July's Craft Challenge: Tee Shirt Rehab

Welcome to second UV Craft Challenge. We are inspired by Just Crafty Enough's Iron Craft challenges to create our own. Here at Upper Valley Fiber Crafts we host a quarterly challenge for anyone to join in. Sometimes there will be a theme and sometimes there will be a specific craft. We'll post our own interpretations of the challenge here at the blog and at the end of the month we'll have a round-up for you to show off your project.

Summer is here and school is finally out. It's probably safe to swap your wintery woolens for summery tees. Each season I inevitably find that time in storage has not been kind to at least one tee. Maybe a grease stain magically appeared, or a tear, or it's too worn to be worn. Or maybe it's just too boring. A quick Google search or glance at Pinterest will show you oodles of ideas for making a tee shirt wearable again.

For this month's challenge I'd like you to choose a tee shirt to rehab and turn it into something wearable or usable by the end of the month. There are four categories of techniques you can use to transform your tee.

• Alterations (make the tee shirt fit better or differently) 
• Decorations (embelishments) 
• Repurpose as a different garment 
• Repurpose as a different object 

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Alterations

Take an oversized shirt and alter it for style and fit.

Or change the neckline.

Decorations

You could use this fabric dot patch technique or paint to strategically cover stains or mended holes. Many dots make the design look intentional.

Or copy a high-end tee. There's also an opportunity here to hide stains and mends.

Repurpose: New Garment

Like a cute headband.

Or a ruffled scarf.

Here's a cute toddler dress.

Repurpose: New Object

Make a cozy for your morning cup of tea.

Make a functional and decorative bowl.
Or make useful shopping bags.

Be sure to check out my Tee Shirt Rehab Pinterest page as well. I have many great ideas pinned that contain dead-end links but the pinned picture contains enough info to give you an idea and get you started.

We'll be posting our own ideas for this challenge. Post a comment if you will be following this challenge. I can't wait to see what you come up with.

P.S. This was once offered as a Sew-op workshop but garnered little interest. Reply in the comments if you'd like to attend a live class on this topic.

Quilting field trips

If you want to see some lovely quilts, there are two major events within day-trip distance.

The Vermont Quilt Festival is this weekend in Essex Junction, up near Burlington. There will be exhibits and classes on quilting skills, designing, and specific quilt patterns. The festival is open Friday and Saturday 9-6 and Sunday 9-3, and costs $12 for one day plus $10 for each additional day. Check out their website for all the details.

For looking only, you can visit the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, which has a special exhibit until July 27 of the Pilgrim/Roy collection of quilts. The exhibition page has a slideshow of some of the quilts, which in person are accompanied by descriptions of the visual effects and aspects of color theory they exemplify (though these are historical quilts, made for household use). I'm intrigued by the inclusion of a section called "Optical Illusions."

If you go (or have been) let us know what you think!

Participating in UVFC

Every fiber crafter in the Upper Valley has a different perspective, different interests and different expertise. Upper Valley Fiber Crafts aims to be a place to share those perspectives, interests, and expertise for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone. To that end, here are six ways to share with other crafters via UVFC - consider this your invitation!

On the Blog:

• Guest post or join up as a regular contributor (more on this below).
• Send us tips about upcoming events or ideas for posts you'd like us to write.
• Comment on posts: especially when we have guest posters, let them know you appreciate their contribution.

On the Lists:

• Add your blog to our blogroll (in the sidebar below the archive list). As long as fibercraft is in your posting mix, we'd love to have you.
• Send us information for our Fiber Craft Location page: shops for craft materials, groups that gather on a regular schedule to craft together, and places that teach classes are all there.
• Add to our Skills for Hire page: this is for shops and individuals who provide services, from alterations to professional knitting to scissors sharpening to private craft lessons.

You can easily get in touch with us via the contact form in the sidebar.

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More on Guest Posting

We welcome any number or regularity of posts. Want to write a month-long series of weekly posts? A single post? A monthly column? Five posts a year? We are happy to have all of these. Contact us through the form in the sidebar. If you have specific topics in mind, include them, but if you don't know exactly what to write about (or, perhaps, how to write about the topic you have in mind) we will help you formulate your ideas.

There are many kinds of posts you could contribute. Here's an incomplete list:

• Reviews: your favorite books, techniques, or materials, or a useful resource online.
• Event announcements or recaps: festivals, fairs, sales, craft markets, classes....
• Profiles: of fellow crafters, crafting groups, shops, educational establishments, etc.
• Tutorials: for projects or techniques.
• Sightings and stories: such as yarn bombing, fiber-based art, or tales of glee or woe about crafting.

There are really only two cautions:

• Be constrictive in your criticism: reviews should be honest, but remember this blog is for celebrating all of the fibercraft happening in the Upper Valley.
• Posts are not sales pitches: If you are selling handmade crafts, we'd like to know about it, but make it more than an advertisement.

Tell your fellow crafters what you know!

Get Scrappy

First, there's still plenty of room in my skirt drafting class, June 14th from 10-12, Upstairs at the Sew-op at the Upper Valley Food Co-op. You'll learn how to draft your own pattern and sew a basic a-line, elastic or drawstring waist skirt. It's an easy and fun class. It helps if you've had our Basic Sewing class or have similar experience. You can sign-up by the registers in the Co-op.

Scrap Busting

Every project creates scraps. Even the most carefully designed layout will result in scraps. And thread scraps are also unavoidable. Some professional crafters even sell their scraps. So what can be done with all those scraps?

Very Small Scraps

Visitors to the Sew-op may have noticed there are special buckets to collect very small fabric and thread scraps. It's partly for tidyness and convenience, but also that we could potentially do something with those scraps. Back before polyfil those scraps would be saved and used as stuffing for a pillow or doll or other stuffed thingy. Sawdust was also used as stuffing and while that is a fiber, it's not under this blog's umbrella. (Anyone know the expresion about feeling so worn out your sawdust is leaking from your stitches?) Anyway, at home I save those fabric and thread scraps in a box and I almost have enough for a small stuffie. Like maybe this one, a turtle pin cushin that is also made from scrap fabric. It makes for a lumpier look but it can be charming.

Larger Scraps

Larger scraps, let's say at least 1 inch square, can be used in many ways. 

Qulting them together to create a sort of fabric is an easy one and works with all shapes and sizes. http://stumblesandstitches.blogspot.com/2011/11/tutorial-scrappy-stocking-christmas.html

Scraps make great patches.

photo credit: kellyhogaboom via photopin cc

These little keychains are adorable and use very small scraps.

And kids will happily make use of any sized scrap. I used to make doll clothes from the 2"x2" fabric swatches my grandma used to to get. She lived on a farm in SD and ordered all her fabric by mail.


Still Larger Scraps
Once you have a piece of fabric about 3 or 4 inches square there are all sorts of small projects you can create.

You can make fabric rope from scraps

A cute, scrappy bracelet

Beanbag book ends are a creative idea

Yarn Scraps

I don't knit or crochet, but of course those crafts also create scraps. Yarn and floss scraps can be saved as stuffing, used in kid projects, etc.

Or to make carrots


Check out my Pinterest board devoted to scrappy projects for more ideas. What do you do with your fabric scraps?