The Unmaking

Sometimes, you just have to do it.

Unmake something you love, so it can live again.  I have – had – a favourite top. It was made of fine, smooth cotton lawn, in a vibrant shade of orange with white motifs on it. I bought it in an op/charity/thrift shop for $5, and wore it weekly for many years. It was perfect for our climate, it was cheerful and comfortable, and I loved it.

It was starting to show its age. It was faded. I’d mended it once, twice, and then it started to get very thin under the arms from wear and friction. And then the neck band started to fray and wear through. I had to concede. Time and physics defeated me. So I began the Unmaking.

Have you ever tried unpicking overlocking/ serging? It’s a Lot, especially as it was good quality 4-thread overlocking. I was urged to simply cut it off, but if you do that, you lose your seam allowances. So I unpicked every single thread. Then I starched the pieces firmly and pressed everything flat (or as flat as they’d go after years of curving around me).

And then, remembering how they’d all gone together, and where bits might have been trimmed off, I traced around every piece onto large sheets of butcher’s paper, and labelled and ruled straight grain lines and marked where pieces should match up.

I’ve modified the pattern slightly. I’m making a simpler front opening. There was an elaborate placket around a slit in the front neckline. I don’t need that, it contributes nothing to the design. I’m going to add a simple facing and make a rectangular slot.

The Unmaking is done. Now I’m ready for the Making of a new friend.