Month: March 2012

Challenge Made and Failed

Erin21 Comments

So I had this idea that, for one week, I would try to wear only things I HADN'T made myself. The few RTW pieces I have, vintage, etc.

I made it to Monday: 

 

one day only!

Seriously, I woke up Tuesday morning and looked at the three (!) daywear-appropriate, weather-appropriate choices I had (two purchased RTW skirts and a vintage dress) and said "The heck with this" (or words to that effect) and went straight back to my regularly-scheduled rotation of made-by-me stuff.

I'm not quite sure what I was trying to talk myself into, except that sewing does take a lot of time (which I'm short on right now, as I'm sure you might have noticed from the dearth of posts recently) and perhaps I thought that if I could get back into the swing of wearing RTW, I wouldn't feel compelled to sew so much. ("Pfffft, fat chance," is what I think my answer to myself was.)

Anyway, if you're interested, the sweater is a J.Crew "Jackie" cardigan purchased on eBay; the blouse is this dotted-swiss wonder from Boden; and the skirt is a pink wool Cynthia Rowley (with great pockets!), bought at Filene's lo these many years ago (I'm pretty sure it's more than five years old). The belt is from H&M, bought in a pack of three. Invisible in this picture (and invisible on my legs) are a pair of microfishnet tights, also in pink. The watch is one of my favorites, a silver plastic Swatch.

So anyway, that was the beginning and end of my RTW challenge. What wardrobe challenges are you working on (or giving up on)?

Another 1577

Erin9 Comments

I still can't seem to stop with Simplicity 1577. I made this one a while back:

It's from some of the fabric I bought on my last trip to Japan. It's a very, very fine-wale plaid corduroy, almost a velveteen.

Sorry for the dark photos — dark dress, dark room:

 

Simplicity 1577

Matched plaids on the front skirt! (This was easier than I thought, I used instructions from the Colette Sewing Handbook.)

Simplicity 1577

Not so much matching on the back — I ran out of fabric! But then again, if you're spending enough time looking at my rear to notice that the plaid isn't precisely matched, there's another discussion we should be having.

 

Simplicity 1577

The fabric was heavy enough that I lined the collar with a lightweight black fabric, instead of self-lining it: 

 

Simplicity 1577

And a slightly brighter view of the bodice: 

 

Simplicity 1577

This fabric is so soft and comfortable to wear — it's lighter-weight than it looks, so the skirt doesn't quite hang as nicely as in the denim and seersucker versions. But it's not a huge difference. It does pick up quite a bit of lint (especially in the wash). 

I think it may be time for another one … I have some heavy corded cotton that might be just the ticket!

Today’s Pattern Story: Simplicity 4574

Erin8 Comments

Simplicity_4574

Amelia had promised her mother that she'd retire her "bitch, please" face, but, upon hearing that Helen actually believed that Robert would be proposing that afternoon (in a hot-air balloon, no less!), no other expression would do.

"Not since the great deviled-egg crisis of the summer of '49 have so many people been so wrong about so much," Amelia thought. Robert might be proposing something in a hot-air balloon this afternoon, but it wouldn't be marriage, and it wouldn't be to Helen. If only Amelia could get the blueprints in time!

Pattern at MOMSPatterns …