she's sew unusual

Mommy-brain strikes again!

2009-10-15T13:22:00.000-07:00

I was going to post a massive expose on how the Vogue pattern company lied and lied and lied about V2975, but in the process of breaking down the madness I realized I can no longer add. As deceptive as the photos on the envelope are, the measurements ARE correct as published.

In my own defense, how can anyone consider fractions when this cutie pie is smiling at you?

Later I will post what I did with the pants and the progress made...

V2975, or Maternity leave is almost over and I have nothing to wear

2009-10-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

Can you believe 3 months has almost passed? I am in awe - both of how little time 3 months really is and how much Adriana has grown! Just look at that sweet little face - Adriana still continues to hold claim to "the most beautiful baby ever" title. And she shamelessly milks it, too, the little monkey - looking up at me with those big eyes and smiling so brightly. How could any mother resist? Even when she sleeps I just want to shower her with kisses!

Alas, as week 12 approaches, I must prepare myself for the inevitable return to the world, er, I mean workforce. While I have lost the majority of the pregnancy weight, I still have about 15 lbs to go before I can wear my pre-pregnancy wardrobe. This literally translates into "I have nothing to wear" as the early pregnancy and maternity wear swims on me or is not nursing/pumping compatible. So, what to do but sew up a few wardrobe essentials?

Any new clothing items will have to be nursing and/or pumping friendly, tops that are easy to maneuver open and closed or up and down, dresses with bodices that open, and bottoms that fit.

First on this list is a pair of pants from V2975, an out of print wardrobe that was purchased when I had ambitions of sewing a maternity dress and before I realized I had no energy to do so.

The pants are wide legged, contoured yolked, with slant-front pockets and cuffed. Unsure of myself with my new breastfeeding measurements and mindful of the Big 4's notorious use of ease, I cut the 16, whose finished measurements correspond with mine, used 1.25" seam allowances on the inseam and outer legs (just in case)and added the usual 3" in length.
I chose a lovely silvery grey cotton stretch sateen - thinking it looked an awufl lot like the fabric of the modelled clothes. Notice, for a moment, the pictures of the pants on the model. This does not show 4"+ of ease through the hip. Rather, it appears the fullness really shows through the knee and lower leg. On the model, they appear quite fitted actually. Just what I was hoping for...

Excuse me while I vent for just a moment:

Dude. WHY do these pattern companies LIE?! I mean, why do they draft with SO much ease that it makes it virtually impossible to just sew and wear the freaking clothes? These pants are so huge that they approach clown pants. I was skeptical that the 16 was going to work, actually, thinking it may be too small, but OMG, they won't even stay up on my 44" hips! I don't know that I will finish them because of the limited time I have. I may just cave and go to the GAP like average Americans and live with the ill-fitting, over-priced, too-short, crappy fabric pants available.

There, I feel better now. I am going to *try* to post a photo once I attach the waistband and turn up the cuffs (there is a whole lot of fabric at the bottom getting in the way and affecting the drape without them).

Introducing Baby Adriana

2009-08-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

Adriana

My sweet baby Adriana was born July 26th at 4:32am, weighing 8lbs 2oz, 21" long and a head FULL of dark hair. It's been a week and a half and I am utterly enthralled by her every expression, coo, and reflex. And, while I know every mother says this, but isn't she the most beautiful baby you've ever seen?

Nesting as "my time" approaches...

2009-07-19T14:36:00.000-07:00

I think the so called "nesting instinct" has kicked in. Finally! Why "finally," you ask? Well, I am 38 weeks + and only just getting around to organizing and preparing for a nursery. Does everyone procrastinate like this or is it just me? I am expecting the furniture to arrive next week some time and in anticipation of this, coupled with this new found energy, I find myself eager to sort out the closet situation. What does this have to sewing? Read on...

You see, I live in a three bedroom house and up until this point, I've had a dedicated room just for sewing. Since we are going to have a little one very shortly and I am blessed with parents/in-laws who are willing to stay and help for a spell, I figure I need to make space to accommodate all new comers. In my mind, this has become a shared sewing room/nursery and separate guest room. Anyone who is willing to come and stay for one month+ to help with a new baby deserves their own room, don't you agree? I want them to be as comfortable as possible so they don't leave hastily, cursing me on their way out :P

This means also a shared closet for the stash/sewing supplies and the baby items! In going through all of my sewing stuff, I am worried I won't have enough room! What to do, what to do! Like everyone else in the Phoenix area, storage space is in short supply, a bi-product of building homes without attics or basements. On a side note, I still remember commenting when we first moved here 5 years ago on all the self-storage places around, thinking it was due to apartment living. This ranks right up there with my assumption that there simply *had* to be a train between Phoenix and Tucson. LOL! Sadly, the Southern Pacific rail is only for freight containers...My east-coast naiveté amazes me still.

So, do I sift through the stash and contemplate giving some of it away? I don't know if I can bring myself to do so. I have been very good in the past year, however, in that I haven't acquired much new fabric, just the baby dedicated yardage in the most recent months. I'd rather give away older clothes than my yards of fabric! I've already culled what I can and stored clothes I know I won't be wearing for at least the next six months (suits and my skinny dresses and such).

Here's the layout for the room so far; this is to scale.

The room is approximately 12.5' x 12.5' of usable space and is currently the guest room - containing a queen sized bed, 4 drawer dresser and night table. The closet has become our catch-all clothing storage for woolens and blankets, etc, that are hardly (err, never) used but too valuable to me for donation. These items are all going to be swapped into my current sewing room, which is slightly smaller.

In this layout above, there should be enough room to occasionally roll out the collapsable cutting table I bought a while back from Joann's that is my favorite sewing work surface. As a bonus, the table is narrow enough to roll away and fit in the closet or even in the laundry room (if it comes to that!) . There are actually sliding doors on the closet, but the program used didn't have that option. The shelves I use for the stash fit right under the closet rod and there is *just* enough space in that little corner for the wooden cd-storage/pattern shelving unit I currently use. The shelves next to the closet are currently where I store my notions, Burda's, sewing essentials, etc, but I don't know how that will realistically work in this space. It might make the room feel too crowded. I plan on allowing half of the closet for miscellaneous baby items and clothing.

Well, I had my break and now I must return to my organization attempts. More later and, possibly, some photos of my current endeavors...

Reason #183 to stash...or me at 32 weeks

2009-06-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

Hey there friendly readers! So, what have I been up to? Well, currently I am what I have come to think of as *seriously* pregnant. Almost 35 weeks along and counting the days, that's for sure! Lately I find myself feeling every ounce gained thus far and, dude, creating life is exhausting work. But, truthfully, I can't really complain. Thus far it's been fairly easy going and I am feeling pretty great overall :)

So, even though I haven't sewn up very much, I have been fairly active in the use and contemplation of fabric (but what sewist isn't, really?). I had decided early on in the pregnancy that I wanted to capture the, err, magic of pregancy on film. Now, I happen to have a good friend that is also a talented photographer! Convenient, no? She came over and we set up the studio in my bedroom, making awesome use of the stash, I must say! We draped a length of black stretch poplin (5 yds worth) over the frame of my four poster canopy with dramatic results! Not only that, we draped and clipped a 1 yd piece of poly shantung for this lovely result...

There were others as well, but this one is my favorite, using a rose from the birthday bouquet my husband gave me. Now, the only thing left to do is decide what to do with it!

Back in the saddle...BWoF 08-2008-124 tunic invites reader participation

2009-03-08T17:46:00.000-07:00

Hey there folks! I think my blog silence is now over - I've had an interesting 2009 so far, but very little sewing going on.

So what has me so preoccupied that I can't find the time for my favorite creative outlet? I'm expecting! Thus far, it has been an easy pregnancy (knock on wood with me here, people) with very little to disrupt my life except for the usual symptoms. We don't know what the sex of the baby is yet and, frankly, we're not sure if we will be finding out - so few surprises left, I say :-)

It's all very exciting and now that I am approaching the 5 month marker, I find myself growing out of my regular clothes. I don't know about any one else, but, man oh man, is it hard to find attractive maternity clothes! I am on the taller side - 5'9" and prefer a 34" inseam on my pants - and this made it near impossible to find decent jeans that were long enough! The only pants that had enough length were close to the $200 mark, which is really out of my budget, never mind the fact they didn't fit quite right in the rear. Apparently, the market for designer jeans does not include rear ends so the labels must accommodate. Who knew? Anyhow, I discovered Gap Maternity does come in long lengths, but only to 33", which means flats only, no heels. I bit the bullet, found the right size on-line and live in these jeans pretty much from Friday to Sunday.

Tops are another story all together, and this brings me to my latest endeavour: Burda World of Fashion 08-2008-124. It is a tunic style top with a drawstring at the empire waist line.

Overall, it's an interesting look. I'm about 80% completed - just permanent stitching for the sleeves (still basted but as the hard part of setting in sleeves is done, this will be quick work), hems and the drawstring left. Frankly, I'm on the fence regarding the success of the top. Typical Burda, it's super low cut - just above the line where decency would be called to question. And with the wide neckline, the shoulders have a tendency of slipping. This could probably be helped by adding bra strap holders, which might also control the neckline a bit more.

What do you think of it belted? I'm on the fence as to whether to even go through the trouble of adding the drawstring and just going with a belt for now.
I'm leaning towards the less complicated option of belt loops and calling it a day. With the belt, I think the top is quite fetching - pretty darn close to the model photo and I'm actually pregnant. I am convinced that the majority of maternity clothes are modeled by regular models with the false preggo-belly strapped on. I've been forced to conclude it's a big conspiracy to make normal women feel totally huge and inadequate in our obsessed-with-being-thin society. But, I digress...

Conversely, I could just leave the waist out all together for when I get really big.

What do you think? Drawstring, belt, or waistless smock? I have created a poll on the side bar. What say you, my public?

Pattern Review: Snuggie Baby Wrap Blanket

2008-12-07T16:21:00.000-08:00

My former supervisor and friend had her baby shower today. Not too long ago, I used one of my 20% off coupons at Border's to purchase Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones. This book has been reviewed by others and I have to say, believe the hype! The patterns are adorable and witty, smart and sophisticated yet incredibly charming. For my first Amy Butler pattern and first baby shower (yes, it's true! I'd never been to a baby shower before!) I decided Shawnna would be the lucky recipient of a new swaddling blanket. She had two on her registry, but they were sad imitations of the Snuggie Wrap Blanket indeed. Read on for more info...

Pattern Description: A swaddling blanket that wraps around your baby, with a nifty hood and tie to keep him/her nice and warm.

Pattern Sizing: 0-3 months (approx 28" square) and 3-6 months (approx 33" square). I made the larger of the two since babies grow so fast!

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? One thing about this particular patterns is that the book didn't include clear visuals of the wrap blanket. All you could really see were the upper half of the infant in the photos - very cute, yes I relied on the line drawing mostly. It did resemble the line drawing.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, they spelled out every step very clearly, with a single exception. There was only one snafoo - I had issues with the hood. The instructions tell you fleece sides together, but it wasn't 100% clear how the layers went together so the hood ended up on the exterior. For future reference - you make the blanket sandwich as follows: cotton right side to fleece right side with the hood between, hood fleece to blanket fleece, hood cotton to blanket cotton. It could be that I was tired during this phase of construction or perhaps spatially challenged. Or, that particular direction sucked like Burda World of Fashion usually does. Either way, the fix inv0lved getting nice and personal with my BFF, the seam ripper. It took me a few tries, but I finally got it right and it looked wonderful - just like the pictures!

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love the hood on this blanket. The inclusion of the hood takes the design to a whole other level, in my opinion. Sure a blanket is functional, but the hood makes it truly snuggle worthy.

Fabric Used: After searching the local Joann's for suitable fleece, I decided what they offered was just too scratchy to use against the tender skin of a newborn. I left the store disappointed but decided to shop the stash instead! Lo and behold, but didn't I have just the perfect fleece already? Last year, I had purchased a few yards of Malden Mills Polartec Classic 100 microvelour in chocolate brown. Perfect! This fleece feels like silk velvet against the skin and was the perfect weight for winter here in the Phoenix desert. The exterior is a Moda quilting cotton picked up a local quilt shop that matched my fleece perfectly.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: No changes - how can you mess with blanket perfection?

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I plan on making this again, most likely for myself when the time comes. Also, there are many other babies on the way and this one received quite the reception at the baby shower, so I'll probably make it again. It's going to be hard to find something equivalent to the Polartec Fleece, but flannel would probably make a good substitute.

Conclusion: A great baby blanket all around. I highly recommend. Plus, I can imagine the possibilities as the baby grows into childhood and decides his favorite blanket must also double as a cape, which handily has a hood! Hopefully, it will last that long!

Analysis of the "Swayback," the making of V8532

2008-10-28T18:31:00.001-07:00

In spite of my blog silence the past month, it does not mean my sewing machine has been in hibernation. In fact, it's been quite busy, sewing up a few projects. None have been completed though because of the issue of my dreaded swayback. The latest project to fall victim to the swayback, is Vogue 8532, a lovely alternative to the classic sheath. Empire waist, fitted design, and my favorite and most flattering neck line. Observe...

I've sewn up a muslin because the sheath would present serious fitting challenges that would have to be worked out before cutting into fashion fabric. In that effort, I've consulted at least a dozen sewing resources trying to establish the best and most effective (read: easiest) way to alter the pattern so that 1) I'll have this awesome dress to strut my stuff in and 2) basic alteration I can use for most similar patterns.

The swayback is my greatest fitting issue and has been the source of pretty much every single UFO in my closet. Most patterns (and RTW clothing) are made from slopers that conform to more universal measurements, meaning they fit to the least curvy denominator. So, it then falls to the sewer - or tailor if you are not sewing inclined - to alter patterns to fit your various curves and hollows. After consulting various sewing resources, the most common fix mentioned is to remove the excess fabric at the back waist by taking a "horizontal tuck" until smooth. Also, this is typically accompanied by letting out the side seams or center back seam to achieve the perfect fit.

In V8532, I tried the "tuck" method. First, I sewed up the unaltered pattern and tried to pin out the excess fabric from the back and sides. Emphasis is on "tried" because it's exceedingly difficult to pin fabric while you are wearing it as every move, twist, bend, contortion attempted pulls and creates yet another wrinkle. Anyway, I was able to guestimate well enough to determine I needed to remove a full 1" from the back waist. I did this by cutting the pattern along the waist line from center back seam to side seam. At the CB, I removed an inch and then drew a line to taper this to the side gradually to nothing. I also had to increase the dart. Here is the result; the original pattern is underneath and my alteration is on top:

Here it is sewn up, from the front and the side. I wasn't able to successfully photograph myself from behind but you can get a good idea of the issues that remain, even with my fairly significant alteration. The wrinkles on the front are because of the way I cut the front piece after the first sewing. Let's just say I can cut a straight line but curves are another matter entirely...Anyway, once I smooth out the actual patter, I expect the fronto lay smooth(er). I have a much bigger issue with this image of the side. It's just as bad on the right as the left. That wrinkle starts from the left waist and extends to the bottom of the dart. I'm not really sure how to fix it, either. Any suggestions???

What is a sway back you ask? Good question, because it is the subject of some discussion lately and people really wonder exactly what is the swayback. From an anatomical perspective, it is a condition called "Lordosis," where the spine curves inward between the ribcage and the pelvis causing stress and discomfort. It can be from general bad posture or be physiologically based. Here is a good image of what it looks like in silouhette:

The sway back affects the way clothing fits and is typically diagnosed by the resulting "wrinkles" or "pooching" at the back waist, above the hips. The wrinkles can also be caused by proportionately large hips (waist:hip ratio), otherwise known as having, well, a big butt.

In my next post, I'll be highlighting how different authors deal with the swayback. Stay tuned and please, feel free to chime in with your particular fix! I need all the help I can get!

Designing a dress...how DO they do that?

2008-09-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

Often - especially after award shows, movie premiers, and the like - I wonder what it's like to be a celebrity and have clothes designed by masters *just* for me. Well, courtesy of the Oxygen network we can live vicariously and see how Isaac Mizrahi designed a dress for one very, very lucky starlet, Selma Blair. First the concept and conversation, then the fitting where we see the dress in muslin first, later the reveal and grand finale of the dress in action. It's an illuminating look into how a dress is designed for a personality and Isaac really seemed to hit spot on for Selma. She looked amazing, especially next to her latest co-stars, whom she definitely out-shined (photo courtesy of wire image). Not that I don't love Cameron and Christina, but judge for yourself who makes the most of the red carpet...

Dreaming of Fall 2008...The Shirt Dress

2008-08-21T22:53:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love most about being able to sew is getting ahead of the curve. Well, given my recent spout (er, habitual) of unfinishedness, I like the idea of being ahead. So, let us venture into one of Fall 2008's hottest trends...

The Two Piece Shirt Dress

Burda model 106, from September 2007.

We have one two piece dress which features a high waisted pencil skirt and a chiffon bodice with ruffles and pleats.

Now, let's take a quickie peak at Nordstrom's and see how many retail dresses we can find to match!

In order from left to right we have ABS by Allen Schwartz, Diane VonFurstenburg, Tahari, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren

Two pieces? Check! Pencil Skirt? Check! High waist? Check! Chiffon? Check! Pleats? Check! Ruffle? Check! Need I say more? Cidell made up the Burda is just about an afternoon! And people ask me why I sew. Of the bunch, the DVF is definitely my fave... You?

