spiderweb washi dress
I realized recently that though I make clothes for myself fairly often, I don’t usually take the time to photograph them. I made this dress back in November but it’s taken this long to make it to the blog. I used the Washi Dress patten which works really well with stiffer fabrics. It’s really good for making stuff from your favorite patterned quilting fabric rather than traditional apparel fabric. I also love empire waists, and was thrilled to find a pattern that was neither for a child or maternity wear.
I made the whole thing in about two evenings, it was very fast. If I had more time, I would have made some alterations to the cut, but it fit well overall, particularly because the back is cinched with elastic thread. I accidentally cut the skirt fabric upside down, so the spiderwebs are hanging up rather than down but it’s not devastatingly noticeable.
In other news, I’ve added a PROJECTS page to the blog so I can keep track of finished things. There’s a new button over on right sidebar if you’re ever interested. Eventually I’ll add a section of future projects since I always have a list running in the back of my head. I could also add recipes there if that’s something that you all might be interested in. Let me know!
blue laurel
I made a new Laurel dress over the weekend. I’m not nearly as happy with it as the first one. The dress itself if quite cute but it doesn’t seem to fit me as well. I think the main problem lies in that I had forgotten to pre-shrink the fabric on the first version so it is just a touch more fitting than this one. I’ll most likely give this one a hot wash before moving forward with any other alterations.
On the other hand, I am really happy with how the fabric looks and since it is just a touch too big it’s quite comfortable.
It is the last day of September and I’m so terribly excited for October. I’ve already begun a list of horror movies to watch. September has been mostly a drag. It hasn’t been a very busy month and I thought I would have more time to accomplish little projects but as of right now I’ve only crossed off 3 items from my to do list. I’m looking forward to putting this month to a close and starting my favorite month of all!
laurel beginnings
After much dressmaking debate, I settled on making the Laurel from Colette patterns. It was my first time printing a pdf pattern at home actually. The good thing about it is I’ve already got a fairly sturdy pattern for the next time I’d like to make the dress (which will probably be soon) and of course, I was able to get it immediately, without a trip to the store. It did take awhile to cut and paste together but it wasn’t too bad overall.
The dress is by far the simplest thing I’ve made in awhile. I’ve got the basic construction done, and am in the process of adding a few alterations and embellishments.
In other news, after a new set of paint samples we’ve finally decided on a color for the living room. I can’t wait to get painting. Unfortunately, some other repairs are going on in our apartment building so it will probably have to wait a few more weeks. It’s really for the best, since I have several projects going at once already. It will be nice when I’m finishing some of them instead of just starting.
A rare moment of Mochi not minding Weetzie.
dresses
I tend to get obsessed with multiple projects at once. Right now I’m balancing painting and writing and brainstorming dresses to sew. I often fantasize about only wearing prairie dresses, even though I realize everyone would look at me funny if I did. I am in love with these dresses from Anna Allen. I’m very pleased that she says she’ll be offering sewing patterns in the future because I’d love to make my own.
I’m also thinking about entering the Laurel Sewing Contest from Colette Patterns. The prizes are crazy good. I tend to wear dresses that are a little more fitted, but I have some fabric I’ve been meaning to turn into a dress since last summer. It would be best for me to just just make some adjustments and make a dress rather than keep the fabric as nothing forever. Plus it’s a very simple dress, just the right thing to get me back in the sewing habit.
Do you have any dresses you love? Share your favorites.
photos from Anna Allen and Colette Patterns
tablecloths
One of the major points of contention in our home decor adventures has been the dining room table. When we found our dining set on craigslist, we learned that the table had been carefully protected through the years by the grandmother who owned it. The table top is in near pristine condition, shiny and smooth, without a single scratch on its surface. Ever since, I’ve felt some sort of obligation to keep it in this perfect state, which means keeping the custom table pads on top and covering it with a tablecloth.
The only problem is that I’m not particularly a fan of tablecloths, even though they can be quite pretty. Partially it’s that they aren’t so easy to keep clean, but mostly, I hate that they drape so low over the sides of the table. Not only does it hide a lot of the detail of the table, but the cats, who often sit in the dining chairs end up pulling it this way and that. For the past year we’ve had an oilcloth on top, which I’ve been fairly happy with, but Shawn did not like at all.
This weekend we finally found some fabric at my favorite fabric shop that we both agreed would make a great tablecloth and a few hours later we had a cute custom piece. It’s the perfect length, very short, and matches the room while still being cute and fun. I’m very pleased with it and also excited to make tablecloths for various holidays and occasions (I already have one for Halloween in the works). Maybe one day I’ll get over my need to protect the table and just let it be, but for now, I’m quite happy just making a plethora of tablecloths.
