a little inspiration

 Another successful Big Clothes, Small Clothes garment!  I made the muslin for these last summer after looking at the Tessuti blog about them and obsessing.  They weren't quite perfect and I felt unequal to the challenge of adjusting them (the problem was in the bum.  It is hard to see your bum in the garment and make adjustments without twisting and causing more problems.)  This year, I've gained a little weight, and when I finally decided to give it a go, the muslin fit pretty perfectly.   I'd seen them made in different printed fabrics and I felt like that might hide imperfections in the fit.  The volume of these pants is what drew me in, but I already feel self-conscious about having short, round legs.  Our relationships with our bodies are complicated.  While sewing gives us a certain amount of freedom, it also forces us to look at how our bodies don't fit pattern blocks.  Anyway- I digress, but this is a thing I know we are a...

I had no idea I was choosing a fabric that so perfectly matches my hair.  I am fairly certain that isn't what most fashion editors would suggest.   However, it is very pretty and very, very soft and cozy.  This is the Cinema Dress by Liesl and Co .  I am pretty sure I bought the pattern the day it came out.  I had just finished the girl's version for Anjali.  I've yet to get a good picture of her in it as she is always so busy. The fitting on the bodice of this dress is perfect me.  The side view is a little wider than I would go for off the rack but I think the front and back views make up for it.  The only thing I changed was sizing down two whole sizes.  I don't need 4 inches of ease in the bust for a dress with princess seams.  Oh, and I omitted the notch at the neckline in this version.  Just because Anjali is very grabby and I don't want to make it any easier for her to get her hand in my shirt.... :) I als...

Lately I've been thinking a lot about not sewing. Not sewing anymore clothes for myself anyway.  I struggle between wanting to have everything handmade and the reality that it takes a lot of time and money and skill that I just don't currently have.  I have a lot of things that I finish but aren't really how I'd have liked them.  The fit is often off.  And you really can't tell until you are done.  Muslins help, but it goes back to to time again. I've been knitting like crazy and really enjoy that process now.  I wonder if I just need to take a break from sewing until the kids are older and I can take a garment making class.  My ideas are outstripping my ability. I do have the cinema dress pattern and fabric for it which I'd like to try since Anjali's came out so well.  I haven't given up totally yet...

I have to figure out a better way to take pictures of completed garments.  It is tough to find a place where the light is good and the background is uncluttered enough.  All out walls have pictures hanging. This is the tunic length of the raglan sleeved shirt from Simple Modern Sewing.  I've used this book a lot over the years.  I took an inch out of the front but otherwise it is pretty much as written. I have another one cut but just realized I cut one sleeve backwards.  I'm not sure there is a good remedy for it as I am out of fabric. I finished this on the 2nd.  First item of the year.

I'm still here.  I've been busy. And sick. And parenting. And overwhelmed.  I am trying to figure out how to use this space with the time I have.  I'm trying to figure out how to live more graciously.  I'm trying to find solutions for solution-less problems.  How could it be that there are so many of those? I'm hoping to use this to catalogue completed projects this year. Less words, more images.  I've been using instagram a lot.  But this would be neater, easier to look back and possibly (?) have details I'd like to remember.

A few weeks ago I decided I needed to go to the Oliver + S website and look at patterns.  Clearly a bad idea as I wanted to buy most of them.  Especially enticing was the t-shirt family pack.  A pattern for everyone in the family?  Yes, please. I put the women's together in about three naps.  Next time it will only take two since the pattern is already cut and taped.  It was really simple.  I thought the neck was too tight at first but it is very comfortable on.  I also freaked out a bit when putting the sleeves on and matching the curves but then I remembered reading something about attaching knit sleeves on the Collette blog.  I can't find the link now but it mentioned dividing the stitches in half and starting at the top of shoulder and heading towards the armpit for each side.  Suddenly it was easy.  A very satisfying little project. The fabric is more vintage who knows what from who knows where.  I didn'...

I've been working on this dress since March.  Intermittently, slowly.  Trying to do things as well as possible instead of my usual rush job. I even made a muslin and decided to size down, knowing this satin would show every crinkle where the fit was wrong.  I am looking forward to finishing the muslin into something wearable too.  It'll be fine a size up in a light weight woven stripe.  I've put it off because of the buttons I think...  There are a lot of buttons. This is Colette Patterns again .  They really write a beautiful pattern.  I want to go back and put smaller buttons on the collar to convince it to stay down on both ends and up the men's wear details on it.  I didn't have time to get matching buttons before the wedding when I realized that the collar just wasn't going to behave.  When my mother in law asked me to be in her wedding I knew I had to find something special.  Something pretty and simple and that I...

It strikes me as ironic that I finally made a perfectly serviceable nursing dress the week before I decided that I was done nursing.  I've been working on this dress in my head for the last 5 years.  (I know, it is awfully simple to have taken that long!!) I love nursing my babies but somewhere around 14-16 months I'm totally over it.  When the teeth come out and the baby becomes the distracted toddler I'm done.  And I miss dresses!  This time, all done.   Dress A is a blank slate tank dress.  My favorite shift style.  I lowered the neckline and notched it and added a button.  I added patch pockets.  On the next one I will omit the notch and put the pockets in the seam.  I am also thinking of adding a draw string waist.  Because of the pockets on this one you can't really belt it. But I don't mind.  No one is going to call me sexy in it (and some people might think I am hiding something.  No more babies here tho...