What a crock! Or, how bad things happen to favorite white shirts...

2008-08-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

First off, thanks to everyone for their warm support and condolences. I'm feeling much more positive lately and it's largely due to much mindless surfing of the internet.

In other news, I have been sewing! Lately, the sewing machine has been humming away on McCall's 5624. This is an interesting pattern, featuring a dress in two lengths - mid-knee & maxi - and a jumpsuit. That's right folks: a jumpsuit. I have noticed lately that certain starlets in Hollywood have been seen sporting the jumpsuit in various incarnations. Certainly there are those that argue a jumpsuit really only looks good on WW2 airmen, mechanics in calendars smeared sexily with grease, and Elvis. I would tend to agree and say the modern woman should avoid the jumpsuit at all costs, as demonstrated by the model on the pattern photo... Even ignoring the unfortunate placement of the starburst motifs on the bodice, the jumpsuit does this lovely model no favors by lengthening her crotch, shortening her legs, let along having to get naked to use the loo. Seriously, who wears these?

The interesting details of this particular pattern feature twisted straps, an empire waist and midriff inset. These aren't that noticeable, but if you look closely at the line drawing, you can see the twists. Also, I cut the pattern for the shorter dress out of approximately 1.5 yards of fabric - definitely a nice feature for the odd piece in the stash.

The fabric I chose is a red printed rayon challis that I picked up for about $0.80/yd when the local Hancock's closed it's doors. Score, right? Wrong! Which brings me to the title of this particular post. Now, one of the reasons we should all prewash fabric is because sometimes cheap fabric reveals itself and its evil ways before it enters circulation in your wardrobe. So, I'm sure you're saying, "Rosanne just get to the point already." There was considerable excess dye in the yardage and it has transferred color to everything that has touched it, a problem referred to as "crocking". My fingers, the sewing machine, my ironing board cover, my iron! True, the fabric is rayon and dyes for rayons are notorious non-colorfast. But still...

So Friday morning, while I'm getting ready for work I decided I wanted to wear my favorite white shirt. It fits just so and hits me in all the right places, you know? I pull it from the hanger and realize it could use a good press so I readied the iron and board. From the first touch of hot plate to cloth, I knew I was done for! The impression of my iron in red on my favorite shirt! And this is after two washes and soaks with oxygen bleach and stain remover! Just look!
I'm about 65% completed with the dress. I just have to attach the skirt and midriff lining then it'll be ready for zipper installation. So far, the bodice is "okay," neither bad nor good. The only shaping comes from slight gathers under each bodice half and and I don't believe it's bra friendly on my body. I might end up taking out the straps and resewing the pleats on the bodice and re-twisting the straps. Looking at the photo now, the right side looks slightly off. That color is really red, though, isn't it? I should have known...
So, I'm going to try to do as the infomercials do and soak the shirt in oxyclean for a while and see what happens. I'm really hoping the dye isn't colorfast on my shirt, either...

Out of the blue comes sadness...

2008-08-05T10:43:00.000-07:00

I want to thank everyone for the well wishes. Unfortunately, I suffered a miscarriage over the weekend. Needless to say, I'm feeling indescribably sad. I didn't realize how good it felt - both physically and emotionally - to actually be pregnant until I wasn't anymore... Now, as my body returns to its regular self, I'm trying to look forward, stay positive, and realize that it's not the end of the world. We'll try again once the professionals give us the ok.

And the fabulous jacket and dress in August's BWoF are going to have to wait just a little while longer...sigh...

Updates, updates, and more updates...

2008-07-26T23:54:00.000-07:00

I've had a few concerned inquiries regarding my month long silence in the blog-o-sphere. There have been many, many changes going on in my life that account for this, I assure you. The biggest of which is that I found out a few weeks ago I am going to have a baby!! I am over joyed, to say the least, and my husband still seems a little shell-shocked. It was planned, but it's still pretty amazing to know there is a little person growing inside right this very minute! My little boy or girl is scheduled to make an appearance March 16th, so we are still pretty early on.

What this has meant is no more biking to work! I can't seem to regulate my body heat effectively anymore, so the 45 minute ride to work is out. Sadly, I still haven't finished the vintage skirt pattern. I has both feet firmly settled in Frump-town and I don't think even shortening it is worth the effort. Plus, the skirt is both too big and too small the same time! How is this possible? The waistband is just too tight and I had to ease the skirt to fit so it pooches in bad places. I suppose it is possible to actually remove the waistband, alter the darts in the front & back and then cut a new waistband to fit but that's an awful lot of work for a skirt I'm probably not going to even think about wearing until more than a year from now.

Other things being pregnant has meant is a new silhouette; the girls have grown, my friends. The girls have grown. The novelty wore off officially yesterday when the back of my bra kept riding up and I had to adjust 15 times throughout the day. I have no idea when the madness will stop, so I'm almost afraid to buy any new undergarments just yet. While the concept of making my own stuff is appealing, the reality is less so given that I hardly finish stuff people will actually see.

Also, being pregnant has opened up a whole new set of garments to me: baby clothes! Burda World of Fashion has quite the assortment and I willbe trying some of these in the future. Burda does do maternity wear occasionally, I think maybe twice a year, so I'll have some patterns to play with eventually.

Projects currently on hold:
Vogue 1042...I started to make a muslin of the top View A, which has separate bra insets. Wonderful in theory, bullet/cone bra in practice. I posted a query on the boards at Pattern Review and it seems I am not the only one who ran afoul with this pattern. And, referencing my rapidly changing figure, it hardly seems worth the effort given that I am only going to outgrow it to the point of indecency in short order.

Vogue 8178...I actually made this dress and it's about 75% complete. However, it has darts that have to be matched on both the front and back for the bodice and skirt section and it requires further tweaking before being readied for outside wear. It is a work in progress, more or less.

Projects completed:
Vogue 8502...The pants for this pattern are now hanging in my closet. Yes, people it is possible for me to finish something! Hold the applause however as I goofed the zipper and used one that is really too short so I'll have to insert a new one at some point in the future. These are super high-waisted, as in just below the underwire high-waisted. The way I want to style them is with a scoop neck or halter top tucked it with a wide belt cinched around the waist. However, when I saw myself, i thought it a little too much Brenda Walsh circa 1992 and a little less Lucky Magazine's Season's Best Look style page 2008. I plan on making the safari type top as well, but I haven't gotten around to it just yet as I am going through a serious dress phase right now.

Project on the table right now:
McCall's 5466... View C, with the bias A-line skirt. How cute is that?! And the a-line skirt means no real sway back adjustment is needed! Given I have yet to master said alteration, this is a very good thing. My increasing figure has forced me cut a size 14 bodice, morphing to a 16 at the waist because I'd like to wear this dress at least through the fall. The (hopefully) wearable muslin has been cut from a stretch cotton shirting from Joann's Modern Neutrals collection. It's a bit busy, but I think it will work since I'm fairly tall and can carry bold looks.
If the dress works out, I plan on styling this with brown heels and a woven 3" brown leather belt.

Wish me luck!

Finger lickin' good, or why sewing makes a bad day better...

2008-06-10T23:01:00.000-07:00

Today was a pretty rotten day at work, I have to say. Probably one of the top five in the past two years. A real doozy, so much so I had to shop, sew, and have a good cry to start feeling better. I went shopping for some new skirts, actually. I picked up a four more to add to the collection and a skort, too! I love those, BTW. It's a girly skirt but you don't have to be all modest and such when moving about since there is no risk of flashing the general public.

Lately, I've been biking the 10 miles to work each way and it's hot here. Imagine biking in a convection oven and you can probably understand (although, I ask no sympathy here; it's true what they say about the humidity being the true villain). I actually find it most comfortable to bike in a skirt. Now, most people are surprised - shocked, even! - when I reveal this, but really, it's great to have freedom of movement and be able to take full advantage of the breeze. Seriously. It does however have it's limitations: I pretty much have to stick to either jersey or a-line, preferably a combo of the two. Straight skirts are doable, they simply require a smidgen of elastane in the fabric and at least a 4" vent plus a relatively uncaring attitude towards being a wrinkled mess. I spend much of my day seated behind a desk so i don't care too much. Mostly. Anyway.

In the time since I have started biking to work, I have gone through the few skirts I willing to subject to the abuse of 20 miles on a bike rather quickly. What else to do but sew up a few more? In that vein, I cracked my very first vintage pattern: Simplicity 5454, copy write 1972, Misses and Women's Jacket, Skirt & Pants.
It does have a bit of a vintage feel in that the pants and skirt are seated just at the waist. Otherwise, it's pretty classic. The jacket is a princess seamed, slightly wider (though in the line drawing not so much it is dated). Plus, it's the only pattern I own with a box pleat in the front. Cute, right? And, look! The directions are printed in two colors for my viewing ease!
How great is that?! Also, as much as I understand multi-sized patterns revolutionized the home sewing experience in terms of fit, really, it's pretty awesome to have the seam lines printed on the pattern.

Since I'm on a (sort of) fabric diet until the end of the year, the stash was shopped for choice of fabric. The winner ended up being a seasonless poly-blend olive with variegated pin stripes woven without any stretch. It has decent drape and I thought the stripes would add good visual interest in the box pleat. Perhaps non-traditional, but if it doesn't work, I'll consider it a muslin. I have 5 yards of the stuff and I haven't touched it since it came home from SAS Fabrics Tempe, where I found it for $1.99/yd.
I started it yesterday and expected to finish it tonight, but I had a little sewing accident that I would imagine every sewer will experience eventually: yes, I basically sewed through my fingertip. It didn't hurt that bad, actually. The needle just sort of sliced the tip of my index finger as I was easing the waistband on to the skirt. You can see my bandaged finger in the photo of the pattern piece. It did make me cry a little bit, though, which I rather needed.

Tomorrow, I'll be finishing the waistband and hemming the skirt. The line drawing shows mid-knee, but right now it's a pretty dreadful and stumpifying mid-calf. Normally, this is not a bad length on me, but the cut of the skirt with the pleat serves to make me look somewhat squat :( I think I'll have to chop at least an inch off and then turn the hem the given 2.5" on the pattern.

The moral of my story is this: it's good to have a task that I can forget myself totally in. I hope you have one, too!

Fit Happens, or Reason #3148 Why I love the Internet

2008-06-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Pattern Review, I've finally connected with fellow sewers here in the Phoenix area! It took long enough, but better late than never, right?

Anyway, we had our first meeting yesterday and it was very enlightening. Out little group is called "Fit Happens" (cheeky, no?) and in line with this, we measured, outlined, talked about darts, finishes, each other, etc. I now have a full set of measurements thank to the fortitude and patience of Linda. Kathy actually traced out my body graph on the wall (on newsprint taped up) a la Fit For Real People. This alone was incredible! I learned so much about my body that I never knew. For example, the asymmetry I've always suspected was there is now clearly defined. It's subtle, but my sloping shoulders and high hip are now documented so that I can compensate to my heart's content.

Unfortunately, in my rush to get out of the house, I forgot my camera so I wasn't able to get any fun photos :( Next month, I'm hosting, so there will be pics aplenty. Since our theme is "fit" we have decided to sew up muslins of a pants pattern for the next meeting. Our plan is to evaluate fit, help with alterations, construction, techniques, etc, for each other.

Also, Jessie was kind enough to loan me her August 07 edition of Patrones. There is a trench coat pattern that I absolutely covet and have the perfect fabric to create it.

Next post will be patterns & fabric choices for your viewing pleasure and input.

You like me! You really like me!

2008-06-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

So, not too long ago, I started receiving the random spam comments on the blog. Since I really, really, really love comments (did I mention I love your comments?) these annoy me to no end since my initial excitement deflates to major disappointment as they are not from real readers. I did my research and decided to turn on the moderator option in blogger. For those not familiar, as a moderator, you have the option to preview before the comments go public. Great, right? Well, for the past month I've been sort of silent on blogger. Also, I hadn't received the usual emails regarding comments posted to my blog during this time. Basically, I figured people were reading elsewhere...

Long story short: I completely forgot I had turned on the moderator feature and thought my public had abandoned me. Oh happy day today when I decided to post about the goings on in my life!!! There were comments aplenty waiting for me to approve and post them! Anyway, I'm grateful for all the birthday wishes :) I've now posted all your comments.

Updates on the sewing front...

In the past month, I sewed quite a bit. In just the past two weeks, i finished two skirts (really great and love them very much) and the top and skirt in Simplicity 4074 but it really didn't turn out well for me at all and purchased way more fabric than my closet can hold.

At some point I'll post a review for them all, but in the mean while...here is a pic of my bursting at the seams fabric closet. I've been forced to promise that I'll be going on a fabric fast through the end of 2008...

the skirt from New Look 6813 that was supremely easy to make and wear...

Burda 06-2007-123, which wasn't as hard to make as I thought it was going to be but considerably less interesting than their plaid model...

Also, I must say that my dress form seems to be getting smaller and smaller compared to my waistline. I had to use the old GAP window dressing trick of pinching the clothes in back for fit to get the skirts to even stay on her hips! Good thing my husband bought me a bike so I can commute to work now and actually get some exercise!

They say it's your birthday!

2008-05-19T23:01:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me!

In honor of my 31st year, I decided it was time to get my hair cut. So, I've gone from mid-back to, as my boss calls it, the "Suri Cruise" bob... Is it just me or do other people feel the need for change around that time of year?

I've been tagged! and other updates...

2008-05-12T21:55:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged! Emily tagged me for a literary meme, which is good because I was beginning to feel left out (grin)...

Here are the basic rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

Since I haven't read much beyond sewing texts for a while, I picked up an old favorite A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole, arguably a classic of the 2oth century:

"What are you talking about Mr. Reilly?"
"I am talking about the sin against society of which you are guilty."
"What?" Mr. Gonzalez's lower lip quivered.
"Attack!" Ignatius cried to the battalion.

Tagging five people? Josh & Sarah, Chicago Sarah, Lori V, and Jenny

What have I been doing for the past month? I have a few finished items that have to be reviewed, namely BWoF 06-2007-139, Simplicity 4074, and McCall's 5599 view D that I made for my friend Trina.

The gift of love, cocktails, and eggs...

2008-04-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

We celebrate two anniversaries: the date of our legal marriage and the date of our marriage before God and our families. The first date is April 12, just yesterday, and look what I got! A lovely mabe pearl cocktail ring!
It has the most rich luster that I just couldn't translate to a digital photo. I love to look at it...Isn't it gorgeous?!

We celebrated last night with a wonderful dinner out and this morning with breakfast. Since he really appreciates a good meal above all else (so easy to please that way!), I started with freshly baked croissants, smoked salmon, scrambled eggs Julia Child style (really, you must try these; they are started in a cold pan) covered with caramelized spring onions and drizzled with a sauce made of neufchatel cheese and lemon juice. Spring greens were on the side, since I have to have something green and fresh on every plate. I even squeezed fresh oranges for mimosas! Really, I outdid myself...

I personally love smoked nova salmon and since fishing has just been banned in the Pacific Northwest, I figured it's going to get really expensive very shortly. If you love it too, here's the recipe that my husband will choose every time over brunch out...

Scrambled eggs a la Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol 1
Serves 2...
4 eggs
2 tsp water
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
1 tsp butter
2 tsp half & half or cream

Whisk your eggs together with the water in a bowl for about 20 seconds - it's important NOT to over beat your eggs. Butter your cold pan and then pour in your eggs. Then put your pan over medium - medium low heat. After a minute or so, depending, start to stir slowly with a wooden spoon until the eggs thicken and curds start to form. Keep stirring until it's pretty much all curds, but not totally dry, just until the eggs come together and aren't runny. Remove from heat and stir in the cream and serve immediately.

You will find these eggs to be creamy, tender and delish, I promise! The trick is a cold pan, gentle stirring, and not over cooking.
Caramelized spring onions (leeks work really well, too)
1 larger spring onion, sliced into thin rings (I use it all, the green parts are tasty!)
1 tbs butter or olive oil

Heat your pan over low - medium low heat until your butter melts and then add the onions. Stir occasionally, keeping them moving just enough so they don't stick to the bottom. Make sure the heat is low enough that the onions sweat but don't burn, until softened and golden, about 10-12 minutes.

Neufchatel (or cream cheese, whatever you have in your fridge) sauce
2-3 big tsp of the cheese
1-2 tsp of fresh lemon juice

Whisk these two together until smooth. Taste. If necessary, add a little more lemon if necessary or cheese. I like neufchatel because it's a little sweeter and lighter than cream cheese...

Assembly:
Put your scrambled eggs on a plate, top with half the onions and then drizzle with the neufchatel sauce. You can put your salmon on top of this or serve it to the side. Serve with spring greens tossed with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper.

Eat slowly, savor every last bite, and try not to fight over the last croissant...

BWOF Dress begins, or what a difference a year makes

2008-04-10T23:43:00.000-07:00

Let us flash back to my very first attempt at a notched collar, shall we? It was June of 2007, hot as blazes, and I fancied myself a beginner in need of professional assistance. Where to turn? Joann's lured me in with their Creative University classes. I signed up for Sewing a Suit and created a gray polyester thing that was at once wonderful and discouraging.

