Life happens Be Positive

All in a nutshell

102209

Loving Allison's Dress

Sewingpattern.com for downloading patterns that you can't get at your hobby stores.

Fabric for 2967

satin charmeuse from fashionfabricsclub.com 

Pantone Spring/Summer 2010

Article on Ann Taylor

simplicity 2696

101409

listen first

simplicity 2696

Audioblog: Simplicity Pattern haul and planning

Listen first

100909

Links and photos

Simplicity 3887 and miss tina top

simplicity 2697 

and Ann taylor top

simplicity 2558

simplicity 2497 and 2724 and fabric choices (silk charmeuse from Metro textiles)

simplicity 2696 and fabric (silk cotton) navy and cream with navy contrast, I'm making view A.

Burda 08-2009-110: Fall floral skirt

This summer I didn't get on the floral skirt bandwagon because I didn't see any prints that really called to me.

I love this one alot.

Its polyester with a light sheen and silky feel, something like a rayon chillis in texture.

The colors are brown, olive green, orange and winter white- totally fall.

the design lines are really simple which is perfect for a printed skirt IMO.

It was a very quick sew, so I can't say much about it.

the back has a slit

I whipped out this old orange sweater and belt, something old, something new right?

I read somewhere that you shouldn't wear colors together that are too close on the color wheel... whatever!

I didn't post photos of the jacket lining because I was in a rush the last time, I worked so hard on this thing you would think there would be photos for days, but I'm bittersweet, I feel no victory, I'm just glad it worked out.

someone asked me if there was a decorative stitch on the sleeve bands....

Yep

Its the little things that make me happy.

channelling my inner Mrs. O

burda 02-2009-112: baby Trench

Sorry guys,

I have crappy weather so no fabulous photos, its so fitting that its raining buckets when I want to show off my trench.

I have surgery tomorrow, bright and early so I'm going to do some cleaning and get some rest. 

Hopefully you guys post some really cute stuff so I can sew vicariously through all of you until I return.

over and out!

last update: baby trench

Even though my mojo has been exhausted I have managed to put in the lining, add the collar and start on the sleeve bands.

 

I added the buttonholes to the lapel of the collar

hmmm,, yeah, I'm happy with the look of the overall effect

The next time you see it, it should be finished.

Moving on. 

I'm looking for a long trench pattern through all my burda magazines. I found one that I like in the August issue 2004,  you know I love those throw backs, after all everything we are wearing now is recycled fashion.

Check it out

The technical drawing is much more interesting. I will probably scan it at work on monday.

From making my baby trench I know understand why shorter coats/jackets are just as expensive as their longer counterparts. The only difference is a couple more inches of length, By the time you make a short jacket like this one, you can best as well make a longer one.

so what do you think for the coat, Pink, green?

I need a vibrant color, I will not be able to stay inspired with a dull color.

burberry eye candy: Details you have to see!

WOW!

I have to admit, I didn't think much could be done with a trench to update it to reflect all the fashion forward details happening right now but once again, if anyone can do it burberry prorsum can.

I am so happy that it was well received as one of the best collections for Spring '10 because its a double edge sword to stay true to tradition while keeping up with the trends.

Oh, I love, love, love everything, even the stuff I will never wear, or can't wear, love it all.

The ruching detail insert is so subtle, I loved how they kept the integrity of the traditional trench yet adding this small feature.

Do you see the zipper running on the sleeve cap? Then coming all the way down to the end of the sleeve.

Zippers used to make the ruffle effect on the neckline.

Folding and draping to form the hard shoulder

I love how they made the button holes a design feature because they are not useable, I think I'm going to add this to my baby trench on the collar lapels.

This is insane.

Taking notes. Sexy Back, love that button effect

I want a knit dress pattern with this feature, L-O-V-E

Folds on the purse too

Tell me this is not worth seeing

Love this fabric and making notes on the hook and eye they used, I wonder where you find those?

I am using this style feature on my next trench, I love how the appelate loop into and comes over.

Draping

"High Voltage" metallic colored Fabrics.

The sleeve tap sewn in seam so its give the look but half of the bulk.

