i heart bows

bow ties for the men of houston ballet

...so naturally i would make bow ties! i started making bow ties shortly after starting skirts for the ladies. the boys were hurt i wasn't sewing them things, so i gave this classy men's accessory a try. thanks to oliver for the tips (he's a bow tie pro) and suggestions as i ventured into the land of men's fashion. brother grant has even started 'bow tie tuesday,' which i'm hoping will soon sweep the nation.

oliver's specially designed "new year's eve in paris" bow tie

inspiration

notice any trends?

oscar de la renta

chloe and reese

marc jacobs

marc by marc jacobs

moschino cheap and chic

nanette lepore

working with wool (part two)

after a few weeks, i got my first clients! i invited interested women to join me at high fashion fabrics to choose and purchase supplies for me to make them a skirt. i figured i wasn't experienced enough yet to be allowed to charge them, so this seemed fair to me.

lauren chose a beautiful light orange wool for her skirt, and contrasting hem tape (aqua!) and a beautiful white zipper with gold teeth. lucky for lauren (and myself), i'd already gone through the trial and error period with the wool. i knew to take my cut pieces right to the serger, then to bang out the thick gathers with the iron and that wooden tool. easy enough, right? not so. i'd planned to prepare a hem like my first cotton skirt, that folds up and is finished with a nice hem tape. it should be noted that the stitching on this part of the skirt was planned to be matching orange on the outside, and aqua (bobbin) to match the hem tape on the inside of the skirt.

the zipper on lauren's skirt was quite agreeable!

once i finished this hem, i realized it was wrong. obviously the wool is too thick to fold on its self and persuade flat! i seam-ripped the entire hem off. i should tell you it had already been sewn on once upside down, so by this point i was pretty annoyed. somehow, it also ended up quite short all of a sudden. after a consultation with the client, we decided to leave the hem unfinished like mine, with a white stitch across the bottom for contrast. we were both pleased with the final product.

lauren modeling her custom skirt

working with wool (part one)

for my second project, i decided to make another skirt. i feel in love with this olive wool plaid with pink and orange stripes. i wasn't aware of the frustration it would bring...

dog oliver's sweater kindly coordinates with the fabric

thankfully, i was making this under the watch of hb wardrobe at the theater, with easy access to a serger and a hand full of skilled seamstresses. the wool was a lot thicker than i'd initially thought, causing a lot of bulk in a skirt design meant for a thin cotton. the raw edges frayed almost as quickly as my brief time with the burlap coffee bags (we'll get back to that later). plaid is difficult to match up at seams and the waistband when you're a newbie (or oldie!). the zipper I chose was too flimsy for the thick material. i was in trouble! i had such a specific image of this skirt in my head and it wasn't turning out right at all.

with a bit of guidance, i overcame most of these issues. i serged all the raw edges, and learned how to manipulate thick wool with an iron, a towel, and a hunk of wood (for beating!). i finished off the raw hem with a single stitch of orange thread and pink bobbin thread as a cute detail. there are still a few things i'd like to tweak about the skirt, but overall i'm happy with it.

before next winter i may make the waistband snugger, change out the zipper, and find large enough hook and bars. for now, good enough-- second skirt complete!

fish eyes

high fashion fabrics, houston's wonderful fabric store, has become my second home. the ladies who work there love me, and i could give you very specific directions to any type of fabric you could ask about. well, that is now at least.

back when i was still a complete beginner, i tried to sneak around the store hoping not to let on that i had no idea what i was looking at, even worse what i was looking for! i knew that a gathered skirt would be a simple enough place to start (inspired by a favorite skirt of mine), and selected a cute cotton called fish eyes.

luckily we were in the midst of nutcracker, and i had a number of talented seamstresses on hand for the next month. i learned from one of our great dressers how to make a pattern from my existing skirt. a little wrapping paper, pins, and careful cutting left me with the bones of my first skirt, and a pattern piece for replications. i was taught how to gather, attach a waistband, make a button hole, and make a nice hem with bias tape.

for my first go, i think it went rather well.

first post

today marks my 2 month anniversary with my sewing machine. actually, it has turned me into a sewing machine and in no time at all.

the morning of my 'golden birthday,' i remember how terrified i was as i carefully tore the canvas wrapping off max's gift to me revealing a singer box. in that moment i knew that i would either fail miserably or become completely obsessed with my new sewing machine.

it took me almost a week to take it out of the box. now it has a permanent home on my dining room table, and my sunroom has turned into the cutting room.

i cautiously chose my first project, a simple skirt. with the assistance of hb wardrobe i drafted a pattern and went on to make skirts for me and soon my friends.

next up, i faced a dress pattern for the first time. then a second, then a third.

then i made a dress with no pattern at all!

i may have become a hermit lady over the last few months, but the sewing machine has been a wonderful creative outlet (and a distraction when needed). sewing is a challenging and time-consuming hobby, yet incredibly rewarding, and i'm so glad that it likes me back. i am finding it even more satisfying than baking--the things i'm making last longer than a batch of labor-intensive sugar cookies for sure!

i can't wait to show what i've created.