Homecoming '12

Here it is! The homecoming dress on a real, live person! My stylish little sis :)

Everything turned out fitting well. I added a slit to the underskirt at the last second, and I'm glad I did; I wanted the dress to be as comfy as possible.

How cute is this kid?!

Oh, look at how great she is at accessorizing.

I was also going to the dance (I know I'm a college student, but what can I say, these high school kids love me!). I wore a dress I made three years ago; I actually wore it to homecoming then, too! I'm so glad this dress still fits; it makes me feel like maybe I haven't gained tooo much college weight. Also, the fabric I used for it is so lovely; if I could go back in time, I would buy twenty more yards of this stuff for future projects.

Both of us in me-made dresses.

My date made the goofiest faces.

I definitely had the sweetest date ever; no close-ups of my corsage, but it was so pretty! And he was good at making goofy faces, which makes all the photos even better. 

Fun fact: I don't know the man in the background. Seriously... I'm kind of creeped out!

There you have it. Becky loved her dress, so this whole project was a success! Plus the dance was really fun (we had a party bus.....). So that's everything for now; onto the next project. Thanks for looking at this pic-heavy post :)

Wearing What I Sew 6/20

So I didn't technically make this whole skirt; I just altered it quite a bit. When I found it at a thrift store it  was floor length and very blah. I chopped off almost two feet and used the excess fabric to make a peplum on the front of the skirt. Super simple, and even though this was several years ago, I still wear it pretty frequently! 

Oh, and how dreamy is this flowy cardigan? I wish I could claim making it, because it's so dang perfect. I actually found it on clearance at Target for FIVE DOLLARS. I have worn it at least 3 times a week ever since. I would venture to say this has been my best clothing purchase of the year. 

I'm not gonna lie, I didn't have the best day in this outfit (not that it was the clothing's fault or anything). Work was a total fiasco; I'm a little sick right now, and my voice is really hoarse and scratchy. I had to be a cashier and it just got worse and worse as the night wore on. Then I had to stay several hours late, which is generally never very fun. Luckily, my boyfriend came to the mall during my break and got me tea with lots of honey, which helped quite a bit. So I guess I had one bright spot :)

Floral Applique Top: FINISHED!

It's finally done! I've been working on this top for FOREVER; it feels so good to finally be able to move onto something new. And wear the finished product, of course :)

I got the main floral fabric at a flea market; I randomly found it stashed in a huge chest of drawers, and it only cost $2, so of course I had to have it. The two back panels are made from fabric from a thrifted nightgown (I hemmed about a foot and a half off of it, which left me with this extra fabric). All in all, I spent less than $5 to make this! I also love projects where I can repurpose old materials in some way. The last few garments I've made have used old fabrics; I'd like to keep that up.

I used Vogue 1170 by Rachel Comey for this top. I only made a few alterations to the pattern; I omitted the buttons and buttonholes on the back, and instead I just sewed the plackets together. I added a snap at the top so the top can be taken on and off easily, though. I liked the look of buttons, but with the applique going on on the back, I figured it would be best to leave them off so it didn't look too busy. The pattern also calls for gathering in the armholes, which I didn't do. I thought the gathering would make the armholes slightly too tight, and I'd always rather have something more loose and comfortable. 

The most challenging part was making this knot symmetrical (which honestly, I don't think I ever quite accomplished). It's hard to get precision with that kind of thing!

This top is finished with all French seams, which was a touch I really appreciated about the pattern. I'd never sewn with a Vogue pattern before, but I could definitely tell a difference in the quality of instructions- Vogue doesn't baby you. They expect you to know your sewing terms, and be comfortable with more challenging techniques. I liked it, and I liked that I didn't have to finish any edges with a serger. 

I'm finally ready to move on to a new sewing project! Up next: pajama pants for my boyfriend. I've had the fabric for quite a while; it's only fair. I'd also like to make myself a clutch; I've been wanting one for while, and it can't be difficult to do. Here's hoping I have time to sew between homework assignments.....

