Beau Baby

Preview: DIY Leather Patch Leggings!

2012-01-09T13:35:00.000-05:00

I have too much work today to linger here long, so this post is merely a preview to whet your tastebuds for some sweet DIY Leather Patch Legging Action. Here's the inspiration (from H&M):

And my first attempt, which I made using fake leather from AK Fabrics on 39th Street ($10/yard) and a pair of old Mountain Equipment Co-op long johns:

I love the way they look, but I need to work out the easiest way to accomplish this cool DIY project. My first pair involved some trial and error. I'll be back soon with a tutorial after I get the time to make another pair of these!

Never Look a Gift Horse (Bearing Fabric) in the Mouth

2012-01-05T16:15:00.000-05:00

I KNOW what you're thinking (because you're judgey, aren't you? Plus you've already scrolled past my words to the photo below and are no doubt disgusted by the black stretch crushed velvet hanging on my dress form). But this is not something I plan on wearing. It's a muslin for a top I'm drafting that will be made from one of the amazing printed jerseys I mentioned in my last post (scroll down further if you want to see those too. I have yet to buy them, but a girl can dream — and get ready with a new pattern for when that dream comes true).

Sewing a test garment is the best way to find and correct any mistakes or alterations that need to be made in your pattern. And since my resolution this year is to take more damn care with the things I make, this seemed like a decent way to spend my spare hours this week. Anyway: scoop neck for some cleavage, flutter sleeves to show off my arms, and a goodly length to cover everything else:

It's about time I got back to drafting a pattern of my own — for myself to wear. I just checked and the last thing I designed, drafted and sewed for myself was this chevron-striped jersey dress, made in August — more innocent times around these parts:

I love that dress. And it's so cold in NYC this week, it hurts to look at this photo.

Anyway, the point here is not to show off my Blue Steel face again. The point with the muslin/test garment your see above is this: nearly every test garment I have sewn in the past year has been made with fabric passed down to me from sewers culling their stash. I accept all, and gratefully, for I never have to spend money on muslin when I have significant yardage of ugly fabrics I care little for cutting into. I'm guessing this black, stretch crushed velvet was the remnant from a Halloween costume. Or perhaps from my neighbor's Goth phase. No matter. I don't judge. She was getting rid of it, after all.

It's not hoarding if you do something with it eventually. And you never know when your kid may ask to be a disco witch queen for Halloween.

Fabric rationing in these tough times

2012-01-04T15:04:00.001-05:00

You know that sad feeling you get halfway through a vacation that something you looked so forward to is almost over? (I was going to say Christmas, but I wanted to be more inclusive and I am so OVER Christmas right now).

Anyway, That's the feeling I have in using up the remainder of this amazing peacock printed silk I bought at Metro Textile Corp. on 37th Street — which readers may recognize as the fabric from my beloved Bombshell Dress. But my husband started school today which means our budget is tighter than ever, so when the whim hit this week to make something new, rather than go shopping, I had to fish out some remnants and decide what to do. I should have worked harder on the pattern to ensure I didn't mess up and waste these last precious scraps, because the results are a little wonky. But the fabric and the silhouette are lovely and it just looks adorable on.

Keep in mind this is not finished (and the photo was shot on my phone because my husband took our SLR to school with him today). The cord on my iron sparked and sizzled last night in a truly frightening foreshadowing of the gigantic fire that burned up nearly a block in my old neighborhood of Inwood a couple hours later. I threw the offending iron in the trash (with a note on it to say it's a fire hazard because I know our super would fish it out. New York City gives supers stiff fines if tenants don't sort out their recyclables. So the crank who keeps our building clean sifts through the trash, picking out the paper and bottles my elderly neighbours can't be bothered to put in another bin. What this means is he sees everything. So now I am extra careful about what I throw away — if I think he can identify me as the tosser. See what you're missing, those of you lucky enough to live in houses?) Anyway, the dress-in-progress:

The skirt in this (very-short; don't worry, I plan on wearing tights with it) dress was made from the black silk satin I used to make this junior bridesmaid dress:

Anyway, I started sewing this on New Year's Eve, so I guess it squeaked in under the gate as a 2011 project, which means I didn't yet break my resolution to take more damn care with the things I make — especially when using such precious pieces of printed fabric. I'll reveal more about the mistakes I made when I post this as a finished project.

As for the iron, I ordered a new one from Amazon this morning, so hopefully I can hem my new dress soon. To that end: without an iron, I can't really do anything — other than plan what I want to sew in the future:

-The Minoru jacket. The pattern arrived in the mail yesterday, but I have yet to buy fabric.
-Pants that fit better than the ones I sewed in 2011 and NEVER wear.
-A bra — to go with all the underpants I made near the end of 2011. It sounds crazy, but Novita of the blog Very Purple Person does it, and hers are amazing. If she hosts a sew-along, I am so on board.
-Soft, comfy, things made from jersey that I will actually put into heavy rotation in my wardrobe (probably atop a pair of black leggings. Here are the prints I am coveting (both available at Harts Fabric).

And, speaking of leggings, I covet these H&M leggings with knee patches:

But I can't be bothered to go into an H&M and spend any money on them (and nor can I afford to), so I'm thinking of trying to finesse my own pair. Any thoughts on what would work best for the patches? Faux leather/vinyl? Any readers out there purging their closet of a pair of faux leather pants or an old icky jacket? Cut me off a leg or an arm and I will figure out how to do this and then post directions! Let's do this, team!

Finished project! Vintage Simplicity 8360

2011-12-30T18:55:00.000-05:00

Oh hey! I was just scratching the back of my head

This is my husband's favourite actor headshot pose. The classic scratch-the-back-of-your-head pose. I think it's popular because it sets your chin at a nice angle, making the jaw line look more defined. Think I'm crazy? Here are a few examples:

Shia LeBouef is itchy

So is Jason Segal

Justin Timberlake may be running his hand through his hair...but he's probably worried about his dandruff

As you can see, I finally got my husband out for a photo shoot in his new wool knit hooded sweatshirt, sewn from the vintage Simplicity 8360 pattern I bought on Etsy from Paulassewnice (she has another copy of the same pattern available RIGHT NOW for just $4.25 US).

Hello there, little man!

An awfully photogenic man, my husband Ryan makes for a good model — especially when he accepts direction gracefully. It was a wonderful day in NYC today. Winter? What winter?

This look says "I question your authority."

I made this hoodie to replace a gray zip-up hooded sweater my husband wore well for a couple years before losing it in Fresno, California, during a fringe theatre festival. I haven't seen a suitable replacement since, so I thought I'd try making him one. Again, here he is in the original:

After a reader found me the perfect raglan-sleeved hoodie pattern (Simplicity 8360), I bought a gray wool knit at Mood in New York City. I tried and failed to find something suitable somewhere cheaper. When I finally checked Mood, I found a perfect match for $20/yard. I needed two yards for this hoodie. Pretty pricey, but it was for his Christmas gift, after all. And the poor guy works so hard and never gets to have anything nice. Look how happy he is now (I believe this look is called "Hey! There's the bus!"

I made a couple changes to the pattern to update it for a man who likes a little more length (the 1970s pattern is a little cropped; it also has very blousey sleeves, which I took in). Instead of a drawstring on the bottom hem, I added a two-inch band. And instead of putting elastic at the ends of the sleeves, I again added bands. It's a more modern (and less feminine, I think) sweatshirt than the one in the vintage pattern. See how tough he looks in it?

Lucy also wanted to give the head scratch pose a try:

So what's your favorite pose?

I consider it success we made it out of 2011 alive

2011-12-30T07:44:00.000-05:00

There was a point in 2011 when I somewhat seriously considered squatting. That's how desperate I felt this year.

Not squatting in an abandoned building, mind you. We have a three-year-old, after all, and I need a daily shower and coffee within moments of waking up in order to feel human. I just wondered what would happen if we stopped paying rent...how long would it take to get thrown out, and could we save enough cash in that time to make a new life somewhere other than New York? Because life in this city become pretty unbearable after I was attacked by a crackhead, just as my husband suffered a major loss of work, on the day an earthquake shook the city, in the calm before a hurricane hit. I don't remember the earthquake (nor do I recall the attack), and the hurricane proved to be no worse than any other sudden summer storm. But an intense feeling that the other shoe was about to drop remains just the same. My husband has it too; neither of us can get an email without the other one demanding what bit of bad news it could possibly be. It's a terrible way to exist.

(I also considered lottery tickets and corruption as possible ways out. But good sense and a lack of opportunity won out).

So with all this in mind you would think I'd be ready to say good riddance to 2011. But I can't run arms outstretched into the future without worrying that it could be even worse. (After I was mugged, people said to me, "Well, now you've been mugged...so you don't have to worry about THAT happening again." But life doesn't work that way. You don't get a punchcard with all the bad things that could possibly happen to you on it. If it did, there would never have been a second episode of "I Hate My Teenage Daughter").

I found out this week that the guy who punched me in the mouth is refusing a plea deal so I will have to testify in court in February. What that means is I will have to see him (most likely), and be cross-examined by his defense attorney. My brain has so far done me the huge favour of not remembering the attack (thanks, brain!). But when I saw the police detective who helped me again at the Grand Jury, I was overcome with the feeling that I knew him — that maybe we dated in highschool, and he was really sweet to me...or maybe I've seen him on TV? It's so hard to explain. But when I saw him, I thought: "I KNOW him. He was nice to me. I was grateful." I can't remember what he said, or how our interaction went, but I am certain of the feeling of relief I felt in his presence. So I am worried when I see the crackhead who punched my face in I will remember the terror I felt — though not necessarily any specifics. And then I will never be able to leave my apartment again. I really would like to be able to leave my apartment in 2012.

There were some good things about 2011, to be sure:

• I was chosen as a "Featured member" on Burdastyle.com
• My husband appeared on One Life to Live
• I won a bunch of awesome stuff
• I went to Mexico for the first time, with some of my closest friends, and had the best time ever
• Pie continued to be awesome in 2011. And I'm feeling good about its enduring greatness for 2012.
• I made some cute dresses, like this one, this one, and my favourite, which was chosen by Burdastyle.com as a top project for the year
• I won a Halloween costume contest after pestering the shit out of my friends and readers
• I won tickets to Saturday Night Live
• We moved into a bigger apartment in a quieter neighborhood, though every time we hear a car horn honk, my three-year-old daughter sighs audibly and says, "I thought this was a quiet neighbourhood." (Oy, such a kvetcher!)
• We now live across the street from the BEST bagel shop ever. There's not even a toaster (because you would be an idiot if you were to toast a Bagel Corner bagel, I guess)
• My husband got into advertising school for copywriting, and I'm so excited for him to make a career change. It will be a challenging year, but we just have to hang in there and work harder. There's no other option. Not when you have this to wake up to:

Happy New Year. Hang in there, everybody.

Signing up for Minoru Sew-along

2011-12-27T18:11:00.000-05:00

Readers, I didn't get what I wanted for Christmas, so today I did what anybody else would do: returned what I got and bought the thing I did — this pattern for the Minoru Jacket by Tasia of Sewaholic:

It's so sporty and cute, right? Tasia lives in Vancouver, which is just a ferry ride from where I was born and raised. This pattern calls for lighter weight fabrics, so it will obviously have to wait to be worn until spring. Which means I'm in no real rush to sew it — though Tasia is hosting a Minoru sew-along starting Jan. 16. I don't know if I'll even have my pattern (not to mention fabric) by then. But I love sew-alongs, and one of my resolutions for the New Year is to participate in more of them.

In other news, Burdastyle.com included my Peacock-print Bombshell Dress in its slideshow of Member Projects of 2011!

If only a gal like me had more places to wear a dress like this. Thanks for the love, Burdastyle!

A few cute things I've been working on

2011-12-21T11:49:00.000-05:00

I'm still hanging my head in shame over that pink velvet dress debacle. It really made me question whether I am, in fact, halfway decent at this — in the way that running into a lame ex-boyfriend makes you wonder whether you ever have any idea what you are doing ever.

To help myself move on, I've been sewing some small projects this week — and nothing for myself. All three of these projects are for my daughter for Christmas, and all were made from fabrics I had in my stash.

My daughter is three, and she seems to understand that she can ask for something for Christmas. But her wishes are vague and weird, and left up to a certain degree of interpretation. Her main request has been for a "teacher bag" and a "teacher toy." What those two things are...we may never know. She wont' tell us. Most likely she doesn't know. (If you have any suggestions, please leave them below!)

So following roughly this great tutorial at Say Yes To Hoboken for a Notebook Lined Tee, I used some scraps of a cream-coloured denim (some weird muslin? I got it from a neighbour who was getting rid of fabric) and fabric paints to create this "teacher bag":

I'm fully expecting her to toss it aside Christmas morning and say, "THAT'S not a teacher bag!" Harumph.

Moving on, I also made her this shirt (from the last bits of blue jersey I have previously used to sew leggings and underpants, as well as the pink polka-dotted fabric I used to make tents for Lucy's camping birthday party, and a lovely bird-printed cotton I used for doll carriers). I used the Elise pattern by Violette Field Threads, which I won in a giveaway. The pattern was great, and it turned out very cute, I do believe.

Keep your fingers crossed for me that my kid actually wears it. After using cotton bias tape to finish the neckhole I realized I'd never be able to get this shirt over my kid's head, so I cut a slit in the back, bound off the opening, and added a button and elastic closure. I should have known better and used jersey as the bias strip to finish the neckhole, but the pattern instructions didn't specify and clearly I have poor judgement. Also, the pattern didn't have grain lines. Weird, non?

I also made a few flowered headbands for Lucy and her friends as little gifts. I think I'll give her this one early so she can wear it in her preschool holiday show tomorrow:

So tell me, what do you do to make yourself feel better after failing?

Violette Field Threads Giveaway Winner!

2011-12-16T10:03:00.000-05:00

The winner is Sparkledonkey! (Yes, it was random, though flattery will get you everywhere, Sparkledonkey!)

Email me sbeaubien (at) gmail (dot) com so I can send you your prize: three sewing patterns from Violette Field Threads. Thanks everyone for entering!

My Danielle: A Velvet Wenchlet of a Dress

2011-12-15T15:34:00.000-05:00

After a busy couple weeks filled with writing assignments, I needed to sew something this week. Something for myself. But I didn't want to go downtown, and I didn't want to spend any money. So I searched my stash for some suitable yardage. "Stash" may be a stretch these days, as I don't have much in the way of fabric on hand anymore. I also didn't want to throw good money after bad and buy a new pattern to use with a less-than-stellar fabric choice. So I thought I'd see if I could make the Danielle, a free pattern from Burdastyle.com, work for me. I wasn't too thrilled with the line drawing (which should have stopped me?):

But I liked this version by Burda member mathildeparis:

C'est tres jolie, non? So I thought if I lengthened the sleeves like she did, and got the length of the skirt just right, it would be less '90s looking. You'd think.

But the result, dear readers, looks like something Zooey Deschanel would wear to a Ren Fair. In fact, when my husband came home last night and I out-Michael-Kors'd him by pre-emptively saying so, he suggested we get one of those giant turkey legs for the photo shoot. You know the ones: I've only seen them at the Fort Tryon Medieval Festival — they're $7 each and could feed your entire family.

We weren't about to splurge on poultry when this dress is clearly fated for the cast-off pile. So I grabbed a ukelele as a prop instead (also Ryan's suggestion; I think he's actually getting into the idea of being my photo director). And no, I didn't adjust the colours in the photo post-download. The pink velvet is just that saturated. I choose to make the waistband out of some peacock-print silk I had leftover from my Bombshell Dress. I love this fabric and have saved every last scrap. I pondered the pairing, and thought to myself: What Would Oona Do? (WWOD) — remembering her great post on how to mix prints and colours with more prints and other colours (ones you wouldn't think to put together — even in the same (dark) room). And so I thought: yes, peacock print and (what would you call this?) pink DO go together.

And here's the back, where you can see my darts on the bodice aren't aligned with my skirt darts because I made some adjustments and totally forgot to move the darts to match up. Whoops. Gray zipper was another WWOD brainwave:

I think I inadvertently made a dress that my 16-year-old self would have loved to wear with Dr. Marten's. Except for the pink. I passionately hated pink back then.

Where would you wear this dress? A Jane Austen Fan Club Singles Mixer? The after-party for a community theatre production of Legally Blond 3: Elle's Madcap Medieval Adventures?

Sneak Preview of Men's Hoodie

2011-12-13T13:35:00.001-05:00

There she is, the mostly finished Simplicity 8360 hoodie I made my husband for Christmas, though I am going to have a hard time giving it up. It's so cozy and perfect. And see that lovely custom-cut zipper that I installed not one, but THREE times to get it just right? I also altered the pattern slightly to make it more modern and less man-blousey. I took the sleeves in and added a cuff instead of elastic, plus I added a band to the waist instead of the drawstring.

I'm really looking forward to taking some photos of Ryan in his hoodie — so long as he lets me play stylist and photo director. (For an actor he sure doesn't take direction well when it comes to posing for his wife.)

Moving on, I'm really itching to get back some selfish sewing after this project. In fact I started cutting some silk for this Anna Sui Vogue Pattern, which for some reason I was compelled to buy this year:

I thought it would be cute in chartreuse silk, paired with black tights and a brooch at the waist. But it turns out I don't have enough fabric. And my scissors are dull. So I lost my mojo on the project already because silk is such a pain and I am easily defeated after 9 p.m. at night.

So it's back to the (dwindling) stash to see what else I can conjure in the coming weeks without spending anything on new fabric.

I should remind you if you haven't already to enter my giveaway for Violette Field Threads pattern giveaway. Even if you don't sew yourself, you should enter and then give the patterns as a gift to someone who does! (Giveaway is open until Friday, Dec. 16 at 9 a.m. and is open to anyone, anywhere).

