Evolution of the Lost Dress Hem

This year I completed over 200 formal hemlines. With the lining most have about 9-12 yards of length. You would be blown away if you knew how many of these have gone to waste in the past! No more!

This year I started collecting these multicolored scraps and got a game plan together for what I could create with these bits of chiffon, lace and tulle strips.

I went deep into my research online. I found tutorials for scrap yarns, called “Fairy Scarves.” I found a few tutorials for quilter’s cottons, but that wasn’t really what I had. One of my favorite magazines, Threads, has a great tutorial for dress scraps but it looked to be a bit much time wise.

I liked the no knit, yarn scrap idea that used water soluble interfacing but I really didn’t want to buy more stuff. This was supposed to be a trash to treasure project.

So for my first round I tried the knotted scarf.

: Separated color themes.

: Got a big piece of cardboard.

: Made rows to knot.

The first attempt was a huge failure. It turned into a big knotted mess and was not the look I was going for at all.

Attempt number two was to braid the strips. I didn’t like it either. The fibers were too messy and it all knotted up again.

I wanted to get back to the scarf idea so I searched if there was an everyday household product I could use instead of buying the interfacing. I found a few sites that said coffee filters work but only for smaller projects like embroidery. At this point I put the project off and decided I would consider buying the water soluble interfacing.

I broke. I ended up buying the 541 Wash-N-Gone Stabilizer. This water soluble interfacing is enough for two scarves at $5 a package.

I would take everything I learned from all of the tutorials and put them all together with an eye toward the scarf and see what happened.

I sandwiched the scraps and the yarn in between the interfacing and then pinned the sides and middle. I used my walking foot, a small needle and crazy stitched all over the material.

I sewed across using the back stitch button to sew backwards.

Then, just to make sure I had it all together I sewed vertically down the length. I used any thread I had. As the first two scarves became reality the rest went quickly.

I enjoyed not worrying about anything being perfect, nice or neat and just had fun. (no worrying about fit)

The interfacing seemed to wash away as soapy bubbles. I only washed once but soon found they needed a second hand-washing after they dried. They were incredibly stiff like cardboard.

After a second wash I drip dried them over the sink like this.

If I were to do it all again I would make the yarn strips vertical and blend them in with the other strips.

I will have these and others available for sale at the Rosewood Holiday Art Festival, December 7th from 11am-3pm.

Behind the scenes~ I still have a lot of scraps left and I am going to try this concept with a flapper dress for a New Years Ball. I have not decided which colors I want to use but I know the entire project will be made from left over dress materials.