Vogue 8468

Holy crap, I made something! Somehow everything aligned yesterday and both my fatigue and pain receded enough for me to get something done. Weird. I've started seeing a new doctor for my arthritis, but it's too early for anything to happen. Well, I just took it as a gift, and made a dress. I didn't want to make a muslin and I didn't want something I couldn't wear in a month or two. (I don't want to talk about what happened with my latest elimination diet, but I am left with only a few foods that I can eat anymore.) So, I went to my stash and grabbed 8468, which is from 2008, but which I had never made. I did my best to strike a sullen model pose. (Actually, it's just what I kind of look like.)

It's a basic shift dress with gathers under the front yoke, and I was always surprised that Vogue released it. Just doesn't seem their kind of thing.

It's pretty cute from the front and back, but the side view is hideous. I suspected it would be before I started; this style is just not suited for bosomy ladies. I'm gonna show you, because I really have no shame.

It's my grandmother's house dress. I was prepared, but jeez. So bad. However, it was nice just to st down at the sewing machine and make something uncomplicated. I've lost so much weight that almost I  need to refit all my tried and true patterns. Oh well. Maybe when I get well, I can enjoy the weight loss. Anyway, it's not my job to look good, so my dresses can be as unflattering as hell as long as I am having fun. 

Project Notes: I did not look at the pattern instructions, nor did I line this dress. ( I am a big fan of slips.) The fabric is a quilting cotton I bought years and years ago, and I just used bias tape on the neck and arm holes. The neckline was crazy high on this. I lowered it a bit and could have taken out even more. I'm not gonna make this again, but it will work as a shift around the house or when things get really hot outside.

Vogue Patterns, Summer 2013

Well, the new patterns are up on the Vogue site, and as usual there are some crazy poses and questionable fashion choices. There are a few cute dresses, but the one one that caught my eye the most was a lovely Kay Unger dress. I think the style lines are nice, but this fabric is AMAZING.

There was also a lot of crap, but this is the one I wondered about the most. These sleeves are awful.

Aw well, it's Vogue's usual mixed bag of hits and hideousness.

Renfrew Top 2

I want it to be noted that this top was finished before the deadline of Faye's Essential Tops Sew-a-Long, but I had to go camping (as sometimes you do) and did not have time to photograph it. Although, posting the picture was far less important to me than the inspiration Faye gave me to finish my two tops in the first place.

The top is a little loose around the hips, which I think works better in my mind than it does on my body. The pattern is developed for pear shapes, and as I am an hourglass, I might want to take it in a little down below. Although, to be real, it doesn't really affect the wearability of this top. The fabric is a cotton/lycra obtained at my neighborhood fabric shop, Nancy's Sewing Basket. It does wrinkle easily (as was shown in my last version of this top) but I don't care. It's a t-shirt people, I'm not going to iron it once I step away from the sewing table. The sleeves and neck binding are leftover from the last top I made. I like that top quite a bit, but it's a little subdued for me. For this one, the only change I made was to shave a little off the shoulders. I may take off some more.

So yes, I have been off camping and it was awesome. We needed some warmth, so we drove down to Northern California. How do I camp with crappy arthritis you ask? We have a little Airstream. And I love it. I can crawl up in the back and read books if I am having a crappy day.

And here was the view from our campsite. So peaceful.

Renfrew Top

Okey doke. I have made my first top for Faye's Essential Tops Sew-a-long. I made the Renfrew top from Sewaholic Patterns.

It's a little ripply around the sleeve and hem edges because I had to go in and sew another hemline, since the first one wasn't deep enough and the edges folded under. (Normally, I wouldn't care so much, but it showed with this fabric.) Throwing it in the wash should take care of it. (Pressing can only take out so much with this cotton lycra stuff.)

You may notice from the line drawings that the pattern calls for bands instead of hems on the arms and bottom.

This did not work for me. (I made a muslin and it was a disaster.)  I may modify them in the future (to be smaller) but I found the shirt worked for me without them. This is the first shirt I have made mostly on my serger and the first knit shirt I have ever been satisfied with. The fit is not perfect, but it's a T-shirt and I'm not gonna drive myself silly trying to get that wrinkle over the bust out. (Also until I finish losing weight, I'm not gonna be perfecting the fit on anything. Waste of time.)

I enjoyed making this pattern, and I already have the fabric to make another one. The directions are clear, and while the bands didn't work for me, I can see how they would make the finishing look super professional.

