about working with deastock fabric! Their clothing is so cute and I really love the commitment to using deadstock fabrics and sustainable sources!
Grant BLVD (US): Apparel company where all the garments are made using reclaimed and deadstock fabrics! I really love their reclaimed screen-printed collection!

Archivist (International): Looking for a new classic button up to add to your wardrobe? These are made from upcycled luxury hotel linens! It looks like there’s more to come for this company – so keep an eye out!
Miracle Eye (US): An amazing business selling handmade clothes, and straight from their site, “We work with vintage deadstock recycled fabrics as much as possible to remain as sustainable & waste-free as we can”. I got lost by all the fantastic photos on their site!
Psychic Outlaw (US): These upcycled quilt jackets and bandana dresses have been inspiring sewists all over Instagram! You can send in a quilt of your own to be transformed or purchase one of their found quilts!
Nothing New Shoes (US): Classic style sneakers made with up-cycled plastic. The uppers, laces, tongue label, and footbed liner are all made of 100% recycled post-consumer plastic!
Erin Elsie (US): Really fun handmade apparel and accessories made with reclaimed apparel and fabrics!

Bags/Accessories:

Scenery Bags (US): So I don’t like to have favorites, but this one tops it for me with creativity and sustainability. Scenery Bags takes retired theatrical materials and turns them into bags based on the show they are from! They also make jewelry from stage floors! And to make this company even cooler, 10% of proceeds from every sale is donated to TDF to take kids to see theatre!

Off Chutes (US): Upcycled parachute and paraglider accessories! Wallets, key fobs, tote bags and more!
Friends International (Part of the Global Goods Partners) : Fair trade bags made from recycled tires! From their site, “Friends International aims to reduce the number of children living or working on the streets by providing stable jobs and sufficient incomes to their parents.”
The Upcycled Movement: (Ireland): Bags and accessories made from wetsuits! This collection of upcycled pieces also gives back – 10% goes to Seal Rescue Ireland!

Rareform (US): Rareform upcycles billboards into bags and accessories! Their upcycled products include surf board bags, cooler bags, laptop sleeves and more!
Honey Darlin (US): Amy, seamstress behind Amy Nicole Studio, sells bags, apparel and accessories made from vintage and reclaimed materials!
Suave Kenya (International): Beautiful upcycled bags where materials are sourced from open air markets!

Home:

The Little Market: Glassware made from recycled glass by artisans in Mexico! Shop the entire Little Market site for other fair trade & artisan made finds.
Irish Glass (US): Shot glasses, planters and candles made from recycled beer bottles!
Vinylux – Uncommon Goods (US): Upcycled Vinyl from coasters to Bluetooth Speaker! You can also shop through Jeff Davis’ site, which has a few different pieces.

Jewelry:

Coffee Pod Creations (UK): Maker Vicky Knight transforms used coffee pods into beautiful jewelry!
CrapBagBananaHammock (US): Upcycled game pieces – made into jewelry, coasters, keychains, ornaments, etc!
MyAlterEco (US): Upcycled jewelry, beautiful tin earrings!
Zass (US): Mother/Daughter team making gorgeous upcycled jewelry – check out their “Brew Collection“

Reasons and Rhymes (US): Reclaimed wood earrings – beautiful product and beautiful packaging!
CRAVE by CRV (US): Upcycled Jewelry and accessories made from old clothes and dilapidated kiddie pools!
Undone Clothing (US): Upcycled tape measure jewelry and accessories – my favorite from this shop is the upcycled film reel gift packaging!

Kids:

Beeper Bebe (US): The sweetest stuffies and plushies! Each handmade piece is made with upcycled materials or eco friendly new materials. A stuffed octopus made from t-shirts? Yes, even as an adult I want one!
Green Toys (US): A toy company made 100% from recycled milk jugs! No glue, metal, screws or paint! They feature toys like vehicles, jump ropes, stacking and tub toys, etc!

Other:

Lionshed Designs (UK): Upcycled VHS tape notebooks! What did they do with the VHS tapes you may ask? Turned them into planters!
Couch Guitar Straps (US): Deadstock and Reclaimed fabrics make up some seriously awesome guitar and camera straps. They are made of at least 25% recycled materials, including deadstock fabrics and seatbelts! Shop also sells belts, wallets and drum accessories.
The Ugly Company (US): upcycled “ugly” fruit into dried fruit snacks! Food Waste is a serious issue and The Ugly Company is helping to combat waste by turning it into their products! They offer nectarines, apricots, kiwis, and peaches!
Hudson Houndstooth (US): A company for pet accessories! Handmade pieces made with reclaimed and recycled materials including bow ties, bandanas, tug toys and waste bag holders!

Sports Equipment/ Profession Based:

Vintage Golf Gifts (US): Some really cool products made from repurposed golf clubs! They have bottle openers, lamps, clocks and even furniture!
Recycled Sports Equipment – Uncommon Goods (US): I’ve bought a few things from Uncommon Goods, especially since they like to focus on small business and fair trade options. Here’s a whole section of items made from recycled sporting equipment! (Prices vary but I love the upcycled hockey stick snow brush and BBQ set!)
SeshNotStigma (UK): Recycled skateboard jewelry and accessories including keychains, phone cases and clocks!

