The Stars and Stripes Forever Dress Reincarnated!

Good morning! I have successfully upcycled a dress!

Yesterday was my work's company picnic. I had more fun than I thought I would, even if I got stung by a wasp! Anyway, the theme of the picnic was "Proud to be an American!". We were all asked to wear red, white, and blue and other patriotic things. Translation for me: time to sew something!

You may remember my "Stars and Stripes Forever" dress I made for the 4th of July. Well, that dress really didn't fly as well as I had hoped. I don't think it was very flattering either. The print however was perfect for the picnic so I perused all my patterns but didn't find anything that I liked or that was very work function appropriate. So I clicked through BurdaStyle's patterns and found this one. I totally love it! So simple but cute and flattering.

I had a little bit extra fabric from the dress lying around, which was the perfect amount for the bodice. I took apart the dress (that shirring was a nightmare!) and cut off the shirred part to make the skirt. This is the first time I put a side zipper into a sleeved dress. It went swimmingly though and I must say I am getting much better at inserting zippers!

Here's a before pic:

And after:

Had to add the cowboy hat...what's more American than a cowboy hat?

As I was putting it together yesterday, Sir Knight (with his blunt critiques of my sewing) said it looked like hospital scrubs. That of course, was before I put in the zipper. I've learned you should never judge a project til you've put the zipper in!

The wasps were out of control!

The kid in me tooootally wanted to get in there! :P

Besides getting stung by a wasp, the afternoon was really fun. It was weird to see everyone in "civilian" clothes rather than our work shirts.

I don't think these guys will ever eat apple pie again haha.

May not look like much, but Deb's butterscotch pie is famous! Not to mention delicious!

Sir Knight unfortunately didn't attend much to my disappointment. I really wanted to introduce him to my coworkers. To make up for it he took me to The Summit, a really nice restaurant inside the Best Western hotel here. I wore my "Pomegranates of Persephone" dress, which I actually haven't posted yet! I still have some fit issues with it. The neckline gapes a little and the armholes are oddly tiny! It's so pretty so I'm going to work on it to make it fit better.

Anyway, at the restaurant I had the pecan crusted pork chops, YUM! The leftovers are in a doggy bag and they're calling my name!

A wonderful rest of the weekend to all of you!

The "Waiting For Fall" dress!

First and foremost, a most blessed Mabon to everyone!

Being the first day of fall, I thought it a great excuse to debut my "Waiting For Fall" dress. I began making this dress early August when I was longing for longer and cooler evening. They have arrived! This dress was made with BurdaStyle magazine's 05/2010 tiered mini dress #114.

It was very simple to construct and was the first time I made buttonholes! I was very excited about them!

Sir Knight says I look like the cat who swallowed the canary :P

 The sunset was beautiful this evening. Perfect for pictures. Sir Knight, his mother, and I drove up the loop road to visit the mountain lakes. Unfortunately my camera didn't find itself in my purse and I couldn't take pictures of any of the GORGEOUS aspen trees in all their golden glory. We're planning to go up there again this weekend and I will remember my camera this time!

Some tiny biting bugs were eating me alive by that tree!

All in all, a great dress that I can wear both in the summer time without the tights, or with a cardigan and boots. I think I've achieved all my wardrobe goals with this one.

Hope you have all have a great weekend!

Wardrobe Gaps...

After the failure of last month's challenge, I began to think about it and realized I shouldn't be rushing my sewing projects. These should be things I enjoyed making, not resented cause I had to stay up til 11 pm trying to get them done in time. Anyway, moving on to what is probably my most favorite time of year...FALL!

I love absolutely everything about fall. Fall colors, fall fashion, fall foods, fall weather...everything!  Although I'm not a huge fan of the blustery temperatures of winter, I truly love the transitional period before the real cold sets in. Already, I have to wear a jacket when I walk to work in the mornings.

The deer have started coming into town more often with the starting hunting seasons. It's always a nice treat to see them in the dark of the early morning. Sir Knight and I like to peek through our bedroom window and spy on a group of bucks that frequent the tiny field in front of our house. I'll try to get some pictures of them if I can. The camera flash would send them sprinting!

Failed challenges and deer aside, a cursory glimpse into my closet today revealed huge gaps in my wardrobe. Huge gaps...gaps you could park a Buick in. My closet is still very much a Goth/custodian/laundry worker's closet. Full of black...full of boring T-shirts and men's shorts (that aren't Sir Knight's). It's rather embarrassing, really.

What makes it particularly embarrassing is that anything to the right of the light green shirt is Sir Knight's side. Not much of a difference, is there? Well, there is more black on my side, I guess lol. I remember really loving my Goth style years ago but I look back and think "What was I thinking??" Not only because I've totally grown out of it but because it entirely is not who I am. At least not anymore. My mother will be so pleased to hear that :P

So it's now my mission to remedy my sparse wardrobe and make it be the following things:

• unique
• feminine
• expresses who I am
• practical
• warm for winter and cool for summer (and maybe the possibility of going back and forth)

The last point actually brings me to my first order of business. The few dresses I made last month were all pretty much sundresses. Perfect for a hot summer day but with it getting cooler they won't be very practical. The bottom is easy to fix: tights and some cute boot and I'm ready to go. My arms however need covering so I've been perusing BurdaStyle (not to mention my huge pattern stash) for some cute cardigan and jacket patterns.

There's of course the Karen cardigan, which I think is adorable. I actually have some knit fabric that might work, I would just have to dye it. It's this peachy color that's a little too close to my skin tone for me so I think I might dye it green. Also, I have been DROOLING over the Tikva trench. I want to make it in either a hunter green or burgundy. Definitely going to make a muslin of it first.

