tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31945354133008561002024-03-13T05:18:54.272-07:00the luxurious vagabondas high as a kite can flyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-48592765799219103492010-01-04T09:48:00.000-08:002010-01-04T09:55:10.411-08:00Well It's Been Awhile<span style="font-family:SimSun;">It's pretty obvious that my posts trickled off in August. Sad to say, my sewing habits mirrored that trend as well. University studies have consumed my time and will continue to do so until the summer. I hope to start sewing my plethora of sketched ideas during that period of time...and I hope summer won't run out before I have finished!<br /><br />I did sew one dress over break, but I haven't photographed it yet. It's a dusky blue cowl neck jersey dress with Victorian-like tapered sleeves. It took its form with a vintage Vogue pattern, but I had to alter things from there to create a more form-fitting look. Hopefully I'll get photos of it up on here!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-49298912016417822962009-08-20T08:00:00.000-07:002009-08-20T08:00:01.924-07:00Day/Night<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2656/3818025539_041d8976f2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 368px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2656/3818025539_041d8976f2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:SimSun;">This dress is the first article of clothing that I've made for someone else (well, for a person--sorry to say, Barbies, you all don't count). I designed this for a friend of mine for her upcoming Day/Night dance for school. She asked for a dress that could be worn equally as well during the day as at night. Besides requesting me to use black chiffon and to incorporate white, she also really wanted a gold, silver, or yellow bow. I searched high and low at the local fabric store for her first choices of gold or silver fabric, but I couldn't find any that would properly shift the dress throughout the various alter egos of 24 hours. (It's also the first time that I realized that as fabric, gold can look like mustard and that silver can look grey. Not quite the same as true gold and silver, right? Super weird.)<br /><br />The finished dress is mainly made out of black chiffon with black lining, white eyelet, and a textured, fresh yellow cotton. I really, really hope it fits! We live too far apart to have done a proper slew of fittings, and I also can't fit into the dress to try it on for size!<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-64744462643990009022009-08-14T21:20:00.000-07:002009-08-14T21:27:13.910-07:00Dressy Vest<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3537/3821755492_97f6eaf7a2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 328px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3537/3821755492_97f6eaf7a2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:SimSun;">These fabrics might look familiar from a previous post about my upcoming projects for the summer. I dubbed them the "mango cotton" and the "grape-colored fabric"--I must have subconsciously labeled them with fruit names. Neither had any delicious, fruity name on the labels at the end of their bolts. Now that I've completed the vest, the combination of the names and the visual combination of the richly colored fabrics remind me of Indonesia and eating the native geometric, highly faceted fruits with their sweet aromas. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/3820948873_b84e72fa5f.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 459px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/3820948873_b84e72fa5f.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />My initial idea was to make a dress out of the mango cotton and the grape-colored fabric, but I didn't want too many lines interrupting the continuous design of the grape fabric. I wasn't too keen on a tent-style dress either. While flipping through photos for inspiration, I firmly decided that I have been making far too many dresses. So, the dress idea turned into a vest idea, and the vest turned into a top with the mango cotton layered underneath the grape fabric.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/3821803762_f3cd82c66b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/3821803762_f3cd82c66b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I used McCall's 5933, but I had to make major alterations to get rid of the gap in the shoulder area. Otherwise, the whole vest front tilted awkwardly away from my chest. Bringing the two front edges together resulted with the vest's shoulder area drooping off of my back. Since I also had to reposition the darts, I can't say that this was a fantastic pattern to work with, but it was a fairly good starting block if one has other (major) plans for it. Hems were lengthened and hand-sewn to eliminate a harsh thread line. Buttons are a clear tangerine.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-9106180195509838422009-07-30T18:10:00.000-07:002009-08-10T19:23:58.493-07:00Something Slightly Different<span style="font-family:SimSun;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2448/3773766134_f2dd11cf53.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 495px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2448/3773766134_f2dd11cf53.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I got sick of seeing heaps of white or sand-colored fabric with multicolored--often neon bright--stitches. I've often created muslins to work out the kinks in patterns, but I've never known what to do with them after their useful purpose has been, well, used. I feel too guilty to toss them out, but they're just too plain ugly to wear. <br /><br />This dress was supposed to be a wearable muslin for a more elegant combination of fabrics. (I've used this fabric once before for a sundress that I made but have not worn yet.) It needed a bit more than just the stripes to made it fully wearable, so I added a red embroidery stitch, a few round wooden beads, and a vintage leather belt. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2423/3773766760_2e9c53676e.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 315px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2423/3773766760_2e9c53676e.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-14478217912124484092009-07-26T20:00:00.000-07:002009-07-26T20:03:40.903-07:00Black Drapes, White Sky<span style="font-family:SimSun;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2574/3760400964_3c0ca0f891.jpg?v=1248660377"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 370px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2574/3760400964_3c0ca0f891.jpg?v=1248660377" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;">This black knit cardigan drapes. </span><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><br />(Yes, I left that sentence intentionally short.) It seems ironic that such a simplistic function like draping allows the cardigan to be aesthetically stunning. Although I had an array of colored knits to choose from, I chose black. I believe it most closely identifies with the simplistic sense of lines and the classic identity that draped material has had throughout antiquity.<br /><br />I have seen unending variations of this cardigan in stores and always have found it to be an interesting design. Even so, I never bought one and was never compelled to make one: I rationalized that it was simple enough to make, but I also thought that there were more interesting projects to make--well, at the time.