As you know, I've been on a sewing exploration. I learned to sew in 7th grade home-ec, and sucked at it. I'll never forget that horrid jumper I made, and was forced to wear in a school fashion show! I still get chills every time I think of it! In the late 80's, I decided to give sewing another try...I sewed like a mad woman. Was I any good? Nah....but I did enjoy it. Of course, then I decided to learn to knit, and sewing was lost to me again. What inspired me to have another go at the machine was a dress I saw at Forever 21, and well, I should have bought it. It was a sellout at the local stores, and on their website. I even saw 2 being auctioned off on ebay....listen, I was so desperate, I asked my sister to check in CA, ok? Yes, that dress haunts me. So, I said, forget it...I'll try to sew some stuff.
First up, a bevy of blouses...(sorry all the pics are so dark. What does a girl have to do to get a decent shot of her handiwork???) The right hand corner is an apron top I made and drafted the pattern myself. The one on the right is a New Look pattern, and is made with some fabric I got at the thrift store for 99 cents. Lastly, another one I semi drafted...it was a copy of another top I have from Forever 21. Unfortunately, I goofed and made the bodice too short. I suppose if I had the body of a pre-teen it would fit...uh...not that I'm so buxom as it is. The thing I loved about it was the fabric. It's a jersey knit Cranston Print I got for $1.80.
Two dresses I've done. The one on the right fits me unbelievably well...with my sewing you never know what you're gonna get. Anyway, it's from a Butterick pattern I bought in the early 90's that I never used. Isn't the fabric great? Again, I found it at a thrift store for about $3.00. It was the fact that it had a border print...yes, it's a jersey knit....I love that. The other dress is so cute I could scream...it's from a McCall's pattern dated 1969....There's a little belt that fastens around the back with one button. I made it in strawberry fabric I got at Joann's for $6.00. I think it must be a linen blend because it wrinkles like nobody's business. I had to modify the pattern a bit to accommodate my big butt. BTW, I love anything strawberry related and have a collection including switchplates made from wood that I got from the annual Strawberry Festival.
Lastly, I just finished this blouse yesterday. I know it doesn't look like much in the photo, but trust me, it probably came out the best thing I have ever made. There is a method to my madness..I saw the fall catalog for Anthropologie and there was a blouse very similar to this one for $98.00. I decided to make my own. Then, in the ad, the model has on a vest...I am in the process of knitting it... it's Molly Ringwald from the latest Knitscene. (I've done a lot of blog surfin' and it seems like I'm the only one making this one.)
As I promised before, here's a photo of the scoop neck tank I crocheted from lustersheen in winter red, and then the mango mesh tank from lustersheen in jade--both patterns from Crochet! The fit on the mesh tank is fantastic! I can't wait to wear it.
Don't hate me, ok? But the yarn for the mesh tank was from the thrift store and I only paid $3.00 for it. All this destashing is great for the soul....Phew! After all that you'd think I was done...NOT! As I said, I'm working on Molly Ringwald and I'm crocheting a shell from a 1970's pattern I found on the internet. Yesterday I cut out another dress, and the plan is to cut out another one tomorrow after I go to Joann's! I figure if I keep up this pace, I actually might get my stash under control someday!
