Under Construction

Please bare with me as the blog undergoes a makeover. I am experimenting as I fiddle around and change things and it sort of between phases at the moment! I promise it won't stay this way long!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

February - Pattern - Cinnamon

Brianna Figueroa's pin on Pinterest.

I can't believe half the month is over and I am just now starting my Pattern Inspiration for February! That was definitely not the intention. I am glad that I don't have extremely lofty goals this year as I am finding it hard to accomplish even these smaller ones. That isn't to say that things aren't progressing in my sewing room. It's just much slower going than I would like. I also had unexpected company this month, but it was nice!

Here is a brief update of what I have going on before we start the main topic for February.I have the Friendship Braid Quilt that I started on last year pieced and pin based; ready to start the actual quilting process. I also started a new Hazel dress this month that is nearly complete. I have two knitting projects on the needles, a simple short row scarf that is perfect for the nights that I am too tired to do much but still want something to work on and a cable scarf that is a bit more complicated. I hope to finish these as we near the end of the month.



This month's project which is Colette Pattern's Cinnamon Slip Dress has not even better started - unless printing the pattern and prewashing the fabric counts? I am going to have to go ahead and say it does! I thought since I had a long weekend for President's day that I would come out ahead but the previously mentioned unexpected company meant my project took a back burner to being a hostess.

Since I intend to wear this as a lounge dress/night gown I chose a medium blue, cotton voile for the fabric. The fabric is soft and absolutely gorgeous. The best part is I got it this past year when the local fabric store decided to only sell sewing machines and purchased it for a steal!

I will probably add a simple lace trim, but nothing too fancy since this is also a test garment of sorts being my first time to make this pattern. If all goes well I might make a summer dress version. That is the great thing about this pattern there are super cute versions for both lounge wear and everyday wear.

Wish me luck! I am going to need it to get this finished this month!

Godey's Lady's Book

One of the requirements at my college is that every student take an American History course. There are options to choose to study it through the eyes of major minorities that are present in the U.S. which included women. Since that was obviously an area that I identified closely with I chose that option.

While fashion is not a main point of conversation it does come up quite frequently in our discussions. Our professor often says if you follow the fashion you can get a glimpse of what is going on in women's history. Basically women wore more constricting clothing during times of less freedom and during periods of enlightenment you would see less constructive clothing, this was often cyclical.



What a way to pull a girl into history, then with fashion! At least it made me sit up and pay attention!



Godey's Lady's Book began publication in 1830. Interestingly enough the publisher who was a male understood women's role at the time as the manager of the home meant even then that she was an important role in the growing economy. He centered this publication around just that; including things about being a proper wife and mother while bringing women into a role of a consumer which was in direct opposition of these teachings of encouraging the women to stay within the domestic role of the home. The home was consider a safe place from a harsh and materialistic world.



The magazine also included articles written by women which started at a time when this was extremely rare. Though these articles were often centered around instructing other women on the importance of true womanhood (staying with the domestic sphere). This might sound like women were helping to keep other women in their place (and in essence they were), it is important to note that the majority of women openly embraced this and used the teachings of true womanhood to give their life meaning.



This magazine which was the most widely circulated ladies magazine (some sources strike Ladies and just say the most widely published magazine) up until the civil war included information about housekeeping, a sheet of the latest popular music for the piano, the latest fiction writing and poetry, and a hand-tinted (factory workers colored by hand) fashion plate complete with pattern and measurements for sewing this garment at home!

Providing a pattern for home sewing in a magazine was a novel concept at that time! This was a pretty expensive process and despite being so widely circulated which I am sure helped with the costs it was a full dollar more expensive then other popular publications.

Women used this as a source to replicate the latest fashions and even ideas for their wedding dresses. Despite the many differences in our lives today it is fun to know that many of us share a common band with these women of the past of sewing and fashion. The images have gorgeous detailing! I thought it was also interesting to note that use of stripe, plaids, ruffles, scallops, bows - many of the same details we find interesting today.




Please note I pulled facts about this book directly from my textbook Through Women's Eyes by DuBois and Dumenil and Wikipedia. All image sources can be traced through the Pins.



I was interested in seeing more of these lovely images and maybe you are as well? If so, I found a fairly inexpensive (about $20) digital CD for purchase on Ebay with many of the issues. I also found individual issues up for sale but many of these if complete were quite expensive. Amazon also has sales up for posters and paper dolls. Would decorating your sewing room in these pictures be lovely?