I was the only one who paid for the course, so it was one-on-one instruction. Mostly she just guided me through the instructions. Part of me felt that I could have just saved my $100 and bought some really great fabric, but I have to admit she helped me through some tough spots. One particular rough spot was the collar. Simplicity 4146 has a notched lapel that should have been straight forward. My choice of fabric made this very challenging, I realized much later while trying another jacket in a very reasonable and well behaved cotton.

Flash forward to the current class I am taking with a sewing professional, Prof. S-, part of an actual curriculum with design and fashion majors. He demonstrated a collar and stand construction that was just so simple and lovely! I have chosen Burda WoF 06-2007-139 for the next project.

I leave you to compare the results his method produced on my muslin's collar (pink) tonight to my first attempt (grey)... To truly appreciate what a difference a year makes, click on each photo to see the large scale version.

Midnight meanderings...

2008-04-09T23:24:00.000-07:00

It's nearing the witching hour and the husband is sneezing and coughing away in bed so I just can't bring myself to enter the sick room to sleep. It seems like the entire valley is afflicted with allergies/colds right now - insanity, I say, for moving here! Insanity! But I digress...

I found two of the most wonderful blogs that I have to share with everyone (my five readers, you know who you are and I love you):

1st: Jenny at Chronicallyuncool.blogspot.com...A keen sense of irony and the absurd, which I love in the best of folks coupled with a newfound interest in sewing. She's going to make a swim suit next, which I'm really looking forward to as we are shaped rather similarly...

2nd: Geri at Sewable.blogspot.com...I think I'm the only one in blog-land who hadn't seen this blog before now, but go now; do not pass go, do not collect $200. First off, she designed a coat and put the pattern on Burda Style open source. That in itself is cool enough, but get a load of the coat! Amazing!!! Just the line drawing is gorgeousness itself!
I'm going to have to try this coat in a lighter fabric than her wool since, you know, I live in the desert where average temps 75% of the year are upwards of 90 degrees. In other words: it's hot. All the time :( Except for today; it was only 70 degrees. Kinda cold if you ask me...

Updates, new fabric, patterns, etc...

2008-04-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I elected to take a clothing construction course is that I have to alter patterns to fit my sway back. This is common, but I believe it's better to have a method, in general, than to just wing it. So, with this in mind, I brought my latest creation to last week's class for an expert opinion. Prof S- agreed that it needed to be altered, but when I modeled it for him he said, take out those darts and then we'll see. Right-o. So, off I went to take out the darts I had basted in and then I presented again for a fitting session. His alteration was to take a tuck in at the back bodice seam and then pinch out the remaining fullness at the waist. The resulting modification didn't follow the curve of my back as precisely, but he had a VERY good point:

Alterations should disguise the unique characteristics, rather than emphasize.

His point was that my darts drew attention to the sway back alteration, while his tuck and pinch at the zip method hid it. Very interesting indeed... When we called the class over for "Opinions," the verdict was unanimous: tuck beats dart and the yellow was awesome with my coloring. (blush)

The other thing he immediately pointed out as soon as I had put on the dress was that I had better staystitch the neckline and armscye of the next version because this dress had already stretch out. But I think I already covered how I really just needed to follow directions and be okay with this dress, so I won't tell you that Burda did recommend Vilene Bias Tape applied to those same places, for exactly the same reason. But, umm, yeah, I skipped that part.

My next step is to transfer the alterations to the pattern piece, which I will do today and then pick apart my back seams to make the changes.

As for my next project, I (like everyone else) love, love, love the new Rucci patterns from Vogue so I had to purchase the shirt dress. While I was at Joann's I picked up two others that were interesting. The bodice and neckline on the vintage 1043 is just lovely, don't you think? It also has gusseted underarms, which I am really looking forward to trying out. The third pattern is a wardrobe for crepe fabrics with wonderful drape. I love the pants and the neckline on the dress/top as well. The jacket has bias inset sides, which is just beautiful.

And last, but certainly not least: I placed my first order with Michael's Fabrics! Cidell had mentioned that she purchased the Burberry coating at their brick & mortar store and they offered her readers a great discount and that clinched it for me. 4 yards of the black arrived in my hot little hands on Friday and lived up to it's promise. Gorgeousness!!!!
When I called, I talked to Michael himself and he offered me a wonderful discount on the legendary Zegna fabrics. If the black silk/wool blend is good enough for Versace, well, then how could I not get 4 yds of this also? In deference to the heat here, I had to pick up some linen as well. 3yds of the deep plum silk/linen blend and 3 yds of cotton stretch w/ red pattern were added to the cart. I can't wait to use it! Please note the colors are much richer than my photos indicate... The cotton has the most amazingly soft, yet crisp hand ever. What else did I do yesterday? The latest trend here in Phoenix is to have a French pedicure... Cute, no?

Work in Progress: Burda 02-2008-112

2008-03-30T23:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to a tennis tourney. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and am now rocking what have come to call the "farmer's tan deluxe" from so many hours under the Palm Springs sun. However, since that took up the entire weekend, it left me feeling like I needed some major "me" time. What else could I do but devote as much of this weekend to sewing as I could? I sewed up a muslin of McCall's 5592, the latest answer to the high-waisted trend. Overall they were okay, but I think there are better pants out there for me. For now, skirts and dresses seem much more appealing, especially with summer upon us here in the Valley of the Sun.

On the docket is a modified a-line dress from February's Burda, #112.

What drew me to this pattern was the interesting details, not so visible in the fashion photo. From the technical drawing, you can see the topstitching and the lines of the dress. I felt it would be flattering, springy and fun. Plus, who doesn't want a new dress?

I chose a 2 yd stretch twill from the remnant bin (home dec for sure) at Joann's that I picked up a year ago for maybe $5. Awesome fabric to work with ladies...Much better than most of the fashion fabric to be had at Joann's, can I say?

It's not quite finished yet, as I need some second opinions on the fit. Since I have a sway back and, um, shall we say "junk" in the trunk, there were some alterations necessary to the back. The pattern does not include any shaping darts at all. All the shape comes from the seams, and I definitely needed something extra in the back. However, my basted fisheye darts have drag lines, which say my alteration was not that successful. Any words of wisdom? I took in a total of 3" in the back and it's now super comfy but knowing the drag lines are there stresses me out.

Any words of wisdom? Anyone? Anyone? Beuhler?

Fabric Mart redux...

2008-03-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

True, first impression wasn't so great, but upon closer inspection in the light of day I've had to revise my opinion. There is no hope for the sparkly camo, but still. The wool pieces, with one exception, acutally tropical weight. There is a gabardine in a shade of smoky blue that could easily become a suit or at the very least a drapey pair of trousers/slacks. And the pea green wool is destined to become something for my friend Trina, who is blessed with the olive skin that can actually work this fabric. Maybe not near the face but bottoms will work just fine. And the fabric I actually selected is quite lovely.

Did I mention the 4 pounds of buttons? That's a whole lotta buttons, friends. There were some great finds in the button bag! 11 Nautical blue 1.25" coat buttons that are awesome; I can't wait to use those on a white poplin or twill jacket with (maybe) navy piping. A large number of black, gray, and olive fabric covered shank buttons are in there, too. So far, I've dug through to find 3 7/8" brass buttons bearing the Brooks Brothers double B's; they seem to belong on a three buttoned blazer. However, if I chance to meet a person whose initials are BB, I just may be compelled to give them away. I'm going to have to take one evening and just have a major sorting session.

Overall, I did a cost average of the fabric purchase and it came to roughly $2/yd for 32 yards of fabric. The buttons are an incredible bargain; there must be close to a thousand in that bag.
Good deal, right? Now, to find a place to store everything...

Fabric Mart wool cart comes to Phoenix

2008-03-13T21:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, I finally broke down and purchased. It was the promise of 3 yards for $5 that drew me; I picked an Anna Sui silk chiffon. And 4 pounds of buttons for $5. I suppose this makes me a sucker for anything priced at 5 bucks. Then there was the wool bundle: 12 yds for $28. Oh, I did qualify for the 10 yd mystery bundle, too. First time buyer, you understand. Did I mention the 3 yds of black wool stretch? And there was the Cophenhagen blue linen blend.

The verdict? Eh...First glance left me decidedly unimpressed. The wool bundle had some interesting pieces, but the colors weren't fabulous. The mystery bundle wasn't such a hit, either; nondescript wovens and a sweatshirt fabric in olive & pink sparkle camouflage. I ask you, what am I going to do with sparkly camo? And one of the pieces from the wool bundle was definitely a shade of green that is wearable on a select few. I mean, who really wants to wear a green that lives somewhere between an army olive and puree of pea? If you can, please, let me know and I'll send it off to you. I wouldn't even want to give this away since it would kind of like giving away the lemon starburst, you know? Who likes the lemon starburst?? Exactly my point...

I don't know. I may just end up sending the wool back. Did I mention it was about 80 degrees today? What was I thinking? Why did no one stage some sort of woolen intervention? Sometimes I need someone to just take hold of my shoulders and look me in the eyes and say, "No, Rosanne. No. You have to accept that you live in the desert. Put down the wool and back away slowly. That's not tropical weight and you know it."

Does Fabric Mart take returns based on buyer's remorse/idiocy/obstinate refusal to just give in to the heat? My single concession was the linen/viscose blend in Copenhagen blue.

Cosmopolitan dress: the One Hour Muslin

2008-03-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

Progress has been made and already I'm feeling better about this blue jersey! True, it does smell suspiciously like a rubber band, but the color is amazing: cobalt blue that just makes my skin glow. Too bad it's a muslin, right? Unfortunately, it won't be wearable, but hey, sometimes we must sacrifice for our art.

Last weekend, I successfully traced off sizes 8 and 10, not being sure which would work but wanting to leave myself some room for error. I had an odd yard left from the McCall's pattern so I had to be fairly careful with layout and such. My measurements match the 8 bodice for Hotpatterns, so I cut out the 8 bodice and waist bands on a single later, making a full bodice front and back, eliminating the folds and the center back seam. I feel this jersey - purchased at Hancock's by the way for $3.95/yd - has enough stretch that it's okay to just pull the dress over my head. I recycled the skirt pieces by simply laying out the new pattern pieces over the material. However, the Cosmo has a definite A-line skirt where the McCall's pattern was rectangular (literally), so I sort of lost some of the lines just below mid-thigh. But I figured, this was a muslin, and my main point was to see if this pattern was going to work for me. At this stage, I didn't bother with the ties since these weren't going to effect fit very much.

Construction consisted of really quickly basting up the darts, then shoulders and waistbands to front and back. The skirt front and back were basted and then the side seams. What do you think?
Overall, I think it looks pretty darned good for all of 20 minutes of sewing :) Such rapid construction is not without its hazards however. Note the bodice close up below:
That's right, I managed to twist the front and back before sewing the side seams together. Awesome, I know. Sometimes I amaze even myself with my attention to detail. I wonder if I could use the 10 bodice, however and ease it into the 8 waistband to get more of a blousy effect. On Cidell and Christina and the original, the bodice was a little less fitted. Also, I wonder if I could have lengthened the bodice so that my waist is at the right point. As it is now, the seam of the skirt feels like its about 1/2" above my waistline, which means the actual waist-point of the dress is about 1.5" too high. Does this mean I am long waisted??? I'll try to modify the pattern and see where I end up. Am I not right about this color? Is it not amazing? It photographed really well and true. Even if I do stink of rubber...

For the next version:

Bodice: this will be a 10, measuring first to be certain my waist line is in the right place, which will likely mean adding 1.25" in length to begin with and then take up from there
Waistband: I'm going to keep the 8 since it fit nicely without being snug
Skirt: straight 8, but lengthened to the narrowest point of my knee when hemmed
Sleeves: short ones since the weather seems to be holding steady around 75 degrees

For the muslin:
I just might end up making a shirt out of it in the end. The bodice fits well enough; I suppose I can consider it an empire waist. Recycling the skirt would give me enough to bind the neckline and I still have the sleeves from the McCall dress to use as well. We'll see how it goes...

I'm going to stop by Hancock's soon to see if they have any more of this fabric since I love the color. It reminds me of the Mediterranean Sea in July. It needs to be part of my summer wardrobe.

When life gives you lemons, and other reasons the net makes your life better...

2008-03-09T00:02:00.001-08:00

In keeping with my general down-on-the-desert disposition, I often find myself surprised when I find myself in situations that just wouldn't be possible elsewhere. A beautiful sunset on the commute home from work, being within driving distance to Oak Creek and Grand Canyon, the generous amount of skin that is constantly on display here which turns out to be a highly compelling reason to work out. Oh yes people, cleavage is definitely in. I'll never forget my first impression of Arizona State University; I believe I called it the "ass parade." But I digress...

What else is nice about living here? Copious amounts of citrus! And those who know me can attest to love of lemons. My friend Trina happens to have a lemon tree that was so weighed down with lemons, I just had to insist she give me some. I must preface this by also saying these are the the BIGGEST lemons I have ever seen - two to three times bigger than you would see in a your typical grocery store. These bad boys are super juicy, too. With one lemon, I made two glasses of lemonade and enough marinade for a 1 pound flank steak. I filled a shopping bag and plan on further relieving her tree of it's burden in the very near future.

As for other news, I have to send a great big "thank you" to Christina! Look what came in the mail with a sweet little message to have fun! HotPatterns Deco Vibe Cosmopolitan Dress!!!
I mentioned in one of my previous posts that I had tried making McCall's 5648 and how disappointed I was that it looked nothing like what I was hoping. Note the sack I am wearing below:
Hearing my woeful cry for help, both Christina and Cidell offered to loan me their Cosmo patterns. How awesome is that?! The web vastly increases one's circle of friends, that's for certain. Thank you both for being so sweet :)

In keeping with my lemonade theme, I'm going to salvage this muslin to make the Cosmo. The bodice will have to be recut, but the skirt and sleeves are salvageable. More on that later and a review of the tie blouse from Burda's January issue. I'm off for an evening bike ride and lemonade refreshment...

To know me is to love me...

2008-03-08T11:33:00.001-08:00

What Rosanne Means

You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something.

You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense.

You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun.

You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life.

You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you.

At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself.

You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong.

You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know.

You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do.

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.

You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.

You have the classic "Type A" personality.

You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.

You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.

You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.

You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.

At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Spring has Sprung...

2008-03-02T09:27:00.000-08:00

One thing about living in Phoenix is that Winter is decidedly short. What is it now, barely March 2nd? We've already been to 85 degrees twice in the past week. Sucks for me as I'm a cold weather girl, through and through. Those who know me will confirm that I do, in fact, melt(down) at temperatures higher than 95 degrees. If you don't believe me, consider the fact I decided to make a fur coat...

Speaking of which, the Forever Fur isn't quite completed yet. If you'll recall, I had some fit issues and lining issues, both of which were identified but have not been completed to date. The right front needed to be adjusted, which required releasing the side seam to the arm hole and then taking new measurements for darts, etc. I've released the seam, but then the flu hit me like a ton of bricks and, by the time I'd recovered, I started a new job. So, the fur is languishing in my closet as temperatures rise. Did I mention that it was 85 degrees yesterday? Dude. I so wanted to turn on the A/C.

I have done some sewing in the last few weeks, however. My sewing class is going slowly - we are on week 7 and still haven't finished our skirts. This does not bode well for prospects of other, more complicated garments. But that's okay. I have a skirt sloper that fits and fits well. I *will* complete the posts on creating this garment and even transferring fit changes to the pattern. Some day...

Two weeks ago, I finished the tie-neck blouse #119 from February's Burda. I've created the review but have yet to post it since I don't have a photo just yet. Soon, I promise.

Also, I have purchased copious amounts of fabric. However, in keeping with my resistance to warm weather, most of it is wool and/or bulky. You know, the first generation of this blog was titled "Defying Nature: Humans weren''t meant to live in the desert." I'm not really a fan of the heat, have I said this before?

Hopefully, I'll have some pics up soon. More later, the hubster is saying that I need some sun...

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T21:36:00.000-08:00

A lovely little bite by Ted Kooser, my favorite poet laureate...

The Celery Heart

CELERY HEARTS: 98 CENTS
—Placard at Hinky Dinky

Surely it misses those long fly balls of light
its leaves once leapt to catch, or longs to run
its roots out into the salty darkness.

What once looked like a Roman fountain
is now a ruin of fallen columns
bedded on ice. Its only consolations are,

at regular intervals, the hiss of mist,
and at times the warm and reassuring squeeze
of passing hand. But better this, by far,

than to be the sullen heart of artichoke,
stripped of its knives and heavy armor
and mummified for eons in a jar of brine.

Updates and partial review of M5468

2008-02-10T14:31:00.000-08:00

Sadly, no update on the sewing lessons just yet...I was laid up with the flu last week and missed the fitting class and I simply haven't had time to type up the tutorial completely for the skirt sloper. It's a work in progress and will be coming (hopefully) in the next week.