Payin' It Forward With a Giveaway

2011-12-12T09:12:00.002-05:00

UPDATE: This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks for entering, everyone!

Readers, when I win, you win. Because yesterday I got an email from the lovely Suzannah at Adventures in Dressmaking to tell me I had won her Violette Field Threads giveaway. Violette Field Threads sells original patterns for girl's clothing and accessories, and I've already chosen the patterns I want:

The Adele:

The Molly:

The Vivienne:

Adorable, right? But here's the thing, readers: my prize was for $75 worth of Violette Field Threads patterns. But at $8.50 a pop, I could nearly buy their whole collection for that! So I want to pay it forward and give one of my readers their choice of patterns — and not one, but THREE patterns! That's right: we're going halfsies (approximately).

So leave me a comment below to enter.

And to get another entry "Follow" my blog, and then post in the comments section to tell me that you did. (If you already follow, post that too, and you will get another entry.)

You can enter until FRIDAY, Dec. 16 at 9 a.m. The winner will be chosen at random shortly after that. You can be from ANYWHERE to enter (the prize will be emailed to you as PDFs). But remember, if you post anonymously I can't can't find you. So leave an email if your address is not linked to your identity on Blogger.

My husband on One Life to Live!

2011-12-09T11:38:00.000-05:00

Our daughter was running around for a week yelling "Gigi Morasco!!" after my husband shot this small part on yesterday's episode of One Life to Live.

Follow this link if you want to see it:
http://youtu.be/9O4OB8bHpAc?t=4m35s

I want this too

2011-12-07T11:15:00.000-05:00

How greedy of me to write three posts about the things I covet in one week. But I can't afford this Holding Pattern Overnight Bag from Modcloth anyway (it's $95 US) and would be mad at my husband for spending so much on a bag for me in these tough times. But maybe you can afford it. (And I wish you no harm should you run out and buy this bag. Really. I do.)

Or you could do what I did, and enter the giveaway at Burdastyle.com and then hold your breath for the next 24 hours hoping that you will win. Seriously, isn't it cute?

Holiday giveaways

2011-12-06T17:04:00.000-05:00

I'm a little embarrassed to admit how obsessed I've become this month with holiday giveaways. Maybe it's because I've actually won a bunch of stuff this year, which has shown me that by actually entering you increase your odds by, like, I don't know...100 per cent (I never took Statistics, so this is a rough estimate from an Arts-based Brain).

This year I have been the ecstatic recipient of three yards of cool printed fabric, one vintage pattern, an awesome new pattern book, AND tickets to Saturday Night Live. So how could I not bookmark the following month-long giveaways, which I am going to tell you about — even though your entering will decrease my chances of winning by approximately 2 per cent (again: Arts Brain). Because if I don't win, at least someone who dedicates part of their day to reading these thoughts I cobble together should!

• Burdastyle.com is giving away something great every day. Already they've given away the Colette Sewing Handbook, a subscription to Selvedge magazine and a collection of sewing books. New giveaways are posted daily on the blog, so bookmark it!

• Apartment Therapy is giving away over a hundred fancy-schmancy gifts for your home. Each weekday they post SIX new giveaways, and they're pretty much all awesome. Even if you don't need a $900 shelving unit, you can sell it on Craigslist!

• The McCall Pattern Company is giving away a sewing-related gift each day, from shiny new shears to sewing machines! Like all giveaways, you have to provide your email address, which may result in more emails than you want in a day, but if that's the price to pay for a new serger, count me in!

• I love Wired magazine even more now that they're giving away $13,000 worth of techie stuff — including the very laptop my husband is required to buy for ad school in January. Make my dreams come true, Wired.com!

• And, of course, there are those lucky ladies of the blogosphere who give away stuff all the time: Katy of No Big Dill, Grosgrain (which has a Shabby Apple dress giveaway right now, and Debi at Fashions From the Past (she's always giving something away!) And December 12 is Sew, Mama, Sew's Giveaway Day, so check the website for amazing handmade giveaways that week.

You can thank me later.

All I Want For Christmas Is...

2011-12-06T11:27:00.000-05:00

All the cool kids are doing it. Sewing a Minoru jacket by Sewaholic, that is. (What, I wonder, does "Minoru" mean? Is it a hybrid minotaur-Suburu? ....uh, actually I just looked it up and the jacket is named for a park in Richmond, B.C. Moving on!)

I've been seeing amazing versions of this new jacket pattern by Vancouver's own Tasia (Home province pride!) pop up on all my favourite sewing blogs: Julia Bobbin's in blue, Novita's cool version, another by lladybird. The jacket is designed to work with lighter-weight fabrics (canvas, twill, poplin, denim) and winter has barely begun in NYC, so it's not seasonally appropriate for me to begin sewing a decidedly springy coat just now....or is it?

Perhaps planning a spring coat in December is exactly the stroke of genius I need to make me go slowly and carefully. (Sometimes I just freak out over how excited I am to wear a new garment that I take stupid shortcuts). If I sew this coat (and spend $18 on the pattern, plus the cost of fabric, lining, zipper et al.), I want to do it right. Maybe even make a muslin — though I think I may not need to: Tasia's patterns are designed with the pear-shaped lady in mind, so for once I may not need to make any alterations! Halleluyah!

Anyway, in case you were wondering what to get me for Christmas (dear husband), this pattern would suffice. (Also three yards of cotton canvas or poplin in chartreuse and printed lining fabric, a separating zipper and 2-inch elastic).

I want this

2011-12-05T20:07:00.000-05:00

I NEED one of these labels for the hoodie I am making my husband — as a completely unsubtle reminder how much effort went into his Christmas gift this year.

They're $4.50 for four labels, at Sublime Stitching. I saw them in Bust magazine's Holiday Gift Ideas email.

The monster who hates her Christmas tree

2011-12-05T07:52:00.001-05:00

For those people who consider themselves too selfish to ever be suited to having children: you are probably right. Because if there is one thing about parenting you should know, it's that all of your aesthetic aspirations will be trampled upon by the tiny feet you work so hard to care for. And you are monster if you care about the fact that your sweet little darling put cut up pieces of twine all over your Christmas tree and 3/4 of the ornaments are clumped up on the bottom 18 inches of the tree like so many Canadians huddled along the border. And if you dare to redistribute them because the rest of the tree looks downright barren, your husband will give you a look that says, "I feel like I barely know you." Because then you are the perfectionist whose kid ends up in therapy because she's unable to accomplish anything out of fear her mother will swoop in and fix it. Oh, okay: not you. Me. ME! I am the one stuck with a tree that looks like this:

If we lived in a house in a city that didn't demand your dining table abut your Christmas tree, I would have two trees and my kid could cover hers in garbage, which is what she wants. Until then, the only thing for me to do is stop caring. Again: my husband thinks I am a monster.

Here's my contribution to diabetes this week: Homemade Gingerbread Caramels wrapped in origami boxes I made from cardstock:

Here's my assistant trying to sneak a taste (is it Food Safe (TM) to wrap candy in your underpants?)

That's all for today, folks. (P.S. I interviewed two people in Saskatchewan last week and they BOTH said "folks" repeatedly. Cute, right?)

My Sad Etsy Husband

2011-11-30T09:21:00.001-05:00

Now that my husband knows what I am sewing him for Christmas, he keeps asking when he gets to be my "Sad Etsy Boyfriend." If you're not familiar with this reference, check out this Tumblr that is "Dedicated to the wretched creatures abused for economic gains by their Etsy girlfriends." Like this poor guy here:

Anyway, my Sad Etsy Boyfriend so far loves his hoodie-in-progress, which is sewing up nicely and most definitely won't be sold anywhere, even Etsy. However, I have the twin problem of it being too short (it's a '70s pattern, so the cut is just a little different than I'm hoping to achieve), and I bought a zipper that's too long. So I'm going to attempt a 2-inch band at the bottom instead of turning it under and adding a drawstring like the pattern recommends (which will take care of both problems, hopefully). Oh, and my other problem is I don't have enough fabric left to cut the band with the grain running north-south. So I'm going to cut it east-west and hope for the best. There will be less stretch that way, but I think I can make it work. Here's the hoodie in question. The knit wool fabric is amazing (which it should be for $20/yard):

This is a close approximation of what the hoodie will look like on me when I borrow it

Love the stripe that shows in the hood!

So that's what I'm working on today. Oh, and a bunch of writing too, which should probably be my priority because Christmas is yet weeks away — and my deadlines are much sooner. Procrastination is a sport for some of us though. And sewing is how I put things off. Also reading stupid things on the Internet (like Sad Etsy Boyfriends, naturally).

Living Within Our Means This Christmas — and Hoodie-in-progress

2011-11-29T10:14:00.000-05:00

This newly created "Cyber-Monday" shopping event has me so rankled this week. Maybe it's because our family doesn't have money to burn again this year, so it's just easier for me to take the moral high ground than dwell on all the things I wish we could have. But it's also because it seems Occupy Wall Street and its brethren have taught us nothing this year.

The day after the day on which we are supposed to be thankful for all that we have, we are encouraged to head out, elbows up, and spend our money on new shit, which I guess we will be thankful for next year on the third Thursday in November (if it's not broken by then or we can even remember it). And now on the Monday after that, we're expected to ignore the work that piled up over a four-day weekend and shop online too. Blah, blah, online sales on Cyber Monday are up 33 per cent over 2010. That apparently means .... what? That the recession is over? That it's not over so people are desperate to save money as they strive to provide a Christmas experience commensurate with non-recession years, which means shopping only sales?

If we spend beyond our means and end up paying interest on credit card purchases, the banks have won. If we do our alleged civic duty and "stimulate the economy," rather than save money for our futures (albeit in an economic climate that favours spending over saving: hello, interest rates?), then the banks have won. If you pepper spray other shoppers so you can get your desperate mitts on a discount Wii, then the banks have won.

I can empathize a little with the pepper spray lady. I have recession fatigue too, and could really use a fucking break. I obviously don't know that all the people jostling for cheap electronics are struggling financially, but I bet most people with the cash to pay full price for the latest Nintendo product aren't willing to jeopardize their own safety for the sake of saving a few bucks. Don't hate the players, hate the game.

We've been so good about not buying new things unless we truly needed them over the past three years. But after a while it catches up to you. Everyone needs new boots eventually, and there are some things you just can't make yourself. And I can't help but feel guilty when someone gives me a gift and I can't afford to return the sentiment in a tangible way. Even handmade gifts require you to spend money on supplies. And for us, with both our families so far away, the cost of shipping is a major added expense.

My plan this year is to make candy and chocolates for everyone to whom we would like to send gifts. My daughter will get one toy from us, plus I'm hoping to illustrate a story I wrote and have it printed for her as a book. And, of course, I'm still working on this gray wool hoodie for my husband (sewn from vintage Simplicity 8360):

Front of hoodie-in-progress

I'm kicking myself right now for buying the wrong length separating zipper, which means I will have to hit the Garment District sometime soon.

Anyway, tell me how you're saving money this Christmas? Has recession fatigue turned you into a cheapskate Scrooge, too?

Winner of the Not-So-Cheeky-Panties Pattern Giveaway!!

2011-11-25T10:26:00.000-05:00

The winner of the Not-so-cheeky panties package was Debi, of Fashions From the Past! Debi, I'll be contacting you about your mailing address so I can get your prize in the mail to you on Monday. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Sew Grateful: Thanks to all those who inspire and give(away)

2011-11-24T07:42:00.000-05:00

North of the 49th parallel we celebrate Thanksgiving in early October — a time which I think is sufficiently far from Christmas to prevent hostess burnout. But in NYC, it's usually 30 C (or 1 million degrees Farenheit) in early October, so I never bother to make a bird for Canadian Thanksgiving.

But everyone knows Canadians love to say "thanks" every chance they can get. So allow me to be sincere for a few hundred words on American Thanksgiving (as I make a Pecan Pie for our dinner with friends).

• Thank you to Burdastyle.com for featuring my work on several occasions, including as a featured member. That was a major boost for me as I am always questioning whether the things I create are good enough for the scrutiny of the Internet.

• Again, thanks to Burdastyle.com for the two giveaways I won this year: a few yards of Snoozer Loser fabric, which I used to make this shirt dress from a self-drafted pattern:

And, for the book Growing Up Sew Liberated, which I used to make this sleepsack for an infant's Halloween costume:

and these leggings:

• Giveaways are great, but sew-alongs are even better. I only participated in one this year, but plan on taking part in more in 2012. It's a great way to stretch yourself as a sewer. So thank you to Peter Lappin of Male Pattern Boldness for his jeans sew-along. I made the pattern for these jeans myself for class at FIT, but followed along with his tips and tricks to help me get the sewing just right:

Another thank-you to Peter for hosting Male Pattern Baldness Day, a grand get-together of his readers in NYC. which was so fun (Don't we look a little like siblings — or cousins?):

And, ahem, for a vintage pattern, which I won from Male Pattern Baldness and still haven't used.

• Big thank-you to Gertie for her Bombshell Dress Course at Craftsy, which guided me through sewing this, the best garment I have ever constructed and had the pleasure of wearing:

• Thank you to Rubyellen at http://mycakies.blogspot.com for her tent tutorial, which I modified somewhat (with the help of my friend Lizzi) to make three tents like this for my kid's birthday party:

• Thanks to Daughterfish, whose projects inspired me to make this (my favourite dress for the latter part of the summer:)

• Thanks to reader Justsewsew who pointed out my bow-print fabric was Marc Jacobs, which encouraged me to make this dress work after much trial and error during what was the most stressful part of the year for me:

• Thank you to all of my friends and readers for helping me place second in Burdastyle.com's Halloween costume contest with this owl costume I made for Lucy (and she subsequently refused to wear. Have I mentioned that? Oh yes, like a thousand times):

• Thank you to my patternmaking teacher at FIT, who made me feel much better about my skills by asking me every class if I was "in the industry."

• Thank you to Rachel, my former neighbor, for passing down a good portion of her fabric stash, which I used to make (or line) at least a dozen garments this past year.

• Thank you to my husband, who always agrees to shoot photos of me in the garments I make despite the fact that each shoot ends in us arguing:

His evil eye

I'd also like to thank coffee, for helping me gather my thoughts in the mornings so I can write this blog. And red wine, for helping lower my blood pressure when a project goes off the rails.

That's all. Happy Thanksgiving everybody. I hope you get some sewing time this weekend!

Once Upon a Thread: Little Blue and Little Yellow (plus how to draft a hood!)

2011-11-23T09:44:00.000-05:00

Katy of No Big Dill is once again running her Once Upon A Thread challenge, in which she asks readers and contributors to seek sewing inspiration from children's literature. The posts have been, as expected, super cute and inspiring — though I'm growing less and less apt to make anything for a fickle three-year-old (even dinner: every night this kid says, "I don't like that!" It's torture, I tell you. Last night I made Mark Bittman's Chicken Cobbler, which is basically chicken pot pie topped with biscuits. Can you imagine anything better than that? My daughter can: pizza. )

Anyway, back to the challenge: I decided to stick with something simple, and made Lucy this white fleece hooded romper with pockets and "Little Blue and Little Yellow" appliqued on the chest. I drafted the pattern myself, and used only fabrics I had in my stash. Though it turned out well, in the end the applique looks a little too much like the Mastercard logo, and not enough like the cute and cleverly illustrated book (by Leo Lionni) that inspired it:

If you aren't familiar with the story, it's basically thus: Little Blue and Little Yellow are best buds. One day they hug each other too hard, and become a big green blob. Then they run off and have lots of fun and adventure. But when they come home their parents don't recognize them! So they cry:

Then they gather themselves up and are again Little Blue and Little Yellow. Their parents are so happy to see them:

Cute, right? The matching leggings I made using the "Sleeping Johns" pattern from the book Growing Up Sew Liberated, which I won in a Burdastyle.com giveaway. I made them this week, inspired by Debi's Sew Grateful challenge: to make something from something you won this year. The Sleeping Johns pattern was perfectly simple, and turned out really well. I also liked it because there is only one pattern piece. I added a couple inches of length to the 3T size because my daughter is tall for her age. I will definitely be using this pattern again. (Another pattern I have used from this book is the Baby Sleepsack, which I sewed for a six-month-old's Halloween costume. It's not the easiest sleepsack to get your infant into — when my kid was small, we favoured ones with snaps or a zipper up the middle for easy in-and-out. But it's really no harder than a T-shirt to slip on.) The full-length Little Blue and Little Yellow look:

And my gift to you after the jump: how to draft a hood pattern to add to any simple garment with a normal neckhole!
Though I've been studying patternmaking at FIT in NYC, and truly love drafting from scratch, in patternmaking as in life, I do enjoy a shortcut — especially when sewing for ungrateful children. To that end, if you want to add a hood to a simple garment (say a long-sleeve-T-shirt pattern, or a romper, like I have done here) I recommend first finding a hoodie in your closet (or your kid's, as the case may be) that fits your head properly. Working from a garment that already works for you takes, like, 14 steps out of the process.

1. The first thing you need to do is measure your front and back neck. I like to mark these measurements on my patterns when I'm drafting them. That way if I go back and add a hood (or sleeves, etc) the measurement is already there. I just use a straight ruler, and turn it carefully along the curve. You may have one of those bendy rulers on hand. Go ahead and use it (my teachers at FIT, for some reason, poo-pooed those things).

