Perfectionism

One of my biggest problems is perfectionism. I want something to be perfect before I show it to anyone (or even before I allow myself to finish it), which is a problem as a beginning sewer because it means I often don't finish anything. I honestly couldn't tell you how many UFOs I have in my sewing space right now. I've spent around 12 hours on the Colette Jasmine blouse. It's a simple design and should go together beautifully, but my perfectionism means that I was so dissatisfied with the wonky seams on my collar that I ripped the whole thing off and decided to cut new pieces for it and start the collar over again. Erm... Let's be honest here. SWAP is so not happening this year. :) I think it's time for some more modest goals, and possibly time for me to put some effort into letting go of perfect a little bit. Because really. No one would have noticed that collar but me. I'm going to really focus on just finishing the blouse this week, and after it's done, I'm going to go through my UFOS and make them into FOs.

Are there any other procrastinators out there? UFO hoarders? Do you have the same problem I do, with wanting it to be perfect and knowing it won't be, or do you have another problem altogether? Those of you who manage to finish multitudes of garments every year, how do you do it?! Are you speedy sewers? Fearless in the face of failure? Do you have mad time management skills? Please, spill your deepest sewing secrets!

Personal Style and a Few (er...several...) Sketches

I took a four-day weekend last weekend, because A is back in the country. I did not take any sewing with me to Illinois, so I have nothing to show for my long weekend but a big smile and a lot of joy that my partner is back in the country. I spent yesterday evening grocery shopping and cleaning the house up a bit (things I usually do on Saturdays).

I've been thinking a lot about my personal style lately. When I was younger, I liked full, gathered skirts and tight t-shirts/tanks. It was a super cute look. Looking at that style now, I feel like I've grown out of cute, but I'm not sure where to go from there. I bought a gorgeous leather trench while I was in Chicago over the weekend, and I absolutely adore it. It looks even better in person than it does in that photo, and it's edgy in a way that's not too extreme for daily wear. It's downright hot, and I feel so incredibly good when I put it on. I think it's time to take a good, hard look at the few items that are still in my closet and ask myself whether or not they make me feel like that, and if so, what about them does it.

I went virtual shopping - where I skim around the internet and save photos of clothes I want to my computer - and found a few things I liked. Before I put the effort into trying to replicate them, though, I decided to sketch them out on my croquis. Did I tell you guys I made one of these? It was a few months back, and I've sketched a few things on it, but I thought I'd share my latest sketches.

Knit top with lace/mesh panel and sleeves and leather skirt. In spite of the more fitted silhouette of this skirt, it's still reminiscent of my old clothing formula.

Full dress with leather belt and leather detail. I usually don't like any gathering around my waistline, but this one might be okay. Also, my shoulders are way more symmetrical than that back view would have you believe. My tracing skills just sometimes aren't up to par. :)

I found this adorable draped top, and I sketched it out with a pencil skirt on the bottom, and oh, man. Badness. That drapy hem hits right at the widest part of my hip, and it looks downright dowdy. Now, if you shorten it and tuck it into a pencil skirt, it looks way better. Or lengthen it and turn it into a dress. I love the draping and the shoulder detail, though!

Then I started thinking about my SWAP items and things I actually intend to sew. Why not see whether they'd actually look any good on me, before I started cutting and sewing? These are Butterick 2434 (vintage) and Simplicity 2145. I'm loving that Simplicity dress. Loving.

I went a little sketch-happy and did a few more. Like, almost all of my other SWAP items. Simplicity 3562 (vintage), Colette Jasmine, Burda/Gertie bombshell top, Simplicity 3520 (vintage), and Butterick 4042 (vintage, and also sheer...you can see the bombshell top sketched lightly underneath if you look closely).

What do you think? Have you jumped on the croquis bandwagon? It's definitely worth the time it takes to make one. I could have endless amounts of fun just sketching up ideas. But I'm not going to. I'm going to sew tonight instead. :) Perhaps I'll have something fun to show you next week!

The "Goes with Everything" Skirt - Completed!

