Alright, it's official. I'm no longer posting here...
Because I'm starting to post on my new blog!
My first post went up there today. However, I'm waiting to throw a full-blown launch party until Monday next week so that I can work out all the kinks and problems. It still does have some little quirks, so please forgive me while I work those out.
Please, please follow me there! I'll be posting in Facebook and on Twitter as new posts go up, and once I get the RSS feed working and get links to other social media hubs up and running, you ought to be able to follow me as you please.
So go and see my latest post! There's a free printable template for some really cute Valentine candy boxes. I think you'll like them!
Showing posts with label clothing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clothing. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
Pink Pettiskirt
I made a bright pink pettiskirt for my niece for Christmas. She's almost one and a half, and it turned out to be a little big on her. Plus, I was in a rush to make it and I may (or may not) have made a few mistakes along the way. But at least she can grow into it! And it'll fit her for a while because I made the waist adjustable with elastic and ribbon.
Here's an image I made of it dissected so that you can understand how it goes together and how to make your own. Also, try only making 2 chiffon tiers instead of three.
It takes a while to sew because it's so much fabric and you have to gather all of the fabric at some point. So give yourself plenty of time!
While I didn't get any pictures of her wearing it (or my other niece who is 2, who it actually fit), you can still see how fun it is.
Some tips:
This skirt is supposed to be 2 layers. So you essentially make the same skirt with all this fabric twice, then sew them both to the satin at the top. I only made one layer (because of time constraints) but I really wish I'd been able to do two! It's still super cute as it is, but twice the ruffles would have made it a little fuller.
If you can find it in 4-inch or 5-inch wide spools of non-fray chiffon, get it. It's easier than cutting all of it. If you can't find it that way, I figured out a pretty good way to cut it. Carefully accordion fold and pin the selvage edges together, so that your folds are only about 2 feet wide. Lay the fabric on your cutting mat, and straighten it out so that it's as square and neat as you can get it. Starting from the bottom (where the pins aren't) place a yardstick across the fabric at the width it needs to be cut, and while you firmly press the yardstick down to hold the fabric in place, use a rotary cutter to slice through all the layers, making all the strips of fabric you need. It can be a little tricky, but it saves a lot of time.
A serger works way better than a zig-zag or other finishing stitch the average sewing machine makes. Finish all the edges before you start gathering and stitching tiers together. Otherwise you'll have a mess of frayed edges and you can lose some of your fabric width because of it.
Mark the halfway and quarter points of each tier so that you can match it up to the next tier's half and quarter points, keeping your gathers relatively even.
For additional tips and a tutorial, check out this one. I based mine off of it. It's pretty well done and quite thorough!
Here's an image I made of it dissected so that you can understand how it goes together and how to make your own. Also, try only making 2 chiffon tiers instead of three.
It takes a while to sew because it's so much fabric and you have to gather all of the fabric at some point. So give yourself plenty of time!
While I didn't get any pictures of her wearing it (or my other niece who is 2, who it actually fit), you can still see how fun it is.
Some tips:
This skirt is supposed to be 2 layers. So you essentially make the same skirt with all this fabric twice, then sew them both to the satin at the top. I only made one layer (because of time constraints) but I really wish I'd been able to do two! It's still super cute as it is, but twice the ruffles would have made it a little fuller.
If you can find it in 4-inch or 5-inch wide spools of non-fray chiffon, get it. It's easier than cutting all of it. If you can't find it that way, I figured out a pretty good way to cut it. Carefully accordion fold and pin the selvage edges together, so that your folds are only about 2 feet wide. Lay the fabric on your cutting mat, and straighten it out so that it's as square and neat as you can get it. Starting from the bottom (where the pins aren't) place a yardstick across the fabric at the width it needs to be cut, and while you firmly press the yardstick down to hold the fabric in place, use a rotary cutter to slice through all the layers, making all the strips of fabric you need. It can be a little tricky, but it saves a lot of time.
A serger works way better than a zig-zag or other finishing stitch the average sewing machine makes. Finish all the edges before you start gathering and stitching tiers together. Otherwise you'll have a mess of frayed edges and you can lose some of your fabric width because of it.
Mark the halfway and quarter points of each tier so that you can match it up to the next tier's half and quarter points, keeping your gathers relatively even.