BoardThing (International): This shop specializes in rings made from recycled skateboards!
Recycled Firefighter (US): Making wallets, bags and belts out of decommissioned fire hoses!
Firefighter Turn Out Bag (US): Sells upcycled bags made from old firefighting gear. You can also send in your old gear for a custom bag! (As seen on Shark Tank)
Sword and Plough (US): Upcycled bags and accessories made out of repurposed military surplus and durable military grade materials. Purchases help empower veteran employment, reduce waste, and they donate 10% of profits to impactful veteran initiatives!

One more business to add to this list, mine!

I absolutely love creating bags and accessories with reclaimed fabrics and upcycled fabric swatches. There is so much textile waste in the world, I love helping bring new life to materials that would have otherwise been thrown away! You can shop my handmade pieces on etsy!

Gathering businesses for this list was really exciting. It was so fun to see how people are innovating their products and trying to make our planet greener and I really hope you can walk away from this list saying “no way, that’s so cool!” at least once!

If you know of another great upcycled/recycled business or want to share your own, leave a link down below! Be sure to tell us what you make and the best way to shop!

fashion revolution · sewing

Reclaimed, Deadstock & Vintage Fabric Resources

May 6, 2020December 15, 2021 trishstitched10 Comments

As you can tell from reading my blog – I love fabric. But over the years I’ve been very conscious about where my fabric is coming from, and what I’m bringing into my stash. Yes I love refashioning, but I also love buying a gorgeous piece of fabric I don’t have to think about fitting a pattern on. Fabric buying can be very easy, and overwhelming; there are so many options out there – from cheap to very expensive. But the more you question content and the process of making it, fabric buying can get difficult.

This list is focusing on reclaimed, deadstock and vintage textiles. There are many shops that offer sustainably made fabrics, but I know how difficult it can be to find reclaimed materials and these are the sources I get asked about the most!

Reclaimed, Deadstock and Vintage Fabric Resources- Trish Stitched

Here are some terms I look for and what they mean:

Reclaimed: The technical definition of “reclaim” is: “recover (waste material) for reuse; recycle.” (From Oxford Dictionary)

My definition in terms of fabric being reclaimed is: textiles that have been previously discarded and are being saved from landfill, burning or other forms of destruction. This can be leftover textiles from designers or fabric stores.

Recycled: There are a few definitions of Recycled Fabrics including: “textiles…sorted, graded and reused again to make fabrics for different end uses.” (Vivify Textiles) Such as, using plastic bottles to create new activewear textiles. (When fabric shopping, this term is more often used when describing newly made textiles)

For me, recycled fabrics can also refer to refashioning, or taking a pre-existing textile (clothing, sheet, curtain, etc) and transforming it into something new.

Deadstock: Technical definition: “an amount of a product that a company has bought or made but is unable to sell.” (Cambridge Dictionary.)

In textile terms, deadstock can also refer to leftover fabric that may have defects, and is typically sold off to smaller companies. (Deadstock can sometimes be destroyed through burning or be sent to landfill.) Deadstock is becoming a very popular term in fabric and clothing buying, and if you would to read more about Deadstock, check out this post from Virtue & Vice.

Vintage: Vintage is a generic term for fabric originating from a previous era.

Many people have their own definitions for how old something has to be, to be considered vintage. Usually it is fabric that is 20-30 years old and older. Materials usually become “antique” after 100 years. There is also fabric sold as Deadstock Vintage, another term to look out for when shopping.

Destash: “To remove yarn, fabric, equipment from one’s collection.” (Your Dictionary)

Destashing is very popular in the sewing world and there are many people who clean out their stashes online in hopes of re-homing their materials. Buying destashed fabric is a great way to get second-hand materials at a lower cost.

Thrifted: “Items bought at a thrift store, flea market, garage sale, or a shop of a charitable organization.” (Definitions.net)

This term can sometimes be used when shopping fabrics, but oftentimes it may fall under the reclaimed, deadstock or recycled label. This phrasing is typically up to the seller to use instead of those previously listed, but still a term to look out for.

And here’s the list!

Deadstock, Reclaimed, and Destashed Fabric:

Fab Scrap: (USA, NY) My #1 resource for reclaimed fabric. They work with designers to sell/recycle their excess or unusable materials to avoid textiles going to landfill. Located in New York, they have a warehouse where you can buy fabric by the pound and a shop in Manhattan which is a little more curated and fabric is bought by the yard. They also sell some stock and mixed boxes online and they have “insta-sales” on instagram. Fab Scrap also accepts remnants/scraps from sewers to recycle but it will cost $1.50/lb to recycle. (It then gets turned into shoddy, which is a product containing mixed recycled fibers, great for stuffing!)

Queen of Raw: (Global) A marketplace where vendors can sell their deadstock materials. A great place for purchasing large amounts of material for clothing lines, etc. They also offer fabrics in 3 yard minimums for smaller purchases. Located in New York but has sellers all over the world.

