Some finished photos

The Little Black Dress review has been updated to include the proper photos. I'll post them here as they are kind of fun.

This is my "country cowgirl" look for daytime:


And my dressy "hitting the artshow" in the evening look:


The Zombie Saloon Girl dress is complete. You all have to wait till after Halloween to see me in full makeup though.




Other photos are in my Picasa Web Album which is open for public viewing. Just click on any of the photos above and you'll be able to browse through the albums.

My nails for today are Hard Candy Sweet P. This line is carried in Walmart. It did take 4 coats, but looks so sparkly. Not a great color for my hands, but it's a great color anyways.

A bit weird

I have a bunch of tops I made when I first got back to sewing, and they don't fit anymore. It's a little sad to let them go, but they really aren't even sewn that well.

I tried one on, and the bust dart was about 1.5" too low. A new bra has hiked the bust line up to where it belongs.

I'm not sure if I should just send the tops on their merry way in a donation bag, or cut out the buttons and trash them.

Seriously, it's a bit of a weird feeling.

Also I had another thought. The idea of sewing jeans is sneaking into my brain again, just after I decided I don't want to do it again. I have a pair of jeans a size or two too large, so cutting them up doesn't bother me. What if I put on the jeans, and totally pin them to fit my body (pin out that saggy butt basically.) Then cut them apart and try that as a pattern.

I think it could be interesting. I'm wondering how capable my husband is of pinning the pants to me properly or if I need to have a Pinhead help me.

I have so many things I want to work on. It's so nice to want to sew again.

Forgetting the rules...okay, ignoring the rules

I know better, I just admit to being lazy.

So I wanted to get started on a sweater/jacket/cardigan thing, and had the fabric already, it's one I bought from Vogue Fabrics at the Expo.

It wasn't washed though.

No biggie, it's acrylic, probably won't shrink, kinda sorta tested it with the iron.

So as I'm later applying the interfacing, I notice the red and blue streaks on my press cloth....and on the ironing board cover. Yup, the fabric is releasing lots of color.

Well, hopefully it will wash out.

I've sewn it all up, except for the hems and such which I want to do on the coverstitch, but back to that in a moment.

I altered my pattern. I took the "Rounded Back Class" with Cynthia Guffey and we learned exactly how to alter for our own rounded backs. I did the alterations. Then I went on an finished the garment (up to that hem part.) Now there is a bit too much fabric at the base of the neck.

Logic NOW tells me, maybe I don't need to add as much with a knit.

Back to the coverstitch machine, which I don't have much experience with...a thread keeps breaking. I had also forgotten I can only use certain needles, and since I hadn't changed the out in awhile, found the right needles and changed them. Also realized it doesn't like my serger thread. Of course I'm out of black thread....now I need to buy 4 spools.

I'll deal with it tomorrow instead.

The Shopping Part

First things first...Nail of the Day is a new OPI color from their Holiday collection called "Holiday Glow." Absolutely lovely but it takes 3 coats. It's sort of a sparkly plum/brown. So I used 3 coats on top of my basecoat, and the top coat is always a quick dry. Lately I'm using Poshe. You really need to try a quick dry topcoat if you never have.

Photos are the finished product and also a pic of 1 coat and 2 coats.



Okay, so on to the Expo Shopping.

First up are the fabric my daughter bought. The two rolled ones are from Vogue, inexpensive knits. The two on the right are both heavy knits from Emma Seabrook, and the two on the left are fancy wools from the WoolShop. Her color scheme is pretty obvious.


My fabrics are as follows: All are from Vogue, top one is a silky poly, the two woven ones are a wool blend and a cotton/poly? blend, and the other one is an acrylic knit. The one on the far right is an poly knit . Also, I got one pattern from Cynthia Guffey and some crystals, cheap ones for my Halloween costume and good ones for other items.


And my new baby!!!!


I mentioned the knits I got at JoAnn's for $1.50 per yard, here they are:


Someone has some sewing to do, but someone has to finish that darn Halloween dress.

