Next project

Here is my next (several) project(s):

The full slip pattern is from the estate sale, so I bought some tricot online and lace for lingerie. I bought black, beige and white. I already have a black half slip, so I want to use my free time this summer to make half and full slips in all three colors. I subscribe to the theory that this is easier than lining every dress or skirt I make, and is much more washable, so the clothes themselves will last longer.
I need to hem the pants, add some fasteners above the zipper and make the hole for the tie to go through in the wrap top. I'll probably finish it all tomorrow!

On Thursday we're off to Florida for the 4th of July, so I doubt I'll be sewing, I'll be coating myself with sunscreen instead!

Next Project and THE BIRD

Here is my next project:

Simplicity 5355 (1972) looks like a jumpsuit, but is really a halter top and giant pants. I like the sleeveless version, but I really like how it looks in black. Since Hancock has rayon on half price, and it's my new favorite fabric, I bought some. I think it'll be pretty Charlie's Angels awesome. Plus, it'll be about ten bucks.
Here's some 99 cent patterns I picked up. The one on the left has a nice pencil skirt with a curved waistband. The one on the right has some potentially nice work pants, and I like the sheath dress with the tucks at the neckline. Both are McCalls. Thinking of my skanky-tight shorts incident, I looked at the sizing and I am definitely a 10 in McCalls, for future reference.
Plus, Saintpudalia (I would give you a blog link but her profile is secret) commented on my last bird picture and said it looked like a juvenile Yellow Crested Night Heron and I looked online and she is totally right!! The ones by my house are young, so they don't have the cool mask yet. We walked the dog at City Park tonight and I saw 2 adults. So, props to her!

PS- I did go to estate sales on Saturday, but there was nothing great. I got an atlas on World History and some baskets and books for my future, and long-anticipated, classroom. I think I used up my good luck on the Wedgwood and the 24 vintage patterns.... :)

Filled with Hate, or Why to make a muslin

Before I begin moping and ranting, I got to photostalk the awesome birds again. Doesn't it look like a freaky dino-bird? There are two of them, as well.

This is my pattern, one of the 25 cent ones. I really liked the one-button jacket. It looks so sleek in the (lying, lying) drawing. Remember, this was my cheap red cotton muslin to decide if it was worth cutting into my $30 a yard black wool.
More dollar shoes. These are more practical and less cute, but still ok for work.
Here is how my final project makes me feel:

So let's try to ignore the Barbara Bush, power suit-1980s feel of the look, and look at how badly it fits and how FRUMPY I look!!!

Gross.

In this picture, you can see how the collar does NOT lay flat at all, but you can look at the chest area. My boobs look like deflated balloons! Oh the horror.

Close-up of the ugly collar.
The skirt back fits nicely.
The front darts either need to be longer, or I need to taper them more finely. At this point, I was so cranky I spent about 35 seconds on them. See hoe the darts go through the waistband? Classy.
Final thoughts:

The skirt is okay. I like the general fit, but I need to draft a curved waistband for it, which I don't know how to do, but can probably figure out. As is, I added darts to the waistband, which is really tacky and lazy. I also want it to curve in more towards my knees. All of that is fix-able.

The jacket is crap. It looks frumpy, and big, and very very ill-fitting. Ugh. I wasted time sewing this, which annoys me, and it sucks. Definitely not cutting into the nice wool for this jacket. I don't like how the sleeves are twice as long as the jacket. It makes me look like a monkey.

So, be as cruel as you want in the comments. I will only cry a little. But, like I tell the students, you have to give me a reason why or your opinion is meaningless. You can't just say "vomit", you need to say "It makes me vomit because..." Or, better yet, any advice on how to make this less hideous?

Simplicity 3871 with pictures!

Here is my pattern, also a 25 cent buy from the estate sale. I made the view on the left, with the tie collar and cummerbund belt. The inspiration picture was cut out of the newspaper and tucked in the envelope, but the pattern was uncut, so I guess she never used it.

It's a 14, which is a 34 bust. That's a little big, and the dress is somewhat roomy. Overall, it's nice, but not great, and will be good for work. Navy blue is a flattering color for me.

I decided not to iron the pleats in the skirt. I never have any success with looking crisp and pressed once I sit down, and it's very floaty and nice. It seems like a skirt to wear salsa dancing, not that I do. :)
This is with the cummerbund belt. If the dress was more fitted, it would look better. I doubt I will ever wear it, because it looks like it is cinching up a lot of loose fabric.
Here's the back tie, which I forced poor Andrew to retie about 5 times. The back detail is nice, but it shows off all the moles on my back. When I was maybe 8 or 10, I used to imagine how nice it would be when I grew much bigger, but all my moles would stay the same size. Lol, too bad that didn't work out. Apparently, your skin grows WITH you, who knew?
Another pair of cute dollar shoes from the estate sale. Off white heels are especially nice because T-Rex chewed the hell out of my other ones and I had to toss them.

My greatest achievement! A nice looking side zipper? Be careful, it might be the apocalypse if I put in a decent looking zipper. I basted it shut and actually used my zipper foot. Sometimes it pays to actually follow the directions. Like the princess seams on the bodice. I was furious because I couldn't get them to not pucker when I stitched them. Finally, I read the directions, stay-stitched the curves, clipped them, and then it was a breeze. I am my own worst enemy sometimes.

Next up:

A real life muslin? Yes, I am making a muslin out of red cotton for a jacket and skirt pattern. I want a black suit, but I won't waste all that nice, expensive wool from Mood on a screw up!

