sewl sista #1

My new Vogues + Inspiration

2012-01-26T18:11:00.001-05:00

Thanks to a heads up from Erica B. I snagged these on sale at BMV.

1285 is a Tracy Reese design. I found a similar dress in her Pre-Fall 2011, but it's printed and longer. It looks great, but I definitely want this in a solid. (not white). Did some Googling and found this:

via
Go to the site for closeups of the dress.

8797 is a shirtdress with the "mullet" hem. I've seen these from several retailers, but my absolute favorite rendition is by NiniStyle. (she's from Dallas too!!)

Source: ninistyle.net via Nikia on Pinterest

Snip, snip

2012-01-24T13:32:00.001-05:00

I hate the process of taking screenshots from Flash sites, but I have been using the Windows Snipping Tool for a few months and I love it so I thought I'd share.

I have a shortcut on my taskbar, when I need to save something to my inspiration folder, or create a photo collage, I just snip it and save or snip it and paste.

No more akwards keyboard shortcuts, cropping and excessive clicking...

Also if you NEEEED something on Pintrest but can't pin it due to Flash, this comes in handy.

It comes pre-installed on Windows Vista (gosh, I could have been doing this sooner!!) & Windows 7, but you can download it on Windows XP.

I don't have time for a tut right now but check you tube when you have a few minutes.

Inspiration

2012-01-24T09:26:00.002-05:00

via neimanmarcus.com

1. Erdem - Cecile Lace Dress, Navy/Stone - $2,850.00

2. Valentino - Cap-Sleeve Lace Dress - $5,980.00

3. Nanette Lepore - Last Kiss Lace Dress - $378.00

I've always loved lace but it doesn't really fit into my lifestyle so I tend to stay away.

Until this little thing caught my eye...

Source: fashionista.com via Nikia on Pinterest

The bit of lace peeking out is very feminine, playful, and sexy without overdoing it. I think I should make a little lace trimmed petticoat to wear under full skirts and dresses.

For $59.99 at Target, I'm sure this is a nice dress. It's Jason Wu!!! (and I'm sure I'll find it on clearance in a month or two in my area.)

Still, I'd rather make it. (Because ummm, I need some length in the skirt, a non-white color, and good upper body fit...)

New Look 6020
and
New Look 6457

Dear Spring,

Hurry up.

Love, Nikia

Inspiration

2012-01-19T14:38:00.000-05:00

Source: stylepantry.com via Nikia on Pinterest

McCall's 6436

PS: We have been doing kitchen upgrades since the new year started, so my brain cells can't process any sewing until it's over... I can't wait!

Inspiration

2012-01-18T12:00:00.002-05:00

Inspiration

2012-01-15T09:38:00.001-05:00

It's easy being green

2012-01-03T14:56:00.004-05:00

Gotta get back into it.

I need the energy for the big project.

How to make a green smoothie

Today's kind of a big deal

2011-12-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

I'm 35 today!

(I'll get my latest sewing projects posted eventually...)

Hope you are enjoying the season/holidays/life in general!

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!

[ I ] found love in a hopeless place...

2011-12-21T14:22:00.003-05:00

I was afraid my mojo was being killed by my SAD, but then...

New McCall's Spring 2012 patterns....

McCall's 6506, Plenty by Tracey Reese!!!
I need spring here NOW more than EV-ERRRRR.

McCall's 6507. Plenty by Tracey Reese!!!
I have to make this at ALL costs.

And the best thing about these two patterns is:
"Includes separate pattern pieces for A/B, C and D cup sizes."
Yessss. I love you too McCall's. I never knew they did that on designer patterns.

Other notable lovelies from the collection...

McCall's 6511

McCall's 6520

I'm gonna go back through my inspiration posts and I'm going to make sure I get some sewing in during the holiday downtime these next two weeks. Gotta make this high last.
(& yes I'm talking about a high from sewing patterns, #dontjudge.)

Inspiration

2011-12-19T10:21:00.000-05:00

DIY Drawstring Gift Bag

How super cute is this little bag by super cute DIY Raven???

This is going on my sister's Bridal Shower to do list for party favors, and all future girly gifts from me.

PS: I got my holiday outfit together. I made New Look 6300. I have a luncheon and a dinner on Weds so I'll get to wear it then.

