Tag Archives: sewing

Meet Virginia

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top: Banana Republic (old) // sweater: J.Crew men’s (thrifted) // leggings: self-made, pattern here // boots: Minnetonka

You guys, I’m so bad at keeping secrets and so excited to finally be able to post this! A few months ago I got a super exciting email asking if I’d like to test Megan’s Virginia leggings pattern, just released last week. I said yes of course, because if Megan Nielsen asked me if I wanted to test a potato sack pattern I would probably do it.

I made three pairs of leggings so far but I’ve only photographed my first pair. I used a stretchy sort of thermal-ish fabric for these just because I absolutely adored the bright bold print. The fabric probably isn’t totally right for the pattern since it doesn’t feel as snug and structured as I would want leggings to feel, but it works. I was so in love with them that I even started knitting this sweater specifically to wear over them and my brown leather boots.

For my second pair, I knew I wanted to make some athletic leggings that I could run in. I scoured eBay and found this moisture-wicking fabric and bought some to try it out. Those turned out great too! My third pair is made from a floral knit that I haven’t photographed because I cannot for the life of me find anything in my wardrobe that remotely looks good with it. Epic fail on the fabric choice.

Anyway, I highly recommend this pattern! It was actually a bit ridiculous how easy these came together, even as someone with very limited experience in sewing with stretch fabrics. It’s literally two pieces. Plus the pattern’s only available in PDF which means no waiting on stupid shipping time!

Hmm I should make a solid pair just because of the whole “I need more solids in my wardrobe” issue but I keep thinking I need a pair of glittery ones. Or with sequins incorporated somehow. Or a cuter floral. Or polka dots! Whee!

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Bows and lace

Bow dress

Bow dress

Bow dress

Bow dress
dress: self-made (based on this Corey Lynn Calter dress) // shoes: Chelsea Crew

I finally finished one of my three copycats for the Copycat Challenge! I mentioned most of the how-to stuff earlier in this post.

Technically it’s not 100% done. I’m still on the lookout for four smallish flat bronzey buttons for right under the bow, between the dangly bits. So far no luck.

Three weeks left in the Copycat Challenge guys! It’s been really awesome seeing what everyone’s made and I have a whole slew of projects to add to my own to-do list. Keep them coming!

*Excuse the rumply-ness. I’m between irons and have been roughing it with a hair straightener. Yeahh..

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Solid skaters

Lady skater

Lady skater

Lady skater

Lady skater

Lady skater

Lady skater

Hey guys. Ever meet a pattern that was just so elegant in its simplicity and versatility that you wanted to just scoop it up by the pattern sleeve and run off into the sunset and have little garment babies with it? That’s kind of how I feel about Kitschy Coo’s Lady Skater pattern.

There were several things that led to my buying this pattern. 1) Cirque du Bebe’s absolutely effortlessly gorgeous version, 2) her post on prints vs solids which made me realize I had the exact problem which was making getting dressed in the morning take three times longer than it really should. Yikes.

Basically this pattern is awesome. I went to the fabric store with the express goal of walking back out with solid knits in scrumptious easy-to-match fall colors. The navy was an obvious choice, and I also found a gorgeous light grey-ish brown that was on sale and just screaming to come home with me. It was weird realizing that my comfort zone of wearable colors is totally different from the colors/prints I gravitate toward for sewing purposes.

The brown was a thinner knit and probably worked better for the drape of the dress. The navy was a little thicker and while it will be great for colder weather, I’m convinced the skirt sits a little funny. I used the smallest size and made zero adjustments (other than shortening the navy skirt by an inch) and the fit was perfect (although maybe a tiiiny bit too tight but probably not a whole size). Yay for knits!

I’m a little bummed that it’s still 80 degrees during the daytime and definitely not cool enough to actually wear these dresses yet. Taking these photos was pretty miserable.

Anyway, I could love on this pattern all day but school just started back up again so I should probably go do more productive things. The moral of the story is that I need to sew more solids.

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Fickle pickle

Lace bow dress progress

Lace bow dress progress

Lace bow dress progress

I’m kind of fickle, I admit it. My sister can attest to how many times a week I have to call her to help me make up my mind about something, and then I’ll change my mind again an hour later. It’s rather annoying, really. But I guess it shouldn’t come as such as surprise to me that I’ve changed my mind about which New Girl dress I wanted to sew for my own Copycat Challenge.

At last count, I had watched New Girl all the way through three times. Somehow I had completely missed this dress until the third time through. It shows up in the episode with the almost-threesome with the landlord, and it’s all I could stare at during the entire episode. Thanks to the existence of What Would Zooey Deschanel Wear, I was able to pore over the detail shots of this beauty by Corey Lynn Calter on Modcloth.

I scoured eBay for crochet flower appliques and somehow managed to find one that was similar enough and also the same size. I found the button and a similar trim for the waist (not pictured) at a local discount fabric store. I bought some lace for the armhole trim but on closer examination it’s totally the wrong kind of trim so I’ll have to go on a hunt again. I also forgot about the black ribbon or trim for the neckline.

I’m using Simplicity 1873 (yes, again!) with some adjustments. I lowered the neckline and flattened it a bit (is that the right technical term?), and lengthened the bodice by about 3/4″. I sewed the neckline and armhole sides with the wrong sides together, and then I flipped it right side out and am going to treat it as one piece for the rest of the process. I was a little worried about the lace showing through but I trimmed it down at the seams and it seems to be doing ok. The bodice is lined with black cotton and I’ll be doing a regular rectangle pleated skirt, probably lined in something light and cream colored.

And now I’m going to go bury myself in fabrics and relish the day off. Happy Labor Day everyone (who celebrates it)!

PS I’m a little behind on posting Copycat Projects. I think I have about 2-3 that need to be posted. Sorry about that, I’ll try to get those up today!

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The backless Belladone

Backless Belladone

Backless Belladone

Backless Belladone

Backless Belladone

Backless Belladonedress: self-made, pattern here // shoes: Minnetonka // glasses: Bonlook

I had this dress in mind when I first bought the Belladone pattern but I never had the right fabric for it. When I was home recently, I went to my favorite discount fabric shop and found this gorgeously simple floral rayon challis (I think?) and I knew it had to come home with me and become this dress.

I’m *mostly* happy with how it turned out, but there are definitely some things I would tweak next time I make one.

I made the bodice according to the pattern, except the two bottom back pieces, which I basically slashed off a bunch of. I wanted the lovely diagonal lines meeting toward the middle, but I wanted this to be an easy dress to slip on so I opted for an elastic waistband just in the very back. This meant the bottom back pieces had to meet the waistband a little farther out than I had originally planned. For the skirt, I just drafted a circle skirt with a little extra circumference than the actual waist in order to accommodate the gathering.

I think that next time I’m going to include the original waistband in the back only, and then have the skirt come out of there. It’ll be easy to attach some sort of short back zipper closure (or buttons!) and I can have the bottom back pieces meet in the middle and not gape so much at the sides.

Anyway, this dress is super comfy and super easy to throw on. Plus, backless dresses are just tons of fun to wear!

In other news, I just realized my post title sounds like a weird and possibly skanky murder mystery.

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