FabCycle: (Canada, Vancouver) FabCycle works with designers, factories and schools to collect unused textiles to avoid textile waste from entering landfills. This includes scraps, off cuts, deadstock and end of rolls. Shop online or visit their ReUse Center in Vancouver where they also take fabric donations! You can also shop FABCYCLE on Etsy!

A Thrifty Notion: (USA, KS) A shop that offers deadstock, vintage, and destashed fabrics! They take in a lot of donated materials that other sewers no longer want and sell online and in store. They also offer a “friday feature” of “new” materials in store. They also put together a fantastic Thrift Store Locator List featuring many “Re-use” shops, where you can donate materials and notions locally. A Thrifty Notion recently added ‘new stock’ eco friendly fabrics to their site. If you are looking specifically for vintage and destashed fabrics, be sure to read the fabric descriptions!

Stonemountain & Daughters Fabric: (USA, CA) Stonemountain is a fabric shop with an impressive collection of fabrics, and they have an online section exclusively for Deadstock Fabrics which are left over from garment factories and textile mills. While writing this, they even offer deadstock activewear fabric!

Measure: A Fabric Parlor: (USA, GA) Measure Fabrics offers mostly deadstock fabrics, which are available in limited quantities. I personally love Measure Fabrics and they often do fabric features on Instagram as well!

Swanson’s Fabrics: (USA, MA) Swanson’s Fabrics is a thrift store for fabric and crafting supplies. They offer upholstery, classes, and incredibly affordable fabrics. Everything is $4.00/yd, no matter what it is made of! (Thanks so much to Bridget for this resource!)

Scrap- Creative Reuse: (Portland OR, Arcata CA, Denton TX, Baltimore MD, Richmond VA, Ann Arbor MI) No online shop, but lucky locals can donate their items to Scrap who sells it to the public or donates to teachers or organizations that can use the items. Scrap can be a fantastic resource for fabrics and notions!

Who Gives a Scrap: (Colorado, USA) Who Gives a SCRAP is a donation based scrap store that carries a mix of arts and craft and hobbies supplies in addition to unique vintage finds. (Thanks so much to Bridget for this resource!)

Blackbird Fabrics: (Canada) Blackbird Fabrics is an online shop with a small collection of Designer Deadstock. Currently, the shop has some really beautiful deadstock printed fabric! Founder Caroline also co-hosts the Love To Sew Podcast!

Matchpoint Fabrics: (Canada) Matchpoint Fabrics is an online shop that offers mostly sustainable fabric options, but they also have a section of Deadstock Fabric. Most of the deadstock fabrics come directly from mills, TV/film sets & designers. (UPDATE: Matchpoint Fabric is currently closed, but you can sign up for their email list when they open again!)

Haines Collection: (UK)If you are looking for a place to buy upholstery fabrics, Haines Collection is the place! Fabrics in this online shop are leftover from designers and manufacturers in the interior industry. Most of these fabrics are high quality, and come with a higher price tag, but Haines Collection sells them at a much lower cost.

The New Craft House: (UK, East London) An online shop & studio filled with designer deadstock fabric. They are located in East London where you can also take a class, set up a private workshop or attend an event!

(Offset Warehouse: (UK) This shop is mainly focused on sustainable textiles, but says they also offer deadstock. There isn’t currently a specific section for deadstock, so you will have to look at each item, but I thought this would still be a good source to add. )

Vintage:

(Shops that have a passion for reducing waste in the textile industry with a love for vintage textiles)

Revival Fabrics: (USA, OR) An online shop featuring vintage fabrics from the 1920’s- 1970’s! This is a great spot for movie costume designers, commercial set stylists, and period re-enactors. They also have vintage pillowcases and sheets still in their packaging!

Olive Road London: (UK, London) A beautiful collection of vintage textiles, including dress fabrics and barkcloths. I love how this online shop allows you to browse by decades! (Olive Road London’s website doesn’t have US shipping but you can contact them directly for purchasing in US!)

Pink Peacock: (Australia) A beautifully curated online shop featuring vintage textiles. Beware, you may purchase more than just fabric here! (Seriously their vintage home wares are amazing!)

Retro Age Vintage Fabrics: (Australia) In business for 15 years, this is a huge resource for vintage fabrics and their online shop allows you to shop by era, content, design, color, or quantity.

Russian Retro Shop: (Latvia) Shop on Etsy featuring vintage fabrics! This shop has some really gorgeous prints!

Etsy Shops

Craft And Thrift Shop: (UK, Scotland) Amy runs an etsy shop filled with deadstock, thrifted and vintage fabrics. Fabrics are sold by the meter, but she also offers scrap packs and notions. (Amy has become a friend over on Instagram and I personally had a great experience sewing with fabric from her shop!)

Lyrical Fabrics: (USA, California) Lyrical Fabrics (previously named Sew Modern) is a sustainability-focused shop that specializes in deadstock fabrics. There is a mix of vintage, deadstock and natural fibers, so be sure to read the item description to find what you are looking for!

