Somebody stop me

I'm seriously considering Etsy.

'tis the season

Another silk scarf.

paint love

These are silk scarves from Dharma Trading (over there -->) fancied up a bit with their silk painting kit. It's the gutta resist version.

I'm loving this. It's quick - each scarf takes only a day, and 90% of that is drying time. I think they are pretty, and will make good gifts. And creating them feels good :)

These scarves are only about 10 inches accross. I plan to do this on a larger scale someday, worked into formal gowns. Ahh, someday...

Snake Charmer

Once upon a time I created a great dress to wear for Thanksgiving dinner. I'm making it a tradition. Introducing New Look 6000.

The back is really not so messy looking as in this pic.

I left it unhemmed because I was pressed for time. The material is a crazy cool snakeskin I got at JoAnn back in the day. It has a high sheen layer over the pattern that adds to the reptilian feel. For the life of me I couldn't get the unpleated areas of the front to lay nice, so at times it looks like both sides are gathered. The cuffs and collar are done in a bodaciously bodied high sheen linenish blend.

The picture of the inside shows where I added darts above the bust and also the pattern's distinctive pleating on the side. I was all kool-aid-smiles when I stopped for coffee on the long ride home and the girl behind the counter said "That's a great dress!"
I was tempted to show her where I pinned my fingers together making it, but I just smiled like a fool and said "thanks".

Lemonade

Butterick 4985. At the risk of sounding whiny, I will delve into the drama that is B4985. I knew I was in trouble when the pattern instructions were mysteriously missing- there were only pattern pieces in the envelope. No problem. Then I realized my pattern only went up to size 12 (I usually cut a 16 and taper.) No problem. I somehow lost inches between fitting the lower front panels and finishing them, so I had to improvise with loop buttons. I was forgiving to myself and used oval elastic as the loops. I will not even hate on the stripes not lining up. I love the Caroline Ingalls feel of it.

Then I realized the red tracing papers I used were permanent.

So it'll be cute under a vest.

How E Got Her Groove Back

Undergarments are our friends.

There it is, my first dress out of the slump. Burda 7444. I still can't decide if I love it. Is it too hefty bag?

I really love the back. I omitted the center back zipper. It was completely unnecessary with this knit, a beautifully sheen jersey blend from Kashi at Metro.

This pattern was a breeze, and the end result is super-comfy. I'll be sporting this dress with combat boots and fingerless gloves all winter :)

It's good to be back.