Adventures in Dressmaking

Fun lines on a classic skirt for work

2012-02-24T05:32:00.000-08:00

As much as I love clothes, and being creative with my outfits!, for work I often stick to pretty classic looks. Sometimes with a fun twist, of course, but I've always enjoyed having basic pieces to start with. Several pairs of black pants, and pants in brown, tan, grey, and summer weights of tan... several black skirts, some grey skirts... and a brown skirt. But I haven't had a brown skirt in

Sewing Circle: A beautiful 30's retro dress!

2012-02-23T05:22:00.000-08:00

You're going to enjoy this Sewing Circle... I know I've seen this image around Pinterest and the fashion blogs, and you may have, too--this dress is just lovely! Source So, Melissa wrote to me with this question: Q: Not only is this 1930’s dress absolute perfection, but I definitely saw a gauzy navy polka dot at Joanns recently. I know we can make this happen :) I’m just an intermediate

Guest post: STRIPES in decor!

2012-02-22T05:31:00.000-08:00

We've got a guest post today, all about one of my favorite patterns, stripes, in home dec! Perfect considering I'm thinking about decor for our new place and I have dreamed of painting stripes on a wall since I've seen several stylish bloggers do it themselves with painter's tape. So cute, right?! Here's a bunch of inspiration on the stripe vibe! Hi! I’m Joanna, a writer for Arcadian

How to Wear DIY: My iceskater dress

2012-02-21T05:09:00.000-08:00

You don't mind two circle skirts in a row, do you? Like you saw in yesterday's post, I'm into circle skirts these days and have been, uh, experimenting in finding the right length for me. Here's a How to Wear DIY for this dress that I made recently and wore this weekend. It is also... "tights length." After wearing it, I can say the length works just fine, but I might not have minded having

Vintage skirt transformation!

2012-02-20T05:17:00.000-08:00

I actually feel kinda bad about this one, folks... you loved this skirt in this post where I wore it with the lace tank I created from and old tee and a lacy top. It was super fun! I loved that outfit, too! I said in the post I had thought about cutting it off to make it shorter, and maybe it would be more wearable that way. So many of you said no, don't do it! But, I actually felt really

Where do you sew? Sewing room/office inspiration, please!

2012-02-17T05:08:00.000-08:00

Apologies for the incomplete post yesterday!! Oopsies! Long story, I had a long night Wednesday... anyway, yesterday's Sewing Circle post is up and ready for your tips and ideas! Thanks! I have another fun question for you today... where do you sew? Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Becky on Pinterest I've shared that we're househunting right now, and I am SO anxious to find a great

Sewing Circle: Amazing idea for a sweatshirt makeover!

2012-02-16T05:54:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Sewing Circle! Erin sent me this email about recreating this J.Crew sweatshirt. Q: I saw this J.Crew hoodie on Pinterest and I'd really like to recreate it. Any suggestions on pattern inspiration? It looks like a basic kimono sleeve with a hood and welted pockets added—pretty simple, but I don't know how to draft from scratch, so I need a place to start. I've attached a pic of

French seam infinity scarf tutorial--recycle a scarf!

2012-02-15T05:39:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, it hardly counts as recycling when you turn a scarf into another kind of scarf. But, I thought I'd throw together this tutorial for you anyway, to show you how I transformed an old fringed scarf into a more wearable, trendier infinity scarf. I had this scarf from years ago--it was cheap when I bought it, and while I wore it relatively often in 2006 and 2007, I think, I haven't

How to Wear DIY: Festive pink and red!

2012-02-14T05:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! And happy festive month of pink and red and hearts. I have a How to Wear DIY post for you today--this post is particularly exciting because it's linked up on, Everybody, Everywear, an awesome blog that collects outfits on a theme from all kinds of bloggers! (Such a great idea, and started by a couple of also great style bloggers.) Anyway, the challenge/theme this month:

I made... a necklace! So proud.

2012-02-13T05:35:00.000-08:00

I pretty much never make jewelry anymore, which is kind of sad... I used to, but now I don't even know where my beading stuff is, and I don't know what I'd make if I did have time to sit down in front of a period costume drama on a Sunday afternoon... those were the days, Christmas break home from college... siiigh... But, I'm very proud of myself for FINALLY finishing a jewelry project I've

Simple handsewing makes a top more modest!

2012-02-10T05:14:00.000-08:00

Modest in a good way--as in, not gapping and showing my bra or tummy in the middle of the button closure. That's never a good thing. Let me back up. I got this top at Old Navy while it was 75% off or something, one of their sales. I've been wanting more things in a powerful, true red color!! (You may remember my red jeans and brights Pinterest board...) So I picked up this tee. I tried

Sewing Circle: Mystery collar treatment

2012-02-09T05:10:00.000-08:00

We may stump you on this Sewing Circle. Jessica sent me an email asking about a beautiful collar treatment I've never seen before! Here goes... Q: I have a question that I am really hoping you can help me with. I absolutely love the dress the bride is wearing in these pictures: Do you have any tips on how to go about re creating it? The collar is my favorite part and it has me completely

Elegant, classic work dress

2012-02-08T05:13:00.000-08:00

Bright, cotton, summery dresses are my faves, you probably know that. But in the winter, and to make things that I can wear to work and to more everyday locations, it's nice to have something a little more substantial. This post is a story about McCall's M5269, a pattern I have no memory of buying but somehow I own. I was seriously about to put this pattern in the Goodwill pile because I

