Fabric Spotted!

While watching an episode of Parks and Recreation earlier, I spied something that looked very familiar:

See that dress Ann is wearing?  The adorable ribbon-y print?  I have that same fabric!  This is a first!

You can buy some too, and make your own "sweet, pretty Ann-who's-never-been-dumped"* dress!


Garnet


*It seems that Lesley describes her this way nearly every other episode. 

MMM and Vogue 1115

I've been rather lax on the picture-taking front, I must confess.  From the last week, I've only managed to document three outfits!

On the third and fourth, I wore this polka-dotted dress.  It's definitely a favorite!

This picture shows the dresses I wore during last weekend, May fifth and sixth:

We had to celebrate Mother's Day early, because we'll be unable to get together next weekend.  It was hotter than expected on Sunday, so my sister borrowed this halter, Simplicity 3823, which I wore the day before.

I'm wearing an outfit from vintage McCall's 7330, seen better in this photo:

The skirt you've already seen, as I wore it on MMM - Day 1.  The top is new, and looks so super cute!    I used Lisette fabric, printed with little yellow sailboats.  Here's the back, with buttons and bow:

On Monday, May seventh, I wore my uniform for work, which doesn't include anything me-made.  I did, however, hem the pants myself!  And I wore this red jacket during my commute, which has to count for something!

On Tuesday, May eighth, I didn't do much.  Mostly chores and staring at TCM.  My kinda day, really!  I wore this comfy little number:

The trousers are Vogue 1115, a Chado Ralph Rucci pattern.  I love (love) that designer's whole range for Vogue.  They're not what I would usually wear, but I have each one anyway, and love looking at versions others have made.  There's just something so sculptural and cool about them.  It's hard to define.

Anyway.  These pants are neat.  They seemed to fit well out of the envelope, although I shortened them an inch and a half or so.  The waist is nice and high, too!  I know that's kind of uncool these days, but since I wear nearly nothing but dresses and skirts with waistbands, I'm more comfortable this way.

I'm definitely making these again, in a coral stretch twill.  It's already cut out and everything!  The stretch will be nice, as the complete lack of it in this pair can be un-fun.  The legs are a little baggier than I'd like, just so I have enough movement to sit down!  Still, this small gripe is not enough to keep me from wearing them all the time!

Last but not least, today, May ninth, I'm wearing this outfit, featuring a pleated skirt made without a pattern:

I just found this skirt again!  I hadn't worn it for over two months, and was beginning to suspect it had been mistakenly brought to the Goodwill, when it suddenly turned up in the dirty laundry pile!  I now suspect my sister had it all along, and surreptitiously returned it when she came to visit, thinking no one would notice.

But I totally did.

Garnet

Winner of the Giveaway!

Congratulations, Sarah!  You've won the adorable tape measure and buttons!  

I've also emailed our winner, and as soon as she gets back to me, I'll ship the prize right out!

Garnet

Me-Made-May 2012!

Hello all!  It's that time of year again.  You know what I'm talking about.  Look outside your window.  See the flowers beginning to bud?  The baby deerlings scampering across your backyard?  No?  Well, neither do I.  But the calendar assures me that Spring is well underway, which can mean only one thing.  MAY!


Yes, May.  The month we dedicate to wearing our handmade garments for all the world to see!  Last week, I signed up for another round of MMM, and I'll (hopefully) be faithfully documenting my adventures along these coming weeks.

All I had to do was take the pledge as follows:


I, Garnet of Ruby Satin, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '12.  I endeavor to wear one handmade garment each day for the duration of May 2012.

Easy-peasy!  Of course, the challenge is documenting these outfits.  I've done well so far!

May 1st:

Pretty sparkly denim skirt, made from vintage McCall's 7330.  Featuring my first arrowhead tack at the bottom of the invisible zipper!  Slightly visible in gold, on my left side.

I wore this outfit out to run errands; this particular picture was taken outside the Whole Foods.

May 2nd:

I... I'm not sure what's going on with the zombie-esque look on my face.  My only excuse is that the self-timer always startles me unmercifully.

Another new skirt!  This one made using Simplicity 1920.  I've also made the cap-sleeve top, which I'll be wearing soon.  I really like this skirt!  The pattern is drafted for an elastic-waisted skirt, though, which is just unacceptable.  I like tucking my shirts in.  So I converted the extra fullness into darts in the back and two little inverted pleats on the front.  It worked out pretty well!