For additional tips and a tutorial, check out this one. I based mine off of it. It's pretty well done and quite thorough!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Not-So-Ugly Christmas Sweater
Bob and I attended a White Elephant/Ugly Christmas Sweater party over the weekend. The problem is, neither of us have ugly Christmas sweaters.
We went to a few thrift stores a couple of weeks in advance and they were picked dry of everything Christmasy.
So I opted to make them.
I found a long turtleneck shirt that is an awful baby-poop green (I know this color from many dirty-diaper experiences) and decided that the awful color would make for something wonderfully ugly.
Boy was I wrong.
It turns out that I can't make ugly things.
After getting home, I looked at the tag on the inside and it turns out that it's a men's big and tall shirt. Ha!
I have a bunch of bright red crushed jersey knit with coarse silver glitter on it. I drew a Christmas tree on some scrap paper, and used it as a pattern to cut a tree out of the red jersey.
I used clear thread (it's like really fine fishing line that I've seen quilters use a lot) and zig-zag stitched around the edges of it, being very careful and using the hand wheel of my machine a lot. Then I topped it all off by hand-sewing bells onto the tree as ornaments.
It sounded tacky in my head. But it didn't translate as tacky onto the shirt. I'm really not that upset over it, I guess.
I went to Costco for lunch on Monday (because I was craving a Polish dog) and as I was walking through the parking lot pushing Graham's stroller, a girl stopped me and asked where I had gotten my cute sweater. When I told her I made it she was surprised, and then sad that she couldn't get one for herself.
I wish I could bulk order some long turtle neck shirts in this color because then I'd make more to sell. Maybe next year.
We went to a few thrift stores a couple of weeks in advance and they were picked dry of everything Christmasy.
So I opted to make them.
I found a long turtleneck shirt that is an awful baby-poop green (I know this color from many dirty-diaper experiences) and decided that the awful color would make for something wonderfully ugly.
Boy was I wrong.
It turns out that I can't make ugly things.
 |
| You like how I'm leaning back against an invisible... something? |
After getting home, I looked at the tag on the inside and it turns out that it's a men's big and tall shirt. Ha!
I have a bunch of bright red crushed jersey knit with coarse silver glitter on it. I drew a Christmas tree on some scrap paper, and used it as a pattern to cut a tree out of the red jersey.
I used clear thread (it's like really fine fishing line that I've seen quilters use a lot) and zig-zag stitched around the edges of it, being very careful and using the hand wheel of my machine a lot. Then I topped it all off by hand-sewing bells onto the tree as ornaments.
It sounded tacky in my head. But it didn't translate as tacky onto the shirt. I'm really not that upset over it, I guess.
I went to Costco for lunch on Monday (because I was craving a Polish dog) and as I was walking through the parking lot pushing Graham's stroller, a girl stopped me and asked where I had gotten my cute sweater. When I told her I made it she was surprised, and then sad that she couldn't get one for herself.
I wish I could bulk order some long turtle neck shirts in this color because then I'd make more to sell. Maybe next year.
Monday, October 1, 2012
My Favorite Pencil Skirt
A few years ago I took a sewing class while I was still attending college. I didn't really need it, considering my caliber of experience with sewing, but I had been self taught. I wanted to make sure I didn't miss any nugget of wisdom or technique in all of my self-teaching.
It was a really good class. I did learn a few things, and was able to feel more confident in my title as a "professional" seamstress because of it. Plus, it was fun.
Anyway, my favorite thing I made in that class is now my favorite pencil skirt. One thing that bothers me about pencil skirts is the slit in the back. They can get pretty high, and then sometimes they rip higher due to strain put on the seam from walking, and before you know it everyone can see what color underwear you have on and you never know it until you get home, or a kind person tells you...not that I have any experience with that or anything...
This is my favorite because not only did I make it myself and I matched up the plaid design perfectly on the back seam, but more importantly it has no slit in it! Plus, it's brown. I love brown, especially in autumn with all of the oranges, reds, and yellows that welcome the season. They're my favorite colors to wear.
I paired this skirt with orange here. Orange is my all-time favorite color. It was my main wedding color. And coincidentally, these cute wedge heels are the ones I wore with my wedding dress.
