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16 Mar KNOCK KNOCK

Posted at 10:01h in Amy Butler, Fabric, sewing blogs, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 35 Comments

Who’s there? O R A N G E. Orange who? Orange you going to ask what possessed me to order all of this L O U D fabric? __________________________________________ Bigger, Brighter and Bolder does not mean B e t t e r . Hopefully you caught the word ORDER. I’ve had excellent results from ordering fabric online until now, and the reason my latest order is such a disappointment is because I didn’t take the time to order swatches. It never occurred to me that this would be this or that this stripe would be this stripe. and I never dreamed the scale of this floral would be enormous. I was going to...

24 Jan The Latest

Posted at 21:19h in McCall's Sewing Pattern, sewing blog, sewing blogs, sewing patterns, Sewing Tops, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 28 Comments

One top costs $150.00 and the other is $29.99. Why is that? In March of 2011 I bought the blue and white top at J. McLaughlin in Charleston, SC. I thought $150.00 was expensive for a spandex top, but the sales clerk explained to me it was made of fine French swimsuit fabric, and somehow I justified my purchase. I love the top and have worn it repeatedly since I bought it. This McCall’s pattern reminded me of my J McLaughlin top, and I anticipated replicating it. I bought fine Korean swimsuit fabric – seriously, it...

21 Jan Ebony and Ivory

Posted at 22:14h in Mood Fabrics, sewing blog, sewing patterns, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

Some people are influenced by what they read. Some people are influenced by what they hear. And some people are influenced by what they see. Since I started, over four months ago, sewing my clothes instead of buying my clothes for a year, I’ve become absolutely obsessed about my wardrobe. Even though I spent a fortune on clothes in the past, I never had an obsession about them. During the last four and a half months I have been abnormally aware of my visual surroundings, but only recently have I realized their impact on my life. While visiting NY in December, I lingered around the...

14 Jan MISSON(I) ACCOMPLISHED

Posted at 07:20h in clothing designers, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 19 Comments

It’s done. I love it, and I’m glad it’s over. My Missonish fabric has become a dress! It was one of those sewing projects that didn’t come together until the very end…. as in when I basted the hem in place. I glanced over nearly 100 reviews of this very popular Very Easy Vogue 8379 pattern on the Pattern Review website before retrieving it from my pattern stash. One promise I made to myself during this 365 day challenge is that I will not be in a hurry when I sew, and I dutifully made a muslin of the top before I cut the fabric...

22 Dec In the MOOD

Posted at 19:26h in Fabric, Mood Fabrics, shopping, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 10 Comments

I’m envious of anyone who finds time to sew clothes in December! I’ve not sewn since early December - but I've not bought a single item of clothing either. However, this week I had the good fortune to take a quick trip to New York, and visited Mood Fabrics for the first time! Swatch was hilarious running up and down the aisles, and the store was awesome in the truest sense of the word. I fell hard for the jerseys…. I fell hard for the silks……. I would have fallen for everything if I had been alone. Thank goodness I was with another woman, the wife...

07 Dec Tis the Season to Wear Red

Posted at 15:45h in clothing designers, Fabric, sewing patterns, skirt pattern, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 9 Comments

Ah… D e c e m b e r ! If you’re a woman it’s stressful - period. So busy was I making the evening gown last month, that I gave zero thought to holiday apparel. Hoping to find time to make something…. anything……. to add a little splash to my ho – hum holiday wardrobe, I stopped by Mary Jo’s last weekend while traveling. I bought the brightest red I could find in the store. Then I bought this pattern. Last month I became intrigued with the Badgley Mischka evening gowns and the designer name caught my eye. What I really like is...

30 Nov Three Months and Still Sewing

Posted at 15:07h in clothes, Fabric, Fashion Sewing, Kate Spade, sewing patterns, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 13 Comments

What can I say other than I like blouses with ruffles! I made this silk dupioni top in a hurry, and now, I wish I had planned a holiday wardrobe because I truly don’t have one other than a couple of dresses. About the top – its an old Butterick pattern which was pretty simple but I changed the flounce to a ruffle to better frame my neck and dress it up a bit. I also added a sash because I didn't care for the tie. Last night I wore it with winter white wool pants and these Kate Spade shoes...

20 Nov Robe de Soirée

Posted at 18:44h in clothes, clothing designers, Fabric, Fashion Sewing, sewing patterns, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 22 Comments

It has been eighteen days since my last post! Making an evening gown consumed every precious free moment I’ve had – physically, intellectually and emotionally. The ball is in five days and the dress is finished! Up until making this gown I have really enjoyed sewing again, but I put such pressure on myself to make a dress that will match up to the others (including the ones I bought for my daughters) the experience has been stressful, but I persevered. Other than several dyslexic incidents brought about from working on a one-shoulder dress, this Butterick pattern was easy enough and presented no...

20 Sep Second Peasant Top

Posted at 22:31h in clothes, clothing designers, Fashion Sewing, New Look Sewing Patterns, sewing patterns, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

I’m not really sure I would call this a Peasant Top, and it’s nothing like what I was expecting from this New Look pattern. While visiting family last weekend I heard a wonderful sermon at Seven Lakes Chapel in the Pines. It was about ‘no whining’. Because that sermon is still fresh on my mind, I will not subject anyone to the ugly details involved in making this top. Let’s just say this is the last “Peasant Top” I’m making for a while and it’s hardly the Milly I had in mind. Since the top is not as full I had planned, I...

18 Sep Obsessions

Posted at 15:02h in clothes, clothing designers, Fabric, Fashion Sewing, New Look Sewing Patterns, sewing patterns, shopping, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

Hmmmm…….. I’m feeling divided. My goal is to make clothes and not buy clothes for one year. Through my self imposed challenge which will save me lots and lots of money, improve my sewing skills and give me a new sense of accomplishment, I’ve become more obsessed about clothes than I’ve ever been before. This obsession isn’t what I was expecting but here I am. I remind myself that I’ve got enough clothes for a year even if I don’t make anything! This challenge isn’t about seeing how many clothes I can make in a year but to remove myself from the endless...