Prom & new projects

Prom was last weekend and I just wanted to share a quick picture. The dress is Adian Mattox. The theme was arabian nights, and this prompted me to get mehndi done on my hand. I've wanted it for a while and haven't had a reason. I met a wonderful Indian woman at my favorite Indian food restaurant in Tempe who mentioned that she does henna. Her English is limited, which made the experience exciting because I honestly had no idea what I was getting.

This was the final result. I loved it. It's been on for over a week now and still looks fresh. The boyfriend and I had a really great time, and you could really tell that StuGo went over their ridiculous 23,000 budget. 

For now, I'm trying to decide on my next project. Either the striped version of the HP Riviera T shirt, or New Look 6178 view E, a short wrap skirt suitable for my border print rayon challis from fabric.com.

McCall's 6070

I finished McCall's 6070 last night and wore it to school today.

I lightened the pictures quite a bit so you can see the dress a bit better. I used a 100% organic cotton jersey knit from Fabric.com. The dress was really great at first, but after a day of wear had stretched out in the most unfortunate way...

Now, I'm a fairly curvy girl, but uh, thats not all me. The sagging and bagging from where the fabric stretched is really pronounced. Before I started sitting down, it looked awesome though. Since it's 100% cotton, I'm hoping that a quick ride in the dryer will help restore its shape. If not, I might try deliberately stretching the bottom to even it out and prevent bagging.

 I love the shape of the bodice. I had to use tighter elastic than called for to get it to fit my waist, however, and the bust is certainly a bit loose. I cut and made a 12 straight from the envelope, but I'm thinking I could have gone a size smaller. 

I do plan to make this again, maybe cut short as a top. If I do I'll take about 1'' of length from the bodice and maybe a bit from the sides to help fit my small bust better and hopefully give a more empire line. 

Overall, it's comfy and easy to throw on, which is exactly what I wanted. I wore it with cute blueish earrings and sandals. 

The pattern review is here. I was the first to review it!

Skirts

In order from oldest to most currently completed.

New Look 6873 view B, minus the ribbon, in a cotton swiss dot print from Fabric.com. I was too terribly lazy to iron it tonight, but the pleats came out nicely. Theyre as even as I could ask for on a first try.

The Goodwill pillowcase in gorgeous green tree print was turned into a skirt, most easily I might ad. To make this drindl-style skirt I tore out the side seam and cut the narrow end open, cut about 2'' off for the waistband and gathered the rest lightly. I'm really happy with the shape, tulip-y but high waisted enough to be flattering. I'm deffinantly on the lookout for other fun pillowcases.

See how cute the print is? I love tree trunks.

The final skirt was inspired by Modcloth.com's Spray Paint Skirt

It's pretty much a skirt with two rows of elastic at the waistband. Looked easy enough to replicate.

Mine has a lot more fabric gathered. It's made from a 100% cotton quilting fabric I purchased in Chico over spring break. The print is very retro, cute greenish circles with white dots. 

I think my version could have used some sha[ing and an actual pattern like the photo, but I'll be content for one nights' work.

I'd love to hear some feedback regarding the skirts. I'm here to learn.

Simplicity 2863

This is my less-than-satisfying version of Simplicity's Built By Wendy #2863 pattern, in view C. I used a 100% cotton knit from JoAnns on this, a fabric I really love. It's soft and delicate, and I'm a sucker for anything grass-green.
I went into this fully understanding that this is meant to be an oversized, slouchy top with  high neckline and button tabbed, cut-in sleeves. What I left with was an oversized rectangle with a slit at the top and too big button tabs. The neckline is so wide and the sleeve placement so off that my already wide shoulders are reminiscent of a line-backer. Not my best look, really.
**Please ignore the blue wrapping, I donated blood today.

Is it wearable? Eh, I suppose so. The neckline, which I folded down 2 inches further than it called for and is still unreasonably high, makes this shirt easy to wear off the shoulder, which I suppose makes it look a bit more intentional. I didn't bother finding "perfect" buttons or hemming this, as it is essentially a muslin now.
I say muslin because I feel that this would be an easy pattern to alter. Only 2 pieces really, and all that needs to be done is width taken off a bit. I can do this.
The pattern review is here.
More backlogged projects to come in the next few days!

Me-Made-May-Lite

I'm a terrible blogger. Really. This blog was intended to be a journal of my progress and whatnot, and instead it's been tossed and forgotten for lousy reasons such as:
a) Camera was lost
b) Cell phone was broken
c) The shirt was ugly, anyway
d) I feel like taking a nap.

There! I've come clean. I've been lazy. But, I have been sewing, and I do have several more garments to show. So, my plan is to take photos of them this weekend and blog the backlog of projects over the next 2 weeks while my exchange student, Alissia, is here. She'll be staying in my sewing room so I won't be sewing.

On another note, I've been religiously reading all of So-Zo's Me-Made-March experiment. She successfully wore only things created by her own hand for 1 month. I absolutely admire that. So, when she announced that she plans to do a Me-Made-May, and was looking for others to join her team, I decided that this was absolutely doable for me as she is offering a "Lite" version. Essentially I will wear at least 1 item made by myself every day. I just don't have enough me-made clothes to participate fully, and the Arizona heat will limit a few of what I have already sewn.
Hopefully Me-Made-May will encourage me to sew more often, increase my productivity, and give me insight into how realistic making my own clothing on a long term basis is. I have high hopes.
With only 1 week of April to work with at the very end, I'm going to need to do some serious sewing. Before I begin I figure I'm going to need to make
-1 bag, preferably large and big for school and purse useage. HotPatterns "Nomad Hobo" free download from fabric.com, maybe, but I'm open to other suggestions
-at least 2 simple knit tops. I have the HotPatterns Riviera Once, Twice, Three times a T-shirt pattern and I think this will go great with a blue and white stripe cotton/poly knit I found at SAS a few weeks ago.
-1 more skirt, preferably in a neutral color like black or dark green. (I'm not a fan of navy)
-1 girly but casual sundress

So, those are my sewing goals for the next 6 weeks or so. If anyone else is interested in joining Me-Made-May[Lite], go to Zo's blog. She has excellent information and you can read about her experience with Me-Made-March.

