Fits and Starts

I hope to be prancing about in this shortly

Feeling overwrought or uninspired? Buy more fabric!

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I know, I know. It’s wasteful. It’s indulgent- it’s also really fun!!!sui 1Last week the fabricmart box of specialness arrived and as usual the mystery bundles were as exciting as what I’d found myself. The husband didn’t really understand the mystery bundle glee- he looked at me like I was a new and special kind of loon (not the usual one perched in the den watching bad tv with him)when I would pull out, stroke, fondle and coo over each piece.freebie1‘You’re acting like you’ve never seen any of this before- is this a new shopping ploy? ‘I didn’t buy it, the textile fairies brought it because I was  good?’

I of course called him a snarky soandso and told him that ‘it was a freebie for placing such a large….oh, crap…. ‘

Yeah, that last part didn’t help so I took the moral high road and told him to get his stinky dachshunds off my Anna Sui prewash pile!ASnna 2So here are some of the spoils all prewashed and hung lovingly. I managed to wash everything and hang it dry successfully- I am no dryclean bunny- a lifestyle of scrubs and dog hair doesn’t make you a big customer for them, usually!freebie2animal freebietoilleikat

On the 12th we are going into the naked city to see Mary Poppins (the touring company) seriously, I saw the tickets- this is not like when the husband told me Hello Kitty was in Greenville and he really was just tricking me into eating at his favorite Indian gorge buffet!  So I have a frankendress in mind:

5707Butterick 5707 the 3/4 sleeved version. Now I like to get Mr Curmudgey-pants involved in some finery selection and he liked this alot, but he suggested a full skirt, so I plan to change it and of course end up looking like Ethel Mertz. I have 40 lbs (seriously, it was from  the Iva warehouse sale and sold that way) of my fabric of choice, so I am all set to ‘crinoline up’…….now, you know me- a deadline? I must avoid. So this project has sat cut out and uninteresting to me while I bring in a huge box of fabric and play with it. Why do I do this? At work I’m very task oriented- at home? Eh….how many pairs of underpants are left in the drawer?  2? Oh good, I have 3 days to do laundry!!!laundrySo this morning I plan to at least give the bodice some love and attention, but in the meantime, if anyone has any fabulous ideas for what I should do next with any of my ill-gotten fabric gains-  let me know- I can be happily distracted! Also- procrastinator or someone I roll my eyes at? Which one are you in any of your worlds?

photo credits: little me, google images

Vogue 1086 when I get around to it…..

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So I seem to be deep in the sewing doldrums lately. I have so many little ideas and so many deserving patterns and pieces of fabric that I feel like I have reached an impasse and it’s easier to do nothing than to do something.  Lately I’ve been in the sewing room a lot. Sewing? Not so much.   It’s been more about myself and 3 dachshunds watching Nucky Thompson take on the world. I love some Nucky. Take that respectably, please!We did cut out Vogue 1086 tho. I saw ‘we’ because it was a team sport.I know what you are thinking- I should invest in some smaller pattern weights, but I already have these, so I make do.This explains why a childless couple owns a baby gate!

I found this pattern while hunting thru my bins for the one Frankenpuppy used and liked the shape as well. As a sundress it didn’t really excite me- I’m not such a huge fan of my upper arms flowing freely unclothed, but as an over dress I think it’s could be very Anniefied. Another plus is as an overdress I don’t have to raise that bunny releasing v-neck too much. Well, I just checked the DVR and I have several episodes of  Upstairs Downstairs to catch up on.  Maybe I’ll get some sewing in after that…….hate to rush these things.

photo credits: little me, pattern review, meadhawg

Wearable Wednesday – Jean Paul Gaultier

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Now I must admit to a tiny little top hat fetish. I find them jaunty and silly. I have no idea where I could wear such things- I suppose that I would wear them to the same place I will wear this: That noise you heard was merely the metallic lining of my duster rubbing against my metallic-clad buttocks on the bus seat – don’t be so immature! Dita wears this to run out for extra swiffer pads on rainy days……Never let Klimt design your church’s new choir robes…..I’m very concerned about how thin her legs look?! I thought it was an optical illusion… Phew- I wore this just yesterday. I was so pleased to find the perfect place to hang my name badge! Gee, I thought it was so subtle until I saw the navel embellishment?! Why don’t I have events for this?? Events that call for crotch spangles?!

I am speechless….treasure the moment, everyone….. G…… One more- I’ll let you caption it. Extra points for haiku:  photo credits:style. com

Swell Sew along Progress

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I’m having such a great time following along with Sunni and 400 of my closest friends as we tackle Simplicity 1880- or as I like to think of it: Duchess Kate in leopard! You know she wants to join us in the animal pen! You know she’s dying to get out of the beige trap and purr! I have evidence!Leopard print  Diane Von Furstenburg clutch!!! She is trying- lets give her a big hand! She isn’t ready for this tho: Look at that fabulous feline! So vicious, so stylin’! No, no- this one! Over here on Twiggy!