This is my first completed project of 2012, and my second item for my SWAP. I'm super excited!

Fabric: 1 1/2 yards dark denim from JoAnn and a bit of quilting cotton from my grandma's stash
Pattern: Burda Jenny pencil skirt
Year: Modern

Notions: navy zipper, fusible interfacing, hem tape from grandma's stash

Time to complete: 16 hours. What? I said I'm slow!

First worn: to work on January 13

Wear again? Yes! I'd wear this skirt every day if I could!
Make again? Absolutely! This pattern was a breeze to work with. The time it took was just me being the tortoise. :)

Total price: $14

The Sew Weekly theme this week was to use an accessory as your inspiration for a garment. The minute I saw the theme, I knew what I would be using as my inspiration. I bought this scarf from Urban Outfitters (a store that I paradoxically love but in which I've never been able to find an item I didn't hate). It was the first thing I've ever found there that I loved, and I loved it so much I had to have it immediately. It goes with everything I own, with its navy, off-white, dark red, pink, light blue, yellow, orange...I could wear anything with this scarf and it would match.

In the spirit of multi-use garments, I made a skirt that I could wear with anything in my closet (including that lovely scarf). In fact, I can wear this skirt with the blouse I bought months ago and then never wore because it doesn't go with anything else I have. I can wear it with the colored tights my mom bought me for Christmas (I'm wearing the maroon today).

I cut a size 36 (US 4) in the waist and graded to a size 42 (US 10) in the hip, then shaved off some of the width in the high hip because my width is lower. I also took a page out of Tilly's book and removed a lot of the width of the waistband, because I'm pretty short too. My finished waistband is 2" wide. I made a swayback adjustment and then did a similar adjustment to the front of the skirt. I think the ripples in the fabric that make that necessary might be created by my low, wide hips, but who knows? All I know is that adjustment works. :) I added 1 1/2" to the length of the skirt, so it would hit just above the knee. Finally, I used Sunni's tutorial over at A Fashionable Stitch to add a back vent to the skirt, and I put in a lapped zipper instead of a centered zipper.

Oh, and I looked at Lauren's post on hem tape over at Lladybird to get a visual on how to put this stuff in. It looks so pretty, doesn't it?

I love this super-dark denim and the perfect fit, but the thing that's really special about this skirt for me is the fact that I was able to use things that used to belong to my grandma. Every time I pull this skirt on, I'll see this pretty blue-flowered cotton that my grandma bought once and used for something small (there was a tiny bit of it cut out). That was also some of her lace hem tape (and it was already cut to exactly the length I needed...weird!).

*Oh! And the first three photos were taken by my awesome and supportive coworker Monique.

Pinterest Parade #6 - Ideas for Skirts in Cool Weather

This week's parade has a theme - skirts in cool weather. I'm so sick of my jeans!!

This first outfit has layers on top, and with tights and a pair of pink heels, it's a great outfit for the cold. Also, I love that denim pencil skirt. You can't even call it a jean skirt, it's so classy!

(pinned here)

This outfit has a totally different silhouette with the full skirt, but I love it. I've been having trouble with certain cardigans on top, because they don't accentuate my waist very well. I need to find one that does so I can copy this look. Can you tell I'm into the navy, pink, and white?

(pinned here)

Color! I don't usually wear a lot of bright colors, and I'm not sure how this yellow would look so close to my face, but I love the yellow and dark navy, and nude heels were the perfect choice for this outfit. Also, the sweater looks so soft and cozy! I'm seeing a theme here. I think I really need a navy pencil skirt, possibly in denim as well.

(pinned here)

I'm not so much a fan of brown. I know a lot of people are, but it's just not a color I wear a lot. However, in other colors (navy, pink, and white, anyone?), I would totally wear this outfit. The sweater and skirt with a wide belt that matches the skirt... I may have dreams about layers of ruffles tonight. :)

(pinned here)

This last skirt outfit isn't very cool-weather as it is, but toss on a sweater/cardigan and some tights, and you're good to go. Also, I adore Lilli and her blog, which I just found a couple of weeks ago. The pattern mixing in this outfit is so inspirational. The blouse reminds me a little of the Colette Jasmine, with a larger tie.

