"In defense of happiness"

I have to link to this post by Rebecca of Girls Gone Child. it is probably the greatest, most inspiring thing I have ever read. If you have ever doubted yourself, as an artist, as a person, as a human, you should read it. And realize you can't ever be anyone except who you are. And that is a good thing.

A Perfect Peach...

I am in a vintage peach kind of mood lately.
With a bit of black now and then to keep it from being too innocent.
(wink wink)

And also my first time really playing with polyvore. Anyone else have issues with images they have saved to polyvore not showing up properly when they move them into a collage? This was fun but I will have to play with it a bit more. I think it is good for exploring themes where I search through their stock of items. (why does topshop have a monoply?) If I want something specific using specific images I will have to stick to photoshop or paste and paper.

Sewing Karma: the apocalypse, and the 2010 project phoenix

My intention to update sewing karma from every week to every month no longer exists. I am (not so) shamefully bailing on sewing karma for a few reasons. I can rack up points for myself fairly easily but it isn't putting money in my pocket to spend those points on. That is kinda depressing. I never found a really good way to keep track of points. I kept a jar of buttons on my desk. And calculated the points on the blog but I either had to count buttons or double check the previous post to know how many points I had. That was annoying. I have been doing really well staying motivated and getting things done. And that is really good. Because of this, I feel fairly confident in adopting a new 2010 project halfway through 2010.(I am naming it Project Phoenix, because it just has a nice ring to it!)

I have been doing a bit of pattern drafting lately and I have really enjoyed it. I pulled out my pattern drafting book from college to look something up and then spent some time just flipping through it. So, in the grand tradition of blogging about working your way through a book (Gertie's Blog for Better Sewing, Bridges on the Body, Peter's current travels through a patternmaking book) I am going to work my way through Designing Apparel Through the Flat Pattern. (hereafter referred to as "the flat pattern book" or "the pattern book")


I have standard sized slopers from when I originally took a flat pattern class in college but I also would like to draft custom slopers from my measurements. I found a copy of How to Draft Basic Patterns (hereafter referred to as "the sloper book") at the library by the same authors as my pattern book. This book deals only with drafting slopers or basic patterns from measurements either from a dress form or a person.


The rules: I have no completion date for this. I think the end of the year is not impossible but it is unlikely. The flat pattern book is a hefty enough tome. I will skip similar patterns as needed to avoid redundancy, tedium and boredom. I don't have to go through the book in order but can skip around and pick what looks interesting to me. I can use other books and switch around between books to learn different techniques. I would also like to make up some muslins so I know that the patterns work and so I can possibly make myself some clothes and reap a reward for all my drafting efforts. Questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome of readers.

Some patterns I am particularly looking forward to:

Interesting use of darts, especially at necklines, is a definite draw for me. I have bookmarked several vintage patterns simply because of their interesting use of darts at the neckline.

This reminds me of the bonus project Gertie made after her full gathered skirt, the halter sundress. It has that delicious open back. I will have to try out her skirt tutorial and then draft my own halter top.

I think this one has more to do with the stripes than anything else. With Tartan and Plaid being one of my favorite colors I will definitely need lots of practice working with and matching my checks and stripes.

This one is definitely more interesting. I love how the raglan sleeve goes into the chest band. I think this would be great as a lightweight spring/summer jacket/overblouse deal. Maybe in linen.

This just screams Erte to me. He is one of my favorite designer/illustrators. I feel like it evokes a handkerchief hem without the handkerchief hem. Something similar at the hipline of a pencil skirt could either be evocative of the 40's or become very futuristic. I'm game for both scenarios.

women's land army here I come. That's all.

knowing your weaknesses...

I needed a case for my phone (since it was stupidly designed with the camera lens sticking out instead of laying flush). I really didn't want one of those ugly rubber band things. I found a few on etsy that I liked but couldn't see myself spending the $50 + shipping for the leather one that I liked the most.

I used a animal skin faux leather that I have had in my stash for a while (I made a tote and a portfolio case out of it in college and have plans for a handbag and an entire set of matching luggage.), some scraps from my fall floral shirt and a button from my button box. I ripped and re-did this like 3 times before I had to give up for the day. After sleeping on it I realized that I was going about it all wrong. On something this small you can't stitch leather right sides together and then turn. The seam allowance is too bulky. I forgot about that. I was able to salvage what I had and I simply topstitched it with the wrong sides together. No flipping right side out necessary.

I like the end result but I am never doing that again. Small accessories are not my bag, baby.

For Da...

Happy Father's Day

darling dainties

If you haven't heard already Colette Patterns is having a contest to promote their newest set of patterns. If you haven't guessed the new patterns are for lingerie or, darling dainties as they are being called. I knew coming from Colette Patterns that these peices would be cute as hell. The first thing I thought of was Liz in Butterfield8. THE most famous slip in the world. As I looked at pictures of her I just really liked the colors in the images. Her skin tone juxtaposed with the brass bedstead and the taupe of the walls, her jet black hair and, of course, her violet eyes. I pulled all of that into the Cinnamon slip. I am thinking a matching set of the camisole and some mini bloomers will complete the trousseau.

doesn't it just make you want to brush your teeth with whiskey and steal a mink coat?

Cindy-Lou

Spandex!!!

I am building bathing suits for some friends so I ordered swatches from Spandex World.

Golds and red, some stretch lace, powernet (girdles, anyone?) and what the HELL?? black mesh with red foil multisize polka dots?? I didn't order this! What does one do with this?? Well, apparently I did. Thank you dyslexia. So I put in another swatch order.

These are the sketches I have right now. The middle one is actually the Cindy Pattern from BurdaStyle. Which is how all of this started. My friend started describing what she wanted and it sounded exactly like the Cindy, with a few stylistic mods of course. The one on the bottom is me playing with ideas for another friend based on a suit she liked. The top one is mine. I want to figure out how to make it strapless and stay up. And then the three of us need a photo shoot on the beach.