Etsy shops that offer mostly vintage fabrics but also sell destash fabrics, vintage sheets and/or sewing notions:

The Estate Stash: (USA, TN) (shop also sells fabric swatch books)

Ella Osix: (The Netherlands) (Incredible collection of vintage printed fabric)

Shop at the Little House: (USA, CA)

Found Fabrics Shop: (USA, OR)

Life in the Sass Lane: (USA, NY)

Lingon Berries and Moss: (USA, CO)

Dragonfly Cottage Shop: (USA, MN)

Lizi Rose: (USA, CA) (Destash denim scraps)

Bout Flowers: (UK, Durham)

Jaipur Design Shop: (India) (Shop sells beautiful vintage sari’s and recycled fabrics)

Instagram

@shopwellfibre (USA): Sells secondhand fabrics through instagram. (sewing account here! )

@suziesvintageshop (UK Only): Vintage textiles in her ebay shop – and see more behind the scenes on her other instagram account: Suzie Sharp Vintage!

@farmandtablefabrics: Sells through instagram! Posts sales of vintage and reclaimed textiles.

@shopmakethislook: Sells Vintage fabrics, often shown with inspiration garments! Auctions on Instagram. Follow her other account to see her beautiful makes: Make This Look

@vintagefabricsandsheets (Australia): Sells vintage fabrics and sheets on instagram!

If there’s a shop you don’t see listed that I should add, let me know! I will do my best to update this list.

(Please keep in mind, these are shops focused on selling reclaimed, deadstock, and vintage fabrics. Sustainable textile shops are also wonderful to purchase from but not included in this list. If you are looking for Sustainable shops, please read Halfmoon Atelier’s list!)

refashion · sewing · sewing activewear

Fashion Revolution Week: Sustainable Activewear & Leggings to Sports Bra Refashion

April 21, 2020 trishstitchedLeave a comment

Today’s fashion topic is one that I love, but one that has a lot of work to do to become more sustainable. Activewear.

My personal sustainable journey with activewear:

I started running in college, and have since completed several half marathons and full marathons, with smaller races sprinkled in. I also love cycling and other full body workouts. I’ll be completely honest, I love activewear. I love stretchy pants and moisture wicking tops – and while it is most sustainable to wear natural fibers like cotton and linen, that isn’t what this post is focusing on. I am working on progress over perfection, and sharing what I’m learning along the way!

When I first started running, I bought a lot of cheap clothing. Later on, I tried making my activewear to limit my fast fashion shopping, but didn’t have the time to create the kind of active wardrobe I wanted. Fast forward to now, and most of my activewear wardrobe is secondhand. My dad and I recently completed a weekend long challenge of running 48.6 miles in Disney World and almost all my clothing was secondhand! (I did buy two new tops for the shorter races from Raw Threads to show my Disney Love!)

Sewing Activewear:

The hardest part of making my activewear was finding the right fabrics. Active materials in the sewing industry only recently started making waves, which is great for the sewers who want to make their own wardrobes! But, like I’ve mentioned in the past, I now try to look for secondhand materials or more sustainable options for my handmade wardrobe – which are not as widely available.

Last year I was introduced to Repreve Fabric through Pinecrest Fabrics, which is fabric made from recycled water bottles! Repreve is becoming a popular option – and many companies are using their fabrics in active collections, and it is also available to home sewists!

Synthetic Fibers & Microplastics:

But with synthetic fibers, even recycled water bottles, we face a new problem: Microplastics. Microplastics are tiny little plastic fibers that shed from synthetic fabrics every time they are washed. These little pieces of plastic end up in our water streams, which then end up in our oceans, then our fish and possibly back into our bodies. This isn’t a new issue, but something we are becoming more aware of – and companies have stepped in with products to combat the microplastics.

I have been washing my synthetic fibers with Guppyfriend bag for the last few months, and it is great! Each load washed with Guppyfriend has captured the small “lint” pieces that come off our clothing in a very easy to implement process. There are multiple products that claim to do the same, and even some you can attach to your water systems.

Today’s Refashion:

Today I’m sharing a refashion I’ve had planned for a long time, but just haven’t gotten around to making! I’ve had this pair of leggings in my wardrobe for years! It was one of the first pairs I bought when I started running outdoors in winter, a discounted pair that I didn’t wear as much as I thought I would. The fabric is good used condition with a lot of stretch left, but a pair of pants I knew I wouldn’t be wearing again.

One of the ways I refashion is to let the fabric speak and ignore what the original garment is. I didn’t look at this as a pair of leggings, I looked at this as a piece of active material. I used my current favorite sports bra pattern (the Power Sports Bra by Greenstyle) and a little bit of creative cutting for this final result.

I opened the inseam and the waistband to work with the material. To make upcyling look a little less upcycled, I like to mirror pattern pieces for a more intentional look. The bottom section of the ankle stripes became my sides, the wasitband became my back piece and the top section of the ankle stripes became my center front. The lining, waistband and straps came from the rest of the leggings – leaving very little material left over!