This is different from my usual posts and I hope you found this topic as interesting as I have. I plan to write a few more posts about History & Fashion as I make my way through this class.

January Pattern - Fail

Caught On A Whim on Pinterest.

I wish I had a huge success story to begin the new year, but I don't. Looking on the bright side it is good to find time to sew and develop a process that works for me. This tutorial ended up being a fail for me - for a number of reasons. The first is that I just didn't like the way my (wearable) muslin was looking on me. I wish I had pictures to show you but to be honest since my number one goal is getting things accomplished in the short amount of time I do have I didn't finish it. I have a basket on my cutting table that has recent scraps of fabric. My cat Frosty likes to sit in this basket and was excited to see such a nice scrap making it into her "bed".

I really should have read through the tutorial before committing myself. I don't like the way the seam finishes, and I think I would prefer to have a zipper instead of it being a pull-over. There are also some corrections that need to be made to the tutorial. These are all things that an experienced seamstress would read, notice and change as they are making the garment. So, if you feel this suits your tastes - don't worry about that. I am not bashing it. It just isn't for me.

I even contemplated using the pieces as a rough base to draft my own pattern. But there are so many simple peplum top tutorials and patterns out there. I am confident there is one that fits my needs already.

This year I really want to focus on the details of garment construction and adding some well crafted, lovable stapels to my closet. I am glad I used some cheaper fabric to make a muslin because this wasn't going to fill that need.

For now, I am focusing on some WIP's I have that I will be able to complete in short order and getting a jump start on February. Have you had any sewing dissapointments lately and what did you learn from them?

Pencil Case

Back in August when I was starting Fall semester I posted about a few things I would like to make for school. One of them was this cute bow-tie pencil case that I found on Pinterest.  I finally got around to it just in time for this semester!  Here it is!

I will tell you that I did find the tutorial for this slightly confusing and ended up after installing the zipper sort of going rogue.  In the end, all worked out for the best and I have a finished pencil case.  One other thing to note is that the pattern comes with the ability to make the bow on both ends which I didn't use.  In that case you cut the pattern out centered on the fabric and it uses up a lot of fabric.  I ended up using just two fat quarters for mine which is much more conservative.  I extended the pattern by 3.5" and cut it out of each fat quarter separately and then used the scraps of one for the lining (with ample scraps left over).  However, if you were going to do it this way and wanted both sides the same you will need a half yard of the main fabric (or at least slightly over a 1/4 yard) and 1/4  yard or at least a large scrap for the contrast lining.

I was able to fit three mechanical pencils, a refill container of lead, a large eraser, four pens, and five highlighters into this little case (it is filled with all of this in the pictures).  Despite the contents it is still rather compact but cute to carry and it sure beats the plastic ziplock bag I used for the first semester.  I kind of became known as the person who always had an extra pen, pencil, or highlighter if you found yourself without.  At least now I won't cringe inside about having to pull out my pencil case.  Isn't that bow adorable?

The Next Six Months - My Sewing Plan

As I mentioned I am ready to take action and spend more time doing and less time day-dreaming about doing. To accomplish this I need to have a plan and be ready to take actions when I actually have time to sew.This is my plan for the next six months.


Caught On A Whim on Pinterest.


January: Simple Peplum top - Not only do I need more beautiful tops that are comfortable and pretty but this also helps accomplish the goal of actually doing something with the inspiration I find on Pinterest (that is where I stumbled across this tutorial). This is a very simple pattern, but I am hoping to squeeze in some time finish off some WIP's I have on my sewing table as well (one top that needs just a zipper and another that needs some hand stitching at the collar). I have fabric for up to three variations if I can find time for them all.




February: I purchased the Colette Cinnamon slip dress pattern last year during Valentine's day thinking it would be a great time to sew up a beautiful slip dress that could be used as lounge-wear. I already have the fabric and everything.



March: Blue Ginger Doll Mae Blouse - This is a good selection for me because it is another simple yet beautiful blouse patterns and gives me the chance to try pattern company that I haven't tried before. I will have to purchase this pattern, but I am hoping I can use some fabrics from my stash.

April: Open - I have some ideas for this already, but I also know that a new pattern could come out that I might really want to make right away. So, I am keeping this open while I work on the other items to give me some flexibility.




May: Craftsy Flirty Day Dress - I have already purchased the fabric and the class.