But, change is afoot at Chez Rosanne. New job (two!), new dress (umm, not quite one), new red leather bag (of course!), and lots and lots of fantasies brought on by fashion week reports. Onward with the updates:

Over the past two weeks, I have been slowly constructing McCall's 5468. Sadly, my draft was not what I would consider "successful" in the fullest meaning of the word. Was it a dress? Yes. Could I wear it without fear of exposing bits and pieces? Yes. Did it flatter? In a word: no. Part of this can be attributed to user error. I believe I managed to cut the bodice pieces while there was tension on the fabric so they were about 3/4" shy of comfortable. Even though I realized my error while marking my pattern pieces, I decided to forge ahead and see what happened. However, both the front and back skirts are gathered at the waist. I do have a little junk in my trunk so typically, gathering is not the best look for me. Despite the fact that I am wise to the Big 4 and their generous ease, I still ended up with a waist band that can stand to be taken in another 2 inches, at a minimum, once it's in the proper place (my waist line). In it's current state, it looks very much like a sack with sleeves. Heidi Klum I am not, therefore I like to steer clear of sacks which, in general, do nothing for my figure. My mind's eye had it close to the Michael Kor's dress Beyonce wore and the Hot Patterns Cosmopolitan from last year. Cidell and Christina had beautiful versions of this dress. I may just have to give in and cough up the $20 for the Hot Patterns dress...

The blog silence of the last two weeks was two fold: new job and the flu. The first job was something of a bust - temp-to-hire at a large bank but the commute was killing me. An hour each way in the worst kind of traffic you can imagine - for just 17 miles! It's easy to forget how much you detest traffic when you don't have to deal with it. Well. After being ~~on extended vacation~~ jobless for while, I admit it was not the easiest transition. I ended up getting the worst case of the flu - sicker than I've been in the past 10 years - that actually kept me from last week's sewing class! I missed the fitting and lining! What to do, what do to?

Well, tomorrow I start a new, full-time professional job back with my old company. They called last week and asked to hire me back. Admittedly, they caught me at a ripe moment, delirious as I was from lack of sleep and road rage. How could I refuse a 15 minute (breezy) commute, gym on campus, working with my ~~only~~ best friends in the valley, and a better comp package? I'm only human, after all.

And, because moms make everything better (mine is especially talented in this regard), I opened the door to discover a package containing a gorgeous gift: a beautiful red leather tote bag! This bag deserves a post all of its own so I'll save the slavering description for when I can take a photo. It's incredibly unique and I can't wait to share it with you all!

As for Fashion Week in NYC, have you seen some of the styles?? Some are amazing and some not so much. Highlights for me were from the Calvin Klein collection; somewhat severe but still really compelling. I am really happy that we are moving away from the trapeze silhouette of last season and coming back toward a more natural look. Lots of inspirational looks out there. It seems that we are still working through the pains of the 80s and marching towards the 90s. And I'm sure that I speak for many when I say: Let us just pray that the belly shirts and high waisted jeans don't come back...

Until next time!

Sewing Class, Part 1a

2008-01-26T15:40:00.000-08:00

I was going to call this post Part 2 of the sewing class, but then I started typing. This week, we made the front half of a skirt sloper. Prof. S- provided us with loose instructions and a diagram sheet for the complete skirt but in class we only covered the front half before he decided class was over. So, yesterday I decided I was going to finish my skirt sloper on my own, 'cause I'm independent like that you know? I managed to do the front half, create my hip curve, two darts, side seam, etc, but the back just eluded me. The placement of the darts and then the "trueing" of the back waist were just not explained at all on the sheet (meant to be filled in with great class notes, I suppose) so I just winged it Burda style. I then cut out my pattern and got to work creating a muslin on some cheapo depot fabric. Well. It was not pretty. Serious instruction for the back half is needed, to say the least.

On a really positive note, he helped with the fit of the Forever Fur jacket! He pointed out I have to increase the French dart on the left half first. Then, in order to attach the lining, I'll have to release the facing extensions from the shoulder seams (I tacked them down thinking this was the the thing to do). I expect to have the jacket completely finished and wearable this weekend. Perhaps the gods of winter will smile on the Valley and bless us with some fur wearing weather...

Next week we are supposed to finish the sloper, cut the fabric, lining and make the skirt. Prof. S- is to help tweak fit issues as well. So, I'll leave it to you dear readers...Do you want the front half now on its own or the complete deal next week?

Pattern Review: Hot Pattern's Nairobi Bag, or how avoid too much of a good thing...

2008-01-20T14:44:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me will attest to my fixation with any garment/accessory of red leather. Mostly, I think it's a good thing and I have a few signature pieces that friends and family will always associate with me and being cool/interesting. On the other hand, it's a weakness that has lead me to some fashion choices that required intervention. We all have our kryptonite; mine is cranberry colored leather. Jackets, pants, shoes, bags, bracelets...you name it, if it's red leather, chances are I spent at least 20 minutes trying to talk myself out of buying it. I have accepted that this is my signature color.

Now, with that being said, I wanted to share my latest clothing purchase: the Red Leather 3/4 length coat. It's pretty awesome: vintage without being dated, interesting details, fantastic cut, still fairly supple but could probably use conditioning, and well, it's red and leather. It set me back a cool $24.50 + tax, so I didn't even have to make a show of talking myself out buying it.

Recently, I also decided I needed a portfolio. When I decided this, I was thinking some sort of dark brown pleather job with those little metal corners. You know the kind that you find in your neighborhood drug store next to the index cards? This is what I fully expected to leave Staples with the other day on my way to an interview. Imagine my surprise and delight to find that not only could I purchase one in leather but also in my signature color. How cool is that?! And, it was a very affordable $20 for a letter sized portfolio with a folder and little business card inserts, etc. It's a nice little accessory. Look how nicely it coordinates with my bag :) One could almost think they were made for each other...
So, when I went to my sewing class the other day, I grabbed my coat and bag and just before I slipped out the door, it occured to me that it would be prudent to bring something to take notes. Sitting right there on the counter is my portfolio, so off it went with me to class. Only as I was sitting in class did it occur to me that was an awful lot of red leather on my person. I also had on some red leather flats, you see. It was kind of enough to make me fearful of becoming the "one who wore all the red leather," but not in a good way. You see, I am aware it is possible to have too much of a good thing and then become ridiculous.

Clearly I should have worn a black handbag instead. However, I don't have a black handbag. Part of the problem with loving red leather is being sorely unimpressed by other colors. Hence the dearth of black bags in my wardrobe. Dude, I even have red luggage. The only option was to make what I needed, which leads me to...

Pattern Review: Hot Patterns' Nairobi Bag

Pattern Description:
From Hot Patterns: This super-stylish bag is inspired by the fabulous YSL Mombassa bag, a must-have for every fashionista. this bag is perfect for those luxe smaller pieces of fabric you have in your stash...This is a variation on a classic tote bag, so it's open at the top but has an optional snap or magnetic closure strap inside. the bag also features optional inside phone & zipped pickets, and classic handbag feet on the bottom.

Pattern Sizing:
Full sized it's on the larger end, roughly 15" across. I opted to shrink the pattern 50% and emerged with a bag that is about 8x6," small but not still roomy enough to handle my essentials. As I made it, it's too small for a shoulder bag but just right to hang on the forearm. The strap is on the smallish side, but this could be lengthened if you want to wear it on the shoulder.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
I would say that it did! I think the lines of the bag are quite elegant yet very fashion forward.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
I would call them adequate. Better than Burda WoF, but not quite as comprehensive as Kwik Sew or Simplicity. They are more "suggestions" than directions. For example, they tell you that you'll have to ease the bag fronts to the bottom piece but don't tell you how. It's assumed you can do this step on your own.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
As I said above, it's a classic bag. I am really digging that I was able to shrink it to fit my needs. I'm not one who carries a whole lot around, just the wallet, lipstick, and tissues.

Fabric Used:
I used a black microfiber that has been in my stash since 2006's clearance sale at Joann's. I think it was 0.50/yd, so I bought what was left on the bolt, maybe 5.5yds. At half-sized, the bag required just under 1/4yd. I interfaced it with the heaviest interfacing I had in my stash since I really didn't want to have to buy anything else. It was heavy, but the bag could use some additional structure at the base. It's a little too soft at the rounded corners and that annoys me.

The lining was a remnant from the lining of a jacket that is still in the works. It was there, within arm's reach, and just right for what I needed. So, the poly was interfaced as well, but with a featherweight fusible. I used only one pocket and I didn't add the zipper. I think I'm going to have to increase the seam allowances on the bottom of the lining since there seems to be too much fabric in the bag itself. As it is now, I haven't sewed the 6" I left open for turning the bag because of this.

I also included a magnetic snap that was in the stash and some U-rings for purses. The magnet is probably the strongest snap magnet I've ever seen. So strong that I have to dig my nail into the snap to pry it loose. I can totally see myself tearing the bag one day just trying to get it open!

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
As I said, I shrunk the pattern 50%. Also, I added some decorative stitching to the seams with black embroidery thread. It's like baseball stitches, but better :) I was really quite happy with how it turned out. The stitching somehow improved on what otherwise would have looked like a cheap little bag. Also, I didn't include any feet. Really, it's too soft to stand on it's own anyhow. I'd be open to recommendations to change this.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I think I am going to *have* to sew it again. I went through a period where I was buying random fabrics that I liked in 1 yard pieces. Really, what else can you do with 36" of aqua corduroy or butterfly brocade? Not big enough to make a skirt and even if it were, I don't know that I'd want to wear that anyway...

Conclusion:
It's a cute little bag that gives some room for play. Next version, if I do indeed make one, will be redrafted to have a zip opening. I think that would be an improvement on the recommended snap. If I had some kind of faux or real skin, I would definitely use it for this bag. Now that I've made it, I can see it's fairly simple to put together and embellish. Great pattern!

Sewing Class, Part I

2008-01-19T10:41:00.000-08:00

In my last post, I mentioned that I have signed up for a sewing class at the community college. It meets once a week for about 3.75 hours (I think that length is just right, actually) and my classmates are a mixture of design majors and ladies from "the community." We have one student that is studying to be a tailor! How cool is she?! This promises to be a great learning experience because the instructor is going to try to incorporate lessons for her as well, which will include classic tailoring techniques starting with jacket construction. Total cost for 3 credits was $210.

The professor is an interesting man. He's told us that he learned to sew in a couture house and then went on to the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. Prof. S- (not to be revealed unless he says it's ok) is very hands on and is well versed in industrial sewing techniques.

In the class, we will be making a skirt, pants, and jacket, starting with the skirt. Because of our tailoring student, Prof S- has allowed us the option of drafting our own pattern or use of a commercial pattern. The skirt will be straight, lined with no waistband, approx knee length, have a vent, and invisible zipper. The first lesson described how to create a lining pattern from the skirt pattern. (I'll post about this method if folks are interested.)

Other topics covered included a review of the following:

to find the proper WAIST, have your client bend slightly to either side and the little fold that appears is the natural waist. This could be above or below the bellybutton. Wearing ease at the waist should be 1/2 inch.
to find the HIP, find the widest part of your client's bottom. RTW usually has the hipline 7-9" below the waist, but many people vary from this. You should look at your client's profile head on and also in profile and find the widest part and take this measurement. Wearing ease is 2 inches at the hip, even in slim fitting garments.
HEM lines are measured from the floor up. This ensures level hems that are perpendicular to the floor. You would find the point where the garment will end and then measure from this mark to the floor. If it's 30" for example, measure 30" from the floor all the way around.
1" seam allowances in side seams for custom garments, 3/8 - 5/8" for other seams. For custom gowns (think wedding), many designers will leave 4-5" inches, since it's easier to cut out a seam allowance than it is to recut an entire garment.

The recommended text is Connie Crawford's text Guide to Fashion Sewing, 4th ed. Prof. S- says it the best book of its kind available. After perusing his copy, it looks more comprehensive than Reader's Digest or Vogue's guide. The drawings (no photos) are illustrative and clear. I'm not certain if I'm going to buy it, however. I'll probably bring in my book and do a more thorough comparison.

The following tools are required:

2x18" gridded, transparent ruler
drafting square (triangle with 45 &90 degrees)
measuring tape
#2 pencil
2 pairs of scissors (for fabric and paper)
tracing paper
thimble (I guess this means we'll be doing some hand sewing!)
bobbins for the chosen machine

We can bring our own machine or use one of the schools. There are a number of machines available for use; I noticed Viking, Bernina, Pfaff, a few industrial Jukis, and a handful of sergers including an industrial.

Next class we will be learning how to insert an invisible zipper the "hard" way and the "easy" way. The hard way promises to look more couture and the easy more dept store RTW. All in all, I'm glad I signed up :) I expect to learn a lot.

Lifelong Learning and Forever Fur continues...

2008-01-17T11:16:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Sarah who correctly identified that the lining piece was more like the front and not the lining. As I had stated, this is largely due to my own inexperience, but I must also give credit to Burda WoF's lovely instructions as well. With regards to the lining, it stated "cut piece 1 less the width of the facing." The pattern piece has a facing fold line marked, so that's basically where I cut the lining. I realize what I *should* have done was fold the facing piece back onto the front piece and the resulting curve would be the seam line for the lining. See the difference below? Live and learn...
Now, I had to remove what seemed like an awful lot of fabric, but it made sense to do so because there really was a huge amount of excess when I had first basted in the lining. That was the first thing that clued me into my pattern cutting error. I could understand there being some overlap at the hem, but none of the jackets I own had that sort of feature at the facing.

Fortunately, there seems to be *just* enough seam allowance left not to disrupt my very first welt pocket! At first I tried to follow the Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing, but it was rather weak in its instructions. Of course I then had to surf the web to find what I needed. Honestly, I don't know what I would do if I didn't have the internet. I guess only sew napkins and pillow cases?? Fashion Incubator has a great tutorial on how to do the double welt pocket, but she doesn't address the application of the pocket bag. Her's is just the welts. Debbie Cook's Tutorial on the Palmer/Pletsch method includes the pocket bags and was a bit easier to follow for me. I think it looks pretty nice for my first try, and with really slippery fabric too boot. Live and learn...
In that vein, and because I love being a student, I have signed up to take a sewing class at the local community college! They have a fashion design and marketing curriculum that seems fairly comprehensive. I'll be taking the Advanced Sewing Techniques class and I'm *ridiculously* excited about it. Time seems to be moving slowly this afternoon because I can't wait for 6pm to arrive...

What's wrong with this picture?

2008-01-14T17:34:00.000-08:00

I know my last post said that my next post would be of the completed jacket. Well, I kind of got ahead of myself. While the jacket itself is complete, it is not yet wearable due to my own ~~idiocy~~ lack of experience. Anyway, I spent way too much time struggling with both the collar and facings and, eventually, the lining. Which leads me to the title of this post:

There is something wrong with this lining piece. It took me all afternoon yesterday and much of today to figure it out. This is why I still consider myself a beginning sewer.

How long will it take you?

Divide and conquer, or why it's good to know your ruler...

2008-01-13T11:34:00.000-08:00

Adding darts to a pattern than has none and needs them desperately:

After my last post, I decided to examine my best fitting jackets and the common denominator is a prevalence of shaping darts in both the front and back. So, I pulled up sleeves and grabbed my curved ruler and got to business. I had determined how much needed to be removed by pinching out the excess at my waist after basting the side seams in a curve so that it was comfortable and gave a nice silhouette. I also basted new darts, but I eyeballed it. It was crude, but illustrative, as evidenced by the following image.
Based on this photo I realized #1: that the pockets had to go; #2 the darts had to be extended up the back, at least to the shoulder blades (about mid armscye); #3 I really suck at just eyeballing darts. I mean seriously, how crazy crooked are those seams? They aren't even level...

Enter the ruler...
At this point, I did a flat measurement of the new width of the back, compared this to the original pattern piece, and found that 3" had to be removed from the waist. This was after taking roughly an inch in at the waist by changing the side seam (meaning, I went from a basically straight seam to a nice curve by indenting 1/2" on each side at the waist and tapering to almost no seam allowance at the very bottom of the hem).

Shaping the back, or how to take in 3 inches gracefully:
As I was limited by not having a CB seam, I thought two back darts would be both visually appealing and balanced. For a total reduction of 3", that would be 1.5" on each side. On the pattern piece, I added two 18" fish eye darts to the back first. For placement, I found the center back then the center of each side, right and left. Using my ruler, I drew the lines on the pattern, starting from the bottom hem and extended to the top edge of the pattern piece. I measured up 18" from the bottom hem on the left side and marked. I had already marked out the waist line, so at I centered 1.5" (.75" on either side of my vertical line) and marked. Using my curved ruler, I drew out the legs of the dart.

I unpicked all of the seams I had sewn so that I had only the back piece in front of me and could lay it flat. Using a chalk pencil, I copied all the markings from my pattern piece to the wrong side of the fur. I sewed the darts, then basted the side seams, following the curve I had established earlier. I basted the shoulders and tried on once again to see if I was successful.
Much better, right? No more pockets, but that's okay. The waist looks good and, despite the little ripple at the waist (I have to learn to stand straight but I was operating the camera by remote control and had to move fast), it really does lay well. You can see the changes much more clearly on the lining. Note an ease pleat has been added, as well.

