Elaine Johnson – Project #2

This up-cycle journey took me into uncharted waters.  My grandson has reached an age where he feels he should get something if his sister does. I found a shirt that belonged to his dad, my son. It was a gift from a friend from Ghana.  It has beautiful embroidery on it but no one had worn it for over 30 years.  I grabbed the shirt and put it on my grandson and took his picture, later he called and asked it I had made his shirt yet thus began this up-cycle.  I completely took the shirt apart to see if I could keep as much of the embroidery as possible.  I wanted to make a hooded vest but I needed the front to have a curve.  I used the Eli Monster’s Academie Cardigan as a template.  I used the front embroidered panel as the pockets and the sleeves as the hood keeping the hem.  I made it zip and fully lined it. I have never taken a garment and used it to make another garment.