(pinned here)

Moral of this story? I want to make a navy pencil skirt, and I think I might replace the full gray skirt in my SWAP plan with this, so I can use the pattern over and over again (denim! stripes! lace!). I also want to make the Colette Jasmine (in pink, maybe?), and I could really use some better-fitting cardigans. Hmm... I'm out of town right now, but when I get back, it's time to start working on pattern selection and fitting for my SWAP!

Butterick Sale = More Patterns

So.... I bought some more patterns over the weekend. There was a .99 sale at JoAnn on Butterick patterns, and at the thrift store, I found that Simplicity pattern for .25. It'll be a great basic pattern I can use to base new dresses on.

I think I have a problem. I currently own more patterns than I think I'll be able to sew up in the next five years. Cutting back would be a good idea, but in a way that encourages creativity and productivity. Hmm...

I'm thinking out loud here... I could only buy new patterns (one at a time) if I have an idea for them already (like they're included in my SWAP). Or I can buy a new pattern for every three old patterns I stitch up. Looking through my stash, there are quite a few beautiful vintage patterns that just aren't quite my style or that won't look good on someone as A/pear-shaped as me. I'm thinking a giveaway might be in order. I haven't done one of those yet! Check back next week. I'll have something beautiful for someone. :)

Pinterest Parade #5 (plus a new pattern!)

This post and my pins this week are inspired by Kendi and her 30 x 30 challenge (if you haven't heard of it yet, get over there and check it out! She chooses 30 items of clothing to remix into outfits for 30 days). I've been bemoaning the fact that I don't have much clothing, when really, I don't need much more than I have. I need pieces that work together and that pull together the pieces I already have. Kendi just did this for Fossil, and the result was inspiring and beautiful.

The pieces in Orla Keily's Spring 2011 collection work together and create a cohesive unit. this is what I want my closet to look like! 

I know a lot of vintage gals are mad at Banana Republic for hopping onto vintage style and commercializing it, but I love their Mad Men collection and the way the pieces work together. I'm only mad at Banana because most of their clothing doesn't fit my body shape.

I'm sure everyone has seen the Lucky Dozen, but this is definitely an inspiration to create a wearable wardrobe. Seriously, every single one of those outfits is different. All I would do to change it up is make those gray slacks into a pencil skirt and get a color other than orange for the sweater. Orange is bad that close to my face. Bad.

Now this wardrobe is one I could get behind. I love nearly every piece in it, in nearly every color. Again, I'd change out the slacks because I really don't like to wear pants that much, and I'd switch out the shoes for similar but more feminine versions (a couple pairs of heels), but the rest is really kind of perfect. *daydreams*

In other happy news, I got one of the patterns I'll be using for the 2012 SWAP! It's vintage Butterick 4042, a 70s (I think) blouse pattern. I'll be making Version A (the long-sleeved one at the top) in my two sheer fabrics. I bought this pattern from an Etsy shop called Sew Betty and Dot, and I'm beyond happy with Sherri (the seller). She let me know the status of my shipment, she shipped quickly, and when I got the package, the pattern had a ribbon tied around it and she included a sweet little hand-sewn envelope with a hand-written note, a vintage playing card (which she uses as her business card), and a little tag with a miniature doily on it. It was like getting a present in the mail instead of something I'd purchased myself. I have most of my patterns now, so it's time to start tracing and fitting patterns so I can have a shot at finishing this SWAP!

Navy and White Ginger: Completed!

If you've been reading my blog, you're probably thinking, "Oh, she must have gotten that invisible zipper foot she's been harping about and finally stopped procrastinating." You're right, sort of. I did get that invisible zipper foot. It doesn't fit on my machine. So I didn't actually use it. I hunted around for another one online but failed to find one that said it specifically worked with my model of Singer machine, so I got out a needle and put in the zipper by hand. Actually, I think it may have turned out better than it would have if I'd done it by machine. It looks like just a seam to me. Can you see the zipper? (I feel like it's a Where's Waldo drawing, except with my back end. Maybe you shouldn't look too closely.)