I'm so excited for the coming fall months. I'm looking forward to for Halloween, Thanksgiving, my 3-year wedding anniversary, and my husband's birthday. Fall is kind of a busy season for us, but that's what helps me love it even more! There's so much for us to celebrate and reflect on.
And in case you're wondering, because I had to teach this tidbit to my husband during this particular photo shoot, don't have the person you're photographing face into the setting sun.
It was a really good class. I did learn a few things, and was able to feel more confident in my title as a "professional" seamstress because of it. Plus, it was fun.
Anyway, my favorite thing I made in that class is now my favorite pencil skirt. One thing that bothers me about pencil skirts is the slit in the back. They can get pretty high, and then sometimes they rip higher due to strain put on the seam from walking, and before you know it everyone can see what color underwear you have on and you never know it until you get home, or a kind person tells you...not that I have any experience with that or anything...
I'm so excited for the coming fall months. I'm looking forward to for Halloween, Thanksgiving, my 3-year wedding anniversary, and my husband's birthday. Fall is kind of a busy season for us, but that's what helps me love it even more! There's so much for us to celebrate and reflect on.
And in case you're wondering, because I had to teach this tidbit to my husband during this particular photo shoot, don't have the person you're photographing face into the setting sun.
Well, not unless you want to photograph an expression like this.
 |
| Hot. I know. |
Monday, September 10, 2012
Affordable Modesty in Fashion
I love fashion.
High fashion is like art: its beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it's not meant to be practical.
But that's not what I wear. I'm not Lady Gaga. I wear commercial and retail clothing. For me, there are a few challenges that come along with that.
1. Finding styles that I like. Lately there have been trends that I'm not a fan of. For example, one trend is clothing that looks (and often is) worn out and aged. While I do like some things with that look, I'm not a fan of jeans that are like that because they wear out so quickly and it can look kind of trashy.
2. Speaking of trashy, clothing these days is ridiculously immodest. I know my standards are pretty high when it comes to this, but what society sometimes sees as acceptable can leave nearly nothing to the imagination. There are so many low-cut, too sheer, unnecessarily short articles of clothing. Some things are a fashion statement, but many others are a body statement. In my experience, when I've dressed to show off my body, I do get attention from boys (and some girls). But it's never attention from the type of people I want attention from. For me, that's what modesty is about (aside from respecting myself). I never wanted a man who wanted me to show off my body in public so he can brag about having a 'hot girlfriend' or who just wanted to get to know me to see if I'd sleep with him. That's the message that dressing immodestly often sends, and I am so much more than a one-night stand or a sexy body to oggle over. So instead of dressing in a way to show off my cleavage, midriff, or legs in order to attract a man who simply wants those things, I decided years ago that I wanted to attract a man with more substance to his personality so that he'd know that there was more to mine too. I wanted a man who enjoyed a conversation with me for the sake of getting to know my mind and who would hug and kiss me just to show affection rather than hoping that doing so would lead to something more. I wanted a man who would look at me and learn the shape of my eyes and smile and would make a fool out of himself just to hear me laugh.
Shortly after I began dressing more modestly because I wanted to, I met my would-be husband (though we didn't get married for 4 and a half years after that). He was and still is exactly the man I'd been wanting to find and marry. He was looking for a girl that dressed modestly to show that she was more than a hot body. I actually attracted the kind of man I wanted when I started dressing like the girl he was looking for. It makes so much sense--it just took me several years to get that through my thick skull.
Don't get me wrong. There is definitely a time and place for some immodest clothing because of the thoughts and emotions it can evoke, but those are moments only for sharing between my husband and myself. ;)
3. Fashionable clothing can be expensive. There's always Ross, T.J. Maxx, Marshall's, and most especially thrift stores and free piling, but even then a lot of the clothing those places have to offer is picked over so thoroughly that a lot what I find requires some kind of altering to be wearable or stylish (which can be fun too, if I have the time for it).
I recently found a solution to all three of these challenges. You may have already heard about it from the big grand-opening recently or another giveaway. But if you haven't been introduced yet, consider this your formal and official introduction.
The concept is simple. This online store sells clothing that is modest and doesn't require any layering to achieve said modesty. Each item costs under $15. And there is something new every day. So if you don't see anything that fits your style one day, there may be something there the next day.