Odds and Ends

I would have a new shirt to show you except for some misprinted fabric and a healthy dose of arrogance on my part. Not everybody needs to make a muslin. I do. (hangs head in shame.) Anyway, here are some other things I've got going on in my life.

1) The third episode to Super Awesome Film Club is up! We discuss John Carpenter's Halloween. Io doesn't like it; I do not disown her. (But I may be adopting Nick.) We also have a special guest.

2) Here is the March postcard for my year-long mail art project:

Yup, it's a velociraptor frolicing through a 70's landscape.  Cause that's how I roll.

Simplicity 1693 (modified) Dress/Tunic Prototype

Ok, I finally have a prototype for the dress/tunic that was thinking of making using Simplicity 1693 as a base. Why is this a prototype and not the finished item? Well, honestly I'm not really into shiny polyester charmeuse. Although it's cuter than I thought it would be and is fine for wearing around the house. Oh, you want a picture.

Here is the Orla Kiely inspiration:

Here are the line drawings from the pattern I used.

Awhile back, I took view B and modified it to have kimono sleeves. I then lengthened it by 12" and there you have it. (I did have to take it in a little bit because I am not the same size I was when I made the original shirt.) I'll be shopping my stash this weekend to find a more suitable fabric.

What's Left From the Carnage

So, I went through all my clothing, and put everything into 5 piles:

1. Still fits me.
2. Too big, but storing away for future use just in case.
3. Too big, but can easily be made smaller.
4. Too big, but don't really like, so donating.
5. Rag pile.

Here is what is left. (Not counting summer stuff in storage, which I also went through.)

Right now, I am short on knit tops and dresses. I had saved a bunch of stuff from when I had been smaller before, so I drug those out of storage and only had to buy 2 knit tops, a pair of jeans, and some bras. I could probably use more trousers, but I'm reluctant to buy/make any until my weight settles. As far as my sewing is concerned, I think I should focus on dresses, tunics, knit tops, and maybe a loose fitting lightweight jacket. Okay, at least now I know what I need.

The Tyranny of Food

So, I have a totally stupid sewing problem. My arthritis is weird enough that my rheumatologist thinks that it might be food related, so he sent me to a naturopathic nutritionist that works at the same clinic. There are a lot of people who are resistant to investigating food as the source of their illness, but I already have celiac disease and know how much of an impact food can have.  (A little teeny tiny bit of soy sauce can knock me out for 2+ days.) I am now on my third elimination diet (where they strip away possible allergens in your diet) and have lost about 20 pounds. (First we reduced amines, then I was on a grain-free elimination diet, and now we are testing salicylates.) This new diet is really strict, but I am cautiously optimistic about it, since the last one made me super sick. However, this is going to take a while longer to work out.

Now, my sewing policy has always been to sew for the size I am right now. Not what I want to be, or where I might be later. Right now. But, I seem to still be losing weight and am hesitant to whip up a bunch of clothes that won't fit me later. But I need new clothes, because the old ones are getting too baggy. I am starting to have a little more energy, but I need to approach any sewing with a plan.

1) See if I can take in some older stuff.
2) Sew new clothes in such a way that they would be easy to take in later if I need to.
3) Choose styles that aren't fitted so it won't be so noticeable if they are a little big.

I'm going to go to the store tomorrow and get a few things, but I hate shopping. What I really want to do is whip up the Hollyburn skirt from Sewaholic, but I'm holding off. Grr. Does this sound like I'm being whiney over something a lot of people would celebrate? Well, let me lay it out for you. I would happily be a size 16 forever if I did not have arthritis. Also, elimination diets are really hard. I cannot tell you how much I just want Indian or Mexican food right now. I have not had a chile or a tomato in forever. Sigh. Yes, I'm being a whiner, but I'm just going to embrace it. But seriously, I want this skirt.

Odds and Ends

Some things going on in my life:

1) Our second episode of Super Awesome Film Club is on Youtube.  We discuss Rio Bravo and Assault on Precinct 13.  (I have a not-so-secret love of John Carpenter movies.)

2) My Goodreads book club, Classic Trash, is reading The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde this month.  It's a lot of fun!

3) I am working on a year long postcard mail-art project. Here is the card I sent out for Valentine's day. Yeah, I know it is weird.  Wait until you see the March card.

This is Why I Always Make a Muslin

This isn't really supposed to fit this way. It's a little big up top, it's a lotta big in the middle, and it's too small at the bottom.  What is it supposed to look like?

Yeah, I'm not sure I want to put in the time to make the changes that I will need to fit this thing.  The Portrait Blouse in Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing is similar, so I might just try that out instead.