Good Will Project

One of the projects we did for my sewing class this semester was called a Good Will Project. What we had to do was go to Good Will, or even use items we already had, and then take those items to create something totally new and different. We couldn't buy fabric, we had to use what we bought for fabric. However, you could buy thread, buttons, zippers, etc. 

When I went to Good Will I found a shirt that was very large, I think a 4X (I am a medium shirt wise), and it was a black and green hounds-tooth print. It's very soft and hangs nicely. I also managed to find a real 100% leather skirt from Talbot's. It was a size 12 and I am anywhere from an 8 to a 10, but the 12 skirt didn't fit as well as it could have.
Originally I found them and wanted to combine them to make a nice dress with a cute hounds-tooth top and the leather skirt bottom. But, when I started working on the top part I decided I loved the idea of having them be separates and I felt that I would wear them more if they were separate: a leather skirt and a crop top.

For the top I cut the bottom off, which I later sued to create an infinity scarf by adding a panel of solid black fabric, and then seam ripped the sides and cut different arm holes so it would be a tank top. Then I sewed the sides, the arm holes, and the bottom. I surged all of my seams and hemmed the bottom of the top so it is a crop top. Then, because I felt it was a little plain, I added 3 large black buttons down the front to spice the shirt up a bit.

My skirt took a little longer to recreate. At first I wasn't going to take it in, I was going to leave it as a size 12, but my professor thought it would be better to deconstruct my skirt and make it so it would fit me perfectly. So that is exactly what I did. I seam ripped the sides, including the invisible side zipper (definitely a challenge!), and the took it in so it molds to body in an excellent way. I then proceeded to cut the bottom to where the slit in the back started, so about 5 inches. I sewed the sides together, did my bets with the zipper, hemmed and finished the lining, and then I got to use rubber cement to hem and finish the bottom of the leather skirt. It took me several tries to get the zipper right, but my professor helped talk me through it and I was able to take a size 12 leather pencil skirt and make a fabulous custom fit, above the knees (almost a leather mini) skirt that, according to my professor, will work for at least 3 out of the 4 seasons. 

Overall I think I did a great job and I love the outcome of my project. I worked really hard and for my first time working with leather I think I did well.