Improvised Vera Wang Skirt

Do you ever start working on a pattern, cut it out, and then just not feel like finishing it? Well, I'm there right now with Vogue 8941. Sad part is that it's probably the easiest dress to do. And that I'll probably love it when it's finally done. With that in mind, and my growing urge for instant gratification, last night, I started something new. I had about a yard left of the Vera Wang fabric after cutting Vogue 8941, the above stated dress, and thought it would be good for a simple a-line skirt as long as the front and back were the same. Since I didn't have a pattern for that, I went into my closet and pulled out my gray charcoal skirt that I like. I've had it for years. I literally laid it on my fabric and cut the fabric out around it leaving room for a seam allowance. I then drove to Joanns after realizing that I didn't have an invisible zipper to match(thank goodness it was 8pm and they were still open). As of this morning I have one side completely sewn up and the zipper installed. This is how she looks so far.

By Saturday, I hope to have both the front and back facings done, and then I will attach a lining to the facing. Thanks to Ms. Adelaide B over at Pretty Sweet, I was introduced to Gertie's Blog. She has a tutorial for making vintage inspired slips. As a woman who grew up in a household were you didn't leave the house unless you had a slip on under your dress or skirt, I'm loving Gertie's blog. I especially love her scallop edge slip. I'm going to try the scallop edging out on the lining of my Vera Wang skirt. I think it will make an nice inside finish to the skirt.
By the way, I have to thank Karen for taking the picture of me yesterday in my new faux leather belt. It's so nice when sewing buddies work so near each other.

I also want to thank So NGLaLALa for sending me this lovely journal. I will use it for something awesome. This was the very first blog contest I've ever won.

A short time ago, I was awarded this by Eliana. If you haven't read her blog, please check it out. She is an amazing knitter/crocheter. I'm always amazed by her beautiful hand work. She does an amazing job.

Now, with this award, I'm suppose to tell 7 things about myself and then nominate 7 other people to do the same. Here goes:

1. I'm a last minutes person (Yes, Rachel, you were right about me.=)

2. I work well under pressure.

3. I don't like getting up early in the morning. I'm definitely a night person.

4. I love double decker peanut and jelly(it has to be grape jam) sandwiches on wheat toast with hot chocolate.

5. I love out of the dryer warm and cozy sweats on a cold rainy day.

6. I just got Netflix recently, and I think I'm addicted.

7. When I was in High School, I started writing a novel, but I never finished it.

The 7 people I nominate are:

Sheila
Rachel
Robin
Tanya
Melissa
Susan
Faye

What's going on and some INSPIRATION!!

This past Saturday was the 1st day of Spring. It was just a few weeks ago that we sat and witnessed major snow storms and prayed for warmer weather. Well it's here, and so is the rain, but I for one am not complaining. I took advantage of the great weather yesterday and took a short bike ride with Mr. D. Saturday, I slept in really late and then ran my weekly errands and did laundry.It's been a slow go, but I finally got the dress for Vogue 8491 cut out. I still have to cut the jacket for Simplicity 4256 out. I also have the pattern pieces for Simplicity 2406 cut. I have to wash the fabric for it still, but hopefully I should have that done before the end of the week. I'm using one of the Silk Dupioni fabrics that I purchased from Jomars last week for $1.00 a yard. I also purchased denim from Jomars for the Jalie 2908 sew-a-long. I purchased the zipper over the weekend at JoAnns and ordered the rivets and button today from ebay. Can I also tell you that I think these will be the cheapest pair of jeans ever. I got the stretch denim for $3.20 a yard. Since it was so cheap, I purchased 2 different weights. I think one might be a 9 lb. and the other possibly a 12 pound.


On the knitting front I'm still working on some personal designs that have been a slow go, but I like what I'm seeing. I've only been working on them for about a year. There's no rush right?

Over the weekend I casted on for the Not-Just-For Chemo Reversible Cloche by Mary Keenan.

I finished the linen stitch for the brim and am now working on the hat portion.

It's tedious but I like it. I'm making it for another friend, who's wife just started chemo. While I'm on the subject of knitting for other people, I have to tell you that the red slippers were a hit, she loved them. My friend/band mate couldn't wait till his anniversary to give his wife the slippers from my last post. I heard that she is wearing them, and that I'm her favorite person right now.

Until next time, here's the belt I made last night, and wore to work today. I hope you like. I've also been looking at a little inspiration. I see some color, ruffles and embellishment in my future.

I could walk a mile in these babies!!!

I finished the slippers I've been working on for my friend Saturday morning. I think I might have to make a pair for myself as they are so comfortable. I tried a new trick on them. I put puff paint on the bottom of the slippers in the hopes that it will act as a non-sliding agent. Soon enough I should find out if it works or not. Either way, it looks cute on the bottom.

Saturday afternoon, my wonderful husband and I hung out at the gym and we finished our workout with a swim. He's got me doing laps. Let me tell you right off, I am not a lap swimming girl. It's really hard. I swim really well, but my breathing technique is for the birds. Hopefully by the summer he'll have me going the distance since he swims like a fish.

Yesterday I started making headbands. I finished these 2 so far.This morning my neighbor let me borrow her daughter for these pictures. I owe her a yellow one to go with her Easter dress. Isn't she cute!

Now I really need to buckle down and get some major sewing done. There's a dress and jacket that needs to be seriously worked on.

Eliana I have forgotten about the award. And I just found out I won my first giveaway. Yippee!!

Getting Back to Nature

I have to admit that I got absolutely no sewing done this past weekend. On Saturday I did buy some Donna Karen fabric from Jomars. It's sad, I just can't seem to stick to my fabric diet. I went to the Norristown store to pick up one more button for my MIL's sweater that I was changing the buttons on. I couldn't resist. I got some blue fabric for a $1 a yard. I think it may be a shantung to work up a muslin of my Easter dress, by the way, for the dress portion of my outfit I'm going to go with Vogue 8491. Now, I'm having issues over fabric choices for my Easter outfit as I picked up this DK beauty for $2.00 a yard. The color in these 2 pictures is very off. The fabric is a mint green with chocolate brown. I also got this plaid fabric for $1.60 a yard for this jacket that I previously talked about. At Jomars they think it's either Nine West or DK. After that excursion I stopped at JoAnns and picked up a few patterns. I thought when I got home I could get some sewing done. I finished sewing the buttons on my MIL's sweater and then Mr. D kindly informed me that we were going on a winter hike as he needed to record some outdoor sounds for a project he was working on. We took a ride over to The Willows in Radnor and went for a walk in the woods. It was awesome trekking through the snow. I forgot my camera so I tried to capture a few of the scenes I saw with my iPhone.
I also got a picture of Mr. D wearing his new cable hat which I finished last week in time for his birthday.

On Sunday, we went skiing with friends at Spring Mountain. I've only been wearing berets of late and I needed a fitted hat to wear. What's a girl to do but crochet one up on the ride to the mountain. I used scraps leftover from recent projects. The next knitting project that I've been working on are bootie slippers for a friend. These pink ones belong to his wife. I think either her mother or grandmother made them and they are worn out on the bottom. Their anniversary is coming up and he wants to surprise her with a new pair. It's been great trying to recreate them as I don't have a pattern to work from. It's been a great learning experience. I'm working on the second one now and it's about halfway done. I hope she likes them.