Later peeps.

she stoopid

2011-12-14T15:38:00.002-05:00

PLEASE make sure you are firmly planted in your chair before you go here for more

Inspiration

2011-12-02T14:50:00.000-05:00

If you only knew how many pictures I have of Mrs Obama in my inspiration folder...

To all the non-believers out there...

2011-12-01T08:00:00.007-05:00

Simplicity 2061

In case you didn't believe I wore "sweatpants" to an office job...

Sure I "care" about looking professional, but I care MORE about being comfortable. I can't come to work looking like I rolled out of bed, so I just try to maintain a balance of lounge wear and office attire.

*I think this would be just as nice with a button down blouse and v-neck sweater or sweater vest.

As long as I can get away with it, I'm gonna.

Somehow I couldn't get a full body shot, so I tried standing on my toes. It didn't work, lol.

These are made of rayon/polyester/Lycra ponte knit so technically they aren't sweats, but they feel just as cozy.

(Pant cuffs closeup.)

Dont act like you weren't in love with them ...

On to Sherwood Forest!

2011-11-29T08:00:00.008-05:00

McCall's 6209 view B body, view D hood.

I had 3 yards of really nice (free!) camel felted wool in the stash. I thought about making a coat, but after trying on camel coats in the store, I didn't like they way I looked in "that" much camel covering my frame. I already have a camel blazer and a wool camel jacket, so I figured a cape would be a nice addition to my winter wears.

Not 100% sure about this closure, but it's functional for now. I would like to replace it with a button & toggle closure

I still think this is a lot of camel, but the silhouette is loose and it works better on me than a fitted camel coat. Trust me, it wasn't a cute look.

I have worn shorter capes before, so this is a "new" feeling for me. It was awkward to put on at first, kind of like throwing a blanket over my shoulders. (this was right after I finished it so excuse my appearance, lol)

I didn't wear it to work that day, it was warm. It will be great for layering on a chilly day when I don't want to be bulked down with a coat.

The awesomeness is that with felted wool, you dont have to worry about seams unravelling! I sewed it all on the sewing machine and trimmed the seam allowanced close. It's not noticeable at all.

The greatness is, that the hood is huge, because I have a lot to cover.

So what's up, is this friar or fire?

PS: Those shoes from a couple of posts ago can be found here (non monetized link)

Inspiration

2011-11-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

At the last Vogue Patterns sale at Joann's, I picked up V8781. Not sure why, I was just really attracted to the line drawing and thought it had some potential.

This pattern has some great individual basics for work! I really loved the jacket, which looks to be a LOT less complicated to sew than a set in sleeve blazer. Plus the princess seams will help minimize a waistline. I'd skip the shoulderpads unless you need them for fit.

After some internet window shopping I found a couple of great Raglan sleeve jackets.

Zippers on the arm seam!! Awesome.org
This has a raglan and a set in shoulder combo, but can easily be straight raglan.

Color blocking!!! This tuxedo really opened my eyes for the possibilites with this patterns. I have some ideas up my sleeve so I am adding this one to the queue for sure. (*this one appears to have the combo shoulder too)

Simplicity 2337

2011-11-22T18:27:00.000-05:00

Simplicity 2337

Made this in the spring for my sister, but she gave it back claiming that the one time she wore it, she received multiple offers to become Queen of Zamunda* had lots of inquiries about which country she was from, and whether she was royalty. ~~(my eyes rolled so hard I almost fell alseep)~~

She tried to get me to cut it down to a skirt, so I took it back. I'm gonna wear this fly thing next spring. I might even make another one, for me.

Inspiration

2011-11-21T11:49:00.000-05:00

Zippered & Pleated Gore Skirt!

Right away I was attracted to the elements:
Black (staple)
Expensive looking fabric (wool)
A-line shape (flattering)
Leather binding and exposed zipper (edge)

My inital thought was New Look 6079, it has the gores and the pleats and the a-line shape without being too flared out like the original Fendi skirt.

The Vogue pattern is also a good match with all of the seams available to play with.

But upon further looking, a Butterick pattern stood out. How awesome would that pencil skirt be with the zippers on the seams? Or the leather binding?

Yes & YES!

I think would do BOTH, the exposed zipper on the back seam and the binding on the front seams/pleats.

~~Is it bad that I'm considering Spaghettios for lunch for the next 2 years until I save up for the Chameleon Satchel?~~

2011-11-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

...this...