I'm already exhausted

I only had 2 classes yesterday at the Expo and I'm beat. Today I have three. I slept horribly all night long, no clue why. I'm really tired though, up and having coffee. I like my morning quiet time.

Classes yesterday were "Upper Back Curve" with Cynthia Guffey and the class was so informative. That lady knows her stuff, and it was so easy. I can't wait to try it out on something.

Then I had a three hour break....ugh. I ate the horrible hamburger there, watched the fashion show, went shopping (oops.) Okay, so I bought 4 pieces of fabric from Vogue, that's all.

I then watch the Fashion show of the fancy dress knock-offs and that was so good. I had looked at the dresses the day before, but not too closely or anything. Fancy formal Hollywood isn't my thing. But the guy doing the presentation (and who made the dresses) was fun. Plus he made it so all the dresses were machine washable and I think that is such a hoot.

Honestly, my life, for the most part, isn't of the dry cleaner world. I think every tag in a garment these days says dry-clean only because they are too lazy to do otherwise. Since I'm not sewing lots of fancy silks and woolens, I toss my "blends" in the washer and dryer and hope for the best. Plus, I'm not spending lots of money on them either yet. I don't trust my sewing ability.

But I did buy two nice wools for skirts for my daughter, and I won't be tossing them in the wash. I guess I'll attempt the steam shrink thing. Skirts don't need washing on any regular basis either.

Next I had a one-hour class with Emma Seabrooke and am really happy I did. I loved learning about the special techniques to use in knits for hems and such, the proper use of interfacing, etc. I will be sewing a knit top soon to practice the techniques.

Came home, vegged a bit...then went dancing.

Today I have a class with CG again on "creating a skirt yoke" and I'm sure it will be similar to the back one, fitting a piece of fabric directly to the body. Then a class with Peggy Sagers on Tees, and with CG again on Core Sewing Skills.

Shopping today....hmmmm. I do want to buy some crystals to put on my Saloon Girl Dress, and they have inexpensive ones as well as the good swarovski ones. I talked to her about the difference as I was curious. I so love adding them to garments, but they are so expensive.

I shouldn't have much more to buy. I do need to look at a few of the specialty things like interfacing, but I have the big bunches of Palmer Pletch interfacing and I can just cut narrow strips instead of buying the rolls Emma Seebrooke has. Or I can splurge and try them out. I don't know the cost, guess I can check the internet first.

Pretty much it for today.

Oh, I did use the new serger yesterday, just to finish off the edges of my new fabric so I can wash them. It's a lovely baby.

My LBD

Review is on PR, I'm not writing it up again, but my dress was completed yesterday. I do still have to figure out how to photograph it as per the directions for the contest.

What a fun day

Definitely one of those days that just makes you feel good.

It started off with a new nail color. This is China Glaze Fortune Teller, a perfect color for all you Halloween lovers. It is basically a black with two different sized orange glitters in it. Black is hard to photograph, and it's late here.


After that I went to JoAnn's to pick up a few of their $0.99 McCalls patterns. They also had the red tag on sale at 50% off and I found a bunch of knits of knits for $1.50 and I bought 4 yards of each. WhooHooo....won't those be fun. The first two patterns should be good for tops to wear dancing.




My daughter came up and we went to the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo together. Lunch was at a place called Malay Cafe and was delicious. We had fun looking at the different booths. She had me buy her different fabrics, a few wools and knits. I guess I'll be sewing for her.

I did buy myself the new Babylock Enlighten as I need to give my daughter her Babylock Imagine back sometime soon. The Enlighten is basically the upgraded Imagine Wave. And yes, the new lights are as wonderful as they've been described.


Ath

Little Black Dress

Also this month I'm working on an entry for the Little Black Dress contest. I haven't sewn a dress for myself in a gazillion years.

The pattern is Simplicity 2550. (and we all know how well the Simplicity site is working these days....NOT.)

I'm doing View A which is the tiniest picture on the envelope cover.


I've added a lining which was a chore, the information is/will be in the review.

I have more bulk than I'd like right at the high waist, so I'm considering adding a piece over the seam that kind of looks like a belt, that will also have hidden hooks/eyes in the back to close it, so there isn't even more bulk over the zipper.