Sometimes it can be a struggle to cut an even pattern piece – here’s how I did my center front! Trace the pattern piece on a piece of wax paper which will help you see through when tracing onto your fabric. You can mark up the wax paper with stripe placement for an even cut as well!

I love this sports bra and am happy to put this piece back into my wardrobe- just in another form! And if you were wondering – My leggings in the “after” photos are made from Repreve Recycled Fabrics!

There is so much more to this topic that I can’t put into a simple blog post, but I hope you will check out some of the resources below if you are also on a sustainable fashion journey!

Resources:

Active Clothing Companies I Love:

Raw Threads : Read about their fabrics here!

Girlfriend Collective

Outdoor Voices : I always see Outdoor Voices secondhand on ThredUp!

Where to Buy Repreve Active Fabric:

Sew Dynamic Fabric

Microplastic Filters & Products:

Guppyfriend

Buy From Patagonia (same price, usually in stock)

Buy from Package Free Shop (more expensive, but great resource for other low waste items)

Girlfriend Filter

Cora Ball

sewing

Purple Floral Magnolia Dress – With Craft and Thrift Shop

March 15, 2020 trishstitched2 Comments

Happy Sunday! I hope you are safe and healthy wherever in the world you may be! Sewing helps to distract me, and calms me in times of uncertainty, so I hope my work can calm/distract you if only for a moment.

Part of my sustainable fashion journey is buying secondhand/sustainable fabrics, which can be difficult to come by. I’ve often talked about one of my local sources, Fab Scrap, but little online shops are popping up! They often have collections of deadstock, and thrifted fabrics, meaning there is a limited amount – and limited time – for purchasing. For me, this is the perfect way to shop for fabric because I love letting the fabric speak to me. That’s exactly how this dress came to be!

Deer and Doe Magnolia Purple Floral Dress - Trish Stitched (with Craft and Thrift Shop)

Amy from Craft & Thrift Shop on Etsy reached out to me a few months ago about making a piece with fabric from her shop. Amy’s shop is filled with some of the most gorgeous secondhand fabrics, and this stunning print jumped out at me!

Deer and Doe Magnolia Purple Floral Dress - Trish Stitched (with Craft and Thrift Shop)

I thought this material would make a great dress, and Deer & Doe Magnolia was the first dress to come to mind. I had seen such glamorous versions of this dress and have always wanted to make it. Having this fabric seemed like the perfect opportunity! My vision was View A with the full sleeve in midi length, since I knew I would be able to get more wear out of the shorter skirt. But, I realized I had plenty of fabric to go with the full length, so I wanted to test it out before making any final decisions.

Deer and Doe Magnolia Purple Floral Dress - Trish Stitched (with Craft and Thrift Shop)

I cut the full skirt length and full sleeves from my fabric – which thankfully juuuuuust fit! After stitching the bodice and skirt together (without sleeves) I took a progress photo and asked instagram what to do. It was a resounding yes to keeping the full length skirt. Quite a few comments also said to keep it sleeveless, which I was still on the fence about. But the comments that made the most sense to me were to keep the long skirt for now, and shorten it later if I want to!

Deer and Doe Magnolia Purple Floral Dress - Trish Stitched (with Craft and Thrift Shop)

I still had dreams of the dress with full sleeves, so I had to try it out. I made one long sleeve and kept the other side sleeveless. I tried it on in front of the mirror and for Drew to help me decide. The full sleeve was definitely too overwhelming for me, so I cut the flutter sleeve from the full sleeve. And I think it is the perfect touch! I have a lot of sleeveless dresses, but I don’t have one with flutter sleeves!

Deer and Doe Magnolia Purple Floral Dress - Trish Stitched (with Craft and Thrift Shop)

Pattern details: I made Magnolia in a size 36, I cut out view A with the plunging neckline but wound up stitching the neckline a little higher because the plunge was too open. The dress came together very smoothly, and quickly! Instructions were great, as was sizing.

Fabric Details: I chose this amazing purple floral print from Amy’s shop to make my dress. It was designed by John Kaldor, and is a woven polyester. Amy ships from Scotland so it was really cool to receive a package from overseas (and quickly!)

Deer and Doe Magnolia Purple Floral Dress - Trish Stitched (with Craft and Thrift Shop)

Shopping for fabric online can be tough. You can’t feel, you can’t see the true colors, all you can go on is the photos and description listed. What makes me thrilled to recommend Craft & Thrift Shop is because you get to buy from another seamstress, who knows what you want to know about the material. What’s the fabric content? What’s the best thing to make with the fabric? Bags or garments, a dress or pants? How about washing instructions? Amy has it all covered. Her shop is organized by fabric type, and she even sells notions, buttons and yarns! Here are some of my current favorites in her shop:

Vintage Orange Floral

Craft and Thrift Shop

Vintage Orange & Green Floral

Craft and Thrift Shop

Multicolor Polyester

Craft and Thrift Shop

Geometric Teal & Gold Upholstery

Craft and Thrift Shop

Oh, in case you were wondering why they are called flutter sleeves, the wind showed me why today!