Adding front darts...
Having fixed the back, I could now move to the front, which also needed attention. I knew pretty much right away that I would have to add an additional dart under the bust from the side seam. This was easily done and I grabbed my now much loved curved ruler and chalk pencil. I marked my new darts on the pattern piece. Once more, I unpicked the shoulder and side seams so that I could lay the pattern piece flat. I transferred the markings and sewed the new darts on the front.
How good does that front look? Good enough that I permanently stitched the side seams and set the sleeves. Once more, you can see the changes more clearly on the lining.
Despite that my husband dislikes my choice of lining fabric, I think this is turning into a very cute little project! When I modeled my progress, my husband tried to calculate how much I could sell it for on eBay. I encouraged him to sell an old flashlight-type tool that he had and ever since, everything we own has been appraised for possible sale on eBay. It's more than a little amusing, to say the least. But hey, I love the lining; I think it' unusual and it makes the fur look more brown than black where every other fabric I tried made it more black. I also interfaced it because the knit backing of the fur was still rather rough and it could be felt through the lining.

Next post will be of the completed jacket... Stay tuned!

Attention: Sway Back Alert!

2008-01-06T21:48:00.000-08:00

For a jacket that was advertised as a "fast sew project, this is really not turning out to be one, let me just say. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, as I do have quite a bit of time on my hands currently. I cut out the collar in a manner I figured would be conducive to looking good and as for layout, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. The lining has been cut, with an ease pleat added for movement in the back. However, after sewing the side seams, I don't see that I'll have need for extra ease in the back. Check it out people:

Never mind the pocket flaps masquerading as side fins. Look at the waist! Do you see that pooch in the back right above my hips? The last time I had this bad of a fabric excess, the dress landed in the UFO pile and hasn't seen the light of day since. I refuse to let that happen to this jacket.

So, how to correct the sway back on a pattern with no center back seam? Good question, good question. Since I don't have enough usable fur to cut new pieces with a center seam that can be altered, it looks like darts are going to be my only option. The hip looks like it sits well; not too tight, not too loose. Despite that fold on the right underarm there, the upper back does fit well. That fold was because the right shoulder seam basting was coming undone and I needed to readjust the front , but the hubby just wanted to take the photo and get back to his book.

The only concern I have with darts is, well, they really suck to sew in this fur. In order to sew the bust darts, I had to cut the fabric before sewing. So I kind of feel like I just get one shot with this bad boy...Not much room for error.

Any other suggestions?

Forever Fur Collar Part One...

2008-01-03T10:39:00.000-08:00

Last week, just after I had traced out the pattern pieces for my Forever Fur I had to test to see if I had enough fabric to actually make the coat. Since I had cut about 1/4 yard in length already for the La Rue bag, I figured it was going to be tight. Thankfully, I had just enough fur for the body and sleeves of the jacket. The collar, however, was not so fortunate.

After several minutes trying different layouts, I realized that I am about 1.5" short on the collar width. You can see this in the picture below.
My first response was to just go with it and shorten the collar to fit the fabric at hand. But then I looked again at my fabric and tried to visualize the collar cut out along that grain. Instead of having the scallops of the fur running vertically, with this placement they would be horizontal and that would just not do. This was a problem because I would then be more like a foot short, instead of just 1.5."

Could I just piece it? I posted my query on Burda English and received a lovely and detailed response from Fivecats on just how once can seam fur of any kind. I resolved that if necessary, I would take that route. But first, to save my sanity, I opted to try to find another piece of my fur. I hit the road and an hour of digging later, I found what I was looking for! I actually did a little victory dance in the aisle, much to the amusement of some art students standing near by. No more worries, right? Wrong! In my excitement and the poor lighting in the store, I failed to closely inspect the fur. When I got home and laid it out on my cutting table in the harsh light of the winter sun, the crushed fur was immediately evident. It's about 25% crushed, all along the fold line and in various other places that make careful placement essential. Also, this means I don't have nearly enough wiggle room as I had hoped with an extra yard of fabric at my disposal.

I can hear your question: now what? Well, there is enough usable fabric for me to cut a single collar piece with zero errors. Of course, this pressure makes me want to be extra careful with my layout, which in turn makes me question the direction of the fur. Every time I think I have it, I second guess myself and think: huh, that can't be right! I know the collar has to placed so that the fur is running vertically, but then which side is to be along the neck line? The seamed end or the folded end? Egads, I just can't visualize it.

Burda 12-2007-122 begins...

2008-01-01T18:50:00.000-08:00

Since it's a new year, I decided to start with a challenge and adventure: a faux fur jacket! What's that? Don't I live in the desert, you ask? Good question, very good question. So glad you remembered! For those not in the know, it does, get cold here in the Valley of the Sun. In fact, last winter there were even some little tykes that got to see snow for the first time in their young lives. And, yes, my house is heated. True, it doesn't get so cold for such extended periods that it warrants busting out the wool overcoat, but cold enough to justify a short furry jacket, like this one from everyone's favorite German pattern company:

Pattern #112 from the December issue. For some reason, it's not available online :(

Last year, when I made the La Rue messenger bag, I picked up a piece of fur a SAS Fabrics for $5.99/yd. It was very soft and silky and I loved to touch it - like all good fabrics, right? I only used a small chunk for the bag and ever since, the fur has been languishing in the stash waiting for the perfect pattern. At the time, I thought maybe a vest. But then I realized I've never worn vests - even though I've owned them - because I think I look more than a little ridiculous in them. Something about the lack of sleeves on a bulky item... Anyway, after cleaning the sewing room last week, I was going through the magazine and was just riveted by the photo spread with three wardrobe styling possibilities. Immediately, I pictured myself in my fur.

In line with my resolutions, I have assembled all of the necessary fabrics and notions. I have traced the pattern. I found the perfect lining. I even went back to the fabric store to find an extra piece when I realized that I wouldn't have enough for a proper collar. I am being purposeful, you see. This will not be a UFO. This will not be an orphan. I will wear it and be fabulous in fake fur... Espresso colored fake fur lined with minty green and pink peonies.

I feel more fabulous already!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T17:59:00.000-08:00

The title says it all folks: Happy 2008! I trust that everyone rang in the New Year in a satisfying way. We went to Scottsdale and did the bar thing, which was a really nice change of pace and a good way to kick start 2008 :)

Normally, I do not indulge in resolutions but this year is somehow different. Why? Well, I want to be more productive this year. In retrospect, I have come to consider 2007 the year of the UFO. One of my previous posts labeled this "affliction" as sewing ADD. By rough count, there were 7 items that were left unfinished for a variety of reasons. Some would say that 7 UFOs isn't bad, but considering I worked on about a dozen pieces, well, let's just say that ratio is not something I'm particularly proud of. But let's not dwell in the past. I have resolved not to beat myself up over them and just take the lessons learned and move on.

Moving on... In 2008, I resolve to

1. Sew complete garments. In this vein, I am going to take a page from Tany's and Carolyn's blog, leading me to my next resolution...

2. Be more purposeful in my sewing. Carolyn always makes the point that she doesn't like to start a new project without all necessary notions and potions, etc. Tany's sewing is beautiful and elegant, I believe, because she is purposeful. She has a vision and makes it happen in spectacular fashion. I want to be more like these two ladies. Let's just say no to orphan garments.

3. Make a concerted effort to increase my wearable wardrobe. Out of all the garments I made last year, my favorite was Vogue 2980, the leopard print top because it goes with all of my favorite pants and skirts and is an instant spirit lifter. I want more garments that I am proud to say I made.

New Years is a great time to reflect on what is working and what isn't, which can lead to positive change. I'm all for positive change. 2007 brought me out of isolation and introduced me to the sewing community online. It's only fitting that 2008 should be the time I start applying the knowledge gained!

Let the Twelve Days Begin...

2007-12-26T09:57:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in a month and I figure it was about time I come up for air and say howdy-ho to all :)

After the (wonderful) craziness of having my parents here for turkey day, the husband and I had a quiet day of eating, drinking, and gazing wonderingly at the twinkling lights of our tree. Isn't it pretty? It is probably the smelliest tree I've ever had - the whole house is filled with Christmas tree aroma. I'm going to have make it last with some sachets. My nose is happy...
The news let us know this morning that tree recycling has begun already. That makes me so sad; am I the only one who finds it rather abrupt that the day after Christmas everything goes in the trash? In the Orthodox tradition, we also celebrate the Epiphany which concludes the Twelve Days. Now, growing up in a Greek household we'd just go to church to celebrate the day of Christ's baptism. Gifts were given on the 25th, like good little Americans. Decorations stayed up at least until mid-January and the holiday table was continually covered in tasty treats that were somehow religiously significant. My personal favorite was always vasilopita, a sweet bread that had a coin hidden within that guaranteed good luck for whoever got the lucky piece.

My husbands traditions vary slightly, even though he is Orthodox as well. As he was raised, Christmas Day marked the beginning of the celebrations, but New Years and the Epiphany are the major holidays, with gifts exchanged on the latter.

What are your traditions? Does anyone have any which vary from American style Christmas? Let me know as I'm really interested...

I've done some sewing over the past month and I do plan on catching up on my reviews, but I have to find my sewing mojo first. It seems have to disappeared in the past two months and I am having a hard time getting excited about sewing. Perhaps a little reorganization is called for, a la Hungry Zombie Sharon, to get me back into my sewing room?

In the mean while, I hope everyone is having a happy and healthy holiday season.

Empty nesters...

2007-11-27T07:18:00.001-08:00

I know I'm late, but still: Happy Thanksgiving! I am very, very thankful that I was able to spend the holiday with my family!! I had my parents and aunt (my namesake) out from Boston for two weeks. It was too short and tears were shed as I left them at the airport.

It was the first time the 'rents had been here and I think they were equally impressed and disappointed. The landscape seemed to wow them and leave them flat simultaneously, which I thought really funny. I suppose that works as Arizona is a land of extremes. The first few days, my father kept asking where all the people were and that we have many walls. He commented that this was the first and last time he would visit since he didn't really care for the surroundings. Now, I was not offended by this as it echoed my sentiments about Phoenix pretty much too a T. However, we did make the trek to the Grand Canyon and Sedona and somewhere along the road into Oak Canyon along route 89A (one of the most scenic roads in the US) he changed his tune. My mom and aunt were all oohs and aahs from the backseat and my father (not a religious man by any stretch) started talking about "God's hands" all around us.

Now that they are gone, I feel something like and empty nester... Still, it was awesome to have Mom and Dad here and to show them what my life is like here in Arizona. My parents have such a positive outlook that I see life through fresh eyes whenever they are around. Even though I am wife now, I love being my parents daughter :)

I could make that! Episode 1

2007-10-26T18:29:00.000-07:00

Maybe you've seen them adorning the underarms of various celeb fashionistas; I give you the Poppie Couture Fold Over clutch. It seems to be your basic trapezoid of fabric with a wire frame closure. What makes them distinctive is the funky fabric choices and their $350-600 price tag.

This bag really isn't that different in concept than the LaRue Bag from Hot Patterns. This one is designed specifically as a clutch, however, and has a 4" wide base.

Act 1: FABRIC CHOICE
So, how would I chose to replicate such a bag? Well, first I would find myself some really awesome pleather, or even genuine patent leather on pig skin. Fabric Mart has five of these left for just $25 and the one skin would be enough to make at least one clutch, with enough left over should you want to make a two-toned version. Heck, Fabric Mart even has the metallic/pearlized leather in two versions should you like to jump on the the gold/silver bandwagon that's so hot right now.

Act 2: PATTERN SELECTION/CREATION
The website gives the measurements of this bag upright as 11x12x4 and folded as 11x6x4. I've looked for patterns and, well, they are slim pickings when it comes to clutches with this shape. However, all is not lost as the solid colors are just two pattern pieces (symmetrical sides and the bottom. We can determine through the bag descriptions that it is 12" tall and 11" wide. These are generous dimensions and should comfortably hold what you need. Grab your ruler, pencil and a couple of sheets of tracing paper and get crackin'!

Pattern piece one: Bag front and back
This piece is going to be kind of trapezoidal, since by examining the sides, you can see that the front and back are sewn together without a side panel piece between. We want our finished width to be 11" at the top and bottom, but we have to account for the slight triangular nature in the lower half of the bag. Also, we're going to do this a la Burda and add seam allowances later.

1. Draw an 11" line representing the top of the bag. Measure down 12" from each end and mark your paper. Draw the vertical lines on each side the horizontal line on the bottom. You should now have an 11" by 12" rectangle in front of you.
2. We can see that the triangular shape of the bag begins at roughtly the half-way point, so on the long sides, measure down 6" and mark.
3. We know the bottom piece is 4" wide and we want a center seam. Therefore, we want to extend the bottom of the panel by 2" on each side, since once sewn, the bottom will be 4" wide. Measure out 2" on each side from the bottom corner and mark.
4. Now draw a line connecting your vertical mid-point (6" on the side) and the new bottom corner.

You should have a pattern piece that looks like a rectangle on top of a trapezoid.

Pattern piece 2: Bag bottom
1. Draw a 4" x 11" rectangle. Easy enough right?

Please note my line drawing, courtesy of MS Paint, is not to scale. However, the numbers are correct.

Add seam allowances to your pattern pieces, probably no more than 0.5" to avoid bulk.

Act 3: EVALUATION
Materials:
1. Roughly 1/2 yard of fashion fabric and 1/2 yard of lining. More if you want to add a pocket or something.
2. The same amount of interfacing, depending on your choice of fabrics. I would imagine skins will need less than lighter weight fabrics. One interesting feature about this bag is that it is advertised as being able to be flattened completely.
3. You would need an internal flex frame of some sort. I found a 12" one at u-handbag.com, which would require extending the width of the bag by an inch. Entirely do-able, I think.
4. A bag bottom, probably card board or hair canvas if you can find it. Since the designer bag is collapsible, I imagine it shouldn't be too stiff.

Act 4: EXECUTION

Since I'm not sure I actually want this bag, I decided I would only make a prototype out of paper, and at half scale, no less ;-) After playing with it for a bit, I think the proportions are correct since it looked pretty good folded over. The thinness of the paper makes it look a little funky when upright.

What do you think? I think I could make it!

Confessions...

2007-10-24T15:22:00.000-07:00

I have what I call sewing ADD. It's a problem really because I start many wonderful projects and just don't finish them.

Exhibit A: The Living Room Drapes...
Started well over a year ago, I still have three panels left to do. I even have all the material cut out and ready to go and yet I can't seem to "find" the time to complete the last panels.

Exhibit B: Simplicity 4146...
My first notched panel jacket that I constructed as part of a Joann's class. Now, it was my first experience with easing jacket sleeves and elbows. I wasn't happy with the resulting notches (they were asymmetrical and resembled lobster claws just a bit too much) and so it remains unsewn at the the sleeves and hem. On second thought, this was just a wadder, so maybe its not an exhibit after all. Did this prevent me from reviewing it? Click here to find out!

Exhibit C: Kwik Sew 3151
You know, I gave this pattern a good review. However, it too hangs unworn and unhemmed and unaltered in my closet. The dress is a modified sheath/a-line and it needs, desperately needs, a sway back adjustment. Or maybe I just need to lose 10 pounds.

Exhibit D: Burda 124b
A lovely blouse, potentially, cut from a pretty georgette. That's right, I cut it. But sadly, that's all I've done. 3 months later, it looks at me every time I open the closet.

I could go on and mention McCall 5189, the pants from Simplicity 4146, or even Simplicity 3884,
but that seems gratuitous. So I have this problem where I start projects and then get distracted or bored and just put them aside. So, how many UFOs do I have? They stare at me each time I open my fabric closet, and they take up a fair amount of space. Uggh!

So, any suggestions on how to help with this problem? I always start with the best of intentions and then, well, I just fizzle out somehow. Or maybe, I get really bored and want to move on. But then, why the guilt?

Home sweet home

2007-10-24T11:20:00.000-07:00

It's so good to be home! Truly, I never thought I would say that about Phoenix, but it's really, really great to be home. We spent a wonderful weekend with my sister and her husband in San Diego. They were there for my brother-in-law's company annual meeting so we figured they would be too close not to visit. My suggestion was to rent bicycles to ride around Coronado, which was a blast!

Near the end of our visit, we were on the boardwalk in front of the Hotel del Coronado, I looked out over the surf and noticed a brown cloud heading our way. My first thought was smog, but by the time we made it to the ferry about 30 minutes later, it was obvious it was smoke filling the air. The Star of India, which is anchored at the Port of San Diego, was really difficult to see because of the smoke.

It's very sad what is happening right now in California. My heart goes out to all those families that are struggling right now in grief and loss. Hopefully, people will be safe...

San Diego here we come!

2007-10-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

Just when I was getting all used to Phoenix again and being perpetually dehydrated, we are off to San Diego for the weekend! My big sister and her husband are there on business so we all agreed it would be great to get together, especially since we haven't seen them since last Thanksgiving. Living so far away from family has been a real problem for me. Because the distance is so great, no one wants to visit :( To put this in perspective, we moved about three and a half years ago and my folks are visiting for the first time this Thanksgiving.

Burda Style...Free patterns!

2007-10-18T13:48:00.000-07:00

For those who are new to Burda or read about it a lot and want to try something from the magazine, a good intro is the sister site, Burdastyle.com. The site is called an "open-source" sewing site, meaning that they offer their patterns up for you to interpret and post about. It's also a good way to get your feet wet with the so-called Burda way of doing things, without having to trace out your pattern or worry about seam allowances. There is also a pretty fantastic how-to section, with things like how to sew a bound buttonhole, a photo tutorial on constructing a notched collar, and other tutorials on the patterns on the web site.