Fabric in, Fabric out and Q&A

2011-11-14T08:38:00.000-05:00

I forced myself to sew this weekend even though I wasn't in the mood. I felt compelled to use up some fabric since I made some recent purchases.

I have been thinking about replacing my old beatup Ikea ottoman covers for a while. Originally, I was going to do patchwork African prints, but the thought of a time consuming project that the children might ~~will eventually~~ destroy turned me off.

My basement color scheme is red & blue so I went with denim, which I already had in my stash. Some quick measuring and cutting and I was done in a flash.

On the left, the original sad, faded & stained cover. On the right, the sleek & new KEWL cover. :)

I told Jr to come over and take a picture, and he sat right on the new one, lol!
(Off Topic: any advice on getting him to STOP sucking his thumb??? His teeth are gonna cancel out his college fund, lmao!!)

Finished project + Yardage fron the stash = Happy Me!

Although this was a small & quick project, it really has made a big impact on the color scheme in the basement. I have some ideas to refresh my couch next.

***************************

Now to answer the last few questions from my comments section:

From Aminat: How do you do the photo board?

I generally use PowerPoint 2007(home) or 2010 (work), if I need to touch up the picture or remove the background I make the edits with Photoshop.

From Sheila: What will be made from the Sara fabric?

I purchased the wax print with my kitchen in mind. now that I have gottne it home I found another wax print I had is a better match. So it will end up in various projects - garment and home dec.

From Dei: Do you ever go to Sarah's fabric across the street?

I go to Sarah's every few months to collect a cut or three of the 6yard wax prints (thanks to a post you did a while back). When I can get in there alone, I'll be able to explore the rest of the bolts, that store is NOT safe for children, lol.

It's a good thing Starbucks is right on the corner, I get ADD overload in that place. I used to go to Vina Fabrics also across the street from Hancock's (other side) but I havent been there in a few years.

Fabric Haul 11-12-11

2011-11-12T18:55:00.000-05:00

I went to G-Street Fabrics (Rockville) hoping to find the fabric for my bridesmaid gown, but was out of luck, color wise, and they didn't have silk jersey at that location. I really wasn't too impressed by the selection of knit colors, but the cotton interlock and double knits they carry look and feel 10x nicer than the ones at Joann's. With the price to match. I had my Veteran's Day coupon and a $50 voucher from Living Social so I was cool. Some of the faux furs were exquisite, but I stayed focused.

On a whim we stopped by Hancock Fabrics in Langley Park, which was closing (they had pattern cabinets for $50) and found THE perfect color jersey in a polyester satin for $4.50/yard. Score. Me and the other Maid of Honor are wearing a different color than the other BMs so I will be making our dresses.

1. 6 yards wax print from Sara Fabrics ($25)

2. 2 yards Wool Suiting from G-Street Fabrics ($14.97 per yard)

3. 2 yards Cotton/Poly/Lycra double-knit from G Street Fabrics ($19.97 per yard)

4. 9.5 yards Satin Polyester Knit from Hancock Fabrics ($4.50 per yard for the 2 Maids of Honor)

5. 1.5 yards Black Cotton Interlock fromG Street Fabrics ($13.97 per yard not shown, in the washer)

Inspiration

2011-11-11T08:24:00.000-05:00

*With my sister getting married next summer, I am thinking about dresses for the upcoming festivities (bridal showers, etc). I am the Matron of Honor so I gotta look the part because she won't let me wear any hippie dippie dresses :(

I am leaning towards McCall's 6394 because I already have the perfect fabric for it.

Peaceful Journey...

2011-11-09T12:34:00.001-05:00

RIP Overweight Lover.

Finally Organized

2011-11-07T20:58:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the encouragement/comments from last post!

This past weekend I cleaned up and rearranged my sewing area to make it feel like a real workroom instead of just a bunch of "junk" stashed in the corner.

Previously, I let my husband talk me into believing my sewing stuff was junk, so my setup mode was hide my "junk" as much as possible. I was so embarrassed about my stash, that I kept moving my stuff around the room trying to constantly organize it, constantly purging and regretting, that I almost just gave up and got rid of it all. No more of that - new attitude.

I live here and so does my "junk."

