Blue and white striped chevron dress

I got this fabric at the National City Swap Meet. My favorite. You know I love that place. I actually got this fabric from my first trip and I got around to making something from it. I have this pink tunic dress that I wore in the first 24 day challenge and I wanted to make something similar. It's such a comfortable style dress.

I made a chevron in the front. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be! When I tried to do it before I couldn't understand why it was so difficult. Then I realized that when I cut it on the bias, I was trying to pin it back together...not form a chevron but just regular stripes. DUH! Ha

 

I did horizontal stripes in the back.

(want to look at my butt? I know  you do.) 

 I bound the sleeves and neckline in bias strips I made. 

It was easy. And my husband said that's his favorite part. :)

 

And just for fun because I'm into these right

now and I think they are hilarious:

Sooo, I kinda fizzled out with the 24 day Challenge

I think the title of this post says it all. I kinda just fizzled out. I was into, but then I got behind, and then life kinda happened and before I knew it, it was over. But I'm okay with that. I did quite a few and so I'm happy with that. The last thing I wanted to post about was this:

Its from this post on Freckles in April. Her imitation is on the left. It honestly never crossed my mind to have red pants. But now I want them. I need them. Can  I sew them? Probably not. I'll be on the look out though. The husband thinks I'm crazy. I think he thinks half the stuff I wear is crazy.  Probably. But imma get these if the chance arises.

She recommends Pintrest for inspiration. I like Pintrest but I always forget about it. It's too much work for me. Hahah, but seriously- it kinda is. To find stuff that you like. And then it becomes overwhelming after a while with the millions of things to look at. Beautiful overload.

Day 13: Neutral Base with a pop of color

I'm counting this as my neutral with color. Want to know why? I'll tell you why: khaki skirt, light colored flats (they're actually mustard but with this skirt I think they neutral out) my make up is minimal, my headband is blond and the thing that kinda does it for me...no nail polish. Duh duh duuuuunnnhhhh. Yup. i wear nail polish a lot lately and so without I decided that makes me neutral.

Also, I love croquet. How fun is that? ALSO I love Balboa park. Especially the lady that was feeding a squirrel out of her hand. Yup.

Day 10: Find a Closet Orphan

I think that most of the things we have as "closet orphans" are probably so for a reason....that reason most likely that they are frumpy. Do you agree? Because that's my take on the situation. Exhibit A:

 The above face describes my feelings perfectly.

This shirt is definitely frump. Did you know I made this? Yup, from Built By Wendy 4111.

I saw a really cute version of Six one Seven and hers looks really good. But not mine. Besides the fact that I made this about two years ago and my sewing skills were not where they are now, the pattern just did not work out for me. Why is that front thing so awkwardly low?!?! Can you tell me that?

And empire line? What was I thinking? The only reason I still have this is because I can't get rid of things that I've made. Can you blame me? Maybe a little.

So I put this on and wore it around for a while and then remembered that I had a true closet orphan that I could actually wear. Exhibit B:

A black dress. What's not to like? I realized I've had this dress for many a year. Too many maybe. It's black jersey and not in the best shape, you know how jersey gets. But I still think it's kinda cute. The only real problem with it being that it's kinda short now- you can't tell in the picture. But I like it.

And just because I like them:

Day 9: Monochrome

What is it that all those cool kids are saying? Fail? Oh wait, I think it's EPIC fail.

Phew, now that I got that drama out of my system I can say that I wore a pretty standard outfit today. Is this challenge about wearing something ...extraordinary? Because I keep finding myself with either something pretty standard or something waaaayy out there. So here she is:

Those capris are from the free bin in Hawaii.Yessss.

Black striped shirt-which I love, black capris- which I also enjoy thoroughly, and black flats- which...guess what...I like those a lot too (I only wish they were the kind of shoes that are not only cute but are good on your feet. We all know most flats aren't all that comfortable). Okay, so all in all I really like all the things I'm wearing. And I like them together. Do I think they're wild and crazy? Maybe a little crazy because I went outside in all black in August.

I tried to find some outstanding color to wear today and I just didn't have much luck. Also, I had to find something that I could wear all day. I was at the computer a good portion of the day today (and not at my house) so I needed something practical. I have things I think are cute but just end up being impractical.

