Colette Laurel, Or the Jurassic Park Twinsies Geeky Awesomeness Dress!

Hold onto your butts!  OK.  I really, really, REALLY like this dress.  I’m just going to say that right now.  I know that it’s ridiculous, but I still really like it.

A little backstory: like many people my age, I’m a huge, huge, HUGE fan of Jurassic Park.  So when I spotted a set of JP sheets on eBay a while back, I snapped them up for a song.  I wasn’t quite sure what to do with them, so they hung out in my stash for a year or so.  Fast forward to this spring when I did a massive stash cleanout and decided I didn’t really need two whole sheets.  I brought one to our meetup/swap with Lauren, and Devra suggested that we send it to Cindy (genius suggestion!), a fellow dinosaur enthusiast.  Cindy, also a genius, emailed me recently, suggesting that we make projects at the same time and reveal them on the same day (remember how much fun it was to see Andrea‘s S.O.S. Challenge?).  Great idea, huh?

I decided to use the Colette Laurel dress pattern for this, and it really worked out well!  It’s the perfect pattern for a large-scale print, since there aren’t many seams to break up the print.  I squeezed two WHOLE brachiosaurs onto the dress!  TWO!  Major accomplishment, people!

Brachiosaur! His head is comically undersized!

The pattern is a straightforward, quick make.  I made two muslins for it because I had the weird armhole pulling issue thing that a few other people mentioned.  I filled in the armscye (as described in this Flickr photo), narrowed the shoulders a bit, and lowered the bust darts about 1/2″.  I also added 2″ to the length, and I omitted the zipper, cutting the back on the fold, as I can *just* wriggle into it without a zip.  I decided to leave this version sleeveless for some reason– it just feels like a happy summer dress to me.  I lined it with white cotton batiste from my stash and used packaged bias tape from my stash to finish the neck and armholes, so the whole shebang is a pretty giant stash-bust for me!

Look at all my patient little hand stitches!

I love this style!  It’s so sassy and youthful!  Unfortunately, Man Friend is not a fan, as he offered his usual critique of anything not terribly fitted (“Needs a belt”), and he doesn’t want to go out in public with me in this dress.  I guess I will just go have amazing adventures by myself in this dress, then I’ll just photoshop Cindy into all my pictures so we can have tons of fun together in our matching dresses, thousands of miles apart!

Also.  It says “Danger!” on my dress.  Like fifty times.  Win!

I’m a mighty T-Rex! Fear me!

Who else is working on a Laurel dress?  Anyone else have a thing for a younger Jeff Goldblum?  A friend of mine wants to know…

Alright, guys, now go check out Cindy’s dress here!

Leopard-Print Ponte Party (or, the Lola Dress)

Since joining the Mood Sewing Network, I’ve really enjoyed sewing with new-to-me types of fabrics. It’s really pushed me to develop my skills and do more research before I cut into a new fabric instead of just grabbing the shears and going crazy. Today, however, I’m revisiting a fabric type that I used once before to make a garment that was an irreconcilable failure… ponte!

I’ve never purchased or really seen garments made out of ponte, but once I started reading rave reviews of it, I was curious! So about a year ago, I picked out a gorgeous black ponte from Mood and admired its heft and drape before stitching up Megan Nielsen’s ruched maternity skirt for my sister. What I didn’t realize is that ponte and stretchy jerseys aren’t necessarily interchangeable. If I’d slowed down and actually read the pattern envelope I would’ve noticed that Megan recommended jerseys with 40% stretch or more, so when I tried the skirt on myself for comparison, I could barely wiggle into it, and I wasn’t pregnant! I couldn’t figure out a way to refashion it into something wearable (it was seriously TIGHT on me), so the whole thing is still buried somewhere in my scrap pile.

When I found this awesome gray leopard-print ponte, I knew it was time to try again! I looked in my copy of Claire Schaeffer’s Fabric Sewing Guide, but couldn’t find a reference to ponte. So I went to the best reference, the Encyclopaedia Ponteanica, otherwise known as Carolyn! She’s the patron saint of ponte, and makes incredible, cool garments with it alllllll the time. I asked her to share her secrets for working with ponte, and I’m so glad she did– my instincts were all wrong! She pretreats the fabric by machine washing, tumble drying, and pressing it. Then she sews with a straight stitch and a universal needle, size 80 for medium-weights and 90 for heavier pontes. Easy peasy!

