Object 002 - Beltane Upcycle
This object series is my attempt to document the history of my home-sewn clothing. Including the real life events I've worn items for, mistakes I've made, damage incurred, repairs carried out and the eventual demise of the object, at least in its clothing form.
2026 was the first year I'd really heard of the Beltane festival. I saw lots of images of lacy, floral, woodland faerie outfits. All cute but not like anything I had in my wardrobe.
Thankfully, amongst the death of almost every kind of shop in Inverness, there's now some pretty good charity shopping to be had.
I got a few flouncy layers for the top and a couple of scarves, totalling £4, and then after much hunting I found an old curtain for £5 in the Carr Gomm charity shop. It was sheer with some kind of ribbon embroidery on it.
I used the curtain and trim from one of the scarves to make a layered, gathered skirt. I also used the curtain ties on the waistband. I like to keep a bit of the original item around if I can.
Somehow the scarf trim was exactly the right length for the amount of curtain fabric I had to hem 😅
The festival itself was amazing, I enjoyed running around the hills in the dark to each new performance area, and all the fire looked incredible as the sky faded. I had the worst hay fever of my life the next day though, the bus home was miserable. I must be more prepared next time, maybe I'll make a fancy mask 😷 to compliment my outfit.
I still use the skirt semi frequently, but in a very different way. I don't think I've used the tops I bought since, in fact I think I gave them to charity again.
The trim kept catching on a piece of my boot at the ankle that day, so I might need to do some repairs. It looks so good with my solovair boots but I think in future I'll have to avoid it.
I wonder whose curtains these were before?