Now my things are a LIVE part of the basement which is the family room / play room and now part craft room. Everything is organized - easy to get to and easy to put away. I won't be embarrased when guests come over. Everyone knows I sew anyway.

Jr's play area. He loves his decorated wall.
It's all from Dollar Tree, except what I printed from online and my little craft project up top, lol.
My "junk" used to be on this side.

mommy's play area :)
ALL this used to be crammed on the other side which is a lot smaller. It was a mess, lol.
White dresser holds patterns, it's from Ikea.
I didn't buy anything new except the tabletop for my sewing machines(below). everything else I had somewhere in the house.

...machines & stuff. I can turn and see the TV from here!
My sewing table is just a bunch of craft cubes from Michael's that I have collected over time, on sale, and a piece of melamine shelving from Home Depot. Ikea chair was thrifted. The red ottoman will be recovered soon and put back on the TV side of the basement.

My computer and office stuff is in the cabinet.
Table top is a 1x40x72 inch piece of plywood from Home Depot. I have a vinyl table cloth over it. Ikea lamps. On three sides of the table are Target cube shelves I collected over time, on sale. They hold his toys, and my fabric & books.

On the fourth side is two file cabinets with patterns and office files. The ironing board is against the wall by the pattern dresser. And there is one more plastic Ikea ottoman/hamper full of fabric on the side. I still have a lot of fabric. There's two more tubs behind the curtains on Jr's side. I'm working on it though.

Of course my dream is to have a room that I can lock myself in, but this will work. At least I can supervise the kids.

wooo-saaaah

2011-11-03T13:50:00.000-04:00

I wasn't going to share this at first, but my Sister said it was OK.

Now, back to my whiny post the other day. The real reason I was feeling inadequate in my sewing is because I have been tasked with making a wedding gown for my sister.

Yea...

holy.crap.com
what.is.i'm.gonna.do.com
give.me.oxygen.com

Background: So when my sister announced this summer her upcoming nuptials (congrats Boo!) I knew I wanted to be a big part of the behind the scenes, so I offered up my services for the bridesmaid's gown. The problem with that was coming up with a dress for multiple body types. My suggestion was the convertible dress, something like:

via www.mccall.com

Everyone agreed and she found the dresses in RTW. Fine, that saves me some time/effort for something else. But I told her I'm still making mine because I don't want to pay $90 for a polyester dress, when I can make a silk one for equal or less. I'm the Matron of Honor anyway, and I can be "special". So that solved, up next was the problem of the wedding gown.

now, my sister (middle child) is...... how can I say this without pissing her off........

a dreamer

~~delusional~~.

The dress she envisioned was not working out on the day of our gown search. I felt really sad for her that day and wished that her dream could come true somehow. She really deserves it. As fate would have it, the very next day (or week later) she found a dress in a vintage shop that she could modify into her dream dress. So we got the gown cleaned, and came up with a game plan.

Now guess who became the lead on that project?

I'm making a wedding gown.

The panic/sheer terror/heart arrhythmias have settled. But, I'm making a wedding gown. Not from scratch, gosh no, I am modifying an existing gown.

but it's my sister's wedding gown.

I am honored and excited and and and... there is miles of lace/tulle/satin/beading involved.

Of course I didn't tell her I was nervous about it, but I let her know what I was comfortable doing, and you know what? I am going to ROCK THIS THING OUT!! I think it's the perfect challenge and confidence booster to take me to the next level in my sewing and creativity. I'm not going to let any self doubt and negative thoughts cloud our vision and block her dream.

So, I guess I will be sharing a new "adventure." (I really am taking several deep breaths here.) The plan, the prep, the process and the progress. While I won't be able to reveal the dress until it's all over, I will share the things I make for myself and my daughter, Miss Junior Bridesmaid. Possibly some things for the bride to be.

So stay tuned...

puppytooth

2011-10-31T15:54:00.000-04:00

Couldn't resist the title.

Anyway, after my last inspiration post I got busy on using up a piece of green/black houndstooth mystery suiting from my stash. It seems like it could be some sort of a wool blend because it feels supersoft and responded well to steam and pressing. It's lightweight, yet warm and I only had about 2 yards so it had to be either pants or a skirt.

I was short on fabric and had to get "creative" with the layout hence the bi-directional-ness.

McCalls 6438

I know it's not the "on-trend" black & white houndstooth, but I like it better because the b&w is kind of a bold print.