MMM'20: Whatever...

Do I have On?

~ Yes, that is the question. ~

It's a hodgepodge of all sorts of things I just kept piling on.   An old chiffon dress that I attempted to retro-fit and never finished.  A chiffon shirt I retro-fitted that's now too big (so is the dress, by the way).    A refashioned pair of gauze shorts extended into chiffon bloomers.  Complete with a recycled necklace made by a friend.

~ I was shocked at how big everything had become.  ~

~ hmmm ~

~ I also found out there's still pins in this thing. ~

Tell me, do you think it's actually wearable?  Does it need to go back into time out for another several years?  Maybe some re-layering would help a bit? 

~ rain boots from the neighborhood thrift store ~

Attempting to show off my camouflaged necklace here:

~ with the masked mug shot of the day ~

And that's a wrap.

MMM'20: Unadorned.

Lockdown does that to you.

~ and mask-less too! ~

This is from Simplicity 9018 made in a heathered sweater knit.   

So soft and comfy, to say the least.  

~ woo-hoo, and a side view ~

And very plain.

So I decided to add the "vest" shown on the pattern cover.  

You may recall one of my top 5 disasters from 2019 here.   

I chose to resurrect it into what you see below:

~ ta-dah ~

Yes, I modified the vest pattern a bit,

since I was working from something already cut and made.  

But I do think it works much better than what I had originally.  

(How could it not?!)  

The neckline helps immensely, in my opinion.  

And having shorter sleeves means 

I don't get caught on everything with all those loose loops.

~ But wait, there's more... ~

I added ruching to the dress!  

All the way from the hem, up the side seam, to above the waist.  

First I tried self-fabric ties, 

but they were was way too thick and bulky.  

In rummaging through my sundries stash, 

I found a length of gray grosgrain ribbon that worked perfectly.  

I ran it up through one side of the casing I had created,

and then down the other side.

Ending with both ribbon ends dangling out at the hemline.

 Pull to ruche and then tie in a double bow.

They won't slip out cuz...grosgrain.  

I liked the way it created an asymmetrical hemline 

and just added more interest in general.  

But if I wanted a straight up and down look, 

I can just un-ruche it. 

~ worn with super comfy shoes from ebay ~

'til the morrow.

MMM'20: Lockdown Loungewear

~ yes, here I am in my jersey knit ensemble ~

Made decades ago from who knows what pattern.  But the top was recently scaled up to size by adding two triangular scraps of similar fabric into the side seams.  

~ ooo, it's still cold out ~

Now, of course, everything is a bit baggy due to the weight loss from this and last year's exercise/nutrition regime I've been on.  And that is okay by me.

~ ahh, that's better ~

The red canvas coat is made from the Tina Givens Elena pattern, last seen here.

Here's the obligatory shoe shot:

~ clogs from ebay ~

And the Lockdown Look must-have:

~ a me made mask ~

Hope to see you tomorrow...

What Was I Thinking?!

~ Sewcialists Top Misses ~

in no particular order that I can tell...

~ Yes, the picture tells the story. ~

You can read more about it here, oh my.

~ Oh boy, another black, white and gray one. ~

This was actually on two posts!  You can read/ see more here and here.


And now for ones that never made it to the blog...

~ A Miyake Mock-up ~

~ made out of a bed sheet ~

~ Egyptian, no less ~

Nevertheless, no matter what I do, I cannot get it to fit right.  I believe I've tried every possible iteration.  It's Vogue 2315 if you haven't guessed.



Another uncompleted masterpiece (ahem).

~ A Sparkling Organza Rift on a Tina Givens Slip Pattern ~

~ by the way, it is assymentrical ~

Last, but not least, etc., etc.

~ I have been working on this thing for months on end ~

Pathetic, isn't it.  Yet, I've persisted.  With brown plaid linen in stash for a lifetime.  Believe it or not, I used Vogue DKNY 1461 which I have to say wins the award for the ULTIMATE in WHAT WAS I THINKING?!   P.S.  I also decided to make it longer than micro mini.

It has plaid pleats, people! All the way around the front and the back, from the shoulders/ neckline to below the hips.  And the entire width and length of the sleeves.

~ a close-up of the fact that you can't see the pleating when it's plaid ~

Especially if you make sure you match everything up as you go. 

~ oh, there you go, the pleats make an appearance  ~

 Finally, some excitement.

No, but wait, I could stand it no more.  After putting in the not so invisible 22" zipper, I added lace on either side to really show it off.

~ yeah, bay-bee! ~

 It's not over yet...


There's still lining to put in.

~ Not to mention, hand sewing it down the zipper area. ~

Then, instanity inspiration struck, ala Chanel. 

~ All I need is more zips! ~

  All the way down the sleeves

~ Even down the skirt! ~

From the hip to the edge of the skirt.  Oh, and pockets, if I can think of where to place them.  Of course, there would be lace surrounding the zippers, just like with Chanel my first zipper. 

Who knows, if the dress ever gets out of TIME OUT, maybe it'll make it into my Top 5 of 2020.  Or not.

Thoughts?