<br />I was reintroduced to the cardigan on <a href="http://tanysewsandknits.blogspot.com/2009/06/imitacao-do-cozy-de-dkny-dknys-cozy.html" target="_blank">Couture et Tricot</a> and was amazed by the linked <a href="http://www.dkny.com/womens/cozy_video.htm" target="_blank">video</a>. The video illustrates the amazing versatility of a similar cardigan, the DKNY Cozy. The talented Tany of Couture et Tricot used Simplicity 2603, so I decided to give it a try. Wonderful, wonderful pattern!<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;font-size:85%;">As a mini dress, pictured with a vintage leather belt.</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3760397658_24c1b69f1f.jpg?v=1248658565"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3760397658_24c1b69f1f.jpg?v=1248658565" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2432/3759601731_4a8d16e1ec.jpg?v=1248658989"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 486px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2432/3759601731_4a8d16e1ec.jpg?v=1248658989" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2601/3760399628_a113865200.jpg?v=1248659936"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 456px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2601/3760399628_a113865200.jpg?v=1248659936" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;font-size:85%;">Five other variations, although certainly not all of them</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2435/3760404536_2c6981abf2.jpg?v=1248660986"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 448px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2435/3760404536_2c6981abf2.jpg?v=1248660986" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2650/3759607457_9c9d269bd7.jpg?v=1248661305"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2650/3759607457_9c9d269bd7.jpg?v=1248661305" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2477/3759606479_4abfd71e3c.jpg?v=1248661890"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 448px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2477/3759606479_4abfd71e3c.jpg?v=1248661890" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2497/3760403208_cf7716e4ba.jpg?v=1248661607"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2497/3760403208_cf7716e4ba.jpg?v=1248661607" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2639/3760402342_3fda363188.jpg?v=1248662070"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 456px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2639/3760402342_3fda363188.jpg?v=1248662070" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2634/3760401902_743f0a1c8b.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2634/3760401902_743f0a1c8b.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />If viewed as a reflection of art history, the perfect topper for this embodiment of drapery would be YSL's caged boots. Even what is ethereal is ephemeral, and the ephemeral state of things makes life seem like a caged slideshow of images, sensations, feelings.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/3269308701_187cb3113c.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 185px; height: 237px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/3269308701_187cb3113c.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(This wasn't much of a pattern review, so see my actual review for Simplicity 2603 <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=41895" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2517/3759605147_e71c7872e0.jpg?v=1248660670"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2517/3759605147_e71c7872e0.jpg?v=1248660670" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-27056940655525108532009-07-25T12:24:00.000-07:002009-07-25T12:36:28.041-07:00Rush<span style="font-family:SimSun;">I am finally back to sewing! I was much too busy for a few weeks and also had a stack of alterations to do on existing stuff. There isn't much creativity attached with sewing on a few extra buttons here and there and hemming pants, so I haven't posted anything.<br /><br />I still have to take photos of what I've been making this past week, so I'll put up a photos over the next few days. So far, I've completed my project with the onyx knit (as shown in one of my earlier posts--my gosh, there was so much of it) and will start tomorrow on the quick project of the paint brushed charmeuse and striped faux fur. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2524/3694505906_79034fe93c.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2524/3694505906_79034fe93c.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-58349305593568143362009-07-06T19:39:00.000-07:002009-07-06T20:07:08.212-07:00Europe Post #2<span style="font-family:SimSun;"><br />Here are the few photos that I took when I was at the Musee des Art Decoratif's exhibit on Madeleine Vionnet. I passed through the first floor with no problems, but I was yelled at on the second floor by a grumpy security guard (who later yelled at two other groups of tourists in other exhibits). Consequently, I only have photos from the first floor, and even these photos reflect just a small portion of what was shown.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3693621423_83295841e0.jpg?v=1246906419"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3693621423_83295841e0.jpg?v=1246906419" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Look familiar? This probably was the inspirational doll for Tissus Reine. Vionnet used this doll to create smaller prototypes of her dresses.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2647/3693621001_0aa7c17b81.jpg?v=1246906639"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2647/3693621001_0aa7c17b81.jpg?v=1246906639" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3628/3694427904_f67ce3bb4c.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3628/3694427904_f67ce3bb4c.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2473/3693621837_339c9249e8.jpg?v=1246906541"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2473/3693621837_339c9249e8.jpg?v=1246906541" alt="" border="0" /></a>The one above looks more spectacular up close. The concept (whose fine details I've currently forgotten) was simple yet genius. The pieces are identical for the front and back.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2560/3694428450_159c491d0b.jpg?v=1246906284"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2560/3694428450_159c491d0b.jpg?v=1246906284" alt="" border="0" /></a>Possibly my favorite piece.</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2462/3693623393_93eb02cc08.jpg?v=1246906056"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 343px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2462/3693623393_93eb02cc08.jpg?v=1246906056" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2377/3694430208_29ba8b7f3e.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2377/3694430208_29ba8b7f3e.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2634/3694429628_2d157554f6.jpg?v=1246905610"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2634/3694429628_2d157554f6.jpg?v=1246905610" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3541/3693625191_fc6df4a2c2.jpg?v=1246905456"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3541/3693625191_fc6df4a2c2.jpg?v=1246905456" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2571/3694431208_fcd2b9beeb.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2571/3694431208_fcd2b9beeb.