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Another dress completed, and just in time for my upcoming vacation! I'm going to be in Florida so the color combination still works even though we're now in the midst of fall here in Virginia. I'm on a wee bit of a roll here, 2 dresses in a week, very satisfying indeed. The dress color is a little washed out in these photos, but scroll to the end to find a detail shot for the true pink color. ...The Basics... Fabric: 2 yards of pink and white striped seersucker from Joann's Pattern: None! Self-drafted, but based on this dress photo  from a class offered at Sew L.A. Details: Straps forming an X in the back made from the fabric's selvege; handmade self-fabric belt Time in Stash: (fabric) a little over 1 month; (pattern) in my imagination for about 4 or 5 months My aunt gave me these 2 yards of fabric from Joann's last month after I told her I liked her seersucker blouse. I knew I wanted to make a dress with it, but most of my patterns call for...

I did it! I successfully scared myself into finishing this skirt by today, Sunday! This is my second Beignet Skirt from Colette Patterns and I really loved how it turned out. I paired it with a hat to go with this week's "Hat Trick" challenge over at the Sew Weekly. Sorry for the poor-ish quality photos, I need to invest in a better camera (or steal my sister's!). I call this the Traveling Beignet because the materials are from all over the place! The shell is from New York's Garment District, the bias trim and lining is from Sew L.A. in Los Angeles, the cotton facings are from a Joann's in Connecticut (leftover from a bag I made for my cousin), the buttons are from a Joann's in Burbank, CA, and the lace is from a thrift store here in Virginia. The hat and the (on its way out) top are from my old neighborhood in Brooklyn and the shoes are from Tip Top Shoes on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I can just hear my ol' co-worker in L.A. lecturing me ...

Oh, happy day, my high-waisted, wide-leg "Seabee" trousers are finally finished! It all started when I decided to join  The Cupcake Goddess ' Trouser Sew-Along back in January, which finished in February I believe (it's been awhile). I didn't do the official sew-along BurdaStyle pattern. Instead I went with a pattern I already had in my stash, the 1940s Empire Waist Trousers from the Decades of Style Pattern Company  in Berkeley, CA. She updates vintage patterns from the 1910s to the 1950s, so this pattern is a style that would've been sewn up by home seamstresses of the early 1940s! These trousers are so incredibly comfy - I LOVE them!  Please excuse the overcast day. It's the best we can get around here lately. (And, I'm freezing!) I first bought this pattern at the Decades of Style Trunk Show at Sew L.A. in 2009, along with 4 other patterns. This is the first one I've made, which is a real surprise to me! I bought this particular...

I just couldn't pass up this week's theme challenge over at  The Sew Weekly .  You choose a movie that has been nominated for an Academy Award in Costume Design as your inspiration and have the week to complete the look.  The first thing I did was look through the list of nominees and pick out ones I'd seen.  I love old movies, but in the end I settled on Pleasantville .  The idea of making a '50s style dress and doing the black & white/color photo was too fun to pass up!  Plus, I love Pleasantville .  I watched it again the other night and enjoyed the thought-provoking story line. I based my inspiration on the dress Margaret Henderson wears when she and Bud go to Lovers Lane, the scene she changes from black & white to color. Margaret at Lovers Lane So, what's outside of Pleasantville?  Why, this hand-dyed batik print from Bali!  I bought the fabric on a trip to Hawaii and it was such a good price I bought 4+ yards of it ...

Here it is! My second Oolong dress, which I affectionately call the Sydney Harbour Dress, or "Hey Ma, I finally finished it!" Yep, after almost 2 months this dress is ready for the holidays. I've also included this in the Sew Weekly's "Free for All" challenge . Hereby Proclaimed: The Sydney Harbour Dress Pattern: Oolong Dress from Colette Patterns Fabric: Slightly over 3 yards (3 meters) of navy Japanese cotton from Tessuti Fabrics in Sydney, Australia(!) Pattern Level: Intermediate Size: 4 Alterations: Raised the waistline 1 1/2"; shortened the hem to above knee length Oh joy of joys, it's thrilling to have a completed project to share with you on the blog! I have been sewing away, but more so Christmas presents and other projects I can't chat about just yet. So, anyway, if you have been reading along with me this year, you'll know I've already tackled this pattern before in the spring. I loved the style and ease of constr...

I actually finished this skirt about a month ago in a class I took, but only got around to photographing it recently. It was lots of fun, but there are definitely things I need to jot down for next time so I remember what to do (can't rely on pattern instructions this time!). ...The Basics... Pattern: Self-drafted Straight Skirt with slash pockets Fabric: Alexander Henry "Larkspur" cotton; cotton lining (also used for pockets) Other Goodies: grosgrain to stabilize the waistband, invisible zip at center back with tab hook & eye closure at waistband, lace at inside hem of skirt (from my never-ending thrifted ball of lace!) ...The Back Story... On the lookout for a nice little outing, I decided to sign up for a 2-day class to make my own straight skirt at my local-ish fabric store. There was only one other student in the class - yes! Lots of attention. I didn't even think about brining my own fabric so while I was really happy to have an excuse to b...

Alrighty, a completed project for the blog! This thing's been lonely for awhile with just a couple of paragraphs to its credit so I'm glad I got something up before the end of the month. Phew. The Beignet skirt from Colette Patterns was made last year when I was still in L.A. enjoying that mild winter. I used cotton canvas for the shell and a green voile for the lining, and with all the concentration in the world made 11 buttonholes for those brown buttons. I was very proud of my Janome, it worked through those with no problem! I love the color and feel of the skirt. Colette patterns are designed with very little ease so it's a good idea to go up a size if you're between sizes. And now for the newest garment in my handmade wardrobe - the Pendrell blouse from Sewaholic Patterns!  I just happened to find Tasia's blog last fall and am very glad I did. She has excellent tutorials and such a great, feminine style. This is her very first pattern; she des...

Helloooooooo! This is my first post coming to you live from New York. It's good to be back in the city, but it's been a busy few weeks! I'm battling a cold right now, but I wanted to take the time to share 3 tops I made in December; they were all made using the brand new Renfrew pattern from Sewaholic Patterns ! I was lucky enough to be selected as a pattern tester for this top and I wanted to end 2011 with a bang by sewing up all 3 versions. Even though this pattern company caters to pear-shaped women, note that this pattern is very easy to alter for non-pear shapes, like me. As with other Sewaholic patterns , the instructions and diagrams are great. And the pattern pieces were stellar as well, it's so nice when markings match up! Okay, so let's have a look, shall we? This one's too tight   First up, view A: the v-neck top with short sleeves. I made a size 4 at the bust/waist and size 0 at the hip. I'm actually one size smaller than the chart's size 0,...

Guy: So, what are you up to lately? Me: Sewing. Guy: What are you sewing? Me: (cheery) A 1920s robe! Guy: Ah .............why? I guess that does come off kind of random. But, hey, now I have a robe to stylishly drink mint juleps in on the front porch.......this winter. Though I have to say this keeps me quite warm, which for some reason surprised me but I'm not complaining! Pattern: 1920s Tulip Kimono from Decades of Style Fabric: "Van Gogh" rayon and chambray for the contrast, both from Sew L.A. Fabric Size: Group A, 32" bust Pattern Level: Beginner Paired with: My favorite pair of blue suede shoes! (Sofft brand Mary Janes, sooo comfy) This is my first item made for my Sewing Through the Decades challenge, coinciding with the Sew Weekly theme "lounging around" from last week! I've added a tab at the top of the blog to document the Decades challenge. I have to say, I'm not really a fan of the 1920s silhouette on me (I think it looks great in perio...