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.

hmm...

I started making muslins for two different patterns that are essentially the same project. I have about 3 yards of navy blue pinwhale corduroy and I have been trying to figure out what to make out of it. I originally bought it to make a pair of wide leg pants but honestly I hate wearing pants and my wardrobe needs more fall/winter skirts. At first I thought just a simple A-line skirt with a center seam and the panels cut on the bias so they chevron in the center. But I wasn't really sold on it. Then I actually pulled out the material and it is much lighter weight and finer whaled than I had imagined it. I never really wanted a skirt anyway so I decided to make a jumper. The corduroy is so fine that not only can I not find the nap (I am slightly embarrassed to admit it) but it is almost like velveteen so I thought maybe a jumper that could be dressed up with snap in chiffon details and go cocktail hour. (a la the left)

Not really sure how that would work out so it is scrapped or at least on the back burner for now, mostly because I am on muslin number 2 and I am getting sick of it. I originally was making the Coffee Date Dress by Elaine May over on BurdaStyle because it was the overall shape and style I wanted and the pattern is free (so I don't have to buy it and I don't have to draft it myself). This was my first time using a pattern from BurdaStyle and while I think it is convenient and awesome that I can print a pattern at home it is sort of not convenient and not so awesome. There is a lot of taping and a lot of matching up things that don't exactly match and the trying to get it to print the right scale. Pluses and minuses, pluses and minuses. Back to the pattern I am mostly finished with the muslin except for a zipper to see if it does indeed really fit and I had decided to lower the back neckline. I was all settled on it. Then because of several other things going on that started influencing my every waking consciousness (more on this in another post) I remembered that I had this:

It is one of the two patterns I bought in July at my favorite shop. I had never pulled them out to check if they were complete. So I did that. And THEY ARE!! best $2 ever spent. So I decided to make a mock up of this jumper because I know the waist will need to be um...let out and it will need to be shortened by about 10 or so inches. I did the darts on the bodice and then I lost my sewing mojo. I just want it done already and what am I supposed to do with the muslins other than relegating them to the scrap bin? Then I read on Gertie's BurdaStyle Vintage Thursday column that women used to do tissue fittings and basted fittings because doing muslin mock ups is expensive and a more modern phenomenon anyway. Honestly I am always terrified that I will accidentally destroy the tissue if I do this but I think I am going to try it on this and then trace off the alterations onto kraft paper so I can still keep the original, original. And that is where I am now.

I'm an Arabian Princess and my Daddy just bought me a tiger...

I bought this dress in Tel Aviv 2 years ago. It is one of my favorite dresses and I feel really special when I wear it. Last year I put it on to see how it would work as a skirt and all the elastic shirring popped and I was just left with a swath of fabric. It sort of just sat in the closet because I thought it would be a huge pain to fix. Then I cam across this post from Sugar City Journal and realized it might not be so bad. Then I forgot about it and it continued to sit in the closet. Then it joined the list of items that I own that I need to fix or re-fashion or alter. Then I thought I might want to wear it on the trip I am going on so this week I did it.

I bought some elastic thread and now I am a princess again! And it was SO easy and fun. I want to do more smocking just because but it will have to wait until September.

And the title of this post is what B taunted me with when I first wore this dress.

So I have tried to be good about posting every week as per the rules of the game but I am leaving the country tomorrow. I am going to Israel for 3 weeks, part with a group and part just hanging out with my fam and friends. For more info and updates on the first part of my trip check out www.israeldiplomaticfellowship.wordpress.com.