Late > Never? #OWOP14

So what if it's the end of September? Here I am with my OWOP outfits, for your viewing pleasure.

As you can see, I picked the Laurel dress/top by Colette Patterns. I wasn't even forced to repeat the Leopard Laurel on days 2 and 7, I just wanted to! That's how much I love that dress (read: secret pajamas).

I'm starting to feel my current style drift a little bit away from cutesy/quirky/colorful and lean more toward darker tones, sometimes more modern looks, and things that don't make me feel too twee. I found myself a bit uncomfortable in my Floral Laurel and Ruffle Sleeve Laurel this week. Even my peter pan collar was getting to me. Maybe it's a new life phase, maybe it's just the changing seasons. My favorite outfit of the week was day 5, my Back to School Laurel paired with sheer black tights and ankle boots. Ready for fall, y'all!

And, just because you've been nice enough to stick around in my recent absence, I'll let you in on a little secret. There's been no sewing happening in these parts as my sewing room is currently experiencing a dramatic revamping. I will be sharing some new sewing space shots once things are put back together, don't you worry. Until then, plz enjoy this image of my new computer desk (lives in under-construction sewing room), yay!

My place is a bit dark, so anything light/white/bright is super refreshing and a big help to keep things from feeling gross and drab. I've been taking a lot of inspiration from Heather Lou, Tilly, and Shanni's recent sewing space posts, so hopefully I'll end up with a sewing space that can keep the inspiration flowing.

A Dress Review

Hello again! I've finally returned. Despite the fact that I have 6 unblogged finished projects laying around, plus now 2 UFO's stuffed in the closet, I'm not here to share any new sewing projects with you just yet. Instead, I have a dress review for eShakti.

Before I went to Europe last month (yes, it's now July, blah), I was contacted by eShakti to see if I'd like to review one of their dresses. I remembered Lauren had reviewed two of their dresses and figured I'd give it a try. Plus, they have a lot of super cute, retro stuff, so, why not!

The intersting thing about this online shop is that you can customize their pieces (for a small additional cost) to select different featutures or variations than what's shown in the initial product view. I think this could be awesome for bridesmaid dresses. Prefer sleeveless? Need a longer skirt length? Done. I, however, read the measurements of the dress I'd picked and decided to just run with it, without customizing. Maybe next time...

Here's the view from the website of the dress I chose: Colorblock stripe hem poplin dress. I debated about trying to add something more versatile or practical to my wardrobe, since I had my pick of a section of the site (full of dresses that had not yet been reviewed by other bloggers -- they didn't want repeats). Then I just said "whatever!" and picked the one I was most drawn to.

It ended up a little tight in the bust, so I went sans bra, but other than that it pretty much fits. I especially like the scoop front/back necklines, the in-seam pockets, side zip, full-ish skirt, and bodice structure. It's not something I would be able to whip up for myself without some thought and searching for the right pattern (I don't have anything like this), so I'm glad I was able to try it out this way.

I think the only holdups I have about this dress are the fabric (it's very lightweight poplin and shows every little pucker and wrinkle) and the bodice fit (the waistband part of the bodice looks good sometimes and then frumpy at others), maybe I'll try to take it in a tiny bit. All in all, I'd say the dress is true to what was reflected on the site, and like a lot of their dresses, has a vintagey vibe reminiscent of something you'd find on ModCloth, which I totally appreciate. Thanks, eShakti!

Oh, and if you're interested in trying out your own eShakti dress (or jacket, or skirt, or shirt!), they're offering $25 off, for new customers - yay! Check them out on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter if you like what you see.

Poor Duke, he hates being held.

"someone! help me, please!!"

