Month: December 2011

Wearable Wednesday says ‘Woof!’ to Zac Posen

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This week I asked the Dachsies who they wanted to see for Wearable Wednesday. They took a meeting and returned with a unanimous decision: Zac Posen. They raved about his talent, his innovations, his incredible taste! Yes, he has a long-haired black and tan…..

He also designs some pretty frisky frocks- lets take a dachshund approved look:

I think Dita Von Teese’s pups might like Posen too- this is all feeling very 50’s Vogue-y Glam Auntie Mame-y. Which I love, but don’t have the life for! Oh, heck- I don’t even have the hangers for that life!

Oooh! Pockets- and you can fit a dog in each sleeve!  

So- tails up or down on this PreFall 2012 collection?

photo credits: Style.com, google images

Burda has me breathing into a paper bag…..

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So did I mention I subscribed to Burdastyle? I did the 3 month subscription in case I was was in over my head. Well, I totally love the patterns in this months issue- lots of tunics- you know tunics and I- are happy together!

So I have loved it, read thru it, put post-its on pictures I’m giddy about, ran into the sewers bordello and held the magazine up to different stash items- cuz you know, I like to get the fabrics opinion, just in case. Now this morning I took the big leap and removed the staples delicately and spread out the pattern pieces.

       OH HOLY MOSES ON BUTTERED TOAST?! Those pattern pieces laid out on top of each other with different colors for different pieces, different dashy lines for each size (mine is the little tiny cow hoof prints in a line I think)  and the multiple languages I think I may have had a little seizure while looking at it. I am so ready to tuck-tail and run back to the See and Sew area and never come out! Give me 2 pieces and an elastic waist! Right now I’m typing from my anxiety closet with a flashlight- I put the pattern magazine in the refrigerator I don’t think it can open from the inside- so I think I’m safe for now.

So the question is- did anyone else assume the 3-d glasses were missing from their first issue? Any tips on not going blind while trying to trace what looks like a crude map of Middle Earth onto tracing paper? On a high note- I did discover that if I stared at the paper and let my focus relax, I can see a schooner! And Dolphins! And a manatee!

Or should I just buy a lovely parrot since I now have 3 months worth of potential cage lining?

photo credits: google images, burdastyle

Born to be Mild

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Mr B and I have discovered Sons of Anarchy. So we’ve spent a few weeks renting, borrowing and DVR’ing to get up to speed on the intricate world of Motorcycle Clubs. See? I said club, not gang- cuz I’m totally saavy to the culture. Oh, yeah, thats me. Up until now, my biker knowledge was formed at the feet of the great Erik Von Zipper!

Yes, the ruffian that terrorized Frankie and Annette. Now I’m totally cool and up on the lifestyle and politics. I only have one question that I would like to ask Clay and Gemma. Is vigilantism a moral and ethical approach to maintaining a lifestyle and does peace thru any mean necessary really reflect the personal freedoms you hold so dear  Ok, no. Thats not it. You know by now that I am far to shallow for such. Did I fool you for a minute? What I want to know, Gemma, is whats with the lack of print clothing? I get all the reaper images and the crosses, cool, sure, but hey- how about some gothic prints? Burnouts, something?! Somber animal prints? I’m not saying full on Lily Pulitzer, but honey- is there a rule against it? I know I sound like my mother when I was working in theatre- ‘It’s a nice day out, why all the black?’

So Gemma in honor of you- I am working on my own bit of biker culture. A biker jacket homage. But Anne-fied.

I am enjoying the irony of a pattern by the ever so creepy Suede having anything to do with Sons of Anarchy- that just adds to my fun and proves my lack of ‘street cred’.

So does this piece of floral upholstery fabric mid-sacrifice! 

This will be my first attempt at an angled seperating zipper- so if you hear wailing- thats just me. Extreme pocket closeup ( tho you shouldn’t get in my face- I’m tough now)  

Happy Holidays Everyone and remember- if you need a tough looking gal to intimidate anyone who has designs on your lunch money, I won’t be done with this until at least after Christmas!

Photo credits: little me, google images, Simplicity

A Holiday Wearable Wednesday! Carlos Miele

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Carlos Miele’s prefall 2012 collection is making me feel very festive and seasonal. My round of holiday events and soirees is very similiar to the Duchess of Cambridge, so here are my picks for this holidays round of parties and events:

I’m bringing those little tiny crockpot sausages to a party in this with matching oven mitts by Prada:

This is a perfect match for my cranberry-mango jello mold I feel hgomeless people on Christmas Eve:

My Mother in laws annual stocking exchange and garage clean up will be the perfect place to wear this:

I’ll pop out to get more pecans and condensed milk at the bi-lo in this:

I’ll take the dachsies to Petsmart for their holiday photos in this:

 And I will fight another shopper for the last Rock & Roll Elmo at the Walmart in this:

What will you do ill-advised holiday acts in this year?

