A few thoughts

Here's a lil project I worked on.  Didn't have a chance to make something tangible this week, but here are a few thoughts down on paper.

Tassels

Finally, the weather we've been waiting for.  I took my project outdoors.

I'd kept the threads that were pulled from the fraying edges in a neat little bundle.  I thought it might come in handy at some point.  And look what it yielded - 5 cute little tassels!...soon to be joining a matching bag and it's lonely zipper.

*

Lesson to be learned: if you leave a clay pot out during winter and water freezes in it, it'll show up in spring looking a little different.

And yes, that is astroturf you see.  Not by choice but it came that way.

Hold your horses

Unfortunately I will not finish tonight (which will always sincerely be my goal every Tuesday) but sometimes life's circumstances (bday dinners, friend-visiting dinner, dessert-night/aka-dinner) just doesn't let you.

So this is what I have so far.

Placemat bags

I'm not making placemats, but it sure does look like it.

*

Here are a few things I saw today on lookbook:

Swaddle me

The last post got me all thinking about an unfinished project.  I would not be exaggerating if I said it's been years!  I was obsessed with all things cocoon-like but with it unfinished it really looks anything but.

1) I mistakenly sewed the welt pocket inside out - and clearly just gave up :)

2) The lining was unfinished - I remember because the loosely-woven blanket-like fabric itself had started to grow - and did not fit the lining that was cut for it

3) Therefore the hem was also left unfinished due to the fact that it was now 2" longer than the lining

Hmph!

There were too many frustrations and so many distractions, I just left it...until now!  Pictures due in the morning.

It clashes

In grade school, I remember how pink and orange would elicit an "eew that clashes".

Now it's cool.

But it still makes my eyes hurt.

This is just the front and back, simply draped, one pin on each shoulder...just to give you a taste!

1. I made sure my muslin, and two fabrics were the same size to start with...

2. Cut out neckline that I like, i.e. just low enough to flatter, and cut the rest to something I had imagined would work (there's always danger in that) *note the crazy rulers necessary in creating the perfect curves

3. Place back on fabric and cut - I didn't have enough fabric (only 1 yard), so we'll see how this goes!

Not tonight

I did not finish tonight but here is what I have so far!

Obviously I needed to start earlier than today if I wanted to finish, em, today.  Let me just say that *my skills do not warrant such lofty goals*!  My brain works hard at this.  I invent solutions for myself :)  But I figure it out, better by each attempt, and that is partially what sewchique is for me.

For this look, I needed to make a pattern.  I prefer the laziness of immediate gratification of draping with the actual fabric and having it finished sooner, but it doesn't always work that way.

[Muslin "B" back and "F" front // just getting started // finished with the main piece]

It's interesting how the pattern turned out.  R thought I was making bell bottoms!

[Flat pattern for hip area // "slash and spread"// pinned into place]

More on this tomorrow!

What do you see

How did you fair on my Rorschach test?

Horse

I found myself pacing between Number 4 (my mannequin) and the kitchen. Neither had what I was looking for - a solution for this week's look or a post-dinner snack.

I've decided to use R's old shirt and work around that.  

After much pacing, one thing led to another and this is the path I took:

[Topshop, Torn via Swirl.com, Prada SS 2010 via Style.com, The Family Dog via flickr.com]

More on this tomorrow!

"You're not a doctor"

 

I know today is my due day but it'll have to wait a few days.  I had a snowy trip planned and tried to finish the crimson garment before the weekend but just couldn't find something I was satisfied with.

Pictured above is a seam I've decided to leave exposed.  This was supposed to remain hidden on the inside but when I flipped it over, what a nice surprise!

One of my professors always reminded us that we are not doctors; making clothes is not like surgery.  If you make a mistake it's not like someone's life depended on it.  And sometimes that's really the hardest part - making the first cut.

Business up front, party in the back

No I did not get a mullet.

But I did find myself a party in the back!

Not a cape, toga or blanket

What will ensure that this kimono doesn't look like anything but?  I decided the answer was SLEEVES. So that is where I started!

This is the front and back, respectively.  I must say I am quite pleased!  I'm also kicking myself for not posting them yesterday, but I will get better at this blogging busy-ness, I promise. 

Above, uncut fabric, sketching sleeve shape via paper (aka pattern), cutting the fabric with the final pattern.

The #1 hinderance of my quick progress is (no, not myself or procrastination) but chiffon*.  I am by no means an experienced sewer or draper.  And neither have I blogged before.  So between fighting the shiftyness of chiffon, sewing chiffon while avoiding the impossible 1/8" baby hems, and making decisions, decisions, decisions on how to drape the slitheryness OHandIforgottophotographitagain, I've realized that it's a bad idea to start this project with chiffon.

*p.s. wiki says so too

But I don't give up easily, esp with encouragement from Mara Hoffman.

[Images from Style.com and Mara Hoffman website]

Purple rain

So it's official, I'm behind schedule.  This is why:

Prince has convinced me that it's cool to wear sequin PANTS, with a matching silk tunic shirt.  Red, from head to toe, suddenly doesn't sound so bad either!  (And that it's okay to skip an evening of sewing to go watch his sexy dance.)  I still don't think men should wear 5" heels, but Prince can.

So now that the Prince concert is out of the way, here's a sneak peak of what's to come!