Day 7: Layer Accesories

Honestly? I have no excuse. I'm terrible at this challenge. Also, I'm starting to cringe looking at these silly mirror pictures.

Hahaha. When I look at this I crack up. I think I am playing dress up, and not in the cute way- in the way where you don't know what the heck you're doing anymore. That's me. My friend once said that when she can't find something to wear/doesn't feel cute in what she's wearing she just starts putting a fazillion things. I guess either then you come up with something that's just bat crap or cute. It's a fine line people. A fine line.

Day 11: Wear a dress or a skirt

This one is easy. I wear skirts a lot now. And I love this one. I like to think of it as my Minnie Mouse Skirt.

'Nuff said.



As a side note, one time I was wearing these shoes at work (which used to be at an elementary school) and one of the preschoolers said to his teacher- look, she doesn't have shoes on! Hahah. That makes  me smile when I think about it.

Day 5: Belt it.

I love belts. I love them. Can I put that out there a little more? The song "I'm so in love with yoooouu" is playing in my head. A trip down memory lane: my friend and I in high school would always hit up the thrift store and would love when we found belts. Those elastic 80s ones with crazy fasteners, like metallic butterflies and circle attachments (how do you describe something so unbelievable). I wish I still had some of the ones from before. I do still have a few, but guess what? 20+ years starts to make the elastic...not elastic anymore. And gross. You  know when it stretches out and then just doesn't stretch back in? Yeah. That's these. I was totally surprised when a few years ago those became popular again. I wasn't in a crazy belt wearing phase then, nor would I have paid full price at a 'real' store, but I've found a few gems in my recent adventures. I'm sad to say that I haven't been thrifting very often lately. And I know I never finished my thrift store review. Shame on me!

This purple shirt reminds me of one from Natalie's blog: The Bobby Pin. She posted about Zara and a green polka dot top that wasn't unlike (in the print) the one I'm wearing. This one came from the thrift store a while back and I changed up the sleeves but never wore it because it still didn't fit right. But, I took the sleeves off. Actually it has no finished sleeves under my sweater- it's a secret! It's on the top of my list of things to finish. I've also had those green shoes for oh, about 6 years now. Or maybe 7. I love the color of them still. However, I think they're a little too pointy for now. I mean 7 years ago was about 2004, and in 2004-05 heels were definitely in the point stage. And they are so comfortable. That's the difference with Steve Madden and Charlotte Rusee (et al). One is more comfortable and holds up very well...and the other...yeah.

Day 4: Color Blocking

Color blocking! I have lots of solids, I didn't know what to pick. I would have worn my light pink sweater but I couldn't find it. Sad. Where did it go?

I love this skirt. Love it. It's the blue one I made. I love these shoes, too. Color block!

One a side note, I gotta stop taking these dumb mirror shots. Hating them, but I live in a weird apartment, and besides that I have no one to take a picture of me. So yeah. Just love it.

Day 3: Pattern Mixing

This one was difficult for me. I have a lot of solid clothes and I wasn't sure where to go with this... I think I started putting so many different patterns together that my judgement started to waver. Then I saw my friend Natalie's take on the pattern mixing challenge and I was completely in awe. Seriously? those look amazing together!!!! I was dying with envy.

So for the first fail attempt where I wasn't sure what to put together is this:

This was weird.

So here's what I came up with after.

Which I think looks slightly better. Okay and let me just go ahead and say that I did not mean to rip of Natalie's lepoard and and red. Honestly! I'm no cheat. I didn't even think about it until now.

And I like the pattern on the shirt:

While I've got your attention I'm going to go ahead and say that I made that skirt. Yup. It's McCalls  5330 which I made in blue and white. I mentioned the lepoard print in my white skirt post. I made the blue and white ones in 2010 and I made the lepoard in 2008. Yes. Is it weird that I remember that? Well I do.

When I look at myself in the post about my white skirt I just think- WOW. I've lost quite a bit of weight since then, most it being this past winter/spring when I was sick for 6 weeks. That skirt fit me then, then didn't fit me for a long time, and guess what? Fits me again. Lovely.

Aaaand scene.

Day 2: Tuck It

Tuck it now. Tuck it good. Now tuck it.

Tucking is a sensitive topic with me. If it's a skirt, I am almost always tucking it now. Now pants are a different story. I'm not sure how I fee about that. So I tried to do pants. I have a feeling that I'll want to do all skirts.