Wearing What I Sew: 6/6/12

So I just started summer classes, which means my days of nothing but work and relaxing are over; I actually have academic responsibilities again. Normally I'm that really dorky person who loves anything school-related; I guess the reason I'm not so excited about summer school is because neither of the classes I'm taking are particularly interesting to me. Chemistry and speech. I'm hoping it won't be so bad to balance my homework with all the sewing/DIY stuff I'd like to do... We'll see how it goes.

Meanwhile, here's what I wore to my first day of class. I made this top a long time (maybe 2 years) ago, and I haven't worn it for at least several months. Honestly, I'm kind of surprised it still fits! I made this from a vintage (1970's) pattern. It's chiffon underlined with cotton sateen; if I remember correctly, I actually bought really expensive fabric for this project. At the time, sewing with chiffon was quite ambitious for me.

It's definitely far from perfect; in fact, the top ruffle is not at all symmetrical on the back. One side hangs two or three inches lower than the other; it was definitely an error I made while cutting the slippery chiffon. Honestly, though, this top is so cute I'm willing to put up with it. I just have to figure that no one but me notices/cares. 

Vest: Made by me, Floral Top: American Eagle, Skirt: A gift, Shoes: Target

Maybe I didn't make my handmade clothes-wearing goal lofty enough! It's a new day and I'm wearing something else I made. I think this is a trend I could really get behind. Today it's my lace applique vest; this was one of my projects for basic apparel assembly last school year, and I spiced up the otherwise-simple pattern with lace detailing. My favorite thing about applique is that it's extremely easy to do, and the possibilities for it are almost endless. Plus, I used hardly any lace yardage, but I got a really great effect on this piece.

I don't wear this vest all too often because honestly, I'm not really a vest person. I guess even I can't say no to one covered in girly lace patterns, though. I know there's a ton of other stuff in my closet that would look great with this garment, so I'll definitely try to implement it into more outfits. 

Also, I'm going to the Bon Iver concert tomorrow, and I'm BEYOND excited. The last concert I went to was Taylor Swift (haha, lame, I know; I just love her!) but that was months ago. Anyone else a Bon Iver fan? Their music is gorgeous and mellow and perfect for falling asleep or rainy days. If you've never listened to them before, might I recommend Skinny Love?

So I have this problem of never actually wearing the things I make. I get so excited about a project, and once it's finished I'll wear it once or twice, before it sinks into the depths of my closet and never sees the light of day again. I think a lot of this phenomenon can be attributed to the fact that I'm a perfectionist. I can almost always find flaws in the things that I make, and once I've noticed something that's not perfect, it's hard for me to get past it. Ironically, though, I shrug off these flaws in the store-bought garments that I wear all the time. It's definitely a double standard. 

Anyway, it's something I'd like to work on; actually wearing the things I've made, rather than relying on my store-bought clothes the majority of the time. I made this top last summer, out of a vintage scarf and a scrap of lace (both bought at an antique mall for a total of about $3). I didn't use a pattern; I'm finding more and more that this kind of spur-of-the-moment type of project really works for me. This top is extremely comfortable, flowy, and easy to wear, and it is probably gets the most use out of all my handmade stuff. 

I wore it for a six-hour work shift, where I got compliments from 2 coworkers, as well as a customer who asked if she could find the top in the store (I work at an American Eagle). Needless to say, I was pretty flattered someone thought it looked store-quality. After work this top graced coffee and a movie (The Avengers! Finally!) with the boyfriend. I was really comfortable all day, which is saying something, since sometimes the cutest clothes start to feel gross after a while. 

I need a goal of some kind: maybe to wear something I've made in two outfits per week. Hmm. That seems fairly manageable: it would also encourage me to sew up some new stuff, so I would have things to wear. Oh, and by the way, I've made one more scarf top just like this. It's so simple to do, maybe I'll have to whip a new one up this summer. 

My friend Ruth, the recipient of the 2nd scarf top.