Mizono Dress

VOGUE 1312

I was so glad to see this pattern come out with a dress version!  You can get a free pattern and tutorial to make the skirt version on Shams great blog Tablecloth skirt  She even has a gallery with pics of all the skirts her readers have made.

. I made my dress version in a woven poly gabardine so the angles would really "stick out"and serged them on the outside for better visibility.  I used my TNT top pattern superimposed on their bodice so it wouldn't be quite so bare.  I had originally lengthened it, which I almost always have to do (I'm 5'10") but it didn't really look good longer so I cut it back to original length (at the midrift seam).

                                                                                     

In other news I went to Fabric Mart yesterday (I'm so lucky to live in PA!) and they were having a great sale on their "round tables". As I've mentioned before this is all the fabric that for some reason they aren't selling on their website any more and includes some great designer stuff. Every thing on these 15-20 tables was $1.99.  The sale has been going on for 2 weeks but I still found some great "basics" in neutral colors in high-tech fabrics that I can use for some of the experimenting I want to do when I  attempt to make the following things:

Tornado dress by Rick Owens  $1200  (pretty wild, even for me)

I may use the following pattern by Julian Roberts for my first attempt. I bought this from Center for Pattern Design but do not see it on their website any more.

Another thing I want to try to make is some version of the "Dress to Kill" big pocket skirt

And there are even some older Vogue skirt patterns that are a bit unusual that I'd like to try.  I have loads of summer type fabric I'd love to make up in funky skirts though I probably won't get to wear them til next spring. Stay tuned for some wierd creations!  "Have fabric, will experiment" is my motto!

Fabric Mart's new blog

I was honored by the ladies from the new blog at Fabric Mart to be their first guest blogger. They did a good job of going through my old blogs and included the ones with sewing designs that I would have chosen myself as most creative.  Here it is and you can find out on it the other three bloggers who made the trip to FM with me and are HUGE Fabric Mart fans!     FabricMart's BLOG

On another note, I am still finishing up summer projects that involve crochet and sewing.  Here is a "retro" look I made with tie-dyed knit fabric (Vogue Sandra Betzina's 1297) and a crocheted vest from the 70's
to go over it

        Stay tuned for more summer outfits shortly as I want to finish them up and start on Autumn!

Sewing Crochet challenge---purses

I'm trying to make up some of my Vogue patterns for summer before the new Fall ones come out.  Today I quickly made up version A of  8816 (my outfit picture comes later)

I made it in a light weight jersy knit and it made up quickly and gives just the right amount of "coverage" to my aging body. I may even consider lengthening it to dress length.

Since I am trying to add CROCHET items to my sewing I decided to take a look at some of the designer crocheted purses and found several:

These 2 are from Dolce and Gabbana-----the granny square one is over $2000 and reminds me of and afghan!

I discovered that crochet is so popular this year that it is even used to make shoes!

from relatively inexpensive sandals  --------to pricey ones from Missoni:     

So, taking these all as inspiration I came up with the following outfit:

          

I have to admit that there was a pattern for the sandals in the last "Interweave Crochet" magazine which I was dying to try! Here is another picture of them ----I started with crocheting around a black flip-flop sole with the thongs cut off.

                                                          

Missoni crochet inspiration

I love the way one of my favorite bloggers, Carolyn of sewingfantaticdiary looks at all the latest runway styles and then decides to incorporate her favorites into renditions that are attractive on her. She even names her collections sometimes!

Well, I've been looking at this summer's Missoni collection and it uses LOTS of CROCHET, my favorite activity of the moment so have decided to attempt some Missoni "knock-offs" that will be appropriate for me.

Here are some actual Missoni  crocheted pieces that I would love to try to "knock-off":

                                      cool top and the wavy pattern is perfect for crochet

This is called "crochet Knit"---would be fun to figure out the stitches---love the colors

Maybe a skirt like the bottom of this dress?

                                                                                                           I'd love a long tunic just likethis!

I think this is a scarf!

I really love this but would need to make a slip-dress to wear under it---the model seems to just have tiny black underwear on!

I'm thinking I"d sew a skirt like this and crochet a MUCH larger top in co-ordinating colors!SSo, stay tuned as I attempt to got through a Missoni "knock-off" challenge----I'm off to check my yarn for colors I need.

A crochet/sewing challenge

I've been reading some of your great sewing blogs and have gotten into a sewing mood again! However I am still in love with crochet and all the new looks using it from the designers.  Therefore, I've decided to challenge myself this summer with mixing the two skills.  I"m going to try to make (and show you) some things that have both "hook and needle" skills in the outfits.    Here's my first combined outfit:

The dress is a pattern from the new Vogue Knitting CROCHET magazine.  Yes, that's right, crochet has become so popular that conservative old Vogue magazine has just published a magazine dedicated to "hooking"!          This was actually listed as a "bathing suit" cover-up----No WAY would I have worn it as that so the sewing part came in making a co-ordinating simple slip/dress to wear under it---my "crochet" friends seem to be more impressed by that than the dress!

Stay tuned for more in my self-challenge Sew/Crochet (or maybe knit) projects----I have boxes of patterns, fabric and yarn to work with!       peg

Crochet on the Runways

I can't believe it's been over a year since I had the wonderful visit and fabric shopping trip with Shams, Carolyn and Noile.   I see by their blogs that they are all still sewing wonderful things. Even though I don't comment much I love reading what they and you other bloggers are sewing!

 ME? I've only been sewing enough to make outfits to go with my new love--CROCHET.  I've known how to crochet for ages but have freshened up my skills since I see it everywhere in the new collections this spring.    Here are some of my creations:

I made a long black dress to wear under this crocheted skirt so there wouldn't be an extra slip layer.

I did make the Sewing Workshop Hudson pants and top to go with my crocheted assymetrical sweater.

I made this skirt as a joke for my friend Diane (a professional knitter)  to show her that crocheted "Granny Squares" can be trendy too!

I made another SW outfit to go under this crocheted sweater and purse.

My next endeavor with my hook will be to try to copy some pricey Missoni crocheted skirts that I've seen  so stay tuned and keep sewing, knitting and crocheting!  It's all Good!                                                             
                                                                               
                                                               

Holiday Knitting and Sewing

I'm still having fun with Sham's Tablecloth skirt. Here is my version in plaid wool that I've been wearing for holiday parties and shopping---I was asked at a boutique if it was Rundholz!

I needed a red sweater so decided to crochet one from the cover of the new "Crochet Today" magazine. As I've mentioned before for some things I think crochet looks trendier than knitting.

I love making holiday accessories too and put together several funky necklaces (the Nutcracker is my favorite)                                                   

Made several purses from "thrifted" sweaters     

I'm still knitting on my Christmas socks---love this yarn that changes colors to give the pattern-

Oh, and I can't forget my Christmas pajamas!

I'm already thinking about what I want to start after the first of the year for spring. Saw that Pantone's color of the year for 2012 is TANGERINE which I love!     Happy holidays to all.