Ben Backstay was our bo'sun...

and I am a very merry girl!
Remember this fabric?

It is now a sailor skirt. I loved HH's suggestion of a sailor dress but I had 4 one yard pieces of this fabric and wasn't sure if I could weasel a dress out of it. I also don't know if it is a color I want near my face. So I compromised.

I used Built By Wendy's A line skirt pattern from Sew U as my base and the Sailor in Bermuda tutorial on BurdaStyle. I rotated the darts on the skirt front out into the waistline. Not sure if that is how I was supposed to do it but that is what I did so I could put in the sailor front. It wasn't all that difficult but it did require some thought as there are a few different pieces and the tutorial just gives you the basic pattern shapes and no instruction as to how to put them all together. You wind up with a good amount of layers in the side seams. I also did not line this skirt (sorry, mom) as I wanted it to be a summer skirt and I was dealing with enough pattern pieces already. I also hate inserting linings. I think I may try out the vintage route and not line my garments but make myself a little trousseau of slips to wear under it all. Easier sewing all around, n'est-ce pas?
An attempt at a close up for more detail


I was really surprised at how well Berteau behaved for the photos. He looks good in all the pictures. I on the other hand look only so so. On the walk back to the house he decided to he wanted to be a pin up model.

This is actually kind of the image I see in my head every time I walk him. Except there is more wrappage of the leash, more falling over, and lots more skirt going up.

and then he sat on my foot. He likes doing this for some reason.

When I got home I decided this outfit needed some jewelry and remembered that I had this fish necklace.

I had a great idea for the image I wanted but trying to take pictures of your self that involve close ups and a more specific idea don't really work.

This is more of what I had in mind except with the fish being the only thing in focus and everything else blurred out. Instead I just got a picture of my cleavage. I will be the art director and model if someone else could be the photographer. Luckily I know lots of photographers. Unfortunately that would involve even less regular blogging on my part. Oh well! off to make friends with my tripod!

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.