Now, I don't like to promote stuff I don't believe in. So I had to try it out. I was sent the Aubrey top so that I could see if it was as good as it sounds.
It is.
For under $15, you can get a shirt that covers your bra straps, shoulders, and cleavage, and it's long enough to cover your lower back when you sit or lean over.
The fabric is nice and lightweight and really comfortable, and the stitching is pretty decent quality for the price (and this is coming from a professional seamstress). For me to make a shirt of this style would cost more than $15 for the materials alone. It's a definitely good deal.
The size is pretty true. I got a small. The collar and waistline area have a little more stretch than the sleeves and hemline, which are definitely meant for small arms and small hips. It fits me well, so just be sure to be honest with yourself when looking at the sizing chart.
I wore it to church yesterday, and as we were walking into church my husband looked over at me and said, "That shirt looks really nice on you." I just smiled, because he had no idea that it was the one I'd told him I was reviewing for this giveaway. He noticed it and likes it without me asking and forcing an answer out of him. For me, that alone makes it a winner!
And speaking of a winner....
Because I like this top so much, you can win your own cute Aubrey top!
Enter below using this Rafflecopter form if you're interested in participating. And if not, don't forget to meander on over to ModestPop.com to see what styles are in the shop this week.
And, as if that's not enough, if you're shopping at ModestPop.com and you do find something that you like, use the following promo code for a 10% discount for the duration of my giveaway:
Also note that this applies to people who live in the USA only. (Sorry to those who don't. :( You can still go look at the store though!)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
High fashion is like art: its beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it's not meant to be practical.
But that's not what I wear. I'm not Lady Gaga. I wear commercial and retail clothing. For me, there are a few challenges that come along with that.
1. Finding styles that I like. Lately there have been trends that I'm not a fan of. For example, one trend is clothing that looks (and often is) worn out and aged. While I do like some things with that look, I'm not a fan of jeans that are like that because they wear out so quickly and it can look kind of trashy.
2. Speaking of trashy, clothing these days is ridiculously immodest. I know my standards are pretty high when it comes to this, but what society sometimes sees as acceptable can leave nearly nothing to the imagination. There are so many low-cut, too sheer, unnecessarily short articles of clothing. Some things are a fashion statement, but many others are a body statement. In my experience, when I've dressed to show off my body, I do get attention from boys (and some girls). But it's never attention from the type of people I want attention from. For me, that's what modesty is about (aside from respecting myself). I never wanted a man who wanted me to show off my body in public so he can brag about having a 'hot girlfriend' or who just wanted to get to know me to see if I'd sleep with him. That's the message that dressing immodestly often sends, and I am so much more than a one-night stand or a sexy body to oggle over. So instead of dressing in a way to show off my cleavage, midriff, or legs in order to attract a man who simply wants those things, I decided years ago that I wanted to attract a man with more substance to his personality so that he'd know that there was more to mine too. I wanted a man who enjoyed a conversation with me for the sake of getting to know my mind and who would hug and kiss me just to show affection rather than hoping that doing so would lead to something more. I wanted a man who would look at me and learn the shape of my eyes and smile and would make a fool out of himself just to hear me laugh.
Shortly after I began dressing more modestly because I wanted to, I met my would-be husband (though we didn't get married for 4 and a half years after that). He was and still is exactly the man I'd been wanting to find and marry. He was looking for a girl that dressed modestly to show that she was more than a hot body. I actually attracted the kind of man I wanted when I started dressing like the girl he was looking for. It makes so much sense--it just took me several years to get that through my thick skull.
Don't get me wrong. There is definitely a time and place for some immodest clothing because of the thoughts and emotions it can evoke, but those are moments only for sharing between my husband and myself. ;)
3. Fashionable clothing can be expensive. There's always Ross, T.J. Maxx, Marshall's, and most especially thrift stores and free piling, but even then a lot of the clothing those places have to offer is picked over so thoroughly that a lot what I find requires some kind of altering to be wearable or stylish (which can be fun too, if I have the time for it).
I recently found a solution to all three of these challenges. You may have already heard about it from the big grand-opening recently or another giveaway. But if you haven't been introduced yet, consider this your formal and official introduction.
