August 2012

31 Aug Celebration Time

Posted at 07:23h in Butterick Patterns, McCall's Sewing Pattern, Mood Fabrics, sewing blogs, sewing clothes, silk by goodbyevalentino 187 Comments

On August 31, 2011 I turned over a new leaf :) I gave up buying Ready-to-Wear clothing for one year and vowed to make my clothes instead. Today I’m celebrating because I not only set out to do what I intended, but I completed an experience that brought me great pleasure and satisfaction. I must have needed a challenge! I was spending huge amounts of money on clothes and was constantly shopping. I bought way too many clothes that looked alike, and had entirely too many clothes that were barely worn. One day I snapped, gave up shopping, began sewing my clothes and started a...

23 Aug Goodbye Valentino’s No.1 Pencil Skirt

Posted at 19:46h in silk, Simplicity Patterns, skirt pattern, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 65 Comments

Ready-to-Wear garments often inspire my sewing projects. Can you imagine my surprise when I opened the latest J Crew catalogue to find a skirt I made last September in the 2012 Fall Collection of pencil skirts? (pages 56 - 57) The timing of this unexpected discovery was perfect as it pushed me past the sub-lime green jacket of yesterday as well as reminding me to trust myself and not to be shaken by a disappointment. Goodbye Valentino's No. 1 Pencil Skirt $25.00. J Crew’s No. 2 Pencil Skirt $148.00 ;)...

22 Aug “It Ain’t Me, Babe” B5567

Posted at 13:27h in Butterick Patterns, sewing blogs, sewing clothes, Sewing Jackets, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 98 Comments

“This jacket just isn’t you,” commented my honest husband. “Shut up and eat your damn cake,” said I. _____________________________________________________ Years ago while dining at a very nice restaurant, my husband and I observed a drunk man tell his nagging wife to shut up and eat her damn cake in front of a table full of guests. It’s been one of our little jokes ever since……… It’s quite discouraging to spend three days sewing only to be disappointed with a mediocre result, but my husband is right – this jacket isn’t me. I believe the giant ric-rac just made it worse too. Would you believe I...

16 Aug New Look 6097 + Mood Silk Jersey

Posted at 18:08h in Mood Fabrics, New Look Sewing Patterns, sewing blog, sewing clothes, silk by goodbyevalentino 87 Comments

Until today I owned one silk jersey dress. I bought a Diane von Furstenberg silk jersey wrap dress in 2007 for which I paid $300.00. Since I've been sewing my clothes during the last 11 and a half months instead of buying ready-to-wear, I can hardly believe I spent so much money on a simple dress. Sunday, I returned home from the beach to two and a half yards of this beautiful black and cream silk jersey I ordered from Mood Fabrics. The pen and ink design reminded me of an etching from the Bloomsbury artists’ era; a period that has fascinated me for years. However,...

10 Aug Kwik Sew 2498

Posted at 00:02h in Amy Butler, sewing blogs, sewing clothes, Sewing Tops by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

I hear many people saying they can’t believe summer is almost over. My youngest child graduated from college last spring, and I no longer follow a school calendar. Immersed in summer type activities for the next six weeks, I am in summer mode and that includes sewing! Recently, Irene made several tops from this Kwik Sew pattern inspiring me to give it a try.Determined to challenge myself during the past year, I chose more complicated patterns to sew, but adding five more buttonholes to my repertoire immediately qualified the pattern!Though there’s not much to it, I really like several pattern details...

07 Aug Honor Thy Mother-in-Law

Posted at 21:53h in Refashioning Clothes by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

For some reason my 89-year-old mother-in-law and I both own the same shirt.She loves her shirt and wears it throughout the summer. I certainly don’t want my mother-in-law to think I am copying her, so I decided to refashion my shirt. Though the cotton is extremely lightweight, I enjoy sleeveless tops during the hot sticky summer days and immediately cut off the sleeves. In retrospect short sleeves would have worked just as well, and the project would have been much easier. My last project, the orange peplum blouse, is one of my best fitting garments and inspired me to simulate a peplum. By...

02 Aug Proud of My Peppy – Butterick 5615

Posted at 21:36h in Butterick Patterns, Sewing Tops by goodbyevalentino 82 Comments

I’ve made two buttonholes and zero tailored collars during the last eleven months. Thank goodness I was finally inspired to tackle my fears and add to my skill set. This Butterick pattern offered all of the qualities I like in a blouse. Close fitting but not tight, and structured but not stiff. A straight and flattering peplum is attached at the waist, and the tie extensions remind me of one of my favorite tops I paid a fortune for at Sea Island, Georgia. I have always wanted to know how to make these ties. I took my time, made a muslin and worked out...

30 Jul A Sensible Top – Vogue 9771

Posted at 08:26h in sewing blog, Sewing Tops, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 45 Comments

Sensible. The opposite of exciting. I just returned from a real vacation, which for me means getting away in every respect. I often overestimate what I can accomplish in a certain time period, and the refashion I planned to do while away never happened. Determined to post a project from someplace other than my backyard, I packed my sewing supplies in my carry-on luggage. Oops. This meant I had to check my suitcase and p a y for my checked luggage carrying my scissors and seam ripper. I never looked at my sewing supplies. Then I paid another fee to fly my scissors and seam ripper...

22 Jul Let’s Hang On To What We’ve Got!

Posted at 12:36h in Refashioning Clothes by goodbyevalentino 68 Comments

“ Mom, it’s time for you to quit wearing this strapless top.” Is this a preview of what’s to come? “Mom, this house is more than you can handle. Let’s look at a retirement community.” “Mom, it’s time to turn over the car keys.” “Mom, we’re afraid you are going to hurt yourself with that sewing machine.” ………………… I’ll quit wearing the strapless top, but I’m not giving it away. It’s an expensive Sarah Campbell top made of a beautiful cotton almost as nice as Grandmother’s Sheet, and I love it. I recognize there comes a time when one has to take a long hard look...

19 Jul Keep on the Sunny Side – Vogue 8570

Posted at 16:55h in Mood Fabrics, sewing blogs, Vogue Sewing Patterns, Yellow by goodbyevalentino 77 Comments

When the blue tracing lines unexpectedly transferred from the silk organza underlining to the seam line of my gorgeous 4-ply silk crepe, I did not cry, open a bottle or eat a gallon of ice cream. I returned to my sewing room and began undoing two days of work until a storm took out the power, forcing me to get out my flashlight. After I removed the catch-stitching, ripped apart the seams and discarded the underlining, I started over. …..and that’s the short version. It’s great to be a part of the living again after being holed up for days trying to save this beautiful...