Pretty Plaid

I have been lusting after this crop top and skirt for a few months now. I saw it in a magazine months ago and it wasn't online until now. Unfortunately, it will never be mine because 1. It's too expensive and 2. I cannot pull off a crop top. Ahhh... such is life. Of course my favorite blogger and style icon is wearing it! Doesn't Atlantic Pacific look amazing in this? The plaid reminds me of summer and BBQ's and I am pretty much in love with it.

Topshop top and skirt.

 

I could make this entire outfit pretty easily and for much less than it costs. That doesn't solve my belly baring issue, but here are so pretty plaid taffeta fabric options and pattern that matches.

  

 

 

Dress Idea

I have been thinking about this fit and flare dress for 2 days non stop.  Should I just buy it? We currently don't have set NYE plans or another occasion I could wear it. I've also been thinking about how to make it using these 2 McCalls patterns. I already have the skirt pattern and have been dying to make a skirt with it. All I would have to do is add the top to make the dress and I could pick out my own fabric. I'm really getting into this project. Now all I have to do is find a party to wear it!

Project Clutch

My latest obsession is the clutch purse and trying to figure out how I can make leather ones. I've been wanting to sew with leather for awhile and I think a clutch purse is a good project to start on. I am super pumped about this project and trying to do all my research. I even found a Tandy Leather factory in Indianapolis and am dying to go there and look around. Hopefully I can make it there this week. I am going to Chicago on Friday to a few fabric stores so surely I can find some leather and advice to get this project started.

I'm planning to use the same pattern I used for this purse, which I previously promised a tutorial on. In case you were waiting on pins and needles I plan to post instructions within the next week!

 

 

Wish me luck on this little leather adventure, I SO hope it works out!

Grey and Pink Color block dress

One of my sorority sisters got married this past weekend and we attended her wedding. Weeks before I started stressing over what dress I would wear. Of course I have a closet full of dresses, but I don't get to see my friends from IU that often so I wanted something special. I started making a floral dress, which I really liked, but about 3/4 of the way done and a week before the wedding I decided it wasn't formal enough. I looked everywhere and couldn't find a dress I liked, when I came up with the idea to make this dress using some fabric I had in my stash.

I spent the entire week making this dress coming home from work and working on it for a few hours every night. I should just double the time I think something will take to make because nothing is ever a quick sew.

I really liked the way it turned out! I didn't get a picture of the full dress at the wedding, just an awesome selfie in the mirror.

Dusty mirror pic.

You can tell from this picture that the bodice band is too big at the top. This is because I didn't follow the pattern. See below in my sewing notes.

 

Sewing Notes:

I used Simplicity 2176 for the bodice. I did not follow the pattern for the top band and therefore bodice was too long. Lesson learned. I used Simplicity 2512 for the skirt. This is my new favorite skirt pattern. I love the tulip shape and the pockets are the best!!

 

 

Floral Pencil Skirt

Hey! Guess what? I finally finished something. I finished this skirt last night. I know I say this all the time, but whenever I think a project will be really easy, it ends up being difficult. I have made plenty of dresses, but not that many skirts. This was the first time I made a kick pleat and put in a regular zipper. I have always sewn invisible zippers. I had to find instructions online because the pattern didn't explain the zipper steps well enough.

I think it turned out pretty well! It's a little bit big on me and once something is made I'm terrible at alterations. Believe me, I tried.  I used  New Look 6003 pattern. In the future I would like to line the skirt and add pockets.

 

This is how I'm wearing it today.

Make it!

For the last several years I have been searching for websites and blogs that are geared towards people interested in fashion and sewing. I found Make this Look and think it's a great idea! Make this look shows a dress and then pattern and fabric to make one similar. Unfortunately, they haven't updated the blog for about 6 months, so I don't know what is going on there.

Fashion design TV shows such as Fashion Star and Project Runway have increased the popularity of what some might call a dying art or hobby (sewing). Both shows collaborate with pattern making companies and I personally think this has led to patterns being more in line with current trends. Slowly over the last few years patterns have been trendier with better fitting pieces and I couldn't be happier! 

This past week I have found some great patterns that look very similar to designer pieces. Here are my favorites and how you can make them yourself! 

I love this Victoria Beckham dress! Similar McCalls pattern. 

I am IN LOVE with the whole Kate Spade Saturday line really, but this top is super cute and I just happened to see that McCalls has an exact pattern, that comes with 4 variations. I bought this pattern this week when it was on sale! I can't wait to make a few tops. 

Julianne Hough looked super cute at Coachella a few weeks ago! I think you would have to look for a vintage crop top/bralet pattern, but McCalls has a great lace shorts pattern! 

Miranda Kerr looks great in these tuxedo striped crop pants! I have never made pants before, but this looks like an interesting pattern from McCalls. 

How cute is this Diane Von Furstenberg dress for Gap kids? I wish they made it in my size. Here's a cute matching pattern to make for girls from McCalls. 

