MMM'20: A Handmaid's Tale

When I was undressing last night 
and saw this red dress without the overdress, 
I realized I had everything I needed:  cap, mask, boots 
and even St. Corona gloves.  

Well, those were a bonus.  

~ for my version of a Handmaid ~

~ Don't you think so? ~

~ here's a back view of it all ~

The dress is from Katherine Tilton's OOP Vogue 6334 made in a mesh stretch knit.  

I copied the hat from one I bought from Secret Lentil, but apparently she's closed right now.  You can see the one I purchased from her, here.  I know she has more of the same style in a variety of interesting colors.

You can see the one I made out of a thick canvas last worn in MMM'19, here.

~ Handmaid in her docile, subservient role ~

~ and here she is not taking it any more ~

~ with Doc Marten combat boots ready for anything ~

~ an extra large masked and capped mug shot ~

So you're able to see the details of my decorated St Corona gloves. 

I was seriously compelled to make these after reading Catherine McEver's Corona posts.  I liberally combined several of her ideas, techniques and fascinating information from Stuff You Can't Have.  

A truly must read blog for our time, or any time.

Hope to see you soon,

MMM'20: Chocolate Maraschino

~ as my costume for the day ~

I'm wearing a double dip of two dresses: 

a chocolate embellished corduroy made from Tina Givens Clara Kaftan pattern over

a cherry red mesh knit made from Katherine Tilton's OOP Butterick 5986 dress pattern. 

I eliminated the back center doodad as well as the front slit on the kaftan, added pockets in the flanges, and chiffon rolled up cuffs to the sleeves.  

You can see previous wears here and here.

The red dress has only been worn a few times.  

See other reiterations here and here.

~ with some fav shoes from ebay ~

~ and Ye Olde Masked Mug Shot ~

Later,

Day 3 MMM'19: Attack of the Florals

You know, it's still cold in May, even with the occasional sunburst.

~ suppressing all that flower power ~

In my plain ole hooded red fleece sweatshirt from Butterick 6253 pattern. 

~ Abstract Florals Galore ~

 Starting with my kimono made from Simplicity 4291

~ layer after layer ~

A chiffon remix shirt from Vogue 9040 as well as the stretch jersey pants from who knows what pattern.  All with a quasi-Asianesque vibe, I do believe.

~ not to be outdone, here are my Doc Martens from ebay ~

This was today's workout outfit, by the way...

And off to link up with Spy Girls Florals for the Month of May.  While I'm at it, let's go for Style Crone's May Hat Attack! too. 

See you tomorrow.

Rip Roaring RRRed

and ready to celebrate the big thaw... now that freezing temps seem balmy...

~ compared to the POlaR VorTEX ~

Yes, where for as far as you could see, Lake Michigan was FroZen, I tell you.  Never seen anything like it.  Even now at 40 degrees or so, the waves of ice caps coming to shore are still frozen in the act.

~ the coat I finished while being house-bound ~

Even mail service was suspended for two days because of the arctic freeze.
   

I saw this incredible helmet/bonnet/hat on Secret Lentil's site while I was in the midst of making my canvas frayed red coat and knew it was mine.  I adore it.  Check out her site for the amazing, one-of-a-kind, pieces of clothing she designs like no other.

Don't you think I should figure out how to dye fabric so my coat doesn't look so pristine?

I was planning on making a bunch of shades of red clothes to wear with the coat/duster.  I had in mind:  velvet, faux leather, taffeta or satin, mesh.  But then I just couldn't wait to wear it when the weather broke.  

So I shopped my closet, as they say.  I found that really invigorating.  I've never put something together based on wearing all one color before.  I layered one red thing over another and poof.  I was a force to be reckoned with.

~ this is what I wore to school on Saturday ~

More or less.  I also had on my other red coat over it all cuz it was still cold out.

