Quick Post

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.




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.

If I could, I would...

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.

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).

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.

I'll just dream until then.

Going Grecian

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--

--Or a day. From start to finish, this project took me just a day:

Butterick 5130

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.

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?

The Organza Dress from Hell

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 here. Once was enough to relive the memories of my sewing and alteration process and reiterate my frustrations, thank you very much.

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!".




The gorgeous silk organza (which I didn't realize would also contribute to the reason that this specifically 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.

Mini Things Among the Green

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.

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.



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...

Second Kasia Skirt

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.



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.



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.

My Kasia Skirt

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...

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.)

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 a skirt, but an unplanned flight of stairs might have to be taken slower than normal.


Overally, though, I'm happy with the print, the style, and especially that I got to use buttons! 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.