Once I settled on a pattern, though, I realized that I could construct this entire dress on my serger. Score! It came together in a flash, and the fabric was so easy to serge and press. The recommended fabrics for this pattern are French terry, fleece knit, or other medium-weight fabrics with a slight stretch, and I found ponte to be a great choice. It’s stable and drapey, and has about the same amount of stretch as sweatshirt fleece, but it’s a little less casual. The pattern suggests using ribbing for the bands (to finish the sleeves, hem, and neckline), so if you want to use ponte or another less-stretchy self-fabric, just be prepared to cut them longer than the provided pattern pieces.

I used the Victory Patterns Lola Dress pattern, which I highly recommend. It’s cute, sporty, and crazy easy to construct.  I’m rapidly becoming a Victory Patterns superfan– Kristiann’s designs are just so modern and fun!  Check them out if you haven’t already (and you now have the option to purchase her designs as paper patterns, if you’re someone who hates PDFs… Rachel, I’m looking at you!  LOL!)  I made a straight size 4 with no changes (unless you count skipping the little triangle at the neckline… my serger kept eating it… whoops).

The whole time I was sewing this, I looked forward to pairing it with my awesome fuchsia tights.  It would look SO AMAZING with fuchsia, right?  So when I finished up, I ran to my closet and started digging.  Turns out that not only could I not find my awesome fuchsia tights, but once I started thinking about it… I don’t actually own any.  And never have.  I IMAGINED THEM.  IMAGINARY FUCHSIA TIGHTS.  Anyway.  I need to A) make some fuchsia tights and B) get my head checked.  Moving on…

Super big pockets for the pocket enthusiasts out there!

I really, really love this dress! It’s beyond easy to wear and I don’t have to worry about carefully hand-washing it and lying it flat to dry. I’ve never worn or been a fan of knit dresses before– I feel you can see every last lump, bump, and panty line– but this stable ponte provides plenty of coverage. This dress passed the ultimate wearability test, too– I wore it to WORK. Folks, I’ve worn a dress to work exactly once in the last five years (and I had a pair of shorts on underneath!). Granted, I’m in an office now, but still, this is a huge deal.

What about you guys?  How do you dress for work, if you work outside the home?  Knit dresses– yea or nay?  Have you sewn with ponte?  Have you sewn any Victory Patterns designs?

Odds + Ends Vol. 2: Guest Post, Me-Made-May ’13, + Giveaway Winner!

Today on the blog we’re TCB-ing like Elvis!  OK, with 93% fewer karate chops, but still, taking care of business, nonetheless.

First up, I have a guest post where I talk about style and sewing (as well as which aging rockers are still hunks, in my book) over at Seamstress Erin today.  Read it, fools!  Just kidding– I know you’re all super smart.

Next item of business– Me-Made-May ’13 is rapidly approaching!  It’s time again to dig into your handmade closets with the savvy and possible old-timey computer of Cher Horowitz and actually wear the things you make!  I’m signing up this year, and am super excited!

 I, Sonja of Ginger Makes, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May ’13. I endeavour to wear one handmade garment each day for the duration of May 2013

Last year I participated, but I only signed up to wear me-made three days a week.  At the time, I had a very slim handmade wardrobe, and I basically wore the same four shirts over and over and over.  I was super bored with them by the end of the month!  But this year, I’m looking forward to wearing my handmade clothes with greater frequency.  One garment every day will be a serious challenge for me, but I’m looking forward to creating new outfits with pieces that I wear one way all the time or that spend a lot of time hanging out in the closet alone.  Want in on the fun?  Buzz over to Zo’s blog and sign up here!

Next up on the docket– the Drape Drape 3 giveaway winner!  According to Random.org, our winner is…

# 98… which is…

…Nicola Johnson!  Congrats, girl! I’ll pack this up and get it out soon.