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free dress of my choosing, but was not otherwise compensated for this review. All delightfully insightful thoughts and opinions are mine.

me made may 2014: week 4

Day 1: Rayon Laurel Top + Me-altered Outlier Daily Riding Pants

Day 2: Black Chardon Skirt with Pockets and Belt-loops

Day 3: New, Unblogged Rayon Sencha Blouse + Gathered Skirt

Day 4: Anthro-Inspired Spotted Laurel Top + Me-altered Outlier Pants (Again)

Day 5: Denim Miette / Day 6: New, Unblogged Belcarra Top

Day 7: Unblogged Leopard Print Ponte Laurel Dress

Ooh, week 4! We are so close to the end. I must admit I'm missing some of my summery RTW clothes that I haven't been able to wear even though the temperatures are perfect for it. This week, I ended up with double documentation (two photos) of some outfits, so I figured I'd throw them in the ol' round-up collage for kicks. You'll also notice several "unblogged" items listed. I counted and I have a total of 6 things I've made but not shared here, so stay tuned for those in the near future. Not too near, I'm afraid, though. I'm going on vacation very soon and don't think I'll have time to share before then. You'll just have to follow me on instagram for the final #MMM14 installment, and watch this space in June for some treats upon my return. Bon Voyage!

Me Made May 2014: Week 3

Short post this week, y'all. I wouldn't say I'm struggling to continue to wear me-mades, but I am starting to repeat outfits and find myself relying more upon refashioned and me-mended items than I'd expected to. Also, some days I just don't want to wear anything cute or fitted at the waist. Some days I just want to be schleppy! Luckily the weather's been beautiful, so that helps. How's everyone else holding up?

Day 1: Not-Yet-Blogged spotted Coco / Day 2: Not-Yet-Blogged FBA'd Emery

Day 3: Jupe Chardon Rouge / Day 4: 1st Floral Wedding Guest Dress

Day 5: (Part 1) Refashioned Outlier Daily Riding Pant / (Part 2) Me-mended h&m Mathilde lookalike

Day 6: Me-mended Striped RTW dress / Day 7: Back to School Laurel

Me Made May 2014: Week 2

Day 1: Peter Pan Laurel / Day 2: Colorblocked Coco / Day 3:  Me-Mended RTW Striped Knit Dress

Day 4: Floral Laurel / Day 5: Refashioned Thrifted Striped T-shirt

Day 6: Refashioned Thrifted '80s Hawaiian Dress / Day 7: Denim Miette

So how was #MMM week two for everyone? 

Things I learned this week: 

1) Teal!
2) Red/white/blue!
3) Floral.
4) All of these work!
5) I need a NETTIE BODYSUIT.
6) How to do my first FBA.
7) Pretty Little Liars is just as fun to watch the 2nd time through.

Me Made May 2014: Week 1

Day 1: Rehearsal Dinner Dress / Day 2: Unblogged Refashioned XXXL T-shirt 

 Day 3: Orange Gingham Sixties Shorts / Day 4: Unblogged Leopard Print Ponte Laurel Dress

How's everyone's first week of Me-Made-May 2014? Mine is off to a good start. Thank goodness spring is officially here, so I have more appropriate outfit options available. If you follow me on instagram, you've already seen these shots, but I like to do a little round-up each week, too. 

This weekend the weather was amazing and we did some antiquing. I wore my gingham shorts out into the wild for the first time. I also took a bunch of photos. Enjoy!

Another Floral Wedding Guest Dress

What a fun, beautiful (and exhausting) wedding! As I mentioned in my earlier post about the rehearsal, the venue at Mountain Terrace was simply amazing. The views were pretty and tranquil, the deck sparkled with white Christmas lights after sunset, and the glowing dining room inside was decorated perfectly, from the too-cute succulent plant place card holders to the pretty gold & white table runners and beautiful flower arrangements. So lovely.

It was an emotional and exciting day, and somehow that makes me even more glad I sewed my own dress to commemorate and celebrate such a fun and meaningful event. The day held a lot of firsts for me.

• First time I had my makeup done professionally and WORE FAKE EYELASHES! Felt like I was a movie star.

• First time I was in a wedding and did a reading as part of the ceremony. Yikes, I was nervous.

• First time I ate Princess Cake, which was so delicious!

• First time I saw my dad out on the dance floor, tearing it up and cracking me up (in the best way). He was great!

• First time I got to really hang out with some of my (half)sister's relatives basically since I was a baby. So fun!

My sister picked the Avett Brother's song "January Wedding" to play as she walked out with my dad, and I totally started crying (somehow without ruining the multiple layers of eye-makeup). That song just gets me every time.

