I think my body might be shrinking. Or not. Maybe I'm not understanding what "moderate stretch knits" are, since I didn't think the fabric I used was crazy stretchy. This is what the envelope image of McCall 7199 view A looks like: This is how it looks on me: I cut the size 12 and made no mods other than making the hem slightly longer to account for my generous torso length (I folded up 3/8" instead of 1"). I actually like the loose fit, but it might have been a good idea to go …
sewing for me
Gingers in Indigo and a Shakespearean Valley Top
So my right calf is slightly bigger than my left calf. These are the things you learn when you make your own clothes. I'm on a sewing roll, and I pumped out not only my second pair of Ginger skinnies, but also the Cali Faye Valley Blouse. It was a good week. Look at me, trying to mix things up with some props: Yes. A little cornball. You can't help but imagine muzak accompanying this. Shall we start with what I'm calling my Shakespearean Valley top? It looks pretty awesome on …
Ginger Jeans of My Own
"What are you doing?" he asked me. It was the pounding that caused him to poke his head into the room -- he looked confused and slightly alarmed. I stood there with the hammer poised a few inches above an overturned cast iron skillet. "Making jeans," I replied. And whacked a rivet into place. I made jeans. JEANS. !!!!! These Gingers Skinny Jeans took me just shy of a year to complete from the initial muslin, mostly because I was stymied by the idea of altering the pattern. …
Giveaway: Stylish Party Dresses [CLOSED]
Yet another giveaway! Tuttle Publishing has put forth a fun book -- all about party dresses! In case you were wondering, I didn't translate this one. And because it's not going to be available until September 15th, today's post is a bit of a sneak peek. There are 26 patterns (a - z) with that simple, flow-y and Japanese look and feel. The title is a little misleading since there are a number of separates too. That just adds to the versatility, I say. I flipped through the pages and liked …
The Great Pattern Hack
It's my turn to chatter on about the lovely collaboration with Melissa of A Happy Stitch and Michael Miller Fabrics (via Kait of Making it Fun): The Great Pattern Hack! My pattern hacking skills are still pretty basic, so I didn't get all fancy or wild on you, but I had lots and lots of fun modifying the Southport Dress into two garments. First up, the strappy-backed tank: I selected the Indigo Midnight Cotton Couture, which has a drapey hand and feels like an ever so slightly …