I got these shirts for a friend's wedding which I wore with a black skirt. I'm really not into the crop top thing-like not at all, but this was the perfect color for what I needed. Anyway, I decided to wear this together. And guess what. I tucked in the green. Is this totally strange? I think it is! But who cares, right?

But crop tops make me think we need to go back to the 90s and do something like this:

Only with a scrunchie.

Day 1: Remix

Two days late? What's it to ya? A little late is okay, right? Right.

Here's day one- pick something to remix three times throughout.
I chose this pink thing. I bought this at a thrift store years ago and it had hideous drop shoulder sleeves and a terrible, constricting crew neck. So I cut them off and made the top into a beaut neck- I love those.

If you can't tell, it's a comfortable day. Is it okay that I wore this...relaxed  you might say. Like I said, I wanted to be comfy!

just to put this out there, I almost just Hasselhofed my computer. I had to upload this to flikr for the goup, and then upload it to photobucket- which is what I usually use to add photos. And then when I tried to add the picture to this post it kept coming out sideways! But I fixed it because I'm a champ. Ramp champ.

Red dress- it's about time

Did you ever see those old Mormon ads? "It's about....time." Hahah. I was just thinking about those. They're pretty cute. But back to my point: I finished my dress (ok, actually I finished it a few weeks ago but I got around to wearing it to my friend's wedding on Saturday).

Remember this? And Gertie's version? Sooo great. So here's mine. This is the same altered pattern I did for the cream floral dress. I started with McCall 6201 and changed the top in case you forgot.

 

 This is outside the San Diego Temple (lds.org for more info). I'm so glad I got to wear this dress finally. I love it. And I worked really hard on it.

One last thing to share: their cake.

Oh what's that? It doesn't look like cake to you? That's because it's donuts. Yup. Delicous, delicious donuts. Best thing ever.

They cut a giant maple donut. It's on the top. They rule.

21 day challenge

I just found out about this thing that's happening. It's called the 21 day challenge. You've probably already heard of it. I might be a little behind...okay yeah a lot. But I just found out from my friend Natalie and I'm totally going to do it. I usually don't do the "(insert noun)-a-longs" or what have you but this I am interested in this. Hopefully I'll remeber. Lately I've been slobbing it up. So yeah. Doing it.

Cream floral dress

I went to my brother in law's wedding a few weeks ago in Utah. Let me first start by saying that it was one of the funnest trips to Utah I've had. It was just a great time all around. From spelling obscene words with sparklers to floating down a freezing cold river, to horse back riding...there was fun to be had. And I had it. 

But here's what it's about. The dress:

 

Remember when I said I was going to use this fabric to make this dress?

I did. 

But I didn't wear it.

I made this dress as a type of "muslin" but I'd rather call it a prototype. That word is better.

I used McCall's 6201 as a basis. I know I haven't posted in a long time so I'll just go ahead and tell you that I basically made this three times. And all of them were different.

Don't you just love pictures at weddings? I didn't realize I should take my sweater off to get a picture of the front. I think I styled it pretty cute with that sweater. Is honeysuckle still the color of the year?

 

I redrafted the whole top. I eliminated the lining for starters, changed the neckline to a beaut neck in the front with a deep v in the back (does that have a name?) and added drop shoulder sleeves instead of set in. It sewing up pretty easily, especially since I'd already sewn two other dresses that were...well...almost the same.

 

I finished the neck and armholes with single fold bias tape in "oyster." What a gross name for a color, am I right? Ugh. I stitched it to the seam allowance like usual but instead of top stitching I did a kind of blind stitch to tack it down on the inside. It took way too long though. The family kept teasing me because I was still hand stitching part of it the morning of. My other brother in law loved that one.

So I don't like how the back looks in these pictures- it was the end of a very long, sweaty day so no wonder it looks wrinkly and strange. And the reception hall lighting is less than idea of  modeling your custom dress. Look for some better pictures in the near future.

Continuing Education

Guess what?

I'm taking some classes.

No, no, I'm not going back to college, I'm just doing some continuing education. It's through the San Diego Community College district. It's called SDCE. I'd say the majority of their classes are free. Some have a very low fee. You know what the best part is (besides being free)? They have sewing classes! Go figure. Take a look:

See that one on the bottom? "Swim Suit Construction"? Yup. I'm taking it. The instructor is top notch.

