more snowstorm sewing

I've been working away at the crinoline that's going to go under my new B5748, to give it the proper oomf.   Rather than going with anything fancy, I chose a quilting cotton I can toss in the wash between wears.  (I know this isn't a popular point of view, but I love clothing made of quilting cottons.  They are nice and solid, but still have a good drape)   

The crinoline is  fluffy and enormous, and not as ridiculous as it appears in this picture - I was fending off cats, while trying to take advantage of the early morning sunlight.    When its on, and is sitting normally, everything is even and lovely (and made of french seams!)  The fabric is a pale pink  (about halfway between how it appears in the two pictures) that reminds me of dessert.

And, because I really don't have enough going on, I decided I need a cowl, to fight off these ridiculous winds from my poor cold ears.   I also forgot I don't knit a foot a night, even with chunky yarn, so this may take a while...

I'd originally looked at patterns, but ended up just going with a 90 stitch, stockinette, in the round giant tube thing.  Stylish, no?

Snowstorm Sewing

Doesn't look like much, but it was over my ankles. 

This polar vortex thing means we keep getting snow and ridiculous temperatures, so clearly, its time for spring time sewing!

half way done B5748

I started another B5748 (actually, I started it around Christmas, and have worked on it in every storm since) and I have to say, I love this pattern more than I can say.     This fabric is much floppier than the first, so it will have to be worn with a crinoline (also in progress - but the light was terrible this evening, so pictures are forthcoming) but it came together very very easily.  The final version will have black trim around the neck, armholes and hem. 

The fabric isn't actually purple - its a shot cotton - hot pink and electric blue on the warp and the weft - so the dress actually changes colors as I walk around.   I love the effect (I'm not in anyway enthusiastic about this dress, hunh?)

ANNND its all finished in french seams.    (Basically I can't be bothered to rethread the serger -- creative laziness)   (and in total reaction to the unholy mess of an inside I left in the last dress, as I hate-sewed it.)

Sweater Progress

Chugging along with my cardigan.

The left and right extended sections will be the front sides, while the lower clipped area in the center will eventually be the upper back.  

I'm not really following a pattern, (I've stolen bits from several, but am really just mucking around), so I'm not entirely sure how this is all going to come together (and I know the back is going to fit weird -- I may have experimented with shaping, it it may have ended up a little wonky) But it will be something - so, fingers crossed.  Toes too.

2013 In Review

Finished makes of 2013:
Nine dresses, two pairs of pants, one shirt, two hats, four costumes, one skirt and a patch-over

Unfinished:
 One quilt, one coat and a solid handful of dresses.

General Thoughts on 2013:
last year I had 26 finished objects - this year were only 20 - not bad, but I think there were a few too many aborted attempts or items I lost interest in.   On the other hand, this year also included a major injury, some significant life changes and a hell of a lot of traveling, especially lately.  So I guess it evens out.

My primary goal for the year was to make a bra - Got through the muslin stage, but it has fallen into the great UFO pile and needs to be picked back up.   I also wanted to conquer knits, and with four knit dresses and two shirts, I'm feeling pretty good about them.

Favorites:
Both pairs of action jeans, blue many paneled dress, blue lace dress, corn costume and the new year's eve dress.

Plans for 2014: 
-Finish the damn coat (all it needs is trim and a zipper)
-Baby blanket for the Steglette  (current plan is a pink and blue mariner's compass)
-Umpteen zillion more dresses from stash fabric (because, really... I need more dresses)
-A couple more pairs of jeans (these I actually need)
-SHIRTS (really really need.)
-Generally using up as much of the stash as possible, while fabric and pattern stashing to the greatest degree possible.
-Taking better pictures - after all the time that goes into my makes, I'd like to do them justice.