PS:

Movies I have watched now that school is out and I have free time: The Duchess, 2012, Quinceanera, Shutter Island, the Time Traveler's Wife, and Precious. Precious was sad, but good, as was Quinceanera. The rest were all meh.

Plaid Dress with Pictures

This is my pattern, Simplicity 4531, from my estate sale loot (25 cents!). I made view 2, the black and white, but without the detachable collar and cuffs.

Here is the dress, made of a madras my mom gave me.

It has pockets, which is nice.

Close-up of the collar and the buttons. The buttons were given to me by my aunt. I added a snap on the waist below the second button, since it was trying to pull open.

The shoes came from the same estate sale- only 1 buck!!

I did an okay job of matching the plaid on the skirt, but where it meets the bodice is all wonky. I might make a red belt to wear with it, which would help disguise that.

It was quick and easy, and made a nice dress, that is also colorful and comfortable. It took a few hours to make, and I did the buttonholes and buttons on the second day. I hemmed it on the machine.

Ha, i guess this whole outfit was $1.25, since the fabric and buttons were a gift. That's cool!

Now I am making a navy blue dress out of rayon. I'll finish it tomorrow or Wednesday.... stay tuned!

Awesome bird in backyard!!

This bird was eating bugs in the backyard and it was gigantic! After google imaging waterbirds from the Audubon Institute website, I thought it was a bittern. Then I found this website where you can search by different parts of the bird and it narrows it down bit by bit. www.whatabird.com It's really cool!

So it said it's an American Bittern, which is a waterbird that likes freshwater wetlands. I bet it gets its food from all the swamps and ponds in City Park.

I took this through the window so I wouldn't scare it. It's body is maybe a foot long, and then it's neck and legs make it two feet tall.

I went out the door and it went up in the tree because I am scary.

Andrew had told me that he saw a giant nest a block away on a dog walk. Maybe this is the bird!

An improved automobile

I finally remembered to take before and after pictures of a project!

My car is 14 years old, and has spent many years in the sun, so there are some giant spots where the paint is giving up.

You can see where I covered up the spots a year or two ago.
This is the panel that started peeling off after a trip to the car wash. Andrew did all the painting, since he thinks I am incompetent at painting with spray paint. All because at an old rental the dog had scratched the paint off of part of a door, so I spray painted it white again, but I got some on the white carpet because I didn't put down any paper. This was literally 3 years ago, but he won't ever forget!!!
Ta da! No more yellow!
All shiny and nice!
Here's my dress I'm working on. It needs buttons down the front and a hem, but I did most of it yesterday. Now to go buy more fabric!

Summer Outfit with pictures

Here's the whole outfit. Nice and summery. Read on for why this outfit is an epic fail...

The halter top was made using Butterick 6956, a 1950s pattern. I made it with the leftover fabric from my blue dress I made a few weeks ago. I made it when Andrew was out of town.

Here is a close-up; the neckline is crooked because my shoulder are on an angle.

Both pieces are failures, but I though I would share them anyways. The top is definitely meant for a 50s style figure, possibly with a girdle or something. I feel like a sausage in it, with the exception of the bust, which is super loose. It's not a great summer top if you have to wear a strapless bra with it. Ugh. Oh well, I only wasted money on the zipper for it.

Here's the whole outfit. It looks cute from a distance, but the comfort level is a negative 10. It is all waaaayyyy too tight, and none of the fabric has any stretch. Painful.

This is my pattern for the shorts. I hadn't made a modern McCalls yet, so I cut an 8, but the shorts are tragically tight.

But they look so cute! you say.

I had the old gaping waistband problem, so I added a dart. It is obviously off center, but by that point I knew these were a lost cause.

Ewww. Now do you see? Waaayyy too tight. Andrew was like "You can see your underwear." Ugh, obviously. Because the shorts want to burst open like a water balloon.

Here's the inside. I used a metal zip from a bag I picked up last summer at an estate sale. I cut out all my pieces with pinking shears, so that is how I finish seams. I am always amazed a people who actually finish their seams. Bleh. I'm not that patient. I'm the only one who'll see it, and I definitely would rather spend that time making a new project.

Anyways, the shorts cost about 3 bucks, so it's not the end of the world. I made them yesterday in about 2 hours, too, so I think I will just go back to Hancock, buy the same fabric and make them ever so slightly bigger. I really like the style, and it was my VERY FIRST SHORTS EVER! So be kind.

I do want to share my failures with you guys too. Not everything turns out nicely, but live and learn! Now I know how to make shorts, and my next version will be great!

Pattern Loot- Pictures

So here are the pictures of the patterns I bought at the estate sale last weekend! I am excited!

This is my top prize, it is so beautiful! I want to make a coat out of this, maybe even out of cashmere. How awesome would that be?

Here's the button detail, which is very cool. The spread out in a V as you travel down the coat.
A coat, a slip, men's shirts in case I ever decide to make something for Andrew instead of myself, and a cute dress with the 2 big buttons.
Bathrobe, little shirt dresses, a Charlie's Angels jumpsuit and Chinese inspired dress.
Insane 80s jumpsuit, a dress with pretty details, meh, and I love the maroon jacket with one button.
front button shirt pattern, cool bell shaped skirt, a button up dress and a dress with an intersting collar.
A romper, freaky swimsuit, a cute yellow dress and a nice shirt dress.
These were from an antique mall in Salem. They were in a bag, so you couldn't really see what you were getting, but I was pleasantly surprised. 10 buckles for 8 bucks is reasonable. Plus, the last time I bought a buckle on ebay, they shipped it in a regular envelope and it was all smashed up when I got it. Boo!
Now that I'm back from Oregon, I am going to sew up a storm for the rest of the summer! Yay!