Salad Days

Hello again...

 

What have I been up to lately?  Working endlessly...(blergh) and cooking up a storm!  The husb and I are trying to be good and have cut out all processed foods (at least for a while!).  I was hesitant at first, but I'm really enjoying it. 

If there's one thing I enjoy as much as I love getting dressed in the morning, it's food.  ("Food, glorious food...!")  I'm sure there will be skeptics out there, but anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I chow down like I'm a contestant in an eating competition--hence my childhood nickname "The Stomach". Luckily, this "clean food" thing is providing me with enough food that I don't wake up in the middle of the night gnawing on my own leg. 

(If you want to try it, or at least test some of the amazing recipes, click here!)

I started these pants almost a month ago, but my Sweden trip and jam-packed workweeks prevented me from finishing them until just recently.  I'm loving the super-high waist, and I hemmed them to wear with my tallest platforms.

I used this pattern, found on Etsy.  Probably the easiest Vogue pattern I've ever used.

 And a soft, flowy brown linen.

Now all I need to do is make some blousy silk tanks to wear with them.  It's just too hot for sleeves right now!

Uncertainty & Tie-Dye

I have a long 2 weeks ahead of me.  I'm potentially up for a promotion at work, & waiting to hear back is excruciating.  In times like these, there's no better way to forget the stress than a messy tie-dye project!

I love dyeing fabric; it's like a grown-up version of dyeing Easter eggs.  So simple, but there are so many ways to manipulate the dye and create something really amazing...OR amusing, if you consider the crazy tie-dye skinny jeans I made a few years ago!  They were really fun, but were quickly retired to the "clothes to wear while doing laundry or chores" drawer.  It just goes to show that clothes don't last if they're too costumey.  Oh, annnd I should stop wearing things just because they're hilarious...

I think I've learned my lesson from that first attempt.  This time, I'm tie-dyeing a basic white button-up in just one color--a great terracotta/butterscotchy brown.  This is actually inspired by a cardi I saw on Sea of Shoes earlier last summer.  I loved the cardi version, but I wanted something more summery, to pair with shorts or tuck into a full skirt.

This is the top I brought from Old Navy:

A packet of trusty Dylon in Terracotta:

Yep, just me in my garage with a tarp, a bit of butcher paper, a Nalgene full of fabric dye, and a turkey baster.

 The shirt fabric is super thin, so it was really easy to twist sections into little knots and secure everything with rubber bands.  I started with a damp shirt fresh out of the washer, twisted it up, and then applied dye at frequent intervals for a little over an hour.

Finally, after a hosing off in the driveway, a quick rinse in the washer, and a complete air drying:

Perfect!

A lot of the fun in tie-dye comes from the uncertainty, I think.  You have no idea how it will turn out, and it's a total mess while you're doing it, and then you unroll it and it's perfect (unless you really f*ed it up of course!).  Hopefully in a few weeks, everything will be fine and I will wonder why I was so stressed.  And when that happens, maybe we can all go out for a drink, & I'll wear my new shirt!

Instant Gratification

I snagged this skirt at Buffalo Exchange a while ago.  I love the fluffiness and the neutral ombre-ish silk, but I broke one of my own shopping rules: Never buy something that doesn't fit perfectly.  Oops.

Umm...?  Time for a quick & dirty alteration!

Before: Ginormous--this would barely sit around my hips if I didn't take in the waist!  I think I'll be taking in about 7 inches.  With a pinch here, & a pinch there...

Sew the waistband closed at each pinch...

And voila...

Button-up, Target via Buffalo Exchange
Belt, H&M via clothes swap
Skirt, Buffalo Exchange
Flats, Urban Outfitters

And Lola, our giant Lab!

Would a professional take in the waistband this way?  Absolutely not.  But this took me less than 15 minutes to get from "What was I thinking??" to Totally Wearable.  Works for me!

Candy Stripes

I don't really consider myself a girly-girl, but as you may have noticed, skirts are basically my uniform. Maybe it's my Catholic school upbringing ;-)  And I'm really excited about the resurgence of realistic hemlines for fall.  Not only do I already have these pieces in my closet, but it also means that I won't see as many cheeks whenever I go downtown!  One can hope, right?


Over the summer, I started making a pink seersucker skirt, but stopped midway when I decided it looked too "baby" (and when I realized the waistband was a better fit for my thigh than my actual waist--oops!).  Ever since, I've been on the lookout for a great pink/white stripe fabric for my second attempt.  I finally settled on this from Mood Fabrics:

And used a pattern I already had.

This is ridiculously easy to make.  Only 6 pieces to cut, an invisible zipper, & a button--that's it!  Invisible zippers sound scary, but aren't as tricky as they seem.  Just follow the directions in the package...and don't melt the coils when you iron.  Everyone says you need an invisible zipper foot to sew an invisible zipper, but I'm not sure I believe it.  My machine didn't come with one, but when I went to my local fabric/sewing shops, no one seemed to know what I was talking about!  Hmmm!  So, I just used the standard foot, and stitched verrry slowly and carefully to avoid breaking the needle or straying from the edge of the coil.

The finished product.  You'll be seeing this again soon!

Let's Make a Dress--Part 2

So, I've dyed, rinsed, dried 5 yards of fabric, and harvested vintage fabric from an unused jacket.  I decided not to fully line the dress as indicated on the pattern instructions--the mere thought of an extra layer made me feel sweaty.  Yuck!  I used this pattern--super easy to follow.  Just cut the pieces & follow the instructions, pin, sew, and repeat until your piles of fabric turn into a dress!

I did run a little short on the main fabric, so I cut the pocket and belt linings from sari silk left over from another project (actually several projects, but that's for another post)...

This was the first time I got to use my new overlock machine, a birthday gift from my parents.  If you do a lot of sewing, I think you'll understand my excitement.  It makes everything so much easier, and finishes all those edges that would normally fray in the wash!

While sewing my buttons on I watched Cartoon Noir via Netflix.  Check it out!  Especially the mannequin short "Club of the Discarded".

But anyways...voila!  The finished product:

Let's Make a Dress--Part 1!

One of many things on my long, long list of projects is a 50's style shirtdress--full skirted goodness in some sort of lightweight cobalt blue cotton.  It's hard to imagine anything heavier in this weather!

 I couldn't find the exact shade I wanted at the local fabric shops, so when I came upon a pure white crinkled cotton gauze at Jo-Ann's, I whipped out a 50% coupon (courtesy of mother-in-law) and got away with 5 yards of fabric for only $15. Ahh, so that's how coupons work! Scooped up a packet of Dylon in "Ocean Blue", which was the closest to the shade I was hoping for. Not cobalt, but still a good saturated bright blue.

Some quality time in the kitchen cooking up some delicious fabric...

While waiting for my fabric color to process, I dug up a vintage jacket I bought at Feathers last year.  I loved the fabric, but hadn't worn it much.  Hmm, was it time to give the jacket a new life?

I think yes!!

To be continued....