Fail to Plan

Ah, planning. A good plan is a wonderful thing, but I (rather stubbornly) try to do everything without one. I’ve been getting by, paying lip service to this important practice, but I think my days of living by the seat of my pants are numbered!

Thanks to the wonderful book by Sue Kim I recently discovered, I decided to make myself a new bag, to replace this one:

The above is Butterick pattern B5622 in the large size, and it was a total cinch. I don’t think bag patterns get any easier! But my beloved tote is showing serious wear and tear, and won’t last much longer. I decided to replace it with the Chic Hobo Bag from Ms. Kim’s book. Two hours of reading directions, tracing a pattern, and drafting a new pattern later, I realized the fabric and pattern didn’t match.

Ugh….

If only I had analyzed the fabric before doing all that work, I could have scrapped the project or used a different fabric! The more I sew and make and alter patterns, the more I am forced to accept the importance of planning.

Planning goes beyond simply buying enough fabric for the project at hand. It includes analyzing the fabric appearance, fiber, and drape for suitability to the project; assembling all materials needed and checking that they work together aesthetically and functionally, and are present in sufficient quantity; reviewing project directions, pattern pieces, and dimensions; and more.

But most importantly, the starting point of any successful sewing plan is considering how exactly the project will be used when it is finished. Had I done that step only, I wouldn’t have bothered making the Chic Hobo Bag at all! I would have recognized it is too small, and attempted the Urban Carryall or the Floral Bag.

Well, tomorrow’s another day. And I’ve (finally) got a plan!

Like Shooting Off a Flare

I love this shirt, not the least for the banded hem detail on the sleeves, but it’s significantly more conspicuous than my normal fare. It feels perfect and fits like a dream, though, so I finally wore it out of the house the other day. I discovered that if I hike it backward a bit, I can come off as demure. Whereas, if I wanted to use my cleavage for good (and not evil), I could wear it as I designed it to be worn, Heh heh heh.

Anyway, call this one a success and throw it in the hamper! I look forward to pairing it with racier things than jeans when summer comes. I also look forward to turning it into one of the first Raaw Atalanta fashion patterns for home sewers, to be released this year. Stay tuned!

Back From Beyond

It’s been several weeks since I last posted on here, though I promise I have been sewing and thinking of content! However, I have burnt myself out on trying to make the best blog ever, and need some time to get perspective.

 

So for now, I will continue to sew and think about content. But I’ll be sewing for me, and I’ll be posting blogs that are less rigorously edited/hyperlinked than before (though I promise to be vigilant about typos!). And yes, I will post prior entries which are all in draft limbo. I hope you stick around for my selfish sewing, and I do hope you get something out of my projects that helps and enriches your own creativity.

I Want So Badly To Be Good

I love the details on this dress, I love how well it fits and moves, I love how easily it went from sketch to pattern to garment, and I loved styling it with so many different patterned elements – purse, shoes, cardigan, and earrings. The more patterns, the merrier! I guess that’s my inner rebel without a cause expressing itself.

I’m a public school girl, so I never wore a uniform – but this dress definitely has that Catholic school uniform look, to my untrained eye. What do you think?

At any rate, Catholicism in my mind will always be associated with Madonna (sorry Pope Benedict!), so I took this blog’s title from her song Girl Gone Wild, and I’ve embedded the video below for your viewing pleasure. I know I shouldn’t be shocked after all these years, but … she definitely had my jaw on the floor with this one. I love Madge!

The Look and a Grain of Salt

Today’s book is The Look: A Guide to Dressing from the Inside Out, by Randolph Duke. (See if your local library has this book on WorldCat, or buy it on Amazon.)

In my quest to read everything on personal style, dressing, and fashion, I rather dubiously checked out a slick-looking book called “The Look” from the library. It wasn’t a waste of time, but watch the video for the inside scoop on this effort.

On Deck

Remember this?

Even though it’s the middle of winter, this is the perfect time to begin thinking about warm weather wardrobes. (Ooh, alliteration!) For sewers and non-sewers alike, it takes time to pull out and review last year’s summer clothes, and decide what needs to be added to the collection for this year.

And that’s where the similarity ends, because sewers can do something non-sewers cannot: make our own clothes! Once we decide what we need and want, we can make it happen.

I am a little embarrassed to admit that I have never owned summer clothes. I’ve had t-shirts, of course, but they are the kind you get from volunteering, or the merch table at concerts, or the men’s section of your local discount clothing store. I’ve never had shorts, skirts, tanks, or anything that said ‘summer’. Or ‘spring’. Or even ‘cute’. So this year, I’ve got a lot of sewing to do.

Me, every summer ... minus the hat.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have a frilly tank top and a simple t-shirt in the works, as well as a maxi dress. I also whipped up a pair of shorts. But what I don’t have is a vision … yet. For that, I’m going to look both to high end designers and the world around me. In a series of posts, I’ll share my finds with you, and maybe we'll both find some inspiration for our wardrobes this year!

Purple and Flyyy

My shorts are done! I love them!

 

 

I may go back and tweak the hem and slim some fullness out of the leg … or I may not.

 

 

They are fabulous and feel awesome! I love the cool, textured fabric and I love the little details I put into this project, like the front button fly with loops instead of button holes:

 

I also made two openings, the above pictured button fly and a side zip:

 

These shorts are definitely a success and a major plus for my wardrobe! And I think I finally cracked the crotch-curve code, so look out for a video on drafting your own pants patterns some time in the future.

Wacky and Eccentric and Oh-So-Fun

I recently read some books on personal style and individuality, and just had to share my thoughts on them. The books are Wacky Chicks and Eccentric Glamour, both by Simon Doonan. They are both interesting, entertaining reads in their own rights, though I gave the edge to one of them in my video review. Enjoy!