My kid's front and back neck measurements, marked on the front and back pattern pieces

2. Many hoods have a single seam down the middle of the hood. That's the easiest kind to copy and sew. Fold it in half so that the front edges touch. Then pin it in place on your pattern paper, and trace around it with a pencil. Don't worry if it's not perfect. Trace along the bottom edge of the hood as best as you can. I just made a few marks along the bottom edge, which I will then connect with my French curve:

3. Grab your French curve and use it to smooth out the pattern you have traced off. First, the seam:

Then turn it and draw that curve along the top of the hood:

Then draw the neck curve, matching up the point you made when tracing the hood:

4. Now go back to your front and back neck measurements that you took on your main pattern pieces. First, plot the back neck measurement along that neck curve. Mine was 4 inches. So as you can see, I used my ruler to find the 4-inch point to the left of the seam. Then make a mark. This will be the shoulder notch on your pattern, and will help you get it all lined up properly when you are stitching it together:

5. Now take your ruler and plot the front neck measurement along that curve, starting at the shoulder notch you already made. Mine was 3 1/2 inches, and as you can see in the photo here, my center front point is beyond the hood I traced. That's OK. We are going to reshape the part of the hood that curves around the face.

6. Extend the neckhole as needed so that your hood is big enough to meet in the middle at center front. You may want to extend 3/4 inch BEYOND the center front point, which would create a nice overlap in the middle. Then use your French curve to shape the front edge of the hood, matching up that center front point with the edge you traced off from your original hood:

7. Don't forget to draw a grain line. I also like to make a notch at the mid-point on the seam that goes over your head. That makes it easier to match it up properly when you're sewing. Label your pattern, and note that you need to cut 2 from your main (self) fabric. Label anything else you need to help you in sewing (I marked "front" just so I wouldn't get confused about what edge is the neckhole, for eg):

8.
Add seam allowances. You may have your own preference for how much. Many commercial patterns include 5/8-inch, which I think is too much. In my patternmaking classes at FIT, we have to add 1/2-inch, unless it's a neckhole, and then it's 3/8 inch (this is to prevent bulk in the seams. I think it's also industry standard). I use my clear plastic ruler to add my seam allowances:

Then cut out your pattern and you're ready to sew! If you're comfortable enough to draft a hood pattern, I'm assuming you can sew it too. I won't walk you thru it, but the basics are:

-sew up the seam at center back

-finish the edge that goes around the face. I used a strip of blue jersey to finish my edge. You could simply turn under and stitch

-sew to your neckhole, matching up the shoulder notches with the shoulder seams on your garment

Done! Stay warm this Thanksgiving!

Sew Grateful Week: Not-So-Cheeky Panties Package Giveaway!

2011-11-22T09:38:00.001-05:00

I didn't grow up in an evangelical home, but my husband did. A generally anxious person — he's the first to (nervously) admit it (just kidding: he wrote a whole damn show about it, and that's how I met him) — he's told me many times how he worried constantly about proselytizing. He recalls how if he wasn't telling someone about God's glory, he felt guilty. Like, all the time. And though he's now a godless liberal, he still can't shake the habit. However, he evangelizes on behalf of other things: the band Wilco, Robert Caro's book "The Power Broker," and Arrested Development, just to name a few.

I've never felt that urge to convert people. (It's not very Canadian, is it?) But that's exactly what I am going to try to do this week with a giveaway for my readers (some would say, followers).

And what better way to proselytize for homemade ginch (1980s western Canadian slang for underwear) than by giving away everything needed to make your own!

Ta da!

So if you're interested in joining my ~~cult~~ movement, and want to make your own pair of "Not-So-Cheeky Panties," the pattern by Emilykate that I've adapted to provide fuller coverage in the tush, leave a comment below. The winner will receive enough of this super soft and stretchy coral-red striped jersey, white scalloped underwear elastic, and the pattern (plus instructions) to make their first pair of these underpants. According to Emilykate, the pattern is size 38, whatever that means. But with this super stretchy material, these underpants could fit a range of sizes. (Though if you have a super tiny butt and hips, you can stuff someone else's stocking with these — or try to take them in a little.)

The winner will be chosen at random on Friday, Nov. 25 — "Black Friday" in the U.S.: the day when people spend stupid amounts of money shopping (and risk getting trampled at Wal-Mart). Instead of "stimulating the economy," you could get something for free! (And learn something new). Thank you, readers! The giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere.

Front

Wait, I almost forgot to show you the pair I made for myself from this amazing stretch fabric! Cute, right? Now comment away!

Back: love that chevron stripe!

The Perfect Men's Hoodie Pattern!

2011-11-21T15:36:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure I'd let my husband leave the house in shorts that cut so close to his, er, upper thigh. But that hooded sweatshirt on the chiseled hunk to the left there is the perfect pattern for the sweater I'm planning for Ryan for Christmas (he's knows about it now because there are no sewing secrets when your studio is located in a popular thoroughfare of your apartment). Thanks to travelling_soo for pointing out this pattern to me after my previous post about the dearth of good men's sewing patterns. I found it on Etsy.com through seller Paula's Sew Nice. She's got loads of vintage patterns in the $5 range. It has yet to arrive, but I found some lovely gray wool knit fabric this weekend, so I am itching to get started (yes, pun intended).

I tried and failed to find something that would work at one of the divier fabric shops I frequent in NYC's Garment District. But after scuttling back and forth along 39th street and down to 37th, and finding only cheap, thin and (ugh!) ribbed knits, I was worried I wouldn't find anything that approximated this knit hoodie he loved and lost long ago:

I finally succumbed to shopping at Mood, knowing that I'd find something in the store's exhaustive selection. Of course, you pay for it: $20/yard for this gray wool knit (a faint stripe, but no ribbing, praise be):

And what's that to the left there? Why it's more of the super-soft coral striped jersey I bought at Chic Fabrics on 39th Street during the summer ($5/yard). I used it to make this adorable dress here:

They still had some at Chic, so I bought a few yards to make some underpants from Emilykate's pattern I amended, plus I picked up some underwear elastic at Daytona Trimmings on 39th Street. I bought more than I need of everything, so stay tuned for a giveaway this week! That's all for now!

Daphne Guinness Exhibit at FIT

2011-11-21T07:44:00.000-05:00

If you've grown tired of Occupying Wall Street, head over to the museum at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology so you can see how the 1% lives.

That's the way I felt after visiting the Daphne Guinness exhibit, which is the museum's first to chronicle a single person's style. If you don't know who Guinness is, she's very rich, very beautiful and is a collector of haute couture. She's heir to the beer family's fortune and something of a muse to many of the biggest names in fashion, including the late Alexander McQueen. Indeed, there are dozens of stunning pieces by McQueen in the FIT exhibit, so if you missed "Savage Beauty" at the Met, this is the next best thing (and it's FREE!). Other notable designers heavily represented in the collection: Nina Ricci, Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, Lacroix, and Valentino.

The clothes are truly amazing. The video presentations on Guinness.... less so. In one, about her fragrance, she really seemed to be phoning it in. On creating her scent, roughly paraphrased: "It's in my mind. I don't really think about it too much...." Come again?

Throughout the exhibit are quotes from Guinness explaining her style, including her love of armour. Again, roughly paraphrased, though her wording was no more eloquent than this: "I love armour. It's beautiful to wear metal — and it has protective qualities." Deep.

As remarkable as it was, gazing into the closet of a billionaire reminded me a little of an ex-boyfriend of mine. He was so proud of his music collection — to the point that one could wonder whether he actually thought he had a hand in creating his most treasured albums. But collecting is not the same thing as creating. Is good taste a talent unto itself? Should we be at all surprised that one of the richest women in the world is a trendsetter in fashion? (Of course, I realize having this collection on view is a gift for the fashion students at FIT. Seeing such garments up close is so much more instructive than seeing them in a magazine or a book. There were many stunning examples of design. My favourite was this Chanel dress with copper-sequined yoke and epaulets:)

I didn't go to this exhibit expecting to feel any animosity toward the woman whose clothes I wanted to see. Indeed I felt nothing of this sort after seeing Savage Beauty, the Met's exhibition on McQueen. The clothes themselves are truly captivating. But I guess I had hoped for more from someone who is known for daring style and support of up-and-coming young designers than "I like shiny things" (a direct quote from Guinness. Also, my three-year-old says this occasionally).

Am I being too hard on Daphne Guinness? I know since moving to New York City I've had issues with class politics (the Sunday Times' Style Section, for one, never fails to fuel my class rage). As the recession drags on, and so many people I know are just hoping to make it through the winter without having to buy new boots, to parade around in such ridiculously impractical outfits — or laud someone as an artist for doing so — it's a little unseemly. That's not to say art or fashion should take the backseat during economic hard times (beautiful things make us happier, more hopeful, right?), but the emperor has new shoes, and they're impossible to walk in.

Muppets, Paul Rudd, John Hunstman...LIVE FROM NEW YORK, IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!

2011-11-20T15:23:00.000-05:00

Me with my SNL wristband, post-show!

Last night my husband and I went to a dress rehearsal for Saturday Night Live, and it was the best night out I've had in years. There were Muppets, Jason Segal and a surprise appearance by Paul Rudd....I'm still coming down off the high of it. I've been to some other TV show tapings before, but Saturday Night Live trumps them all. That must be why tickets are so hard to come by (you have to enter the lottery in August, and then if you're chosen you get an email telling you the date for which you were awarded tickets. This process makes it mighty hard for out-of-towners to see the show — unless you are willing to line up for hours for stand-by tickets, which are really hard to get. So the crowd at SNL is very New York, and not full of tourists like, say, Letterman.)

A dress rehearsal sounds 2nd-best to the live taping, but there is one big benefit: you get to see an extra half-hour of material that they end up cutting from the live show. (Of course that half-hour is composed of the sketches deemed too clunky for TV, but it's still fun to see how it's made). It's also interesting to come home and watch the live show to see what got cut, how jokes were tweaked, and whether the host wore his bow tie on air (he didn't).

The dress rehearsal starts at 8 p.m., and they run it exactly as if it's the live show: set changes happen swiftly in the time it takes for a few commercials. It's amazing to see how the dozens of crew members work together to build sets and then strike them in seconds, and cast members run off dressed as one character and come back after commercial as another.

Like with all live tapings, there's a great deal of waiting involved: first to get your precious tickets, then to go through security, then to take the elevator up to the ninth floor at 30 Rock, then to get into the studio...

I wish I had taken some sneaky photos, but they are no joke at NBC about shutting of your phones. Ryan actually took his battery out because his Blackberry malfunctions and he didn't want it to come to life and get us ejected from the best night of 2011.

Every moment of the show is super fun, even the "turn off your phones, there are the fire exits.." announcements, delivered by cast member Jason Sudeikis, one of my favourites. The band keeps the energy up during set changes and commercial breaks. I wish I could remember what song it was that Keenan Thompson sang to warm up the crowd (with the female cast members, excepting Kristen Viig, who was in the cold open sketch, as back-up singers). Mmmm, something Motown? He's really good (which we already know from "What's Up With That?")

Jason Segal was the host, and since he's currently promoting the new Muppets movie, we knew Kermit and the gang would be there. And even though we watched the stage be set for the monologue, and could see the puppeteers huddled around the back end of the the piano where Segal was to perform, it was still so delightful to see them pop out. It was one of my favourite parts of the show. My other favourite sketches were the Casting-Regis'-Replacement sketch and Andre the Giant Orders and Icecream sketch, which was funny even before it began.

There's something truly enjoyable about watching a cast member lose their shit and laugh during a scene. Fred Armison, who has been on the show for nearly a decade, rarely does this. Which made it extra funny when he couldn't stop laughing during the Vogelchek sketch (otherwise known as the "family that makes out with each other"). Seconds later Paul Rudd and Jason Segal wildly made out — also so much more fun to see live.

While we were waiting in line Ryan saw Jon Huntsman (the other Mormon who wants to be the Republican candidate for president of the U.S.) walk by with a few of his staff members and security, apparently on his way up to the studios at NBC. Ryan guessed he was going to appear on SNL, but I scoffed: "Nobody knows who that guy is!" I said. It's too early in the campaign for SNL to start featuring politicos, and anyway, he's probably being interviewed on the nightly news, I thought. It's was 6 p.m.

To his credit, he didn't say "I told you so," but I think that was the high point of the night for Ryan, when the stagehand pushed Jon Huntsman out from the wings in a rolling office chair for his segment on Weekend Update.

I feel so lucky that we got to see the show and I totally recommend seeing a taping if you can. But it's not so easy: to enter the lottery for tickets to a taping, you must email snltickets@nbcuni.com in the month of AUGUST ONLY. All you do is provide your contact info. You're not allowed to request a specific date or taping. Or if you've got time on your hands, you can line up for stand-by tickets the day of the show. They hand them out at 7 a.m. (a lady in the line-up told me she queued up twice — beginning at 2 a.m. — and didn't get tickets, so the lottery is the sensible alternative, really).

Not-so-cheeky Panties Pattern

2011-11-18T06:33:00.000-05:00

I crossed a threshold last night, dear readers. I became that weird lady who makes her own underpants. I know, it's one of those things: like, that friend who makes her own yogurt. Why would you risk botulism when you can buy amazing pomegranate Greek yogurt for just $1.39 at the store? I don't get it either. But I was curious to see how hard stitching up a pair of undies could be. Also....I need new underpants (and have I mentioned we're broke?).

I had some blue jersey left over from making leggings for Lucy, so I made two test pairs from Burdastyle.com member Emilykate's Cheeky Panties pattern. The first I made from her pattern with no adjustments, and they were indeed cheeky:

Oh-kay, that's not me. Did you think I would actually model underpants? (Though maybe if I had her photoshopper, I would). That picture is, however, a close approximation of the amount of cheek exposed when wearing Emilykate's Cheeky Panties. Here's my first finished pair:

You can see they are very....thong-like through the crotch. Of course, my husband digs 'em, but I hate wedgies, so I adjusted the pattern to add extra coverage and prevent them (see where the extra paper has been added on to the pattern below. This is easy to do with a French curve and some fiddling:)

Not-quite-so-cheeky Panties Pattern

The results are pretty perfect. If I found this pair of undies in the store, I would buy five pairs. They sew up FAST, especially if you have a serger, though you really only need a zig-zag stitch. Again, here's where to get the pattern, which I do recommend, with some slight alteration: Burdastyle.com member Emilykate's Cheeky Panties pattern.

I'm so excited today because I'm meeting an old friend who is visiting from Toronto and we're heading to the Daphne Guinness exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Technology museum. (Also, to Chelsea Market, the High Line, and fabric shopping! What a great day in NYC.) And tomorrow we have tickets to see a taping of Saturday Night Live and Jason Segal is the host! My panties can barely stand it.

Scrubs and Monk Robes: Is this really it for men's patterns?

2011-11-17T10:29:00.000-05:00

Christmas is coming and as usual we find ourselves in the unfortunate position of having to choose between tipping our super (something one must do in NYC if one hopes not to have to unclog her own sink in the months to come) and exchanging gifts amongst ourselves. Since we are new to the building, and our super seems to have grown weary already of our demands for such things as a smoke detector and the child safety gates required by law, tip we must.

So I'm considering what to make for my dear husband, who should stop reading this post now. (Everyone else, follow the jump for a contemplation on (the dearth of) men's sewing patterns.)

My husband has this hang-up about his looks: though he's regularly told he looks like Matt Damon, and has in recent years greatly improved his personal style, he still considers himself the ultra-earnest, baggy-T-shirt-wearing, Pentecostal youth he left behind in Wisconsin so many years ago. Forget that he's lived in New York so long now, he walks into Duane Reade fixin' for a fight, and, again, he looks like a hipper Matt Damon, he still bristles at anything he equates with "cool people" or, don't make me say it: hipsters.

One thing I've learned in our four years of marriage is that the short-cut to getting a straight man to dress better is have a gay man compliment him on his new clothes/accessories. It's just a fact.

When I met Ryan he wore these little wire-rim glasses that were much too small for his face. For some reason he was convinced that glasses had to effectively blend into your face. His formula was light hair + hazel eyes=invisible glasses. When I finally convinced him to buy a hip pair of dark plastic frames, he was so dubious of their merits he bought a back-up pair of ill-fitting wire-rim glasses. And then, no joke, we walked out into the streets of Winnipeg and immediately ran into our friend Kaj, a well-groomed and highly opinionated gay man who complimented Ryan on his frames and asked where he got them. When Ryan pointed to the optical store across the street, Kaj was so delighted such cool frames were available in his city.

After we said our goodbyes and walked away, it was like that scene in the Grinch Who Stole Christmas where his heart grows three sizes, busting out of his heart box: Ryan seemed to grow an inch, and I could tell he wouldn't be wearing those wire-rims again. (Thank you, Kaj. I owe you one).

Fast forward a few years, and my husband has also stopped wearing T-shirts and sneakers everywhere. In fact, I'd say he has a signature look now — and it suits him well. He typically wears leather boots, dark denim jeans and a vintage Wrangler cowboy shirt (I find them on eBay). One piece he added to his wardrobe a few years back was a gray hooded zip-up sweater I found at Target. It was super simple but fit well: not too baggy, and not too tight. It was also a great piece for dressing down an outfit — but not too much. I credit that sweater with expanding his coat-wearing range. When he had that hoodie in his closet, he would layer it underneath this amazing wool Banana Republic Coat or a blazer. Here's the hoodie in question, which he has since lost:

Now and then, Ryan will reminisce about that hooded sweater, and how he dressed better when he had it. So I think it would be the perfect project for his Christmas present. If, you know, I could find a pattern.

So I start looking for a men's hooded sweatshirt pattern, but what I find is that, typically, men's sewing patterns are limited to the following categories: pajamas, boxer shorts, vests, sleepwear, scrubs, and...monk robes? What?? Scroll down to see a selection:

Simplicity:

Butterick (I'm sorry, since when do you sew your own graduation gown??):

Vogue has a much more refined take on men's sewing patterns. But this is it: the entire collection is mostly formal wear:

Kwik Sew has a good selection, though not very fashion-forward. Much of it is sporty: there's even a full-length UV suit! (I thought only toddlers wore those).