Once I got used to (as much as I could) my intense makeup, I found that I was rather pleased with my overall outfit for the wedding. My me-made dress ended up being pretty perfect -- certainly not made perfectly, but great to wear. Except for the fact that I was pretty cold (dramatically refusing to put on my coat) when we were outside for the ceremony, my outfit looked and felt good throughout the night. It was nice to not be wearing something the least bit uncomfortable and I just loved looking down at the pretty, painterly floral print.

For the dress, I used New Look 6000, just the plain sleeveless version. I stitched it up in a floral cotton sateen that had shades of purple, dark blue, black, teal, and white. The entire dress was lined in bemberg rayon, which was a little easier to do than on my rehearsal dress, because this dress is just one main piece, rather than being broken up with a waist seam.

Mistakes I made in sewing this dress include: not lining up the top of the zipper properly, so that it accidentally extends up past the back neckline opening and shows (oh well), and, again, not getting the length of the lining quite right, so that it bunches and shows a little in the front when I'm wearing the dress.

I don't know if this qualifies as a mistake really, but I also took two fitting shortcuts in sewing this dress. I added little darts around the neckline, which luckily don't distract the eye thanks to the busy print. This reduced the neckline and upper bust gaping that was going on. I also stitched the dress side seams including the lining along with the fashion fabric, as one - almost like underlining. This made it easy to take in the sides without needing to sew a ginormous seam keeping the lining separate from the dress. 

The dress is hemmed similarly, with a single hem including both the lining and fashion fabric. I just did a machine hem because, again, the busy print almost totally hides the stitching.

 

Cheers - to a fun wedding and a great dress! I'm glad I forced myself to finally sit down and sew the darn thing, rather than wimping out and buying something instead (I'd considered it). The fabric was somewhat of an unusual choice for me. I don't really have anything else like it in my closet, but I'm glad I chose it! The colors are pretty, the cotton sateen was easy to sew with, and the print hid all of my less-than-ideal sewing decisions. It was a win-win-win, if you ask me!

Finished Project: Rehearsal Dinner Dress

I just got back from a whirlwind weekend trip to Palo Alto, CA for my sister's wedding. It was such a fun time and I managed to finish both of the dresses I'd intended to make and wear for the weekend's events. Tom and I even did a tiny bit of thrifting and managed to find some tasty food in our small amount of down time.

The rehearsal was our first event of the weekend, and it was held at the beautiful wedding venue, Mountain Terrace. The dinner for family and friends that followed was at a delicious Italian restaurant in Redwood City, Donato Enoteca.

To the rehearsal and dinner, I wore the dark blue, cotton sateen, McCall's 5845 dress I'd previewed for you all back in December. I really love the shape of the bodice (I'm considering making it again soon with a full, gathered or circle skirt, instead. Is it springtime yet??) and only made a few minor adjustments to the dress, from what the pattern instructed. As I noted in my earlier post, I stitched the darts inside, instead of outside, and I both curved and raised the back neck opening into a scoop that just barely covers my bra (phew!).

Mistake #1: I fully lined the dress with silky bemberg rayon, but managed to make the outer and inner layers uneven. So, there is some noticeable (IRL, not so much in this photo) bunching at the edges of the skirt vent, and the lining sticks out a lot in the front when I sit down. Facts I'm willing to ignore while wearing the dress.

Mistake #2: I got a picture of the dress front before we left, while the lighting was still great, but forgot to get the back photo until we got back from dinner that night when things were much fuzzier... both the lighting and my mindset.

Looking back at the photos, I really like this dress! For the rehearsal I paired it with a pink necklace from ShopNestled and my nude Ivanka Trump pumps (so ladylike and comfortable). I'm looking forward to wearing this outfit again, for sure.

Archer, Schmarcher.

December was unofficially Archer Faux-preciation Month over here at Sewin' Steady. Ha. Okay, there was no sewalong nor cute blogger button. There weren't even any actual Archers... or much sewing to speak of, really.

There was, however, a lot of purchasing of RTW button-down Archer wanna-be's. I really do appreciate the Archer. But, 99% of my Christmas shopping this year was done from my computer and, with every few clicks of my mouse to purchase gifts for family and friends, there was a click or two to purchase something for myself. Because, SALES. Oh, and plaid. There was lot of plaid to choose from, which I now realize is like drugs for someone like me.

