Tag Archives: outfit

Peggy

Peggy dress

Peggy dress

Peggy dress

Peggy dress

Peggy dress

Peggy dress
dress: self-made, pattern here // shoes: Chelsea Crew

So a few weeks ago I was catching up on Mad Men and saw this dress.

peggydress2

And then Julia Bobbin announced yet another Mad Men Challenge. Um, yes please!

So then I had to figure out what pattern I wanted to use and whether I wanted to go woven or knits. At first I was thinking of using a wool blend and one of my go-to patterns, but then I realized I had the perfect double knit in navy and scarlet and that my trusty Lady Skater would be perfect!

I made a few adjustments as usual (omitted the neck band, shortened the sleeves, added the waist tab thing and the skirt panels), and I actually took some photos for a tutorial post I’ll put up later this week.

And as an added bonus, if I ever go to see a Barcelona soccer game, I’ll be all set in the wardrobe department!

Mustardseed

Mustard Renfrew

Mustard Renfrew

Mustard Renfrew
top: self-made, pattern here // dress: thrifted // boots: Hunters // knee socks: Target

Renfrew is awesome. That is all.

Actually I lied. That’s not all. I can’t for the life of me get the neckband to stay flat in the center front. It’s fine all the way around but keeps wanting to stick out in the front. Am I not pulling it tight enough in that area?

Halp!

(Five days to freedom! Thanks for all the good wishes!)

Lacy skater

Lacy skater

Lacy skater

Lacy skaterLacy skater

Lacy skater
dress: self-made, pattern here // belt: thrifted // boots: Boutique9

My Master’s thesis-y capstone paper thing is due in exactly eight days. Not scary at all.

Actually, I’m nearly done. All the tough writing stuff is done, I just have to go through and fix some formatting, do some last-minute proofreading, and add in a couple references. Oh, and write an introduction. I’m crossing my fingers but I should be done in a few days.

On to the dress! I’d been wanting a lacy springy dress for about two years and finally decided I needed to just make one. I had originally cut the smallest size, which was a little tight in the bust, so I decided to re-cut a size 4 in the bust graded down to a size 2 in the waist. This turned out to be overkill. Whenever I get motivated enough to cut it a third time, I need to cut a size 2 bust graded to a size 1 waist. Get on that, self!

Since I was using a lace overlay with a lining, I omitted the neckline band. I also lowered the back neckline by a few inches to give it kind of a leotard-esque feel. I wanted the skirt to be a bit fuller but I cut it kind of stupidly so most of the extra material swings around the hips. Oh well.

Ok, back to editing.

PS If you didn’t already see, I announced the winner to the Sew Fun giveaway one post back!

Elisadots

Polka dot Elisalex

Polka dot Elisalex

Polka dot Elisalex

Polka dot Elisalex

Polka dot Elisalex

Polka dot Elisalexdress: self-made, pattern here, fabric here // shoes: Swedish Hasbeens // glasses: Bonlook // watch: Fossil

We’ve all had our fair share of adventures in fitting. Sometimes patterns fit really great right out of the package and sometimes a lot of tweaking is involved. Some of us learn how to do FBAs and others of us (me) just wear bras with more or less padding as needed.

And sometimes patterns require so much tweaking and fiddling that you start wondering whether you’re shaped like a blob with one boob bigger than the other and arms coming out of your navel and how come this dress looks so effortless flattering on everybody else?!

Ok, I’m exaggerating a little but there was a fair bit of frustration that came along with making this dress. I’m pretty sure this was entirely user error because all of the ones I’ve drooled over have been absolutely gorgeous and no one else seems to have run into the issues I did. First the waist was too big. This happens a lot so I took it in some. But then the shoulders were gaping a bit so I took it in there. And then somehow the shoulders were gaping more. And then there was the skirt being too bulky, so I had to detach it and cut it into wedges* rather than rectangles. I’m almost positive I cut the smallest size but there’s a tiny chance I went a size up in which case that would be the issue.

Finally after lots of tweaking I ended up with something mostly wearable. I’m still not 100% happy with the fit so I might take it apart again and tweak. But not right now. Too soon.

By the way, how cute is this fabric?? Sarah’s got it in basically the entire rainbow and I’m pretty sure I need a romper with excessive bows in the turquoise one.

Anyway, this is actually my third version/attempt at this dress. The first one failed epically because the design I had in mind ended up being hideous. The second one is a surprise and has so far turned out AWESOME and I can’t wait to share. Except now I’ve jinxed it. Oh dear.

PS Don’t forget to enter my Sew Fun giveaway by Sunday! I’ve had so much fun reading everyone’s childhood crafting stories and you guys have been reminding me of a bunch of craft stuff I used to be into that I completely forgot about that I’m now majorly nostalgic over.

*I have no idea whether this is the right word for what I mean. Imagine a wide slice of pizza that someone’s taken a bit out of. Now make two of them and cut one in half vertically. That’s what the skirt pieces look like.

 

greenberries

Blackberry cable cardigan

Blackberry cable cardigan

Blackberry cable cardigan

Blackberry cable cardigan
sweater: self-made, pattern here // glasses: BonLook.com (affilliate link) // pants: AE // boots: Hunter

Sometimes I finish a project and immediately get dressed up and run upstairs to photograph it. Other times, I wait three years.

This sweater was my birthday present to myself in 2011. I had been eyeing fancy yarns and decided to treat myself to a sweater’s worth of Madelinetosh (colorway: thyme). I almost chose Composition Book Grey but I think I just liked the name.

CIMG2114Hello babbies!

Anyway, the pattern is the Blackberry Cable Cardigan and it was so much fun to knit! It was three years ago but I’m pretty sure the blackberry stitch was a bitch and a half but the rest of it knitted up easily. Cables are the best. They’re not actually that hard but they make sweaters look so fancy and complicated. Hee. I also love how hourglassy it turned out with the very deliberate waist definition.

My only issue is I overestimated the sleeve length and ended up with sleeves that are about 3″ too long and didn’t have enough yarn left to make the shawl collar as wide as I’d wanted.

Someday I might fix it. Someday.