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Beautiful beading. The photo again doesn't do it justice. It almost looked like sand that had been washed upon fine fabric.<br /><br />I loved nearly every piece, so I think that it would be wise for me to invest in a book with Vionnet's collection. I checked the book shop at the museum, and it sold one for about sixty euros--alas, a bit too high for me. I'm hoping that I can find the identical book somewhere online for less.<br /><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-84276812842001492962009-07-06T19:35:00.000-07:002009-07-06T19:38:55.946-07:00Europe Post #1<span style="font-family:SimSun;">What an amazing, yet tiring trip! I still am in the process of going through all of the photos that I took, but here are the ones related to fabric and fashion. I'm going to have to do this in two posts--it'll be too long otherwise.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Paris fabric stores:</span><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;">The general area around the Sacre Coeur in the Montmarte (a bit seedy) was full of fabric stores: </span><br /></div><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2638/3694332046_b1e9eed863.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2638/3694332046_b1e9eed863.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2662/3693522549_f90eaceb10.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2662/3693522549_f90eaceb10.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2661/3694328612_8a0b95c672.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2661/3694328612_8a0b95c672.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tissus Reine:</span></span><br /><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3552/3694326896_342faf55ee.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3552/3694326896_342faf55ee.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2570/3693521781_ec6ae344a9.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2570/3693521781_ec6ae344a9.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>I had to get a picture of these dolls from across the street. I was scolded in French when I took out my camera while I was inside of the store. The dolls wore outfits that were created from fabric on the tables. I thought it was a really cute idea, and then later saw it's inspirational source at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs (will show in second post).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2658/3693520195_da0c90ce96.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2658/3693520195_da0c90ce96.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2549/3694326004_507fd8120b.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2549/3694326004_507fd8120b.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2630/3693520795_e1c76a269f.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2630/3693520795_e1c76a269f.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I snuck a couple on the 2nd floor. A wall full of buttons, bias tape in a plethora of colors and prints on rolls, other notions, fabrics, patterns, etc.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Marche St. Pierre:</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/3693525375_b14b6c418b.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/3693525375_b14b6c418b.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2460/3694330216_ac8382b57c.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2460/3694330216_ac8382b57c.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2474/3693523333_9286ba894f.jpg?v=1246907852"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2474/3693523333_9286ba894f.jpg?v=1246907852" alt="" border="0" /></a>Photos from first floor. Sorry that I didn't take more on the other floors!<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Excursion to Laduree on Champs Elysees: </span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><br />Delicious little things! I'm determined to make my own macarons.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3606/3694305520_9cb83f758b.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3606/3694305520_9cb83f758b.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2567/3694307322_49e61efa06.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2567/3694307322_49e61efa06.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;font-size:85%;">Pistachio, Citron, Currant, Coffee</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Musee Des Arts Decoratifs:</span><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;"> A must go! I actually enjoyed it more than the Louvre, which is right next door. The Arts Decoratifs building is the one next to the carousel, and the Louvre continues in the wing to the right of it.</span><br /></div></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><br />They had a wonderful temporary exhibition of Toulouse Lautrec and Madeleine Vionnet. I'm going to post the photos from Vionnet in a separate post to keep things a little easier to follow. I was absolutely awestruck by her work.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amsterdam's Albert Cuyp street market: </span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;">Filled with food, cheap clothing, plenty of fabric stalls with actual stores behind them. I went into a few of the main stores, and they were tightly stacked floor to ceiling with fabric.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2460/3694446522_c48ccb5171.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2460/3694446522_c48ccb5171.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2152/3693640329_6001d983a4.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2152/3693640329_6001d983a4.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I really wish that I had taken more photos.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-8812479061316509302009-06-21T16:38:00.000-07:002009-07-06T07:52:22.135-07:00Watching the Clouds Go By<font face="SimSun">I'll be flying in an airplane, looking out a window, watching the clouds go by while on my way to Europe. During my time there, besides doing some extensive sightseeing, I intend to squeeze in time to window shop at Liberty of London and also visit some of Paris's fabric stores around the Sacre Coeur in the 18ème.<br /><br />I will definitely post photos of my visit! Please check back for them!<br /><br /><br /></font><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="SimSun"><font size="3">Here's also what's coming up for sewing projects:</font></font><br /></div><font face="SimSun"><br /><font size="2"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2472/3639308072_5019f9303d.jpg?v=1245349290"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 232px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2472/3639308072_5019f9303d.jpg?v=1245349290" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></font></font><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="SimSun"><font size="2">Mango Cotton</font></font><br /><font face="SimSun"><font size="2">Grape (unknown fabric)</font></font><br /><font face="SimSun"><font size="2">Onyx Knit</font></font><br /><font face="SimSun"><font size="2">Paintbrushed Charmeuse</font></font><br /><font face="SimSun"><font size="2">Striped Faux Fur</font></font><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-63747505153597063882009-06-18T11:36:00.001-07:002009-06-18T13:01:36.997-07:00Summer<span style="font-family:SimSun;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2272/3597890491_1afbc0f742.jpg?v=1244237802"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2272/3597890491_1afbc0f742.jpg?v=1244237802" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3606/3639514518_681cdf4701.jpg?v=1245354478"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3606/3639514518_681cdf4701.jpg?v=1245354478" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2445/3639515404_452c85960a.