But, come on. Sometimes you just can't sew everything you want to wear, even if, well, yes... you totally could, in this case, but there's just something inexplicably holding you back. That was me during the entire month dedicated to stitching up the only pattern I actually wanted to sew and wear. Le sigh. I will be sewing an Archer eventually, don't you worry.

As for the root (or one of the roots) of the problem, though. I've noticed this late fall and early winter that it seems the colder the temps get, the fewer vintage and vintage-inspired, girly outfits I find myself wearing and reaching for in my closet, and the more modern, even tom-boy-ish pieces I end up wearing over and over, like a uniform. 

Lately, my daily outfits have consisted of essentially a combination of the following (with the occasional cardigan or non-plaid button-down, or boat-neck 3/4 sleeve shirt from Target swapped in).

jeans: Jesse Stretch, by Imogene + Willie

heeled brown boots: by Fossil, can't find exact link -- mine are similar to pictured, but are like this, only red-ish brown

wedge booties: by Dolce Vita (via ModCloth) 

riding boots: by Bandolino

red plaid shirt: Red Tartan Popover, by j. crew 

blue plaid shirt: Crinkle Boy Shirt in Black Watch Plaid, by j. crew

What about you all? Do you find yourself drifting away from the girly side of your style during colder months? Did button-downs and boots (with warm socks!) take over your life like they have mine?

P.S. Don't forget to enter my vintage sewing jackpot giveaway (because, I'll always love vintage even if the weather prevents me from wearing it as much) by the end of the day tomorrow!

October

This month I've been a little bit all over the place. Tom is traveling for work which has thrown off my weekly routine slightly. I've found myself splitting my focus between what feels like a million things.

• For one, new vintage. I recently got a cute '50s navy suit jacket on Etsy that just needs the gold-painted dark glass buttons re-attached. Of course the simplest mending is what takes the longest to make yourself complete. 

• I went to my first official rummage sale this weekend. It's actually the same sale Sam from Fluffyland just posted about. As you can see from her photos (I always forget to take photos), it was huge and, for me, a bit overwhelming. I'd hoped there would be more sewing supplies, but apart from fabric, it was slim pickings for vintage lovers in that department. The fabric table(s), however, were covered in piles of cute cuts of fabric, all neatly labeled and bundled up. But, I manged to resist adding to my already-huge stash. At the end of the morning, I walked away with a cute, wool Sacks Fifth Avenue 2-piece dress from the "vintage" rack in the clothing room, and an '80s spotted red bow blouse.  

• I also had some good luck thrifting this weekend, bringing home some vintage sleep/lounge wear and snuggley cashmere sweaters.

• I've still been stalling, paralyzed with indecision (and distracted by other projects!) on just what cuffs to add to my green Pilgrim Peony.

• Duke is pretty into my new shoes, which I recently wore with my latest project. I've managed to sew up another Peony dress in the Orange linen blend I'd mentioned, but am still working on getting some good photos. 

• I told you all I was moving on from my Laurel obsession, but it just so happens that a friend at work saw my navy & white speckled version and then went and found the cutest fabric so I can make one for her. Apparently the fixation is contagious. :)  I stitched together the wearable muslin for her in an evening, using some very cute pink/orange/purple striped fabric of hers. After she wore it around the house a couple of times, she told me what needed adjusting and I've made alterations to the pattern pieces. It's such a simple dress that I think it will be ok to just take it in where she's told me, and cross my fingers that everything else fits in the final version.  The final dress will be in the white/blue/green/purple zig-zag/herringbone print (above) and we're adding in-seam pockets, mid-length sleeves with the RUFFLE option. I'm so excited to have the finished product -- those sleeves are just going to be adorable. I'll make sure to get at least some photos to share once it's ready.

• In addition to my recent pattern acquisitions from Deer & Doe, I've also just ordered the Emery dress pattern by Christine Haynes. The vintage details were too cute to pass up and Shanni's review really made me want to try it. 

• I found out this month that one of my best friends is going to be having a baby girl in late February. I started looking at Oliver + S patterns (adorable), but am hoping to find some other options, too. Baby clothes seem so fun and quick to sew. Any recommendations?

That's all for me. What have you all been up to this month? 

Is anyone sewing their Halloween costume? 

