Archive | September, 2008

Pardon my ingorance

27 Sep

Exhibit A: Banana Republic Dress. I think it was about $135 last fall


Exhibit B: Milly blouse found this morning at a local boutique. $235.


Exhibit C: My skirt made from fabric at Metro Textile $20.

Now, pardon my ignorance… but I sort of assumed that mine was a Banana Republic print all along. It never occurred to me that another designer (Milly) was off using the same fabric in a different colorway.

Orig. $358 at Bloomie’s or at Neiman Marcus for $219 on sale


Don’t we sewists love this kind of validation in our fabric taste and access to these textiles?

Last night The Cop and I went to dinner with friends and stopped by a local jazz club called the Haven after. Last weekend, there was a robbery at this club and a former City Councilman was murdered during the robbery. His funeral was on Wednesday.

Last night my office organized a gathering here. The Haven is the only place in the city with live jazz and one of the few places with live music at all. It’s in a stable neighborhood, less than a mile from me and near a college campus. It also draws a multiracial crowd — something rare in Baltimore. At anyrate, if my office hadn’t been there, there would have been two people in the club.

Right now, it’s the safest place in the city. There were no less than three cops inside and more outside. I guess I’m writing this because I feel like if we let a place like the Haven close because people stop going, then you’re really letting crime take over the good things in your city. So, if you’re in Baltimore or around the area, you should stop by. It’s a great club where a terrible thing happened.

And now, I have to mop my basement. It’s pouring rain and I’ve flooded for the second time in three months. I think I need the gutters in the back of the house cleaned/replaced.

Incremental Sewing

26 Sep

In Wednesday’s post I noted that I was going to sew an hour every night. If not sew, I was going to spend at least an hour each day doing something on my project.

So, Wednesday I cut out the bodice. Thursday I cut out the lower bodice and matched my plaids. And on Friday, I constructed the basic shell of the dress.


I still have to cut out and construct lining, but it is very nice to get a general sense of how it’s going to look. Oh wait. I have to go out and buy lining, then cut and construct it.


The wool is not terribly stable. So, I’ve used fusible stay tape along the waistline and center back (thanks Nancy K.). I probably would have done well to block fuse the dress but it was all cut and partly sewn when I thought I should stabilise. But, with lining, I think that will cut down on wear and tear and possible bagging.

Last night’s dinner: Zucchini ‘Pasta’.I think I can honestly say this was my first time ever eating zucchini. It was oddly good! It wasn’t as good as lovely starchy white pasta, but it was still good.

This writing thing

24 Sep

So, I’ve had a bit of writer’s block the past month. Not that I don’t have anything to write about, I just don’t like the way it reads (snarky, bitter, tired). Most writers seem to solve this with copious amounts of alcohol and a torrid love affair. Well, hard alcohol every night won’t help me get back down to my dating weight and a torrid affair will not sit well with the the boyfriend I currently have. Damn my early 30s and addiction to all things fried!!

Carolyn and my mom both gave me a needed kick in the arse about my sewing and blogging. So, I’m recommitting to work it like Tany and sew an hour every night.

Last night I started pre-treating fabric for a new dress. Yes, I know I need separates, but dresses are my friend. So, I’m making the BWOF Sherlock Holmes dress again from the September 2007 edition (above). This time the upper will be in solid gray and the bottom in this A-mazing red and black plaid from Carol.


Trena and I had to bargain with each other for this piece. I’m grateful that I am six inches taller and outweigh her by half. Otherwise, I’m not sure I would have been the victor. Speaking of Trena, after I left several messages on her answering machine and multiple comments on her blog, she made me the lovely tag cloud on the right —->>. I have a lot of tags.

And finally, some more UFO busting.

Here’s a secret. I don’t own a white blouse. Not a long sleeve one. Not a short sleeve one. I got nothing I can wear that even passes as a white blouse. I, in fact, don’t even own a white tee shirt. I think the last time I owned a white blouse it was still the Clinton presidency. Not that I have anything against white blouses. I just never find ones I like for less than $60 and I never had good white shirting (well, I do now). Why do I bring this up?
(the bias waistband got stretched out in the construction despite my use of interfacing. I’ll fix that over the winter so it’s picture perfect this summer)

I let this seersucker Patrones skirt languish all summer because I wasn’t going to have anything to wear with it once it was finished. In that vein, please excuse the pink wife beater. It’s the only thing I could dig up that I thought would work for photos. And I don’t normally wear pearls (30th birthday gift from my mom) with wife beaters. But, I was getting ready for work this a.m. and forgot to take them off.


If you are a long-time reader, you might remember this foray into Patrones back in May. It’s been a long time so my recollection on the details are dim. I do know that Lisette helped me out with the instructions, yay! As noted above, be careful with the bias waistband. Mine is all kinds of stretched out. But the fit in general over my swayback is pretty good. And, I will likely never wear this with something tucked in. I’m thinking a white wrap blouse or a white blazer this summer.


I left off the ribbon trim on the bottom because I thought the seersucker didn’t need any jazzing up. It’s totally too late in the season to wear this skirt. But, I might be in a hot climate next month for work and I’m happy to take this with me.

I have one more UFO that I will hopefully finish this weekend. By then, perhaps I’ll get my writing groove back too!

Knip Mode vest done

22 Sep

So, back in August I told you all about the Knip Mode vest I started. Well, apparently, garments don’t get finished if you don’t actually *sew* them.


I finished the vest up on Sunday, which was my first time on a sewing machine in about three weeks. I don’t like this shirt with it. So, a coordinating blouse needs to get made. The fabric is great because there is yellow, blue, pink and grey in it. It’s a rayon from a local fabric shop.

While I muslined the pattern and made adjustments to the 38, I still think it’s not as fitted as it could be. But, it’s also my first completed Knip Mode and I’m pretty happy. My last vest was baggy too until it got a good washing.


I still have gobs of this fabric left. I broke up the plaid with a solid grey and also steamed out a lot of the fullness in the collar.

The vest is fully lined with a poly satin left over from another project. I love lining. I’m not sure I’ll make something unlined ever again.


I notice that whenever I say what I’m sewing next it rarely materializes. So, for now, let’s say that I’ve pulled all my ‘winter pants’ fabric lengths (about four) and have set them aside. I’ve also pulled about six other fabrics that coordinate for a undetermined future project. And, I still need about five blouses. It’s really never ending isn’t it?