My Renfrew Top and an Upcycle

Along with all the things I do during the summer break, I always find time to sew. Mainly for myself because I am lazy, and I don't want to fit garments to other people. It is hard.

If you follow sewing blogs, I need only say Renfrew top. I <3 this top. It only took me about two weeks (okay two days) to decide to buy this pattern. You have to know two things about me: I have never bought a pattern 1) at full price--love me a $1 sale--or 2) from an independent designer. I bit the bullet and bought this pattern. The reviews where so good, and the pictures of completed tops online were too hard to resist.

Once I received said pattern in the mail, I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to find the "right" fabric to make my first top. Should it be a pirate print or a stripe like many of the flickr photos show...decisions, decisions. I found a great gray and white strip for $5 a yard and history was made. I present my first Renfrew top.

You can't see it, but yes. Those stripes are perfectly matched all the way down both sides. Yay!

So...it got me thinking. Knit. Let me clarify. Cute knit is expensive. This pattern was perfect so what can I use to make more...I give you the regular t-shirt:

I, like many of you, have a plethora of "regular" t-shirts. This one I really don't even know where I got it considering I never went to Virginia Tech. I have no less that 10 college t-shirts in my drawer, and I attended only one of them. (I like to wear college shirts at school on Fridays so the students can see a variety of places they can go when they graduate.)

I cut that sucker up using the Renfrew pattern and...

I know. I look AWESOME.

Next time (Yes. There will be a next time. I have a drawer full of "fabric" ready for an upcycle.) I will cut the neck line a little higher in the front because I didn't have enough shirt let to make the neckband. Other than that, I kept the original hems and extended the pattern at the bottom two inches since I wasn't cutting the bottom band. 

What have you upcycled lately?