Deer and Doe Magnolia Purple Floral Dress - Trish Stitched (with Craft and Thrift Shop)

{Fabric was gifted to me from Craft and Thrift Shop, but all opinions are my own}

#RefashionFriday · refashion · sewing

#RefashionFriday Tier Dress Refashion

December 6, 2019 trishstitchedLeave a comment

I can’t believe it’s been so long since I’ve blogged. Actually, I can believe it- things have been a little hectic. Since my last blog post in August, I finished making my wedding dress, got married on the rim of the Grand Canyon and spent two weeks exploring National Parks with my new husband. Of course, there was a lot more that happened in the past few months, but those are some of the more notable moments!

I will definitely share my wedding dress/the process of making it when I get back some more photos! (But I will leave a few down below if you haven’t seen any on instagram)

While making my wedding dress, I had a lot of refashioning ideas, but didn’t have time to make any of them because my dress took way longer than expected. After my dress, and all the wedding planning, I didn’t feel like being creative at all! The past couple weeks I have been re-organizing life, sewing through a little bit of my stash (projects that have been on my list all year!) and designing new bags for my shop.

For a few months now I’ve been eyeing “tier dresses”, dresses with 2-3 gathered layers, and have been falling in love with the style. I was doing some pattern research and came across the Myosotis Dress and really fell in love! But before spending money on another pattern, I wanted to test how the dress style would look on me. Enter this sweet denim dress I picked up earlier in the year.

#RefashionFriday Tier Dress Refashion - Trish Stitched

This denim dress was very well loved – the denim has been washed a number of times and it has several stains, but I really loved the bodice detail and the velvet collar. It was a size small, so I didn’t have to do much fitting to it, but I was able to use the skirt for the look I wanted. I went off this photo for inspiration.

First step was to re-size the bodice a bit on each side. I also removed the skirt from the bodice and took out the pleats in the original skirt. The first tier of the skirt came out to be 10.5″ long. I gathered the skirt and reattached the first tier.

#RefashionFriday Tier Dress Refashion - Trish Stitched

To make the second tier a little bit of a quicker process, I measured from the bottom up to keep the original hem. I had to add about 7” to both side seams of the second tier to add more material to gather. There are additional seam lines on the sides, but I don’t mind. The second tier measures in at 9″.

#RefashionFriday Tier Dress Refashion - Trish Stitched

I also re-sized the sleeve slightly and took out a few inches on the shoulder. After that, I re-attached the ties to the side seams and my refashion was complete!

#RefashionFriday Tier Dress Refashion - Trish Stitched

I really love the style on me, I just have to be sure to watch the length. Going too long with this style dress can make me look frumpy, so a style right above the knee works well! I also need to watch the amount of gathering in each tier. I’ve had this issue before- adding too much gathering makes me look childish, so for me, it’s all about moderation with gathering!

This refashion came together quickly and would be easy to do with so many dresses! I could also see this as a cute upcycle for kids!

Looking for a little more inspiration? Here are some awesome tier dresses:

Have a Seamwork Account? This Amber Dress is so cute – I love the multi colored layers, another option for upcycling!

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This tutorial from peek-a-boo pages can be easily adapted for an upcycle project!

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Sara from The Sara Project also created a tier dress tutorial with trim!

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Happy Friday!

And here are some photos of our wedding and honeymoon! I will blog more about all of this soon!

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handmade wardrobe · Make Nine · sewing

Summer Floral Rumi Tank Dress

August 1, 2019 trishstitchedLeave a comment

It has been some time since I’ve shared a finished project! And it certainly has been awhile since I finished something. I’ve actually been doing a lot of sewing, but a lot of projects haven’t worked out. Since I’ve had a few fails, I needed something easy, quick and “fail proof”.

If there’s one thing I’ve been wanting in my wardrobe for years it’s been simple “throw on and go” dresses in summer. I thought I found it a few years ago in the Ebony Dress from Closet Case Patterns – and while I love this pattern, it isn’t as perfect as a dress for me (the top fits well but the dress is a little too flowy). I’ve had my eye on the Rumi Tank Dress from Christine Haynes for a year! I actually found it while searching for a replacement for my favorite summer dress that got a huge stain on. This pattern features a fitted tent silhouette, with a racer back and a separate hem band.

I took a trip to the new Fab Scrap store in Manhattan last month with the intention of finding fabric to make the Rumi Tank Dress and scored this awesome bright pink floral print! Typically pink is not my color – but it’s been growing on me over the years. I snagged two yards of it and went to work on my Rumi.

Summer Floral Rumi Tank Dress - Trish Stitched

Rumi sizing made me a little nervous. I’m used to sewing a bigger size in commercial sewing patterns (I can range between a 6-8) but in indie patterns I usually cut a 0 or 2. I cut a size 6 in Rumi. Mostly because my fabric didn’t have as much stretch, but any smaller and the top would have been fairly tight. The only adjustment I made was in the dress length. To make it a little more petite friendly, I cut 2″ off the dress, but left the hem band the same length. This made it perfectly above the knee!

Summer Floral Rumi Tank Dress - Trish Stitched

Construction of this dress is quick – the longest step was attaching the neck and arm bindings! At first I thought the neckline would come too low, but it’s actually flattering where it falls. If you do want a higher neckline, that isn’t a hard adjustment to make.