June: WIP Reserve or Quilt - I already have a few WIP's from last year that need to be finished. I am going to try to squeeze them in between these other projects, but if that doesn't happen or I fall behind in my five patterns from the first half of the year I will take this time to complete them. If by some miracle I do not have any WIPs to work on and am doing great on this challenge I will work on the quilt this month and move the WIP month to the next round.


Instead of setting a bunch of rules for myself that might take the fun out of the creation process I am going to be easier on myself and say that if I get to February and I don't feel like creating Cinnamon that month I could switch it with another month in this set. However, I will do my best to keep the patterns chosen and the goal the same unless I find for some reason that pattern doesn't work on (ie. I am half-way through my wearable muslin and I know there is some reason the pattern is going to be something I'll wear once finished). That is the plan! I hope you enjoy following along - I am off to get started!

Sewing and other goals for the New Year

I finished my first semester back to school three wonderful weeks ago. I thought I would be knee deep back into blogging by now, but I am only just getting started for a number of reasons. I spent the past three weeks moving into my new sewing room, giving my house an in-depth reorganization and cleaning, reading a book I promised my husband six months ago I would get around to and spending as much time as I could snuggling him and our children (the furry kind).

First an update on school, I loved every minute of it. I could write an entire blog post or two about my experiences in going back to school in my thirties, but I am not sure that is of interest to any of you. The short of it is that I will be starting spring semester today with three more classes that I am excited about. I was a little sad that my photography class ended but I'll be doing some lab course work during the upcoming semesters and practicing some of what I learned here on the blog *(though I do need to get some new equipment (mostly a remote so I can take my pictures on my own). You will see some of my work when I show you my new sewing room in a future post.

My goals for the New Year are as follows (non-sewing / craft related):

* find time to eat healthier and excersize more
* continue to get good grades in school and make school a priority in my life
* take on two big home improvement projects (new windows, new insulation, redoing the fire place are some of the things being considered)
* take time to read for fun
* spend time improving my photography



Sewing / craft related goals:

* make time to blog (I would like to average two posts per a week)
* knit a sweater or cardigan
* ensure I am using some of the items that I pin
* make another quilt
* sew 10 new patterns **

I struggled my first semester back to school finding time to balance everything I needed to do with what I wanted to do. I arranged my scheduled a little bit better this time around and also decided that I needed to make a plan and that was easier to accomplish. I wanted to sew so many things last year that I got stuck in the wanting stage and when I did find time to sew I struggled with making the choice of what to sew and what had to wait and by the time I made any meaningful decisions I was out of time or needed to work on a gift for someone. I also ran last minute on nearly everything and I made some great things I wish I had photographed before giving them away.

This year my plan is simple. I am borrowing a little from Lucky Lucille and her 12 pattern plan but tweaking it slightly to fit what I feel I can accomplish. I am going to sew 10 patterns one each month, leaving one month to finish items in WIP and reserving one month for my quilt. Like Rochelle, I can make multiples of an item. I do want to ensure that I have a nice fit before cutting into any expensive fabrics, but since I feel I could end up struggling to complete anything time-wise if I make an actual muslin of anything I am going to settle for using some of the cheaper fabrics in my stash to make what will hopefully be wearable muslins. I am trying to use patterns that are already in my stash for the most part. I am only going to plan for the six months at a time.

Pinspiration and Back to School

I have big, big, Very big news! I am going "back to school". While spending 8 years in the Marine Corps was very rewarding and has led to much success in my life, I never really found the time to go back to school. I was always working too many hours or had too may other priorities. The time has finally come where I am out of excuses and full of excitement and the drive to finally finish!

I have been a little nervous about returning to school so much older than the average student. But I never really have grown up so perhaps I'll fit in or at least give everyone a laugh or two!

I would love to make some fabric book covers like the one pictured above and a pencil case - maybe one of the two pictured below or both.  While a pencil case seems like a way to add fun to an everyday item, I also see it as a way to be organized. I'll be on the go constantly during the week balancing my normal 40 hour work week with three classes. I'll have to stay organized to be successful.






I have also already planned to make the Amy Butler messenger bag below as a way to carry text books and other items too and from class. I'll be able to easily switch from my work bag into my school in a matter of seconds with everything I need for either location packed neatly inside.





It also wouldn't be back to school if new clothes weren't involved. I am pretty excited about my back to school dress that I am working on. It deserves it own post so for now you'll have to wait, but I promise you are going to love it!