I'm going to work on this dress that I particularly like, Shari 7951. This technical drawing is typical of what Burda Style provides for all of their patterns, and as you can see it has lots of info regarding the details of the dress and for required notions, etc.

I have an orange silky embossed type fabric that will work really well, left over from the orange craze of last year. However, I do have some printer issues that have to be resolved first. One of the things that I dislike most about Burda World of Fashion patterns is the tracing and the lack of seam allowances. Burda Style is like the Big 4 in that the seam allowances are included. More posts to follow...

Looks who's rockin' out!

2007-10-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

Lovely Laura, my Romanian sewing compatriot at Laura's Sewing Room, has nominated me as a Rockin' Girl Blogger! She did this a few weeks ago, but since I only just discovered it, it's like Christmas come early!

And for my five:
1. Carolyn at Sob-Sister...she knits and sews and is darkly funny, and she's from Massachusetts!
2. Melissa, a Susie Homemaker that loves to sew
3. Dawn at the Secret Pocket, a sewing professional that you should definitely start reading if you haven't already.
4. Shannon, at Hungry Zombie Couture...she always inspires me with her ideas and details
5. Claudine at Couture Details...Her technical abilities are amazing, and she loves to smock! I just hope she continues to blog

Give these ladies a read!

Sexy beast...

2007-10-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

also known as Vogue 2980. Feast your eyes on my very first animal print in the wardrobe proper. I say this because, well, don't we all have animal print undies in a drawer somewhere? I think mine was one of the first independently purchased pair in my collection. Too much information? eh...

Pattern Description:
From the envelope: Close-fitting, pull over tops for stretch knits, have draped bolero shoulders. I made view B, with the self-lined short sleeves.

Pattern Sizing:
This is one of Sandra Betzina's Today's Fit patterns. All sizes are in one envelope, from A-J, bust sizes from 32" to 55," which is very nice, I must say. I think it is really only possible because there are just 4 pieces for both tops. 4 per pattern, with 2 sleeve options.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
I think it looks better! Actually, I was thinking this would fabulous extended to dress length. As it is, it's a sexy top in the leopard print, while still somehow being fairly conservative since there is no cleavage showing and no upper arm, etc.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
These are probably the best instruction set I've ever seen. They include 5 bullets regarding how to grade up and down in sizing, etc. She even has a sentence for the small shouldered ladies out there or if your arms have a larger circumference. I am fortunate that pretty much the only alteration I have is a sway back or maybe extending for height. She also gives a tip for cutting layout and that you should mark the pattern pieces at the pleats.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I really like the style, which is classic without being stuffy or too conservative. In general, I like to dress with a bit of a sexy edge that isn't too va-va-voom. Meaning, I like to emphasize curves without showing an excess of skin. This pattern fits right into that style. However, as other reviewers have noted before me, it is cut very close fitting. It fits roughly the same as some of my work out tops through the chest but it's not obvious because of the fabric. Also, the shoulder/collar piece is somewhat loose fitting, so it distracts from the snug bodice. Moreover, the arms are *just* right on me. I have found that nothing makes tops look too small than pinching flesh and the worst offenders are at the upper arm and at a (too short) waist. We've all seen them, but if you need a refresher, head to your local mall some Friday night and do some people watching at the food court. Thankfully, this top doesn't hit me like that and it is long enough as it drafted! Yay!

Fabric Used:
Hah! This was a 32" remnant from the 75% bin at Joann's last week. I was seriously concerned that I wouldn't have enough yardage since the envelope calls for 1.25 yards, but I figured I could wing it. It was *just* enough for the size B I cut. Literally, I couldn't have done it if I had cut a C. So, how much did this top cost me? $1.55 for the fabric + $3.99 = $5.54, plus thread, etc. I almost didn't buy the remnant because I wasn't sure what I could make with so little fabric. But then, I am an incurable stasher, so not buying the perfect animal print was impossible. This was definitely one occasion that the fabric just spoke to me. It really wanted to become Vogue 2980. Dude, it was $5.50!

I have always thought that you can usually get away with a good 1/4 to 1/2 yard shortage from what the envelope recommends.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
I can't say that I would make any alterations. It's pretty perfect as is. I don't think I even need to hem it since it looks fine as is. I probably will eventually, though. Hems are my achilles heel and are usually what keeps me from finishing projects. Gotta love those knits!!!!

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I think I will sew it again, but as an a-line dress. This would be beautiful in a matte jersey at a mid-knee length. Perhaps one could also do a contrast for the sleeves and the collar. That was one of the considerations I had, actually, given the less than ideal yardage at hand. As it was, I just had to make sure no mistakes were made, but it was so easy to put together mistakes are unlikely.

Conclusion
A fabulous top! I love, love, love it! Make it, you won't regret it. Just keep in mind that there is zero to negative ease. If you are uncomfortable with that or want it to fit like it does on the envelope, go one size up. If you want to be a sexy beast, however...

One more view, which reminds me I really need to clean the mirror in the second bathroom. Sorry! I don't really have an excuse anymore since I'm not working 60 hours any more...

Dear Diary,

2007-10-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

This evening, my husband grabbed my laptop while I was in the middle of fixing the broken photo link. It was the first time I think he'd ever seen my blog. Interestingly, he was surprised that I chose to put photos of myself on the web, asking me if I was concerned with the "security risk." What security risk, I asked? He couldn't quite answer me but started to actually read the text and then exclaimed, "but this is so personal! It's like a diary."

The irony is that he's an engineer and we even took our laptops - yes, that was plural - on vacation. Oh, he's my photographer, too...

Long way down a holiday road...

2007-10-13T11:24:00.001-07:00

Honey! I'm home! Did you miss me? I missed you. Kiss, kiss, hug, hug. So, I am back after a long hiatus, but it was worth it. The past month was crazy hectic in the house hold, partly due to preparation for the vacation, partly due to the complete insecurity of my job situation. The first part of this post is travel and the last is sewing related...

Where we went...
London, England: 4 days
Yes, that's me in a phone booth in front of the Victoria & Albert Museum with its current exhibition The Golden Age of Couture. Did we go inside? No. Why not? We're idiots. No other excuse. Period. Well, maybe some of the idiocy can be attributed to jet lag (I did travel from Phoenix after all) but not that much...

We stayed with my husband's cousin in his flat just outside of Wimbledon, which was lovely. Truthfully, I didn't enjoy London very much last time I was there. Now, this could be due to the fact I avoided a mugging only by making a run for it. Plus, I was still a student and had no cash to spend. Being a professional this time around helped with this some what, but London is still a very expensive place to visit and the American dollar only goes half as far as it does back home. This visit was a vast improvement, I am happy to report! We had a grand time and walked about 10 hours each day. I think I could happily live in that town. I like the way the Brits do things...It's all very organized and such.

Next stop, Thessaloniki, Greece: 3 days

We flew from London to Thessaloniki, where my Aunt Tasoula and Uncle Kosma picked us up from the airport. My father's village, well now is more like a small city, hasn't changed too much in the last five years. Neither has my family. They all are rather ageless...That's me with my aunt below in front of the harbor in Nea Mixaniona. They all commented that my Greek had improved since my last visit, which I found interesting given the only person I speak Greek with these days is my father on the phone. We don't even speak Greek that much either, it's sort of a family mix of Greek and English. However, by nightfall, I had begun to think entirely in Greek and had to translate in my head to English for my husband...

Mixaniona is now the main fishing port for Thessaloniki and much of northern Greece. The pier behind us is where all the fishing boats moor in the off season. They all starting fishing again full time Oct 1... Thessaloniki, which is the second largest city is also a university town. There are lots of things to do there and we did a one day tour, with the requisite stop at Alexander's statue in his square along the waterfront. Note the scale...Greeks are certainly proud of their history, to say the least. On to Athens and the Acropolis for 1 day...

We drove through the night with cousin Kosta, who is currently staying in Pireaus, the port town within Athens. He's the first mate on a Greek 300 meter long oil tanker and is studying to for his promotion to captain. Out of all the family, he speaks the best English by far. My husband was most comfortable with Kosta, I think, because he was able to communicate independently. I did my best to translate for him, but I think I got a little lazy. Must have been the jet lag...

So we hit the Acropolis in the morning, where it was ridiculously windy. It was so windy at times I had to hold on to avoid being swept off my feet on the slippery marble! After lunch, we were walking around towards Syntagma Square and lo and behold we find ourselves in front of the Parliamentary buildings. It was 5 o'clock and we happened upon the changing of the palace guard. Yes, they do wear skirts and those are pompoms on his feet. And yes, they are all 6'4" and gorgeous. sigh...

And from Athens, on to Italy, four days between Milan, Tuscany, and Rome...

Milan brought us to the best dressed people in Europe, I think. Being that it is the fashion capital of Italy, this is to be expected, but everybody seemed to be in top form. We were there I think just after fashion week, so there were an awful lot of tall skinny women running around. Stick figures, I tell you. The best Duomo we visited was in Milan as well. It was the most inviting and beautiful.
Tuscany brought us to a nice little hotel, which was murder to find, but that's neither here nor there. Some lovely italians on their way home from a bar helped us in the wee hours of the morning. Gratzi! Prego! Highlights of Tuscany? Michelangelo's David, Renaissance art at the Uffizi gallery, the Cinque Terre (just not the drive in; in a word: harrowing), the tower at Piza (just like all the pictures!), the prosciutto, the people, and tourists carrying Rick Steves' guide to Italy. At one point, it was embarrassing, there were so many of us running around town. It kind of made me feel like I was part of a cult or something. My husband refused to carry it past that point.

And then there was Rome! Bella Roma!

By the time we got to Rome, I think I was so physically exhausted I couldn't see straight. However, that's not really a problem there since everything is colossally big. I even managed, on the last evening possible, to find the fabric district! Right around the corner from the Pantheon, if you can imagine. It was Saturday evening just about 5pm, and we had decided we had to see the inside of the dome so we left the ruins in the center and headed off by foot. I turn the corner and lo, there they were: Textiles! I really, really wanted to go shopping - I hadn't done ANY shopping at all on our trip thus far - but my husband wanted to see the dome. So, we compromised. Find the Pantheon, spend 30-45 minutes and come back. Now, we got to the Pantheon and there was a crush of people outside, but they weren't letting anyone in, except one or two at a time. I looked at the sign and realized that the place was closed for Saturday night mass! Yes! Back to the stores I went with instructions to my husband to find the nearest book store and hang...

I did buy some fabric, about $200 worth and it is lovely:

Massimo, the salesman, was wonderful. He was young, hunky, and very knowledgable and pretty much had me at hello. The print is a gorgeous silk charmeuse from last year's collection of an Italian designer, 1 meter for 18 euros.
The next is a wool navy and white houndstooth that at first I figured would do just for a jacket with paired with white silk crepe pants. The wool was 22 euros/meter and the silk Massimo brought me was 80 euros/meter. Since the silk alone would have killed my budget entirely, I said thank you, but lets see some more woolens. I purchased 4 meters of the houndstooth. It's quite possibly the loveliest 100% wool I've ever touched on a bolt. Smooth hand with a fabulous drape and good body.
I also purchased a stretch wool in burgandy, that doesn't want to be photographed for some reason. I've tried repeatedly, but it's shy I suppose. Anyway, that too, is lovely, with a subtle sheen on the right side and more of a classic wool on the wrong, but not scratchy in the least.

Oh! And lest I forget, my grandmother also gave me some fabric! From her trip to Paris in 1984, no less. Now, my grandmother gave me an assortment of fabrics, content unknown but highly suspicious because of the hand. This comes back to Gorgeous Things post about polyester, and these are definitely not modern day synthetics. We shall see how they present themselves for use...

I returned to Phoenix about 11:45pm Sunday night after departing Rome at 5am, exhausted after travelling many, many hours. Under my doormat was a Fedex envelope from my employer, and that is never good news. In the envelope were three checks, one which was two weeks severance pay. I was laid off while on vacation. I was mostly grateful I didn't have to go to work the next day, if you can imagine. Jet lag, people, jet lag. At least now I'll have more time to sew.

The subprime meltdown comes home...

2007-10-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

As I concluded in my last post, I was given the boot at work. I was employed in the mortgage industry by the nation's largest lender. Since it was all over the news in Europe I feel it is a safe assumption that you all are familiar with the current economic situation, the center of which is the US housing market and the subprime arena. Anyway, not to long ago, there was an announcement that the company was going to be reducing its workforce by roughly 25%. I managed to get through the first 4 rounds, but the last one hit home. I was one those "released," the 1st VP of Operations informed me. I'm not really all that broken up about it, truthfully. A final visit was required to pick up the remainder of my things and everybody I ran into said it was like a morgue these days. Yet another casualty of the Subprime fiasco...

So, any suggestions on what I should do with my time now that I am jobless? I was thinking a new fall wardrobe. You?

Out from under a rock...

2007-09-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

August is over! Yay! Seriously, it was the longest and most challenging month of work ever. I work for one of the nation's largest mortgage companies and August was something of a make it or break it month for us. The entire industry is quaking and, as a leading company that the nation looks to see which way the wind blows, upper management was riding us very hard. Every day I felt like we were fighting to keep the lights on and grateful when I arrived at work the next day to see them still going. Anyway, it's past (for now) and I closed many, many loans and made many people happy (I hope). Working such long hours takes its toll and left me with little energy for anything else, and so I accomplished little by way of sewing or anything sewing related.

On the flip side, September brings VACATION!! Very exciting and I can't believe we are leaving relatively soon, the 22nd to be exact. I was hoping to have some kind of wardrobe sewn, but I don't think I'll have time between then and now.

So what have I done lately? I am almost done with the jacket of Vogue2923.
All that is left is the sleeves and I am debating on taking a cue from RTW and eliminating the ease in the sleeve head. Laura over at Laura's Sewing Room is making a copy of her favorite RTW jacket and she has some very interesting commentary...

Michael Kors ... "The Suit"

2007-08-06T23:56:00.000-07:00

I was browsing for some inspiration now that the fall collections are upon us. Look at what I found: I must warn you, you will be tempted and you will covet:

First up...A Diane von Furstenburg keyhole dress that is both delicate and feminine with a powerful print. Does this not make your little heart beat just a little faster? This "Chiquita" can be yours at Nordstrom for just $425.

Next...two choice choices from Nanette Lapore. A suit and blouse that are so trendy and yet so classic. Puffed rouched details on the jacket are adorable but note the gathers on the sleeve end. That is the detail that sends this jacket into a whole new category.

And the blouse? It too is lovely and should be fairly easy to copy cat. A nice silk charmeuse that matches the undertones in your skin will make you glow.

Is the back detail amazing or what? Perfect to emphasize a slim waist and straight back.
And last but certainly not least. Ladies, hold onto your hearts because you just might loose them to Michael Kors after witnessing such perfection...

Double breasted dogstooth woolen jacquard. Ah-may-zing. Michael Kors has restored himself, people. I covet. My reaction upon seeing this suit is a little embarrassing. I am not so materialistic but I want. The jacket alone will set you back a clean $1500. The wide portrait collar, the gorgeous black buttons, the cut, the pencil skirt, the 3/4 length sleeve. Does it not take your breath away? This is the reason I bought a sewing machine.

A closer look...

Long time, no see...

2007-08-04T12:45:00.000-07:00

After my two week long (has it really been that long?) silence, I am back, baby! My silence was due to a number of factors, mainly work and a crappy computer. I'm in the mortgage industry and the last week of any month means mandatory overtime; I pulled a couple of 12+ hour days. Dude. Believe me, that might have been fine at 25 but at 30 12 hours at work feels (and believe me it looks) like I've pulled an allnighter. After a week like that, it takes a bit to recover and then I had some computer craziness to deal with.

Anyway, since my fast, I haven't really sewn anything either. The last sewing related thing I did was pick up some fabric to follow up on my directive to make a reusable grocery bag (and to come up with the aforementioned challenge). However, after further consideration of my fabric choices I wonder what I was thinking! They are rather hideous, in fact. So bad that I'm planning on returning the fabrics back from whence they came. So, if you missed me, rest assured I was not fit company...

I mean really, look at what I bought. Would you be inspired by the coffeepots and stripes? Maybe it's just the two together that rub me the wrong way...

What have I been up to since I haven't been sewing or on the internet with my previous enthusiasm? Reading! Yes, I withdrew from the world outside my head and sought refuge in an entirely too ambitious book (for me, not the author) in some subconscious attempt to reclaim my former intellectual self. And maybe to prove that living in Phoenix hasn't fried my brain completely. Although, I haven't really read all that much given my lack of time and energy after month end. Still, so far, it's living up to all the hype of being Rand's masterpiece.

10 day update

2007-07-23T18:31:00.000-07:00

My 10 day Master Cleanse is complete. I feel lighter, more buoyant, generally cleaner in spirit and mind. For a while there, I was so bogged down I was stuttering my way through the day. *NOT* a good way to build a rep with your new boss, let me tell you. The experience is interesting because today was the first time in a very long time that I awoke with a truly clear head. I hadn't realized just how fuzzy my thinking had become in the past year. The combined stress, lack of physical activity, and general suck-i-tude I have adopted regarding Phoenix have left their mark. Not to overstate it, but I really do feel like I took a load off and returned to my essential self. My tummy has never been so flat, either! I think I dropped about 10 pounds in total, probably half of this was water weight, 1/4 cleaning out the gunk, and 1/4 fat/muscle loss. Now the trick is to maintain!