Photo credits: Style.com

Mccalls 6470 A Semi-Sheer Diversion

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So you know I’m not totally locked into worrying about making a garment look like the picture on the envelope- that harshes my art, man. Ahem, cough, cough. Ok, sometimes they do, sometimes the fabric tells you what it feels like doing.

 I can’t stand here all day defending my craft like a kid showing off his sketch of what is SO obviously a dragon and some people (insert my Mother here) just don’t get it?! Thats so limiting! So onward, right?  I had this fabric as part of the amazing and never ending Deanna fabric stash and I think it is quite blousey- tho sheer and it says peasanty, drapey fun thing to me. Of course the fabric talks, right? You know it does!

Sorry the picture is so dark- a meteor was about to strike the earth- or my husband had the settings wrong. Whatevs. A  perfect opportunity to practice my seam finishes while I find a therapist willing to spend an hour with me and my serger.  I’m pleased to announce that the insides of this top are as pretty as the outside- look Mom, I made french seams- well, I didn’t sew them down flat, I didn’t want the top stitching  look on this- so formal- so unpeasanty!

See:

Theres your gratuitous pup shot of Bruderlein and Katze.

So here is my little list of changes:

Well, most obvious would be the jellyfish decorative bow. I just felt it needed something and the fabric was to lightweight for one of the brooches I got at the Elizabeth Taylor auction last week- I’ll save that for another outfit!

I also thought the crinkly sheer fabric didn’t lend itself to all that top stitching, so I let the collar and cuffs be a little  more unstructured. Because that’s what the fabric said to do! I hand stitched the cuffs and collar under on the inside and I like it’s rolling look.

Also, I gathered the material over the shoulders instead of using the patterns pleats. It stood up in little peaks like I’d let it dry on a hanger- you know the look, right? So I sent for the more smooth laying alternative.

Last- I cut off about 4 inches on the hem- there is belted tunic, then there is Grannies nightshirt, you know?

Pattern of the year voting makes me feel Beige…..

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So I was really excited to see the patterns up for Pattern of The Year 2011 on Pattern Review. I admit that I was gidddy (yup ‘ddd’ giddy. It’s a higher level) at the idea that some of my reviews would get the little banner and I would feel special and elite!

Then  I saw the comments. I now feel sort of pedestrian in my tastes. ‘The patterns were boring’, ‘the patterns were all dresses’, ‘the patterns were things that only Anne liked’…..I’ve spent a year or so gathering basics and enjoying making Lisettes in fun fabrics and of course making the world safe for more faux animals as I eased myself back into the sewing pool and remembered lost skills and added new ones.   I’d like to say my pattern stash is full of intricate Japanese origami cantilevered artistry and when I walk thru an art gallery in my creations people try to bid on me. But um, no. I have a limited lifestyle. I wear scrubs to work and most of my socializing is about jeans and a frisky top. The Ihop is really not the place for a Daphne Guinness style retrospective!

Granted, I want to be that girl, I just can’t reconcile it to my reality yet! After I was over thinking that all of sewingdom thought I was lame for having all of these styleless patterns I thought about why I sew.

I need a creative outlet and I need clothes! I’m shallow and need new pretty, shiny objects all the time!!! You may not know this, but I am no size 4. I want the clothes I want in my size.

But mostly, the economy has made me much more aware of where my money goes and buying mass produced poorly made unlined garments is not as appealing as it was when I was young and foolish and didn’t mind disposable clothing.

 So I think my point is, if I can actually claim to have one-  it appears that we may be having another social shift. These patterns must be popular and oft-reviewed for a reason.

People used to sew by necessity, then it shifted to sewing to create art, now a lot of people seem to be sewing to take back the art of clothing and design and keep a ruthless industry at bay. This year I’ve seen some amazing things made out of curtains, bed spreads and fleecy dog beds. Ok, I made up the dog bed one- but if you feel like taking on the challenge- I will post your fido frock any time!

There is a happy medium here. Sewing for economy can also be sewing to show off your art. We can do both and some of my favorite bloggers do. So if your pattern isn’t on the list of nominations be happy- you are too avant-garde to be duplicated, but let me enjoy my little banner on my  review! I never won any awards in school- I was busy being surly and misunderstood.