Chambray Laurel

Pattern:  Colette Pattern's Laurel
Fabric:  Chambray from Baron's Fabric in Woodland Hills
Styled with: Blue Wedges (I have had them for years and forgot where I purchased them)


Let me tell you first that I love this pattern!  It is simply beautiful and sews up fast.  It is a great way to let a good piece of fabric "do the talking".  However, something is just wrong with this version and I don't know what.  Maybe the hem length?

I made this up in a Chambray from the local fabric store, which sadly is going out of business or rather has decided to only sell sewing machines. I purchased the last of the bolt at a steal and had some to spare after making this dress (Yay)! 

I also found a beautiful trim at our local vintage market which occurs one weekend of every month.  I really should take pictures next time I go.  It is has a wide array of vintage things for just about any collector and is huge.

I thought this might be sort of a homage to the original chambray shirt with a nautical twist with the trim.  I don't know what do you think?  Does it work?  Or should I modification?

Summer Time Bowl Covers

Project: Bowl Covers
Fabric: K. Fassett Fat Quarters
Bowls:  Crate and Barrel Parker Bowls (no longer available)

Bowl covers are super easy to make and perfect for summer time picnics, barbecues and other get togethers.  I love that you can essentially make your table setting beautiful while protecting your food from flies and maybe even deter little impatient fingers.

These are simple to make and can be adaptable to any bowl size.  You might notice the green bowl is drowning just a little, I really made that bowl cover for a large white plastic bowl that I have.  It is the most common one I take to potlucks because I really won't cry if I lose it, well maybe a little I have had it a long time.  However, I thought it would photograph better with my Parker Bowls and I really intend to make a bowl cover for every one them eventually as I use up scraps and bits of fabric that compliment the bowls.

In other summer time news, BIG NEWS, my Plumeria plant is blooming!!  My husband's family has a lot of households that have a plumeria or two and there seems to be a friendly competition of who can get their plumeria to bloom.  While they survive quite well in California they are really more of a tropical plant and a can be a little finicky with it's blooms.  We lost one completely over the winter, but with much luck and lots of TLC the survivor bloomed!!

Smocking Class and Inspiration

I recently took a smocking class at my local quilting shop, Cotton and Chocolate, the same store I took my recent quilting class.  The instructor was a well known smocker/heirloom sewing teacher who lives in the area, Vaune Pierce.  She was a great instructor and is very passionate about smocking and teaching the art of smocking to others.  We are pretty fortunate!



Many of you might already know this, but it really never clicked in my head this way before.  Smocking is the art of embroidery on pleats.  Well, I don't know how to embroider!  I have been meaning to take a class or do a small project to teach myself, but haven't.  I took the class with my mother-in law whose been doing needlework a long time so, if I needed extra instruction she was able to help.



We learned the cable stitch, trellis stitch and how to do a small flower. My practice pleat cloth is getting better, but I intend to fill it up with as much practice as I can before moving onto my first project.  Sorry, not going to take pictures of it - I would rather inspire you with a few picture/pins I found via Pinterest.



Smocking can make gorgeous heirloom clothing for small children and the inspiration for that is abundant everywhere.  I was actually surprised to find some designer clothing and a few adult sewing related items. It may be more rare but is absolutely gorgeous!  I am dreaming of a dress with a smocking detail!

Finished Project - Scallop Hazel

Pattern: Colette Pattern's Hazel 
Fabric: Black and White Polka Dot Eyelet with Scallop border (if I remember correctly it was from                           Fabric.com)
Styled with:  Black flats and a white belt

It probably goes without saying but the Hazel is one of my favorite summer dress patterns.  It looks great in a variety of fabrics and sews up quick and easy.  Also, depending on how you style it, can be dressy or more casual.

For this revision, I really wanted to do something with a scallop hem.  I had never done this before but I read through but I read through this tutorial provided by Colette patterns before beginning.  This really helped take a lot of the guess work out of the process and on my first try everything lined up perfectly!

My only change to the basic pattern was to turn the regular straps into a Halter that ties in the back.  Given that I already have a couple Hazel dresses and wanted this to be a go to casual summer dress it fit.

PS. You probably noticed, I got my hair cut a few weeks ago.  It is a shoulder length layered style that I never really pictured as something that would look good on me.  However, I found it is much more lively than my long hair and surprisingly I can style it more ways!

Cherry Licorice

I can't believe it has taken me so long to post pictures of this dress!  This was the final garment I made for Sew Colette last year, but due to unforeseen circumstances I really didn't finish it until early this year. 

I have had a hard time finding time to blog lately and an even harder time getting photos taken.  I have still been sewing though and hope to get back on track in the coming months.  I had a few things that just were not working for me and some of that has been resolved lately.  Back to the dress...



