01 May The Tunic Bible!
Tory Burch? Elizabeth McKay? Devon Baer,Trina Turk? Introducing...
Author: goodbyevalentino
29 Apr Happiness Is……..
..... a new puppy! Last weekend we welcomed beautiful little Lulu, a seven-week old English Cocker into our family. I decided to celebrate our little bundle of energy by making a dress in her honor, and why not? Pattern Reviewer extraordinaire, Cissie Wellons introduced me to Farmhouse Fabrics, in Beech Island, SC (birthplace of James Brown) through one of her entertaining reviews. The store offers a comprehensive online selection of fabrics, and I was smitten by the soft black linen with giant embroidered white polka dots! After receiving the fabric, I realized the dots ran lengthwise which meant I needed to cut the...
20 Apr The New Forty # 10 and 11
If pink is the new black then I'm in luck :) Seriously, I can wear my new Jalie Eleonore Pull-On Jeans everyday of the week with a different top! When I returned to sewing 4 1/2 years ago, I was interested in sewing anything but pants, especially jeans...
13 Apr Garment #9 McCall’s 6885
I was briefly tempted to spend $326 on a shirtdress I saw online before walking into a shop and seeing it on a hanger. I snapped to my senses upon feeling the paper thin silk on the shapeless garment. Since I returned to sewing, I have watched many ready-to-wear lines continue on a downward spiral, but wouldn't you think $326 would buy a decent shirtdress? In November, my friend Ruth gave me three beautiful pieces of Korean silk from her mother's collection.After the shirtdress incident I knew what to do with the middle fabric; an exquisite silk twill with a kaleidoscope...
08 Apr Something Worth Sharing – The Little Dress
While working on Garment #9, a documentary filmmaker sent me a lovely email about her project featuring the story of this inspirational woman participating in a most worthwhile effort. I'm happy to share it with you. To watch the video please click on the image :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the twilight of her life, Iowa native Lillian Weber had a remarkable goal: to sew 1,000 dresses for needy little girls in Africa before she turned 100 years old. She's one prominent volunteer among thousands around the world who are committed to the nonprofit organization “Little Dresses for Africa,” founded by Rachel O’Neill to...
06 Apr The St. John Suit by Julie Starr (guest post)
A big welcome to my friend and co-author, Julie Starr, a lovely woman who models the example of excellence through her exemplary sewing, in addition to being a sewist who illustrates my motto with verve! Enjoy ;) _________________________________________________________________________ from Julie ~ Have you ever clipped an inspiration image that practically haunted you until you challenged yourself to give it a go? Taking cues from high end ready to wear designers is the fuel that feeds my sewing passion and this $2000 St. John suit is an especially gratifying example. I found myself lingering over the photo each time I visited my Pinterest sewing inspiration...
03 Apr Garment # 8 Butterick 6048
The photographer for Mimi's wedding said she preferred cloudy skies and overcast days for shooting photographs and she got her wish on this cold winter day ;) In preparing for the last Mood Sewing Network post, Hubby and I thought the gray skies and harsh glares would work in our favor too. Not so~~ We waited for the sun to come out and tried again. Greetings :) One of these days we'll learn how to use the light to our advantage, but for now there is no subtlety in the photographs - either overcast glare or bright morning light. My fabric, a blue/green/white floral cotton stretch...
13 Mar Better in Bluffton
For the third weekend in a row, I am away from home. All good but each weekend has involved planning a suitable wardrobe and packing a suitcase. Greetings from the lovely Montage Palmetto Bluff resort in Bluffton, SC, an outstanding resort nestled along the May River and home to numerous sunbathing alligators ;) Hubby is working and I am playing, but the weekend is full of activities that require thoughtful dressing. I panicked as I started packing my suitcase since my sewing has been off track and a new season has arrived. Looking at this dress in my closet evoked an unpleasant reaction since...
10 Mar Garment #7, Vogue 8379
Posted at 06:35h
in Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, sewing blogs, Sewing Dresses, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns
94 Comments
Greetings :) There is viscose and there is viscose. I am wearing viscose, more specifically Poppy Abstract Stretch Viscose from Mood Fabrics. Upon reading the website's fabric description as "wonderful for wrap dresses reminiscent of DVF," I placed a quick order and found the description quite accurate. What is Viscose, you asked? For the scientific definition click here. Viscose, often labeled rayon is a regenerated cellulose fiber resulting somewhere in between a natural and synthetic fabric. I made my dress from a Viscose Jersey, knitted with 4% elastine. Viscose quality can vary, but this viscose is cream of the crop ;) My pattern is Vogue 8379, a...
29 Feb Garment #6 – Vogue 8689
My goodness ~ thank you, Readers, for solving the pajamas vs. shirt dilemma! You overwhelmingly suggested that I stay true to my original intention, and I am taking your advice. I will wear the top as pajamas ;) The decision, however, left me without the boyfriend shirt I was craving. Enter garment #6. Indeed ~ another shirt. Greetings from the campus of Johnson and Wales University in beautiful Charlotte, NC. We happen to be staying in a hotel that connects with the campus, and if I was a student again, I'd fill my closet with cozy and comfortable button down shirts. This one...