Update

    My camera is out of service, as is my old cell phone. The new one doesn't have much of a camera, so I won't even bother trying to post pictures from it. Project photos are coming.

    I have NL 6873 view C about done. It needs a zipper and a hem, seam finish here and there. I've abandoned that project for a bit because it doesn't sit at my waist like I had envisioned, but instead rather low near my hips. I cut a size smaller than the last one with the fit in mind, but it doesn't seem to have helped. I can't remedy the fit without redoing the pockets entirely, which turned out nicely but where a pain in the arse.
    However, I had my friend A try it on and it looks so much better on her. Thats always the big joke between us - if it looks horrible on me she'll look like a model in it and vice versa. We have exactly the opposite body types. I'm big on bottom and very small on top with a very defined waist. She's busty and has long thin legs. This has lead to many an outfit swap.

    Still no button for my Vintage-y tree skirt, but I have been wearing it with a safety pin anyway. The zipper on my NL 6873 view B got off track and I can't for the life of me fix it, so I'm going to need to install a new one. I think I might take the hem up a few inches in the process.

    I found a fairly decent fabric store locally, SAS Fabric by the pound. They actually do weigh out quilting cotton, but for most fabrics they cut yards. It's an interesting store. Mostly cuts of fabric pilled on tables, riffling through is tedious but rewarding. I found two really wonderful knits there in grey and purple. They also had an amazing selection of trims and buttons, I'll deffinantly be notion shopping there. Photos to come.
    I went home to Chico, CA for spring break and of course I had to checkout our local fabric store, The Rabbit Hole. It's exclusively a quilting store, but I walked out with a very light black&white print that I think will be suitable for a Spring skirt, as well as three colorful cuts I'd like to use for makeup bags and maybe a new purse. Photos to come.

    I was lucky enough to find an issue of BurdaStyle in Chico's Barnes and Noble. None of the Scottsdale locations carry it, I've asked. There are several patterns I'd like to try in this issue, but I've heard that Burda patterns are more difficult than they let on and their instructions are minimal to say the least, so I might hold off a bit on trying one. I picked up a copy of Built by Wendy Dresses, and I'm excited to read and work from that. I have plenty of projects in the meantime, including Simplicity Built by Wendy 2863 cut out in a grape-green stretch cotton jersey. This fabric is so light and soft, and the color is gorgeous and brings out the red tones in my hair.
 

   I want to start setting realistic goals for myself, and I think by announcing them to you, Internet, I will be more motivated to complete them because I'll be accountable to more than just myself. So, my goals for the following week are:
        1.Photograph all fabric purchases and completed projects
        2. Sew Simplicity 2863
        3. Decided upon and obtain a pattern to begin knocking off the Forever 21 Gingham skirt mentioned in an earlier post.

I think thats a fair set for my week!

Not giving up yet & I'm a winner!

Have I been blogging? No. Have I been sewing? Yes!

I've made up New Look 6873 view B out of a purple and blue print swiss dot cotton from fabric.com, using french seams. The fabric is intended for shirting, but it's so hot here I'm just fine with a thinner skirt. I just cut out view C out of a brocade from fabric.com as well, and hope to finish it by Thursday to wear to the next Scottsdale Sister Cities Annual meeting where I will be presenting photos from my exchange to Switzerland in October. This time I plan to use a full lining instead of just a facing on the waistband as the instructions have you do.

I did a really fun DIY project, turning a pillowcase I found at goodwill into a retro-inspired skirt. The pillowcase had the coolest tree print, and it was actually a very simple project. I cut it open at the seems and gathered all the one strip of the fabric, reserved for the waistband, into the skirt. I'm on the lookout for a really great little button to finish this.

I'm considering my first attempt at McCall 5548 a muslin, as it deffinantly was not wearable but did teach me a lot about the pattern. I made another muslin with my first set of alterations to the pattern. I took two inches out from the center AND one inch from the side of both the front and back pattern pieces (thats thats six inches from each cut, whew) and the top is still dreadfully too large, even with the elastic and attached ruffle (which was downsized to fit as well). I think that one more inch from the center of each piece and about four inches in length will make it perfect.

What else? Well. I've been bad. I've had two orders from fabric.com come in, but I'm just telling myself its alright because I need to accumulate a stash anyway. I have several jersey knits as well as a really great cotton print I intend to use for McCall's 5577 when I have a little bit more time. I'd love to make a casual sundress out of the 2.5 yards of tomato-red knit I got on sale.

I'm also going to challenge myself to a little bit of RTW duplication. This skirt is from Forever 21 - which basically means that it is a knockoff of a 'real' designer. I purchased 2 yards of black and white gingham, but each yard is a different spacing. I'm excited for this one, as I might get to try my hand at drafting a bit. I'd love to hear pattern suggestions if anyone comes across something similar!

AANNDD - Lisa over at The Hem Line is so awesomely generous. I won three vintage patterns! They are all just a few inches off in the bust, but that just means I get to learn how to grade. (I've been studying)

Internet, how do you feel about exposed zippers?