Well! Self-stitched September started off with a bang! I actually spent a majority of my day in what could be loosely termed as ‘refashioned’ clothes – alas, no pictures, but I was in the garden wearing (1) a pair of cut off jeans that I cleverly made cargo and ipod pockets for using the ‘cut off’ part (2) a five-dollar Old Navy tank top that was ratty two years ago when I hacked off the lace that was looking very sad spiderweb and (3) my gardening galoshes (hot pink, white polka dots) that sprung a leak last spring. I, in a MacGyver-styled move, fixed yesterday using super-shiny duct tape from my husbands secret stash. If that’s not a refashioned outfit, I’m not sure what is!
But I did take a shower later in the day and head over to a friend’s house wearing my ‘official’ Self-stitched September outfit… The skirt is Butterick 4877 a super cute out-of-print pattern that I liked so much I actually bought (at the full out-of-print price) from the Butterick site. It’s a pencil skirt with a faced waistband, double darts on the front and the back and different ruffle and pleat options for the bottom edge. This was a quick honeymoon version that I skipped the bottom ruffle on and sewed up in 45 minutes out of my stash of white denim that was waiting to be made into a slipcover for our bed. I like think of my style as slipcover-chic…
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| self-stitched September, Day 1. wet hair, no lipstick. |
I have some stretchy dark blue denim cut and sitting on the kitchen table to make another version of this skirt. I’m planning on facing the hemline of the next version to try to get past the tendency of denim to form impossible-to-iron-hem-wrinkles while visiting the laundry room. I’m sure I’ll probably end up making a few more versions this month to get me through. Here’s to building a more-practical wardrobe! Man does not live in [almost costumey] Hawaiian print 50’s pinup dresses alone!
The shirt is
McCalls 5990, which is a pajama pattern. I live in tank tops, and wanted to find a good, basic tank pattern so I could start making my own in prints a little more fun than the solid Old Navy grey-black-orange-purple-brown I’ve been buying for years. I liked this version because the cami pattern actually has darts in it for a little shaping. On my first version, I thought it was a little short, so added a little flouncy ruffly skirt with a stretchy elastic band and a little gathering in the center front. I love the look of these tanks and have made a bunch and have a few more cut out, ready to sew up when I get around to it! Sewing knits rates slightly above getting a root canal in my book.
Now for the wheels on the bus. They do not go round-and-round. They fall off and leave tire tracks on my forehead. Since returning from our honeymoon in mid-July, I’ve been focused on finishing the
fall wardrobe for the contest over at Pattern Review. I realized about a week and a half ago that there was no way I could get the contest done AND retain the quality of workmanship that I’d like. So I (sadly) accepted that it wasn’t going to happen – at least by the August 31st deadline. Now, without that deadline I’m getting swamped with too many sewing projects, house projects (must. paint. living room. NOW!!) and fall gardening projects. My laser-like focus is gone and I’m left sitting on the sofa in a catatonic state, drinking coffee and searching blogs for ‘inspiration’.
In no particular order, I’m rapidly cycling over the following items I MUST sew, knit, paint, slash, roast, plant… Today.
1) Finish the fall wardrobe! Super cute! Want to be a finisher, not a quitter! Need work clothes in case someone finally relents and agrees to pay me for my mad skills!
2) Oh no! I might start working next week! My suits are all too big. I have to refashion the pants so I don’t look sloppy and like I’m going for a fabric swim!!
3) The wedding’s next weekend? No? The weekend after? The forecast says it should be 70 – but it’ll be colder after dark! I need to finish that
teal wool dress! I think it would be better with three quarter length sleeves. Should I just draft new ones?
4) Self-stitched September… oh, if I just cut off the legs of another pair of jeans, does that count as refashioned? I don’t have anything to wear today. I made my pajamas – maybe a lounging day?
5) Speaking of pajamas, I really need
another pair of pajama pants. Maybe two. There are so many slippery leopard prints at Joann’s right now. I should go and see if there’s anything on sale.
6) What? Gertie’s hosting the
lady grey sew along?? I’ve been lusting over that pattern for months! But I’ve already planned on
Simplicity 2812 for my fall coat… I could just sew along and make my Simplicity pattern – I already have the fabric and everything. But I
looooooove Lady Grey! It would be so fun to sew with everyone else!! I have to go back to Joann’s to find the perfect fabric. I’m thinking white. But I already have a
white fall jacket.
7) Ugh… I forgot, the lining came out of the cuffs of my fall jacket. I need to fix that. Also, it’s much too big. Is there a quick way to take out some of the volume?
8) Oh….. that reminds me… I promised the boy that I’d make him a coat back in MARCH!! He
picked out the wool already!! I’m scared to match plaids!
9) Oooooo… which shade of gold looks better on the living room wall? Ugh, our red and green quilt is NOT going to look nice with the new color. I really need to finish that
fisherman’s throw I started last winter…. I hate knitting with fat needles!
10) Our pillow aren’t going to match the new wall color. I think I picked up some fabric last spring that would be perfect… where did I leave that?
OK, I’ll stop there for now. I think Lucy the basset hound could use a new sweater…
Next up… no clue. Absolutely no clue…. but I
did pick up a few pieces of chiffon yesterday to make a couple of Bo-Ho-De-Luxe Peasant tops (
Hotpatterns 1043). I really need shirts, all those Old Navy tanks are looking so ratty….
Okay, now I desperately want to make a white denim skirt. That is so cool!