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2445/3639515404_452c85960a.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2483/3638704647_325d354c3c.jpg?v=1245354265"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2483/3638704647_325d354c3c.jpg?v=1245354265" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2449/3638707187_f8c9574d2f.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2449/3638707187_f8c9574d2f.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/3638704217_822b87c274.jpg?v=1245354653"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 382px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/3638704217_822b87c274.jpg?v=1245354653" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Berries, cherries, grapes, apricots, apples, persimmons, and blueberries! I think it's time to go and make a scrumptious pie, cobbler, or danish. Or maybe all three and also make some homemade vanilla ice cream to top it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2057/3597892575_54bb7fcf3f.jpg?v=1244235989"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2057/3597892575_54bb7fcf3f.jpg?v=1244235989" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-26084058336168045432009-06-16T13:21:00.000-07:002009-07-28T00:21:49.983-07:00LBD<span style="font-family:SimSun;">The common mantra seems to be that a Little Black Dress is essential and not to have one is, well, faux pas. If that's true, my wardrobe has been incomplete for quite some time. My wardrobe's unstable state was fine with me, but I had a limited amount of this wonderful white and black patterned cotton that I wanted to put to good use.<br /><br />To use the fabric, I decided to sew my own version of the LBD and fill its void. While it obviously isn't entirely black, it's black that has been accented with white. I used New Look's 6723 for the bodice and then drafted everything else myself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3306/3633533242_6ce8fd5eeb.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 348px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3306/3633533242_6ce8fd5eeb.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />The top half is made from that patterned cotton with beige lining (recycling my leftovers). The bottom half is made from black silk dupioni. Following the technique found from <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/review/readreview.pl?readreview=1&ID=1044" target="_blank">here</a>, I simultaneously underlined and seam finished the silk dupioni with organza. The organza reinforces the seams and also allows the exterior layer to retain the crisp shape that I had envisioned for the skirt portion. It worked perfectly!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/3632727983_eb5bac2c6a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 399px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/3632727983_eb5bac2c6a.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I drew my own leaf-shaped collar pieces and then hand-stitched them onto the collar into a necklace-like shape. After that, I sewed tiny black beads and faceted beads onto the ends of the leaves. They blend with the fabric, so you may have to go hunting in the photo for them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/3632725765_b0177e73c1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/3632725765_b0177e73c1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I can also either tie the sashes into a bow in the back or bring them around and tie them in the front.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2370/3633534312_2b03925cd4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 297px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2370/3633534312_2b03925cd4.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2462/3632723927_4373e5ec84.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 229px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2462/3632723927_4373e5ec84.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Overall, I'm pretty pleased with it!<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-88827179778325560252009-06-09T23:11:00.000-07:002009-07-28T00:25:58.410-07:00Assymetrical Vest<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2428/3616638087_5cc4aeb0df.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 390px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2428/3616638087_5cc4aeb0df.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:SimSun;">I had a completely different idea when I started sewing. It was supposed to be a band-style vest jacket (wider in the shoulder and neckline than the normal vest, but no sleeves like a jacket...there must be an actual name, of which I'm blatantly unaware) with crossover tabs and a collar band. I made my own pattern for it by starting off with a basic McCall vest pattern from the late 90's.<br /><br />Although I altered nearly everything about the pattern, it worked very well as a base. But...I didn't make a muslin first before cutting and sewing my material. Instead, I crossed my fingers and hoped, hoped, <span style="font-style: italic;">hoped</span> that it would turn out.<br /><br />I really should have made that muslin to have successfully executed my initial idea--no, I'm actually glad that I didn't make one. In one of my states of dismay at the boxy shoulder and neckline, I did a simple flip of the lapel and a tuck at each shoulder,and got the vest!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2479/3616631263_5d27cd0473.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 482px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2479/3616631263_5d27cd0473.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/3617451438_819d5edffd.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 435px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/3617451438_819d5edffd.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />The blue/white woven Oxford shirting is from JoAnn's, and the gold and cream cotton is from Berkeley's <a href="http://www.stonemountainfabric.com/" target="_blank">Stonemountain and Daughter</a>. I tried to take closer photos to capture the fabric's details, but neither seems to show up especially well. They look a bit flat, but I promise that they are the way that I've described!<span style="font-size:85%;">(For those unfamiliar with Stonemountain and Daughter, it is considered one of the best fabric stores in the San Francisco area, although it's ultimately no match for SF's <a href="http://www.britexfabrics.com/" target="_blank">Britex Fabrics</a>. While Stonemountain does have a two small rooms for fashion fabrics, its main focus is upon cotton fabrics--and there it shines. However, it's generally a lot more affordable than Britex.)</span><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-60864635185928313372009-06-07T10:53:00.000-07:002009-06-08T00:21:06.831-07:00Defying Gravity with Gowns<span style="font-family:SimSun;">...So, this is really a sewing blog, but one usually needs some sort of inspiration, right? I have no event to go to that requires a ball gown, but I was reorganizing my notebook full of magazine rip-outs and found these photos again.