Iris Shorts

It's the official start of summer here in NJ, and that calls for a new pair of shorts! Colette patterns just released this patterns for shorts; Iris. I whipped a pair up this weekend using some cotton from Paron's in NYC. The only pattern adjustment I did was to lengthen the crotch, apparently I have a long torso. I made version 2, with the buttons, but did not cut the buttonhole, and just sewed the buttons on top.

Happy Summer!

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Blue Rose party dress

I love this dress! My maid of honor told me to get sewing, and make myself a dress for my bridal shower. Everything about the shower is a surprise, so I handed off the dress to her right after I finished it, and won't see it again until after the surprise.

This dress is all about the fabric. When I saw this double paneled floral cotton from Fabric Mart's daily pick on facebook,  I snapped it up at only $3.99 a yard. As you can see, one side has more flower coverage than the other.

I never worked with a paneled fabric before, and carefully cut the pieces for this Frankenstein pattern. I used vintage Butterick 9752, as the inspiration, and followed those directions, but used the trusty pattern simplicity 2444, for the front bodice and skirt, just to make fitting a little easier. The scoop neck back and buttonholes pattern was a raised version of the vintage Butterick, I raised the scoop a bit just so I could wear a bra. I love the ric rac trim around the neckline and hem, I can't believe I've never done this before.

The back closes with 5 buttons, and is attached to the skirt that has a small invisible zipper closure. I will surely make another version of this sweet dress.

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Mother's Day Taffy Blouse

For Mother's day this year, I knew I had to make my Mom a Taffy blouse from Colette Sewing Handbook. I had this stain glass silk chiffon fabric from Mood in NYC, which is perfect for the bias cut of the blouse. The Coletterie suggests Sullivan's spray to spray the chiffon, which makes it easier to sew, cut the pieces on the bias, and then hung the pieces overnight to make sure the bias was stretched. I used french seams just like the book suggests, and bias trim on the neckline. For the sleeves and bottom hem I used the rolled hem on the serger, which made the ends curl, and have a more flowy feel.

I cut a straight size 6, but added some length to the body, because I know she has a longer torso. Thankfully the length and fit is perfect! Love you Mom!

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Prada Inspired Car Fabric

I've been wanted to make my own car fabric for forever, and trying to figure out a way to make it wearable, and chic. When I saw the Prada Spring/Summer 2012 runway, I knew what I had to do.

Prada Spring/Summer 2012
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My family has always been into cars, and every year we spend time at a racetrack, racing Shelbys. This is even how I met my fiance. I wanted to make a shirt I could wear that wasn't a icky t-shirt. I can't draw so needed something that I could scan and photoshop into an image. It took me a little while to find the perfect thing to scan and use for the basis of the images, but it was right in my attic. My Dad's copy of Ford's 1970 performance guide. So I scanned the images and with the help of photoshop (and a lot of help from my friends), I made an image for spoonflower, the company that prints whatever fabric you can think up.

AND VIOLA!

My personalized car fabric. I ordered two yards of the cotton poplin. I love it, I'm planning on making a sleeveless peplum blouse, just in time for the car even in the beginning of June!

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Yarn Debacle

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What do you do when your knitting something and don't like the yarn? I bought three skeins of Blue Sky Alpaca Royal in azure online and I am not in love with the color in person. This yarn was not cheap, and feels really soft. The picture from the Blue Sky Website is a pretty, light color blue, which would really bring out my eyes, but it reality it looks sort of muddy, and not as light as the picture. Am I being crazy and should just knit it or should figure out another option?

The pattern is a really cute scoop cardigan with a knot sleeve detail, also by Blue Sky Alpacas. Every time I pick it up to knit it, I finish a row and throw it down, annoyed by the muddy color. Blue Sky Alpaca is truly my favorite yarn company, and I have never been disappointed by a yarn. The royal yarn is decadent, just like it is described, I just wish the color was the same. Pin It Now!