silk Tag

11 May Simplicity 2497

Posted at 18:58h in Craftsy, Ruffles, Simplicity Patterns, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 38 Comments

It was as if Jo-Ann’s was expecting me. I arrived in the pouring rain without an umbrella to get supplies for the online Couture Dress class with Susan Khalje and walked right into this beautiful turquoise silk dupioni fabric. “Hello, Jo-Ann’s understands you just made a skirt from your daughter’s abandoned Lilly dress and want to wear a turquoise top with it – try this.” The Jo-Ann’s in my town doesn’t stock silk! I was immediately sidetracked from Susan Khalje’s class, bought the silk, which is much cheaper at Mary Jo’s, and started sewing. This is the third time I’ve made this Simplicity Cynthia...

22 Apr Ice Cream Social – Vintage Simplicity 7715

Posted at 09:41h in Kate Spade, Ruffles, sewing blog, Simplicity Patterns by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

What would Kate Spade wear to an Ice Cream Social? ...

27 Mar Simplicity 7715 – Kate Spade Aubrey Wrap Inspired

Posted at 11:29h in Kate Spade, Ruffles, Simplicity Patterns by goodbyevalentino 69 Comments

Making this Simplicity 7715 pattern evolved into one of those s p e c i a l projects………. piece by piece, hour by hour, day by day…………… I was starting to hate it but now that it’s over I love it - much like childbirth as I recall. The gory details are here on the Pattern Review website if you want to know more. I'll just say every pattern piece but one required a redo - planned and unplanned. One positive aspect of the pattern is the wonderful ruffle, which I equate to finding an oasis in the middle of the desert. With the...

23 Mar Kate Spade/Simplicity 7715

Posted at 08:32h in clothing designers, Kate Spade, sewing blogs, Simplicity Patterns by goodbyevalentino 15 Comments

You may already know how much I love Kate Spade clothes although I don’t own a single Kate Spade garment. One of the dresses I’ve admired over the years is the Aubrey Wrap Dress, which Kate Spade introduces in new fabrics every season. Whether or not I can recreate this dress remains to be seen but I’m trying. In November, Tracy kindly introduced me to this vintage Simplicity 7715 pattern when I was contemplating evening gown patterns. Three months later, after losing the e-Bay bid Tracy discovered, I found it on Etsy – even in my size! Hooray and thank you Tracy! Not only is the pattern...

08 Feb WORTH IT

Posted at 13:51h in New Look Sewing Patterns, sewing blog, skirt pattern by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

Four years ago I bought this skirt at a Worth trunk show. Worth is one of my favorite clothing lines, but the clothes are expensive and I consider my Worth purchases to be very special. At the show I tried on a sample several sizes larger than what I usually wear. After the Worth representative carefully adjusted the skirt to my body with clothespins, I pictured myself wearing this beautiful silk skirt everywhere and bought it. I n e v e r w o r e t h i s s k i r t. When the skirt arrived...

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...

22 Oct Seventeen Years Later

Posted at 12:01h in clothes, clothing designers, Fabric, Fashion Sewing, Kate Spade, Simplicity Patterns by goodbyevalentino 12 Comments

Well, I did it! I am now wearing the beautiful silk that I’ve been afraid to touch for 17 years. I finished it just in time to take on a business trip with my husband to Palm Springs and wore it last night. Making this top from some polyester in my stash a few weeks ago gave me the confidence I needed to pick up my scissors. I’m grateful for the inspiration from LaRoque in Columbia, SC, and doubt I would have noticed this Simplicity Cynthia Rowley pattern without first admiring these cute tops designed by Annabelle...

05 Oct Doncaster Remake

Posted at 21:13h in Refashioning Clothes by goodbyevalentino 8 Comments

Will the real homemade blouse please come forward? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? How did you guess? Never mind……… Last year I discovered how much I love wearing sleeveless silk tops. I bought the two above last fall, and I wear them all of the time. The safari print is a St. John and the red...

04 Oct Liberty of London Part I

Posted at 16:35h in clothing designers, Fabric, shopping by goodbyevalentino 8 Comments

In 1993 I took my first trip to London. I knew I wanted to visit the Liberty store and look at the beautiful Liberty prints. Pre-internet traveling days were full of surprises, good and bad, and this surprise was wonderful. I stayed in the store for six hours. My husband was in a meeting and I opted out of the spouses’ tours offered that day. The store captivated me from the moment I entered. I perused the Liberty fabric gifts on the first floor and somewhere along the way watched a bride being fitted in her gown. When I entered the...