<br /><br />I really don't know what magazine these are from. These rip-outs were sent to me years ago, so I only know the designers from the bottom description lines.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3624/3603589119_dce9aaa84e.jpg?v=1244396360"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 391px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3624/3603589119_dce9aaa84e.jpg?v=1244396360" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Christian Dior</span></span></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3655/3604406142_808cba74b7.jpg?v=1244397601"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 366px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3655/3604406142_808cba74b7.jpg?v=1244397601" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Emanuel Ungaro</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2463/3604405100_f7635b060a.jpg?v=1244397231"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 368px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2463/3604405100_f7635b060a.jpg?v=1244397231" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Versace</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/3603592915_4760ccd400.jpg?v=1244397855"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 371px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/3603592915_4760ccd400.jpg?v=1244397855" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Christian Lacroix</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2425/3604408088_4841b1b4ba.jpg?v=1244397977"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 361px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2425/3604408088_4841b1b4ba.jpg?v=1244397977" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Gaultier</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(Please excuse the wrinkles.)</span><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-81780480332403965642009-06-05T11:05:00.000-07:002009-07-28T00:47:28.613-07:00Epaulettes, Leather, & Olive<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2484/3597904323_cdbd937894.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2484/3597904323_cdbd937894.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:SimSun;">I always have and always will love jackets and coats--perhaps it's their structure or their strong presence and personality that emanates from their details and hidden surprises layered throughout them. Here I am anthropomorphosizing articles of clothing...<br /><br />The first coat that I ever recall loving was much too tiny for me. It was one of my Barbie doll's coats and I received it as a Christmas present along with a whole array of gorgeous Barbie evening attire. Well, I loved it so much that I saved it. It's a bit dusty, but here it is below:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3361/3598729488_9d6f3ec84f.jpg?v=1244226230"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 294px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3361/3598729488_9d6f3ec84f.jpg?v=1244226230" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />After this lengthy prelude, here is my first trench coat that I've ever made! I'm so pleased with how it turned out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3304/3597894337_ac2e6da33a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 304px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3304/3597894337_ac2e6da33a.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2453/3598707644_69cc8a11dd.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 254px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2453/3598707644_69cc8a11dd.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2452/3598709726_d3f234a19b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 269px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2452/3598709726_d3f234a19b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I made this from McCall's 5525, and my review for that pattern can be read <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=40187" target="_blank">here</a>. I really didn't make many alterations--just a few minor tweaks. Also, I have such broad shoulders that I would have looked like a linebacker with shoulder pads. Accordingly, I didn't put in any.<br /><br />The fabric is olive-colored cotton twill ripstop and the lining is black and white leopard matte charmeuse. Buttons(I got to incorporate three types!) include leather and metal ones for most of the jacket, an olive one (not shown) for the collar band, and a leftover beige one (initial photo) for the inside button.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3391/3598719496_d16c08aa33.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3391/3598719496_d16c08aa33.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3585/3598720306_287f6a171f.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3585/3598720306_287f6a171f.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />It took me an entire week from start to finish, but it was well-worth it!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/3597909031_b4c291b687.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/3597909031_b4c291b687.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-2880214905558406292009-05-31T12:30:00.000-07:002009-07-28T00:37:33.328-07:00Quick Post<span style="font-family:SimSun;"> I made this indigo-colored batik dress earlier this year and didn't take any photos of me wearing it until today. It's crazy and wild, and I am (happily) reminded of stained neurons when I wear it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3623/3581822107_5431bb6a91.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 331px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3623/3581822107_5431bb6a91.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/3581818871_f8d1ed65fb.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/3581818871_f8d1ed65fb.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I don't even know where I'd wear it. Oh, and for the image below, a separate skirt is peeking out from the bottom. I discovered that the skirt's stiffness allows it to act a little like crinoline and poof out the dress just a tad. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2455/3581826529_37404cddf1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 353px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2455/3581826529_37404cddf1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-40742104125922894162009-05-30T21:58:00.000-07:002009-05-30T22:36:10.685-07:00If I could, I would...<span style="font-family:SimSun;">If only I could get my hands on an outrageous amount of black tulle and black silk dupioni--I know just the type of evening dress to make.<br /><br />I have not sketched my idea yet, but imagine the combination of--if this combination is really fusible--Grace Kelly and the vamp (the seductress, not the vampire, although current fads indicate that vampires are seductive).<br /><br />I would say that I could save this idea for my future, future wedding dress, but the idea wouldn't translate well with white, cream, or pale fabric. Black it must be. Oh well, maybe one day.<br /><br />I'll just dream until then.