Doh!!! Self-fulfilling Prophesy

Friday's post about the jumpsuit turned into a self-fulfilling prophesy. Things are back on track now, but had you been standing outside the Craft Lounge door on Saturday, here's what you would have heard: 



So, instead of telling you about the dart sewn on the wrong side of the fabric, the leaking iron that left a watermark on the bodice, and the 2 broken needles in under 3 minutes, I'm going to talk about my fabric stash... a happy place full of hopes and dreams where nothing has gone wrong. At least not yet.

I think that having easy access to the Garment District prevents me from having too large a stash. Why buy basics? Most of what's in my stash is either fabric I bought for a specific project, but haven't quite gotten to sewing yet, OR fabrics that I just loved because they are a bit more unique - things that I don't see every day even in the Garment District. Anyway, within those parameters, I generally allow myself to buy at will.

It's been a while since I treated myself to any new fabric that wasn't specifically for what I was sewing. So, I decided to take advantage of that 75% off sale at FabricMart and simultaneously use my $30 Mood Groupon - a virtually guilt-free fabric splurge!

Here's my haul. From Mood...

Mini-haul from Mood

What's really cool about the black and white striped fabric is that it's actually a normal, neatly striped jersey. All those irregular waves and variations in the stripes are made by gathers that are stitching in place. I've really liked all the one seam skirts and tube dresses that I've seen on other blogs this summer, and I think I'll make a knee length version for the fall to be worn with tights and boots.

The red orange fabric is also really neat. When you look closely at it there are two different color threads - a bright watermelon and soft tangerine, but it reads as a solid. I think it may become  this dress from the cover of Burda last September:

And then from Fabric Mart...

Cotton sateen rose print and Orange shimmer jacquard

I think the rose print will become a skirt or sheath dress - the flower is at least 18 inches tall. The orange fabric on the right is a Maggie London stretch jacquard that didn't photograph very well - it has polka dots and the background has some shimmer. Not sure what I'll do with it yet.

Light blue shetland wool and black wool & camel hair blend

And finally, I bought both of these with this Karl Lagerfeld skirt pattern that was on the cover of the October 2010 Burda in mind:

So, this is also a bit of a mini-preview of some of my fall to winter sewing projects. Are you starting to feel back-to-school-ish or is it just me?

Boning (Insert Crude Joke Here)

It's just about 7pm on Friday and I'm sitting on the back porch feeling, well, rather smug and self satisfied. This is not a good thing.

I had the day off and I spent the better part of it working on my jumpsuit. It went well. I think. I hope. You see, whenever I've had this smug kind of "look-at-me-I-am-a-sewing-genius!" feeling, a big sewing disaster, invariably of my own making, inevitably follows. Usually, it's one of those moments where all you can do is smack your head and yell "Doh!!" Like cutting out three back pants pieces but only one front. Or sewing the two fronts legs together at the in- and out seams and then the two backs together and then wondering why the crotch isn't working out. That kind of mistake.

Now, I've checked that I haven't done any of those things wrong. But that doesn't mean there isn't a disaster happening as I write. However, I'm willing to say that ignorance is bliss this evening and show you my progress. 

I cut into my beautiful rayon matte jersey this morning. It was pretty slow going since I generally cut knits in a single layer, instead of folded.

Underbodice with boning.

This afternoon was devoted to the underbodice. I decided to do it in the same fabric as the rest of the jumpsuit. Once interfaced, it was basted, tried on and finally sewn. Then I sewed on the casings and inserted the boning (Ok, just stop it now. That's what it's called). Why was I nervous about this? It really was very easy. (Sigh. So juvenile...)

Then it was time for a try on.

Yes!

And this is why I am having my very smug moment. Not only am I very happy with how the fabric looks and is sewing up, as well as how this is fitting, but it's also incredibly comfy! I bought steel spiral boning from Steinlauf & Stoller in the Garment District. And it is SO much better than anything you would find in most RTW. It flexes in all directions, so it bends wherever your body does. In other words, you don't get jabbed in the ribs when you sit or bend, and the recovery is supposedly good, too.

Anyway, tomorrow should go much faster. I plan to sew the outer bodice and pants, and put in the zipper. I'm off on Monday, too, and with any luck I'll be dropping in the lining and hemming by then.

Have a great weekend everyone! I hope you sew up something fun.

Happy Birthday, Phineas: Behind Every Good Woman...

V-Day 2011

You may wonder at times why this blog is "Clio & Phineas", since I do the vast majority of the posts. But, since it's his birthday today, I'd like to highlight the major behind-the-scenes role Phin plays.
  
Phin photographs me over and over again in my latest sewn creations for this blog. He works from home, so is constantly emailing me photos at work since I generally blog while eating lunch, but rarely ever remember to upload photographs when I'm at home.