Finished Project: Floral Pendrell

This week I completed another blouse inspired by one of Anna of Paunnet's projects. It's the Pendrell from Sewaholic Patterns, view B, with the seam ruffles left off. I'd always felt a little iffy about all the ruffles and flounces on the Pendrell pattern and as soon as I saw Anna's version, I was like Ohh, that's what you're supposed to do. What a great idea. Just because a pattern comes with certain pieces, doesn't mean you have to use them!

In sewing up this second Pendrell of mine, I went down half a size and cut like 3 inches off the hem. This blouse is frickin' long (which is definitely better than too short).  I also trimmed a little over a 1/4 of an inch around the neckline, before finishing with the bias facing. I'd thought this would solve the slight problem I had with my previous Pendrell, which was that I really had to tug it on over my head, and always messed up my hair. For some reason, on this latest version, it's almost like I added 1/4 inch to the neckline because it's almost impossible to get on! Very mysterious.

The fabric I used is a thrifted cut of polyester chiffon-y thin slipperyness. I'm sure some lady bought it in the '80s or '90s to make kitchen curtains or something. The main thing that drew me to it was the little navy dots scattered through the print and the mustard/orange colored flowers amongst the blue floral. I'd initially thought I would need to line the blouse, due to the sheerness of the fabric, but it's actually not so bad, as long as I just wear a nude colored bra.

I like the little cap sleeve ruffles, but I'm just still not 100% sure if I'm a ruffly blouse type of person, or not. My shoulders might be too broad for this look. Anyhow, I'm glad I tried this blouse. I think I'll get some good use out of it tucked into skirts, and since the fabric is so lightweight, it's easy to layer even the frilly sleeves underneath a cardigan.

I was also really inspired by Anna's pinafore that she paired her Pendrell with and used the Chardon skirt for. After seeing it on her, I clicked over to Deer & Doe and finally bought the pattern I'd drooled over since it first came out (so cute!), as well as the adorable Pavot jacket. I couldn't help myself. They haven't arrived in the mail yet, but I'm eagerly anticipating holding these lovely patterns in my hot little hands. Yay - MINE!

Finished Project: Laurel v. 5

Hey, y'all. As promised, here's my photo shoot wearing my latest Laurel top. I've worn this top a few times already since making it and I'm loving it. The fabric is what really makes it for me. The cotton/silk blend feels super nice and I can't keep myself from giddily petting it and gazing lovingly down at it whenever I put it on.

 

Now I just need a bright pink necklace to wear with it. It's definitely a simple top, but I don't think it lacks interest... though it could benefit from some statement jewelry. (something to work on--accessorizing)

Love the little bow at the back

I know I discussed some of the construction details, along with my inspiration for the project, in my last post, but there's always room for more!  When sewing up this Laurel, I added about an inch and a half to the length, and then used bias tape to face the hem (rather than bind it--which I think would have been weird--or just doing a regular hem, which would have subtracted a little more of the extra length I'd added in).

I used French seams on the side and shoulder seams, which always makes things feel nice and fancy, to me. I'd accidentally zoned out when stitching the arm seams to create the tube part of the sleeve and was too lazy to un-do it, so those are just regular seams, finished with the pinking shears.  I know some people sew their shoulder/arm-hole seams as French seams, but I can't really wrap my mind around that. I'm lucky enough that I was able to physically set-in the sleeves (usually my downfall in projects), so I wasn't trying to get too crazy.

I think the next time I make the top version of this pattern (oh, there will be a next time), I'll lengthen it again like I did here, but I'll also try lengthening the sleeves to 3/4, instead of the current 1/2. My Anthropologie inspiration shirt had 3/4 sleeves, which I just kind of spaced on when it came to making my version.  I'm also dying to try the gathered sleeve ruffle/flounce variation, but that is something I'd definitely save for a dress, rather than the top -- but maybe that's just me.

 Up next? LAUREL V. 6! Dress with sleeves, coming to a blog near you.

Finished Project: Floral Wedding Guest Dress

Come to My Window Box Dress - ModCloth.com

As promised, I've finally got the photos and details of my latest dress project to share. It's another wedding guest dress. This time, I was inspired by a dress from Modcloth.com that didn't fit when I ordered it, so I decided to make my own version.

