This is a skirt that I’ve had hanging around for a long time which I no longer wear but couldn’t quite bring myself to throw away. It doesn’t look it, but it is far too big for me and falls down if I walk too vigorously. It was ripe for a refashion.

I would have said that I wasn’t a fan of the tie dying (been there, done that back in the ’60s, but when I looked at this skirt, some of the patterns were quite lovely.

The fabric is cotton with a smidge of spandex

I pulled the skirt apart and it was basically two skirts, one inside the other and held together with a waistband. I started unpicking it and decided that that was too tedious for words so just cut it apart.

The bigger pieces were on the inside skirt but the tie-dying wasn’t nearly as nice so I was really conflicted. I wanted a tie-dyed flower on the front of my top, so I decided that I would have a shorter over top with another top underneath. This also meant that I didn’t risk having see through bits as the cotton knit is quite fine.

I laid out my pieces, futzed about trying to get the pattern pieces to fit on and attempted to get things looking symmetrical but the fabric wasn’t symmetrical so I had to just go with the flow a bit.

Because I was making a Bronte and in the spirt of Reuse, Refashion and Repurpose month, I burrowed around in my fabric scraps and came up with this bit of leftover from this top to make the contrasting bands. I simply used the wrong side as the contrast.

I had originally thought that I would have the inside and outside of the top as separate entities and I envisioned having the top a bit floatier than the Bronte pattern, but the sewing goddesses were not smiling on me and I had to sew it all together.

This was a perfect top for my trip to the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.

On our last day we visited the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. Both were absolutely beautiful. The purple shoes don’t go but I had acquired blisters from my sandals so these were a complete necessity.

I also wore my Casual Sweet Clothes Shorts (pattern M), but took the bow belt out and substituted a thrifted vintage-style sequinned stretchy belt which I think looks better.

Some of the doorways were interesting

Of course there were more bridges to walk across but I wasn’t at all fazed by this one for some reason

Here is a view of the  skywalk/bridge from underneath.

I do love a waterfall. It was very cool in this garden (the Cloud Forest) and being covered in spray made me want a fleece to wear!

Of course Singapore isn’t Singapore without the odd magnificent orchid or two

and this doorway is carved from a lychee root – amazing. Up high looking slightly less relaxed – the hands are a giveaway!

Yep, this is a real orchid

The whole of this garden was filled with flowers and beautiful plants from around the world. The Australian garden was wonderful.

Details: Bronte top by Jennifer Lauren Vintage made from a recycled skirt. Shorts are Casual Sweet Clothes pattern M, worn here with a thrifted belt. Nike Free shoes. Mark has on his linen trousers, and linen shirt. Setting is Gardens by the Bay, Flower Dome and Cloud Forest.

Although we are now home, this is not my last post on Singapore – I will be doing a fabric shopping post with some touristy photographs thrown in. Stay tuned!