~ yeah, bay-bee ~

The top dress is a cotton blend made from Tina Givens Rosalind pattern.  The under dress is from a Katherine Tilton Butterick 5986 pattern made out of a thin slinky knit of which the scarf thingy is also made.

~ real redness here ~

~ xoxo shoes from ebay ~

I'll be heading on out to Patti's Not Dead Yet Style party, Cherie's Shoe & Tell, and Catherine's I Will Wear What I Like when they all go live.  Come on by.  Oh, oh, and Judith's Hat Attack for February.

ed. note:  I do believe I never credited the beautiful red coat I made here!  It's from Tina Givens Elena pattern made out of canvas.

Do I Look Like I'm...

on MeMadeMay'18, Day 22

a) goth?

b) in a nunnery?

c) dressed for Halloween?

d)  in my jammies?

e)  just odd?

f)  all of the above?

g) or???

~ I'll turn around while you decide ~

~ okay, no peeking ~

And I'll tell you about what I'm wearing.  The over dress is made in gauze and is from Katherine Tilton's Vogue 8834 top pattern.  What interested me was how it opens on a diagonal, so when I elongated it into a dress, it was extreme.  I also used snap tape rather than zillions of buttons and button holes.  The underdress I showed a few posts ago.  It's a linen tablecloth that I self-drafted.  I'm still trying to find something to wear with it.  I think this works the best so far, but it is rather dramatic.

~ the snaps! ~

Yeah, I'm not just showing off my shoes here.  And they're not even the same one's I wore  yesterday.  They're more of a Mary Jane type, but I'm wearing weird wrap-around-and-tie socks that make them look otherwise.

~nice Trippen Happy Blank shoes from ebay ~

And now it's your turn to participate.  I can't wait to hear what you have to say.  eek!

Black in the USA

~ noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~

~ oh no ~

~ no, I don't want to hear anymore ~

~ Paint It Black ~

~ No Colors Any More ~

~ NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~

~ What are those 5 Stages of Grief? ~

~ Denial and wearing Black ~

Canada?



editor's note:  It's next week already.  Think I'll take myself over to Patti and the Visibles for Not Dead Yet Style, yeah.  And then after this no more black.

Oh, and the dress.  I made it awhile back using Katherine Tilton's V8834 top which I elongated into an ankle length dress.  Instead of all those buttons (and button holes), I used snap tape.  For this ensemble, I just snapped it up all willy-nilly and personally, I think it looks better than ever.  When I first made it, I wore it like this.

Me and My Cow Coat

~ mmmm ~

We got a thing going on.

After much hemming and hawing (now there's a turn of phrase), I eventually settled down with a simple, straight forward coat pattern for my faux fur.   McCall's 7257, view D.  Although I did make it bigger.  Who wants a skinny cow coat?!   I used some scrap zebra flannel for the pockets (hehe).  And made a removable collar/ scarf per Rhonda's suggestions here.  So cute.

~ ooo, ooo, and the lining... ~

is deep purple satin!  For some reason the color is not coming through in these shots.  Must be that mustard wall.  And what is that thing revealed underneath?  Well, I'll just tell you right now.

~ it's a flannel shirt, mmmm  ~

I just love flannel shirts.  Made from another Tina Givens pattern called Archie.  I played around with configuring the collar so it looks really cool instead of dorky.  But you can't really tell here.  so...

~ Trippen Dream Boots, the Happy Collection via ebay ~

The skirt is from a Katherine Tilton pattern, made a long while ago, Vogue 8837.

And that, my friends, are two out of three of my latest sewing adventures with the new Viking in town.  With many more in the wings (I imagine).

I'm even early for Patti and the Visibles at Not Dead Yet Style (yay).  Hope to see you gorgeous gals there.  And almost late for Catherine's I will wear what I like faux fur party.  Simply must get these Trippens to Cherie's Shoe and Tell too.

p.s.  faux fur and lining is from Fabric Mart.  Although they are out of those fabrics now, they are my favorite online source for great prices, fast service, and interesting fabrics.    