There are little x's of pale blue embroidery floss down the front pleats, and matching running stitches along the hem and slit.  The simple stitches highlight so well the details of this simply-cut skirt.  Here's a detail shot:

The fabric is a very soft rayon/linen blend, which is okay, but I think if I make this again, I'll look for a fabric with a bit more body.  The hem and slit are both interfaced, but still look a bit flopsy and buckle-y (how to describe this?).

Hope everyone else is having a great time participating in MMM 2012!  I'm so looking forward to seeing all the different outfits pop up in my Google Reader!

Garnet

100 Posts?! Sounds Like Giveaway Time!

Yay!  I've made 100 posts!  It only took me three years!  Yay!

Anyway, to celebrate, I'm giving away my favorite thing!  Cute sewing supplies!

When I visited London earlier this year, one of the places I had to see was the beautiful Liberty store.  It was there I found these adorable sewing supplies!  I've long been a fan of Cath Kidston's stationery, so when I saw her sewing section, a girlish squeal was torn involuntarily from my throat.

In order to win this adorable floral tape-measure and shell button set, just leave a comment with your email address!  I'll draw the winning name from a hat in one week, on Friday May 4th!

Good luck!

Garnet

New Vogues!

Last night, I was ecstatic to see that there were new Vogue patterns.  Now, I know they've already been explored around the sewing blog community already (I know this because I found out about them in my Google Reader), but I'm going to post my favorites anyway!

Like this one:

Vogue 1310

It's so simple and beautiful!  The red and white color scheme is what really gets to me.  That and the big tie in the front of the skirt.  It's like a sophisticated take on those tied-up button downs I used to wear (I was a child in the 90s.  Things happen).  

And this ain't too bad either:

Vogue 8814

The drama!  The color!  I want this dress.  I've nearly convinced myself that, made in a simple lightweight cotton sateen, this could be worn nearly anywhere!  Maybe.  Right? 

Oh!  And there's a new designer!  Lialia by Julia Alarcon.  She's produced two dress patterns for this new collection, and I kind of like both of them. 

Vogues 1304 and 1305

 They're definitely eye-catching!  I mean, seriously, how many drinks would that little red number buy you?  Lots.  And if you play your cards right, maybe even mozzarella sticks...

There're a few other patterns worth checking out in this collection, but these are the ones to which I had an instant reaction.  I should say, instant good reaction.  The rest are kind of meh to me this time around.  I did love this picture, though:

I can't wait until I'm 60 and on vacation.  I'm gonna wear this and still not pay for any of my own drinks!

Garnet

Vogue 1284 and Sheep!

After spending two weeks in the UK, it's taken me the better part of three days to get used to being back home!  We had an absolutely delightful time, but coming home is always a nice feeling.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos of my new outfits.  At the last minute, my sister wasn't able to come with us, and she's the only one able to take decent pictures.  My uncle somehow has the ability to make a photo of a still object, taken in bright sunlight, blurry.  So there were a few valiant attempts on his part, but none made the cut.

Today, however, I took some pictures of one of the new garments.  Vogue 1284, the Guy Laroche Orange Monstrosity.  Which is what I call it in my head. 

 In teal, I think the skirt looks rather nice!  It was rather easy to put together, but had some tricky parts, like the pockets.  I'd never sewn welt pockets before (and there's a reason I'm only showing a close-up of one), but after wrapping my head around the process, they turned out to be not so scary after all!

After dismissing this pattern out of hand when I first saw it, I came back after looking for a mini-skirt pattern with nice detail.  The line drawing of this one, and the fact that it uses less than a yard (!) of fabric won me over!  After looking at these photos, however, I think I might sew that slit closed another inch or so.  I'm glad I've only worn it with tights so far!

 Oh, and I mentioned sheep, didn't I?

See those little white puffs?  They're sheep.  And they're what I'll forever associate with the British Isles.  On our vacation, we had the good fortune to travel the country by car, and the image above is pretty much all you see, broken by the occasional farmhouse or small town, for hundreds of miles.  I have to admit, I squealed first few dozen times I saw them!

Garnet