The concept is simple. This online store sells clothing that is modest and doesn't require any layering to achieve said modesty. Each item costs under $15. And there is something new every day. So if you don't see anything that fits your style one day, there may be something there the next day.
Now, I don't like to promote stuff I don't believe in. So I had to try it out. I was sent the Aubrey top so that I could see if it was as good as it sounds.
It is.
For under $15, you can get a shirt that covers your bra straps, shoulders, and cleavage, and it's long enough to cover your lower back when you sit or lean over.
The fabric is nice and lightweight and really comfortable, and the stitching is pretty decent quality for the price (and this is coming from a professional seamstress). For me to make a shirt of this style would cost more than $15 for the materials alone. It's a definitely good deal.
The size is pretty true. I got a small. The collar and waistline area have a little more stretch than the sleeves and hemline, which are definitely meant for small arms and small hips. It fits me well, so just be sure to be honest with yourself when looking at the sizing chart.
I wore it to church yesterday, and as we were walking into church my husband looked over at me and said, "That shirt looks really nice on you." I just smiled, because he had no idea that it was the one I'd told him I was reviewing for this giveaway. He noticed it and likes it without me asking and forcing an answer out of him. For me, that alone makes it a winner!
And speaking of a winner....
Because I like this top so much, you can win your own cute Aubrey top!
Enter below using this Rafflecopter form if you're interested in participating. And if not, don't forget to meander on over to ModestPop.com to see what styles are in the shop this week.
And, as if that's not enough, if you're shopping at ModestPop.com and you do find something that you like, use the following promo code for a 10% discount for the duration of my giveaway:
GOURMETSTYLE
Also note that this applies to people who live in the USA only. (Sorry to those who don't. :( You can still go look at the store though!)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Paying It Forward
There’s a pay-it-forward crafty plan underway, and lots of bloggers appear to be joining in!
So, here’s how this pay-it-forward thing works:
I will send a surprise gift to the first three commenters on this post (and if there are more I might just send out more). The gift will be a handmade surprise by me and I will send it to you sometime in the next 365 days. All you need to do is the following:
I will send a surprise gift to the first three commenters on this post (and if there are more I might just send out more). The gift will be a handmade surprise by me and I will send it to you sometime in the next 365 days. All you need to do is the following:
- Leave me a comment and include your email address (if you profile doesn’t link back) so I can get in touch with you about your mailing address and some other information about yourself.
- To complete signing up, you MUST play along too by blogging a similar post and pledging to make a surprise for the first 3 people who comment on it.
So, do you want to play along?
Comment below, and I’ll send a thoughtful gift to the first three people who do.
Let's pay it forward to one another!
Comment below, and I’ll send a thoughtful gift to the first three people who do.
Let's pay it forward to one another!
Monday, August 6, 2012
Pet Peeves from a Professional
I enjoy sewing. Usually. Well, mainly for myself and for fun. I've gotten away from sewing for clients. That, for me, is far less fun and tends to take the joy out of designing and sewing clothing. I used to design and make custom bridesmaid dresses as well as alter wedding gowns. I also made several articles of clothing for a member of an up and coming (and truly talented) band. I got a little worn out from it all.
I take pride in my work. I have custom tags that get sewn into each article of clothing I create. I make and alter patterns. I know how to work with colors and various types of fabrics. I understand fashion and trends. And I can mend, alter, and fix just about any problem with any article of clothing anyone gives me. So when everyday people refuse the ideas and recommendations from a trained fashion designer and seamstress, it really frustrates me.
The thing that really gets on my nerves most is when people come to me for work and say they just need something simple done, and after I agree to do it, they suddenly unload some difficult specifications for me to make sure and meet.
For example, recently I was asked to make a couple of simple vests for a formal dinner. She had the pattern and fabric already. No sweat! Plus I could really use the added cash.
Then came the extra "tidbits" that didn't seem important to let me know about before I agreed...
This is exactly why I rarely take on work as a fashion designer, seamstress, or alterations specialist anymore.
