I was so pleased with my blue lady skater dress (as well as somewhat annoyed at how long it took me to make it), that I thought I’d use Kitschykoo’s Lady Skater Dress pattern to make another one. I went back to Designer Fabrics in Parkdale where I bought the bright blue jersey thinking that I might grab more of the same in yellow, but … Continue reading Not So Pretty in Pink: Lady Skater Dress #2
My husband is very, very relieved this dress turned out. You see, on Saturday morning I was on my second attempt of ripping out one hot mess of a neckband on this while managing to put a hole in the fabric where there shouldn’t have been one. (And YES, I was using the seam ripper in a way that someone who cared about their fabric … Continue reading Electric (Blue) Ladyland: the Lady Skater Dress
Just ask me how goddamned pleased I am with myself! Go on, ask me! I’m pretty goddamned pleased, thanks for asking. This shirt turned out pretty great and you can tell how I feel by that cat-who-swallowed-the-canary grin on my face. (Or maybe that’s just the look I get when I’m waiting for the camera’s self-timer to go off. Must get a remote shutter release.) … Continue reading Kaboom! Circles Stars Bombs & Flowers shirt is finished!
I am scared stitchless. I purchased the pattern for the Burda 10/2011 Chiffon blouse with tie band #128B almost a month ago, and bought fabric for it soon after, but I can’t seem to bring myself to sew it. Trouble is, I’m pretty sure that sewing that fabric is gonna be the death of me. It’s a thin, sheer, ravel-y, drooling monster that keeps me awake … Continue reading Scared Stitchless
The movie Gone With the Wind made a big impression on me when I was a kid. It seemed to be on TV an awful lot on Sunday afternoons, right up there with The Sound of Music, so I saw it a lot. But Carol Burnett’s spoof of GWTW might have made a bigger impression. I’ll never forget how she spoofed the scene where Scarlett, … Continue reading The Scarlett O’Hara Apron
I had some fun the last couple of days putting together a basic tote bag for my niece (by request from her). It came out pretty big; I’m hoping it’s not too big for her 11-year-old frame. Because to make it the right size would have required me to actually plan out its finished size and then, um, MEASURE the damn pieces, which always just … Continue reading The Crooked Pocket Tote Bag Conundrum
This amazing vintage pattern just arrived in my mailbox, and when I find the right fabric I’m going to sew the shit out of it! Props & gratitude to Colleen from Proctor Creations on Etsy, as not only did she wrap this up in the cutest package, AND enclose a lovely thank you card that was made from what appears to be an original photograph … Continue reading 60’s Revival: mod dress & fabrics
This may be the most flattering dress I’ve worn in a long time. It’s from the downloadable Burda pattern #122A and, as Clio on her Clio & Phineas blog put it, has “mystical bum enhancing properties”. Definite agree on that one! I wore it last week to my students’ convocation ceremony and got a ton of compliments on it. Don’t you love being able to … Continue reading Paneled Sheath Dress: sewing success!
My 11-year-old niece, who lives in Beijing, came for a sleep-over visit yesterday. She and I are like two peas in a pod: both really into creative, crafty things. She dutifully said “that’s cool!” and “awesome!” to all the handmade stuff I showed her (knitting, jewelry, sewing), and we spent time making bracelets and necklaces together. I suggested that we could sew a bag for … Continue reading Tote Bag by Request
Finally received some patterns I ordered from Butterick.com! I’m super-excited to make B5559, Maggy London’s pintuck pullover dress. No zipper! Hooray for stretch pullover dresses! I bought some Ponte de Roma from Downtown Fabrics in purple (I just realized it’s the same colour as the model on the package). It was a tough choice between purple and a lovely chartreuse colour, but I figured I’d … Continue reading New Patterns! But WTF, Butterick.com?
Frivolous At Last 