Summer Floral Rumi Tank Dress - Trish Stitched

This fabric is beautiful. I don’t have an exact content, but it’s similar to a stretch cotton, with a little more weight. I had enough fabric for the hem but it would have more seam lines. I had some fabric from my Fab Scrap Yard Pack I bought awhile back, and it perfectly matched the dress!

I really love this pattern, and am excited to make more versions. I love that I can throw on a sports bra, sandals and this dress and look put together. I’m also looking forward to making some tank versions. Now that I know it’s a good fit, it’ll be easy to make a few for casual wear and a few for running! And I’m pretty happy to cross another make off my Make Nine List!

Summer Floral Rumi Tank Dress - Trish Stitched

Shop Fab Scrap HERE

Shop Rumi Tank HERE

#RefashionFriday · handmade wardrobe · refashion · sewing · Tutorials

#RefashionFriday Skirt to Pinafore Refashion

March 29, 2019April 5, 2019 trishstitched5 Comments

Happy Friday! I have a whole list of sewing projects to get to, and with Spring finally peaking out from the winter weather, I’m so motivated to tackle some new projects!

I picked this skirt up a few weeks ago, while filming my thrifting trip for my Simplicity takeover. I originally wasn’t going to buy it, but it looked like it would actually fit me ‘as is’ and that excited me. It was also this gorgeous golden color, and looked to be of really great quality.

I got the skirt home, tried it on, and had to suck it in for it to button! Thankfully it was a button close and I had plenty of room to move the buttons over for a more relaxing fit. The skirt looked very frumpy on me, as most maxi skirts do. Originally, I was considering making a knee length skirt and calling it a day, but about 5 minutes later, I had the idea to create a pinafore. Maybe it was because I kept seeing the #SewBibs challenge on instagram, but the thought of a pinafore just clicked! Since I wasn’t sure just how often I would wear a pinafore, I thought I would take this project a step further and make the bib removable.

#RefashionFriday Skirt to Pinafore - Trish Stitched

Overall this project was a simple transformation, and I was able to use my Turia Dungaree pattern from Pauline Alice to help with the top.

#RefashionFriday Skirt to Pinafore - Trish Stitched

I will have a video tutorial coming up, and will update the post once it’s completed! But for right now, I’ll break down some of the steps.

Update: Here’s the video!

First, chop the bottom off. Mark where you would like a hem to go – and add in some seam allowance. The more you cut off, the longer your bib can be. Since my skirt fell on my high waist, that meant my bib could be shorter, and I chopped about 9″ off the bottom.

#RefashionFriday Skirt to Pinafore - Trish Stitched

My favorite trick with this refashion was using the original skirt hem in two different places! I used it as the finished top of my bib and I was able to use the rest in the straps. The original hem was pretty wide, so by adding some extra seam allowance, I was able to keep the original fold.

To make the top removable, I added buttonholes to the bottom of the bib and the ends of the straps. Buttons were sewn onto the skirt itself, so the pieces could easily be attached and removed.

#RefashionFriday Skirt to Pinafore - Trish Stitched

During the making of this refashion, I was getting really annoyed. About halfway through, I looked at the piece and it reminded me of an apron. I stepped away for a bit, but even after returning, I couldn’t get the apron vibes out of my head. Before quitting for the night, I took out a pack of dungaree metal strap pieces and pinned them to the straps. Adding in the overall straps and separating the straps from the top made a huge difference and I no longer saw an apron!

That wasn’t part of the original plan, but it was definitely a detail I was happy to add.

#RefashionFriday Skirt to Pinafore - Trish Stitched

After the top was finished, I completed the project by hemming the skirt! I was so happy with how this refashion turned out, and it was made so much easier by using a pattern I already had! There are so many dungaree and pinafore patterns in the sewing world, here’s so inspo to make your own!

Tilly & the Buttons Cleo

and Tilly & the Buttons Mila

Closet Case Patterns Jenny Overalls

Jenny_Overalls_Pattern_

Seamwork Magazine Dani Pinafore

Dani Pinafore

Simplicity Knit Overalls (I have this pattern and can’t wait to make it!)

simplicity 8855

McCall’s Overalls (this comes with pants and pinafore!)

M7547_a

Inspired to make your own Bib pattern? Check out the #SewBibs competition over on instagram! I follow Meg from Cookin’ & Craftin’ on insta and she’s been sharing loads of inspiration. Here’s her blog post! The challenge is on until April 12th, so you still have time to work on your makes!

sewing · sewing activewear

Pine Crest Fabric: Recycled Work Out Wear!

March 4, 2019 trishstitched4 Comments

I am so excited to be writing this post right now! You guys know I love my activewear, so I’m so happy to share another workout outfit with you! A super special thank you to Pine Crest Fabric for the most beautiful fabrics!