What’s up with you guys?  Who’s participating in Me-Made-May ’13?  What else is going on?  Working on anything exciting?

Ginger Made: Briar Top!

Hey, guys!  It feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve had a finished garment to show you!  I finished this up a week or so ago, but didn’t have a chance to take any photos.  And I’ve been feeling kind of tired, sad, and unmotivated the last few weeks, so I haven’t been working very quickly or efficiently (and on top of that, I’ve strayed from my promise to sew one project at a time and am working on four different projects right now, which doesn’t make for very speedy sewing).  But at least I have something finished and I have a new top just in time for spring weather!

Look at the pretty trees! Spring is finally here!

This is Megan Nielsen‘s Briar Top pattern.  It’s a simple, easy pattern, perfect for beginners, but it’s super trendy and cute.  There are two lengths to choose from, one cropped and one longer (I chose the longer), three sleeve lengths (short, 3/4, and long), and two pockets to choose from, one rounded and one square.  Megan also gives directions for finishing the neckline with a band or a binding, and there are photo tutorials on her blog for each style.

Pretend like a giant gust of wind didn’t destroy my hair right before this shot! This shows the graduated hemline and pocket best (I’m posting unflattering photos for you people!).

Here’s where things got hairy.  I bought this super cool burnout tissue jersey from Fabrics for Less when I shopped with Lauren and Oona last month.  I love how it looks and feels (it’s crazy soft), but it was a total pain in the butt to sew with.  I couldn’t for the life of me settle on a tension that made my machine happy, so the hems aren’t as pretty as I would like.  I consulted my Fabric Sewing Guide, which quoted Sandra Betzina as recommending a zigzag stitch with a 0.5 mm width and 2.5 mm length.  I tried this with different tensions, the lower the better, but still didn’t get a perfect look.  Placing paper between the presser foot and the fabric definitely helped, but it was really tough to do that on the curved hems. I don’t recommend using tissue paper, though, unless you enjoy pulling shredded bits of soft paper out of the seams with tweezers.  The plain white banner paper that I use for tracing patterns worked best, although Michele at Mood recommends keeping a roll of cash register paper next to your sewing machine (seems like a great idea to me!).

Line up paper with the edge of your fabric (immediately beneath the presser foot), and sew as you normally would.

Another unpleasant side effect of using really thin jersey is that it rolls like a mother.  I couldn’t keep the edges flat as they were going under the presser foot, so I had to unpick and redo the neck binding several times to make sure it looked even.  Again, it’s not perfect, but I can live with it.  This thin jersey is really rumply and wrinkly, too, so it looks a little messy when you wear it. 

Another thing I’m not sure about is this length on me.  For some reason tunic-type tops make me feel like I look like a tube.  Next time I make this I may try shortening the back so it hits higher up on my hips, maybe 5″ or so.  I’ll lose some of the fun hi/lo hemline, but I guess I could always shorten the front a teensy bit, too.

Overall, I like this top.  It’s cozy and pretty, and I received compliments from the first two people who saw me in it at work.  I failed to take into account the fact that it’s too sheer to wear without something underneath, so I may need to whip up a couple of tank tops as I only have one in my wardrobe that works.  I’m really looking forward to future versions of this pattern.  It’s no-fuss and easy to wear, but I don’t feel like a total slob in a t-shirt when I wear it.

What are you guys working on these days?  Any exciting projects?

Don’t mind me; I’m a fashion blogger lost in dreamy, dreamy thoughts.

Drape Drape 3: Review + Giveaway!

****THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED****

Hi, guys!  I have a giveaway for you today– exciting, right?  Laurence King Publishing sent me a copy of their brand new book, Drape Drape 3.  I reviewed and gave away a copy of Drape Drape 2 late last year, and this book is the next in the series.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Drape Drape books, they’re stylish Japanese pattern books translated into English.  The designs aren’t draped, though– there patterns are included in the book.

The instructions are fairly minimal, so these are probably better suited to advanced beginner or intermediate sewists, but the diagrams are really interesting and informative.  Also, fit is pretty forgiving in these designs, and most of them only require two or three pattern pieces– score!