I'll be showing up at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style and Catherine's I Will Wear What I Like when they go live.  Hope to see you there.

 

Lounge Lizard

on MeMadeMay'18, Day 25

~ Do I look the part, or what? ~

~ "Lounge Lizard" ~

 I even put the label on the outside of my capris when I was remodeling them to fit.  Along with pink piping and leopard print jersey.

~ with drawstring pockets ~

The top was resized too, at another time.  

~ and lo and behold, it's the same leopard fabric ~

Well, what was I to do, but wear them together?

~ so I did ~

as today's workout wear,

yesireebob.

The kimono top is the only thing I made from scratch in today's ensemble.  It's made out of chiffon with satin trim using an OOP Vogue pattern.  Seems I no longer have it (or it's gone underground in the studio).

~ with Rieker shoes from ebay ~

Back to the lounge...

"What are you wearing?!"

on MeMadeMay'18, Day 16

~ I'm postered ~

Yes, that's it.  This sort of just grew on me.  It doesn't quite work, but it's not all bad either.  Those shoes bug me the worst.  Too cloggy.  Everything else is semi-transparent, gauze, lace or chiffon.   Oh well.

~ here I am again, less poster-ized ~

(Ugh, don't look at those shoes.)   

Okay, I had to go to the wayback machine to get this stuff I made and never wore much.   The top is from the Folkwear Greek Island Dress pattern.  The navy gauze dress I renewed in 2011 back when I started Project Minima and then again today, when I raised the side slits to hip height.  The navy gauze pants were also renewed in 2011 by lengthening them with lace I had on hand and the addition of tiny blueberry buttons.

 If you'd like to see some close up pix of the individual pieces, continue after the break:

How What I Wore Brought Up Rocky & Bullwinkle

on MeMadeMay'18, Day#15

~ you've seen this top before ~

But believe it or not, I've never, ever worn it with this matching dress before!
  

Wossamotta U?, I say to myself.

~ taking off now, just like Rocket J. Squirrel ~

Okay then.  

The dress is from Tina Givens Poppy Slip pattern and the top is self-drafted.  The scribble fabric is a hunter green/putty color print nylon sheer knit by Halston.  It weighs nothing.   I'm wearing pale gray yoga capris that I refashioned (like the black ones I had on yesterday) by adding a ruffle from scrap fabric.

~ worn with Frye sandals from ebay ~

 

 

My Madeline Dress Works Out

on MeMadeMay'18, Day#14

~ and so do I ~

This dress is my version of what that French story-book character, Madeline always wore.

 

. 

~ "Madeline" by Ludwig Bemelmans

 ~

Mine is made out of black cotton eyelet fabric.  When it got a bit too snug, I made some changes by added the pale gray cotton eyelet I found in my stash.  If you want, you can read how I found my inner Madeline here.

~ now I've poster edged myself ~

ooo.  The pants were old tight yoga capri length pants.  I cut out and made the ruffle from an old t-shirt and sewed that baby on.  Voila.  Now I have whatever you want to call them.




Please note:  these are not my exercise shoes.  I change when I get to the exercise place.  I mean really.

~ Jeffrey Campbell oxfords from ebay ~

And that's a wrap.  Only 1/2 a month to go...

FRILLER!

That's me in my newly made frilled top worn in the straight jacket version, I do believe.

~ alrighty then ~

Let's back up a bit...

~ ahh, that's better, don't ya think? ~

So here's the story.

This top was a major disaster from a Tina Givens pattern, Lucca.  Do not try this at home (or anywhere else for that matter).  The drafting and instructions do not fit together and make no sense in any way imaginable.  Nevertheless, she persisted.  And persisted.  Ripping, cutting, remaking and finally totally making my own pattern from scratch.  Thank the goddess I was using an old king size sheet because, in the end, I did use all the fabric.

~ now wearing in kimono version ~

And nothing is softer than old 100% cotton sheeting.  mmmm.

~ and that leads me to...~ 

Mending on my mind line mind, whatever.

~ I've been boro-ing on old makes that need some TLC ~

The first shirt is made from parchment linen and developed a hole above the side seam pocket.  It's actually an adaptation from Tina Givens Gina shirt pattern.  It was my first boro style, visible mending and I really luved the way it turned out.

~ sweet boro patching ~

The second shirt is really old and originally made from a king size pillow case.  I've already refashioned/ repaired it a few times.  It's had 2 new pair of sleeves, 2 new pairs of patch pockets, multiple refinishes around the neckline, new side seam pockets and underarm repairs.  After I removed the front patch pockets, the middle section needed massive restoration. 

~ big ole borro patching to the rescue ~

And now for a break from all that, we'll go to the grand finale.

~ my ebay Doc Martens ~

By the by, these old jeans are at least 30+ years and counting.  They were once high-waisted, cuffed and pleated.  That's long gone and this is their latest transformation.  And talk about soft.  mmmmm, can't get any more soft (or faded) than ancient jeans, bay-bee.


As soon as I get it together, I'll be linking up to Patti and the Visibles at Not Dead Yet Style, Catherine's I Will Wear What I Like and Cheri's Shoe and Tell.  See you there!