Pages

Friday, January 25, 2013

It's just too danged cold!

Here in the NY/NJ area we've had single digit temperatures for the last three/four days.  I hate the cold!  I especially hate having to look like a polar bear to spend 10 minutes outside every morning waiting for the bus and then the 5 minute walk to work from the subway.  So I've been in a little bit of a panic about staying warm...last year the temperature never dipped below 32 degrees F...so I wore dresses & skirts the entire winter.  That ain't happening this year, for sure!

Last Sunday I reached deep into the back of my closet and found this jacket that I'd totally forgotten I'd made...


...and this recent make (Butterick 5760) worn with a black cashmere turtleneck & black wool crepe pants kept me quite toasty this week...


I've been in pants all week and will be again tomorrow when all I can think of is sewing dresses and jacket/dress combos.  BTW, thanks for all the compliments on the last make, I really appreciate all of you who took the time to leave a comment. 

As a lot of you suggested, I will be making another version of it...just have to figure out which fabric to use.  But that's further down the list because I have another designer interpretation fighting to be made...



This is from 10 Crosby Derek Lam's Pre-Fall 2013 line.  Do you see that jacket? The top is made from a tweedy fabric and the sleeve bottoms and the jacket bottom are from leather.  



I'm going to use these fabrics from the collection along with the buttons that I bought in Chicago last May...


Faux leather & black 'n white wool blend tweed

Soutache wrapped buttons purchased from Soutache Embellishments


The designer shows that fabulous jacket with a leather skirt...kewl but not practical for my lifestyle.  I'm going to substitute a dress using my TNT pattern made from the tweed fabric with a faux leather yoke.  Edgy, right?  But I have enough practical work clothes and I want some fun and funky looks that will play nice in my corporate environment.  So this is what's up next on my sewing table!

Oh, one more thing!  You know how I was in love with those Salvatore Ferragamo pumps, discussed here.  Well Debbie Cook is always finding great shoes at Zappos, so during my holiday break I spent a little time on Zappos too.  Somehow these showed up at my doorstep...


...aren't they fantastic?  Love, love, love them!

Okay it's suppose to snow tomorrow...so not only is it colder than cold and a Friday to boot, now it's gonna freakin' snow!  Gotta go find something that I can trudge through the snow to the bus stop in, oh and stay warm at the same time.  Yeah, love winter...*NOT*!

...more later!

29 comments:

  1. I'll swap you....it's 35C (95F) with 60% humidity. Ack! Can't sew in this weather.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Swee-eet shoes! And I love the concept for your next creation. The tweed and faux leather you have chosen will make a lovely version of your inspiration garment.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Those shoes are to die for! We finally warmed up to 36* here, but it's felt pretty mild. Love the way you've managed to look stylish and warm. g

    ReplyDelete
  4. You are really good at picking out designer pieces to make your own, this jacket will be great. It might be freezing there, but at least it is Friday, hopefully you can hibernate for the weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oooohhhh, I love that tweed and leather jacket. And the SHOES! Oh. My. Word. The shoes!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow, both the concept for your next project and the shoes are fantastic! Looks like they might go together as well? Bonus!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great shoes and I love your next project too. I also like the jackets you've already made.
    So glad I don't have to deal with snow and below freezing temperatures where I live!
    -Sewingelle

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love, love, love those shoes and that jacket is going to be crazy beautiful! Can't wait to see it completed! It's cold here in Floirda too, but nothing like what you're experiencing...that is just too freakin cold for mr to even fathom!

    ReplyDelete
  9. That outfit plan sounds wonderful. And those shoes, you just couldn't not buy them :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am in upstate NY and I have been experiencing the same cold and snowy weather,currently 10 degrees, so I feel you on that one. I love the new outfit you have planned and can't wait to see that jacket. Love those shoes. What is the height of the heel? I can't do those high heels any longer, just cannot handle being uncomfortable to look good.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great shoe find. And that jacket combo using leather and tweed. Mmm. I can see you making this up with easily.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I will send you my weather if you will send me yours. I live in south Alabama and it will be 70°F today. Grrrr... I would rather be saying Brrrrr... I have several winter pieces I have sewn in the past that I am not getting to wear. I love your jacket and look forward to seeing your interpretation of the leather/ tweed. Those are awesome shoes...shoes have a tendency of showing up on my doorstep too.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Those are great shoes. Stay warm.

    ReplyDelete
  14. And that is precisely why I left Jersey in 2000 to move to GA!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I really like that tweed and leather inspiration piece. I can totally see you in it!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lovin the tweed and leather idea and just may have to go there myself.
    Do me a favor and keep that weather up there. Like a previous poster...that is why I moved to GA... and plan to retire even further south in a few years. Funny thing tho..I like winter clothes and fabrics so I don't know how I will work that out.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Carolyn, you have the greatest eye. I am looking forward to your interpretation of the tweed and leather jacket. I have never been interested in faux leather before, but you make it look fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  18. OMG!! Carolyn Love the jacket. I loved your mixed materials dress with the leather!! I've been wanting to do something and even have the leather for it but not the time. I would use V8865 as a starting point. Can't wait to see yours!!! I haven't been able to sew as much as I'd like lately but have sooo enjoyed reading your posts!!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Love your since of style. Beautiful shoes. Amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  20. It is ridiculously cold here! I miss those mild days we were having.

    I love that you have so much handmade awesomeness in your closet that you can totally forget about such a great jacket! And I love your next inspiration project, the leather accents look so cool.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Uuugh. I'm fed up with having hat head all week from bundling up!

    Love your plans and your shoes!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love your new combinations and look forward to the end results. You have taught me to start looking at magazines and catalogs in a whole new way!! I no longer am disgusted that the clothing is on a skinny model... I am thinking "how can I make that for me?"!
    As for the weather, we are below 30 degrees here in sunny South Carolina and it is sleeting heavily.... so not fun. Praying we don't lose power.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Can't wait to see the tweed and leather. I am just now seeing the purple dress with the jacket. It is fabulous on you. Here lately you have been knocking some out of the ball park they are so good. I thought that black on black leather dress would be hard to surpass but you keep on cranking them out.

    ReplyDelete
  24. It is cold in Buffalo too! 3 mornings in a row it was 1 degree outside when I got up. I had to dig out the heavy wool cardigans and wool dress pants. My colleagues have been wearing long underwear under their clothes and fingerless gloves to stay warm because the office doesn't warm up. I am thinking of sewing wool knits to stay warm.
    Love the shoes and the plan for the tweed/leather jacket.

    ReplyDelete
  25. That jacket would look great with the faux leather/ponte designer dress you just made which is fabulous. I love everything you make.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Ah shoes. Don't you just love how they come right to your door almost before you finish placing the order? Can be addicting.

    Love the new jacket/skirt plans. I wish I had a source for the faux leather. I know online but I still don't know which one. I NEED to copy your black/leather dress. I mean, seriously!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Love the inspiration jacket . I have found some good shoe bargains at Zappos and really love your new shoes!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Carolyn, I thought of you this morning. I had QVC on and they had the Kenneth Jay Lane "pearls" that were in the celebrity gift bags at the Inaugural Balls. They are 44 inches long for the 44th President. And some of the pearls are purple. You need them!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Love that little Vogue jacket from the past ...love rven more the Derek Lam jacket in your future!
    Great shoes!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! It is so appreciated!