He's always been the one to do our laundry (in all seriousness, I have not done laundry this century). So, without my asking, he washes and dries all my fabric, being careful to check with me about how each should be treated. And he has even learned how to mark a hem and help me pin fit muslins.

When I bake, he can often be found in the kitchen next to me chopping an ingredient, doing dishes as I use them, or lifting my heavy stand mixer. He knows my preferred brand of chocolate chip - there's always a supply in the pantry. And if he knows I'm planning to make something, the ingredients often "magically" appear for me.

And he runs with me, never complaining that I go at a slower pace than him, holding him back. When I said I wanted to start training for a half marathon, he helped me plan my training and then found two races that we could build vacations around (Las Vegas or Bermuda - we haven't decided which yet). He is a genius at finding great travel deals. 

Last night, I planned to make ice cream in two flavors (strawberry and peach) for his birthday, since he doesn't love cake. By the time I arrived home, he had already unearthed my ice cream maker and put the core in the freezer. The strawberries and peaches were already prepped, too.

I sometimes think there must be more hours in the day where the rest of you sewing/baking/knitting/crafting/blogging people live. I don't understand how you all get so much done without a Phineas of your own. In ways both big and small, he is the best friend and partner in crime that a person could wish for.

Happy Birthday, Phineas! You are too wonderful for words!

Jumpsuit Muslin

I spent this weekend working up the muslin for my jumpsuit. Maybe when I've really mastered my fitting issues I'll be able to just cut into fabric, but for now I'm a devout muslin-ist. The jumpsuit would have been a hot mess if I had cut into fabric.

I've seen a lot of ill-fitting jumpsuits this season. Few of us that wear the same RTW size on top and bottom AND are RTW height AND are proportioned like RTW is made. I've seen jumpsuits that are either to big or small on either the top or bottom of the wearer. And I've seen lots of too long or short crotches. Really, it's amazing that RTW jumpsuits fit anyone. Thank goodness I sew!

I originally cut a 14 on top and an 18 on the bottom, rounded up just a bit from my measurements. What I ended up with was more like a 12 on top with an FBA (easy-peasy because of the princess seams), and between a 14 and 16 on the bottom, after taking in the excess ease.

One of the fitting problems that I encountered was that the crotch was initially too long. But thanks to a very handy shorten/lengthen line included on the pattern (thank you, Vogue!), taking it up by 1 1/4" was easy. You can see the tuck across the abdomen in the photo.

I had to make some additional length adjustments, too.  As you can see in the photo, the top and bottom are NOT meeting at the waist. So, despite adding an inch to the bodice pattern pieces and 2" to the leg pieces before cutting the muslin, I had to add an additional inch to each.

At this point, I've transferred all the changes back to my pattern pieces. My orange matte jersey is at the dry cleaner at the moment, since I'll dry clean the finished jumpsuit. But once it's back on Tuesday, I'll really get down to work. In the interim, I can cut the lining and, now that I've worked out the fitting issues, I'll go ahead and buy the right length boning. More later!

Elements of Style

Do you think about your style? I'd never really given mine much thought before I sewed. There were clothes that appealed to me, styles that I thought were flattering on, and colors that I liked or disliked, but that was about as far as I got with following fashion or trends. And I always had to contend with what RTW fit me and, early in my career, shopping on a limited budget.

However, I've been putting a lot more thought into what I wear in the few years since I began sewing and, recently, even giving more thought to exploring and cultivating my own style. This all started when I realized that orange was secretly my favorite color, and had been for years. It was a very liberating revelation!

I like bold colors...

I think I've done pretty well sewing garments that suit me and that are realistic for my lifestyle. I've tackled some projects that address some needs and built my skills - like trousers for work. But these haven't necessarily helped me explore or cultivate my style. And lately I'm evolving and experimental. Not that I want to be outlandish, but I haven't exactly wanted to blend in either. I find a little bit of fashion risk taking to be exhilarating and rewarding. At heart, I see this all as part of an ongoing exploration of my personality.

... I like pushing my boundaries...

I've also decided that I like being a little over-dressed. After I finished high school and ended 12 years of wearing a navy or grey pleated skirt 5 days a week (aka Catholic school girl fashion purgatory), it was wonderful to live in jeans. But now I'm swinging the other way. I always find myself admiring women who wear dresses, particularly sheath dresses. I've had sheath dress envy for years! But since my top and bottom are different sizes, separates have always been more practical, and sheath dresses have never been a look I could achieve in RTW. I also want to wear more skirts.

...And I always feel chic in a dress

Anyway, I feel like I'm at a point with sewing where I can make the things that I want. I'm nowhere near being able to sew all of it, but sewing the cornerstone pieces that I can build a wardrobe around and really define my style seems within reach.

So, because I do well when I define goals for myself, here are three goals:
First, I will continue to explore and experiment with my style. I will take some risks and do it with confidence.

