Amber and the Missing Mojo--it's not pretty.

Do you ever have a sewing disappointment run?  Laws, my last 3 objects have been so frustrating!  First we have these pants:

Pinstripes never photograph well.  They are just high waisted side zip straight legged boring wonderful spring pants.  But, apparently I'm not a Simplicity size 12.  They are about 3/4 inch too small for me and 2 inches away from being comfortable.  Grrrrr.  The crotch fits okay as well as the backside so my big question for you is ---Would it be okay if I just added 1-1 1/2 inches on each outside seam?  If it will work, I'm going to chevron the inset on both sides (which is sewing 3 foot straight lines 6 times after ripping them out--BORING)  Which is why I can't make myself do this right now.

Next, we have the 3 tiered skirt:

the zipper hasn't been inserted so the right side isn't actually high

I'm writing a tutorial for this and it's turning out wonky.  Yes, wonky.  Don't get me wrong, the steps are all there-it's the execution that is suffering.  I like to sew while I'm watching movies with my husband and as it gets later and later I care less and less.  (I don't stay up past 10pm very well).  My husband says that the wonkiness is part of why I like this skirt--and he's mostly right, but the top is wonky too, right under the yoke.  Shoddy sewing, I know.  Grrr.  Not to mention the pants I scrapped sewing for my husband.  

My mojo is just GONE, you know?  What do I do?  I need an easy, no fail pattern that will give me my sewing esteem back.  Suggestions, Please, pretty please.

On another note, I am loving Me-Made-March!  Loving it!

Here's the catch up:

Day 11

Me made circle skirt out of Christmas linen (shirred waist) , me made necklace

Day 12

Butterick 5498 , me made necklace (anthro knockoff)

Day 13

Vogue 8511, Giraffe in Vogue

Day 14:

Vogue 8477, altered skinny jeans

Help me, please.

Me-Made-March catch up

I had 2 days of very bad photography/lighting and couldn't bear to put them up by themselves.  

Day 10:  Me made necklace, shirt, old OOP Simplicity pattern--before keeping track of what I made.  Franzi vest--which I hate and will never ever make again.  I only ever wear it with this shirt--I don't really know how else to wear it.

Day 9:  V1224--Tracy Reese Collection--blogged here.

Day 7:  Thanksgiving skirt--used this pattern and made into a skirt.

Day 6:  V8157-Best pants ever (wrinkled at bottom because I'm barefoot and hemmed for shoes)

             Scrunchy Spring Scarf-tutorial here-I love this scarf.  It's made from some old fabric my Grandma gifted to me and then dyed pink(a smidge darker in real life).  The threads making up the pattern are cotton on one side, polyester on the other so there is the red/white difference.

About halfway through the picture on the left you can see some bright red caused by shredding of the fabric.  I did not do this while stirring my fabric with a stick I found during the dyeing process.  Definitely not.

In other news, I bribed an old friend to come over to my house to write a tutorial for my shades to grey skirt.  And we're almost done!  

Homemade or not--Do you care if others know?

I love making my clothes.  By and large the clothes I wear make me happy.  (And, never having worn all my homemade clothes consecutively before, I hadn't noticed on how many people compliment and comment on them.)

Anyway, I know that a lot of people who make their clothes strive to make them look store-bought or designer, or maybe just professional.  Lots of information out there on making your clothes look less homemade.  But truthfully, I don't care.  I still want them to look professionally done--no threads, zippers unnoticeably, buttons correctly aligned.  But I don't care if people know my clothes are hand made.

Is there a stigma?  I don't tell everyone I make my things, but occasionally I'll say something like "Thanks, it's my design"  or "Thanks so much, I worked forever on them".  What do you do?

Anyway on to my Lumberjack in Pink shirt with my favorite preppy buttons.

MMMarch Day 8

I found this fabric at a yard sale, wrinkles like linen, I think it's a linen/cotton blend?

Grey accents on the sleeves and collar stand.

Awesome buttons--This is one of the things I'm talking about.  You wouldn't find these buttons on RTW, however, I love them.  They are the size the pattern calls for --which is usually a size too big, if I'm not mistaken--and they are shiny, not itty-bitty plastic buttons from RTW clothing.  Not that there is anything wrong with itty-bitty plastic buttons.

I've worn this shirt a couple times, trying to figure out if I liked it--so you see--going through the wash has wrinkled the sleeve cuffs and some of the wrinkling in the waist is due to the fabric(and my obvious lack of ironing)

Back view--wait, I'm not sure why I needed to spell that out

I took in the sides and back darts just a hair and it ended up having just enough ease for daily wear, although the sleeves are a little ease-less in the bicep area--maybe I took too much fabric out of the sleeve head?   I wanted absolutely no poof to this shirt.  I really probably do need to start doing some swayback adjustments.  Happy Tuesday!

Notes: M3541, cut the 12, made View C, added cuffs from A, sewed up side slits, rounded bottom just slightly.  I didn't interface the cuffs.

Cost:  

Pattern:  stash for years

Fabric:  $4

Buttons:  $3

Thread:  $1.25

Interfacing:  stash

Total:  $8.25

MMM updates

I'm still kind of reeling from the spur-of-the-moment vacation, so it's nice to be able to update the blog with some photos.  And, some of my stuff you haven't seen before!

Day 4 
Day of loud, loud dress and awesome leopard obi belt

Simplicity 3835 dress.  (Note:  does not have enough wearing ease to get in and out of husband's truck, as evidenced by large hole in back seam discovered at grocery store)


Obi belt.  I wear this with everything; I really need to make another.

Jeans I altered to be skinny jeans.  I bought some skinny jeans that weren't skinny enough to fit under my boots and had to take them in the entire inseam.




I may see if I can turn this top into a tunic, but if not I'll use it for pieces. (lining, scraps, etc.)






















