A Gingery Breeze with a Side of Sorbetto
So, among the ass load of student papers and institutional work I've done, an article revision, and the hell, absolute HELL, of book formatting, I squeezed some time to make up some lovelies. Why? A girl can always use more clothes, and handmade ones are fun! Yes, even fashion basics are fun.
First up: Colette's Ginger pattern, version three. Okay, my version three . . . not hers. I made a purple one (Colette version one), which my zipper busted upon completion so I deconstructed part of the waistband to replace said zipper (Coats and Clark owes me about an hour and a half!), and I made a bias cut one (Colette version three) with kitchy zebra turned chevron stripes. You'll see it on here this month. I will get to that later.
See . . . it's just your basic A-line, until:
Bound seams! How fun is that. Remarkably they were wicked simple and fairly quick (it was my first time, and I NAILED it), only added about two hours of work to this project (i.e. the skirt takes me an hour to sew when I line it and don't bind the hems). I made my bias strip an inch and a half. Don't be stupid like me. Make yours two inches. Aren't they pretty? Here's another look:
I seriously want to wear this thing inside out. FYI, the fabric was something I bought about four years ago, as the pattern reminded me of Turkey (I'd just gotten back from a conference there) though the pattern with colors are more Indian inspired. I used a chunk to line pockets on a travel bag, and this is what was left. So, would it be terribly weird if I flipped the skirt inside out? I'm not right, I know.
The problem is that when I made the last two skirts, in late February/early March, they fit. So I didn't bother to retake my measurements . . . well, the damned skirt is too big. Any other time I'd say screw it and send it to Goodwill, but those damned seems. So, I'll be popping a couple inches of stitches on each side seam to take it in more than an inch. Sigh. Those bound seams are beautiful . . . I kinda wished I hadn't pre-washed the fabric, so that I could just wash it and see if it shrinks. Damn me. Oh well. Lesson learned. Though, that fabric got more stretch, which I didn't want, post pre-wash. So for the Thurlows I think I will size down, maybe. Have I told you I hate altering? I equate it to mending: a BORING thing to do. Oh well . . .
I have more of that skirt fabric, as I bought 3.5 yards (60 inches wide) for 25 bones. Got a skirt, making a pair of Thurlows (from Shewaholic patterns), and I think the shorts from that one too. Three pieces for 25 bucks: are you kidding me?! Hell, even if I only have two pieces from it . . . and I bought it to be a cheap, wearable muslin for the pants! And, I have two pants zippers as I got them a few years ago when someone gave me a bag filled with vintage thread (still on the wooden spools and zippers). Score for me. I love sewing, but it an expensive hobby! Cheap projects, that aren't cheap looking: AWESOME.
There was another pair of sleep pants, and I'm not posting those. Why? I've made *ahem* nine pairs since January. What? I like to change them everyday, and they are an easy pattern when I need a bit of instant gratification. Two are flannel, tucked away for next winter. The rest . . . well, my sleep wardrobe is now all Made by Me!
And then I gave my hand at that the Colette Sorbetto, and this pattern is FREE. I used some inexpensive knit, as my muslin making it wearable, and my total cost is less than 10 bucks for a shirt. I sized down to a 12 and I could probably do down to a 10 (but sometimes loose is good), insanely thought making bias tape from the thin, silky feeling, knit would a good idea (I got it done, but my hand is all scratched up, and my dog knows a few new curse words), and cut and stitched this one in under two hours. That is what I call a nice one indeed. Okay, I lied. Actually Saturday I took a voile print skirt that I HATED--bought it last summer from a handmade vendor in Rhode Island--and cut it up to make a Sorbetto. Another muslin, if you must. I think this is a shirt better suited with jeans, most likely. There's two darts, that sit perfect on my chest. For the next one I will get the good knit fabric, not the slippery shit here. Fly away like butterflies!
Today, I'm all gingery with a side of sorbetto.
If that isn't enough in two days of machine love, I shortened the hem of a skirt and fixed and altered a dress (my Truffle made from leftover bridesmaid fabric, which I am now wearing to graduation as I have to be there to see my students walk with BA and BS degrees the day after my one-year anniversary; it is only fitting). Oh, I finally recovered my embarrassing as hell ironing board. Hell if I know where that fabric came from, and don't look underneath . . . the top is clean and that's all that matters. I still want a full-sized one, but that is taking time as I have to ponder how I can store it in my apartment. The perfect cover would be purple gingham. If I ever find purple gingham, I'm so buying four yards just to hang onto. Well, after I roll myself in it and have a gingham love fest.
Here's the skirt I hacked into a Sorbetto. I'm even did felled seams on that one. Seriously, that skirt looked like total shit on me.
The ironing board. Soooo not embarrassing anymore, except for its size.
For May Me Made I'll post on Fridays with a montage of the week.
And on that note, I have a book review to write. Seriously. This book is a bitch. I must plunge through.
First up: Colette's Ginger pattern, version three. Okay, my version three . . . not hers. I made a purple one (Colette version one), which my zipper busted upon completion so I deconstructed part of the waistband to replace said zipper (Coats and Clark owes me about an hour and a half!), and I made a bias cut one (Colette version three) with kitchy zebra turned chevron stripes. You'll see it on here this month. I will get to that later.