The dress needs to be pinned to me, where the zipper will close so I can see if the fit is right. My daughter will be here today and I'll have her help me. Then I can double check if I like the long sleeves or will prefer the short ones. The long sleeves are making it want to fall off my shoulders, but like I said there is no zipper in it yet.

Here are some pics. It looks really fat just hanging up, but I don't have a dressform, and I didn't pin the back closed except at the back neckline. I'm not totally shaped like a football.

Here is a closeup, though it doesn't show too well, of how I want to add the fake belt over the seam. It really looks much better this way.

More Fun Stuff

Nothing more fun than a cat in the fabric. I have 3 cats, but only Lucius insists on laying on my fabric. He doesn't care if it's still in the box, washed, unwashed, folded, unfolded...as long as it's fabric. Here he is yet again on a pile of just washed fabric.


As you all know October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Tonight at our favorite dance place they are hosting a BCA Night, with silent auctions and such. Three news stations are supposed to be there. I sewed a new pink top to wear and now I don't remember if I posted a photo. I went through all my pink nail polishes to find just the right one. If you want to buy a good pink for BCA, you can try Sinful Colors Beautiful Girl. It's inexpensive at only $1.99 at Walgreens. Companies like OPI and Essie do have their "official BCA" colors that support the research. I bought some, but they are more pale and sheer.


The pink top is from Ottobre Fall 2009, number 5, Drapes and Flounces. I sewed a size 42, no changes, though I should have done a forward shoulder or rounded back alteration. I'm still not clear on those changes, and will be taking a back fitting class with Cynthia Guffey at the Sewing Expo in a week and a half. Ignore the no-makeup-face in this photo.


I did embellish it with swaroski crystals to help catch the lights when we are dancing.

Saloon Girl dress almost done

At least the worst of it is done.

The bodice is complete for the most part. I underlined the satin with flannel to give it some support. On top of the seams I added the detailing of the black lace and ribbon. I put the boning inside the ribbon.

The top was then basted to the skirt portion. And then the lining was added, creating a sandwich with the skirt in the middle. I then sewed the top edge together at the 5/8" seam, trimmed down to less than 1/4" and bound over the edge with a thin strip of black polyester knit. It worked great.

Now today I still need to go to the store to buy the chainette fringe and a thin black cording. The chainette fringe will go at the top of the bodice and and drape also around the arm (I haven't figured out the details for that yet.) And the cording will be sewn by hand right over the waist seam to add some detailing. That should work fine.

All will be completed up to the zipper, which I don't want to add till the last week so fitting will be good.

It should work, it really should work...but you never know.


And another photo of Lucius checking out a new box of fabric from Fabric.com.

Ran out of Thread

I've run out of black Wooley Nylon and no stores seem to carry it. I can order it and may just have to, but I sent out an emergency email to my KCPinheads, so maybe I'll be saved.

Since I'm frustrated right now, I will post some happy photos first, then on to describe where I am in my costume making.

Nail of the Day is Essie - Yes We Can, Pink! It is their Breast Cancer Awareness polish and very very pretty and practical. It is a perfect sheer neutral pink. It makes my nails look like I have fake ones on.


Nothing makes a gal more happy than a cat who is sitting in her pink satin. Total freak out for a moment, this cat has claws. But I just left him alone, he napped a bit, and not a mark on the fabric (lucky me.) Lucius is a bit of a girly cat.


The costume (Saloon Girl Zombie) is coming out just fine. The skirt is mostly done though not fully trimmed as I don't know if I'll be able to find enough. I'll work around it. I did the hem on the serger, rolled hem with black wooley nylon and it's awesome.



Now I'm on to the crinoline, major pain in the rear. But it's kinda fun too. Here's a pile of the ruffles. I did the row of basting to ruffle, and each piece is being hemmed (same as above) separately so I don't go crazy. This is where I've now run out of thread.


So, at this point I'll wait on the thread (order later today if I don't get some) and start on the bodice. That's the part I dread. But I keep telling myself it doesn't have to be perfect, it's just a costume.