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2001/3541393672_0637bb2e07.jpg?v=1242618856"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 223px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2001/3541393672_0637bb2e07.jpg?v=1242618856" alt="" border="0" /></a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-75437134569964666262009-05-30T21:18:00.000-07:002009-07-28T00:32:32.654-07:00Going Grecian<span style="font-family:SimSun;">Well, it seems as if I haven't done much since my dress, but I actually have been diligent with my scheduled sewing projects. I just finished cutting out my material for a spring/summer jacket using McCalls 5525. The muslin fit perfectly (what a relief)! I anticipate its completion in the next few weeks unless I do a couple of all day sewing spurts and get it done in just days--<br /><br />--Or a day. From start to finish, this project took me just a day:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2422/3567748699_5e2cf73e9c.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 291px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2422/3567748699_5e2cf73e9c.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3057/3567792931_6fc7759cbf.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 272px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3057/3567792931_6fc7759cbf.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:SimSun;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Butterick 5130</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > </span><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><br />It's a little short for my liking. The angle of the photo creates the illusion that it's longer than it is. If I were going to the beach, I wouldn't mind wearing this as-is; but for the normal days where I don't have grainy particles of sandy massaging the soles of my feet and wriggling their way through the spaces between my toes or the salty sea breeze whipping through my hair, I plan on wearing this as a tunic.<br /><br />I love this Grecian "Muse" (as titled on the pattern envelope) style. I've seen pictures of another sewer's own variation with a band of elastic running across the waist. I liked that, too, so I might give that extra band a try. What should my next color be? Gray? Black? Something wonderfully colorful?<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-5475453703453231852009-05-09T13:42:00.000-07:002009-07-28T00:29:23.635-07:00The Organza Dress from Hell<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/3516422554_5ce6e8c436.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 328px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/3516422554_5ce6e8c436.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:SimSun;">If I didn't love the final product so much, I probably would have had a bonfire to burn it. This dress's pattern, Simplicity 2692, gave me so many problems, many of which I've already spewed out on Pattern Review and can be read <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=39341" target="_blank">here</a>. Once was enough to relive the memories of my sewing and alteration process and reiterate my frustrations, thank you very much. <br /><br />This dress should have taken only one weekend to make--or so I had initially assumed when I had looked at the instructions and thought,"Wow! This will be so nice and easy!".<br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3631/3516434690_1f8ae94827.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 344px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3631/3516434690_1f8ae94827.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/3516429796_85a2da1052.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 224px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/3516429796_85a2da1052.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:SimSun;">The gorgeous silk organza (which I didn't realize would also contribute to the reason that this <span style="font-style:italic;">specifically </span>is the "Organza" dress from "Hell" and not just "The Dress from Hell") was the only reason that I was so determined to get this pattern to work for me. It has a spray of deep purple flowers on a black background. It was another gift from my grandmother, so I'm not sure as to where she picked it up. The lining was from JoAnn's. The dress is actually lined twice in the top section: once to make the organza not see-through and the second time to make the smooth seams of the neckline and arm openings.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3549/3516435374_250c8ab339.jpg?v=1241897682"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3549/3516435374_250c8ab339.jpg?v=1241897682" alt="" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-79305238130625109262009-04-29T22:24:00.000-07:002009-04-30T20:54:22.551-07:00Mini Things Among the Green<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3294/3490585858_15888e56aa.jpg?v=1241149041"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3294/3490585858_15888e56aa.jpg?v=1241149041" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3598/3489762731_d5a52eab00.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 357px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3598/3489762731_d5a52eab00.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family:SimSun;">Whether the idea had been influenced by an Alice in Wonderland-like dream or not, I woke up one morning earlier this week and immediately decided that I had to make a mini wardrobe. Of course, I couldn't let it stay empty, so it's filled--although sparsely--with mini outerwear and coat hangers.<br /><span style="font-family:SimSun;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />And then I thought, why not also make a chair to go with it, too? Whatever elfen-like creature that scrounges through the closet will have to have something to toss her clothes upon.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3655/3489786987_371330505c.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3655/3489786987_371330505c.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I was going to make a bed, a bedside table, and a lamp to go along with it, too, but I then remembered the stack of traced and cut patterns that I have ready to go...<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-89501709154722349422009-04-25T20:12:00.001-07:002009-07-28T00:13:16.090-07:00Second Kasia Skirt<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3600/3475054186_047da396b2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3600/3475054186_047da396b2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:SimSun;"> I completed my second version of Burdastyle's Kasia Skirt today! At this rate, I might have a whole separate closet full of Kasia skirts in various lengths,buttons, trims, etc. Even though this is only the second time that I've made the skirt, I'm quickly realizing how versatile it is.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/3475056858_a6802b6899.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/3475056858_a6802b6899.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />This time I used cotton ikat, a gift from my grandmother, and wonderful clock buttons from JoAnn's. I had actually eyed the clock buttons multiple times before on my trips to that store, but I never knew what to do with them. They seemed perfect for this project. The cotton ikat has a slight sophisticated, older feel to it; and I figured that if I paired it with the buttons, it would achieve my desired look of making it something along the lines of modern sophistication.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3369/3474250531_1ed806ebf9.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3369/3474250531_1ed806ebf9.