I have to tell you I made this out of quilting cotton from Joann's, a mistake I probably won't make again.  It is a pretty dress and I have got a lot of wear out of it, but it seems stiffer and heavier than other quilting cottons.

I was also really distracted while making this dress and was only sewing in about 15 minute increments or less during this time, I ended up cutting out the lining for the dress 2 other times due to mistakes with sewing, but I finally finished.  I would love to make another of these dresses now that I am finding more time to sew.


Pattern:  Colette Sewing Handbook  - Licorice Dress
Fabric - Cherry Cotton
Styled with: Red Shoes from Nine West (barely seen in top photo)

Ice Cream Dress

I can't believe it, but Spring is already here in Southern California and has been for several weeks!  The beautiful tree pictures above is in my front yard and I get to enjoy it every time I enter or leave the front door.

 

After being under the weather for the past two weeks I am ready to get out and enjoy the sunshine!  If you haven't had the flu yet this season -avoid anyone who has it like you would the plague! 

 

Do you remember me posting about the Ice cream cone dress?  I actually finished this many months back, but I chose such a plain pattern that when I got it put together I didn't think it was a chic as the original inspiration.  I pretty much was going to avoid posting about it again altogether and really hadn't worn it much either, but it was also cold outside. I needed something quick to pull on the other day to run out and get dog food and run a few other errands.  Wouldn't you know, in the short amount of time I was out I received many compliments!  After that I figured I could be brave and post it on the blog.  Sadly, I really don't have the proper accessories for this outfit to stand out.  I think I would like to purchase this belt from Modcloth in the next few weeks to wear with this dress over the summer.  What do you think?

 

Speaking of both Ice cream dresses and Modcloth, are any of you following the Carrie Diaries on the CW?  Carrie was wearing this Modcloth dress which has ice cream and other yummies on a current episode and looked amazing.

Quilting Class Review

A few weeks ago I attended my first ever actual sewing class at Cotton and Chocolate Quilting Company in Thousand Oaks.  I am pretty fortunate to live so close, as this store is pretty well known in the surrounding areas for having a wide array of amazing fabrics and fabulous instructors.

I ended up selecting the Friendship Braid Quilt class, the pattern is from this book: Jelly Roll Quilts and the sneak peak above is my quilt in progress.

My instructor Diane was awesome!  She was not only a lot of fun, but I was impressed that she not only offered clear instructions to get us going, but was able to move fluidly around the class spending time with each of us and always seemed to be "right there" when you needed her most.

I would definitely recommend taking a class at Cotton and Chocolate if you happen to be in or live near the area.

In case you are curious the fabrics are once again Kaffee Fasett, can you tell I have a bit of a love affair going on? I have completed the vast majority of the piecing and once I decide on the border and backing fabric I will be finishing the quilt top and moving on to the sandwiching and quilting stages!

Other news, I mentioned awhile back a special surprise and here she is.......

I have finally upgraded my trusty Hello Kitty sewing machine!  After much research and a lot of thought I decided on a Bernina 330.  While this is on the lower end of Bernina models it still has heads and tails more functionality than my Hello Kitty machine and the stitch quality (which was my chief complaint about the older machine) is beautiful!

This is looking to be an exciting year for sewing!

Sew for Victory

As many of you may know by now Lucky Lucille is hosting Sew for Victory, a 1940's inspired Sew-along.

I am scrambling to participate but seem to have many an abundance of small projects piling up on my sewing table that are in some form of progress. We'll talk about those later, back to the Sew-along.

I have been trying not to over commit to ... I mean we all suffer from too little time too many projects, but I really want to participate in this sewing along and I had just purchased the perfect pattern that would help me keep things simple, Simplicity 1962 version B.

If you have been following along with the posts on Lucky Lucille you'll know that for notions I have a blue slide fastener as zippers were typically called back then and while my pictures do not correctly reflect it the button I purchased has a look similar to some of the buttons Rochelle posted from the Sears catalog pictures from the 1940's.

I also thought this small print fabric reminded me of fabrics you might have seen.  However, the fabric is a silk chiffon, which from what I can recall would not have been easy to find with the rationing going-on.

Project photos are due March 29th which means I need to get the fabric and pattern cut pretty quickly and get to sewing!  Are any of you participating?  What are you making? 

