Tag Archives: outfits

Olive

Olive

Olive

Olive

Olivetop: self-made, pattern here // pants: Paige // boots: Clarks

I think I have a condition where I can’t say no to peplum tops. I think it’s probably why I currently have three unfinished peplum tops in my sewing queue.

Anyway, meet Olive, the latest creation of Amity of Lolita Patterns. She sent me an email a few weeks ago asking if I’d like to test Olive and upon seeing the line drawing I imploded a little bit. It was the pleats, I think.

Olive comes with two views, a ruffly one with a sheer overlay ( View A) and a more basic one (VIew B). You can find line drawings and more information here.

I chose View B in a size 2 and it turned out ALMOST perfect. It was so quick and simple to put together and the ladies fit without an FBA! (One day I will learn to that one..) The only issue I had was my stupidly long torso, as usual. Even as I was cutting the fabric I was thinking to myself, “You should probably add an inch or two to this..” But alas, I didn’t listen and now the damn thing is about two inches shorter than I’d like it to be.

But anyway, now I know for the next one (which I will be posting after the blog tour!). You can check out the other ladies participating in the blog tour this week here (I’ll keep updating the links as they get posted!):

Three Dresses
Handmade by Carolyn
Velosewer
Peneloping
Quirky Pretty Cute
Made With Hugs and Kisses

And as an extra special bonus Amity’s got a 15% discount with the code sewing15indie for Sewing Indie Month until May 19th, plus she’s now offering two-pack pattern discounts. So head over to her shop to snag an Olive of your own (in print or pdf!).

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That’s all there is; there isn’t anymore.

Madeline top

Madeline top

Madeline top

Madeline top

Madeline top

Did anyone else read the Madeline books growing up? I used to love the idea of going to a boarding school and wearing a cute little uniform with a cute little yellow hat and having sleepovers every night with all my friends. (Clearly I had a very clear and not at all superficial concept of what boarding school was like.) In fact, thinking back now, I think reading Madeline may have paved the way for my obsession with A Little Princess.

I saw this top on Modcloth and immediately knew that 1) I had to make it, and 2) I would feel like Madeline every time I wore it.

My first idea was to use the Laurel top pattern with a thicker knit and to add a zipper on the back. That was a terrible idea. Like, awful.

I ended up using a regular knit fabric and just tracing one of my t-shirts that fits well and that worked out much better. The collar was drafted based on Gertie’s tutorial, and I just made a tiny little bow using this tutorial.

I don’t think I’ve shared this skirt yet! I made it the same way as this skirt, which I have completely forgotten to post a tutorial for. Whoops.

Anyway, the moral of the story is that I’m pretty sure this top includes every single garment detail I’m in love with: navy, mustard, a bow, and a huge contrasting Peter Pan collar.

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Things I’ve learned from Me Made May (so far)

The first seven days of Me Made May 2013

1. Refashioned chambray shirt.
2. Handmade skirt based on this Modcloth skirt.
3. Sorbetto top, Kelly skirt.
4. New Girl-inspired blazer using B4610.
5. Burda cap-sleeved dress in white floral.
6. Floral chiffon Darling Ranges.
7. Another Burda cap-sleeved dress in blue floral.

We’re just over a week into May and this whole me-made thing has been quite illuminating already.

1) I suck at taking outfit photos everyday. I have no idea why. It takes literally three seconds, especially iPhone ones.

2) I need more tops. I made a bajillion skirts recently and I don’t wear them that often because I’m usually stuck pairing them with a boring tank top and a cardigan if it’s cold, which makes me feel as though I ought to be working in a library. I think it’s because every time I think of a cute design for a top, my brain immediately wants to turn it into a dress.

3) I need to stop denying my love of the high-low skirt. I loved it last year, I love it this year, and it’s taken Megan Nielsen’s Cascade pattern for me to realize this.

4) I need to sew more knits. I bought a ton of different knit fabrics a while ago with the intention of learning how and then they sat on a shelf for months. They need to lead a more exciting life.

5) This is actually really helpful because in order to be able to come up with one handmade item every day with no outfit repeats, I’ve pulled out some garments that I’ve made and then never worn. Being forced to wear them out made me fall in love with one and decide that I hated the other.

6) This is neither here nor there but waking up with a size 2 DPN stuck in your side because you fell asleep on your tardis socks is rather painful.

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