Finally finishing!

Finishing is a lovely thing....

These projects are two years old and I'm finally finishing them.  I will post better pictures later...

(BTW, I can tell my sewing skills have improved.  Some of the things on these doublets are just atrocious. :-)

Sixteen going on Seventeen

I'm so excited!  So... I am sixteen going on seventeen.  And I LOVE the Sound of Music.  Last year I didn't have a sweet 16 birthday party, we just you know, hung out.  We were pretty worn out with the Grad party and all. Anyway, this happens to be my golden birthday so.....I'm throwing a ball!  Yup!   I've been brainstorming about themes (renaissance, historic, regency, hoedown, formal etc.) and of course what I'm going to make to wear.  I've decided that I don't need to decide yet, but I DEFINITELY need to make Liesl's dress.  I was going to draft it, but here is a pattern!  I was SO excited when I found it.  Click on the pattern to go see where you can buy it.  What really cool is that it is made by a young girl who is concerned about modesty!

Ok, so design stuff.

In the movie it looks lavender at the table, and light blue/cream/aqua in the garden.  In the publicity photos though it is VERY obviously pink.  

So what color should I do mine?

I'm very undecided and I like them all.

CoolBook 2011

Warning: This isn't a post for your brothers.  I don't want to stumble anyone.

   Guess what I got in the mail yesterday?  The Illinois Coolbook 2011.  Being all of 16, I'm going to the prom, right?  Well, no.  But they think so apparently.  Being the designing/sewing/fashion type I was a little excited, as anybody would be.  "Oh cool!  Maybe some inspiration, or at least I can see what is in this season."  Well, I was inspired and I now know what is in, but I can't say I was impressed.  In fact, I was rather appalled.  I know everybody is going green and cutting back, but really, putting holes in dresses?  Surely we are not that desperate! :-)  If you are interested in seeing what was in the book, it is all online.

http://www.thecoolbook.com/2011/alldresses/index.html

The coolbook.  If this is cool, we ought to be so uncool.  Anyway, something I noticed, even though they were still strapless, the models all looked so much better in white!  The white dress pictures were taken outside with the sun in the background and flowers and if the dresses were more modest I would go so far as to say it was well made, very pretty, and very feminine.  However...

The pictures taken inside used (mostly) seductive poses, really bright colors, guady jewelry (all probably a throwback to who knows when), weird holes, and legs...

Hip high slits were ubiquitous and the models were obvious trying to show as much of their legs as possible.  Sequins and beads covered almost every bodice, drawing very inappropriate attention.  Seriously though, their whole carriage, there attitude would say the exact same thing even if she was wearing a turtleneck and long flowy skirt.

Girls who go to prom are 16, 17, or 18.  I'm 16.  Many of my readers are probably 14 to 19.  We are all in the same group guys.  This is what our generation thinks is cool.  Hopefully this isn't our view.  But what do we do?  

Think about it......

........What can we do?

There is so much sewing and design talent out there in the blogosphere.  You may not know who you are, but I've seen you.  You guys are great.  There has got to be something we can do!

How can we make a difference for Christ?  We all want to be different, but we should not be different for different's sake.  We need to be different for JESUS.  Get in your Bible and study.  Find out why you dress modestly and know how to defend it.  Be ready to give and answer as Timothy says.

We can make a difference gals. 

I'm working on something in my head and I'll post about it soon, but until then, just think about it.

And pray.

A friend's video adventures, check them out and spread them around!

And Beowulf! Super cool, especially if you had to read the book for Brit Lit this past semester. :) This girl was in my class and she and her brother put this together.

Before the War

Before the War

1913 ~ Oil on Canvas laid down on Boa

Private Collection

Charles Courtney Curran

Merry Christmas!!

Purple Cowl Tunic

Once again, Simplicity 2580!  This time I simply cut the skirt a little early to make it a tunic.
Since I have an aversion to binding knits, I modified the way the bodice is put together so that I wouldn't have to bind the sleeveless edges.  I also added ties, since I didn't have to make them, and a bow just adds class.

Before

Here is my fabric!  Yes, a large thrifted summer knit dress.  I had just enough, and it is SO comfortable.

Beading Bliss

More to follow!

After

Before

And ....

After!

These pictures were also taken in the Piazza, on the Cruise ship.  I wore it on our second formal night, which was on Thanksgiving.

So.... how did I fix it?

Well, I ripped out everything but the upper bodice, because that was already beaded.  Then I set about remaking the midriff section.  I used a raspberry thai silk for this and the ties and ruffle.  I hand-ruched the front midriff section and just made decorative ties for the back, they don't do anything. :-P  

I darted the bodice to fit.  Those gathers that were there previously did NOT work.

Then I cut the skirt up into a skirt from Simplicity 2580, once again.  I didn't have a lot of fabric, so it was a little short.  I added a silk ruffle on the bottom and beaded above it.

note to self:  Thai silk is amazing!!!!!!!  It is a dream to work with, and though it does fray, fraying in minimal.

No zipper!  just kidding.  It has a hidden side zipper.  I gotta say, that is the most difficult zipper I have ever done.

In my hair are matching combs.  I'll edit this later with detail pictures, but for now, voila!

SO much better than the before, eh?

Glittering Vermillion

For this dress I used Simplicity 2580 and a version of McCalls 5811.

The fabric is a shiny, sparkly, and very bright red sort of knit.  The top, or bodice is from the cowl part of the simplicity pattern and the bottom is almost a full circle skirt.  The skirt comes to just below the knee and the waist seam is an empire waist.  This picture was taken on the cruise where I wore it for a formal night.  

Accessories: Black shoes, black cami, black fashion belt, black coverup (It is sleeveless), black headband, and silver jewelry.

Sorry I didn't get a better picture. :-l