My metabolism has slowed, I am sure, so I have to keep up the physical activity to actually stay this way or else I'm sure I'll gain it all back plus a little extra for good measure. Today was a good day, being the first day back on a somewhat regular diet. For about 6 months I have been edging my way down the vegetarian road and I am now a little bit closer.

I am still planning on a grocery bag challenge, since I think it's an easy - and fun - way to implement additional eco-friendly habits to one's lifestyle. More updates on this later. For now, I am off to kick-boxing class!

A challenge...

2007-07-12T19:22:00.000-07:00

I'm working on day 2 of my cleanse. My mouth feels all funky, but today is definitely better than yesterday and while I definitely don't feel full, I can't say I miss the food. Okay, that's a bald-faced lie. I admit my will has been seriously tested, but not from hunger. Actually, I haven't been all that hungry considering I have been drinking just the lemonade for the past 48 hours. Yes, I have been tempted, but only because I was bored or thirsty. This is not at all different than my normal eating habits :)

Although, yesterday it was rather difficult cooking for the hubby. Grilled chicken has never smelled so yummy, I tell you. And then I made him a roma tomato, vidalia onion and Bulgarian feta cheese salad (my favorite) and I was almost undone. I have always been the resident salad maker for my family, some would even call it my specialty. Not to toot my own horn, but I can really work the raw veggies tossed in some EVOO and vinegar. Okay, enough about food! Well, maybe not so much.

I had to do a little shopping yesterday and I keep on telling myself I have to make my own shopping bags because I can't stand the number of paper bags I bring home. Lately, there are some stores, Trader Joe you know who you are, that like to double bag, which drives me NUTS. If I had to walk a mile, sure, but the 10 steps from the trunk to the kitchen??? Please. Anyway, there is a lovely blogger out of the UK who makes even lovelier bags. You must all check it out. U-Handbags

Here's a peek at U-Handbag's reusable grocery bag for inspiriation and please, check the link out for the pattern and instructions:

In fact, I would like to propose a challenge! How about a reusable shopping bag sew-off? Who's game??

Spring cleaning...

2007-07-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love about sewing is that it is very holistic in nature. One must consider the whole while handling all the parts individually and the treatment of the parts overall effect the final outcome. Crappy fabric and your not likely to end up with a something you will actually wear, etc. I have found myself since moving to the Valley of the Sun seeing things in a much more holistic way than I had previously. In reaction to living in an unhealthy environment (constant sinus issues, skin problems, general lack of pep) I have found myself seeing out activities and habits that act as counterbalance to the toxicity.

In that vein, tonight I start a cleansing fast, also known as the Master Cleanse or the lemonade diet. It consists of a 10 day (ideally) fast of a tonic of fresh lemon juice, grade B maple syrup (like the extra virgin of maple syrups), and a dash of cayenne pepper in water. Lemon has long been known to have various health benefits, not limited to preventing scurvy but also helping in liver and kidney function. Maple syrup has high quantities of the B vitamins, calcium zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. Both lemon and maple sport ridiculous amounts of antioxidants, as well. The cayenne pepper has some pretty major health benefits, too, like helping heart function, digestion, blood purification and production, and pain management. I am less versed in pepper but from what I have read, it seems kind of like a miracle plant.

Since I am congested all the time, I figured that early summer was just as good as late spring and so I begin my cleaning internally. I expect to have lots more energy for sewing and creativity and I expect to be challenged. Hopefully, my sense of humor will return as well. The past month I seem to be lacking, to say the least... I'm shooting for 10 days, but we'll see how it goes.

I squeezed my lemons and added my maple in preparation for tomorrow. The tonic is really quite delish! Good enough that I would serve to guests at my house for a little something different than your typical summer lemonade, gourmet even!

I wonder if anyone else out there has tried it or any other type of detoxification. If you have, let me know :)

Summertime in the city...

2007-07-05T20:45:00.000-07:00

It's barely July and it's already 115 degrees here in Phoenix. It's unnatural, I tell you, for people to live in the desert. Manifest destiny, the Wild Wild West, modernity, and imported palm trees be damned. 115. Degrees. Do you know what that feels like? Good for you if you don't. You cannot imagine it if you don't experience it, much like extreme cold. Although, a preheaded 400 degree oven does give a good approximation, I must say.

So what do I do when my brain is at risk of boiling in my head (note the dark hair folks) and my scalp turns pink? I turn into a good little American consumer and do my part to propel the economy forward by raising the consumer goods index. I shop. Like all other Phoenicians, I seek refuge from the scorching sun in retail. My spending is usually aided by the brain melt down one risks on a daily basis here between June and August. Interestingly, while I am often forced to use cloth barrier (much like an oven mitt kept in the car) to grip the steering wheel until the AC does its thing, there have been occasions that I have left a preferred customer card in the sun and it was never too hot to handle. You could fry an egg and still be able to charge the iced coffee at the drive-thru.

So what did I buy? FAbric, patterns, and notions, people. Joann's had the sale I have been waiting a season for and I was able to get a tailors ham for all of $5. My husband was very confused by it. Even though I showed him how it works, he still somehow didn't understand.
I also picked up a number of patterns:

M5466

M5464

Simplicity 3684

Simplicity 3744

Simplicity 3867, but I bought the wrong size :(

V8202, a snazzy pair of jeans with an awesome back pocket

Simplicity 4097

So what does this all say about me? All this heat has me fantasizing about Fall... Except that I bought summery fabrics:

Top to bottom, from left to right:

yellow batiste that is sort of a watercolor wash over white
bottom weight (home dec maybe?) yellow with blue flowers that are shot through with gold..just enough of this in the remnant to make a swingy skirt!
poly/cotton blend in pink, blue, yellow, and oat Liz Claiborne home, that was the best plaid I have seen in a long time, even if it is pastels and meant for drapes or your sofa. I shall wear it.
Pink, oat, and sage plaid from Joann's prairie girl collection. I was sorry I had this cut almost as soon as I saw the other check but still I bought it
fashion jersey, acetate and lycra that feels like plastic but makes a surprisingly good dress fabric as it drapes nicely. Joann's clearance rack for $1.50 a yard. Can you believe this was originally $15? No wonder it was on clearance...
Coral gabardine in rayon/polyester from Hancock's that just drew me in with its freshness
Maroon stretch sateen, also from Hancock's, that hopefully has enough recovery to actually wear and keep its shape.
Not shown, but a clear vinyl 1.5 yd remnant I don't know what I am going to do with but was possessed to buy for $.93

I picked up some snaps and a little tool to install them, as well as a new seam ripper. A new deluxe seam ripper. Although, my old one was magnetized lightly, which is pretty handy when you want to remove pins from underneath your presser foot.

Why I love the internet...reason #2123

2007-07-01T00:41:00.000-07:00

I've been busy working on my SWAP items. Next in line is May 2007 Burda WoF #112:
As I have never made a pair of pants from the Burda company, I figured it would be wise to make a muslin out of the 10 yards of $.50 black poly-cotton woven I picked up at Joann's 6 months ago at a clearance event. I was doing fine in the construction of said muslin until I came to the zipper insertion. The instructions referred me to pattern #110. Flip one page back and read 110. Shall I reenact what passes for instruction in the Burda world?

Press fly self-facings to the inside, on the right along center front, on the left 5mm before center front. Ahh, okay, I can do this. Measure 5mm, mark, pin, press, done. Stitch the zip under the left fly edge (underlap) (underlap?? huh? WTF?) stitching close to the teeth. Pin the zipper to the left fly edge and baste in place, knowing the stitches are going to have to come out as these instructions are nothing but trouble. Still, I persist. Pin the opening together matching centers. Centers are pinned. Stitch the loose zip band on the right facing, without catching in the trouser piece. Okay, are there separate pieces for the facing? What? Baste facing in place. Which facing? Right or left? Am I dehydrated? Topstitch the opening from the top to 3cm before the end as marked. Flod fly underlap (there it is again: underlap) lengthways, stitch bottom end together. Turn. Place underlap under the left opening edge, pin to fly facing. I am thoroughly lost now. Definitely need water. Stitch the fly facing to underlap close to the zip seam. Close fly again and topstitch to the end , catching in the underlap.

Are you confused? Cause I am seriously confused. I pulled out the big sewing book to reference fly front zips. They have great instructions but they are for separate facings, not extensions as are used in this pattern...I tried to make sense of it all and it made me seriously question my intelligence many, many times.

This, of course, leads me to reason #2123 why I love the internet. While, there is no one I can call at midnight for help, I can log on and search for both information and affirmation of my intelligence on line.

I give you a Video Tip by Sandra Betzina, curtesy of Threads Magazine. The tip for inserting fly front zips is easy, straight forward, and best of all, comprehensible!

Please, help yourself or someone you love:
http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/tvt008.asp

Now, I just need a new seam ripper. Mine is duller than I felt trying to make sense of BWoF zipper...

Those who can do; those who can't...

2007-06-28T22:28:00.000-07:00

Teach! Just kidding. Coming from a family of educators, that has been a long standing joke. So, in my constant endeavors to find something interesting to do, I went to Joann's last weekend. As I was perusing their craft aisle for inspiration for my Burda patterns, I happened across the Joann creative classroom and lo, there was someone there! On a whim, I asked if they were looking for people to teach any classes and she said yes! Next thing I knew, I was volunteering to teach a class on sewing knits.

Next fall, I will be teaching a class on how to sew knits at the Gilbert, AZ Joann's Store :)

I was thinking Simplicity 3775:

Burda WoF 05-2007-124

2007-06-24T19:07:00.001-07:00

I persevered, people. I conquered the sinus infection. I beat that bug within an inch of its life. I passed it on to my husband. Now, I know it's small of me to think so, but I am actually kind of glad since now he can relate to my suffering. The man has the constitution of an ox and has only been sick once in the four years I have known him, while I seem to have sinus issues about every six weeks. It's unnatural.

My Burda dress is about 95% finished :) The only things remaining are the straps and the hem:

Pattern Description: From the Burda website: A return to the Sixties and yet so modern – what a wonderful comeback! This dress demonstrates that typical wasp waist and decoratively folded skirt section, highlighted by bright red piping. This trendy style will be easy to make with the help of our illustrated course in the sewing supplement.

Pattern Sizing:Euro sizing 34-42. It seems I am a straight 38 right off the bat, no alterations necessary.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?I would say that it has the essence of the dress in the photo. I just need to learn how to pose. The photos my husband takes of me always have the character of a mug shot. Turn to the right:

Were the instructions easy to follow?This was my first WoF pattern experience and I can understand why the magazine has such a bad rap. That being said, this was part of the "sewing supplement" so it had extra special instructions that were quite extensive. Or I should say, they were extensive for view A, and sort of for view B, not so much for view C. I can't exactly say I struggled, but I did make a few mistakes here and there. Whether that can be attributed to lousy directions or my inability to focus is any body's guess... I think their instructions for invisible zips are particularly bad. Something so simple shouldn't be unnecessarily complicated.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the overall style. I don't think I would have considered piping if it hadn't been suggested in the design. This was my first experience with piping, as luck would have it, and I think it came out rather well. The instructions said to basically make your own bias strips for piping, but I chose to purchase actual piping with cording, etc. One thing I learned in construction, with so many piped seams intersecting, is that it is best to remove the cord at the seam allowance to avoid bulk and make turning, zipping, corners cleaner. I discovered this kind of by accident, but it was a happy one as it solved the potential problem of a zipper that was getting held up at the two piped edges in the back. I liked the bodice shaping, as well. Burda fashions are are really tailored to fit the body, unlike the majority of the American patterns which have at least 2 inches of unnecessary ease built in to every pattern. The bust is 35.5" and it fits perfectly :)

I'm not wearing a bra in these photos, mostly because the shape of the bodice edge is not conducive to bra straps, but also because I don't need one. The shaping of the seams actually gives plenty of support.

Fabric Used: A printed cotton blend batiste that I bought at SAS fabrics by the pound for about $2 since it is very light. There was just under 3 yards in the piece. I washed it before cutting because, well, I wanted to. Interestingly, after washing, it was very difficult to iron. It is light enough that i thought some steam and a warm iron would take care of any wrinkles. Boy, was I wrong! Once I realized my method was ineffective, I cut a test strip to play with and managed to burn it and melt some of the print. Awesome for my iron, let me tell you. It wasn't until a few days later, as I was thickening some sauce with corn starch, that it occurred to me starch might help with the fabric. Since I don't have aerosol sprays in my house, I decided to make my own. I boiled a cup of water, made a rue with 2tsp corn starch and some cold water, and then simmered the mixture for about 15 minutes. This was loaded into my spray bottle that I usually use for ironing and tested my theory. Starch did the trick, people. I was very proud of myself for my DIY spirit. The dress could definitely use another starch treatment now that it's sewn...

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: So, the pattern called for just the seams on the lining pieces to be interfaced. I thought this would be too much work and just interfaced entire surface instead. It is because I interfaced the bodice lining that I can get away without a bra. My fabric is light enough that there really wasn't any bulk added. I would recommend it if you are using a batiste, in fact. The other change I made was in the straps. The shape of the bodice as it turned out worked better as a halter than as two shoulder straps. I haven't made these permanent yet, so I may do a criss-cross instead, depending on how I feel.

One thing I would have to recommend that is special attention be paid to matching horizontal seams when using piping. As you can see, my first attempt, while noteworthy, is far from perfect. It so imperfect that I would like to fix it, but I am not sure how to do do so. Maybe it just needs a good pressing...

Now, the photos of me show the dress during a fitting stage. I hadn't yet secured the straps, nor had I secured the lining at the waist, which would have smoothed the wrinkles at my middle. Here is a picture of the dress on the dummy, which, sadly, serves to remind me the past year of inactivity has built itself up on my frame. August of last year, I had the same measurements as this figure :( Well, above the hips anyway.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I don't think I'll sew it again. There are so many dress patterns out there that are begging me to try them. I have three issues of Burda in my possession and each has several dresses that I'd like to try.

Conclusion
It's a nice dress. The features of the dress gave me an opportunity for embellishment, if one can consider piping an embellishment. It was new to me, anyway. And, the extra challenge of the WoF pattern was welcome, if a little daunting at first. I tell you, it took me way to much time to deliberate whether I wanted to thread trace or chalk out the sewing lines. Chalk won out in the end because I was sick and didn't have too steady a hand for hand sewing that particular day.

It's a nice addition to the SWAP collection:

Vintage Dior...Or, why I love the internet

2007-06-19T21:00:00.001-07:00

I've been home sick with this season's sinus infection for the past couple of days. Being home during the week when one is sick is it's own kind of torture. You have limited options; too sickly to enjoy being home and, since I have a sinus infection, too stuffed up to actually sleep. I had forgotten how truly terrible daytime TV is, I mean Martha Stewart is cool and all, but the rest...If I didn't have the internet, I would have gone crazy. And, no, I do not have cable for the express reason that most TV sucks beyond belief and we refuse to pay retail for it.

I have spent the last 96 hours in a sort of semi-awake haze, propped up on the sofa with my laptop, well, in my lap surfing the web. Much time was dedicated to searches of vintage patterns. I discovered this website, paperpursuits.com, that has an extensive collection that is very well organized and is awesome in all respects, except for the fact that they fleece their customers. Their collection of patterns range from $25 - $65, with the majority being $48. Now, I have said before that I make it a point never to pay retail, and $48 for a pattern, a cut pattern even, seems like highway robbery to me. This of course led me to eBay :) And, Christian Dior #2948:

The drawing and model caught me since the outfit is very much my style. I love the top, with a self-belt, paired with the the pleated skirt. And at $3.95 plus shipping, how could I not bid? Aren't I lucky that it's my size since I actually won the auction...

Turk does Poison (Scrubs)

2007-06-05T19:53:00.001-07:00

Because I am a child of the nineties and I, too, did the running man...enjoy

And may I present: M5189

2007-06-03T15:40:00.000-07:00

Drum roll please...

Yes, she is done. My first garment for the swap is completed. I started this jacket with the plan of it being the test garment, but I think it stands quite well on its own. And, on me of course :)

Making this jacket was quite gratifying, to say the least. Read on for the full review of the experience...

Pattern Description: From the website: MISSES’ LINED JACKETS: Lined jacket with shoulder pads has front, sleeves and pocket variation; jacket D has purchased trim. I made view A, the short sleeve jacket with pleated pockets.

Pattern Sizing: The pattern comes in multi-sized options: I went with AA (6-12) and cut the 12 according to my bust measurement, 34", thinking that I would likely have to size down at the waist since I find most of the big four tend to have more ease than I prefer in my garments. According to the pattern, I "should" have had 4" of ease in the finished garment. Umm...not so much. We solve such problems by being grateful the jacket doesn't really need buttons, styled as it is.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? I would say it looks very much like the envelope. In fact, I would even say it looks better than... But, I am biased since I did the hard work.

Were the instructions easy to follow? You know, my first impulse is to say that they were very easy to follow. Yes, they were easy, perhaps too easy. So easy that they left out notes on trimming seam allowances and such. So easy that I didn't make that necessary step... Well, in most places, anyway.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love, love, love that everything lined up just like it was supposed to! What a treat this was from my last jacket experience, Simplicity 4146, which I didn't choose myself (Joann's sewing III class). I mean, look, when you are making a tailored garment, one should expect to have to take extra care, manipulate fabric, maybe even curse a little bit when your fabric willfully resists your attempts to control it. Par for the course, right? WRONG! Not with 5189, people, paired with my white cheapo-depot cotton jardage.

