“Romper” – there’s a word I didn’t think I’d have much use for in my adult life, but apparently they’re a thing again, so here we are. Here’s my rendering of McCall’s pattern 7099, Misses’ Romper and Jumpsuit, View A. Look ma, no vaginas! Don’t be shocked — that’s a reference to the fact that there were vaginas all over this fabric that I didn’t … Continue reading M7099: Roomy Romper
Last month I had a birthday (um, 29th, of course) so I decided to ‘treat’ myself to a new me-made dress. I put ‘treat’ in quotation marks because somehow I never seem to remember that sewing takes longer than I think it should, and that having a hard deadline — a birthday party starting at 8:30 on the Saturday night on which I was trying … Continue reading Goin’ out in my birthday suit, courtesy of Vogue 8998
Look at this neckline! I might as well have been drunk when I sewed it. Shame I wasn’t; I would at least have had an excuse. I am a victim of “let’s just get this thing DONE, shall we?” syndrome. I chopped and pinned and stitched that neckline in a frenzy so I could clean up the dining room table in time for dinner. The … Continue reading Was I Drunk? Burda Baggy Sweater 01/2015 #107
This is the last thing I made in 2014 — I put the finishing touches on it on December 31st. I cut the front and back pieces so the pattern on the fabric kinda matched up — I’m a zebra if you look at me sideways from the right. I love the mix of horizontal and vertical irregular stripes. The pattern is Burda 6901, a … Continue reading Burda 6910 Dress: all party on one side, all artsy on the other
Was 2014 a creative year for you? A handful of years ago I remember making a list of what I thought were the primary areas in life that were important for happiness & well being. Something like this: Relationship/Marriage Family Friends/Social Life Health Career Creativity Learning Spirituality (although I’m not a religious person, I still consider spirituality to be an important factor) … There were … Continue reading 2014: A Year of Living Creatively
I know you’re in a last-minute panic about making something to wear to a holiday party. (Or maybe you’re not, because, like me, your office party is a lunchtime pop-and-chip potluck and your husband’s company is too cheap to allow spouses to their holiday party. Woop woop.) But if you are, Woman’s Day magazine’s December 1977 issue (55¢) has the answer: sparkling party tents! In … Continue reading Glamourous Gowns and Garbage Bags!
Who remembers watching endless reruns of Three’s Company?? (Go on, admit it. You can’t lie about your age forever.) Today I met Suzanne Somers (pictured on the left, in her role as Chrissy) at an event for work at which her husband was being honoured with an award. Anyway, I was introduced to her, and she said, “I love your dress!” I was wearing this … Continue reading Suzanne Somers Likes My Dress
Why would anyone want to add a little saddle-bag action to their dress at the hips? I’m not sure but this seemed like a good idea many months back when I picked out Burda’s Jersey Dress, 10/2013 #112, to sew. I think the saddlebags are just fine…but, I haven’t got much going on in the hip area in the first place. I started sewing this … Continue reading The Nip-and-Tuck Saddlebag Dress
Here it is, the completed Diagonal Lines Dress. And below is an epic tale of how she came into this world. February 28th, 2014: Come across Diagonal Lines Dress on BurdaStyle website. Lose my shit over this awesome dress. Asian-inspired! Asymmetrical! Colour-blocking! Exposed zipper! Pay for & download pattern immediately. Dance around room. Consider buying matching yellow bicycle. Saturday, March 1st, 12pm: Find black ponte … Continue reading Dear Diary: The Diagonal Lines Dress is Decidedly Difficult
Final-fucking-ly finished. It could use some additional work, but no, this dress and I are finished. At least, this slippery spandex fabric and I are certainly finished. This is Burda’s Zipper Neck Dress (July 2014, pattern 113), a Tommy Hilfiger Spring 2014 knock-off. (Ha! I say that as if I know what I’m talking about when it comes to current fashion; the only reason I … Continue reading Spandex Sporto Dress
Frivolous At Last 