Ugh

The DuBarry dress is mostly constructed as in all the pieces are attached to each other. The fit is absolutely horrible. I think the problem is that the bodice length is really important. Since it extends to the hip, it really needs to be the proper length, otherwise, it will be too small around the hip. I should have shortened the bodice about two inches. Also, I might take out a couple of the pleats somewhere inconspicuous and looen it up a bit that way too. Otherwise, the fit is good. The bodice, aside from being too long, fits well in the bust and waist and I shortened the skirt about four inches. The pattern says to use snaps but I'm going to put in a zipper. Forget snaps....pain to sew on, and they don't stay closed.

DuBarry 5579

I'm starting this next. It's a shirtwaist with a drop-ish wast (not really, I guess, but I don't know what to call it) and pleated skirt. The collar is cut in one with the front (which I like because it means no fiddling with a damn collar, ease, or anything else. Sleeves are darted into the armhole. The pleats are topstitched. It will actually look like this picture because I'm using green and white seersucker, but not intentionally. There are only 5 pieces to this dress, which is nice because pleating the skirt will be tiresome enough. It won't be hard....just tedious.

My hope is that the with the dress being fitted through the hip, the fullness at the bottom will balance out the top of me. Cute dress and I think it will be comfy in the summer.

Murphy le Chaton: Hell on four legs

Pictures of my cat. Last night he slid the length of my kitchen table to grasp the fabric AND the pattern instructions and mess both up as much as possible. 70 year old instructions....conquered. The moral of this tale: Never NEVER use the original. I really should practice what I preach. Fortunately the pieces were spared this fate and I probably don't NEED the instructions to use the pattern, but who wants to see something like this happen to their 1940 pattern? Not me.

The sewing bug strikes again

I haven't sewn in a really long time so I decided to start up a couple things. Banged out a blouse today. It's from Simplicity 3394. I've made it before but this went soooo much smoother. I suck at anything with ease but the sleeves went in fairly problem free. They're not 100% but I can't emphasize how much I like looking at them. Feeling like I've made forward progress motivates me to get other projects done.

The fabric is a calico print from Joann Fabrics. It's a light blue with a slight green undertone. I guess that makes it aqua. The print is white geometric circles.

This is with flash in my apartment. Yeah, lighting in my place is shit. Also, my dress form isn't adjusted for my fat so that's why the blouse doesn't fit properly in this pictures. It fits me really well.

I just happened to have these buttons but I really like how the raised part of the button echos the print.

What I would change:

The blouse buttons with three buttons with the bottom one at the natural waistline. There needs to be a fourth or the three buttons need to be shifted down. I do have a fourth button that I may add to the bottom. Next time, If I make this again, I'll shift them down. I like there to be a little more of an opening at the top.

What I like

I love the fit of this blouse. There are darts in the front and four tucks in the back that make it really fitted below the waist. The pattern size is definitely true to size. Whips up really quickly!

My mom found these aqua colored mason jars at my grandmother's house. Love them! One had a glass lid, but mom gave me some vintage metal lids for the rest. Haven't decided how I'm going to use them or what I'm going to put in them.

Knitting Setbacks

I felt so motivated working on my little projects but alas, I left my knitting on the coffee table only to come home to a trail of yarn that ended somewhere in the bedroom. Murphy had picked up the ball of yarn from the coffee table and proceeded to bat it around the whole apartment until the ball ran out. There was yarn stuck in the springs of the recliner! I couldn't get it unstuck and ended up breaking the yarn twice. Rolling up a ball of yarn is very hard with a cat close on your heels. I had to stand directly over the yarn as I wound it up and gave Murphy a shove with my foot every time he got the glint in his eye or the wiggle in his butt. So, for now, I've wound my yarn and stuffed it into a bin in the 2nd bedroom's closet. I feel so unmotivated right now! Sad story. :(

Apparently, stressing out about money makes me spend more. So contradictory, but a typically self-destructive behavior. Perhaps if I don't write it down in a semi-public forum it isn't true and it didn't really happen.

I really liked something about this fabric. There are 2.5 yards with a good deal of soiling where it was folded but I'm going to do some research and soak the hell out of it and hope for the best. It was only $8 and still probably not worth the price per yard considering I have no idea whether it will come clean, but it really isn't a lot of money and if it does clean, then yea; I will make a shirt.

Completely gratuitous and pointless purchase of cotton flannel. It's spring for god's sake but there are 6 yards for a reasonable price and enough yardage to make a whole pair of pajamas....that's totally worth it, right?

Tell me, how in the world was I supposed to pass this up? Seriously. There was the cutest 30s novelty fabric with fish but it had been sold already. I know that I would have paid far more than i should have if it was available. So this is a really great second place purchase here. There are 2.5 yards and the wheels in my head are spinning madly. What can I make with this? I will think of something, I know it.

Hollywood 1112

In my infinite wisdom, I have decided that I needed a pair of culottes/capris. Looking back on it, I'm not sure what lead me to this conclusion.

Simplicity 3835 (revised)

I bought another pattern. *hangs head in shame*

It's adorable, though, right?

Dear Ebay, You're the devil. Sincerely, Kate.

I believe that they are all a size 18 so perhaps my fat ass will fit into these. I am so terrible (read: lazy) at re-sizing patterns beyond some simple hems and maybe taking things in or letting them out at the sides. I probably won't do anything with a couple of these and will list them on Etsy or something but there are a couple I would love to get into for Spring/Summer. My cat, Murphy goes nuts when I knit...I am very scared to know what will happen when I attempt to sew.

Also, Dallas Stars beat the Caps last night. What?!

Knitting for babies is like chocolate

Instant gratification and a profound sense of pointlessness afterwards. (Because I don't have a baby and the people I know having babies don't have the same sense of what's cute.)

My thoughts are turning to spring...

and let me just say that I love 1930s sportswear. I need to get all up on that.