As with Drape Drape 2, the patterns are geared more towards knits, but there are some styles that are suitable for wovens, too.

I love the photographs in these books!  The modern, unusual styles are eye candy for a curious sewist like me!

If you’d like to be entered in the giveaway, let me know in a comment below!  I’ll ship it worldwide.    Let’s close the giveaway a week from today, Wednesday, April 17th, at 11:59PM EST.

Which of these designs is your favorite?  Have you sewed from any of the Drape Drape books?

Hatching Plans: Back-to-Work Wardrobe for my Sis!

Hello, everyone!  Hope this little post finds you all well!

As you may remember, my youngest sister had a baby mid-January, so now she’s preparing to go back to work.  She’s going through a bit of a rough patch right now, so I thought maybe the prospect of a new work wardrobe might cheer her up and give her something to look forward to.  (She’s related to me, after all, and few things get me more pumped up than doodling up plans to sew new outfits!)  I thought I’d share my plans with you guys to get your input!  My sister is very laidback and the opposite of a diva, so she rarely shops for or spends money on herself, and she doesn’t give a lot of feedback about what she likes.  So I’m hoping to put together some pieces that she’ll be able to mix and match and that she’ll really love.

OK, since my sister’s immediately post-baby and is long-distance, I need to make garments that are easy to fit and that won’t look ill-fitting and gross right away if she loses weight.  My first thought was to make a few basic a-line skirts, since they only need to fit in the waist and are straightforward to fit.  So I showed her some skirt patterns (and by “showed”, I mean “texted photos of”), and her favorite by far was Megan Nielsen’s Kelly skirt.

image from Megan’s blog

This requires a pretty decent fit through the waist, but my mom lives near my sister and can take it in for her if she loses a ton of weight.  I hopped online and bought this yesterday, so I’ll be checking the mailbox all week long!  My sis favors blue, gray, and aqua these days, so my thought was to make this skirt for her in:

…chambray and navy twill.  I also thought that a red twill skirt might be fun to combine with the blues and aquas.  I don’t want her to get bored wearing only the same skirt pattern, so I may add Tilly’s new Miette skirt pattern to the mix, too.  I didn’t buy any fabric yet, though, so I’m open to other ideas.

image from Tilly’s blog

Cute, right?  This seems like a nice option, too, since it’s so adjustable.  Perfect!

Another thing I thought she might like is a pair of stretchy pants.  I just found Tessuti’s Anita ponte pants pattern and immediately downloaded it (you’ll be seeing these on me soon if all goes well!), and I think they might work on my sister, too.

image from Tessuti’s blog

I love these!  They have a bit more coverage and are more substantial than leggings, so they seem awesome for work and running around with a baby.  I’m thinking gray ponte?

gray ponte from Mood– click on photo for link!

Next up, tops!  I went a little bit crazy at Girl Charlee and picked out a boatload of jerseys to make some tops.

Aren’t these all adorable?  You can see why I couldn’t help myself!  I was thinking I’ll make a whole flock of Renfrew tops with a variety of sleeve lengths and necklines (the Renfrew is my tried & true pattern, after all… heeheehee!).  What I like about the Renfrew top is that it’s feminine, but still really easy to wear and slim enough to tuck into a skirt.  But I’m not sure if maybe it’s TOO slim for someone with a changing body?  What do you guys think?  I’m also tempted to make a couple of Cindy’s dolman sleeve tops, but I don’t know how good those would look paired with skirts.  What about the Briar sweater/tee?  Is it too loose for someone that might be feeling self-conscious about weight around the mid-section?  Thoughts?  Any other patterns that might be nice?

If I have jersey leftover after cutting out all the tops, I’d like to make a skirt like Miranda’s simple layered summer skirt.

photo from Miranda’s blog

Wouldn’t this be super cute with the different striped fabrics combined together?

My sister works with kids in and out of classrooms and homes, so I figure that a couple of cardigans would be good so she can toss one on over everything if it’s chilly.  I’m thinking that I’ll do one inspired by Andrea’s Renfrew cardigan mod, and for the other, I’d like to try my hand at drafting a waterfall cardigan (similar to the Burda Karen pattern, but not quite as voluminous, perhaps).  I’m thinking one in navy, and the other in gray:

both from Girl Charlee

Maybe not the most exciting things in the world, but I’m sure they’ll be worn regularly.