Vogue Fabrics is where my Viking Sewing Machine came from and the black knit with silver slivers fabric for my skirt.  They have a lousy website, but the store is close by (too close by) and they are unique and friendly.

p.p.s.  thanks to Sara for her photo-ing, great as ever.
 

I've Got a Beautiful Red Dress

And you'd look really good standing beside it.   Yeah, I love that song by Laurie Anderson.  Actually,  I love all her work and see her whenever she's in Chicago.  Speaking of being in Chicago, I saw the premiere of the Advanced Style movie on Friday with my girlfriends.  So fabulous.  But this isn't supposed to be about that, it's about the new red dress I made.

~ sewn from slinky, sheer, mesh knit ~

It was the devil incarnate, I tell ya.  The pattern I used was relatively simple, the fabric, however, was decidedly not.  Every inch was roundly cursed, repeatedly.  and then some.  Just sayin'.

more of my signature blurry pix

It was like sewing on semi-liquified jello.  Anyway, the back hem has elastic and the front has folds and tucks.  There are no shoulder seams, just 2 seams down the center front and back.  The fabric just pours down and over you like a liquid jello too.  2 holes are cut in the middle of the fabric for the sleeves to attach to.

nice drape job, huh?

I made a separate cowl because the one attached to the dress was just too skimpy and couldn't hold its own to all the hem action.  I think the beefier one works better...

here you can see how sheer it is

Which reminds me, I made a slip to wear with it  You can see it, and the pattern for the dress on my Clothes for Fall page.  I'm also going to slip on over to Rhonda's Me Made Monday while I'm at it.  Come on and check out what the sewistas have going on.  Oooo and Sheila's Shoe Shine, if I'm not to late...

Ladies and Gentlemen...

Here's my latest...and it even works!  

Well, it certainly isn't fitted in any way.

And I wasn't taking any chances after that last mess. 

I was totally inspired by Nancy Murakami's rendition of Katherine Tilton's Vogue 8834 blouse pattern.  She turned it into this lovely neutral gauze dress.    For more about it, go to Marcy Tilton's newsletter.

I already had the pattern and enough black gauze fabric in my stash.  I even had a length of black snap tape to use rather than making endless button holes for the asymmetrical, collar-to-hem opening.  yea!
 

I made that necklace thingy just because

As you can see, the collar is huge and can be snapped on up to the very end.  There's no shoulder seams, just darts (that show) and move the collar up and over from front to back.

Bathed in a Golden Glow

I was going for a mid-calf length, but the fabric kept elongating, like about 4 inches.  I was using the fringed selvedge for the hem and sleeve edges so I didn't want to shorten it.  So it's ankle length now.  I also added some extra snap tape across the back neck from shoulder to shoulder to keep it from sliding off my shoulders.  I think it looks cool, like it's even on purpose.  I have to fold the dress up, rather than hang it, to keep it from stretching even more.
 

Thanks to Shams of Communing with Fabric I was made aware of Mari of  Seamster Patterns and her Rose Hip Tights & Stockings pattern that's downloadable.  They are the best.  I used this crazy op arty sheer-ish stretch-every-which-way fabric from my stash which was perfect for tights.  And somehow everything just went together.  woot woot.

Especially with my latest e-bay acquisition...huh? huh?  yea, baby.  Slashed, steel-toed boots.

For more close-ups of the dress and patterns used, go to my Clothes for Spring page.

But now it's time for me to join the Gorgeous Gals at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style for Visible Monday!!!

This just in...Bella's Link-up: Project Pao features me (!) as a Secondhand First Fashion Icon.  Might as well join the party, I'd say.  Hope to see you there.

No, this just in...Let's make the transition with these babies to Sheila of Ephemera for her inaugural Shoe Shine line-up.  Ready, set, go!

Still later, this just in...Spy Girl's 52 pick-me-up: black.  Check it out.