Fringe textured Fabrics.

uneven ruffles

I can't get over this fabric, I need to know what it is.

wow

Look at the mixture of textures

Gorgeous Uncovered Snaps

Where do you begin to figure out how they did this,,, or this.

Even though this fabric is metallic and textured, they still placed pearls sporadically on the coat. look closer?

Ruching going into the welt pocket

absolutely fantastic

I'm ready to put the finishing touches on my own now, I'm so inspired!

So frustrated

It was not a very rewarding week in sewing. 

Yesterday I finally starting placing in the lining for the jacket...... somewhat.

I still have to hand stitch the lower front and inserting the lining at the collar, which is kicking my ASS.

So bad that I got up and went out to Starbucks to grab a white chocolate mocha frap.

Caffeine is a truly a drug, let me tell you how I stood up in front of Starbucks, took a deep sip and I could feel the tension draining out of me and my energy coming back.

Tomorrow I will NOT have coffee...... don't hold me to that goodness knows what work has in store.

As I twirl my frap, my thoughts are:

I want to put this jacket on a hanger and keep it there until my mom comes in November to finish it.

But I also want to show her how fabulous it is, already finished, when she comes too.

Hmmm

I probably should give it another go before I throw in the towel, if only I can get this part done, I will just have to do the sleeve bands and it will be finished.

I can'teven blame the pattern, this one is not a lined jacket, there was no instructions for doing so. 

Ugh!

It's getting late now so I'm going to park this baby up until next weekend, as I said before I can't focus on this during the week, the intellectual part of my brain shuts off at 4pm when I'm walking towards my car out of the office.

On a positive note I am not letting this set back get the best of me, all this means is that I need to line more jackets to get more practice...... 

Oh boy..... maybe its the coffee talking.

If patterns prices were affected by the recession

American designers are going back to basic silhouettes and clean lines to make there collections more affordably priced and lure customers back to the stores with the promise of getting investment garments.

Well, at least that is what I gathered from all the fashion week articles this week.

One of my favorite articles talked about how recession always seem to fuel creativity, its like when you have 1.5 yards of fabric and you have to figure out how to get a dress made out of 2 yds.

The low cost of sewing patterns due to pattern sales have given us unlimited possibilities without feeling frivolous, after all, .99 cents per pattern!

You couldn’t got a cup of coffee with that.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if the pattern companies decided to stop manufacturing new patterns and patterns become scarce?

 

This would affect the choices we made when choosing patterns, in a state of panic I’m sure our pattern stash have a lot more reusable patterns instead of one season wonders.

 

Just something to think about

 

Progress on baby trench coming soon

Simplicity 2615

I took a break from the baby trench because I had an idea that came to me at Joann’s on Friday afternoon.

 

Simplicity was on sale and while I had no plans to get any patterns, you know I had to at least look at the pattern catalog just cause.

 

In the wardrobe section I found S2615 and I was immediately interested in the Blouse View C.

I bought 2 yards of silk Charmeuse from Metro last year, at the time I had no idea what I wanted it to be but I fell for the print so I took it to go, when I got home I was even more clueless because the pattern of the print was so bold that I knew I couldn’t do anything fancy with it. Something simple with clean lines was needed and I was at a lost.

It could have been a sheath dress for sure but I still wasn’t satisfied with that idea. So it just stayed in the stash until now.

Pattern Description

The Pattern envelope doesn’t have a description but as you can see it’s a dolman sleeve blouse with split front detail, self fabric tie band that is attached to the waist at the front.

Fabric

Silk Charmeuse

Photos:

Back, tie band

Full Back

Front

Split front

twin needle needle topstitch to bring out the detail

Self Fabric belt

Attached to sides and bottom, not on top

Inside facing of neckline

Alterations:

 I took off an inch of the waistine, adjusted the placement of the front tab of the waistband to match the adjustment of the waist.

Added an inch to the length to restore compensate for the waist adjustment.

Add an inch of ease for the hip, just in case

 Likes and Dislikes:

I love this pattern but in the future I would add another inch to the hem.

 Other things to note:

I used French seams for the seams, a narrow hem for the hem and a twin needle for the sleeves.

Is anyone welling to finish my trench for me?

I think my mojo is floating away.

more later