When Pine Crest Fabric first reached out to me and I did my research on the company, I saw a section on their site about recycled fabrics (you may remember me mentioning this in my floral workout wear post: here). Well, a few months ago, Molly from Pine Crest reached back out to me about the recycled fabrics and I am so excited to review them for you! You guys. I’m freaking out. In the best way possible!

Pine Crest Fabrics with Repreve: Recycled Active Wear - Trish Stitched

Activewear is a huge passion of mine, and since I love running (and now cycling), I love workout wear. But my eco-friendly mindset has struggled with creating activewear. Good workout gear is not eco friendly, and to be honest, I can’t workout in cotton – or other natural fibers because I sweat A LOT. (Sorry, a little too much info, but it’s the truth). So I need strong clothes that can take a beating through wash and wear.

While I’ve tried buying second hand workout wear, I still don’t get the same satisfaction as making my clothing. So when Pine Crest came out with their Repreve Collection, I was so happy. Repreve fabrics are made with recycled water bottles!

And, in terms of creating the fabric, Pine Crest says this about Repreve, “Compared to the virgin fiber creation process, these eco-friendly fabrics have fibers using new petroleum. This allows for lower greenhouse gas emissions and the ability to conserve water and energy in the process.” We are getting closer and closer to being able to enjoy better fabric options- sustain-ably!

While I certainly have tried to limit my plastic waste over the years, and have done a pretty good job with it, the reality is that not everyone controls their amount of plastic waste. There are so many plastic bottles in the world, just like waste in general. While the sustainable movement is definitely growing, plastic use also grows, and this is a great product to re-use the waste.

You guys know I love my colors and prints, but I have dreamed about a pair of sustainable black leggings for the longest time, and now was my chance! I got 2 yards of black Valor, 2 yards of Virtue in the most beautiful color, Cosmo, and a yard of their Olympus galaxy printed fabric (not recycled), to put together the perfect workout outfit. (Scroll down to get links!)

Pine Crest Fabrics with Repreve: Recycled Active Wear - Trish Stitched

I decided on making all new patterns for this project, and turned to Greenstyle Creations Patterns. I’ve never sewn these patterns but have been seeing them all over the place and had to try them out.

I’m wearing the Power Sports Bra, Peg Leg Leggings, and the Tie Back Tank.

Power Sports Bra: oh my god. If you are looking for a good sports bra pattern- this is it. Not only are all the options great, but the construction is so much cleaner than other bras I’ve made. I decided on the strappy back, and LOVE how the straps were made. I also made this bra with removable cups, and a mesh lining. I was between sizes and sized down because I wanted a tighter fit. It’s perfect!

I’ve already talked about Olympus fabric from Pine Crest, and how much I love it, and again, it did not disappoint. This fabric is such a great weight for active wear – and for sports bras, it’s got a great stretch while being secure enough to do some serious activity.

Pine Crest Fabrics with Repreve: Recycled Active Wear - Trish Stitched

The tie back tank was a quick and easy make. I did the binding option with the racer back. It was an easy make, and the fit is very nice. Again, another pattern with a number of options, which is always nice to have! I made a size XS. (Shown here without being tied in front, and below once tied)

Pine Crest Fabrics with Repreve: Recycled Active Wear - Trish Stitched

The leggings were a free pattern from Patterns for Pirates – the Peg Leg Leggings. I also downloaded the free add-ons offered by the company and made the leggings high waisted, with a side pocket. I really love the fit of these, but wanted to add elastic to the top of the waistband to make these extra secure for running.

Pine Crest Fabrics with Repreve: Recycled Active Wear - Trish Stitched

When it comes to black leggings, I always get nervous they will still be see through, but I have not had a single issue with these! I do have a little bit left that I’m hoping to make a pair of shorts from. I am so impressed by this fabric.

The leggings and bra are both great for running, and I love having the top to throw on after working out or for hopping on the bike! I did a short run so far with the leggings and bra and both were successful in terms of wear and feel. I didn’t hit maximum “sweat-age” just yet, but they did feel great during my run.

I still can’t believe I have a source for recycled active fabrics. And now you do too! Fabric.com is stocking these materials, so no need for a wholesale account through Pine Crest. Although, if you did want to start an active wear apparel brand – I totally recommend using Pine Crest for your fabric source!

Here’s more detail:

Pine Crest Fabrics with Repreve: Recycled Active Wear - Trish Stitched

Virtue is a lighter weight fabric created in an array of colors that’s perfect for swimwear or active tops. Virtue is the material I used for my top, in Cosmo. Click the Fabric.com link below to get this fabric!

Valor is a bottom weight fabric that comes in both classic black and white (for printing), which is the perfect weight for leggings, shorts, etc. Fabric.com will be adding this to their site soon and I’ll update the post as soon as I get the link!

The third fabric I’ve tested from Pine Crest is called Olympus. It isn’t recycled, but the quality is out of this world. Shop the galaxy print fabric here: (And it’s on sale!!)

This was a great way to kick off my active wear sewing for the year. And I have a pair of Hudson Pants on deck, and plenty of fabric to make shorts for Spring and Summer!

{Please note: this post may contain affiliate links. While I was given fabric to review by Pine Crest Fabrics, all opinions are my own.}