Day 5
Grey Maggy and Anthro knockoff

aforementioned truck

Grey Maggy blogged here

Anthropologie inspired necklace --tutorial from Flamingo Toes

Happy Weekend!

Wow, really? and MMM

You guys all know Tanit-Isis right?  Of course you do, what am I talking about.  Anyway I've been blog stalking her for about 6 months now, but just recently went public with it.  (That's okay, right?!?)  And have you seen her skinny cargoes?  Yeah, I know.  Killer.  Okay, well she passed on the Stylish Blogger award to this brand new blog--thank you, darling.

So,  onto 7 things about me.  This should be pretty easy because I'm new to the blog world, so here it is:

1.  I'm a total math geek.  I'm hoping to finish up my degree starting this summer (not sure what will happen--you know, life) in Quantitative Economics.  Mmhmm.  Yes, because when you tell people you are a math/statistics major they say "Oh, so will you teach?".  But when you say Quantitative Economics, they let out an "Oh, wow.  That sounds really hard."  And you say "Absolutely it is, but I really enjoy it."  Then they immediately start talking about something else because they are so in awe of the degree you don't have yet.  At least, I think that's why they change the subject...

2.   I kind of have a celebrity crush on Rachel McAdams.  But really, doesn't everyone?

3.   I have seen the entire original Star Trek series starring William Shatner whilst under duress. I have seen it on Blu-Ray with the special effects left so I can see the string carrying the ship float across the screen.  And all the extras.  And I don't want to talk about it.

4.  I love the new Star Trek movie-especially because I got all the references from the aforementioned torture.

5.  I eat inappropriate amounts of chocolate.  Daily.   Have you heard about those women who get their daily magnesium intake from chocolate?  I've considered looking up the numbers but I'm a little scared.  Ignorance is bliss.

6.  I started driving a minivan at 23.  Please, please, don't tell anyone.  And especially no one I went to high school with.  We are trying to find a way to get rid of it now so you shouldn't have this leverage for long. (fingers crossed)

7.  I'm on a Sherlock Holmes kick.  I love the Hollywood movie (yes, Rachel McAdams is in it), and you've heard me talk about the BBC version.  Next season should start in 6 months!  And of course the books.  I am 80% through all the literature I have.  But what obsession should come next?

So I think that is plenty about me.  Let's hear about someone else.  I'd love to hear from these talented bloggers.


Joy of 21wale

Rebecca of Maymade

Lorena of ellohhandmade

Lizajane of lizajanesews

Bernice of raindropsandbellyflops

Robyn of SewLoveRed

Sarah of Welcome to the Good Life



Also

Menswear in March, day 3

Stolen sweater (from my husband)
Ellen Houlihan Hybrid

Me-Made-March is going on here!!

I feel much better today.  It probably has nothing to do with the fact I broke down and told my husband that I just can't work on his pants right this second.  Probably.  Anyway on to exciting pictures...

March 1:
The day of the sick pants 
(as dubbed by my husband)
Cynthia Rowley muslin (Simpicity 3835)
linen pants

I didn't feel good yesterday.  And my camera was charging from my trip, so please use your imagination and I won't let this happen again.  (I may or may not be talking about how much ice cream I consumed yesterday).

March 2:

The teenage look--
Shades of Grey skirt
purchased top
made earrings

I can't help it-I love this skirt!  I made it last summer piecing together some repurposed decorated linen/cotton (black), my husband's old dress shirt with gathers (grey), and a white cotton miniskirt I used to wear to beach-like activities.  The top is a band of black spandex (no zipper required!)  so I can wear it down on my hips or conceivably up at my waist (which I would never, ever do).

I think this summer I'll do another in shades of red.  I love red and pink together.  Or maybe blues.  Or a faded orange skirt I can see myself wearing all summer long.  What colors would look best?

Impromptu Craziness

My husband has been stressed.  So much so that he wants to get away.  On a trip.  Right now.  Me--I'm more of a planner, and anticipater, get the most for our money kind of gal. Plus I hate the car. So when my husband kept wanting to leave in February--I was resistant.

Then, suddenly last Monday he did it.  He bought tickets to Disneyland, a hotel in Las Vegas, and we left. Seriously, from the time he completed his transactions online to the time we stopped at the grocery store for road trip snacks was about 90 minutes.  (Mothers out there read:  dirty house, undone laundry, forgotten makeup)

And it was great!

We got away from a foot and a half of snow and overloaded on Vitamin D and sunshine. (Goodbye Seasonal Affective Disorder/Postpartum depression/whatever the heck I have!)

 A long time a ago in a galaxy far, far away the Evil Lord Vader duels The Young Jedi Padawon for control over the galaxy. The Young Padawon defeated Darth Vader and brought peace and tranquility to the galaxy. (unlike the little girl that bowed to Vader and was rushed off the stage)

The force is strong with this one.
And no, that is not his father. 

We went to the beach-seriously 3 days at Disneyland/California Adventure is about a day too much-unless you have older kids.

Then we drove home.  There are no pictures of this because it is something we'd all rather forget.

Anyway back to Monday, the last day of the month and I had to renew my Drivers License,  get a birth certificate to do so, Paul had to register the truck.  All things that are fantastic to take care of the last day of the month.  Plus, the aforementioned undone laundry, dirty house, and unpacking.

Then, Paul asked me to make him some pants with this pattern.  Sheesh.  There are only 17,000 pieces.  And a muslin is required.  I've worked 6 hours on this puppy already and have little to show--besides meticulous marking and cut out pieces.  I'm a selfish seamstresser to my core and this is taxing my limits.  So much so that I woke up sick.  Blegh.

So one day I may sew for myself.  Me-Made-March could be a little tricky though.  Pictures to come.