Wearable Wednesday: Valentino 2012RTW

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Valentino- institution, right? The The name shrieked by aging matrons with nasal voices when the valet gets their unmanicured mitts too close to the skirtage. I think Valentino is a little bit aging, but maybe thats just me.  Just this week Jessica Biel worked some Valentino and looked a lot under 90 years old.  I think removing the lining from it is probably a good start to bringing it a frisky young Courtney Love-esque audience.

 Now I love pockets, but maybe they aren’t always a good thing- especially when they create weird optical illusions:

This I like.

Maybe this too.

This one makes me think of the Loretta Lynn museum. She needs bigger hair:

This is my favorite. I like the very simple lines with the embellishments. 

Photo credits: Style.com

Tell the truth and Shame the Devil!

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I have a confession to make. It’s bad. I’ve hidden it from my family and friends, but I think they know. My husband has long suspected and kept my secret- he’s never mentioned it or tried to get me to see a professional, but I think as a tech person it secretly shames him.

Gentle reader, please don’t despise me- I want to be better, but I am weak and lazy. I hate my serger. I think it even hates me too a little. I know when I brought it home I said I would try, but I look at it and it jams. I breathe near it and the thread breaks. Please don’t think I don’t edge finish! I do! Like it’s a religion! But I do a pinked edge and 2 passes with a tight zigzag stitch.

Is there someone out there that knows of a Double needle Phobia? Am I the only one that finds their serger to be like handing nice fabric to a hungry stegasaurus? All I do is wrestle with it until it decides to jam and free the helpless textile victim from its angry clutches?! I even picture it behind me waiting,waiting for it’s Speilbergian moment to come and it will gnaw my leg off and eat all of my fabric.

I know most sewists adore their sergers. I even visualize some of them in Corona commercial poses sharing a cold one with their sarong-wrapped Bernina as I cast hostile glances at mine from across the room! I’ll bet some of you even have it on your Christmas card…’Joyeux Noel from Flash and I…..’

I need to take a step back from the issue and focus on the positive.

1. It makes a fine cat perch! 

2. It holds extra pattern pieces up away from the dachsies!

3. It makes anyone who passes by the Sewer’s Bordello impressed by it’s professional look!

…ok, thats all I can think of. So I’m looking for advise from all of you that know better than I. Serging is another step toward professional looking garments and having it and not using it just bothers my thrifty/cheap soul. Can this relationship be saved?

Wearable Wednesday on advisement from the British Fashion Industry: Christopher Kane

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The British Fashion Awards honored Christopher Kane with their ‘New Establishment Award’ this year so I thought that we should all take a look. From Spring 2012 RTW:

  I like the origami intricacies of the garments, but they can get a little snoozy as a collection- I guess I need rich textures or craziness to get my vote. I have seen too much!

Maybe if they let me touch them- the fabric looks fun to play with….

This makes me think of those pillows with the flower heads pressed between 2 pieces of chiffon…so Target Dorm room 2003…but oddly, I’m wanting it.

Vassar Girl Walk of Shame?

What do you think of all this genius? Do you feel it? If these bodices get more complicated, Vogue Patterns will hire him…

Photo credits: Style.com

The $4 Duck Duster in a field of Lavender

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So when  I go to my special happy place-  I have three, you know- one of them features me with flowing hair, slim hips and I’m in a field of lavendar with my fully-housebroken dachsies. We are cavorting and basically creating envy with our perfect skin and loveliness. Sometimes Colin Firth is holding one of the dachsies or dark chocolates…..Oh, I know, it’s a Lancome ad in my head, but it makes me feel peaceful.  Usually I am wearing something Sew Serendipity. Until this week I have only pawed thru the book and fantasized about how lovely I would look in well- coordinated peasantish attire. Then the Hancock fabric $4 duck came into my possession and a duster was my new plan.

Behold!  Can you see the lavender? Can you feel the wind blowing thru the perfectly groomed and Westminster-worthy coats of Liesl and Bruderlein? Ahhh…..Now my $4 Duck Duster is making me very happy, but I will admit to some issues:

I have some fitting issues stemming from one of my shoulders being a little higher than the other- stop picturing Quasimodo! It makes collars set funny sometimes and I end up placing them ala eyeball instead of by the markings, but it worked out. A lining will definitely happen next time- I’ve done a full lining, but not a lining with self-facing and it was too much for my little brain this weekend.  I chose to just make it meet at the front with a lovely metal clasp, so now one of my decorative flaps- stop picturing my decorative flaps! Is slightly off, but I will fix that this evening. I did a little improvisation on the cuffs and I like it and Bruderlein says it isn’t too scratchy!