They have classes in other semesters, too. I'm working on a one piece right now. Hopefully it will be better than last  years swimsuit fail. I'm not drafting a pattern for this one. That was far too ambitious. I'm using a pattern. Should be done this week.

But. My point being: use your local educational resources. Did I mention these classes are free? Not just in San Diego.

Here's the link again in case you forgot: San Diego Continuing Education

Hats. Maybe I'll make one?

I decided to start with a visual.

HAT MAKING!!!! Wait to watch it until you finish this post.

This is a video on threadbanger. I made a hat like this about...oh, maybe three years ago? I think I wore it around my house two times and then ended up throwing it away because I wasn't really into it. And it was small. I looked around for the website that used then but I can't remember what is was. This video is about the same.

I want to make a hat. I know.. it's like, whaaaat? But the other day I got a wild hair (I won't finish this idiom) and wanted to make a hat. I think this started when I saw people wearing cute fedoras. I used to wear fedoras back when I was a teenager and I was the most ska things to ever happen to the greater Cincinnati area. Yeah. I was on fire.

you can visit their site here

I am so up to my eyeballs in projects right now. Do  you ever feel like you spend more time looking at things to make and other creative things than actually making things? I'm feeling that way.

I have to admit this post doesn't serve a lot of purposes

On the to-do list  (yes I write down a to-do list. I get it from my dad)

~Finish my flowered raglan dress

~Work on  my swimsuit

~Re-cut my tweed dress

~Draft a hat pattern

More to come soon? I'm sure.

Sea Foam Green Skirt

I actually made this skirt a while ago. Not a long while but I haven't posted much sewing lately.

I haven't been doing a ton of sewing lately to be honest....whoops

 

This skirt is very....sea foam.

It's also the only A-line skirt that fits me. My other ones are too baggy.

 

It's one of those articles of clothing that is difficult to wear. Just because it's hard to find things that it doesn't look too insane with. I'm not sure I'm succeeding at this. It might just be an insane skirt anyway. I had this fabric in my stash for about... 3 years. So I'm glad I finally used it. I do like the color, but sometimes I don't pick good/appropriate fabrics (but I'm getting better at this).

Potato Project v1.6

Oh my lovely potato. How I love thee.

 

June 19, 2011

 

Have you noticed how it's changed?

Me too.

The water is getting really cloudy. It's starting to be disconcerting. I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do about this situation.

I like the quantitative changes.

Potato Project v1.5

I'm  little bit behind in my Potato Projet. It was an exciting week,

what with throwing Chris a surprise party and all.

The bottom is starting to get full of roots.

June 13, 2011

The bud on the side is starting to grow not too.

I'm loving this.

One of my Favorite Authors

Roald Dahl

(1916-1990)

Roald Dahl had an amazing life. Don't believe me? Read Boy and Going Solo:

He was a little trouble maker. I love the cover of Boy: him holding a dead rat. Read the book, you won't be disappointed. Once you read his two autobiographies then you can pick up so many themes in his books that he draws right from his childhood and life.

 Did you know he lived in Africa while working for Shell Oil? He saw a tiger pick up a woman and walk off with here, but then he let her go, completely unscathed.

Did you know he served as a fighter pilot in WW2? He crashed on his very first flight because he ran out of fuel and was in the middle of the desert; his face was so swollen that he couldn't see for 6 weeks.

A boy with a Norwegian grandmother goes to England on holiday. Sound familiar?

Recently reread this and then watched the movie. Angelica Houston much?

But my favorite has to be:

So many great stories. They have the interesting, intriguing feeling of a Dahl story, just condensed.  They are all so great but I think I'd have to say that "The Hitchhiker" is my favorite. The ending is perfect.

And this last one:

I remember reading this story with my mom when I was a kid. What could be better than a father-son duo that add sleeping potion to raisins and feed them to pheasants so as to capture them.

There are so many other wonderful Dahl books including, but not limited to:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Matilda

The Twits

James and the Giant Peach

The BFG

The Enormous Crocodile

The Magic Finger

The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me

Fantastic Mr. Fox

(do you think it's a coincidence that many were made into movies?)

He was rather prolific. I'm very into his stories right now. I'll probably read them all. And I think everyone should too.

(just cause it's sweet)