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I think this version fits better. I made it one size larger, but I also had to increase the seam allowance to 1 inch. It's not as high-waisted as my other Kasia skirt, but I can sit more comfortably and stick my hands in the pockets. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-14862539859734036042009-04-20T13:40:00.000-07:002009-07-28T00:49:26.170-07:00My Kasia Skirt<span style="font-family:SimSun;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3494/3460609814_61a2d439e5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3494/3460609814_61a2d439e5.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I have my own Kasia skirt! Many thanks to Burdastyle for this wonderful--and more importantly, FREE--skirt pattern. Most of the patterns from that site have some quirky detail to them that interestingly sets them apart from Butterick, McCall, and Simplicity. I've constructed a list of bookmarks of patterns from that site and hope to make all of them one day, some day, eventually...<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3616/3460614614_22530b0602.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3616/3460614614_22530b0602.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Because it's a free download, I had to construct the pattern. Although it sounds like a hefty amount of prep work, it didn't really take that much effort to print out the pattern, match up the marking on the individual pages to create the cohesive pattern, tape the papers in place, and then trace my size. I've never made anything from Burda or Burda-related before (I'm assuming that BurdaStyle is affiliated with Burda?), so I was apprehensive about just choosing a size and then running with it with my fashion fabric. Therefore, I sat for about five hours or so and made a muslin, which turned out well except for these hideous bunched gathers for the hip panels. I have no evidence of those gathers on my final skirt! (Come to think of it, I really show have taken a photo of me wearing the muslin.)<br /><br />Well, um, the final skirt somehow ended up being tighter than the muslin. Consequently, I'll have to decline invitations to situations which require excessive sitting, eating, or climbing if I'm wearing this skirt. Not that I would go climbing or hiking in <span style="font-style: italic;">a</span> skirt, but an unplanned flight of stairs might have to be taken slower than normal.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3493/3460608784_9fe13fa268.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3493/3460608784_9fe13fa268.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Overally, though, I'm happy with the print, the style, and especially that I got to use <span style="font-style: italic;">buttons</span>! Not only are they clear (and unfortunately lose their details against the busy print in photographs), but they encase thin strands of dried blades of grass! Pretty cool.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-59088867438926220602009-04-03T08:53:00.000-07:002009-07-27T23:55:00.856-07:00Hoot, Hoot<span style="font-family:SimSun;">I had to put all of my sewing projects on hold because my sewing machine broke. :( I'm in the process of finding a nicer one to replace it.<br /><br><br />Luckily, I did get to do a bit of hand sewing last night. I wanted to make something for my mom for her birthday and remembered a cute owl pillow that I had seen at a local fabric store. I drafted a simple pattern on pieces of tracing paper and dug around in my trash bag containing little scraps of odds and ends. It took about three hours from start to finish, and it turned out to be really cute.<br /><br><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3543/3408951397_97e7294031.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 443px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3543/3408951397_97e7294031.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><center><span style="font-style:italic;">MUGSHOT OF OWL</span></center><br />As you can see, the little yellow heads sticking out of its stomach section signify that my mom intends to use it as a pin cushion. It's not a voodoo doll. <br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-15545683815011584982009-03-15T22:07:00.000-07:002009-07-27T23:53:07.732-07:00I AM PROM<span style="font-family:SimSun;">I'm not going to prom. I naturally don't need a prom dress. <br /><br />But I'm going to make one anyways. For the heck of it.<br /><br />Late last night as my eyelids drooped from the promise of sleep, I kept my eyes wide open while I scoured the far reaches of the World Wide Web's fashion world for dress ideas. Rather than looking through patterns first, I decided to look for inspirations from already existing dress designs. I started off with looking at the typical prom dress stuff. After thirty dresses or so, they all started to look the same--blingy rhinestones, colossal flounces, tiaras, shiny fabric in varied colors of monotone brilliancy resembling shades of highlighter pens... "I AM PROM!" they all seemed to shout (or discharge). I stopped looking at prom dresses, changed to looking at dresses in general, and found more success there.<br /><br />My Finds! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://adn.is.bluefly.com/mgen/Bluefly/prodImage.ms?productCode=300694101&width=340&height=408"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200x; height: 260px;" src="http://adn.is.bluefly.com/mgen/Bluefly/prodImage.ms?productCode=300694101&width=340&height=408" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://adn.is.bluefly.com/mgen/Bluefly/prodImage.ms?productCode=301920501&width=340&height=408"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 260px;" src="http://adn.is.bluefly.com/mgen/Bluefly/prodImage.ms?productCode=301920501&width=340&height=408" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://content.nordstrom.com/ImageGallery/store/product/Gigantic/2/_5732222.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 233px;" src="http://content.nordstrom.com/ImageGallery/store/product/Gigantic/2/_5732222.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />They're all unconventionally short and, with the exception of the last one, unconventional prom dresses. Just my cup of tea. My excitement grew as I managed to find patterns for all of them. With a few tweaks to the patterns and the right material, successful recreations of my new finds could be created. <br /><br />Wait. <span style="font-style:italic;">Finds </span>as in singular or plural?<br /><br />Midnight struck its tolling tones, and I paused the flurry of mental images of well-known fabric stores, beads, baubles, the stray thought tinged with guilt about the cost, and yards and yard of chiffon, charmeuse, and silk dupioni. <br /><br />I can only choose one dress. Choose? I like them all equally. How do I choose? What a predicament.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3358903754_8702ccb697_m.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3358903754_8702ccb697_m.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I questioned myself, "What would your dream dress be?"<br /><br />The previous system overload fantasy immediately blackened. The emerald green dress--a <span style="font-style:italic;">single </span>dress--from the movie <span style="font-style:italic;">Atonement</span> immediately swooshed its delicate silk form into my mind from memories of me sitting in awe in the movie theatre.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3HCt5_O8tgU/ScPy1bk3FWI/AAAAAAAAABk/yFJ_8dv-c_s/s1600-h/green9.