So if you're going to have a professional make and/or design anything for you (I'm talking about a real professional--not the sweet old lady at church who sews all of her own mu-mus and makes doilies for every flat surface in her house), please, keep these five things in mind:
1. Don't give me an article of clothing to base my measurements off of. Especially don't bring me something you've done a mediocre-to-poor job of altering yourself and expect me to be able to get accurate measurements from it.
2. Don't offer to take the measurements yourself unless you actually know what you're doing. If you're going to have me make something for you, you should be ready to bring people for to me so that I can be sure to get accurate measurements. That's the appropriate thing to do.
3. Don't give me a pattern that's the wrong size. If you don't know what size you need, let me buy the pattern, or be prepared to pay extra for me to do major alterations on it or make it myself.
4. Don't give me a pattern and then request something that is not part of that pattern. For example, if a pattern is for some basic formal vests, and you want a tuxedo vest, I need a pattern for a tuxedo vest. Deconstructed, it is very, very different from your basic four-buttoned-down piece.
5. Either follow the pattern when choosing fabric or ask me. Don't just get whatever you like and assume that all fabrics are created equal. They are not! Some woven fabrics are quite difficult to work with, and you can rarely use knits and wovens interchangeably. The same goes for notions: thread, buttons, interfacing, etc. Please, please, please don't get 2 inch buttons if 5/8 inch buttons are called for. It's really hard to make you not look like a clown if I use those.
It's also a little rude to offer to pay a set amount before unloading your difficult specifications. Please, tell me all the details and then we can talk about price.
*sigh*
Now, before I sound completely arrogant and ungrateful, I can be fair and understanding too. Maybe she didn't know I'm a professional. Maybe she hasn't ever taken a sewing class and doesn't understand even that basic skills necessary to do what she's asking. I get that--many people these days have no idea about these things. And she was thankful for the finished product. She liked them too.
(And I can't believe I forgot to get a picture of them! *facepalm*)
But if you've read this, you have no excuse now! So please, don't frustrate or belittle the next seamstress or alterations specialist you go to when you need your wedding gown altered or bridesmaid dresses made.
Remember that she/he is doing something you can't do, otherwise you would be doing it yourself.
Before being what you may consider "helpful" and taking care of lots of things on your own, find out what is actually needed from you.
Listen to what they say and don't assume that you know what to do or how their business works.
Thanks, and I hope you learned something from my rant.
Ending on a happy note, my husband loves to play with our son, and it cracks me up.
I take pride in my work. I have custom tags that get sewn into each article of clothing I create. I make and alter patterns. I know how to work with colors and various types of fabrics. I understand fashion and trends. And I can mend, alter, and fix just about any problem with any article of clothing anyone gives me. So when everyday people refuse the ideas and recommendations from a trained fashion designer and seamstress, it really frustrates me.
The thing that really gets on my nerves most is when people come to me for work and say they just need something simple done, and after I agree to do it, they suddenly unload some difficult specifications for me to make sure and meet.
For example, recently I was asked to make a couple of simple vests for a formal dinner. She had the pattern and fabric already. No sweat! Plus I could really use the added cash.
Then came the extra "tidbits" that didn't seem important to let me know about before I agreed...
This is exactly why I rarely take on work as a fashion designer, seamstress, or alterations specialist anymore.
1. Don't give me an article of clothing to base my measurements off of. Especially don't bring me something you've done a mediocre-to-poor job of altering yourself and expect me to be able to get accurate measurements from it.
2. Don't offer to take the measurements yourself unless you actually know what you're doing. If you're going to have me make something for you, you should be ready to bring people for to me so that I can be sure to get accurate measurements. That's the appropriate thing to do.
3. Don't give me a pattern that's the wrong size. If you don't know what size you need, let me buy the pattern, or be prepared to pay extra for me to do major alterations on it or make it myself.
4. Don't give me a pattern and then request something that is not part of that pattern. For example, if a pattern is for some basic formal vests, and you want a tuxedo vest, I need a pattern for a tuxedo vest. Deconstructed, it is very, very different from your basic four-buttoned-down piece.
5. Either follow the pattern when choosing fabric or ask me. Don't just get whatever you like and assume that all fabrics are created equal. They are not! Some woven fabrics are quite difficult to work with, and you can rarely use knits and wovens interchangeably. The same goes for notions: thread, buttons, interfacing, etc. Please, please, please don't get 2 inch buttons if 5/8 inch buttons are called for. It's really hard to make you not look like a clown if I use those.