Wait a minute! Is that Will Shuster??

Moving on...

Burda Style has the best styles, with some pants, coats, button-downs, and — of course — a vest:

I can't find a pattern currently in print that replicates the hoodie sweater. The closest I could find was Kwik Sew 3028 for a hooded sweatshirt, but it doesn't have the raglan sleeves. Plus it has a drawstring at the top and bottom, and a little too much ease throughout. Still I could just figure out how to make it work, right?

3028

Anyone have any suggestions? Am I missing some great resources for men's sewing patterns? Comment and help a girl out!

Royal Knock-offs, yay or nay?

2011-11-16T19:39:00.002-05:00

Remember this?

I'm already married, but if I was in the market for it, this Butterick knock-off of Kate Middleton's Alexander McQueen gown (B5731) is pretty damn spot-on.

But that's not all. If you want to capture the romance and drama of the Royal Wedding, you need your hot sister to steal the show. (P.S. Isn't it gross how Brits use the word "rump"?) Presenting Butterick 5710 (on sale right now for only $3.75):

And who could forget this kiss...

Or that grouchy flower girl in the left corner above. She made my day. Here's the full view of her dress...yep, still grouchy:

And here's Butterick's perfect replica — B5705:

The only thing inauthentic is the smile on that sweet model's face. Scowl a little, would you, sweetheart?

Indeed, they're all beautiful, timeless dresses. But is it cool for a pattern-maker to knock-off a designer in this way? Kate Middleton's dress was by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, but it's not like it's the first time a bride has worn a sweetheart neckline with lace overlay — though maybe it was the first time in about 50 years. After all, we've all seen the comparisons to this, Grace Kelly's sexy/demure wedding dress from 1956:

It is 2011, and we've been clothing ourselves for millenia, so is everything technically a knock-off? I don't feel guilty for tracing around my kid's favourite hoodie to knock-off a pattern for a replacement, but I would if I were selling them.

Once Upon a Thread

2011-11-14T10:40:00.000-05:00

I have a three-year-old, so I spend a lot of time reading children's books — and thinking about what makes a good one. Not just the words, but the illustrations too.

Among my favourites is Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lioni (which I have written about briefly before). It's the story of two friends (one blue, one yellow) who hug each other so much they become green. After some adventures, they go home to their parents, who don't recognize them. They cry and cry yellow and blue tears, then pull themselves back together. Their parents recognize them again, and all is well. Completely illustrated using torn up pieces of construction paper, you'd think it would be boring to look at. But it somehow conveys the sweet little story perfectly. And my kid loved looking at even when she was 2. We still read it regularly. Here are little blue and little yellow running around with their friends:

Katy of No Big Dill (I can't figure out how she has six kids and still finds time to make stuff and blog about it) is hosting another Once Upon a Thread challenge this month. I loved seeing the kids clothing and toys inspired by children's books. So I thought I'd do something with "Little Blue and Little Yellow," which also happen to be my kid's favourite colours. Not wanting to spend any money (or go downtown for fabric) I came up with this hooded jumper dress in white fleece that I had on hand. I have blue jersey for leggings, and some scraps in yellow and green to applique this Venn-diagram-like design on the front. Here's my drawing:

I've already drafted the pattern, building off of the basic tunic I made for Lucy's owl costume. I drafted sleeves, a hood, and pockets — all of which are easy add-ons to a simple tank dress (especially for a kid, and in stretch fabrics). I plan on posting how-to's for adding pockets and a hood to anything in the coming weeks. For the leggings, I'm using the Sleeping Johns pattern from Growing Up Sew Liberated. My kid has already declared to me that she won't wear this. So maybe this will be my Thanksgiving give-away. Fingers crossed it turns out good enough for strangers.

I'm Grateful

2011-11-13T18:30:00.000-05:00

I've been so lucky this year to be on the winning end of a few blog giveaways. Among them: Snoozer Loser fabric from Burdastyle.com; the great book Growing Up Sew Liberated, again from Burdastyle.com; a vintage pattern from Male Pattern Boldness, which you should really be reading, if you aren't already (Wait, wait! I didn't mean RIGHT now!).

The lovely Debi (who I missed meeting at the meet-up in NYC this fall because I was moving, blech) at My Happy Sewing Place posted a challenge to other sewing bloggers today. The Sew Grateful challenge is to "use an item of fabric, pattern, book or other item that was given to you in a giveaway or as a present from a family member or friend and showcase your project on your blog during the week of November 21st." I think it's a lovely idea. So many sewing bloggers have great giveaways — not to mention those who post helpful tutorials, or devote precious time and talent to hosting the sew-alongs that motivate the rest of us to try something new and challenging. (Again, I'm talking to you, Male Pattern Boldness). For all that, I am grateful.

Something I haven't done enough of this year is give things away. So in addition to joining in on this fun
challenge, I plan on giving some...thing away....I don't know what yet. I'll make it good though. I promise.

My Smoking New Mixer (Literally) and Lucy's POm-pom wreath

2011-11-12T11:26:00.001-05:00

This is all the counter space you get for $1,575 monthly

It's suddenly winter in NYC. Yesterday we went to the playground and I nearly froze my buttons off. New York summers make you soft when it comes to the cold.

So today we started the day with a few indoor projects (including this blog post, which Lucy is helping me with). She has a few things she wants to say:

pouyyylkhgfgfdsa
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First we made this pom-pom wreath below, inspired by Martha's Snowball Wreath. Lucy and I made the big white and pink pom-poms (which are easy to do; I have a tutorial here) and the rest of the supplies are from Michael's (just a bag of pom-poms and a stalk of silver leaves). We used a couple paper plates as the base, and traced a Cafe Bustelo can lid to cut the center hole. Then Lucy pointed where each pom-pom should go and I hot-glued them all down, adding a few leaves here and there. It's sort of random, but I like it:

Then we tested our new Kitchen-Aod mixer with a box of brownies (don't judge). The Kitchen-Aid was a hand-me-down from a neighbor whose grandma is downsizing. She has no room or need for it at this time. And I am lazy, so it works out well. You can see I am really not kidding about the counter space:

The mixer seemed to be smoking just a little after we were finished. That's bad, right? Like, bad enough I shouldn't use it? Or bad enough to just make sure it doesn't spray sparks next time I'm mixing up a bath of brownies?

I hope you're having a great Saturday, full of treats and fun.

Finished (with new and improved buttons!): Very Easy Vogue 8626

2011-11-11T06:48:00.000-05:00

There are some things I've learned in recent years that were at once a revelation and slap in the face that some things are much easier to do than you think. For example: did you know you can make microwave popcorn in a paper lunch bag? You just throw the kernels in the bag, fold it shut, and microwave on high for 2 &1/2 minutes. When I discovered this (I think via ReadyMade Magazine — may it rest in peace), I was pissed at myself for not figuring out sooner. As someone who hates the flavour of fake butter (and is too counter-space-poor to buy an air popper) I thought I had to make it in a pot. Do you know how many pots I have ruined over the years?

I digress. You know what else is easy? Sewing a coat. I don't know why I thought it would be harder (maybe because they're so darn expensive?). Well, probably not all coats are easy to sew. But if it has "Very Easy" in the title, then you can bet you won't be losing too much sleep over it. Witness my Very Easy Vogue 8626 coat in blue plaid wool with new delicious orange (possibly leather or faux leather) buttons:

Don't I look happy despite the fact that I always end up in an argument with my husband when he's taking photos of me in a finished project? It's because I adore the back of this coat:

Love that pleat and those seams, and the way the collar stands sort of ruggedly over those very feminine design details. I like wearing this new coat with the collar down too. Witness the versatility:

And here's the secret ugly surprise that I am not too ashamed to show you:

Coat of many ugly colours

Fleece lining in not one, but two ugly colours. I can't stress enough how little I spent on sewing this coat, which I do really love: $4 for the blue plaid wool fabric, nothing on the fleece, which was leftover from some costume projects, and $5 on the buttons, which I bought at Vardhman Inc. on 39th St at 8th Ave in NYC (I just looked up the name of this notions store using Google maps; I had to get the street view, which is always fun. Here it is in case you want to find it. I love this place. It's not the biggest, but I always find something, and the whole family seems to work there):

Vardhman Inc

I've mentioned before a few of the changes I made to this pattern: I shortened it through the waist a couple inches (because I have a short torso; that's a standard mod for me), and I also shortened it at the hem because I didn't have enough fabric to make it full length. It's one of those decisions you make and then hope for the best: I worried it would change the proportions of this coat, and indeed the one issue I have is the side seam curves out a little too much at the hip (and I have wide hips for my frame, so usually I need to add ease at the hip). But it's possible in the longer length, that curve would be less pronounced. I actually think the shorter length makes this coat a little younger and more wearable day-to-day — a happy accident I can attribute to my past self who thought two yards of wool should be enough for a jacket. The present me knows better.

Buttons, baby — and LIVE FROM NEW YORK, IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!

2011-11-09T09:28:00.001-05:00

I'm sewing buttonholes this morning and contemplating my good fortune: I got tickets to Saturday Night Live! The tickets are notoriously hard to get. You can enter the lottery for tickets during the month of August ONLY. You send in an email with all your info...and then forget about it, figuring you stand no chance. But I got an email yesterday afternoon saying I won tickets to the Nov. 19 dress rehearsal! Now, a dress rehearsal sounds less-than the live taping, but I am still super stoked. Lining up for hours on end (the other way to get tickets to a taping is to line up at 7 a.m. the day of the show: no thanks!) is no longer an option for us, and I think this will be just as fun, though I stand no chance of being seen in the background during the monologue.

Apparently the lovable Jason Segal will be hosting, and Florence and the Machine is the band. I'm presuming Segal is there to promote the Muppet Movie, so maybe Kermit and the gang will be on hand too (I'm partial to Gonzo; if he sits next to me, I just might explode).

In other good news: my husband shot a small role on One Life To Live. He also got into Miami Ad School (the New York campus). Plus did I mention I placed 2nd in Burdastyle.com's Halloween costume contest? They still haven't contacted me regarding my winnings. I trust them though....but you know, nobody's ever in a hurry to give you money, are they?

As for my Very Easy Vogue 8626 jacket, I'm in agreement with Peter, who suggested a darker button would be better with this dark blue and orange plaid. I had bought these online, hoping to avoid a trip downtown, but it looks like I'll be dragging my three-year-old out this afternoon. If I pair a trip to the garment district with a ride on the carousel at Bryant Park, perhaps she'll forgive me.

UPDATE: I thought I'd include the info on getting tickets to SNL, just in case anyone wants details. From the NBC site:

To enter the Saturday Night Live ticket lottery for the upcoming season send an email in the month of August only to snltickets@nbcuni.com
Please include all contact information and do not request a specific date. If you are selected, you will receive two tickets to a random show date and time. You may only send one email per household and all audience members must be at least 16 years of age. Please note that entering the lottery does not guarantee tickets, and you will only be notified in the event that you are chosen.

Today's Confessional: Or All the Lazy Changes I Made to Vogue 8626

2011-11-08T10:18:00.000-05:00

The back of my in-progress Very Easy Vogue 8626 jacket is turned in shame (and also to show its best feature: the princess seams and back pleats). Shame because of all the lazy changes I made to this easy coat pattern. I don't know why I feel the need to confess here now, but I will — if only to make you feel better about all the shortcuts you will take today.

To start, I spent a total of $7.60 on the fabric and notions for this coat: the wool suiting was $2/yard at a classroom sale at FIT last spring. I should have bought more though: I had to trim 3.5 inches off the hem to make the pattern pieces fit on my length of fabric (That's the first of my sins). I also trimmed an inch off the sleeves (again, to conserve fabric, which I was short on). But I'm short, so I think the proportions will still work on me.

For the lining I used fleece leftover from a few other projects (so I'm not counting it towards the $7.60 total). The pattern doesn't call for fleece. It calls for lining fabric. But I was feeling cold the day I started cutting this out, so decided to go with the fleece. I didn't line the sleeves at all though, because when it came time to sew those, it was warm again in NYC. Plus it seemed like it would be too bulky. I've been trying the coat on as I go, and I think these questionable (and possibly schizophrenic) fabric choices will work out in the end (so relax).

The buttons were $3.60 for six. Because I changed the proportions of the coat slightly by shortening it (and making it somewhat bulkier), I am the button placement. The rule is always to have a button right at your bust (to avoid gaping problems when you wear it), and I didn't want a button too near the hem. The buttonholes are not yet sewn (I think I will have to do them by hand. Pray for me), and nor are the buttons sewn on. I also need to finish the hem.

So what was one shortcut you took today? Was it worth it? I'll start: I put ALL my laundry in one machine. Don't judge.

Very Easy Vogue 8626 In Progress

2011-11-02T09:11:00.000-04:00

When I started cutting the pattern for Very Easy Vogue 8626, a simple coat with princess seams and gorgeous back pleats, it was still fall in New York. Then it snowed and I wondered whether I would even be able to wear it in 2011.

See the back princess seams:

I bought this blue and orange plaid wool suiting from a sale at the Fashion Institute of Technology last spring. It was $2/yard. I only had two yards though, so I had to shorten the coat 3 1/2 inches in order to make the pattern pieces fit on my yardage. I'm short though (5' 3"), so I think it will still look good.

I did my best to match up the plaid....which wasn't that successful, as you can see. Oops. I love it anyway. (You love me for my flaws too, right?)

The front is much more understated. I'm still waiting for my buttons to arrive. I ordered them online because I can't muster the strength to go downtown to the garment district with my kid again anytime soon. My husband has a lot of gigs these days, which is good for our family's bottomline, but bad for solo notions shopping trips.

I clearly need to research plaid-matching tips, though my front and side seams are good. Should I have the side panels matched up too? It's tricky with the grain lines. Any tips? Send 'em my way.

Halloween Wrap-up and Thank you for voting!

2011-11-01T17:17:00.000-04:00

A Super Lady, Cookies and Milk

So here's the line-up of cuties yesterday wearing the costumes I handmade this year. (Oh yeah, except this one below, which I laboured over yet is still hanging up beside my sewing table because someone changed her mind at the last minute. BUT I took 2nd place in Burdastyle.com's costume contest and won $300, so that definitely takes the edge off. Thanks to everyone who voted. I really appreciate your support):

Hurrah!

Back to the big day: Lucy and her pal Phoebe ate their weight in lollipops. Here they are pre-sugar high:

The kids trick-or-treated in Inwood Hill Park, where all the neighbourhood children (and lazy teenagers) gather to exchange candy. Some parents describe it as "magical" and with a "small town feel." I think it's total chaos, and was totally overwhelmed. (Juggling handing out candy with simultaneously taking photos of my kid and trying to lead her around to say trick or treat when she just wants to stand in one spot and eat lollipop after lollipop...it was too much for me. Maybe it's the post-mugging PTSD, but this event does not evoke warm small-town feelings in me. I grew up in a small town, and Halloween looked nothing like this. Also: my idea of a "magical" night does not involve teenagers wearing cat ears.)

I digress. Anyway, I made Lucy's superhero costume from stuff I had around the house. Because, you know, I just have meters of shiny blue spandex lying around the house. (Really. I do. Obviously.)

I followed Martha's templates for the lightening bolt and headband. I sewed up the shiny leggings based on a pair she had that fit well. Here is Lucy with her best bud, who was also a super lady. I love the colour combo with the black Chucks:

Super Ladies!

The milk bottle I made using the sleep sack pattern from Growing Up: Sew Liberated, which I won from Burdastyle.com earlier this year. I sewed it up in white fleece and Danielle added "Milk" and the numbers, which were pre-cut red felt with glue on one side (from Joann's). I sewed together the nipple hat using some fleece leftover from the cookie costume. I made a pattern using a hat that already fit the baby:

I made the cookie costume from brown fleece and felt roughly following the instructions here, posted on Flickr by Rachel of Average Jane Crafter. I made the pattern for the hat based on one that fit Lucy, and then added some curves to make it more chocolate-chip-like.

Lucky for me, Lucy has already forgotten about all the candy she got yesterday. I can hide it away and mete it out throw the coming months — or eat it all myself. Whichever comes first.

Thanks again for voting for me in the costume contest!

Doll Carrier Pattern and Tutorial

2011-10-29T12:35:00.001-04:00

It's snowing like crazy here today in NYC, and my kid seems to have the flu (she's actually napping, so I know something must be wrong with her). Anyway, I feel compelled to finally share with you readers the pattern I made for a child's doll carrier. What better weather to contemplate what you'd like to make your kid (or someone else's) for Christmas this year? I recommend this doll carrier. It's super cute, doesn't take too much fabric, and she or he can play with it for a long time as it's adjustable.

I was making and selling these adorable doll carriers in my Etsy store for a while, but I've decided it's just too much work for how much I think I can charge. It was nice though, for a time, to make and sell something I know kids enjoy playing with. I originally made this pattern for Lucy's best bud's birthday present. It's not unlike the popular Ergo carrier many parents use (we have a similar carrier called the Action Baby Carrier, which we used for more than two years with Lucy). Like the Ergo and the Action Baby Carrier, this doll carrier can go on the front or the back, whichever the child prefers.

You can download the pattern PDF at Burdastyle.com, where I just posted it. (While you're there, you can also vote for the Halloween costume I made for Lucy. Please do, I'm lagging behind She-Ra by 50 votes! Erg!). If you need instructions for printing and assembling the pattern, go here.

