Project 4: Simplicity 2154

Why didn't anyone call me out on the title of Tuesday's post?  I was getting ahead of myself--today I completed project four!

This is the first piece of clothing I've made for myself where I kinda regret cutting the fabric and using it.  I'm not  super happy with the fit--I need some Spanx under it, even though it's the size I always cut--and, I don't know...I'm just feeling very "meh" toward it.  Of course, I've eaten one piece of banana bread today, as well as a lot of espresso, so my blood sugar has bottomed out, as well as my mood.  That could be an underlying factor.

Front view

Pattern Description

Pattern contains pieces for a knit cardigan, a pencil skirt, and this top--reprint of a vintage pattern

Pattern Sizing

Big 4 again--6-22 are available.  This is a 14/8.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the envelope when you were done with it?

Nope!  I made lots o'changes.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Yes, definitely, but I made a lot of changes and skipped around, so I may not be the best judge.  BUT I had everything but the facings done within a matter of hours.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I loved the retro look.  I was originally tempted by the giant bow, which is odd that I decided to leave it off.  I also like the option of making a skirt later.

Front close-up

Fabric used

Quilting cotton I got from Whipstitch.  I'm not sure of the designer or collection, and I can't a selvedge anywhere.

Pattern changes or any design alterations you made

Let's see...the seams are 1/2" instead of 5/8".  I omitted the giant bow.  I also did a fabric loop closure in the back instead of thread.  

Would you sew it again?

Maybe the skirt.  I'm just not super keen on it!

Conclusion

It's cute, but it'll wait until I feel like pouring myself into Spanx.

Rhinestone button in the back

Maybe I'm just in a sour mood.  This weather sucks--it's freezing and dark already--and I have to cook again tonight, which makes six nights this week instead of my agreement to five.  Someone slap me and tell me to snap out of it.  Where's my mother when I need her?

Project 3: Simplicity 2215, View D, and Cake!

There's so much on my mind right now, both good and bad, and I want to turn a lot of it into blog posts but then I think, who would read that?  I sometimes wonder if I wouldn't benefit from a few girlfriends to just bounce ideas off of.  Nick doesn't care about pattern sizing or blogs; he doesn't notice if I paint my nails or if my hair dries weird.  I know one person shouldn't be everything to another, but that's where we are right now, and the boundaries are slowly disappearing.  (You don't even want to know what we talk about after work.)

So anyway, it was a long weekend, and I gotta say, not a terribly exciting one.  It was cold this weekend, so our hibernation plans were mostly achieved.  However, Saturday proved productive, once we actually got out of bed and out of the apartment: we managed to buy $130 worth of groceries (good lord) as well as some slightly-needed kitchen items.  When we got home and unpacked our food and fun things, I immediately thought of how nice it will be to someday have room for casserole dishes and espresso makers, for loaf pans and pitchers, and how we won't have to have these things spill over into the living room and onto the stove because there simply isn't space.  I hope that by this time next year I can stand next to Nick in our kitchen and not have to contort myself around him to get to the fridge or close a cabinet before I can open the oven.

The Monique Dress

I don't know about you guys, but it's sending me into a deep depressing knowing I won't have another day off until September.  I know, we all got through winter without anything (for three months!), but I think the combination of no summer vacation and complete boredom is doing me in.  I'd love to take a few days off to just sleep and sew, but until my parents figure out where they'll be and what they'll be doing for the holidays, I can't afford to risk it.  So for now, it's work work work all the time.

I'm just having a weird week in general.  Yesterday felt like I was a kid with ADHD.  I was at work by 7:30 and just couldn't focus.  I'd sit down to work on something, and instead, I'd peel off my nailpolish, or look at the pictures in my cube, or check my phone.  Whatever.  All damn day.  I went to Starbucks (I was exhausted yesterday, which didn't help my focus) and didn't have enough money on my gift card, nor did I take anything but said gift card with me.  The manager covered the $1.18 difference, but have you any idea how embarrassing that is?  Good lord.  By the time we got home from grocery shopping last night (after 8:00), I still hadn't eaten dinner, so I settled for some deli ham and cheese and Nick's leftover Sam Adams. 

Today, while I'm wearing the dress I'm detailing below, I've also dealt with an overdrawn bank account and incessant construction overhead.  I know people overdraw their bank accounts--shit happens, you need to both pay your bills and buy groceries--but I hold myself to such high standards that this is the ultimate failure in my mind.  I can't even handle my money?  How can I handle living on my own and being responsible for other people?  Ugh.

So anyway, let's get into it.  While Nick was gone over the weekend, I sewed, and cut, and bought, and planned, and washed...pretty much everything involved with sewing.

I've had the Serendipity Studios Monique Dress in my stash since I first started thinking about sewing.  The Laura Gunn giant poppies on the front were enough to reel me in.  While I didn't choose that for my dress--it's enough being on my work bag--I still decided to make the dress.

There was one big scary thing involved with this dress: an invisible zipper.  I went in with trepidation, not even knowing how to sew a regular zipper, and came out wtih a fully functional dress!  Now, how do you like that?

Also, all fabric choices were greatly influenced by this post on Patty the Snug Bug.  I bought the shown City Weekend fabrics forever ago and knew that I didn't want to waste them on some future snot-nosed kid, so I better use them now while I have the chance.

I never take good pictures of myself.  I'm just not meant to be a fashion blogger.

The dress, pre-ironing.  I promise I ironed it this morning.  It even still smells like linen water!

Pay no attention to the mismatched waistbands!  Nick thinks they're hilarious; I'm slightly embarrassed but happy to wear a cardigan to cover them up.

Could that be...an invisible zipper?!  Yes it is!  And a hook and eye above it.

It was an okay dress.  I'm used to more professionally-written instructions, so that was hard to get used to.  Also, the waistbands.  What's wrong with me?!  I'm guessing the darts on the bodice just threw it all off, but if I had matched up the waist, the shoulders wouldn't have met.  It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

Some other pictures from my weekend:

My outfit for picking up Nick on Sunday.  We were also going to District Taco.  Again, not a great fashion blogger.

My first four cuts of Children at Play.  Now, what to do with them?

Does anyone have any ideas for the Children at Play yardage?  Again, not holding out for any lameo kids, so how do I use them in a non-cutesy way?  I don't want to be a sexy baby.

My sewing list is stocked up for a while.  I've cut out Simplicity 2154  in the constellation fabric I bought a while ago.  I also bought the new Lisette brown chambray from the fall line and am making the Lisette Traveler dress (view B) in it.  ALSO on the Colette blog yesterday she explained how to create pintucks in the Violet blouse...so I plan on doing that too. 

I'm exhausted just thinking about it.