Weekend

Here's what I did this weekend.

 

Got a hair cut. Sporting bangs again. Went to a new salon and ended up loving the cut.

 

Celebrated my good friend Kerrie's 30th Birthday. Went to dinner at Napolese Pizzeria, a new restaurant in Indy for dinner. It's the same company that owns Patachou restaurants and equally as amazing! Try it out! 

Kerrie and her husband Hank flying with the artwork at Plat 99 the swanky bar in the new Alexander hotel that serves "inventive cocktails". Another must try!

 

Saturday, Dan and I decided to shop. We hit up J Crew outlet.

 

Then bought some new artwork at the Inventorialist, a shop on Mass Ave that has everything from vintage furniture, signs, artwork, pottery, and all kinds of other fun knick knacks.

Sunday, I shopped some more. Loving the floral fabrics I found above and trying to decide what to make with them Skirts? Dresses?

Found this pillow at Marshalls and I just love it! I can't stop thinking about it, so I might go back and get it!

 

 

How was your weekend?

Black and White

Beyoncé wore this Osman Yousefzada jumpsuit to the Grammys earlier this year and it gave me the idea to make this black and white dress.

 

I posted this on Instagram a few weeks ago before I finished it, as you can see by the hem. Someone suggested I take a picture in the dress.  I haven't actually worn it yet but, I might wear it to a wedding this summer.

This is a super grainy selfie. What do you think of these shoes? Too much black and white?

 

Sewing details:

 

I used Cynthia Rowley 1873 (B) for the top part of the dress. Instead of cutting the front piece on the fold, I cut one in black and one in white then sewed them together to form a full front piece. I lined the top in white.

 

I have been searching for a tulip skirt pattern with a gathered waist and tapered skirt. I ended up using Cynthia Rowley 2512 pattern for the skirt. I omitted the waistband from the pattern. I made the pockets in the contrasting white. I couldn't get a good picture of that though. It was an excellent pattern to work with and I will definitely use it again. I might need to make the skirt a tad bit longer. I had to hem it 1/4 inch because otherwise it would have been too short.

 

I used a stretch cotton satin fabric and cut the pattern in a size smaller due to stretching. It fits perfectly!

 

Black and White

Sometimes fashion trends and forecasts are funny. For instance polka dots are supposedly back in style this spring. I didn't realize the dots went out of style! Seems like a classic to me. Also bold black and white is in style this spring, which again I didn't realize it was ever out of style. I have always loved black and white and am happy to be on trend this season!

Alice + Olivia / J.Crew j crew / Zara dress / Kate Spade print dress / Lanvin dress / Dorothy Perkins ponte knit dress / Zara dress / kate spade | Shop

Over the past few weeks I have been thinking of different dresses to make for this trend and am excited about putting these together.

Yellow and White Color block

I saw this dress in a magazine and thought I would like to make it. I have had some yellow knit fabric in my stash for awhile and I bought a pattern to match. McCall's M6278

 

Unfortunately, this dress won't be finished or ever worn. A couple mistakes were made. I shouldn't have tried to make this dress using knit. The white fabric part seemed too sheer, but lining it made it too heavy and thick. Also, the pattern wasn't made for knits, which I knew but it didn't stop me. 

This pattern wasn't very specific with it's instructions particularly piecing the cutout together and therefore it ended up puckering like this.  I pressed and pressed and it just wasn't going to work. 

It would have been such a cute dress for this spring and I might try again with a different fabric. You learn from mistakes I suppose. Try try again! 

Purple and White Cutout Dress

I started this dress such a long time ago. I just lost motivation for it since I didn't have anywhere in particular to wear it. I still don't have an opportunity to wear it, but I forced myself to finish it before moving on to other projects. It's incredibly difficult to tell in the pictures but it's actually a pale purple and white stripe. I really like the cutout back and neckline of the bodice.

Spring Dress

I'm struggling with this post.

1. I can't come up with the name of the color of this dress. Blueish Green? Mint-ish?Aqua?
2. I can't come up with the fabric name either. I think it's Bengaline. It's ribbed, similar to a grosgrain ribbon.
3. I haven't had time to setup a photo shoot in this dress. 
3. And the waist is so small on this dress that I can't get it back on my dress form to take a picture.

So I apologize for this post. I'll do the best I can to describe it and sorry for the pictures of it on the hanger. I plan to wear it soon (if the weather would ever warm up), so hopefully I'll get a picture in it.

I REALLY REALLY like this dress too. I love the color and the pretty pleats! I used the Simplicity 1873 pattern to make this dress, but I cut the back in a lower scoop. I wanted to make the tabs on the side, but I cut out the pattern and I cannot for anything find the pattern for the tabs?!? I searched everywhere!

I took several pictures of the progress while making the dress, which I posted along the way on twitter.

 Follow @hemandher  

 Pattern and Fabric

 Bodice pinned on the dress form.

 

 Pinning the pleats

  All pinned together on the dress form

 

Finished dress!