This carrier is adjustable, so it will fit any child ages 2 -6 and will grow with your child as he or she does (that is, probably in spurts and when you least expect it). Of course, dumb-dumbs should note: This is a toy and not meant to carry an actual baby. If you put a baby in this thing, I am not to blame for your stupidity. I repeat: Dolls only, people.

Please note, I worked really hard on this pattern and am sharing for your PERSONAL use. If you make my carrier and sell it somewhere, I will get you. Again, the link to download the pattern and find instructions on how to make this doll carrier is http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/childs-doll-carrier. Happy sewing!UPDATE: If you are having a hard time downloading the PDF from Burdastyle.com, please email me directly and I will send it to you: sbeaubien (at) gmail.com. Thanks for your patience.

Another Day, Another Halloween Costume: Last-minute Superhero!

2011-10-29T11:41:00.000-04:00

I learned a valuable lesson this year: don't finish your toddler's Halloween costume too early if you want her to, you know, actually wear it. To add insult to injury I am losing in Burdastyle.com's costume contest to She-Ra. Damn '80s nostalgia. Maybe I can still take second place, or perhaps Bernina will take pity on me and bestow their machine on me. (vote here: http://www.burdastyle.com/gallery/275?page=181)

On Thursday night I pulled this superhero costume together for Lucy, using fabric I had in my stash (love this fabulous shiny blue spandex, which I got from my neighbour when she was cleaning out her stash). I didn't take any good pics yet of the whole outfit (these are from her preschool Halloween parade, which was a little chaotic in that herding-cats-kind-of-way.). See the shiny leggings I made by tracing a pair of leggings that fit her decently!

You can easily put together this costume using stuff from your kid's drawers: a pair of leggings, a long-sleeved T-shirt, some shiny fabric for the cape and shiny paper or fabric for the cuffs, headband and belt. You could probably run across the street to the drugstore and buy much of what you need. I printed off Martha Stewart's templates for the lightening bolt, the headband and "L" on her cape. The instructions were easy to follow. I sewed the pants, the cape and the lightening bolt onto her Tee, but you could hot glue to save time. I hotglued the belt and cuffs (and added velcro, so she could wear them more than once). Get the instructions here.

2011-10-28T11:36:00.000-04:00

Sometimes when it comes to making parenting decisions, I think to myself: "Would my mom have let me do that?" and if the answer is "No," then I definitely let my kid have a go. Today's example: I let Lucy make "soup" in a bowl on the kitchen floor this morning as I made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies for her preschool Halloween party. It was the only way at the time to keep her from destroying the apartment without resorting to streaming Netflix (which we do enough already).

It's good practice for when I train her to make dinner in a couple years. She added spices and pumpkin puree, some chopped up carrots, celery and lentils and quinoa to her bowl. Plus a couple ice cubes to cool it down of course. Would my mom have ever let me waste good food and threaten to spill soup on her kitchen floor? Probably not. This logic of mine is also the reason why I let her jump off the couch onto the ottoman, and other semi-dangerous stunts. (I don't want her to grow up a scaredy-cat like me).

I should also take a moment to yet again shamelessly request you vote for the costume I made Lucy for Halloween. I entered it into Burdastyle.com's costume contest. I'm doing pretty well, with the help of dozens of helpful friends, but I am lagging well behind a She-Ra costume. Vote for me, please. I could really use a win after the losing fall my family has had: Go here: http://www.burdastyle.com/gallery/275?page=181

And if you could be so generous, share this link or post it on your Facebook, Twitter or blog. I'd be mighty grateful.

Today's project: A giant cookie and a nipple hat

2011-10-27T12:52:00.000-04:00

If anybody is keeping track, today my kid wants to be a superhero for Halloween (upon seeing her best bud Camila dressed in her super cool costume, which I think her mom made by following Martha's instructions here; it's super cute and easy so if you're still looking for a costume idea. I may be making one of these myself on Oct. 31).

Anyway, so Lucy is not going to wear the owl costume I made, apparently. It breaks my heart, but winning $1,000 will help it heal — so PLEASE vote for me in Burdastyle.com's costume contest. I am doing awesome in the polls, but a dog dressed as a walrus and a Wookie are creeping up on me. Help me win by voting here: http://www.burdastyle.com/gallery/275?page=181. You can sign in using your Facebook ID, and you can vote for me even if you have already voted for someone else. Please, please, please vote. I could really use the money after the horrible fall we've been having.

Yesterday, Lucy threw a tantrum because she decided she wanted to be a cookie for Halloween. This was after I made this fleece and felt cookie costume (along with the bottle of milk at left there) for her friend Phoebe. I made it roughly following the instructions here, posted on Flickr by Rachel of Average Jane Crafter.

Please note the nipple hat I made for Phoebe's baby sister. You have to see it on to really appreciate it. So let's hope my friend doesn't mind pics posted of her infant with a beige nipple on her head! (Or how about we don't tell her?!)

Sleep Sack Into Halloween Costume for Babe-in-Arms

2011-10-26T11:40:00.001-04:00

My kid may not wear the costume I made her for Halloween this year, but maybe my friend's will. At least this one is too small to be able to undress herself, so she will have no choice in the matter. With two kids, ages 3 and 6 months, Danielle wanted something that worked together, but would please them both. So what better than Milk and Cookies? (You can guess which is the favourite of whom).

Here's the inspiration for milk (I don't know where this came from, but it's cute, right?)

So I busted out my copy of Growing Up: Sew Liberated, which I won from Burdastyle.com earlier this year:

It has a pattern for a simple sleepsack, which seemed like the perfect basis for a costume for a six-month-old. I made it in white fleece.

It's awaiting adornment, and some sort of nipple-like hat. But you get the idea so far. Anyway, I think this pattern would be a great start for any number of baby Halloween costumes. In white, she could be a ghost, Princess Leia, a marshmallow....plus afterward you could rip off any junk you sewed on and use it as a sleepsack for the next six months! Score.

Betrayed over a dime store witch

2011-10-25T11:23:00.001-04:00

Look at that mad face. I love it so, even though this little owl now says she wants to wear the cheap polyester orange-and-black witch costume her grandmother sent in the mail yesterday for Halloween instead. (She's only 3, but she already knows how to break her mother's heart).

Sigh. So this owl costume I laboured over may be for naught — unless, of course, I win Burdastyle.com's Halloween costume contest. Please vote for me: http://www.burdastyle.com/gallery/275?page=181

I could use the cash prize to pay off my recent moving expenses ...or buy 200 yards of fabric (from Metro Textile Corp., where everything I like is only $5/yard). Also: my husband really needs a new pair of shoes. I'm sick of looking at his cracked soles.

Double-sigh. She wants to be a witch now. Can you believe it? My husband told me to ignore it, and maybe she'll forget by the weekend.

Le Skirt du Jour!

2011-10-25T10:07:00.000-04:00

I've been admiring all the high-waisted, button-up skirts posted by Burdastyle.com members lately (Collette Patterns' version is called the "Beignet," alluding to its French appeal).

Mine's not exactly the same. The Beignet is a straight skirt, with a whole lot more buttons, and a tie around the waist. But this only took an hour or so to sew, so I win. (I'm pretty sure that's how it works).

I made mine from a man's dark denim dress shirt. It was too large for my husband (a hand-me-down from a friend who likes to see Ryan model his clothes. Don't ask). So I chopped it off at the armpits, gathered it all around (though not right at center front; I don't want to look poochy), and then sewed on a simple straight waistband, cut to fit my true waist. It's tres adorable, non? (Overkill with the stripes and beret, you say? Je ne garde pas. Je l'aime!)

Second-hand store shopping in New York City

2011-10-25T09:33:00.000-04:00

There are a lot of reasons to love New York City, but thrift-store shopping is not one of them. My guess is store rents are too damn high for true second-hand stores to stay in business (though there are a few Salvation Armies and, of course, high-end vintage stores — but not anywhere near my neighbourhood).

That's not to say you won't find great items. But you will pay through the nose here because even employees of Unique Thrift Store in the Bronx know the value of a Stella McCartney blazer (I saw one there, on display up high behind the counter. The price tag was $299.99. Which seems fair considering eBay's "Buy it now" price on similar blazers is around $250. But still: $299 for anything at a second-hand store is a little outrageous). We went there to find a dress shirt and tie for Lucy for a video we were making. We found a little shirt, vest and tie set for $7, which seems overpriced to me. You can probably buy the same set for $9 down the street. I miss Value Village.

Other shocking finds on our trip that day: a vintage Ralph Lauren one-piece ski suit for $69.99 (I believe a similar piece was on display at the Fashion Institute of Technology's "Sporting Life" exhibit. I'm not surprised by the price tag — but by the fact that an employee of Unique Thrift Store would put this much value in a old polyester onesie).

And the Fresh Prince of Bel Air's favourite dress shirt, for $24.99 (!!):

Seriously, we saw Old Navy shirts that probably cost more than they did originally. But this place was packed. People were buying. Maybe how much I value other people's castoffs is directly correlated to the size of my bank account, but I just can't stomach the prices of second-hand clothing in NYC. I used to love shopping second-hand, garage sales, flea markets and the like. But here, everything is priced for the expert or collector. There's no thrill in finding an overpriced vintage Ralph Lauren ski suit. The thrill comes from saying to yourself, "Don't they know what it's worth?" as you pay $6.99 for a museum artifact-worthy item.

I'd love to be proven wrong though. Know of any great second-hand stores in NYC? Tell me!

Vote for Lucy's Wise Owl Costume! (I need $$)

2011-10-24T18:21:00.000-04:00

If you can spare a minute or two to vote for the owl costume I made Lucy for Halloween, please help a girl out. There's a cash prize AND a sewing machine at stake. Go to http://www.burdastyle.com/gallery/275?page=181

You may have to create a user ID and such, but I'd be eternally grateful. I could buy a lot of fabric with $1,000!

Finished Project: Wise Owl Costume

2011-10-24T11:07:00.000-04:00

Stay tuned for your chance to vote for this owl costume I made in Burdastyle.com's Halloween costume contest. Kid's costumes probably don't do as well as some of the more interesting adult entries, so I need your help if I hope to win some cash or a new sewing machine ( I could really use either). I'm super proud of it because in just a few days I turned this sketch:

Into this!

It turned out even better than I had hoped. And don't let the grouchy face fool you: Lucy loves her owl costume. She wore it around our new neighbourhood yesterday. It turned out seriously cute, even without the specs and beak:

Whooooooo's Cute in This?

2011-10-20T13:28:00.001-04:00

So she still doesn't have wings, and the paper beak's a little long, but my little owl is coming together. My friend Danielle pointed out these glasses from Martha Stewart's most recent mag, which mean my kid is on trend this Halloween.

This baby costume is also a cute iteration of the idea (also from Martha):

I have a friend who is super scared of owls, which you probably ought to be. They're carnivores with sharp talons, after all. And they make the same sound as a ghost (or is that the other way around?), so they're totally Halloween-appropriate, in my book.

Oh, and it should be noted the complete instructions (and patterns) are available at Marthastewart.com for the above baby owl costume.

Owl-in-Progress!

2011-10-19T14:40:00.000-04:00

Is making Halloween costumes a viable career path? If so, I should go into it. (Somebody tell me how). Here's the hood for Lucy's owl costume. I think it's cutest with thick black glasses and a little painted-on beak. Disregard the hot-glued on feathers. I'll be sewing those on. But how cute is this? (I think I'll make a beak that attaches to the glasses, but maybe a smaller pair.

What would a word costume look like?

2011-10-19T12:36:00.000-04:00

My sewing area (still not a room, per se, though I no longer am abutting a bike and stroller as I sew or draft) is mostly set up now. I still haven't sewn a stitch though I have my next few projects lined up. In this order:

-A Halloween costume for my three-year-old, who is the definition of flip-flopper when it comes to choosing a costume. She went though a dozen ideas, among them: super hero, "scary ghost" (though she has no idea what a ghost even is), a car, a word (I have no idea; don't ask me), and her friend Phoebe (when I asked what she would wear to dress up as Phoebe, she said, "Her BODY!" which is truly scary?).

It seems she has settled on owl, which I like (and will be so much easier to design than a word) so I immediately sketched her this (mostly so she gets excited about it and doesn't ask to be joy or an amoeba):

I want to finish it in time for Burdastyle.com's Halloween costume contest, but it will be a stretch. I am helping my husband edit a five-minute video for his application to ad school, and I'm a total perfectionist when it comes to editing. And I'm doing it in iMovie, which is not very user friendly (and easier to use in its older iterations, I think).

-Curtains for my new living room and kitchen. I hate home decor sewing. It's so boring to me — all those straight lines, and nobody ends up with anything nice to wear. And we're totally broke after this move, so I have to make use of fabric I already have in my stash. Perhaps if I could afford to hit the bottom floor at Mood, then I would be excited about making curtains. But as it stands I will be making rusty orange chiffon panels, made from fabric I got from a neighbour culling her stash. They will actually work well with our colours and will be passable for the time being, but still: I wish at least that some home dec sewing meant fabric shopping.

-A coat for myself. I have this lovely blue plaid wool I got for $2/yard at a sale at the Fashion Institute of Technology in the spring semester. I was eyeing a couple Vogue patterns, but missed out on the sale they had earlier this week. Maybe if I wait they will go back down to $4.99. I'm trying to decide between one of these:

Vogue 8775

Vogue 8626

Vogue 1212

Finished Project: Perfect Bombshell Dress in Peacock

2011-10-12T11:56:00.000-04:00

See me on the lower left corner there above? That would be Burdastyle.com giving me a little love for my Peacock Print Perfect Fit Bombshell Dress, which I finished and finally wore last weekend, yet still haven't posted pics of yet here. We are still so overwhelmed with moving/work/life, that I have had too little time to write here. My daughter is at her new preschool this morning, and I wrote two (paid) blog entries for BestofNewYork.com, did a little research for some law stories that are going to overwhelm me completely because I know NOTHING about law, hung a shelf and some pictures...and now am drinking an iced coffee before running to pick Lucy up in 12 minutes. Ack!

Anyway, I loved Gertie's online class at Craftsy.com. I think everyone deserves to have a dress that fits so well and garners so many compliments (my husband's aunt said I was a "sexpot," and an elderly man at the wedding told me, "That dress looks good on you and YOU look good on it." Everyone was surprised that I had made it myself. I've been sewing for many years, but I think even a new sewer could handle making this dress. The videos are as detailed as could be. Plus Gretchen is a delight to watch. It makes you feel better when you see her sew her skirt to her bodice (or something to that effect; I can't remember, but I know it's something I have done before too).

Standing by the getaway mobile

I wasn't sure how flattering the skirt would be on me, so I made this flared skirt instead. I drafted it myself, but it was easy.

The bodice ended up being slightly too big because I lost a few pounds over the past month due to stress. I wore a padded strapless bra with it, and it looked great. When I can eat proper meals again, I think it will fit without a bra.

And that's ALL I have time for. Time to go get my kid!

The Lovely Flower Girls! (In which I recommend ALWAYS following your patterns)

2011-10-10T11:17:00.002-04:00

Look how proud I am! You would never know the amount of sleep I lost over these dresses

Looking at this photo, you would think I have worked with silks all my life, non? All three of these dresses are silk, though only one of the patterns actually recommended it (can you guess which one). Because only an expert would throw caution to the wind (what does that cliche even mean?) and sew dresses from satin when they demand taffeta. If none of that makes any sense to you, just go look at the pretty pictures. Because this here is a cautionary tale on why you should always do what your pattern tells you (unless you like laying awake at night worrying about linings and such).

The answer to my pop quiz is the black dress pictured above: sewn from McCall's 4763, this pattern for a size 10 "junior bridesmaid" dress was meant to be sewn in something drapey like silk satin. And it turned out perfectly, though I did add an underling of black silk organza to give it just a little more shape. (Do I sound fancy or what?) I love this dress. It's so simple, but looked so lovely. And the green silk sash with the black was just perfect (I changed the sash from the odd little bow the pattern recommended, which looked dated). How cute is she?

That flower girl dress, however, was meant to be sewn in something stiffer (Vogue 7819). But the bride wanted both girls in the same fabric, and I acquiesced. I should have followed the instructions because two weeks before the wedding, in a moment of weakness (and amid so much other chaos, I can hardly be blamed), I actually ordered this dress from David's Bridal, to be worn in the event that my dress didn't work out:

It's pretty much the same dress, though it's made from shantung, which is what I SHOULD have used in the first place. My problem was that the skirt of the dress looked lumpy atop the tulle layers underneath. Which, of course, it did, because it was silk satin, dummy. And if I had ever sewn with bridal fabric before, I would have known this, right? My last-minute fix was to create another lining atop the tulle, so that the top skirt lay nicely. It worked wonderfully, and the bride never had to know about the David's Bridal bag hiding in my suitcase:

Daddy and daughter = love

That look of determination is a result of jelly-bean-bribery

Also, it should be noted: silk satin is a fucking terror to hem. I did my best with a blind stitch, and nobody else seemed to mind. But let it be known: everything shows. Lessons learned: follow your pattern. Avoid satin. David's Bridal has cute dresses for just $40.

Back With Scars to Show

2011-10-10T09:17:00.000-04:00

It has been weeks since I posted here. For one, we moved apartments and didn't have Internet access for a full week. But more importantly, every time I sat down to write anything, all I could think to say was, "I'm so overwhelmed, I don't know what to do." My stress level was at a solid nine because finding an apartment in New York City is like this really fun roller coaster. Because roller coasters are fun, right? That's what I hear. I've never been on one because I don't need more fear and uncertainty in my life. BECAUSE I LIVE IN NEW YORK, where you can't be certain about anything, especially where you are going to live in a month.

