Thursday, June 27, 2013

finished project update

Dears. Deers. So sorry about my unexpected hibernation. I'd be lying to your pretty little faces if I said I wasn't exhausted with sewing and blogging by the end of May, considering all those Project Sewn weekly sewing frenzies and the endless photo-taking and editing that accompanied Me-Made-May. I lost my sewing mojo (sewjo, if you will) and signed up for a Netflix account. It was tragic. I didn't even want to shop for fabric.

My desire to sew has returned somewhat, so I have completed a couple items lately. My desire to model my creations and write detailed blog posts about each individual item has NOT returned, however, but I figured I should alleviate my guilt and post a brief little wrap-up of some of my recent projects. I don't want my blog to start growing mold or gettin' crusty, after all. Um.

Above Left: Grainline Moss Mini skirt in black and white speckled cotton sateen from fabric.com (here). The red zipper was all I had. This is a quick little pattern but I still can't insert a fly zipper without instructions. One day...

Above Right: OK I actually made this forever ago as a pattern tester for Megan Nielsen's new Cascade Skirt (currently sold out while Megan takes a break, but still available through her stockists here). I never blogged it because Megan released her collection in the midst of crazy May bloggery and I am a bad person. Anyway, I made my test version in a teal/green poly crepe. I evened out the back hem and shortened the whole thing overall because I am a thick-calved girl who can't wear midi length skirts. This too is a quick pattern with a lot of punch.

Above Left: My second version of MN's Cascade Skirt, this time in a printed floral rayon and with a buttoned band instead of the tie band. I shortened the whole thing four inches more from the crepe version in an effort to make a casual and flirty summer skirt, but the front hem grew like crazy so it ended up being crooked and knee length. I do not recommend you wear this wrap skirt in windy outdoor situations. Again, sorry to the people of Philadelphia for what you've had to witness.

Above Right: Speaking of flowers, here's a floral men's shirt made from a lightweight vintage cotton found on Etsy. Awhile ago I traced my boyfriend's favorite and best-fitting shirt to make his perfect pattern. I've made him four shirts from it since. For this short-sleeved version, he wanted to be brave and hip and try a dainty little floral print. Aight, grandma. I ain't mad.

Above Left: omg more florals. And pastel florals at that. WHO AM I. I guess I was drawn to the slate gray background and the pixelated flowers that look like blown up pics from the internet. This knit fabric is really weird, though. It's reversible, but the prints have nothing in common and there was color bleeding and staining on one whole edge, so it was obviously a mistake on the fabric printer's part. That's why it ended up at Jomar, a junky discount fabric warehouse, and into my shopping cart and my sewing heart. The picture doesn't show the whole thing but trust that it's a dress. The dress pattern is Burdastyle Double Layer dress (bottom layer only) from 6/2013.

Above Right: Derp. Here's a lazy Instagram photo but I just wanted to share a life update that I was prescribed glasses this month. I was getting terrible eye strain and headaches by the end of every workday, so I knew it was time for an eye exam. Still trying to get used to seeing myself in specs, especially in photos other people take of me, but at least I can now focus on all the details of the lurvely clothes you post on your blogs. Pain free! #nerdsunite
My frames are from the Victory Collection, a brand established in 1941. The style I have ("Honey") show the above little photos of the original ads on the website. Those women are way more elegant than I am.

So, a bunch of quick and easy projects at an attempt to get myself back in the sewing room. Have you ever lost your sewjo and blog-jo (?) at the same time before? Rough, man. Hope you understand!