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Sunday, May 31, 2009
May's End of The Month Recap
Anyway, I finished two garments, The Dreaming of Spring Dress and the Ralph Lauren Linen Dress. I purchased 22.5 yards of fabric this month...at least that number is decreasing. When I looked at last year's totals, I realize that I only made 2 garments last May too...maybe this is a trend. Maybe this is just spring fever...before I settle in to really sew for summer. Who knows!
But I'm not sweating it...I'm enjoying the pieces I did create and will look forward to new challenges.
As always, more later!!!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
I've been thinking
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Dreaming of Spring Dress
Front View:
And here are the specs:
Pattern:
TNT Dress Pattern
Fabrics:
1 yard creamy vanilla silk crepe from Fabric Mart
1.5 yards ltwt yellow wool crepe from Metro Textiles
1/2 yard of floral yellow silk georgette from Fabric Mart (this has been marinating in the collection for several years!)
Notions:
2.5 yards of vanilla lining from Ebad Fabrics
22" invisible zipper
3 yards of a lace hem tape
2.5 yards of lace trim
2 yards of silk organza
All of the construction details can be found in these posts from March! Yikes, this dress has been sitting for a minute! This was a very involved dress with alot of construction parts...and as you know it was held up by the invisible zipper insertion but it was a great dress to wear to work! It's actually the first dress in the Sunshine Yellow Dress and Jacket Collection. So I guess I did work on some of the collection last weekend after all!!!
However, there is a huge oops with the insertion of the invisible zipper:
After I put it in and discovered this, I just wanted to cry. After all of the work that went into the dress, the thought of ripping out the zipper was too much for me to bear. I KNOW I should take it apart and redo it...I just CAN'T! I keep thinking that if I had used a centered zipper this would not have happened. So, I will wear this dress with my little white jacquard jacket...never to take the jacket off. I will now have to practice inserting an invisible zipper using Els technique.
Here's a view of the dress and jacket back...see how it covers the oops...and please, please do not emulate this bad behaviour! Cause I really should take it out and do it again...y'know what I mean!
Well live and learn...*sigh*
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Fabric Reorg
This bin is chock full of linens, knits and wovens that are only spring/summer fabrics. Now I know that I won't get to all of these pieces before the end of September (about when I wind up sewing summer garments and move into transitional ones) but I couldn't bear to move them all into the fabric closet.
The fabric closet - *sigh* - which is in desperate need of a rework because it is jammed packed. The fabrics need to be refolded and reorganized. That is definitely going to become a project for a 3-day weekend this summer. It is overdue for a restructure so now I have to figure out the time to do it. So besides some sewing...I also did a little organizing last weekend!
More later!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Ralph Lauren Dress
I loved this necklace and it reminded me of the EOS Ralph Lauren linen so I bought it and another version of my TNT dress was born. However, this fabric is a very crisp shirting type linen. After a trip through the washer (hot hot water) and a very hot dryer, it had lost just some of its crisp properties. Even though I love the wrinkles that occur with wearing linen, I really don't like those crisp deep ones. So I underlined this dress with silk organza, to help minimize the wrinkling.
I used an invisible zipper in the dress because I just didn't want to interrupt the stripes. I am pretty proud of the invisible zipper in this dress and I have to give a shout out to my daughter who reminded me of some helpful tips for its insertion. Then I added a lining - a plain old lining no lace at all at the hemline.
Some finishing touches and the dress was done. I love the slimming aspect of the stripes - a horizontal orientation would not have been as flattering! Okay some specs:
Fabric:
2 yards of linen from Emmaonesock
Notions:
2 yards of a ltwt poly lining from Ebads Fabrics
22" gray invisible zipper
Beige rayon hem tape
Pattern:
TNT Dress Pattern
It's really just another summer work dress. But it will work well in my corporate environment as I prepare for total color domination that the yellow pieces will bring to my wardrobe! Construction pics can be seen in my Flickr album. Sorry to send you somewhere else but its just easier to download to the Flickr album, than to try to get them to work on the netbook!
More later!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Weekend Wrap Up
This weekend I've been in the mood to finish up all of the garments that have been hanging around, so I've temporarily moved away from the plan. Yeah, I know, right after I got one that I was excited about! Anyway, today I'm completing The Dreaming with Spring dress...I have about 2 hours worth of finishing to do to it so that I can wear it tomorrow.
As always when sewing, the thoughts are racing...and yesterday I realized that I have a color coordination issue. Yeah the thread, zipper, hem tape and lining must all color coordinate with the fashion fabric. And when making the RL Linen Dress, I used three different colors of thread to insure that it all worked together. This is alot of color coordinating during the construction of a garment, especially since I am the only one who will see the inner workings of the dress. But I really can't stand when the threads don't match the fashion fabric. Does anyone else have this issue?!
My other issue yesterday was hanger straps for the dress. I searched through six of my vintage sewing books trying to find the best way to insert one. Before I read about how Summerset included one in her vintage garments, I used to pin my dresses to their hangers. After seeing the dress hangers I've decided to include them in my own dresses. See this is the downfall to not owning any RTW, you can't pull something out of the closet to check it out! So if anyone has any tips on how to insert the hanger straps, it would be appreciated!
However, while reading through the Adele Margolis book, "Fashion Sewing for Everyone," I found this passage entitled, "Anything Goes - If It Worked!"