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3HCt5_O8tgU/ScPy1bk3FWI/AAAAAAAAABk/yFJ_8dv-c_s/s200/green9.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315358984976668002" /></a><br /><br />...so it seems that I'm going to recreate that dress.<br /><br /><br />So far, I've devoted five minutes to it. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3562/3358793020_26257546a1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 409px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3562/3358793020_26257546a1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />Plus, I've found a possible pattern for it. <br /><br /><br />More updates to come.<br /><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-963098773821483532009-03-13T12:42:00.000-07:002009-03-13T13:40:48.108-07:00Friday the 13th<span style="font-family:SimSun;">The weather is still indecisive. It sometimes chooses to be a crisp cold and other times chooses to be a vibrant warmth, both of which seem to penetrate the skin to the body's core. Considering that winter does not officially transition into spring for another week, the weather seems to have a valid reason to be fickle.<br /><br />Today, for some reason, I recalled a line from one of my favorite movies from childhood. <span style="font-style:italic;">"Tr-la-la-la-la. Spring is in the air, and I am the flower. With nothing interesting to say." --A Bug's Life</span><br /><br />Although I'm taking that line out of context from the actual situation in Pixar's movie, the clinging memory of the computer-animated lush blades of grass and fine veins of leaves compelled me to step outside and examine the more microscopic (yet deceptively simplistic with their abundance) aspects of the outdoors. It had been some time since I had gone out past my normal boundaries of the yard. Since today is Friday the 13th, an oddity that occurs anywhere from one to three times out of the year, I decided to follow suit and take a break from my normal view of interior walls.<br /><br />...and it seems that signs of spring had popped up over night. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3644/3351457379_25a41ecb84.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3644/3351457379_25a41ecb84.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3583/3352143014_c78b3abcc6.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3583/3352143014_c78b3abcc6.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/3351317159_b19412055f.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/3351317159_b19412055f.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3628/3351331731_160defe872.jpg?v=1236970865"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 276px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3628/3351331731_160defe872.jpg?v=1236970865" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3585/3352153252_97524b7048.jpg?v=1236972436"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 349px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3585/3352153252_97524b7048.jpg?v=1236972436" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />Their fleeting existence is what makes them quite magical. Just like their sudden appearance, one day--poof!--they'll be gone again. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3543/3352146562_45668f94ee.jpg?v=1236973360"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 389px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3543/3352146562_45668f94ee.jpg?v=1236973360" border="0" alt="" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3194535413300856100.post-89423760097874267482009-03-09T18:05:00.000-07:002009-07-27T23:47:46.401-07:00So Far for This Year...<span style="font-family:SimSun;">So...I told myself that I would wait a couple of days to do my next post about my recently completed sewing projects. <br /><br /> I don't think my self-restraint is quite honed enough for that.<br /> <br />I wrote a review of my jacket (which, I'm pleased to say, is no longer a work in-progress) earlier in today at Pattern Review. The actual review can be found <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=37569" target="_blank">here</a>.<br> </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3647/3341690861_4074922d77.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 459px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3647/3341690861_4074922d77.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/3341695419_4f9fb22641.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/3341695419_4f9fb22641.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3550/3342529544_949395c7f7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3550/3342529544_949395c7f7.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:SimSun;">I used McCall 5670 for my denim jacket, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. While sewing it together, I was a bit nervous about the ease in the shoulder area. Taking into account that the denim doesn't stretch, I decided to be a bit more skimpy with how much the front closure section overlaps. It seems to have worked well. I found the denim and the buttons at JoAnn's and used one of their coupons...which took off a measly 40 cents or so. :( <br />Now I just have to wait for the weather to loose its slight chill! It seems that I can only wear medium-weight to thin tops underneath this.<br /><br />As for my two tops, here are the final products: </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/3342520538_1a20773eb0.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 317px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/3342520538_1a20773eb0.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:SimSun;">This is McCalls 5388, and I plan to use the same pattern to make another top from a yellowish patterned cotton. It's made of cotton gauze and is wonderfully light and floaty—perfect for summer. But...it stretched a little while sewing, so I think I'll have to wear a tank top underneath it to prevent the whole world from seeing my bra. Which would detract from its wonderfully light and floaty feeling against my skin, but oh well...</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://burdafashion.bsb-adv.de/images/repos/1/000/001/648/000001648750"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://burdafashion.bsb-adv.de/images/repos/1/000/001/648/000001648750" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3381/3341684935_ef9f119f4b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 323px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3381/3341684935_ef9f119f4b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:SimSun;">This one is almost an identical (visually, but maybe not its construction) copy of BWOF 03-2008-110. I saw BWOF 03-2008-109 (the version with sleeves)on several blogs and fell in love with the bias band which cradles the bustline. After searching near and far on eBay for the March 2008 issue of BWOF, I gave up, whipped out the top section from a princess dress pattern, used that for the top, and then draped the rest. It actually wasn't difficult at all, although it took a couple of centimeter-by-centimeter tries to finally get the bias band to fit correctly. <br /><br />It's made from turquoise silk linen(if I remember correctly, it should be silk linen) from my grandmother. I didn't line it because I didn't want it to be too bulky. <br /><br />So that's all of my projects from January to now. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12