Fashion Revolution Week: Low Waste Alternatives & Skirt to Top Refashion
Hey world changers - how are you doing? We have all been going through some difficult times and I haven't been talking about it much because I use my sewing as a form of distraction. I hope these refashions & posts have distracted/inspired you in these times!
Today I'm sharing another simple refashion with a "before" you may be familiar with! I made this skirt several years ago, and I'm definitely not the same size I used to be! This skirt stayed in my wardrobe because I love the fabric so much, and I recently moved it to my refashion pile because I wanted to be able to wear it once again!
This refashion is based off of this cute top! I am a huge fan of gathering and have done multiple peplum refashions, but haven't tried an empire style top! This skirt was a very simple pleated skirt with a side zipper. Here's how I refashioned it:
I took off the waistband, removed the zipper and removed the pleats. I took 5" off the top of the skirt portion, and used that and the waistband to cut a new bodice and straps. I made a lining from some fabric in my stash. After the bust portion was sewn, I gathered the remaining skirt and attached it to the bust. Then the zipper was re-inserted on the back, and straps were sewn on!
For the bust, I used a pattern I had in my stash, McCalls 6838, but you can use all different patterns to get a similar result! I made a muslin of the bust portion because I had such little material to work with. Some of the pieces had to be franken-stitched together before making the bust.
Starting on a sustainable fashion journey can often lead into wanting to go sustainable in other areas of life. For the past few years, I've been taking small steps towards going "greener" in other parts of my life, mostly trying to reduce the amount of plastic and trash we create. (We already do a lot of the basics, bringing reusable bags to stores, using metal straws and re-usable cups.) My rule of thumb is, when something in our household is running low, I start looking for alternative products, or a more sustainable system. This is a slower process to go waste free but one that is working well for us. Progress over perfection!
Here's a few of the products I've researched, fallen in love with and now use on a daily basis!
Blueland Hand Soap & Cleaners - This was an instagram ad that got my attention. When we first moved into our home we bought glass soap dispensers and bulk liquid soap, but as my bulk was finally running out, I decided to give Blueland a try! We were also running low on household cleaners so we purchased the whole cleaning set. Blueland sells "forever" bottles and tablets. You keep the same bottles, use tap water to fill the bottles and pop in a tablet to refill the soap dispensers and cleaners. The foam soap is amazing, and the cleaners have been great! I bought a double batch of soap so we are stocked for awhile!
Dropps Laundry & Dishwasher Detergent Pods - It took some time to switch our laundry detergent because I've had bad skin reactions to detergents in the past and have been afraid to try a new product, but Dropps have been incredible! Dropps are pods and what I love is that they aren't sold in a giant plastic container! We also bought the dishwasher pods, which we love! Another sustainable option I almost went with is Tru Earth, which are laundry strips!
Soda Stream - I know this is a strange one to be on my sustainable list but it's a product that has cut down on so much of our waste. Drew and I love bubbly water and we would go through a case of La Croix a week. The recycling bin was getting outrageous, so we switched to Soda Stream last year. We don't drink much soda, so our system is just used for carbonated water, and this little unit has been awesome!
Next alternatives we are trying: Shampoo and conditioner bars! It took some time to research, but I'm hoping the ones I ordered work for my hair! They are set to arrive next week so I will update soon!
What are some of your low-waste alternatives?
There are a few low waste youtuber's I love following, and if this is a topic you are interested in, check them out!