Observe the construction of the sleeves:
Step one: baste two rows of stitches on sleeve header, between small dots for gathering. Done.
Step two: sew sleeve sides together. Easy-peazy.
Step three: with right sides together. pin sleeve to armscye, matching side seam, notches, being sure to line up large circle with shoulder seam. Gather to fit. Pin. Here is where I went awry with Simplicity 4146. Observe the beauty of the gathered and pinned sleeve of M5189:

Close - up view of how nicely the edges align. Can you believe this precision took less five minutes. FIVE MINUTES! I timed it. Amazing, I know.

Step four: Baste. Be careful of pricking yourself since you decided to stick the pins in facing outward and are therefore likely to gather some skin along with the fabric. Nice.

Step five: Be grateful of the basting stitch on your sewing machine that lets you do crazy things like leave pins in while you sew.
Step six: Remove pins, turn inside out and observe your handiwork. Admire the alignment of the large circle to the shoulder seam, knowing the permanent stitches, set 1/8" deeper, will be perfect.

Am I right or am I right? Perfection:
For those who need further convincing:

See? Sleeves don't have to be torture. I think it's all about your fabric choice, really. Natural fibers: good choice. Grey, crispy polyester: bad choice.

The collars, notches, pockets, hemline (okay, fine, it's still not done), everything were just as painless, people. Less the numerous scratches I gave myself because, subconsciously, I must believe in the adage "no pain, no gain" when it comes to sewing.

Fabric Used:
White cotton denim or twill with just the right amount of lycra to be easy wearing. Did I mention that it cost me $.90/yard? Same goes for the lining, which was part of my stash. The lining is a white cotton/poly shirting blend, also with a bit of stretch to it. I believe it's a peramanat part of Joann's collection. It's always there on the shelf. I think it's 12.99/yd regular and I marvel people actually buy it.

I believe it's a lifestyle choice never to pay retail and fabric stores are no different. My cheap little heart just loves a bargain.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
I made the size twelve as is, no alterations. One of the first things the instructions have you do is sew the loops for the buttons. I had difficulty turning the fabric. But, didn't I just go on ad nauseum on the willingness of this fabric to be manipulated, you ask? Well, yes, you are right, but still, I couldn't turn the stinking band so in the trash it went. This was providential, however. Since I made the size 12 as is, I was left with zero ease at the waist. This lead to my, umm, "design" change. Those buttons aren't really a necessity, wouldn't you agree?

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, and yes! I love this pattern! I don't know that I'll do the short sleeves again, but it's very cute and fairly sporty. It works well in the white. I'll just have to remember to trim my seam allowances to avoid bulk...
Conclusion
Fantastic pattern! SWAP worthy, I think. And, making 10 garments to match it will be a breeze!

the fabric of our lives...

2007-06-01T19:53:00.001-07:00

Cotton; oh, how I love thee. The touch. The feel. Yes, the commercial is true: cotton really is the fabric of my life. As I said in my earlier post, I am busy creating a test garment for my swap jacket. I picked the fabric up at Joann's a while back during a sale of clearance items so it was a smokin' hot deal at $.90/yd. I bought what remained, which was just shy of 2 yards. The muslin jacket is almost complete and in my opinion, it's definitely wearable:

I cut a 12 because it matched my bust size at 34" and claims to have a finished bust of 38". Now, by my rudimentary math that would equal four inches of ease: definitely enough for a jacket which is meant for the external layer over at least a bra and shirt. I ask you, dear reader, does this look like four inches of ease to you?? Granted, while highly unlikely, it is possible that the girls have grown overnight. However, the jacket is sporty in nature and actually looks good without a closure. I would even go so far as to say that it looks like it's meant to be that way :) Hooray for Rosanne!

M5189 was started with much trepidation. My last (and first) jacket made was not exactly what I would call a success. While not a complete failure, it has remains an Un-Finished Object that I occasionally try in dismay. The fabric for the UFO was a grey stretch polyester suiting that was extraordinarily difficult to work with. Working with my white cotton for this jacket was so radically different, so incredibly non-frustrating, so easy that it gives me new respect for my sewing skills that the grey jacket came out as well as it did. White jacket sleeves: easing and gathering took all of 5 minutes. Grey jacket: three hour session with the help of a sewing pro and still not quite right. Poly is good for some things but maybe not so good for learning to manipulate fabric. The cotton, why, it made want to give a tutorial on how to ease a sleeve, if only just to tell the world one must start with a fabric that likes you and that wants to do what you want it to. World of difference.

Rosanne and cotton, sittin' in a tree. S-E-W-I-N-G. First came poly, then came cotton, then came Rosanne in very own jacket. Lame, I know, but I just can't help myself.

One question:
Do you think the sleeves are too puffy? The husband commented they look slapped on...He is a man of many, many talents however, descriptive verse is not among them. And I was thinking this just might be worthy of entering the contest as a stand alone item. What do you think? Okay, that was two questions.

SWAP Meet

2007-05-31T11:55:00.000-07:00

Dear readers, first, I must welcome those who have left comments! And, of course, everyone else, but especially those who actually wrote to me. Who knew I'd ever have an audience?!

My husband's parents departed last Saturday. The ride to Sky Harbor was really quiet and I was really weepy, which is no way to drive a car, lemme tell you. It was rather maudlin at the airport and truth be told, I was grateful that non-passengers aren't allowed near the gates any longer otherwise I would have had the time really work myself into a lather. Not a good look at 30 and I'm not much on drama in public spaces. The house is so empty now. And, I have to admit, my kitchen is not nearly as tidy...

I spent Sunday and Monday drowning my sorrow by remembering I had joined the SWAP over at Pattern Review and planning with a vengeance. While my in-laws were here, I took them to one of my favorite shops in Phoenix, SAS Fabric by the pound over on Indian School Rd, and picked up some wonderful pieces of inspiration. I bought five yards of a cream suiting with subtle maroon and navy pinstripes and a coordinating maroon chiffon. I'll post photos of them later...

So, with these two fabrics as my jumping off point, I planned out eleven garments for the Sewing With a Purpose challenge. I happen to love dresses, so I am going to try at least two, but we'll see how it goes. My next post will detail my progress to date. I've made a wearable muslin of my jacket of choice, McCall's 5189. I made the short-sleeved version on the upper right in a white stretch cotton poplin/denim/twill/I-can't-decide-what-it-is I bought at Joann's some months ago just because it was $1/yard and it was really, really white.

Details of the Sewing With a Purpose Challenge:
1) Sew 11 items per requirements below
2) All tops must go with all bottoms
3) Jacket must go with all outfits
4) Voting will be done on the wardrobe as one entity, not on individual garments.
5) Wardrobe must be complete by July 31, 2007.

Items to be made: 6 tops 4 bottoms 1 jacket

Dress options - do one of the following instead:

1 dress, 5 tops, 4 bottoms, 1 jacket
OR
2 dresses, 5 tops, 3 bottoms, 1 jacket <-- I am shooting for this one! but if am really ambitious then... 3 dresses, 4 tops, 3 bottoms, 1 jacket

Prizes: There will be two winners based on the votes.

First Prize: $300 gift certificate from Textile Studio Patterns and Fabrics
Second Prize: $200 gift certificate from Textile Studio Patterns and Fabric

Sixty odd days left...Care to wager on whether I will finish on time???

Burda World of Fashion comes to Phoenix, AZ

2007-05-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

This past month, my in-laws have been visiting from Belgrade, which has been wonderful I must say. I have fallen for my husband's family head over heels. They are very much like my own parents, less the English language. In light of the pitying looks I get when I tell folks they are here, I should consider myself extraordinarily fortunate to have such a family. Tomorrow, the pity party will begin in earnest when they depart and it will be just the two of us once more . The house has been abuzz with with activity. Bless my mother-in-law for washing my windows (my husband warned me, but I didn't believe) and generally taking over without taking over, if you know what I mean. I will really, really miss them.

Incredible lady that she is, my mother in law brought me an issue of Burda World of Fashion, as it is easier to find in Europe than in the US. It was April's issue, which was fortuitous since my subscription began in May. As I said, she's awesome.

Right now, they are cruising downtown Phoenix with S (my hubby). All four blocks of it... Phoenix is the anti-city and I hate the sprawl, but they insisted when we came home. Did I mention that they applaud my arrival from work? How can you not love people who find you worthy of ovation? Who doesn't need applause for the nine - ten hours spent slaving for The Man? It's like having my own fan-base. They were chanting, Phoe-nix, Phoe-nix, Phoe-nix! How can you say no? Tomorrow will be a sad, sad day.

Simplicity 3775

2007-05-23T22:13:00.000-07:00

Pattern Description: the very pithy description from Simplicity, "A knit dress." 6 dresses made easy...I made a seventh :)

Pattern Sizing: 4-12, I cut a 12 since I've gained a bit this past year. New job = less time to work out = gradual increase of measurements

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? I thought so! I wanted a sleeveless option with the ruched overlay and v-neck, but this was not pictured. My version of View D worked well.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, they were very easy. I had no moments of confusion at all, which was understandably great.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? There was nothing I disliked in particular. I personally would have liked to lengthen the waist insert to make it a dropped waist line. Overall, the results were successful with no changes to the pattern.
Fabric Used: Mystery knit from the bargain fabrics at Joann, purchased for $0.90/yard after the sale and coupon I had. On the bolt, it looked a little cheap and very synthetic but made up, it could be RTW. Don't you just love a bargain?

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: As noted above, the one change I made would be to not sew the recommended sleeve caps for view D. Otherwise, it was sewn as directed. One word of note: when you sew this dress, baste, baste, baste, before you sew. For the surplice top, I would recommend sewing it in so that it is just a tad short, thus forcing it to stretch and lay flat against your chest. I have a bit of gap-osis when I'm not careful to keep the shoulders back, which you can kind of see in the photo above.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I will definitely be sewing it again with my nice knit fabric. I would recommend it if you like the style and easy wearability of the dress. I would recommend checking the fit on any surplice top before the final sewing. Also, about the bands at the armscye: they don't want to stay put! I think I am going to have to do some hand stitching, which I was hoping to avoid, but if I want to wear it... If you have a serger, great: use it. If your are like me, well, bust out the needle and thread..

As for the hemming...Hemming is my achilles heel, folks. It undoes me nearly every time and frequently is responsible for my sewing resulting in UFOs. I hate hemming. My solution for this dress, after several sessions of frustrated pinning, only to try on and have the pins slip out, was to lay it on the floor and let it commune with my stitch witchery. I folded the bottom over the SW and then pinned and sewed. It was so much easier, let me tell you.

Conclusion: It's a great dress! My husband loved it; my co-workers were asking where I found my dress; I love it.

Making Pleated Drapes

2007-04-15T16:18:00.000-07:00

About a year ago when we first moved into our house, we decided we were going to put up drapery in our living room and kitchen. The house was newly finished and yet looked so naked inside. I shopped around the ready-made options and couldn't find any thing that I thought would suit our home or style. The next step was to explore the custom option and went so far as to have what we wanted priced out. The total cost: $4000-6000 depending on what material we wanted! Now, even if I weren't the do-it-yourself kind of girl, that price tag alone would have made me one. I decided that I could buy the silk dupioni and a sewing machine and sew them up myself...

I finished the kitchen window as my tester and to develop my skills:

I'm working on the living room now... Here are my calculations thus far

Sewing for others...

2007-04-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

Given that I love to sew and that I love my friends, occasionally the opportunity presents itself to join the two. I was chatting with a dear friend of mine this afternoon. We spent a while on the phone, brought each other up to speed on our respective lives and reflected how quickly the last year has passed. My friend had a birthday just this past week and I decided it would be fun to celebrate her and our friendship with a sewing project... Enter Simplicity 3927:

I also have this wonderful stretch charmeouse that my friend really liked when I showed her a photo. It is a polyester silky with just enough stretch to be forgiving. The tunic has great potential.

Once she sends me her measurements, I'll get to work. A full bust adjustment will likely be necessary; I'll be posting my method as I go.

Vogue 8157

2007-04-14T16:23:00.000-07:00

My first pair of pants! I was so excited to finish these pants that I sewed almost through the night. I started with this pattern about a week before I actually cut the fabric. I had initially laid out the pattern front thinking that it would be fairly straightforward. However, I was determined not to go about this project without consideration. My father, a master carpenter, has always said "measure twice, cut once." Looking at the front pattern piece, I decided to take his advice. The inseam on these pants was 32" including the 1.5" hem allowance. Now, I am 5'9" and my favorite pants have a 34" inseam. I decided I would lengthen the pattern, but before doing this, I traced it out to keep the original pattern unaltered. I transfered all pattern markings, added 3" to the front and back at the lower lengthening points and then cut my fabric. The length worked out quite well for me, as you can see below. It works with both heels and flats.

I thoroughly enjoyed the sewing process of these pants. I knew I would have to make an adjustment for my sway back and my small waist but I left that for fitting with fabric. I ended up taking in about 1/2" on the side seams at the hip and taking in 2" at the CB. I also altered the crotch curve a bit, to eliminate some of the bagginess just below the fly. It was a learning experiment for me

The first seams were stitched before I made any adjustments. I *should* have basted everything together, but it was late and I was more than a little tired after working a full day on Friday. I tend to make silly mistakes when I am tired and one would think I would have learned this about myself by now. I managed to sew the inner seams on the wrong side, so the SA was on the outside where it shouldn't have been. Once I ripped out the seam, I basted everything afterwards and tried on the pants inside out to make tailoring easier.

The instructions call for hemming the bottoms by hand, but I machined it using a blind stitch. It was definitely quicker and it's invisible. After looking at the pictures my husband took of me, I realized that I somehow didn't measure correctly and the left leg is longer than the right. It's not visible head on, but obvious from the rear where you can see about 1" of heel on the right and none on the left.

Spring Pattern Review

2007-04-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

They are in, folks: new patterns from all the big companies and I feel the need to comment on the design choices made. Last season we saw the reemergence of the skinny pant, a look I personally feel was better left behind with the late 80s. This season it seems we are heading toward that early 90s look of oversized, loose-fitting garments.

From Vogue...

My least favorite of the bunch, by far, is V2970. The combination of the loose-fitting top with the bow-skirt is unattractive, even on the model. It hits her in all the wrong places: expanding through the ribcage to bubble out at the waist on top of the HUGE bow. Adding insult to injury, the skirt hits her at the widest part of the calf, which is flattering on no woman. This probably one of the least attractive looks I've seen from Donna Karan. Ever.

Continuing with the loose and oversized, Vogue V2971 gives us this skirt and blouse combo. The skirt is laced up the back, giving it the pleats that can be seen from the rear. Adding bulk are the pockets that the model is helpfully showcasing.

The top is not bad, actually. It's a boat-neck wrap top that ties in the back and can emphasize a smallish waist. The site says it is loose-fitting, although it doesn't seem so in comparison to the skirt.

Brought to us from Michael Kors, V2924, features a suit with cropped pants and single breasted jacket. Wide-legged cropped pants = thunder thighs on stubby legs. Look at the model; 'nuff said.

Let's take you back to the year 1995 with Vogue 8395. Observe in the photo provided how the skirt hits her at the widest part of her thighs, a look that works if you are 13 and have not yet developed curves or cellulite. For the rest of us women... Well, this is only for the bravest of the brave. Oh, and lovers of suspenders.

Introducing....

2007-04-07T11:51:00.000-07:00

After many fits and starts, here it is: my first official post! For this inaugural moment, let me address the whos, whats, wheres, whys, and hows of the matter.

Who am I you ask? I am a newly minted 30 year old, married and living with my husband in our new home. I work in the financial sector by day and sew by night.

What do I have to say? Well, lots, generally about all sorts of subjects. This blog will mostly be devoted to sewing related topics, however. We'll keep the politics and religion for another place and time...Sewing is my happy place :)

Where am I? Phoenix, AZ, also known as the Valley of the Sun, aka the Sonoran Desert, aka the hottest place I have ever been to. Last summer it hit 122 degrees Fahrenheit, and yes, you read that correctly. Don't believe the hype about the so called "dry heat." To get an idea of what it's like, preheat your oven to 400. Bend close and open the oven; that blast of heat that hurts your eyeballs? That's what the air feels like here.

Why do I need to have this blog? Well, mostly because I am the only person I know locally with an active interest in sewing and I miss having a community. Gotta love that internet!

When am I am going to post? When I have the energy after working and sewing and being a wife, etc. Don't be afraid to check back often...

How did I get started sewing? My mom had a beautiful old Singer sewing machine that always fascinated me with its golden accents. I thought it was beautiful and loved to watch my mom sew as a small child. It started skipping stitches and she somehow never found the time to have it fixed and so the Singer languished in its table for years. By the time I was old enough to start buying my own clothes, I started wishing I could take in this shirt or that waist line or let down a hem, etc. So, I took the Singer out of its table and to the local shop and had it tuned and the rest is history :) I love to sew and only recently purchased the Best Machine Ever. This blog will document my sewing adventures...