By: Emily
Needlework, Sewing, , , , ,

Navy to Farm: An Upcycle Story

My grandfather (we called him Pap-paw) was many things in his life: a Navy man who served in WWII, a legislator, a coach, a father, a storekeeper, a farmer, a hunter.

Pap-paw and Mam-maw with my aunt Tommye

I ended up with a few of his articles of clothing and have remade 2 of them into all-time favorite garments for myself.

First up is his black wool trousers from the Navy, which I’ve converted to a skirt.

The necklace I’m wearing belonged to my Mam-maw

The front needed no alterations and I did all shaping in the back, adding 4 darts to fit the waist and hips, and a godet (or triangular piece of fabric) to fill in the center back seam. The original front buttons and back lacing all remained in place.

I’ve styled it with a hand-knit sweater which fit the nautical theme. I made the sweater several years ago using a pattern from the 1970s and fingering-weight Stroll Sock Yarn from Knit Picks.

The sweater has 2 pairs of sleeves, which adds to the warmth – and the time it took to make it!

The second garment is one of Pap-paw’s jackets, a Funk’s G-Hybrid windbreaker. The patch refers to a type of corn and Funk’s was the leading supplier in its day. The jacket is well-loved, with a worn lining and a stain on the front.

To make it fit me, I shortened the body and sleeves and took it up in the center back. I re-stitched the original bottom band back on and added new elastic to the sleeve openings.

I really love how both garments turned out and I know I’ll get a lifetime of use out of them. Fashion is always just a little more meaningful when there’s a personal connection or story behind the clothes!