Anyway, we found a great rent-controlled "Junior 4" apartment in Riverdale, a lovely quiet neighborhood in the Bronx near the Hudson River. The demographic skews about 60 years older than our old 'hood, which means it's quiet at night. No drag racing. And no crackheads. Because we live at the top of a really big hill, and crackheads, if anything, are lazy. They will choose to punch a lady in the face at the bottom of the hill every time. We don't even have a gate on our fire escape (please don't come kill me).

But it came down to the night before we had movers booked, and we still didn't know whether we had our new place for sure. We'd signed a lease after much delay. But still no keys. Our guarantor had to work out his concerns with the forms (in New York unless you make a million dollars a year, you need someone to sign in blood on your behalf). We kept packing though because the movers were coming, and new tenants were moving into our old place within days. I had Manhattan Mini Storage bookmarked on the computer in case we had to call them at the last minute to see about moving all our stuff into a giant locker and staying with friends. See what I mean about the roller coaster?

Our broker (yes, in New York, RENTERS need brokers. You have to pay a full month's rent for the opportunity to see three apartments and get an application. Our broker was great, and we don't regret working with her, or paying her fee, which she discounted — probably because we were so pathetic. But I still resent a system whereby renters have to pay to see available apartments. The only other choice is being scammed on Craigslist) reassured us. Then finally, at 6 p.m. Wednesday night, we were told it was ours. The broker would pick up the keys in the morning for us, no problem.

The movers were on time, and worked quickly. But we had more boxes than my husband had estimated, so not all our stuff fit in the truck. And then a monsoon hit. We waited it out, and the movers left to head to our new place. My husband and I had borrowed a neighbor's car for a few days, so we crossed the street to pack in our computer and a few belongings we didn't want in the hands of the movers. But when Ryan leaned over to open the back hatch of the Volvo, his backpack split open and his laptop plus two file folders fell into a foot-deep flash flood that was racing down Riverside Drive. The computer and the file folders were gone in a heartbeat, under the car and then down the street. Ryan ran through the water and caught the file folders, but the laptop was nowhere to be seen. He took off down the length of the street, which was lined with submerged cars, all the way to the giant pool that formed at the low point near Broadway. I looked under the Volvo, thinking about how heavy this old laptop was and how it couldn't have gone far. Halfway up to my knees in dirty street water, I got a long stick and started poking at the piles of leaves trapped behind the tires, thinking maybe the laptop was also trapped. I came around the car and there it was, behind the right front tire. I pulled it out and let the water drain. The battery was gone. (Elsewhere in the city, all the sewing bloggers I read and love were having a great time at a meet-up I missed. I'm still sad about that).

The following day when we were cleaning out the old place, the police detectives who were on my case called to see whether they could come over and swab me for DNA. The guy who punched me had blood on him when he was arrested. I guess it wasn't his own. It would be great if he had my blood on him. That's unequivocal evidence. So they came to our empty apartment. It seemed so fitting that on our last minutes in the old place I would give evidence to help prosecute the guy who had effectively run us out of the neighborhood. They were so nice, it made me cry for the 10th time that day.

We've been in the old place now for a week and a half, and are still unpacking. We haven't hung a single shelf or picture. We still have to rummage through boxes whenever we need something. And everything with a pipe has busted in the first week we lived here: the kitchen sink, the bathroom sink, the tub, the shower. No one has lived in this place for six years, apparently, so everything needs to be fixed. Our new super has spent so much time in our place that my daughter renamed all her baby dolls "Juan."

This past weekend we flew to Kansas City for a family wedding. Of course our flight was cancelled, because that is the kind of luck we've had this past month, and the only flight we could get was out of Newark NJ, which meant a $110 cab ride. Someday soon my stress level will return to normal, I hope.

On a more positive note, the dresses I made for the wedding (including my Perfect Fit Bombshell Dress) turned out absolutely amazing. Here's a preview (I'll be blogging them more in the days to come):

This Bombshell Dress Made me a Believer

2011-09-19T10:02:00.001-04:00

What is it that capital-B Believers say? "When God closes a door, he opens a window"? That phrase doesn't make much sense when you live on the fifth floor (and you end up arrested for climbing the fire escape to enter your apartment), but the sentiment is nice. And I may not be a capital-B Believer, but I finally see the light when it comes to this Bombshell Dress I've been sewing.

Made from the stunning peacock-print silk I originally intended for Vogue 1207, which turned out to be super flawed and straight-jacket-like, it's really turning out beautifully, non? How blessed am I that the other pattern didn't work out. I think this was a much better use of this eye-catching print.

I had to take this picture with a flash, which adds more shine to this silk than exists in real life. Plus the skirt is still just pinned to the bodice. But you get the idea, right? It's like hundreds of evil eyes watching you. Nervous?

I cut my own skirt pattern, because I didn't really like the draped sarong the pattern came with. I wanted something simpler, with a bit of flare to it. Plus this silk hangs so beautifully. It deserves to be free.

Wanna see the guts of a bustier top? I lined my bra cups with felt because I couldn't find the needle punch recommended in the course materials. It seems to have worked fine. Plus it will keep me warm:

And here's my lining, with spiral steel boning sewn into the channels. Nothing is perfect, but I think it will look super hot in the end anyway.

Have I preached the Gospel of Gretchen enough yet? Take the class if you're interested in sewing a super hot dress that fits you like a glove. The video tutorials walk you through every step, and you can watch them again and again, until you get it. You can also post questions and see what other students have asked. I think even if you were a novice sewer, if you took your time and paid attention, you could pull this off easily. No one step is super hard. It's all about pacing.

Oh, and we still don't know yet about the apartment, which is giving me heart-palpitations. Also, they've already found someone to move in our place, so who knows if we'll be homeless at the end of the month. Life better cut me a break soon.

Optimism and my Bombshell Dress bodice by the light of day

2011-09-14T12:45:00.000-04:00

I feel most like quitting late at night, which is why it's best for me to do little that's challenging after my kid goes to bed. Take last night, for example: I was sewing the bodice of my Bombshell Dress when we got the news that the apartment we want doesn't necessarily want us. Or at least they don't want us without a guarantor, which is ridiculous because we make more than enough money to afford it. And it's a rental. Fucking New York, you know? On top of it my husband's boss is replacing him with someone who will do his job for less money. This month has been enough to make us want to cut and run. But where would we even go? We are defeated. And we would sell out — if anyone was buying.

In the mornings, I feel more optimistic. Like maybe this bodice isn't so bad. It doesn't yet have the boning and bra cups sewn in, and is not yet lined. So this photo above is not a fair indication of what it will look like in the end. And maybe we'll find an even better apartment for less money, and then we'll be relieved we didn't get that other one. And maybe my husband's next job will be better. And maybe I won't have a stroke from all this stress by tonight.

In case you were wondering how much work it is to sew a dress of this sort — it's a lot of effort (which is enjoyable when you're feeling fine, or a frustration overload when your stress level is already at Threat Level Red) — so don't ask me to make you one. Testing the muslin, cutting out underlining and then the main dress fabric, hand sewing each bodice piece to the underlining — this couture shit is for real:

Pinning the bodice:

With so many steps and so many pieces, there are so many places you could go wrong. That's why it's best to walk away when life has you ready to explode. That last piece of advice was meant for myself.

Making the Muslin for My Bombshell Dress

2011-09-10T20:38:00.000-04:00

It's not your fault that the clothes you buy don't fit your body. They were made to fit someone who is a "perfect 10" (or 4, 6, 8, 12, etc. etc.), which few of us are. And making something as fitted as the Perfect Fit Bombshell Dress is the fastest way to understanding exactly why the clothes you buy don't fit your body. Like today I learned my back is three sizes smaller than the rest of me. I guess that's better than the alternative, but it can throw things off — bra size, for example.

I made it through the first five lessons in Gretchen Hirsch's online sewing course at Craftsy.com. And as you can see, I have a pretty decent muslin made for the bodice now. I had to adjust my pattern to make bigger cups to account for the fact that my boobs start in my armpits. If the tummy looks loose on my dressform here it's because it was made to fit me, not my mannequin (this dressform hasn't had a baby).

Want to see how many pieces go into making something so fitted? Nine pieces for the front bodice:

Four pieces in the back. Plus it's all lined. And there's a skirt of course. Still, I am making decent progress. I may actually pull this off. But I don't have boning, needle punch, Petersham or boning casing in my sewing studio/apartment foyer. In fact, I don't even know what three of those four things are. SO this project could still go off the rails. But I'm loving the video tutorials at Craftsy.com. I think this will be so worth the $25 course fee. I was watching one of Gretchen's videos today when my three-year-old walked in. Lucy stared at the screen and then said, "Is that you?" Gretchen has short, dark bangs, distinctive black framed eyeglasses — and is covered in tattoos. Sometimes I wonder if my family even looks at me at all.

FINISHED! The Marc Jacobs Bow Print Dress

2011-09-09T17:34:00.000-04:00

There was a point in making this Marc Jacobs bow-print dress that I actually put it on backwards and considered making this deep V the front. That's how long was the road to redemption for Vogue 1207, an adorable but unfortunately non-functional Misses dress pattern. Quickly rejected, that I even considered the idea illustrates my intense desire to make this flawed pattern work. Because after cutting into this precious bow print fabric (which I bought at Metro Textile for just $5/yard), I just couldn't jettison this project because of poor fit and constricting sleeves. Plus I started this dress a couple days after I was attacked by a crackhead in the park. So it has sentimental value of a sort. How much do you love the back of this dress?

And those pockets? I love them too:

I should have taken photos an hour later though, because I would have been smiling much bigger (as it is, my smile is still a little lopsided, thanks to some swelling and a cut that remains on my chin). Today we found a spacious and affordable new apartment in a lovely quiet neighbourhood. We adore it, but I'm not getting my hopes too high in case we are rejected. Because attaining a new apartment in New York requires as much paperwork as getting a Greencard, no exaggeration. I've done both. But I like our broker much better than our lawyer, so hopefully we have as much success with this new place as we did with my immigration status.

To make this dress functional, I had to hack away at the sleeves, which were super cool looking, but prevented me from raising my arms. And I like raising my arms. So what am I left with? A little sideboob:

What do you think? In my opinion, that's too much underarm. But I otherwise love this dress....if anyone has a fix they can suggest, I'd love to hear it. Here she is again, from the front:

I've got my fingers crossed in those pockets that we get this new place. My family needs some good news!

Bombshell Dress Class and Poor Decisions?

2011-09-08T09:54:00.001-04:00

I finished my Marc Jacobs bow-print dress, but it has been raining for days and days here with no break in the forecast, so taking posed pictures of me in it will just have to wait. I hacked away at the sleeves, and though the results verge on side-boob cleavage, I think it's passable. I will wear it. Probably not often. But it's adorable, especially if I don't raise my arms. My husband likes it. But I may have inadvertantly learned that he has a thing for side-boob. Silver lining?

I also pulled the trigger last night on signing up for Gertie's Perfect Fit Bombshell Dress online class. With the discount (that you can get through a number of places: Burdastyle.com; Oonabaloona's blog, among others), it was only $25, and that includes the cost of the pattern. Even though we are moving at the end of the month, and I have writing assignments out the wazoo, and I am anxious beyond belief after being mugged two blocks from our apartment two weeks ago, I thought I'd add to my workload by making this dress, hopefully in time for a wedding we are travelling to in early October. And hopefully in this peacock-printed silk I bought at Metro Textiles a couple months back:

Of course, it specifically says not to use silk or other slippery fabrics in this dress, but I love this print soooo much, and am willing to experiment with underlinings and fusibles to get it into Bombshell Dress-ready state. Don't judge. My decision-making capacity has been severely limited in recent weeks. I tried finding a dress at H&M, but everything I tried was flawed in some way. Now I need something to look forward to, and following through on this class could be it. I wake up at 6 a.m. every day worrying....about finding a new apartment, about packing up this crazy space, about how my kid is going to react to it all, about how all my friends think we suck for fleeing this 'hood, about whether I'll ever be able to sew anything with this lovely silk.

The first step is printing off the pattern, but wouldn't you know it: we are out of ink. Something good better happen for my family soon.

Marc Jacobs Bow Print Dress Hopes Dashed Again?

2011-09-05T11:44:00.001-04:00

The prettiest little straight jacket I've ever made

Oh for the love of all things printed, would this dress just hurry up and finish itself already? My dozen readers now know the awful origins of this project. But how will it end? With the shreds of this divine Marc Jacobs bow print cotton braided together to make a noose? I'm not quite suicidal over this crazy-making pattern, but close. I love the skirt now and how it co-ordinates with the bodice and this brown leather belt (the new skirt is a cream-coloured corduroy. I cut my own A-line pattern for it to keep it simple after ripping off the hideous and unflattering original skirt). It's a little wrinkly here, and un-hemmed, but you get the idea:

It looks freaking adorable with my newish Dansko sandals. I took the back in a bit, re-shaped the waistline, and the whole thing just fits perfectly now. The only problem is I still can't raise my arms. Like, at all. None of the pattern reviews I read made mention of this bodice's straightjacket-like properties. Perhaps I made an error in construction. Or possibly those ladies prefer standing demurely with their hands clasped behind their backs. I tried it on and thought, "Well, maybe it wouldn't be so bad!" It looks amazing, after all. But at that very moment my kid yelled "WATER!!" and I ran to the cupboard for a sippy cup. What followed was so totally awkward, I began to worry about the fact we don't have curtains in our kitchen windows right now. I had to bend sideways at the waist to raise my opposite hand high enough to grab a cup from the cupboard, arm bent at the elbow. If I went out in public in this thing and attempted a similar broken-doll maneuver, my friends would never let me hear the end of it.

UPDATE: Here I am in it (that's how high I can raise my arm. Sad, isn't it?):

So what to do? The bottom half of those amazing folded sleeves will have to go. Such a shame. I really liked that it was a short-sleeve dress and not sleeveless, which it will need to be if I ever hope to wear it out.

The I-Got-Mugged-And-All-I-Got-Was-This-Stupid-Dress, Take 2

2011-09-01T13:47:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the savvy reader Justsewsew, I now know that the navy bow-print fabric I used in my post-mugging dress disaster is by Marc Jacobs. The horror that so many of you urged arson on me, pleading with me to burn the crappy dress I sewed in the days following getting punched in the face by a crackhead! I understand that the sentiment was you standing with me — against the crackhead AND the dress that was causing me so much unhappiness. BUT MARC JACOBS fabric! C'mon!

Here are the MJ bow-printed items I found online:

At least now the thought of that divine bow-printed bathing suit will keep me up at night (and not how unsafe my neighborhood is. See? We're making jokes about it already. Good).

Anyway, not today, and not tomorrow, but eventually I am going to make this bodice work. Maybe a brown corduroy skirt for fall?

Mmmmm, scratch that belt. I loaned all my leather belts to a friend, so have nothing else to throw on top of my pinned on corduroy to give you a sense of what it would look like. Any thoughts? Or does anyone want to be my bodyguard on a trip downtown for skirt fabric? What colour or fabric (or skirt style) would you choose to go with this bodice in cotton?

I got mugged and then made a dress. It sucks of course

2011-08-31T22:18:00.000-04:00

So what did you do while the hurricane passed? We bought a few jugs of water, some batteries, and I sewed this navy dress from McCall's 1207:

But, blargh, it's not really working for me. The fit is all off, probably because it's a "Misses" pattern, and cut to fit someone much younger than me, with a fat back and a tiny waist and a butt that starts at the base of her spine. It's just weird. And kind of uncomfortable. It's all big in the back, yet I can't really raise my arms (and I really like high-fives, so that's an issue for me). And I just don't think I have it in me to make the appropriate changes.

It has been a rough week, and I don't know any other way to say it than this: I was mugged by a crackhead in a park a block from my home. He punched me in the face in front of my three-year-old daughter, and ran off with my bag. (This is what journalism types call "burying the lede"). The police caught him within a half-hour and he's in jail now. Naturally, he was out on parole (most men who punch ladies in the face in front of small children probably are). I had to drink milkshakes for days because my jaw hurt so bad. I have a purple moustache and goatee. And my three-year-old knows the meaning of the word "mugged" now. Worst. Week. Ever.

And then, of course, a couple days later, a Category Mindfuck Hurricane blew through New York. So the past seven days have been damn near apocalyptic for our family. I thought staying in all day and sewing this dress would be therapeutic, but mostly it just frustrated me and reminded me why I started drafting my own patterns in the first place.

It looks cute on the dress form though (and isn't that print awesome?):

Except the booty is all off. In fact, I think my butt would have to be about six inches higher to look good in this. And if I lift my arms, it does very strange things. Maybe if I stand still with my back against the wall, I could get away with wearing it.

It looks pretty terrible on me. It stinks actually. And there are too many issues in too many directions for me to bother with fixing it, I think. If I wasn't working on my last nerve, maybe. Perhaps a huge belt would cover up enough to make it better? I need a dress fairy to pay me a visit.

Anyway, now I don't think I'll use this pattern for the peacock-print dress I was planning. I'm just going to buy something at H&M. (There. I said it.) Also, I finished my pink pegboard (which you can see in the background of the above photos) the day before I was mugged. But in the week since we have decided to move out of this neighbourhood, which means all my hard work measuring, drilling and mounting is a total fucking waste because I will be taking this down again in a month. The police officers told me the park where I was attacked is not safe and I shouldn't go there, but the parks are the best thing about this 'hood (the crackheads are obviously the worst). We feel so stupid for not moving sooner: we see tiny ziploc bags littered on the ground within a block of our building (and yet an apartment in my building is on the market for $650,000! Only in New York City). So where does that leave us?

