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.

blah blah blogging*

*not sewing related.

I've been blah blahing about autism, in case you'd like to know.

spread the lovE

The Someday Sewist strikes again...

I've been dipping my tootsies back in the sewing room (FINALLY!). I must be radiating that sewing kind of energy, because look at this great package that Pell sent to me:

I got some really cool vintage metal buttons in the mix and a ton of thread.

I can't wait to make something with this stuff from my grandmother. Love love love the legacy sewing.

It's good to be back. ;)

Out of the Blue

... or shall we say, "blues".

It's Mother's Day, and one of my gifts to myself was a little bit of fabric :)

which made me think of all of you. I miss you guys. I hope everyone is sew happy :)

Happy Mother's Day to all you Mommas out there.

I've been away for good reasons... and I'll be back again, but not soon enough.

lovE