Colette party and why i'm trying again

So I went to the Colette party. It was fine. I saw a lot of people wearing Colette dresses.

things I learned:

• These dresses provide a particular aesthetic 
• That aesthetic is not exactly mine...
• I am also not a big fan of dresses out of quilting cotton (though yours was extra cute, Nicole!). 
• The samples are made from fabric types (silk, slinky poly), that I rarely see home sewists use in their Colette creations. that's why this dress is so dope:  
• I scrutinized the Sencha sample, and am going to try to work that one again. I also saw a cute version in action (on an actual person) so I have the faith again!
• I also grabbed the Anise from the sample rack and tried it on. WOO! I want a short jacket, and it's a good time to get motivated with a sewalong. 

are you supposed to touch the samples? xlnt.

I plan to make it up in this gnarly (free) olive wool I have downstairs as a test case. It'll be useful if it works, and not a huge loss if it doesn't. 

Questions

• Does Liberty quilting cotton = regular shirting cotton? something to consider. I love this stuff, and it's wayyyyy less benjamins than the nice stuff:

finally, i have this blog, where i sew and stuff? but i can't identify as a sewing blogger (because i don't do sH&t to build audience or community or whatever...plus of course I feel like a giant dork trying to befriend people whose projects I stalk and judge online) (who's honest? me). but innyways 1.0 points if you can name the one with the Look in this photo.

lolz- hi Amy! 

See you at the SEWALONG?

xo 

bex

dressess forever!

I'm working on a dress for myself yippee! I've been daydreaming about this dress in this fabric for the past couple of weeks.  It's a me-made version of my favorite comfortable go anywhere dress.

But I've also been daydreaming about this one, in this fabric, for maybe longer?

 And this pattern has a big "easy" circle on the cover, and no style options- it is one way (praise the lord and retire the possibilities). So I made this muslin:

hmm.

somewhat snug for school

but pockets! 

this one's for you, boyfriend.

wonkety zipper for the muslin, no sweat. muffin top? sweat. 

pulling in between waist and hips. SO GLAD i tested this first. that is not a spot i usually have trouble with.  (laura mae, this pose is for you :)

those pockets are not supposed to puff. 

yes, the neck is too low.

it got comfier over time...

I put this piece in backwards, so it has this cute ruffle around it. woo!

holy crap it fits my back so sexily.

will it work to just raise the V this way? the shoulders are really flappy.

thought i should smile at least once. :)

 now what? muslin #2? or should i finally CUT THE IKAT???

tune in tomorrow to find out what happened. LOLS.

potholders for mein herr

oh my goodness it's sewing geek out day and i am so happy.

foldy pocket! no slipping. 

here are some potholders i made for my man. he loves to cook but only had this tiny kid-crafted one. full of love, right, but not so safe for the fingertips. also it's strangely slippery and kind of a gross texture.

hanging loop!

masculine! insulated! handy foldy pocket style! FTW

his n hers

COMPONENTS:
some marc jacobs home dec weight fabric from the sew weekly meetup this spring + flannel leftovers + insulbright + black extra wide vintage (but who cares) bias tape. stash to the max!
i made it up all by myself, tracing a book that seemed like a comfortable size, and drawing my diagonals with chalk. good times. so basic.

happy saturday, loves!
r

modern love

do you love Jen's style? i love her style. I love her sleek modern lines and flowiness and femininity without being cloying or girly or anything embarrassing. maybe she's just modern and urban...anyway, i love it. i ALSO love, and this is just coincidence to date, that her patterns happen to be small! so they're fast to download and put together, and the gratification is quick (and under $10)! If she made a dress I would be all about it, she just hasn't yet (that my rack can rock, anyway). i saw this pattern and went bananas on Fabric.com buying suiting and other fabs to turn into minis. but then i took a breath and went to bed before checking out. phew.

anyway, if you're not as broke as i am, may i suggest this ADORABLE skirt?

from grainline studio:  http://shop.grainlinestudio.com/product/moss-mini-skirt 

i'll wear an 8, i think. feel free to send your test versions :)

risky business (rated G)

hi there! 

 did i tell you we moved? the new house is a little draftier, which is really what made me put this together in the middle of the "summer". the little man is still adjusting to our new house, but boy does he love the dishwasher. Hence his choice of photo location- seriously. 

also, who is teaching this kid to model? I am impressed (really, it's not me) 

I mean, are you seeing this GQ chin situation!?

 

Stay warm, kittens

xo bex

FO: Eyelet blouse

I made another peplum top.

it's cute.

it's hecka tight around the waist, but it stretched out by dinnertime (I assume I didn't get thinner over the day, so this is my explanation. Maybe it was the wine changing my perception, though?)

plenty spacious after some wine and (artisanal!) french fries. 

basics:
New Look 6130-  view A, with B sleeves
embroidered navy eyelet fabs $12
where did i get this fabulous green lawn? no clue. sorry, for all of us, because it is wonderfabric and i want it everywhere.
no notions but for thread!

what zipper?

best parts:

• under/lining. I started off underlining this thingamajigger for basic modesty, but decided to traditional line it because i hate neck facings. it's so pretty inside. 
• I also used french seams! way to remember something! I've been thinking, usually about 80% into a project "OH DAMN! I wanted to use french seams instead of this janky half assed fake seam finishing technique i usually use (please send a serger, love ya)!" By then it's usually too late. But no! I remembered! did i mention the pretty insides?
• using a pattern twice! That's a TNT quest undertaken. it's not a versatile enough pattern to be tnt for reals, but it is quite different from the other version i made. 
• i raided my bf's thread stash for matching thread. i  luv my bf. he has thread?!? and he's so hot. 

green underlining for modesty and style

what do i want to fix when i make this again:

• find zipper foot (i hoped to follow the zipper directions on this version, but couldn't find my damn zipper foot. Since I just bought that thing (ok, like a month ago), I wanted to use it, not my regular zipper foot blerg technique. f$^& it, i said again (like last time), "NO ZIPPER!" now if that bf makes fun of me when i wiggle in & out of it, i just yell "Where is my invisible zipper foot?!?!?!?!" and he looks like I used to when my Italian boss would swear at me. But I'm joking. 
• i actually do want to take in the pits and the back a bit. the V neck sags a little, which is MOLTO uncool since i am now teaching high school. taking in the pits and the upper back will just make it a better fit, no biggie. 
• It might be fun to do it in another drapey fabric. i really like the way my challis version hangs. 
• i have no idea if i pointed the pleats the right way. can you tell?

not while i'm twirling, you can't!

yippee! this weekend is me day, sewing day (Colette party day!). I aM SO EXCITED.

luv n kisses
r

didja ever move and leave your sewing machine behind?

hello tiny pocket tank. you are wonderful to wear. 

i wanted to sew a few more seams on this darling tiny pocket tank take 2, so my sewing machine is still set up in my old place. with my thread, cutting implements, and no fabric or patterns. AAAH!! I have been lurking the blogs more than usual as my own projects are so stymied. hi guys!

back with (sheer!) lawn inset

but truly, it is a tragedy. i owe you pictures, lil blog, of my top and the boy's flannel robe. and, ok, i cried today (well sort of) about wanting to sew, i think the bf is tuning in. we'll set it up this weekend, if i have my way. fingers crossed!

so much piecing! i like it. 

this is my bootleg seam finishing technique. 

xoxoxoxo
r