More Skirts, No News

My plans to make dresses are falling prey to my laziness. I have, however, cranked out a couple of skirts.

I'm So Official/I Have a Serger!

It's here, my Brother 1034D 3/4 Thread Serger is here, right here ... in this house. My fellow seamstresses have to know why I'm so excited. I mean, I've been sewing on a Singer from the 50s, so I was in the dark about the strides the home sewing industry had made. I can attach a ruffle to another piece of fabric without gathering it myself? I can have finished seams just like the ones on store-bought clothes? Word?

So yeah, real excited about this despite the serious complexity of this machine.

Also, discovered some gorgeous fabrics online. (I'm telling you, Etsy is the spot for EVERYTHING!) Vogue is cool for well-priced, pretty standard pieces and accessories, and Jo-Ann has a few cute patterns in the quilting section, but if you really want something unique, you have to take it to the internet. Peep my latest purchases.

Check out Fabricworm on Etsy for more fabrics.

And while their fabric selection is a bit too pricey and just okay, Jo-Ann has the best pattern sales anywhere. Now I'm not so much into the whole pattern thing, but when a dress is on the agenda, I need some guidance, preferably guidance for $2.99 or less. No matter when you go, you can count on Jo-Ann offering just that, patterns marked way down--anywhere from $0.99 to $2.99. My latest picks are adorable.





Notice that they're all fast and easy. Mmm hmm.

Nothing To Do With Sewing or Knitting/R.I.P. Mike

Look, I don't pretend to really know Micheal Jackson, but being a 30-year-old whose earliest musical memories were saturated with his glittery gloves and moonwalk and mega hits, it does feel some kind of way to have an icon this big gone.

I don't know what plagued Mike. I don't know why he chose to live his life as he did. As a result, I can't really speak with any type of authority on his motivations. I do feel safe, however, in saying that he seemed to be plagued by what our Judeo-Christian society usually identifies as "demons." Hell, his life certainly looked painful and lonely from the outside. All I can do is say "skip it" (edited for the children) and prance through this trying life with a beatific smile on my face just because. If I look like Charlie during the denouement of Flowers for Algernon, so be it. I'm not letting this world drive me to an early grave.

So what am I saying? I know my message-y post screams incoherent through the six pack of eisbocks I'm drinking. Well, I suppose I'm saying a little selfishness isn't so bad all the time. And I suppose that if you're a cross-dressing fella with a penchant for shiny black Louboutins, you shouldn't be ashamed of that. I'm a heathen. I don't believe in reboots, reincarnation or heavenly rewards. Enjoy what you can now cuz living for other folks won't make you any happier; it'll just give you a heart attack and allow people you probably don't like to spout some comforting lies at your funeral.

Now, to my musical appreciation. Some of Mike's finest moments. (And yes, I did buy the Invincible album; i got the orange cover, so there! I'm a bigger fan than you.)

"I Can't Help It"


"Baby Be Mine" -- My favorite song by him ever!


"Butterflies"


"Man in the Mirror" Monica and I wrote a parody of this in 5th grade.


"Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" The fam and I used to dance like hell to this 12" in the crib.


"Big Boy" The beginning.

Quick Projects

You know those convertible dresses? The ones that double as both skirt and dress? I wanted one and didn't want to spend millions on it. So ...

It's much cuter in person, but I can't get it to flare out on the dress form.

Also, I wanted to try my hand at the tiered skirt. They're pretty easy. Use the tutorial here, and you'll be set. (Thanks Chica and Jo.)

Curiously, I had to hit up the quilting department to find such cute prints. I call it my Monica skirt. (There, Monica, is that enough of a plug?)

Chunky and in Need of Gear

Yep, your girl's been in the house eating and expanding. Now that it's necessary for me to leave the house AND look presentable, I can no longer rely on the three pairs of jeans that still fit. Nope, I had to hit up the Vogue Fabrics for materials to fashion some funky duds for the chunky. In all, I've done some pretty quick and easy stuff, a circle skirt here, a convertible dress there. My dresses are still in progress, as they require a bit more concentration and effort.

An as yet un-hemmed circle skirt made from what Schmoses called,
"your ugliest fabric yet." Clearly, I disagree.

Another circle skirt from cotton damask. The high waistband allows me
to mask my gut.

The first circle skirt I made this summer.
A bit too short, but I'm sure my need for Spanx will
provide some additional insurance.

This is actually a relic from one or two summers ago.
Originally, it had an elastic waist and no net overlay.
The waist band is much better. If you recall, I was trying to
emulate a Martin Margiela skirt:



I think it worked out well. I may even do another is silk.

All styled and pretty.

So ... yeah ... knitting

Let's just say I've been on hiatus, a very lazy and unproductive hiatus. It's not that I don't want things and that I don't want to make them, I just don't feel like making them. To help overcome this laziness, I've been easing back with some stylish and quick-to-knit cowls. Check it.

But I Have Been Knitting

Well, I was knitting before I went back to work this past Tuesday. School is in and I'm busy as eff. The Saturday before the holiday, though, I sat in bed and almost knit an entire cardigan; all I needed were sleeves and a collar. Unfortunately, I realized it did not, could not fit once I tried it on. That joint wasn't even trying to pretend to work. It was looking pretty cute too. See:



It's knit from that Rowan Big Wool I got on sale. Good thing I have balls and balls cuz it's gonna take a couple more to actually fit. After I took it apart (and I didn't feel too bad about this; it only took one day's work), it looked like this (and yes, that is an Ebony, so what?):



So, I've started the process all over again. I guess I should note it's Twinkle's Best Friend Cardigan, but I re-wrote the pattern to have raglan sleeves cuz I hate the idea of knitting an entire body and then having to go back to do sleeves. Oh, and I also eliminated the reverse stockinette. I think I like the regular stockinette better. The alterations seem to be working out well. I just need to decide which buttons to use. What do you think?