Next, I will wear/sew more dresses. And skirts.

Finally, and most important, I will be thoughtful about what I sew, taking into account how each project helps cultivate my style or not, and how it relates to my wardrobe.

I feel like I'm just scratching the surface here. There are a number of topics I'm mulling over including personal vs. professional style, how body type relates to style, and others. I hope you will stay tuned.Have a great weekend! I plan on muslining the top of my jumpsuit, so look out for it next week.

Tipsy Fruits

First, thanks to everyone who commented on my border print pants. I've decided they deserve a "yea" - or really a "Yaaay!!!!"  I may have to buy a dramatic black hat and take a vacation on the Riviera just to make the outfit complete. And thanks, too, for the endorsement of the jumpsuit. Clearly, I've got some sort of experimental phase going on fashion-wise at the moment, and I'm really thrilled to be indulged.

Speaking of experiments, I embarked on a kitchen experiment over the weekend.  At this time of year, I literally have to walk through a farmers market to make my way home on Thursdays. One of the stalls - Vacchiano Farms - is run by a family that Phineas grew up with, and they always point us to what is freshest, ripest, etc. It's good to know your farmer!

So, I've been overindulging in fruit for the last month, and last week it escalated into a crisis of my stomach not being able to keep up with my purchasing (I gave myself a tummy ache long before the fruit ran out). To preserve my hoard of lovely ripe beauties, I decided to give in to vice, buy some mason jars and "can" my fruit. It crossed my mind to make some jam, but traditional canning is sweaty work involving sterilization and such. So, I decided it would be cooler and easier to use a high-octane canning solution: vodka! I also used rum and brandy.

Here's the very simple "recipe":

Load your cut up fruit with some sugar (a few tbsp) and lemon peel (optional) into clean mason jars.

 

 

Cover with the liquor of your choice. Thump the jar a few times to get any air bubbles out and let the fruit settle.

Screw on caps and store in a cool, dim pantry. Done!

Since the alcohol kills any bacteria, this is pretty foolproof as far as preservation methods go. The hardest part is cutting up all the fruit. Oh, and the waiting.  Your tipsy fruit will be best in about 3-6 months, but really they'll be pretty tasty in 6 weeks.

I made a bunch of combinations - peach + brandy, strawberry + vodka, sugar plum + rum, cherries + brandy, and mixed berry + vodka. Really, just about any fruit or combination of fruits with any alcohol of choice will work.

Serving options are endless: dribbled over ice cream or pound cake, as the fruit in sangria (white or red), baked into muffins, cakes or tarts (the alcohol will cook off in the oven, but leave a nice flavor behind), in a trifle or fool, flambeed as cherries jubilee, churned into frozen yogurt - or cherry-vanilla ice cream!, as the garnish for a mixed drink, or use the liquor in an aperitif or spritzer.... see, there is no end of good ways to use up your drunken fruit.

Burda Flowered Border Print Pants: Yea or Nay?

Well, here they are: my Burda elastic waist pull-on pants (Burda 6/2011 - 114) in a very fun border print. I knew there was risk involved in making flowered pants. So, I'm interested for your thoughts on how they came out. Would you wear these out of the house?

Here I am feeling all jazzed

I did. I wore them today to a small family get together to celebrate my mom's birthday. I felt pretty jazzed about them when I left home, but midway through the day I started wondering if that was a symptom of the extreme heat we've been having in the northeast. Are they too much?

On the plus side, I really love the border print - it's just so fun! It's a nice cool cotton underlined in a very light batiste - cool and crisp. And I felt fun and cool on such a humid hot day. Also, this Burda pattern is a real winner. I've made pull-on pants/pj's before (both KwikSew and Amy Butler patterns) and the fit in them was terrible - really baggy legs and a ridiculously long crotch. But not these ones! They fit exactly like I would want. The only changes I made are that I belled out from knee to hem to show off more of the border and I took the hip-to-waist in just a tiny bit.

I can't help but feel that these are really kind of fun, carefree and perfect for hot days, the beach and my upcoming cruise vacation. But maybe I like them because of the great fit and the cool comfort they allow. Phin gave them a thumbs up, but part of me is a little nervous that I look like an extra in a disco-era movie or that I look like I should be hosting a children's television show. What do you think?

Update: Apologies! I got so caught up in mulling over the fabric that I forgot to mention a few key points!

• I also omitted the pockets from this pattern since I can't stand pocket show-thru on white pants and also didn't want any extra bulk at the hips. 
• I underlined using the Hong Kong seam method where you underline and finish the seams all in one swoop. It was easy and worked beautifully! The inside of these pants look so very nicely finished!
• I plan to make these pants again, although I may return the leg width back to normal. I think these would be great in a cosy knit as loungewear or in a silk as a dressy pant.