Househunting part 2

2012-02-07T05:42:00.000-08:00

Here's something else we did over the weekend... For a couple months we've been seriously househunting. And by that I mean, a couple months ago we looked at six places (pics here!), loved one of them, made an offer, and have been waiting to hear back (it's a short sale). We've been watching for other possibilities, but nothing nearly as good has come up. It's a bummer. But, we did take a

How to Wear DIY: Lovely lacy top for daytime

2012-02-06T05:28:00.000-08:00

I was totally stoked to wear this tank that I made over the other week--I think it's one of my coolest upcycles in a long time! In fact, I wish I had several more lacy tops and old tees to remake this way! I'll have to keep an eye out for weird textures and things to do this with... So I finally got a chance to wear it this weekend, and I was equally stoked to wear some of the pieces I wore

About DIYing... your hair!

2012-02-03T05:47:00.000-08:00

Oops--I just read it aloud. No, I'm not talking about dyeing hair. Just a thought on how, despite my DIY attitude for sewing, decor, outfits, food, and anything else I feel like, I don't get too creative on the DIY hair front. (This post was born from two sources--your emails and questions, as well as a product I had a chance to review. Just FYI!) I get emails from some of you sometimes

Homemade Thai peanut sauce. I am now quite popular.

2012-02-02T05:29:00.000-08:00

I have phases and trends with fave easy foods to make, and this month it's been my homemade Thai peanut sauce. Husband and I usually go out to Thai food when we go out to eat, because I have a limited diet and there are usually a few good salad choices there for me. But we also get salad rolls, which usually come with peanut sauce. Our new fave Thai place (Soi 9 on W. Burnside, for you

Inspired by you! A simple, swingy-skirted dress.

2012-02-01T05:01:00.000-08:00

In this Sewing Circle post a while back, Stephanie asked me for help finding a pattern for this ASOS dress. I think we did a pretty good job helping her find something, but it got me inspired! I love the combination of wintery fabric with short, swingy skirt shape. And retro bodice style, sort of, but totally contemporary! Then I started seeing similar dresses around... love the shape and

Sweater surgery

2012-01-31T05:45:00.000-08:00

Sweater renovation, I guess? Sweater transformation. I think that's the best term. I bought this striped Forever 21 tunic-ey sweater at Goodwill Outlet in the bins for $1.39/lb or whatever. It was a Large and was really loose on me, but (as you are well aware if you follow me on Pinterest!) I love stripes, and the price was right. I tried to wear it loose, as-is, but it got even bigger as I

Sewing Circle: Pattern for a mystery dress

2012-01-30T05:23:00.000-08:00

More pattern-searching on Sewing Circle today! I got an email from Katharine... Q: I saw this dress in the window of a ridiculously expensive store in my city, and I kind of fell in love with it, but not enough to even be tempted to go into said super-expensive store to see the dress in person (it's REALLY expensive. I'd be surprised if they were selling this cute dress for less than $700). But

Weekend reading--the best kind!

2012-01-29T09:17:00.000-08:00

What have you been up to this weekend? Lucky me, I've had some lovely light weekend reading to do... I've wanted Grace Bonney's Design*Sponge at Home since it came out last fall. I should have gone to one of the signings, like at West Elm here in Portland... oops. I met Grace once at an event at a cute boutique here, and have been reading her blog for ages! And, in one of my proudest

How to Wear DIY: A red skirt and a winter nautical look

2012-01-27T05:10:00.000-08:00

Every January I ooh and aaah over the nautical looks that pop up at stores after the fall colors. It's so nice to see fresh, bright, contrasty looks like navy, red, white... and some fun icons like the occasional anchor. And some luggage tan shoes and accessories, and maybe a fisherman's sweater. The look is so classy and classic, very J.Crew or Land's End Canvas, although I saw some great

Clothing sizes are weird. But so are the fits on patterns!

2012-01-26T05:43:00.000-08:00

Clothing sizes are weird--I know that's like the understatement of the decade. But let's talk about clothing (and pattern) sizes. I've complained before how commercial pattern sizes are not only different than what we expect from storebought clothing, they are also meant to fit terribly. IMHO. I've even done a Sewing Circle on how to pick the right pattern size. But I read an article on

A three-hour dress. I like to get creative.

2012-01-25T05:39:00.000-08:00

A three-hour dress could be a bad thing, I realize. But this one I'm really happy with! I bought this simple rayon print at JoAnn on clearance, I think $1.50 a yard cuz it was half off the clearance price of $3 or $5/yard. I love the black/warm brown/navy/pink/red color combo! I wanted something relatively loose, a dress, not a top, but I was originally thinking a dolman sleeve or open sleeve

Sewing Circle: A lovely loose tunic

2012-01-24T05:39:00.000-08:00

Sewing Circle again! This time, Abby wrote me about finding a pattern for a top her sister would like. Inspired by this pin... Source: shopbop.com via Sarah on Pinterest She said: Q: I've been thinking about making something fun for my sister. Her style is totally different from mine, and she loves loose-fitting, flowing tops as opposed to my close-fitting ones. That's actually