And the front view. Also, this is my deck. I obviously need to do a little more work outside before winter hits. But isn't my skirt cute?!

I used store-bought bias binding to finish all of the seams, including the seam the zipper's in. My stitching isn't perfectly straight, but I'm learning. I did discover that it's easier to keep it straight if I'm using a zipper foot, oddly enough, so the seam finishing on the back seam is straighter than this photo, but I was already wearing the skirt when I took it, which would have made getting a photo of the back seam super awkward (and revealing), so y'all will have to admire the almost-straight stitching of my side seams. :)

Pattern Description: Colette Patterns Ginger, Version 2

Pattern Sizing: Size 4 in the waist to size 10 in the hips. Yes, I span that many sizes.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I'm a sewing novice, and these instructions were perfect. Everything was so thorough, and if I didn't understand something immediately, there was a glossary in the back of the instruction booklet, and notes directing sewers to the Colette tutorials online.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love everything! The fit is perfect, and it's such a great TNT pattern.

Fabric Used: Navy and white cotton

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I removed the front seam so I wouldn't have to match the pattern and so it would lie flat (I made Version 3 in pink and gray - which I will post when that zipper is in - and had to adjust the front pieces to remove the bubble in the belly). I also smoothed out the side seams at the hip, since my hips are lower than the pattern and it made me look a bit like an Oompa Loompa. No photos of that. :) I lengthened the pattern about an inch so it would hit just below the knee.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I've already got the pink and gray version 3 in the works, and I will sew this pattern over and over. If you haven't sewn it yet, do it! I  know you can get a Simplicity A-line skirt pattern for 99 cents on sale, but the extra cash is totally worth it for this beautiful pattern. I hope I'm getting more Colette patterns for Christmas this year!

Conclusion: I love this skirt. Love. It's so flattering and comfy (snug, but not so tight it's cutting into me), I would wear it every day if I could. I'll make a million more. Also, I just realized, as I'm sitting here typing this in my new skirt, that the outfit I'm wearing looks absurdly similar to a dress I was inspired by back in August. I got the nude shoes I wanted, too! I feel like I should have posed like the model with my gray handbag, just to compare. :)

Stitcher's Guild SWAP 2012

Last week, in my excitement about my new discovery of the Stitcher's Guild and their annual SWAP, I posted a non-MWF post. :) After lots of debating, I've come up with a pretty solid plan for the items I'll be including in my SWAP.

What's on here?

2 skirts - the Colette Ginger in navy and white cotton (1), and a self-drafted skirt with inverted box pleats, which I'll be stitching up in gray with a panel of pink along the bottom (6)

3 dresses - the sheath, vintage Butterick 2434 in wool that's much redder than it looks in the photo (2), the sundress, vintage Simplicity 3562 in embroidered white cotton (7), and the everyday dress, Simplicity 2145 in a printed rayon (10)

2 "overshirts" - vintage Butterick 4042 in sheer rose and blue and white dot polyesters (I know poly is the devil, but I couldn't resist!) (3 & 4)

1 t-shirt - Colette Jasmine in this gorgeous Spoonflower fabric (Bubbles by Kristopher K), cotton silk (I know it's absurdly expensive, but again, I can't resist! I've been ogling this fabric forever!) (5)

2 blouses - Burda 5/2011 in pink cotton, which I'll be taking Gertie's Bombshell class for (8), and vintage Simplicity 3520 in white cotton (9)

1 rain coat - Sewaholic Minoru in red - so excited about this one! (11)

As you can see, I don't yet have the fabrics for four of my items (the Jasmine, the self-drafted skirt, the vintage blouse, and the rain coat), but I'd say that's doing pretty well. I feel like all of these patterns are patterns I'll be able to use over and over again, modifying them so that each iteration is different from the ones that came before. I just need to get the rest of my fabrics and buy a bolt of muslin so I can start working on fitting.

Is anyone else participating in this year's SWAP?