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Showing posts from 2017

holding pattern (and new Vogues)

I know I'm way overdue for an update here...sorry. New job and all that. It's over in mid-November. I like it there and I'll miss the people, but not the four-hour commute. I've been posting pictures over on Instagram ...everything from Male Pattern Boldness Day (very fun) to progress on the Alabama Chanin dress (I'm on panel 3 now!) to dyeing with avocado pits. (Semi-disappointing, but still interesting...apparently you don't need to use a mordant because of the tannins in the pits. I got a light peachy-pink on cotton jersey.) Also a gathered-dress fail, which I still need to unpick and redo. Here are the 2 complete Alabama Chanin panels, btw: I like it so far. I'm not completely thrilled about the line across the middle (it's really hard to get the stencil to repeat evenly), but also I'm not really going to worry about it. I also bought a few patterns from DP Studio (yes, I paid the shipping...overall it wasn't that expensive)

Vogue fall picks

New Vogues! Yay! I like this release. A few patterns I'm eyeing: V1563, Rachel Comey jacket. This is so way, way out of my league, but I love the sleeve insets and the mix of fabrics. V9267. Really hard to see it in this fabric, but I seriously love the lines. Best short-person dress ever! V9272, Marcy Tilton top with godets. Can I have it in that exact color? And finally, this Vogue Wardrobe was a surprise: I saw this on the front and thought, "oh, standard Vogue Wardrobe businesswear." But no, it's activewear. I like the sweatshirt: So I think those...maybe? I don't know, I probably won't have time work on them! Until I stop commuting, it's all hand-sweing on the train for now.

Alabama Chanin updates

Fitted dress #2 is progressing. The first panel is done! Here it is next to panel #2, which is stenciled and ready to go: So here's the weird thing: 1) the completed panel definitely shrinks/contracts a little bit along the way, and 2) the blues look so different! Exact same fabric, though. I guess increasing the contrast by cutting out the shapes causes that? Here's what I'm going for eventually: I'm planning to make the underskirt too -- I ordered this hemp/organic cotton lightweight jersey from Organic Cotton Plus, which I'm hoping will work. Figuring out the beading should be fun. Also, seeing how long the "mid-length" skirt falls on someone who's 5'0". And pockets! Pockets this time, if I can figure those out too.

MMM fail, the Azores, and the next Alabama Chanin project

Hi! I failed MMM—mostly because some unexpected things came up for which I didn't have MMM pieces. (I really need to learn to make a suit one of these days.) And I'm starting a new job on Monday in a formal work environment, and the only formal anything I have is that suit, so I had to spring for some RTW dresses and stuff. Double fail. But! I got the dresses from Nau—in linen and hemp and Tencel, yay!—and also sprung for the Annelise dress from Alabama Chanin with cap sleeves, which I'm hoping will be dressy enough with a cardigan and flats. Hooray for NO MORE BLACK POLYESTER PANTS, EVER. We also went to the Azores for a week (just Sao Miguel; we're definitely going back to see the other islands at some point!) Embroidery, knitting/crocheting and cross-stitching are big there, and I stumbled across at least four fabric/sewing stores. Some pics: That newsstand had a kajillion issues of Burda and other pattern magazines, and a TON of cross-sti

Me-Made May

I'm doing it this year for the first time now that I finally have enough me-made things to wear -- but won't be doing daily outfits or photos or anything like that. Will most likely wear a lot of tees (I have a ton!) So far, I've worn: Vogue 8877 , which turned out to be super-comfortable; I wear it a lot more than I thought I would: And blurrily stenciled Alabama Chanin/Renfrew mashup : Weirdly, I get compliments on this when I wear it out. Blurry stenciling: the wave of the future! In other news, foster kitty is doing well. We named her Kiki, after the cat in Kiki's Delivery Service. (Yes, I know the cat is a boy named Jiji; she just looks so much like a Kiki.) She's gained weight (she's a super-picky eater, but we finally figured out that she only seems to like Purina Cat Chow; she doesn't even like treats!), passed all her tests, and will be going to the shelter for adoption on Sunday. I'll miss her! It's nice to have a lap-s

Vogue summer pattern update

I bought the Guy Laroche , the Anne Klein , and the Patricia Keay . I can't stop thinking about the Laroche; it's such an interesting design. How do you even put that together? Metal or covered buttons? How does the overlay work? Why those sleeves? Etc. I kind of want the pattern just for the instructions. Then, on the PatternReview roundup , I saw the amazing original version: THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE. Much better than the all-white version: I fell in insta-love with the original version and am now trying to figure out how to rent or borrow an embroidery machine to make it happen (either that, or learn hand embroidery, which is a whole new world and something I was thinking about trying anyway). Oh, SEWING.

new summer Vogue patterns

I love Vogue, but there's not a lot I can do this time around (long, ruffly dresses do not work on short people, and open backs and cold shoulders are not my jam). But I'm looking at these: V1543, Anne Klein Dig the pleats in the front. Wondering if it would work in linen? Really wish they'd used plain fabric for the photo. V1550, Paco Peralta Not sure if this would work in short-personville, but I really like the shorter top and pants together. I like the Paco Peralta jacket , too. Unsure about: V1549, Sandra Betzina That's some excellent fabric, but again, you can't really see the lines in the photo. It looks boxier in the line drawing? V1548, Guy Laroche Appropriate short-person dress, but not sure about the overlay (is it totally detachable?) Could be good, could go so, so wrong. Those sleeves are amazing, though. I almost want to just get it and Frankenpattern them onto other things. I like the back seams too. V1542, Patricia J

oh hi!

It's been a while. I haven't really been sewing as much, although that Sandra Betzina dress is still in progress and I'm thinking about a couple of projects. But a couple of things! First thing: I went to the Women & Textiles Expo in Lowell yesterday and met up with Deepika and a few others from PatternReview. hi! It was really fun! I think it's the first year for the expo, and I hope they do it again next year. There were lectures, a makers' table (we made scarves out of cotton and fleece strips), vendors, and a fashion show. Here's Deepika trying on a jacket from B. Felt: She bought the blue scarf from them: B. Felt! #goals The fashion show was pretty amazing. Here's what won Best in Show: Why yes, that is a reversible coat with a map of Amsterdam made out of felted organic merino wool, no big. I bought an amazing red woven scarf (you can just see it in the top photo) from Elizabeth Springett: Her friend, who ha