I could hardly resist the title.  Two is not quite enough for a flock but perhaps three will be.  Moving two sizes down from the last Tiny Pocket Tank  I found a nearly perfect fit.  And I was a little surprised (though I had been looking at them both for many days thinking of these tanks) to discover I had picked two bird printed fabrics. This one is vintage from a gifted stash.  The binding is part of the immense amount I got at the beginning of my sewing all those years ago.  This shirt cost me nothing but time to make. There was exactly the right amount of the binding to do the neckline.  If I do say so myself, I think it is very anthro.  I still want to drop the darts an inch.  These children have certainly rearranged my body but I am getting used to it and trying not to mind too much.  All part of growing up, accepting the changes for what they are instead of fighting back so hard. Also, perhaps it is time to clean my...

I am still sewing over here.  Does anyone come here to see those kinds of things anymore?  It has been a while since I was able to share anything about making things.  It is an interesting place to be, moving so much out of my life and loving a craft that creates more stuff.  The Cooper bag is still going strong after a couple months constant use.  I love it and my husband doesn't even mind carrying it. Most crafters have a "stash."  This is just a nicer word to use than hoard I think.  At least, in my case.  I'm struggling to figure out how to balance.  My goal for the rest of this year is to only use fabric I already have.  I can buy a pattern or the notions but no more fabric for a little while.  I have many ideas about what I'd like to create in the coming weeks and months, especially since I am trying to set up a capsule wardrobe. In trying to start this right away I noticed that there is a huge imbalance in my clos...

Last year at the sewing retreat I had a colossal fail  (but look how tiny she was!!) when I tried to make a bag.  I will admit, it was good for me.  This had never happened to me before.  And in the time in between I don't think I made any bags at all (except perhaps a library tote for E?)  This was a little odd for me because I have made quite a lot of bags and really got sewing as an adult because of them.  I've used patterns and made up things, done simple and embellished. Anyway, last year was a disaster and I wanted to redeem myself (okay, maybe it was sub-conscious...) and when I came across the Cooper from Colette Patterns I knew I had just the right thing. I spent a lot of time online looking at what others had done to figure out what kinds of fabric combinations I really loved and then I spent a few more hours looking at fabric online to pick just the right combination for me.  I searched around quite a bit for the hardware. ...

  This weekend is for sewing.  I have a few things cut out.  Two patterns from Colette.  It'll be interesting to see what comes out of the weekend.  Hope you have wonderful plans too!

I must tell you I am still quite perplexed to find myself with a One year old baby.  How has this happened?  How could she still seem so small and baby-like ?  I am not sure if I am just delusional or if Emerson actually was farther along at this age.  He was really trying to walk I think, and that makes a difference.  Also, there wasn't a 4.75 year old to compare him to.  I know that makes her seem smaller. She is a delightful creature.  Full of smiles and jokes.  Easily frustrated and easily calmed. This was made using the same pattern for the hedgehog dress .  I still didn't cut the front and back pieces in two, just added a little extra in the front to make the gather.  Emerson picked the shoulder buttons and I came across these felt buttons I have had since E turned one.  I put them on to remind of a dog foot print as our party was, of course, a wolf party. I made this hoping it would be her birthday dress but it...

After all the things I've made over the years, all the time sewing and crocheting and pattern making and altering you'd think a Christmas stocking would be a walk in the park.  Not so this one.  It took three attempts, one broken needle (!) and a trip to my favorite local fabric store, Kitsch , to make this incredibly simple stocking. If I remember correctly, when I made E's it wasn't so easy either.  In fact, his came out backwards.  What is it that is so hard about this simple project for me?  I've no idea. But it is a good metaphor for all the simple things I make hard for myself each and every day.  I know that sometimes I am just making it harder for me (because really, if you are making it hard for those around you who suffers? You got it.)  I've been trying really, really, REALLY hard to stop it.  Just stop completely and back off.  With any luck, by the time I'm 85 I'll have the hang of it.  I already know I am better at i...

Well hello!  Look at these little lady bunnies!! Mable and Sable are twin sisters.  They like many of the same things but each have their own sense of style and character.  Mable likes pretending to be a mouse ( Mrs. Frisby to be exact), playing with dirty children (you can tell by her already dirty dress), and having her ears nibbled by teething tots.  Sable is a little more reserved with my children, she is ready for an adventure and has just gone off to make her way in the world. I felt one day that I had to make a little bunny doll for Anjali and when I said it Emerson suggested making a second one for our newest little friend in Baltimore.  I thought it was the perfect idea.  I'd like to make about a dozen more for the many little friends we know.  I can tell they are good toys because everyone in the house wants to play with them. Of course, once they were here I knew they needed dresses.  Crocheted sweater dresses to keep the c...