It's also a little rude to offer to pay a set amount before unloading your difficult specifications. Please, tell me all the details and then we can talk about price.
*sigh*
Now, before I sound completely arrogant and ungrateful, I can be fair and understanding too. Maybe she didn't know I'm a professional. Maybe she hasn't ever taken a sewing class and doesn't understand even that basic skills necessary to do what she's asking. I get that--many people these days have no idea about these things. And she was thankful for the finished product. She liked them too.
(And I can't believe I forgot to get a picture of them! *facepalm*)
But if you've read this, you have no excuse now! So please, don't frustrate or belittle the next seamstress or alterations specialist you go to when you need your wedding gown altered or bridesmaid dresses made.
Remember that she/he is doing something you can't do, otherwise you would be doing it yourself.
Before being what you may consider "helpful" and taking care of lots of things on your own, find out what is actually needed from you.
Listen to what they say and don't assume that you know what to do or how their business works.
Thanks, and I hope you learned something from my rant.
Ending on a happy note, my husband loves to play with our son, and it cracks me up.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Halter Vest
One of my favorite pieces of clothing to wear is my halter vest.
This is something no one else in the world has. Why? because I designed and made it. As if that doesn't make it unique enough, I used vintage wool that we found in perfect condition in my grandmother's attic after she passed away. (I have a lot of vintage fabric from her attic, and since I'm the one in our family who sews the most, just about all of it went to me. I am perfectly okay with that!)
Here are my favorite details about it:
the buttons
the faux pocket flaps
(I kind of wish I'd made actual pockets in it, but they couldn't hold much anyway--it would be too bulky.)
the cute band across the back
the skinny, little lapels
the lining
Plus, I think it's pretty slimming. I wore this a lot before having a baby, and it's just started fitting me again.
Oh, happy day!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Tulip Sleeves on a Formal Dress
I've made and altered countless bridesmaid dresses. I've altered several wedding dresses. As a member of the church I belong to, modesty is very important for girls and women. It might sound silly to some, but it's something personal and even sacred to me. With that in mind, I am so grateful for Stephanie's decision on her bridesmaid dresses. She took us to David's Bridal and let us choose whichever style of long dress we wanted, as long as it was available in the right color. It was great for us bridesmaids because 1: We could actually pick a formal dress style we like and will wear again, and 2: We could make it as modest (or immodest) as we wanted.
None of them were modest up to my standards, but that's okay. I'm a seamstress. I chose a dress that would hopefully be slimming (since I'm still carrying some of this leftover pregnancy flab) and easy enough to alter. I went with this one.
Now, I love tulip sleeves. They're wonderful for formals and wedding gowns because the usual cap-style sleeves or short sleeves can restrict arm movement a lot when they're made from a woven fabric.
A quick lesson on woven fabric, if you're unfamiliar with how it's made.
So I took some measurements, made some pattern pieces, opened up some seams on the dress, and put the custom made tulip sleeves on.
None of them were modest up to my standards, but that's okay. I'm a seamstress. I chose a dress that would hopefully be slimming (since I'm still carrying some of this leftover pregnancy flab) and easy enough to alter. I went with this one.
Now, I love tulip sleeves. They're wonderful for formals and wedding gowns because the usual cap-style sleeves or short sleeves can restrict arm movement a lot when they're made from a woven fabric.
A quick lesson on woven fabric, if you're unfamiliar with how it's made.
The threads used to make a woven fabric cross each other at right angles.
Unless it's made with Spandex, it won't stretch.
However, if you pull it at a 45 degree angle, it has a little bit of a stretch to it.
That 45 degree angle is called the bias.
Tulip sleeves make use of a woven fabric's bias, which adds a little more give than regular sleeves have, and is why I love them so much.
So I took some measurements, made some pattern pieces, opened up some seams on the dress, and put the custom made tulip sleeves on.
And here's my favorite shot of the sleeves on my dress.
Well, it's actually my favorite shot of my husband and I enjoying a romantic moment on the dance floor at Stephanie and Justin's reception. But you can see the sleeves I made too!
(Thanks again, Weston Bennet, for letting me use your photos!)
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