I searched high and low for this floral rayon fabric, but couldn't find an exact or even a close enough match in any apparel-specific fabric. I settled for a pretty quilting cotton by Moda Fabrics in a similar pattern and color scheme and paired it with Retro Butterick 5748, a pattern I'd admired for a while and finally decided I had a good excuse to buy.

When I started to get the dress cut out and put the project together, I realized I didn't have quite enough fabric to do the circle skirt in the pattern, so I created a gathered skirt instead, using Gertie's tutorial. I lined the entire dress in rayon bemberg, which feels great and makes the gathered skirt nice and swishy. It was my first time using the stuff and I'm pretty much hooked. I'll definitely be using it in future projects - it's so soft!

The alterations I made to the dress to improve the fit, since I didn't make a muslin, are the only part of the project I'm not 100% pleased with. I ended up needing to shorten the bodice, but chose to reduce at the already sewn shoulder seams to do so. This makes the armholes a bit tight and still leaves the fit a little off. It's still a fun, wearable dress, though. Here are some shots of the final product as worn to the wedding.

Belt - Target

Wedges - Jeffrey Campbell c/o ModCloth

One thing I'm really enjoying about this dress is how wearable it is. Since it's made from regular quilting cotton, it is easily dressed up or down. I felt fancy enough at the wedding wearing wedges, and then paired it with flats and a cardigan for work the following week. I'm looking forward to wearing it again soon!

MMM Week 5

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN! I can't believe I've made it through an entire month of me-made-may.

For my final week, the weather started to really turn to summertime temperatures and we even had some summer-style thunder storms.

On Monday, I wore my new Turquoise Taylor dress. This was Memorial day, so no work, just running errands and frolicking.

Tuesday, back to work, I paired a striped top with my trusty ol' gathered skirt. This was a pretty comfortable outfit to wear for work, though sometimes this skirt makes me feel a little like a cupcake.

Wednesday, I wore my favorite new thing, my rayon Laurel top. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I LOVE THIS TOP.

Thursday, I wanted to show off my new dress to my coworkers (read: I was lazy) and repeated the Turquiose Taylor dress I'd worn Monday, but with a bit more muted styling. No neon pops of coral in this outfit.

Friday, today, I wore my estate sale dress made last May. This was great for running errands in the 80 to 90 degree weather today.

Phew! I had such a great time this month, challenging myself to only wear me-made pieces from my closet. As you saw, there were some repeated outfits, but I didn't even have to cheat (wear vintage instead of me-made) ONCE! I must say, I am looking forward to wearing some of my vintage dresses, now that May is over, but I do plan to continue to make the effort to wear more me-mades, more often.

MMM Week 4

Welcome to my week 4 recap of Me-Made-May!

Monday, I wore my new rayon Laurel top. I am in love with this top. I'll have a dedicated blog post soon, so you'll see more. It's pretty much my new favorite thing in my wardrobe.

Tuesday, I wore my brown gathered skirt, created almost exactly a year ago using Gertie's gathered skirt tutorial. It's so easy to pair this skirt with various tops from my closet - I should really wear it more often!

Wednesday, my wrap dress made an appearance. This is another piece I've made that does not get worn super often. I always end up fiddling with the wrap at the waist and adjusting the ties, so it can be a little annoying to wear for a full day at work.

Thursday, I broke out my polka dotted bow blouse. This is definitely a good go-to piece in my wardrobe and it pairs well with skirts, shorts, or pants - definitely a plus!

Friday, I wore my newly completed Turquoise Taylor Dress. It was actually chilly and windy that day, so I wore a thick navy cardigan and matching navy belt. UPDATE: I've just posted a new photo of me wearing this dress on my project post, too!

Saturday, I dug out my first ever completed top! This baby hasn't seen the light of day in a loooong time, but every time I wear it, I re-realize that it's pretty nice to wear and, though it's not perfect, it's still cute!

Sunday, back to my collared Laurel - an instant favorite in my wardrobe. I love the sixties vibe of this blouse and the cheerful pop of bright pink.