The comforting thing about clothing construction is that there is nothing sacred. There is just no one way to do anything.Finally, I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day. A day full of fun, family and good food! And while you are enjoying your day, please take a moment and think about or say a prayer for the men and women who are presently defending our country both here and abroad. Also think about the ones who have come before...we are truly blessed that they and their families are willing to lay down their lives to insure our safety!
No one way to design. Make rules and along comes some design genius who defies them all.
No one way to sew. New techniques follow new styles, new needs, new technology, new fabrics.
No one purpose needle or pin or thread or iron or anything. There are
specific tools for specific purposes.
Following are some techniques that have stood the test of time. New ones are constantly developing. If you can invent some of your own - go ahead. Anything goes - if it works!
As always...more later!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Getting Better
Hopefully, all that the internet offers, as well as, the various bloggers encourage you everyday to spend some time with the craft that we all love to do - SEW!!!!
Friday, May 22, 2009
The Sunshine Yellow Dress & Jacket Collection
Thursday, May 21, 2009
A Follow-up
Monday, May 18, 2009
I wish I did it better
Sunday, May 17, 2009
I saw it!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
I'm ambivalent
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Man Down...
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
An Explanation...
I would prefer not to delete or moderate comments. My life is just too busy for this censuring process...so closing off the comments seemed the only solution because I am just not moderating what I write on my own blog.
At the time I was extremely upset that my wishes were disrespected. I have written over 500 blog posts...some fluff, some political, most of a sewing nature. It is rare that I don't allow people to comment because I truly enjoy the discourse...even when the comments have been borderline rude. However, this time the presumption of knowing me, supposedly caring for me and offering unasked for advice based upon those same presumptions annoyed the hell outta me!
As Cidell so eloquently wrote, "this is my blog!" Visit or not visit, "ooohhh and aahhhh or not", think what the hell is she thinking and quietly move on...but please, please, please do not disregard my wishes. If you think you know better than me...keep it moving!
I have a newfound respect for anyone who puts themselves in the public eye and it took me a minute to be able to speak on this coherently. I don't think any of us who have sewing blogs wants to discourage conversation or opposing viewpoints. We aren't just looking for someone to pat us on the back or agree with our every statement. We are just looking to share about the thing we love most and a little of our lives and other passions, too.
However, I do believe that the time has come to draw a line in the sand about this disrespectful, mean-spirited and nasty behaviour. Enough with the snarky comments...enough with hiding behind anonymous because you aren't man or woman enough to say what you really feel. ENOUGH!
So as my Mama use to say, if you have nothing nice to say...say nothing at all...and can I add to that keep it moving if you don't like what I'm saying...cause it's my blog and I'm going to talk about what I want, when I want!
NEXT!
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Bits and Pieces
Monday, May 04, 2009
Get the Pleat Outta Here...
Sunday, May 03, 2009
A Mistake...
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Valentino: The Last Emperor ~ The Movie
SYNOPSIS
"Shown in film festivals around the world to wide acclaim, VALENTINO THE LAST EMPEROR is a feature film that has captured the hearts and imaginations of audiences. Directed by Matt Tyrnauer, the film takes the viewer inside the singular world of the legendary designer Valentino. With unprecedented access, VALENTINO THE LAST EMPEROR follows the Italian maestro for the final two years of his celebrated career, capturing the end of an era in global fashion. But at the heart of the film is a love story: the unique relationship between Valentino and his business partner of 50 years, Giancarlo Giammetti."
96 minutes - USA - Color - in English/Italian/French with English subtitles
NOW PLAYING NATIONWIDE :
NEW YORK CITY - Film Forum and Lincoln Plaza and CC Cinemas 1,2,3
HUNTINGTON, NY - Cinema Arts Centre
CHATHAM, NJ - Chatham Cinema
MONTCLAIR, NJ - Clairidge Cinemas
GREENWICH, CT - Bow Tie Cinema Plaza 3
CAMBRIDGE, MA - AMC Loews Harvard Town Square 5
BROOKLINE, MA - Coolidge Corner Theater
CHICAGO. IL - AMC Loews Pipers Alley 4 and Landmark Renaissance Place (Highland Park)
LOS ANGELES, CA - Laemmle Sunset 5 and AMC Century City 15
ORANGE COUNTY, CA - Edwards Island 7 and Edwards University Town Center 6
PALM SPRINGS, CA - Camelot Theaters
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Landmark Embarcadero
BERKELEY,CA - Landmark Shattuck
SAN RAFAEL,CA - Smith Rafael Center
SAN JOSE, CA - Camera 7
STARTING APRIL 24TH
BUFFALO, NY at Dipson North Park
DC (BETHESDA, MD) at Regal Bethesda 10
PHILADELPHIA, PA at Clearview's Bala Theatre 10
ENCINO, CA at Laemmle's Town Center 5
SACRAMENTO, CA at Tower Theater
HOUSTON, TX at Angelika Film Center
AUSTIN, TX at Regal Arbor Cinema @Great Hills
STARTING MAY 1ST
HONOLULU, HI at Reading Kahala Theaters
BALTIMORE, MD at Charles Theatre
PORTLAND, OR at Cinema 21
STARTING MAY 8TH
DALLAS, TX - Angelika Film Center
PLANO , TX - Angelika Film Center
MEMPHIS, TN at Ridgeway Four
SAN DIEGO, CA - Reading Cinemas
STARTING IN JUNE
NASHVILLE, TN at Belcourt Theatre
SALT LAKE CITY, UT at SLC Film Center
MORE CITIES TO BE ANNOUNCED IMMINENTLY WWW.VALENTINOMOVIE.COM