a little inspiration

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...

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...

We are off on a little vacation this week and I am using it to practice a few things: 1. A capsule wardrobe.  I've been sewing up a small storm here and just finished a dress I've been trying to make for ages.  A shift dress you can nurse in!  I'll get action pictures this week with the beautiful beach backdrop and share more about it later.  But I will tell you now it is a hack of Dress A from the Stylish Dress Book . 2. Minimalist packing.  I am the queen of bringing an extra everything with the excuse that I have kids.  This time I am bringing a small amount of clothes and some detergent instead.  Only two things I am bringing are store bought and I'm feeling pretty proud of that. 3. Traveling while still on a fairly restrictive diet.  This week I added in eggs and dairy is back as well.  I'll be able to eat eggs for the first two days of the trip and then they'll be off limits for the rest of the week again. What I am not bringi...

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...