Day: October 13, 2010

crafts · outfits · Sewing

What I wore Wednesday

stitchywitch9 Comments

First off:  I’m the featured member on Burdastyle this week!   I had a really busy week, and I had to wear my performing uniform twice (I’ll show it here, but never again unless it changes!)

Thursday:

Dress: Ralph Lauren

Shoes: Sofft

Singing in a concert of new compositions at 21c.  I didn’t make this dress – when called upon to buy a black dress that went below the knee for a chamber group I sing with, I chose to buy rather than make.  I really don’t enjoy the below the knee length on this, and I wouldn’t wear it with these shoes if I didn’t have to stand up for a long time!

Friday

Wrap: Simplicity 2360

Almost the same as Thursday, with the addition of a wrap.  I was singing at a private University fundraising dinner – very fancy.  I didn’t wear the sweater to sing, but kept it on the rest of the time!  And again… I hate the length of this dress, so awkward on me.  I may have to make a full skirted black jersey dress to replace it.

Saturday: Singing with the Irish band at a festival… no photos that turned out of me (but plenty of the rest of the band – somehow I was standing in a shadow.)

Sunday: I don’t remember what I wore, but it was probably boring – it was my day off!

Monday

Top: The Limited

Skirt: Burdastyle Jenny

Shoes: Anne Klein

I don’t wear this skirt as often as I could.  I might make the hips 1/2″ larger on a redo, and not cut the waistband on the bias.  I have found that the non-interfaced band (the outside part) stretches, so while it still fits on the inside it bags a bit on the outside.

Tuesday

Sweater: Vintage

Boots: BC

Skirt: thrifted, refashioned by me

I bought this skirt at a thrift last week, thinking that it had potential.  It was way too big, and a bit long as well.  I took it in by 4 inches overall, which raised the waist to my natural waist and took care of the length.  I really like it, though the cotton/linen blend fabric tends to wrinkle a bit.

Wednesday

Dress: Simplicity

Cardigan: 525 America

Belt: Forever 21

Boots: Alfani

Cat action shot!  I love this dress, though this shot exposes its one major issue – the fold line that will not press out of the skirt front!  I am amused to see this fabric on the cover of a new Simplicity pattern.  This dress doesn’t work with most cardigans because of the ruffles, but this one is fine (it’s a circular cardigan, though the photo doesn’t show it, and it has an enormous shawl collar.)  Today I teach, and then I have a college choir I am helping out with.  Being around a bunch of college students once a week makes me feel really aged, but I enjoy the interaction.

 

Back later with my muslin progress!

 

 

crafts · Sewing

In which I attempt to make a muslin the right way

stitchywitch6 Comments

There is actually a formal way to make a muslin – it involves thread tracing all the seam lines and then taking apart your muslin to use for your pattern.  I’ve never done this – I’m a big fan of the quick and dirty muslin, and I’m super impatient.  But I’m looking to make this Michael Kors pattern, and I want to get the fit right!

Look at me, copying the envelope, but you know I just loved the polka dots!  I’m using the red/black  wool suiting that I got from Mood awhile back (did I mention that it’s a Rebecca Taylor fabric?  Too bad I’m not using one of her patterns for Vogue!)

Tasia just put up a good tutorial on this sort of muslin (although I don’t think she uses the muslin for the pattern… I have heard it can stretch out.)  So I’m trying (and I’m even doing the skirt – I pretty much have to on a fitted style.)  My only pre-muslin alteration is for length – I don’t like a straight dress that falls below the knee.  There are a lot of markings for the bow, but I’m hoping that following the directions will work!  I’m not going to lie – sewing all the seamlines by machine is super tedious, but I’m determined to try it this way at least once!

It had better work out  – I already bought shoes to go with the dress!

I have been wanting a pair of red heels, so since I was getting an assortment of boots to try out I thought “why not?”   These are only a 2.5″ heel.  Three inches is my limit, platform or no,  and I can’t believe how hard it is to find a height between 4 inches and flat.  The red matches my fabric very well!  Speaking of red shoes, I also got these:

These are by Kensie girl, and were both adorable and dead cheap.  I have a few pairs by this brand, and they are all comfortable for the price.  I’ve been wearing my black cowboy boots to death, which sort of shocks me – I never thought I would care for boots that are shorter than knee height, but I really like them!

I managed to get the muslin cut and prepared, and tomorrow I will try to sew it up – here’s hoping that the sizing is close (the tissue has no markings for the bust, so I just cut an 8, my usual Vogue bust size.)  Luckily, this week promises to be less busy than the last – the only sewing I managed last week was a horribly failed muslin and a mostly successful thrift store refashion (which I will have to show you when I do my Wednesday night post.)