Box o Patterns: Keepers for me

These are more from my box of patterns. In this case, they are all roughly my size or are shapless and I like the style. 

 These all have some potential, I think.

 These do too, maybe.

These, maybe?? Maybe I would like a boxy coat, or a caftan, or perhaps will wear leiderhosen for Mardi Gras of Halloween? You don't know!!!!

Tomorrow will be all the ones I dislike or are not even close to my size. You might want to take a look because I wills ell them all on etsy at some point.

Box o Patterns: Keepers

While I may be turning 28 next month, I am not at all ready to have any children. However, I am not above hoarding sewing patterns for these imaginary, far-off future children. 

These were from my box of duplicate patterns that the pattern archive at U of Rhode Island was selling, which I found through Lisette's blog. 

 Cute.

 Cute.

I am going to keep the boy bathrobe pattern. I am going to mail my mom the Vogue pattern, if she wants it. I already have the yellow blouse pattern, so I will sell this duplicate. 

When you buy more patterns only to end up with doubles, is that a sign that you are hoarding too many patterns?

NEVER!

The hat quest: final results

Here is my dad wearing all of the hats I made for him for Xmas. I had to draft my own pattern and it took a lot of time and a lot of failures to get anything resembling a golfing/driving/ Irish tweed cap. They are still not exactly like a store-bought one, so maybe I can perfect my pattern in the future. 

Failure 1- not exactly a hat.

Failure 2: Tiny train conductor hat

Failure 3: A slightly too floppy and large driving cap!

A nice "final version" in plaid flannel.

 

 The second "final version" in a thin wool. I think the color was called dill.

So, they are really easy to make when you have a pattern already made... but making the pattern was really hard. At least now I know hats are not that difficult to make!

I just got a huge box of patterns from Lisette, I'll post pictures of those this weekend!

Vogue 1121- The NYE dress

This dress took me a long time to finish and I am less than in love with the final product. 

 Here are some awkward self-timer shots. It was a battle with the light being too bright and then too dark and then trying to find a angle that didn't make me look like a giant/too far away. Bleh.

Anyways, I am no photographer, obviously. I can't wait until the days get longer and I can get Andrew to take pictures outside again!

 It is very fitted, except for the sleeves. I didn't really think that through and I'm noticing it in the pictures.

 The side fits fine.

 My main point of disgust for this dress is the neckline. It looks awful and the fit is awful. It goes too far to the sides, showing bra straps, and it is also DESIGNED to have that stupid inset in the neckline. I had hoped I could leave it out (I also called it the "Modesty Panel" the entire time I was sewing) but in the end the neckline is just way too low and gaping. So I sewed it in, but I really think it has a "oops, let's fix this neckline that's too low, but I'm already done sewing the dress" look. But they designed it like that! Why????? 

See what I mean about the neck?

This pattern is a "NOPE" for me and I won't ever make it again. It was a disappointment. I may still wear this dress at some point, but I do not love it. That's two meh items for January. I am losing my sewing mojo with all of these icky items!

Well, I am off to Oregon to visit my parents for about a week. I am going to take pictures of my dad in all of his hats and then put him on the interwebs. hahahahaha. 

Butterick 4083- the Meh blouse

I used the pattern on the bottom right, which looked like a nice and elegant blouse. I used a piece of fabric from an estate sale that is beige with yellow and blue flowers.

 Front: meh

 Back: meh

 It was super unravelly, so I did finish all of the seams in "Nile green" rayon binding. I used a zipper that matched. I tried to omit the zipper, but I couldn't pull it over my giant head.

It looks equally meh on. I need to stop using fabric just because it was super cheap and from an estate sale. It blends in too much with the pasty whiteness of my skin and is completely gross looking.

Off to the goodwill for you!

Next up: New Year's Dress

I picked up this pattern on sale recently. It's another of Vogue's "let's make this pattern up in a fabric so that you can't see any of the details" collection. 

 The line drawing shows how it has a billions pieces, all with princess seams. I decided to cut out a 6, to make it snug and because waiting tables has made me skinny again. I lost 1"-1.5"- 2" from my measurements.

 I don't think I even posted about this fabric from an estate sale. They were all severely overpriced, so I only got this one piece. It is knit fabric and I didn't realize until later that it was a 2 yard long tube of fabric.

It is grey and white with gold sparkly thread woven in. It's design reminds me of one celled organisms. I think it will be a slightly flashy, sexy dress. Whoo hoo!

Awesome new fabric store!

Yesterday, I got to meet Meg in person! Very exciting! I found a new fabric store that I had never been to and recruited her to go along. It is called Discount Textile Outlet and I found it on Yelp, which often has good (or hilarious) reviews. Basically the review trend in 2 directions: awesome, cheap awesomeness OR disgusting, messy and disorganized. I thought this sounded like a place I would enjoy...

It's a giant warehouse and on the first floor is mostly fashion fabric for clothes. There is a whole room of what I would call "prom dress heaven" full of satin, chiffon, beads and such. A whole room or ribbon and trim. They have nice men's suiting and a ton of spandex. A back room of upholstery fabric. 

This seems to be the only picture I took, but I think it expresses our excitement about finding a great, cheap fabric store that is not Joann/Hancock.

There was so much to look at. This is in the basement, which is disorganized, but exciting. More upholstery (even for cars, lol) and so many tacky buckles and a room full of zippers in every color and size!

Plus there's an upstairs! It is slightly more organized than the basement and there are so many rolls of fabric. It is all so cheap. Lots of stuff is priced 4.95 a yard and the nicer fabric we bought was 7.98 a yard. 

On a practical note, expect to park on the street and they take cash or cards. If you are in Chicago (and not overly prissy about organization) definitely go give a try! Also, it is owned by Orthodox Jewish people, so it closes early on Fridays and is closed on Saturdays, FYI. 

It was super fun to meet Meg and I'm sure I will be going back often!

 I bought two yards of this fabric. Yes it is velour. Yes it is gold! Yes, it does have sheer squiggles up and down it!! Hell yeah!! I am going to make another mardi gras maxi dress to take down in  February! PS- they had it about ten colors. Would it be so wrong to make one dress from each color? LOL

Then I went to Joann for their pattern sale and bought:

yes, 10 more patterns. And then I went home and ordered two more online because the store was out of my size! 

Whoo hoo! 

Now I am off to work on NY Eve, and a double tomorrow and a double on Sunday. If you go out, tip your waiters and waitresses nicely since they will be ringing in the New Year at work, and you don't have to!!! :)

Have a good night!