Sorry for the shitty picture. I couldn't get the light to work in my favor today, and I'm looking worse for the wear after a longish day.
See . . . it's just your basic A-line, until:
Bound seams! How fun is that. Remarkably they were wicked simple and fairly quick (it was my first time, and I NAILED it), only added about two hours of work to this project (i.e. the skirt takes me an hour to sew when I line it and don't bind the hems). I made my bias strip an inch and a half. Don't be stupid like me. Make yours two inches. Aren't they pretty? Here's another look:
I seriously want to wear this thing inside out. FYI, the fabric was something I bought about four years ago, as the pattern reminded me of Turkey (I'd just gotten back from a conference there) though the pattern with colors are more Indian inspired. I used a chunk to line pockets on a travel bag, and this is what was left. So, would it be terribly weird if I flipped the skirt inside out? I'm not right, I know.
The problem is that when I made the last two skirts, in late February/early March, they fit. So I didn't bother to retake my measurements . . . well, the damned skirt is too big. Any other time I'd say screw it and send it to Goodwill, but those damned seems. So, I'll be popping a couple inches of stitches on each side seam to take it in more than an inch. Sigh. Those bound seams are beautiful . . . I kinda wished I hadn't pre-washed the fabric, so that I could just wash it and see if it shrinks. Damn me. Oh well. Lesson learned. Though, that fabric got more stretch, which I didn't want, post pre-wash. So for the Thurlows I think I will size down, maybe. Have I told you I hate altering? I equate it to mending: a BORING thing to do. Oh well . . .
I have more of that skirt fabric, as I bought 3.5 yards (60 inches wide) for 25 bones. Got a skirt, making a pair of Thurlows (from Shewaholic patterns), and I think the shorts from that one too. Three pieces for 25 bucks: are you kidding me?! Hell, even if I only have two pieces from it . . . and I bought it to be a cheap, wearable muslin for the pants! And, I have two pants zippers as I got them a few years ago when someone gave me a bag filled with vintage thread (still on the wooden spools and zippers). Score for me. I love sewing, but it an expensive hobby! Cheap projects, that aren't cheap looking: AWESOME.
There was another pair of sleep pants, and I'm not posting those. Why? I've made *ahem* nine pairs since January. What? I like to change them everyday, and they are an easy pattern when I need a bit of instant gratification. Two are flannel, tucked away for next winter. The rest . . . well, my sleep wardrobe is now all Made by Me!
And then I gave my hand at that the Colette Sorbetto, and this pattern is FREE. I used some inexpensive knit, as my muslin making it wearable, and my total cost is less than 10 bucks for a shirt. I sized down to a 12 and I could probably do down to a 10 (but sometimes loose is good), insanely thought making bias tape from the thin, silky feeling, knit would a good idea (I got it done, but my hand is all scratched up, and my dog knows a few new curse words), and cut and stitched this one in under two hours. That is what I call a nice one indeed. Okay, I lied. Actually Saturday I took a voile print skirt that I HATED--bought it last summer from a handmade vendor in Rhode Island--and cut it up to make a Sorbetto. Another muslin, if you must. I think this is a shirt better suited with jeans, most likely. There's two darts, that sit perfect on my chest. For the next one I will get the good knit fabric, not the slippery shit here. Fly away like butterflies!
Today, I'm all gingery with a side of sorbetto.
If that isn't enough in two days of machine love, I shortened the hem of a skirt and fixed and altered a dress (my Truffle made from leftover bridesmaid fabric, which I am now wearing to graduation as I have to be there to see my students walk with BA and BS degrees the day after my one-year anniversary; it is only fitting). Oh, I finally recovered my embarrassing as hell ironing board. Hell if I know where that fabric came from, and don't look underneath . . . the top is clean and that's all that matters. I still want a full-sized one, but that is taking time as I have to ponder how I can store it in my apartment. The perfect cover would be purple gingham. If I ever find purple gingham, I'm so buying four yards just to hang onto. Well, after I roll myself in it and have a gingham love fest.
Here's the skirt I hacked into a Sorbetto. I'm even did felled seams on that one. Seriously, that skirt looked like total shit on me.
My hand. I got in a fight with sewing pins. I won. You should see those pins.
And finally . . . because I've lost my mind, and already put it out there that I'm not buying ready made clothes . . . I've joined the sewing wagon for May Me Made. Each challenge is up to the user, but the premise to is wear and make your own stuff for the lot of May. I'm wearing something I made all month, with the point of making at least five new items. Considering I made six and a couple bags this month . . . Shouldn't be a problem. My handmade wardrobe is small right now, but with a lot of mix and matching . . . I have a sweater that will be finished this week, so I should even be able to wear that at least once this coming month.
See:
That's 19 pieces of clothing and nine sleep pants, with two more not shown because they are flannel and packed up. Don't forget those booties I posted awhile back. Scarves are not clothing. Ain't that shit pretty? There's two Staple Dresses in there. I want to make one more, maybe two. Easy as hell pattern. Next round I'll fell the side seams, as I think it will slightly structure the dress a bit. I painted that cabinet too, in March.
And, some bags. Oh my god the bags. I made the green on Friday in a few hours of fuck the world frustration.
For May Me Made I'll post on Fridays with a montage of the week.
And on that note, I have a book review to write. Seriously. This book is a bitch. I must plunge through.
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