I have never owned a denim jacket before and I have some denim yardage that's just screaming at me to make it into a jacket. Found a pattern on BurdaStyle that I really like, here. I think it'll look really good with a pencil skirt I have on my project list.

Til next time, have a fabulous weekend everyone! How's your fall (or spring for you in the Southern Hemisphere) sewing going?

My Knight Returns!

Finally making breakfast for two again! I must say, this month flew by! Picked up Sir Knight from the airport last night with the help of a co-worker. He's very happy to be home again. As promised, I'm going to give him a fashion show of all I've created while he's gone. Speaking of which...

Turns out my 15 x 30 Challenge was kind of a bust this time around. Didn't quite get 15 projects completed but I did get quite a few done! I'm thinking of doing it again after Halloween but making it a 10 x 30 Challenge. We'll see how that goes. Still, be onthe look out for my project posts!

Now that September has arrived it's time to start thinking Halloween costumes. To tell you the truth, I thought of my costume literally the morning after last Halloween. I had no idea hangovers were so conducive to costume creativity. :P So I have decided to be Little Red Riding Hood. I was thinking of costumes that include a cape (I loooove capes on Halloween so I don't freeze) and that's the first thing that came to mind. I dare say, I would make a very adorable LRRH!

Anyone else have plans for their costumes?

Attack of the Zipper-less dresses!!

I'm still here for those of you wondering! Been sewing my little fingers off! Finally ordered my new camera which should arrive tomorrow. Then I can finally show you what I've been creating. I didn't really plan for the notions I would need so I ordered literally a dozen zippers from fabric.com. Waiting for them are a bunch of zipper-less dresses! It's so weird seeing them all draped over the back of the couch :P. They should be arriving on the 1st of September.

So just to keep you up to date, some of the dresses that I have completed (sans the zipper) are:

* "Waiting For Fall dress" 2-tiered tank dress in a brown/pink leaf print
* "Here Today, Gone to Maui dress" Maryy dress in a Hawaiian print
* "Pomegranate of Persephone dress" cap sleeve dress in a cream and magenta print
* "Luck of the Irish skirt" flared skirt in a Kelly green lawn, trimmed in forest green
* "Fun in the Ferns dress" Azalea dress from BurdaStyle in a brown/orange/green batik and brown broadcloth
* "Summer Ruby dress" halter dress in a ruby red lawn

Maybe I need to work on something that doesn't need a zipper :P And if I get my camera tomorrow like the UPS website says, I can FINALLY start posting photos again! Til then, good evening to you all! :D

1 project down...14 to go!

Started on the 2-tier mini dress today. Got really in the zone and finished it! I used a brown leaf cotton print and some cute buttons made from coconut. Wish I could post pics but I still haven't been able to buy a new camera. I'm hoping to get one next Friday. I guess I'm on the honor system til then!

On the 30th, I will post all my projects! Now if you'll excuse me I think I might start on my pomegranate dress! Also I printed out my Coffee Date dress pattern so I might cut those pieces out too! I'm on a role...hope it lasts!

No Boyfriend For a Month = Ambitious Sewing Challenge!

My knight has to go to his MOSQ this month so I'm going to be by my lonesome until September 4th. *sigh* I got so spoiled having him home and all to myself for so long. I'll learn my lesson one of these days :P. Anyway, as always when I'm going to be by myself for a long time, I think of things I can do to keep myself occupied other than sitting in front of the T.V. missing him. This time around the very first thing that came to mind was,of course, sewing!

I have literally dozens of projects that are in several states of finished, from just being an idea in my head to just needing a hem or a closure to be done. Since I'm going to be alone for about 30 days, I decided to give myself a challenge. I read many blogs and the lovely ladies who write them often blog about challenges they do to shake things up with their sewing and wardrobes. So here I present the beginning of my 15 by 30 Challenge!

I will give myself 30 days to finish 15 projects. It sounds pretty ambitious but I thought about it and many of the projects on my list are almost done. Speaking of the list, here it is:

* Maryy dress in a fun blue Hawaiian print
* flared skirt in a jade green cotton lawn
* halter tank top in a Kaffe Fasset clouds print
* gathered tube top in a fuschia/black floral print
* pullover dress in a solid green broadcloth
* Azalea dress in a brown/green/orange leaf batik print
* pleated skirt in a yarn dyed green/black large check
* knotted front tank top in a lavender bamboo knit
* bubble hem tank top in a burnout jersey
* tiered knit top in a brown slub jersey
* green flower sundress (might salvage into something else)

Those are the projects I have started already and just need to be put together. Here are the projects I haven't started but still want to get done:

* "dress with cap sleeves and gather skirt" by BurdaStyle mag in a what I call a "pomegranate print"
* "dress with A-line skirt" in a slate blue linen blend
* "kajthusia?" halter dress in a white cherry print
* the famous "coffee date dress" in a yellow/mint/mauve striped seersucker
* "buttondown dress with front pockets" in a navy/green plaid
* "tiered mini dress" in a brown leaf print
* Anna boho bag made with brown and navy linen blend shirts that didn't turn out very well
* a dress for my niece in a cute polka dot print
* "empire waisted mini dress" in a burgundy crinkle crepe

I know that makes more than 15 but I want to give myself some wiggle room. I has a tendency to get uninterested for some reason. Anyways, I plan to start my challenge this Thursday. Wish me luck!