Fuck. I don't know. I don't want to leave my home. I can't even handle anyone walking behind me. And now we're moving, which is a goddamn arduous task in New York City. Someone please tell me to take the bodice off this mess, take it in at center back, and just draft a new skirt. It's not so fucking hard. Also, moving can't be that bad if I've done it 15 times in my adult life, right?

People keep telling me, "Well, now you've been mugged, which means you can't be mugged again, so that's good!!" If only the universe worked that way -- with a non-transferrable hole-punch card for the all the bad things that could possibly happen to you.

Am I taking out my anger over this assault on my dress? Maybe a little. But what else can I do?

Sewing Space Revamp

2011-08-23T10:20:00.000-04:00

What do you do when you're facing a bunch of deadlines and feeling overwhelmed by the demands of work and family? Do you remodel your sewing room with a ~~simple~~ complicated woodworking project? Me too! (OMG, we are so much alike).

OK, so "sewing room" may be a bit of a misnomer in my case. My sewing room is more like a "sewing area," which also happens to be a foyer/busy thoroughfare in my one-bedroom apartment that I share with two other people (one of whom NEVER cleans up after herself). In clear view from almost every corner of our apartment, it sucks when it's in disarray, which it has been lately because I have so much on the go. You can see how it needed some work ("Before" photos are legally required to be shot with a flash, so they look extra ugly):

Blargh!

That's an eyesore, right? No wonder Burdastyle.com didn't feature any photos of my sewing space in their Q&A with me.

Since I switch back and forth between sewing and patternmaking, I need to have lots of different tools close at hand. A proper pegboard seemed to be the best solution. And anyway, how hard could it be? I picked up a pre-cut piece at a hardware store nearby, plus a couple four-foot-long pieces of 2-inch by 1-inch pieces of wood. Plus screws. And drywall anchors. Then more screws. Of course all of these items required separate trips to the hardware store, because I am an idiot. Then I put my staff to work painting the pegboard a nice retro Pepto Bismol pink:

Then I measured and marked holes on the wall above my drafting table, and then drilled and hammered in eight drywall anchors because this apartment does not seem to have studs. (There must be five layers of drywall atop each other, and if someone were to remove them all, we would get another 50 square feet out of this place. Fucking New York apartments.) Then I screwed the pieces of wood frame in place, like so:

Then, finally, I screwed the pink pegboard to the frame, et voila!! (OK, so a bit more was done before the "et voila" stage, but you don't need to hear about the hours spent tossing and organizing notions and tools.)

I'm still waiting for my pegboard hooks to arrive (I ordered them via Amazon because it's hard to find them at our tiny hardware stores in Upper Manhattan), but you get the idea. All those tools, curves and rulers you can see on my drafting table will soon be displayed on high within easy reach. Here's another view:

Beautiful!

I even managed to re-use three dowels I had on hand from the tents I made for my kid's camping themed birthday party. Check out my handy bias tape & trimming holder I made by putting a screw in each end of the dowel and hanging it on hooks off my pegboard (I wound the bias tape, elastic and trimmings on cut sections of toilet paper tubes):

Then I had a major brainwave, and used another two dowels to create a big spool for my pattern paper. It's so far hanging off the bottom of the pegboard in a makeshift kind of way, but at least it gets the paper up off the dusty floor, and makes it super easy to access:

It's a little Macgyvered in places, but I'm still super proud of it. I didn't spend much money ($7 on the pegboard, $5 on the hooks, $5 on the wood, and a few bucks on screws), but improved my sewing space dramatically. Hopefully it will streamline things for me, and help me sew and draft more efficiently.

Chevron-striped jersey dress...and a great day out in NYC

2011-08-19T07:30:00.000-04:00

This kid is always stealing my spotlight

I'm not one to wax poetic on New York City, but sometimes you just gotta love living here. Not only do we have the greatest fabric stores, with amazing cheap finds like this super-soft, vintage-looking, orangey-coral-reddish striped jersey I picked up at Chic on 39th Street last weekend during the First Annual Male Pattern Boldness Day (I'm hoping if I say it's an annual event enough times, that will make it so), but we also have so many great places to wear the cute little dresses we sew up from said finds. Like the NY Water Taxi terminal on Pier 11 (pictured directly above), and the solar-powered carousel at South Street Seaport (pictured below), just two of our stops today on an epic family jaunt around the city.

Lucy rode the rooster, the

It was a lovely summer day in NYC, so we did something we'd been meaning to do for a while now: took the free water taxi to IKEA in Red Hook, Brooklyn. It was a super fun ride, and Lucy shrieked with glee every time we hit waves. We had a cheap lunch at IKEA (kids eat FREE), Lucy played with all the toys, and we picked up a couple household items we needed. Plus Ryan snapped a few pics of me in the jersey dress I made this week:

The front

The back

Then we rode back to Manhattan, where we'd promised Lucy she could ride the carousel. We made it in time for the last ride of the day. Phew. That thing was fast. I felt dizzy by the end. The trials of parenting.

An all-white carousel is the perfect place to model a bright red dress, right?

Following that, we went to the nearby Imagination Playground, but not before snapping off a couple more pics near the docks. I draped the bodice for this dress on my dressform, then made a pattern, and sewed the whole thing on my serger. I didn't overthink the skirt: it's just two rectangles sewn together and gathered. But it turned out beautifully. I blind-hemmed the skirt with my serger too, and I just love the bounce to this fabric. It moves beautifully. I don't think it looks like a jersey dress, but it's so comfortable, and held up really well to a full day out in NYC. Note the chevron stripes created by cutting the bodice on the bias:

I'm from an island. What can I say, I love boats.

Real models don't smile, do they?

Our kid is such a fucking champ. She can spend a full 12 hours out exploring the city, and she never loses her shit. At 8 p.m. she was happily enjoying a peanut-butter bagel at the 92nd Street Y in Tribeca (we walked ALL the way there; I just mapped it and it was 2.66 miles/4.3 kilometres). That kind of stamina is going to serve her well one day. I don't know if we deserve any credit for that, but if someone's handing out medals, I wouldn't turn it down. That was our day. How was yours?

I don't pay her, so it's not child labour

2011-08-17T09:52:00.001-04:00

That's not a quote from some capitalist propaganda. It's from Dr. Seuss, and not even his allegorical stuff (The Lorax came much later). These words are from "If I ran the Circus," in which the protagonist, young Morris McGurk, has plans to turn a vacant lot into a circus, putting old Mr. Sneelock, the man who runs a store nearby, to work doing all sorts of acrobatic stunts and more. And those words, in the mouth of a child, make total sense. Because children love nothing more than working. Exhibit A:

Does your cleaning lady wear pink underpants?

I put this theory to the test on Sunday, which was the rainiest day in the history of New York City. My husband had to work, so I was home alone with our three-year-old. Things can get ugly after too many hours indoors, so to keep her busy, I made a list of jobs. First she scrubbed her stroller clean in the shower. Then we cleaned the kitchen floor. At that point she was looking around, asking me, "What else can I clean?" so I said, "Uh, the chairs?" (That's what she is doing in the picture above). Then she sorted laundry, yelling, "Light! Dark! Dark! Light!" before throwing each item onto its respective pile. Then we did the laundry, Lucy putting in the soap, the quarters, and the clothes. Then we tidied her bedroom and she vacuumed. Then she scrubbed her bike...at that point my husband came home and I handed her off because I had writing work to do.

My brother once told me to never make cleaning a form of punishment because it will backfire in the long run. He has two kids, and they happily clean the bathrooms in their house. Point taken. Filed. And referenced daily. So don't call Child Services on me. My worker says, "Work me, please work me!"

Of course, tapping into the manpower of children is totally illegal in North America. And yet, we pay huge amounts of money for them to have the same satisfaction they'd glean from working in a factory. Like this exhibit at the Children's Museum of Manhattan, which says it came from Minnesota, but if you poke around, you may find some mysterious Chinese characters that betray its true function:

Lucy making cogs

There's a sign on it saying, "KEEP HANDS OUT" — just like in a real factory! Because it probably came from a real factory. And Manhattan parents are patsies for paying $20 for their kids to have the opportunity to do work like children in China. Because we could save our $20, and put them to work taking care of business in our own homes.

It's no surprise then that many popular kids' shows involve working. Money never changes hands in Bob the Builder, but that doesn't make those machines any less motivated to take on new tasks. Thomas and friends value each other for their usefulness. My husband and I think about this a lot, clearly. I've written about it before, and so has he, at his very funny new blog. Last weekend, we were in Connecticut, and our daughter spent all of her waking hours there repaving the driveway and building a foundation (not for real; we'd get arrested). Most of her imaginative play involves working in some way:

Lucy (in the bath): I'm painting the wall to get ready for the Orchard Show.

Me: What's the Orchard Show?

Lucy: The apples will take your eyes out and add them to their collection, and then give you candies that look like eyes

Me: ......What have you been watching?

-30-

That's some dark stuff, right?

Anyway, the other thing I find funny about children's museums is the jobs that they prepare children for are not the ones their lawyer/banker/editor-in-chief parents are probably hoping they will aspire to later in life. Like doorman, for example, a very plausible job living in New York City:

Going up?

In short: put your kids to work. They may do a crummy job, but you'll save yourself the $20 it costs to take them to a fake factory where their efforts will be wasted on some Zen task like moving foam bricks along a conveyor over and over. And those sweet, little fingers are so good at getting crusted-on food out from between the slats of a kitchen chair.

The Perfect Fit Bombshell Dress as Consolation

2011-08-16T20:46:00.000-04:00

Try to remember that correlation is not causation, especially if your name rhymes with Thirsty Boss and you are reading this (come to think of it, "Thirsty Boss" would be a good nickname for my best friend. Am I first person to think of this? Probably not. She does like her liquor.) But today was the deadline to pay tuition for the fall semester at FIT and I had to let it pass me by and de-register for the Patternmaking for Coats and Jackets class I was hoping to take. It just wasn't in the budget this semester, for several reasons (Eating, being one. Shelter, another). In addition, I will be heading to Nicaragua this winter for a wedding on Little Corn Island off the coast of Nicaragua in the Caribbean!

Thirsty Boss is getting married, and the minute her now-fiance told me he was going to propose, I started writing my speech in my head (note to self: start writing it down before you hit your head and lose the first draft). Luckily for me, flying to Nicaragua from NYC is much cheaper than from the West Coast, like most of their family and friends, though the title "MATRON of honour" is not very fitting, is it? This is the very first picture that comes up when you do a Google image search for "matron":

This was not the look I was hoping for. Thirsty Boss says I can wear whatever I want (and in fact they are planning for everyone to swim directly after the vows on the beach), so I was thinking a good way to both console myself for not taking my class at FIT AND make something befitting a Caribbean island wedding would be to sign up for Gertie's Perfect Fit Bombshell Dress online course. (Dare I admit to being inspired by Oonabaloona two days in a row?) Her version of this dress is THE bomb, so how could I not. I wouldn't have thought of using this pattern if it wasn't for her stunning example. I like it so much more in a bold print like hers. Ok, let's just do this. (I'm not trying to Single White Female you, Oona):

Shazaam!

Anyway, the bombshell dress online class is only $30, including the cost of the pattern. And it looks like I will learn a great deal in sewing this hot little number. Also, if I don't go for a print, maybe I could do an overlay of silk chiffon, something like this J. Crew dress:

So use the Bombshell dress bodice as the foundation for something a little softer looking. Of course, none of this can happen until I finish sewing this:

And sew this dress:

From this fabric

For another wedding we have this fall in Kansas City. So sorry FIT, my dance card is full.

Not a bribe, it's an incentive (or what I made with my Male Pattern Boldness Day impulse buy!)

2011-08-15T11:09:00.000-04:00

I'm a terrible procrastinator and when I have a crapload of work on my plate (real, paid writing work, that is). I have to fight my instincts to let it all slide until the night before by setting daily quotas and giving myself incentives to finish. Iced coffee is a big one. I say to myself: "Self, if you finish this story, you can have an iced coffee before tackling the next one." (To which I reply, "You're a stingy little bitch, self.")

Also, the prospect of watching an episode of Glee Project or Project Runway (hey, it's summer -- so reality TV is my only option) is another proverbial carrot on a stick for me.

And, of course, rewarding myself with some sewing time, which I did yesterday after it mercifully rained all day long (record rainfall in NYC; something like 8 inches!). Not only was I able to meet all three deadlines for today, I also made the pattern for and sewed this little bodice from the cotton jersey I bought on Male Pattern Boldness Day! (Plus, praise be to Mother Nature for the rain, because it kept the Dominican Day festivities in check this year, and we weren't up all night listening to partying).

Front bodice

Inspired by the following two garments, I draped the pattern for this baby in minutes and then sewed it up last night using the stripey coral-orange cotton jersey I found at Chic Fabrics on 39th Street for just $5/yard. The jersey is very thin, so I lined it with a white jersey I had on in my stash, which had the effect of making the subtle stripes a little bolder, plus it looks like piping around the neckline. Happy accident! I love the chevron shape created by cutting the striped jersey on the bias, like this amazing maillot I first saw on Burdastyle

By daughterfish.com

And this super cute dress by Oonabaloona, whose style and blog I just love:

A close-up of my chevron:

Love it!

And the back

Male Pattern Boldness Day!

2011-08-14T08:36:00.000-04:00

Me with the world's most popular and (arguably) the sweetest male sewing blogger

It feels a little like Boxing Day (that's the day after Christmas for you Americans). That's because today is the day after the First Annual (I added that part, but I hope it's true) Male Pattern Boldness Day, a day in which sewers from all over the Tri-State area (and beyond) gathered together to man-handle the collectibles at Chelsea Flea Market, be inspired by sporting clothes through the decades at FIT, and shop every divey fabric store frequented by our guru in all things glam, gathered and on-grain, the inestimable Peter Lappin of Male Pattern Boldness.

Our benevolent leader Mr. Lappin ushered us from one location to the next with all the grace of a senior summer camp counselor. Though I kept referring to my new friends by their place names (Florida; El Paso; Washington Heights), Peter somehow managed to remember all 25-ish people who showed up for the event.

The first stop was Chelsea Flea Market (not to be confused with Chelsea Market, which my husband clearly did when he said, "ooh, you can get cake!"). The Chelsea Flea is located on 25th Street near Sixth Avenue and it most definitely doesn't serve cake. I've been once before, years ago when I first moved to New York. It's an institution and Peter says he has even seen such celebrities as Parker Posey and Catherine Deneuve shopping there on a Saturday morning.

I didn't buy anything though I was tempted by some housewares and antique toys. But the price points were so...Manhattan. And after the first few times I queried the price of something and was quoted a sum five times higher than what I was expecting, I just stopped considering these were things for sale (the pair of dress form-shaped lamps will just have to live on in my memory). Because I am Canadian, and we don't negotiate. If we did, there wouldn't be a weird little strip of Minnesota in Ontario's Lake of the Woods region. When a Canadian hears the price of something is five times higher than she expected, she says something complimentary ("So beautiful!") and then scoots her ass out of there before she breaks something. Of course, others in our group found some great buys, so maybe it's just my problem.

Following the flea market, we joined the rest of the group at the Fashion Institute of Technology for the Sporting Life exhibit. I've taken three classes there now, but had never been to the museum. I'm always running to class right after dropping Lucy with a friend who watches her until my husband gets home. Look at how many sewers showed up for the main event!

I stole this pic from Peter's blog post. What are you going to do about it?

The exhibit was a treat. I loved seeing how impractical play clothes for women once were:

Woolen bathing costume!

Sailing outfit — because a floor-length skirt is what you need when you're hoisting the main

I didn't take any of my own pictures because there were enough security guards in the little museum to start a basketball team, and I didn't want the embarrassment of getting kicked out.

After that, the lot of us ate lunch around the corner at the Brown Cup cafe before moving on to the fabric shopping portion of our day. I usually head to the same two or three places, and was excited to see what shops Peter would take us to. Nothing was as divey as I expected (he's always blogging his $2/yard finds, so I was expecting to find wood shavings on the floor). On 38th Street, we hit Sil Thread and The Spandex House, then H&M, Chic and Mood. I bought black silk organza at H&M ($8/yard) to underline a silk dress I will hopefully start working on soon, as well as more ivory tulle ($1.50/yard) for Lucy's flower girl dress and a cute vintagey coral jersey with a muted stripey pattern ($5/yard). It was really fun to hear what projects the other sewers were working on (I wish Tambira had a blog so I could see how her sexy sequined skirt turns out!).

On the way to Mood, we passed by Olivier Green from this season of Project Runway, sullenly carrying a Mood bag. On his way back to Parsons to complete the day's challenge? That would be my guess.

What is with that guy's accent? He's from Ohio!

Later at Mood, the already-packed store was suddenly flooded with people carrying walkie talkies. Project Runway production staff prepping for a shoot? What else could it have been? We didn't stick around to find out.

That's because the group still had energy to spare, so we walked to Around the World Magazines (on the south side of Bryant Park), which stocks international pattern and fashion magazines (as well as pricey textbooks), before finishing the day at nearby Kinokuniya, a super cool Japanese bookstore that sells lovely pattern and design books. Then my new pals grabbed snacks and iced coffees and relaxed in Bryant Park. I had to run to a three-year-old's birthday party and was sad to see the day end. I hope MPB Day becomes an annual tradition. (I could totally see Peter with a headset on the top floor of a double-decker bus leading dozens of international sewers on a personalized tour of NYC....think about it, Peter!)

Second fitting of flower girl dress

2011-08-11T13:30:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the disturbing photo. My kid DOES actually have hands.

