just keep sewing just keep sewing

have you seen Finding Nemo? of course you have. you probably don't have a small creature running around your house spitting out lines from it though, do you. well, i do, and one of my faves in the rotation is from Dore, who perseveres through the ocean singing "just keep swimming, just keep swimming!". It's very soothing for someone who often gets tied up in the thinking.

so i've been sewing. I've also been in school, trying to keep my GPA awesome and the bills paid, but every chance I get, I'm stitching.

i love it when other people use embarrassing pix

I made this blouse (New Look 6130)! It was SO easy, and i omitted the zipper because I hate dealing with zippers. i also thought it might mess up the flow of my ultra light fabric and flippy peplum, so it really is a design detail. The top is a little big. i need to believe in the "make 2 sizes smaller" mantra for the Big 3 patterns. In this new adventure of following directions, I may have gone too far. Follow the directions, but really, do you want your stuff to look so sacky as it does on the envelope models? NEY.

So, it's ok. I also seem to have a small back. the physics of that is so strange to me- if you have a front, don't you just need a matching back? but apparently backs can vary too. So i may start making the back of my bodices 3 sizes smaller than directed.

so many things to learn in the big wide world! Also, i used some really nice interfacing (purchased for the currently abandoned Starlet Jacket) that I bought from Fashion Sewing Supply. This stuff is awesome. I used to think interfacing was gross, but I am a changed woman now. Their interfacing is nicer than my random rayon challis, which is light and cool, but not at all luscious. Luscious interfacing!?!? seriously. get some.

I also made this (Simplicity 2242 skirt, view B). I noticed that McCalls had a earlier version of the skirt and t shirt pattern with a MOC* on it, but replaced it with this Lizzee McGuire schmaltz. And a chanel-style jacket. For little girls. Anyway, I rewarded them for it and bought the lizzie mcguire version because there was More Stuff in the Envelope, even though i'll never use it (but maybe i'll make that 8 yards of fabric tiered skirt??). Sigh. Little MOC, perhaps you should pursue a career in science. The skirt was meh, but mostly because it was too big. The sweet little girl who received it is so flipping gracious she tells me she loves it whenever she sees me, even though it's sort of limp and too big for her. I'll sew for that one again and again, right?? Right.


I've been working on a 1945 housedress since the Sew Weekly called for 1940s projects...It's been slow going, once the math (super fun, i graded up from a size teensy weensy!) and long stitching ended and it got into the buttons and fitting. Handwork, UGH. Anyway, I have a hard deadline of Sept 8 when I'm going to an I Love Lucy party, and have to wear it.



Then I rocked this out (vintage vogue reprint V8789, kaffe fassett fabs)! This was ALSO easy, and my bf went bananas for it. He's secretly into fashion, that hunk of mine (oh, you've got a whole retro thing going, he says, appreciatively). So hot. Again, shoulda made the back a size smaller, but i took it in after the fact. I also omitted the zipper, for lazies. Because i picked out the waist stitches this morning in pursuit of perfection, i'm going to jam in a little 1/4" elastic to add some extra shaping to the mix.

This past weekend i wrapped up series of tests AND two classes, so i'm hoping to have more fun time for a few weeks. It's time to think about a Burda dress (navy eyelet with apple green underlayer) and  to ikat it up with simplicity 2180, which I saw on Mika and have been obsessed with ever since (cut out back! love.)

Here's the thing. Most of these patterns are a little frumpy, aren't they? should i subscribe to vogue patterns or burda magazine? I want some more modern snappy edgy stuff, and just can't find it. Even the indie designers seem sort of retro obsessed - which is fun, but i don't want my whole wardrobe going that direction. I also need tight skirts, just because.

CASE IN POINT:
I have this dope diamond fabric. I see a drapey neck dress with a tight lil miniskirt made out of it. I actually have a version or two of the skirt in my closet. Do i have to copy those, or has someone made a pattern of a hot booty hugging minidress that I could just buy, so i can focus my brainwaves on my homework?

Thanks ya'll.