*for anyone following closely, the black dress in the bottom row never got blogged.  Most of the pictures turned out weird and I'm waiting for sun and above freezing temperatures.*

The New Year's Dress

New Year's Resolution: Higher Resolution.   (As ever.  I crack me up.  But seriously, after spending so much time on things, I'd like to get nice pictures of them)

Anyhow - The dress!  It is finished and worn for New Year's Eve, and.... I actually really like it.   I wasn't expecting to at all - but after all that fuss I'm really pleased with how it came out.   (I may have been hate-sewing the dress, out of spite for the money I spent on materials, and didn't bother with any interior seam finishing.)  

The pattern ended up being a mix of three patterns, V1304 for the straps, V1174 for the bodice and B5350 for the skirt.  Surprisingly enough, the seams matched well and there was very little monkeying around to get everything meshed together.   I shorted the straps a bit, ditched the cap sleeves and removed all the interior structure from the bodice.   Otherwise, it as would be expected.

 spin spin spin

blue steel.

The Ever Growing Frankenpattern

(fair warning - the following is about as first-world a problem as you can get.)

Normally, I'm the kind of person who way over thinks things.   I try to avoid impulse buys, and am generally pretty good and the whole wait-a-week-and-see-if-I-still-want-it-thing.   However, from time to time, all this goes out the window and I do something unfathomably stupid.   In this case - I bought floral lace when I'd gone to the store for plain chiffon.

FLORAL.  LACE.

So, yes, for most people, perhaps no so odd - but the thing is, I really hate floral lace.   All the more if it is arranged with the motifs in a sort of a grid...

could it be more regular?

 Even when carrying it to the cutting counter, I couldn't quite figure out why I'd gone with this fabric.  I know I liked parts of the motif... but still.    I really have no idea what was going on with this one.  It wasn't even on super-sale.  ::grumbles::

still floral - but less grid-like

Anyhow, the bodice of the pattern I'd chosen was all choppy and in bits, so I figured I could disguise things a bit there - and I was hoping the pleats in the skirt would do the same, but no such luck.   (To add insult to injury, I didn't even center things properly...   It was just bad.  And we're talking Becky-home-ecy levels of bad.)  I've made this sort of thing work once before, by using a backing of the same shade as my lace - turning the flowers into nearly invisible texture.  But once, again, continuing my campaign of insanity - I chose a white background.

the current plan

So, I ended up throwing a third pattern into the mix, Butterick 5350, of the 8 paneled skirt.   Between the skirt panels I'd already cut out and the fabric I had left over, I was able to get everything set.  It's actually coming together fairly nicely, and if nothing else, I've found this particular combination is fairly flattering and I'll probably do it again in a fabric I like more.

Has anyone else ever done anything like this?  Or I am alone in my maddness?

winter sewing and a new year's dress

There is something about winter that means I take a lot less pictures.  (Hah... 'something'.  There is no light by the time I get home, its all cold and I want to be a hermit.  I am a happy hermit holed up high above the horizon, hoping for higher heat.)

blech

..and with that... the coat.   Excuse the terrible picture.  I blame winter.   Also a lack of professional photographic equipment.  I feel this could mitigate winter.  but I digress - I find I don't like any of the swatches, so I am forced (forced I say) to go to the fabric store this weekend and play with things.    It's going to be rough.   

Anyhow. Continuing my recent streak on sensible decisions, I've decided this time of travel and work deadlines is when I need to sew a new dress for new year's eve -- and not just any dress -- a fancy franken patterened dress with lace and beading. (I have three kinds of beads) (I make good decisions)  

Specifically these two dresses: Vogue 1174 for the body and 1304 for the straps.

The main dress

The straps

Not being completely insane, I'm skipping all the boning and foundation in 1174 and just doing the shell, relying on the straps to hold everything in place.   I needed to reshape the back a bit, as it lay oddly on my pointy pointy scapula and ditched the cap sleeve, as they almost invariably look terrible on me.

 The first fitting went pretty well - other than the straps, the biggest change is some reshaping around the cups to get everything to sit closer to my chest and prevent any gaping.  (The majority of the wrinkles are due to the fabric being smushed up in a ball for a couple of months before I used it for the muslin... Its not actually way too tight)

Next up:  make new pattern pieces, check them in  a second muslin, and move on to the actual dress!