Look at that collar! I‘m so pleased with myself! I’ve learned so many neat little tricks and techniques so far and I haven’t even put my skirt on yet.  Oh, huh. Thats a sentence my mother would prefer that you didn’t take out of context, ok?

Now once I get Kate in my faux predator posse- Camilla: I’m coming for you!!

photo credits: Little me, Zimbio, Go Fug Yourself

Butterick 5558- feh or fine?

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Now normally I run all of my decisions by my usual team of advisors, but they are jetting off this weekend with an old friend…

So I have to ask- I have this pattern, yes it’s Butterick and I generally abstain from such, but I like the look of it. With Butterick comes uncertainty for me. Is it doable for little me? Is that enough waist gathers to make me look like a cupcake in too many liners?

The metallic fabric really screams cupcake, so I’m not trying to copy it exactly- I was thinking contrasting prints. Help me out, is it to much waist bulk? should I change it? less pleats, more pleats, a wide strip of frosting? any thoughts would be appreciated- I love the bodice, but haven’t cut the skirt out yet- so much waffling…….Gaaaa…..I wish I had a cupcake right now……..

photo credits: pattern review, daily mail

Damn it Jim, I’m a Doctor, not a Marsupial……Mccalls 6565

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My husband is so proud right now. Not of my sewista activities- the Star Trek reference of course.

Ok, back to my agenda. I seem to always sew the pattern everyone has made:

Or the pattern no one has made. Either way, this time I’m rocking a pouch area in the front. This spring fashion forecast calls for kangaroos and neons! 

I chose view D- little sleevelets and less pleating on areas that I surely do not need pleating. Seriously, I found it to be the most redeeming shape of all the options- if the model looks like she’s been gathering acorns at Karl Lagerfelds chalet, what would I look like in it?! I have inadvertently created my first – non-wearable muslin! This is it’s best view:This fabric has been with me for far too long- it’s serious polyester. It’s like the least breathable fabric on the planet. It repels natural fibers. But it was cheap and brightly colored and that is my downfall- it’s also what I’m hoping to be when I grow up.  Some issues to correct when I try again with a decent fabric:  the pattern called for self-facings, that ended below the bust and  lining material to complete the rest of it. A 2-toned lining! Hmm.  It doesn’t show, why do it? If I had more foresight, I’d have made the entire lining in just the lining material- 2 layers of this fabric is impervious to ironing, I’ve trimmed, I’ve clipped, I’ve summoned a priest, it will not lay flat- it is alive! Living Polyester- truly an oxymoron.  My other issue that is sort of fabric driven is the hem- it has that roll over effect and in a non-flowing fabric it just looks like I’m bunchy. The length is not so cool either- not really a top, too short to be a tunic, too sleazy to be a dress.Sleeves! I of course opted for sleeves- the upper arm cutlets always get camouflage when available. Ok, sleeves is a loose term- these turned out to really just be shoulder awnings. I can picture a tiny doorman lurking near my clavicles in case anyone fancy needs help finding my arm pit.

So after all this complaining, why am I still so enamored of this pattern?  I just really think that in the right fabric, this could be really cute and it was really fun to sew and it has pocket/pouches! So I am off to the closet of textile hoarding to get some good fabric and start over with my list of grievances and schemes.

photo credits: meadhawg, google images

Jammies and Plans

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Hurrah  for ‘Did you make that?‘  She’s throwing a pajama party! Now normally I am a very early to bed type and don’t have very fancy jammies. I sleep under 3 dogs and occasionally 2 cats- no need to work the peignoir most evenings.

But I think from the looks of abject horror, the husband would like to see something a little less suitable for yard work.

So I shall try- but I love flannel! I do! Surely there is a comfortable alternative to full- on seduction wear……

I’m looking at this:

As if this post wasn’t shocking enough……I think I’m going to use fabric from the closet of egregious textile hoarding! Children, the apocalypse is nigh!

On other scheming notes,  So, Zo….  is at it again with a wonderful and inspiring challenges.  ‘I, prttynpnk of Pretty Grievances, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May ’12. I endeavour to wear 1 me made piece each day for the duration of May 2012- excluding days that I never get free of my gorgeous brown scrubs! ‘      This is a big deal for me- I couldn’t do it until now, but I find myself already having favorites and reaching for more of my own creations than things I’ve previosuly relied on as staples. Yay me! 

 

photo credits: Meadhawg, Google images, NY Public Library Archives