People say youth is wasted on the young, but I say good skin is wasted on toddlers. Every three-year-old I know is a dewy little rosebud with a perfect complexion. Meanwhile I'm shocked at my loss of elasticity every time I have to use one of those high-powered hand dryers. How undignified to see your hand skin flapping like that. I wish I could Benjamin Button myself to have such a gloriously even skintone. (Is this how it began for Dinah Lohan? First you covet your daughter's complexion, and then....)

Moving on, ivory and green are really lovely on a blond toddler, aren't they? Last night I gathered the skirt and attaching it to the bodice of the flower girl dress (Vogue 7819). I still have much to do, but you can see now how lovely this little dress is going to be. The fabric (silk satin) is a pain to cut and sew, but it feels so wonderful and looks so luxe. Sadly, I think I'll need to add another layer of tulle for a bit more volume to the skirt:

Luckily for me I already have plans to go downtown this weekend for MPB (Male Pattern Baldness) Day! Blogger Peter Lappin is leading some of his readers on a tour of the latest exhibit at FIT, and then to the fabric district to hit his favourite shops. On my list: more tulle, and black silk organza to line a dress for MYSELF, up next on my list of sewing things-to-do.

First fitting of flower girl dress

2011-08-10T15:35:00.000-04:00

She stands like her father

Seconds after waking from an impromptu nap in her stroller today, my DD (which, I believe is short for "demanding daughter") tried on her half-finished flower girl dress (Vogue 7819). As you can see, the bodice and the under skirt with ruffle are finished. I just need to sew the top skirt and attach it, then add a zipper, sew the sash, and hem it. That's all.

My DD (also sometimes short for "difficult daughter") of course, says, "Why isn't it done yet?" To which I tell her: "You."

I feel like a tulle

2011-08-10T10:36:00.000-04:00

The lining for Vogue 7819 flower girl dress

My neighborhood in upper Manhattan is lacking a lot of things: no movie theatres, no toy stores, no book stores, no Starbucks (it must be the ONLY neighborhood in Manhattan without one), and the only fabric store in 40 blocks sells upholstery fabric only. Every time I go there and ask for something, they look at me like I am crazy. Cotton jersey? No, lo siento. Netting? I'm sure they would laugh if they knew what I was saying.

Anyway, I am sewing this flower girl dress (Vogue 7819) in increments this week, between writing a dozen little assignments, transcribing interviews I can't even hear because my family is making so much noise in the background ("working from home" is an oxymoron) and bossing my kid around. This morning I caught up on the news while gathering the tulle (it's supposed to be netting, but I didn't read the pattern properly and so bought tulle instead. I just can't go downtown again for these projects. I've already made four trips for these two dresses because I kept discovering more things I needed. My own fault. It will be less poufy than with netting, but I think it will be alright. I can always add another layer later if need be, right?) and sewing the lining. This was my first time gathering tulle like this. My serger did not do a great job of it, so then I had to go back and gather with my straight-stitching regular machine. I tried my best to get it even. I really hope I don't end up needing a second layer. Or another trip to the fabric district 160 blocks away.

I'm Burdastyle.com's "Featured Member" this week!

2011-08-08T17:59:00.000-04:00

I just came home from a weekend away in cool, calm Connecticut to a hot, noisy city littered with trash and surly people in dire need of a vacation themselves. Any relaxation we experienced this weekend was undone in the trek across Manhattan through Harlem from the Metro North station to the subway with a tired three-year-old in tow. But discovering that Burdastyle.com finally posted my "featured member" Q&A today is definitely taking the edge off!

I'm super excited to be this week's featured member at Burdastyle.com! — in my opinion, the best online sewing resource. The tutorials are super helpful because there's always something new you need to know with each project. The patterns are cheap and tres cute. And there are so many talented members sharing their projects, so it's a continual source of inspiration to me. I'm so freaking pleased they thought my work was good enough to share. It's just the boost I need right now, with another flower girl dress on deck to sew this week, and the sinking realization that we may not be able to afford another class for me at FIT this fall. I do have an idea in the works though for something constructive in the future. Stay tuned. And while you wait: go check out Burdastyle.com's Q&A with me!

Project Dumbway

2011-08-05T20:18:00.000-04:00

My husband and I have a A LOT of really great ideas for TV shows. It's kind of a pastime of ours — thinking up TV show ideas. Which is in no way useful considering neither of us works in TV. (My husband has written a screenplay, which I think is hilarious — the screenplay, that is, NOT the fact that he wrote one).

I don't want to give anything away (because if I crack an issue of Variety to see "The Super" is in development, someone's head is gonna roll), but I do believe one of our strongest ideas yet is "Project Dumbway," a Project Runway-style show where contestants compete in design challenges that see them create a new look based on some theme or set of materials. But here's the catch: our contestants are not designers. They're not even seamstresses. They're dudes like my husband. And your husband. Can't quite picture it yet?

Picture my husband on the left; yours on the right. Comedy gold!

Imagine if you took 10 funny people who knew nothing about clothing, construction, fabric, or sewing, and told them: we're going to Petland, here's $100 to create a look based on the materials you can buy there. If you knew my husband, you would know it would be comedy gold to watch him try to fashion something — anything — from, well, just about anything. What got us thinking about it was this guy from last season of the Greatest Show on Earth:

The very first episode Jason has to make a new garment from another contestant's kimono. So he puts it on the model backward, and...I don't know. See for yourself:

The entire episode my husband kept saying, "THAT'S TOTALLY WHAT I WOULD DO!" which was so not a compliment. (Jason wasn't eliminated, though I think they just wanted to see what the hell he would do next because it's good TV — JUST LIKE PROJECT DUMBWAY!)

Anyway, that lead me to think: how would my husband's design and construction skills fare against my friend Lizzi's husband? He's pretty stylish, but would he actually be capable of doing more to a kimono than putting it on backward? And then Ryan (my husband) started getting cocky, saying things like, "I bet I'd be way better than Joe (another neighbourhood friend). At least I've seen you sew!"

We probably wouldn't be able to get Michael Kors or Nina Garcia as judges, but I bet Heidi Klum would do it. She's so darn cute, and with a snappy sense of humour that totally belies her German heritage. Just imagine how charmed she would be by your husband's earnest attempt at a shift dress made from floor mats.

Project Dumbway on Comedy Central. Think about it.

Don't send in the marines just yet

2011-08-05T09:29:00.000-04:00

In case any of you were wondering, I made it through sewing that silk junior bridesmaid dress (McCall's 4763) yesterday. That is to say, I am still here, and still mostly sane. No stealth trips to David's Bridal, though the thought of buying something similar and snipping the label off did cross my mind.

All I have left to do is to attach the waistband to the dress and then hem it, though that will have to wait until the day before the wedding to do that because the girl lives a zillion miles away and I can't try this on her until then. Witness my invisible zipper, sewn to the top layer of silk satin with my machine, and then hand-stitched to the silk lining. It was a feat of patience for me:

Huzzah!

The zipper, up close. My stitches are imperceptible!

From afar: simple yet so pretty!

I hope it fits her. And that she doesn't grow between now and October. That couldn't possibly happen, right? RIGHT?? (I'm still a little inhinged, see?) I changed the waistband from the one in the pattern, so that the two girls (ages 10 and 3) would match a little more.

Next up, the flower girl dress. Slightly less tricky because the lining is a cotton/poly blend. I'm going to experiment with interfacing the whole thing because the flower girl dress should be stiffer than this floor-length fancy number, but the bride wanted the two dresses to be of the same fabric. That presents a challenge for sure.

2011-08-04T15:18:00.001-04:00

I really need someone to talk me down off the ledge today. I'm sewing a junior bridesmaid dress from silk satin, double-lined with silk organza and silk lining. That's three slippery-as-hell layers. The bodice and skirt are mercifully attached now, but I have still to tackle the zipper (which I anticipate to be the hardest part of this; I may do it by hand) and then hemming — a point I'll address later. The pattern is McCall's 4763.

It's not actually this shiny looking. I had to use a flash.

Sewing silk is hard. This is something you can't truly appreciate until you have attempted to assemble a garment made from this super slippery fabric. Sewing silk in a straight line is even harder. It feels like you're sewing drunk. Things happen and you don't quite know why. I tried looking up tips for sewing silk before I turned on my machine:

• put tissue paper underneath the silk when you're cutting it to keep it from sliding around
ª use the smallest sized needle (small, like a 9 or 10)
• use the right kind of thread (polyester)
• don't make pin holes outside your seam allowance
• use a press cloth when you iron the seams, which you need to do A LOT because there seems to be some inevitable puckering no matter how on top of your tension know you are
• press on the inside of the fabric, never use steam and make sure to use a seam roll underneath the edge of seams so you don't end up making unsightly lines in the fabric

Blargh. The other complicating factor here is the fact that the girl for whom this dress is destined lives far, far away, which means I can't put it on her to hem it. So I'm hemming in the dark here. Double blargh!

Thanks, Bob

2011-08-03T19:42:00.002-04:00

I haven't cut any fabric in weeks, but I did cut some hair today. How do you like this new little 'do? It's hot here, and my kid sweats like her sweaty father and refuses ponytails. Plus she fights me every time I try to brush her beautiful blond hair. SO today I chopped it. The girl can grow it long again when she's old enough to groom herself.

I almost went this short:

But thought better of it and instead shaped it into a chin-length bob. She watched Bob the Builder while I snipped away (it took me probably 40 minutes to get it the right length and not crooked). That is the strangest show — like HGTV for toddlers. Afterward, my kid said, "Can we build something now?" But not like make-stuff-out-of-cardboard build something. Bob the Builder raises expectations. After watching Bob the Builder, she wants to pour the foundation for our eco-home treefort and miter the mouldings for a new door made from reclaimed wood. Shit, girl.

Recently we took her to Home Depot in Chelsea and she cried when we had to leave. Of course a couple weeks ago she said she wanted to be a dinosaur when she grows up, so none of this means anything. Though I would really like to finally have someone handy about the house.

As for cutting fabric, I really am dying to make a new skirt. I have lots of this great black cotton I used for my sailor shorts. I want to a nautical skirt, surprise, surprise. Casey from Casey's Elegant Musings posted a lovely one made from a vintage McCall's pattern. Given enough time, I think I could draft a similar one. But that's only if given enough time. I got my kid in bed early tonight, so I can transcribe some interviews for a story that's due on Monday....but I'm going away for the weekend, so that means little time for procrastination. Or sewing. Or cleaning my messy apartment. Or watching Glee Project. Or writing in my blog. Or drinking this Labatt's Blue LIGHT with Lime. Ugh. My husband buys awful beer.

If Only My Husband Actually Read My Blog (Without Me Asking)

2011-08-03T10:22:00.003-04:00

It's been a busy few weeks here with more writing assignments than I know what to do with. Actually, I can handle all the writing assignments. What I can't handle is keeping a clean apartment or finding the time to sew anything. So my place looks like shit, which means it's high time to stop reading any and all blogs that feature perfectly lit photos of delightfully decorated homes. I might just kill someone if I have to lay eyes on another hyper-organized, artfully arranged baby room.

That time would be better spent vacuuming or telling my husband to vacuum.

Anyway, the one thing I have done is make an easy change to this blue cotton dress with the bow-print. Because I made it, I loved it, and then I never wore it. I thought I liked the A-line shape, but every time I went to put it on, I'd hang it back on the hanger. Then I had a brainwave: add elastic at the waist to make it more casual. My life is pretty chill after all. Here I am hanging out at Central Park's Sheep Meadow:

Here's the dress before:

And here I am in it after adding a casing to the INSIDE of the dress, and then threading a length of 1/2-inch elastic through it. Much more casual. Plus I don't look pregnant:

And from the back:

Much more wearable, right? This was a lovely day out with my family. We played at the 68th Street playground all morning and then had lunch at the gourmet food trucks now stationed at the former Tavern on the Green restaurant/tourist trap. I'm loving the food trucks this summer (another reason for an elastic waistband, am I right, ladies?).

Cutting out the junior bridesmaid dress

2011-07-20T12:49:00.001-04:00

Don't tell anyone, but I've never sewn formal wear. But I'm not intimidated by the prospect of sewing a flower girl and a junior bridesmaid dress. Maybe I'm in that blissful, I-don't-know-what-I'm-getting-into-so-I-have-no-idea-how-afraid-I-should-be state that I'm always astounded by in other people. Anyway, little girls are easy to sew for because they don't have boobs. And I've sewn silk before so I know a little of its foibles. Either way, today I tackled the part of any sewing project that I hate the most: cutting. It's so permanent. So dangerous. I've made enough mistakes in my time to know I make them occasionally and so need to be vigilant before putting scissors to silk. And my sewing level is such that I sometimes think I know what I am doing when in fact I do not, and should stop to read before plunging ahead.

Like a carpenter always measures twice before cutting once, a seamstress should always check her pattern twice before pinning. Because formal wear fabrics are pricey. And it's too damn hot out to head back to the fabric district!

Sailor shorts and more photobombs from the master

2011-07-18T15:32:00.000-04:00

Getting photobombed by a toddler AGAIN!

I've always had a thing for sailor pants. You all know that by now. And seeing the grande finale dance number by the cast of Anything Goes! during this year's Tony Awards underlined my perennial love of nautical-themed casual wear. Also, what five-foot-three gal like myself doesn't wish she were a little more like Sutton Foster, the seven-foot-tall actress starring in this Broadway show. See for yourself:

OK, so she's not seven feet tall, but the girl can move, right? Anyway, I've been working on my pattern for these sailor shorts for a while now. I based them on my friend Lizzi's capri faux sailor pants. I already tested them in muslin once, and then made a few changes. Now that I have a good fit, I can make them into true sailor pants this fall (after tackling the load of sewing I have scheduled to fill the rest of my summer: a flowergirl dress, a junior bridesmaid dress, and a peacock-print silk dress for me).

Ryan channeled Tim Gunn and told me the buttons I chose were too literal (yes, they're anchors).

I also made this little tube top with a bow to keep the Anything Goes! feel going. I didn't ask my husband's opinion on the top. What do you think? Is it "a lot of look"? Of course it is, but at least I'm not wearing tapshoes. I need to learn how to pose.

Dig my welt pockets!

One more photobomb!

Sewing meets science — AND FIRE!

2011-07-18T12:05:00.000-04:00

Photobomb!

I finally finished my first real pair of sailor shorts from the pattern I drafted. We tried to take some pics yesterday in Central Park, near Harlem Meer where we spent the afternoon watching this awesome bluegrass band called the Ebony Hillbillies. But Lucy kept photobombing me and it was just too hot so I lost patience with the whole thing. I'll blog them later. Today I am lighting things on fire.

I bought the fabric for these shorts at Metro Textile Corp on 37th St. I love the guy who runs it, but sometimes I think he tells me what I want to hear. For example:

Me: Is this 100% cotton?

Him: Yes.

Me: Hmmm.

Anyway, this fabric is allegedly 100% cotton. But I wore them all day in the humidity and while they felt pretty cool like cotton, they weren't very creased by the time I took them off at night, which is what I would expect. Maybe they're a blend? I decided this was the perfect opportunity to tell you about how to test your fabric (and the truthfulness of your fabric guy).

Much of the time, you can tell just by looking what type of fabric you have on hand (or you can ask, but you may not always get the truth).

But you can also burn a little piece to verify its contents. Sounds fun, right? I like burning stuff. I always have. Don't tell my husband.

I first read about the fabric burn test in a sewing book. Then I found this handy flow chart, which makes it much easier to perform your own experiments. All you do is cut a small piece of the questionable fabric, light it carefully and then watch it burn. Does it self-extinguish or burn freely? What does it smell like as it burns? (The smell of burning meat equals acrylic. Ew!). And, finally, what does the ash look like? (Or, if it's synthetic, what does the little melted bead look like?) All these questions are important factors in determining what type of fabric your mystery swatch is.

Small triangle of fabric

Burn!

Soft blackish-grey ash

My test results were thus:
-fabric lit and burned
-smell of burning paper
-a blackish grey ash left over

So consulting the handy dandy chart.....it's definitely cotton. But it may be mercerized cotton (because the ash was somewhat blacker than plain old cotton). Mercerized cotton is treated with sodium hydroxide to make it stronger, smoother and shinier. So my fabric guys is honest — or lucky.

I wish I could say this was an ironic gift

2011-07-18T09:17:00.000-04:00

It's a good thing my mom doesn't have the Internet. Or a computer. Because otherwise I might feel bad about sharing this book she sent my daughter for her third birthday this week.

Little Mommy was written in 1967, and it depicts a simpler time, when little girls knew their place and could happily play out their maternal fantasies without fear of judgment from their bitch feminist friends (like me).

Aw, isn't that sweet? A little girl playing with her dolls. Just delightful. This is probably as far as my mom read before buying this book. I am generously giving her that benefit of the doubt because I would hate to think she read the whole thing and still thought it appropriate for my 21st Century girl.

Wait, what? Is this book set in Westchester? And does daddy work in advertising? I guess Baby Betty Draper does look pretty happy...

Doing the dolls' hair sounds OK, but playing at wiping fingerprints off the door? What kind of weirdo OCD kid plays at cleaning a door? I don't even do that and I AM a mom with several doors in need of a good wipedown. I think Little Mommy's mommy needs to make an appointment with one of those head-shrinkers she's been hearing about.

It's all so idyllic...but I've seen Mad Men. I know the only people who had it better in the 1960s were alcoholics and rapists and she's absolutely seething with resentment. There's probably a cocktail spiked with downers hidden in that laundry basket. Oh, here's comes Billy/Daddy, home for dinner. Is that lipstick on his collar? His secretary is such a slut. But if she says anything, he'll slap her again and Little Mommy is out of pancake makeup.

I hope Little Mommy has a Little Something on the side because I bet that asshole Billy doesn't appreciate at all how hard she worked to wipe his scummy fingerprints off her damn door.