Macaron

Pattern: Colette Patterns – Macaron

Fabric: Rosey, Cotton Gauze with white polka dots & Off-White cotton for contrast purchased from Hart’s fabric

Styled with: Shoes: Just Fab

Wear Again: You bet!

This was the second pattern from Colette’s that I ever remember seeing and immediately I wanted to make it! I am not sure why it took me so long to act on the urge except besides straight copying the white/blue sample from Colette’s I had a hard time finding fabric that I wanted to pair together.

However, when both Hart’s and Sew Colette 2.0 picked the same pattern for a sew-along in the same month – I had to get in on that and finally choose some fabric. Being the talented slacker that I am – I missed the deadline and this did not actually get sewn up until last month.

This is the perfect dress for work and I am sure I’ll make another in the near future.

Pattern Review:  I have to tell you there are a few moments when constructing this dress that I seriously thought to myself that this pattern and set of instructions were pure genius! (The pockets and sleeves for instance) and at least one instance (once again the pockets) that I was extremely nervous that I was reading the instructions correctly.

I did have an issue with the fit of the sleeves, but I am sure that is probably me and something I should have adjusted for – I am just not sure what and my Google searches were of no help. Basically when I put the bodice on the sleeve area was too tight to then pull the dress back up over my head without secondary party (read: husband) assisting me out of the dress. The funniest part about this issue is that I could get the dress on just fine on my own and that it felt and looked comfortable – it just didn’t want to come off. I finally went in and surged again around the armholes this time as close to the regular line of stitching as I could without going over it in hopes that I would open up the area some. This actually works and I can finally get the dress over my head on my own. Has anyone heard of this type of fit issue and what is it called?

Red Quilt

I still haven't finished my Craftsy BOM quilt, but I did find time to piece together patchwork style some 6" charm packs from Kaffe Fassett's Fire collection.  I thought these fabrics were so bold and beautiful that they could pretty much stand on their own and the simple pattern would allow them to POP!

This is probably the simplest type of quilt that you can put together.  I literally just showed the little square together with a quarter inch seam in rows.  I did use a guide I found on the internet that told me how many charm packs would equal the size quilt that I wanted. For the "quilting" portion of the quilt I did little tie tacks embroider on the corners of each square.

This quilt is a full size quilt without any overhang. It is almost perfect for just snuggling-up on the couch which was the main intention behind the quilt. To be perfect I would have liked it to be just a little wider.

For the back of the quilt I chose this cabbage and rose print from the same collection.  I wanted the back of the quilt to stand out just as much as the front in this particular case.

I included this picture so hopefull you could see the litte tie tacks.  I alternated between a pink and a red that I thought fit with the theme of the quilt.

For a first quilt - this was perfect!  Now I am looking forward to piecing together something a bit more complicated.

Black Lily

Pattern: Colette Patterns – Lily

Fabric: Black Cotton Pique purchased from Denver Fabric

Styled with: Shoes: Poetic License purchased from Modcloth
Wear Again: YES! YES! YES! Maybe even make again!

This is actually my second version of the Lily dress. I made the first version a Lavender color during the Spring Palette Challenge 2012. However, I never really got around to taking pictures of it – even though I wear it quite frequently.

This version is no exception – and currently on high rotation in my closet! I love that I can pair it with everything and it is casual enough for work (when paired with a cardigan) but dressy enough for a date night out with my husband.

Pattern Review: While there are more pattern pieces than most beginner/easy patterns that is really the most time consuming or difficult thing about this pattern. The construction is straightforward and simple. I only needed my basic usual adjustments which was grading from a smaller size to a larger size and the fit is flattering and comfortable.

I could see this made up in a myriad of delightful colors! I am thinking of making a version with pocket and collar flap contrast as my next version. But first back to my goal of finishing the projects sitting in my wine crate….

Update and other miscellaneous Information

First, I wanted to let all of you know that Corina of Geminae, previously Reverse Clothing has decided to focus on something else for the time being and because of that is hosting giveaways every Wednesday with a winner announced every Friday while seh depletes the remaining items from her clothing line/store.

I bet you are wondering if I have dropped off the face of the planet for another four months.  The answer is - no!  I have been busy sewing up a storm and have many new things to show you.

However, as part of my realization that I spent much of last year too stressed out to do much sewing and for some reason too stressed out to take care of myself, I have started a daily routine to ensure that certain things are accomplished.  I am already feeling like a healthier, happier version of myself! 

I still have some catching up to do in many areas and have been focusing on that, but I will be back to posting very soon.  I actually can't wait to share a few things that I have made and some other sewing news of mine!