Ok, guys! Let's gear up for the fifth and final week of Me-Made-May. I'm going to try to come up with some fresh new outfits using my me-mades, as a last hurrah. I have a feeling I'll just want to wear my rayon Laurel top every day though. We'll see! :)

Sew...much!

I feel like I've got a lot going on in my brain & sewing room right now! I'm clinging to multiple sewing ideas, while also trying to do some refashioning and complete my Pendrell blouse. I actually took some time off work to give myself a long weekend for getting things done. However, in the sewing department, instead of being productive, I've ended up spending a lot of time marveling over all of the ideas for things I could work on. There's sewing project inspiration, potential refashioning projects waiting in a pile, and my in-progress Pendrell blouse.



Inspiration:
Ever since starting to read (yes, read - not just flip through the pretty, pretty pictures!) 100 Years of Fashion, one particular style has been stuck in my head. I know I've claimed the '60s as my best style decade for its more wearable, cute fashions, but who can resist the New Look.

1947 'Bar' by Dior -  V&A

Something about the fitted jacket and or blouse belted over an a-line or full skirt, idea won't get out of my mind. For some reason I'm picturing myself wearing this type of suit, maybe in dark blue, boarding an airplane? Don't ask. I've found a pattern that I'm dying to try, but then again, I think I could turn Gertie's jacket and skirt from her book into just as nice of a suit, and I wouldn't have to purchase any new patterns. But, just look...

Source: etsy.com via Susan on Pinterest

It's even from 1960! But, then there's also this lovely '50s pattern, too.

Source: etsy.com via Susan on Pinterest

Pretty! I'm not normally into suits, but these seem so smart and fun to wear. I'm especially liking the look of the jacket being nipped in at the waist and extending down to cover the hips, but not as long as a '40s style suit jacket. This look definitely helps create that hour-glass silhouette, but isn't revealing or racy. I'd call it ladylike but cute - at least that's how I'm hoping it would look on me.

Drooling over inspiration is a lot easier than completing a sewing project, though. Which tends to leave me with too many ideas to narrow down to a starting point and no progress on my current projects.

That said, I'm also being tempted by the Polka Dot Frock Fest that's been talked up over at Scruffy Badger Time.

I already own this pattern but have yet to sew it up. I also own some blue, polka dotted fabric that's been sitting forlorn in my stash for longer than I care to recall. Sounds like a match made in heaven, if you ask me.

If I do participate in the frock fest, I'm hoping to make my version something I could wear in my casual work setting without getting "...you're dressed up today" comments. I'm liking the view that's already illustrated in a   spotted fabric on the pattern envelope. Hmm... we'll just have to see.



Refashioning:
Earlier this month, I picked up this black, wool herringbone pencil skirt at the thrift store. I think it's from the '70s or '80s? It's fully lined, has pockets, and has a little strip of elastic on each side of the waistband  This might not sound like a plus, but the elastic is not super noticeable and makes a big difference in terms of comfort! It's a great length for a vintage office-y look, but my office is pretty casual, like I mentioned, and I'll get more wear out of this piece if I shorten it to above the knee. Not really a drastic refashion, more an alteration, but yeah. That's the plan.

Thrifted wool skirt with pockets  - closeup shows elastic at side-waist

I also have 4-ish other thrifted pieces just sitting in a pile, unwearable until refashioned into something better. I've tucked them away for now because I don't want to get sick of them before I even have time to start working on 'em. I easily get carried away with all of the pieces I see with "potential," rather than keeping in mind what I'll actually have time/energy to work on and will be able to really wear when completed.



Actually Working On...
In the meantime, through all of the swirling inspiration and project plans in my head, I've come to terms with the fact that trying to work on, or even just think about, too many things at once ends up being bad news for my sewing productivity. Once I finish my current project, the Pendrell blouse, I'll move on to address any lingering sewing inspiration or refashioning ideas. That may sound dull, but I think I'll go insane if I don't focus!

In-progress, creased and droopy, teal Pendrell

Today I'm planning to draft a collar to add to my teal rayon Pendrell WIP. Gertie's tutorial from her book seems pretty easy to follow for collar drafting, so, hopefully that'll turn out nicely. I am trying to make an effort to not rush through this relatively simple project. I don't want to be tempted to cut any corners and end up with a poorly finished piece that I won't enjoy wearing. Wish me luck!