I also ordered this purple polka dot ponte from Girl Charlee because it reminded me of my sister:

What should I make with it?  A dress?  Another pair of stretchy pants?  A skirt?

Any other patterns or garments you can recommend?  I’d like to make her some Archer shirts and perhaps a version of M6553 down the road, but she has basically nothing to wear right now, so I’m looking for quick makes!  I’m especially interested to hear what any moms out there liked wearing post-pregnancy (btw, breastfeeding isn’t a concern here, so no need for tops that accommodate that… tmi?  I hope not…).  I’m especially interested in any free tutorials or patterns as I’ve exceeded my pattern buying budget for the next little while! 

Now, I have one last favor to ask!  Maybe you’ve noticed, but I love to make sewing plans, but find it hard to stick with them!  Since this is a pretty ambitious plan, I’ll be tempted to get sidetracked, so I’d love it if you could remind me to keep at these sewing plans if it’s been a while since you’ve seen me post anything!

What are you guys up to these days?  Any wild & wooly sewing plans??

Ginger Made: Lace Belladone Dress

Hi, all!  I’m back– after only one day!  What?! What’s next?  Regular scrubbing ‘o’ the shower?!  Well, maybe I shouldn’t get ahead of myself…

So, have you guys been enjoying the lace projects over at the Mood Sewing Network this month?  I sure have!  It’s fun to see everyone’s take on the same theme.    Now, it’s probably pretty apparent to most people that I’m not much of a lace girl, so my goal with this challenge was to make a garment that I would actually wear and love.  I decided to avoid anything overtly floral or feminine, and with this in mind dug through a gazillion bolts of fancy lace (inadvertently missing an entire section of what I guess is “not fancy” lace, whoops!).  I settled on this gold mesh-like poly lace:

Pretty sweet, right?  I decided to pair it with a black cotton sateen.  Dude.  There is TONS of black cotton sateen at Mood, so I was having a hard time deciding which to choose when Michael pulled out the perfect bolt.  I had no idea that humble, inexpensive cotton sateen could feel so luxe!  It’s medium-weight and has an amazing sheen and body… I could hardly bring myself to cover it with the lace!  But I did.. and here’s how it turned out!

I used the Belladone pattern from Deer & Doe (which I’m now MADLY in love with).  The pattern suggests using a soft, drapey fabric, but I thought it would be fun to see the pleats in a more structured fabric.  I think it worked out pretty well!

This pattern is my new favorite– I absolutely love it!  It’s very straightforward to put together.  I made a size 38 with no alterations whatsoever, and it fits really well.  My advice for anyone making this pattern is to reinforce the diagonal lines of the upper back bodice pieces and to handle them as little as possible.  The pattern instructions suggest reinforcing light fabric with bias tape, but rayon seam binding might be a good choice, too.  If your pieces stretch out at all, you’re going to end up with some gross gaping at mid-back… never a good look.  Also, just to be clear, the pocket yoke pieces need to be cut out of fashion fabric rather than lining because they form part of your skirt (this may be common knowledge to you guys, but I’ve never made anything with diagonal pockets before so it took me by surprise).  One last thing… there’s no closure at the neck (you just pull the dress over your head).  It’s a pretty snug neckline, so I can just slip it on comfortably, but if you’re coming from the salon with a fresh new beehive, you may have to do some real wiggling to get this on over your head without harming the ‘hive. 

Pockets!

Let’s see… what else can I tell you about the construction?  Since the lace is pretty stretchy, I basted each piece to the sateen underlining by hand and pulled the lace just the teensiest bit taut as I stitched it.  I basted the layers together up the middle of each dart (like I always do when I underline fabric).  The lace was tough to press without melting, so it’s a little baggy in places and I really had to work to get the darts to lay flat.  I decided not to line it A) because the dress was already pretty heavy and B) because I’m in love with the sateen and wanted to feel it against my skin.  I just serged the seams, which worked really well… until I caught a wee bit of the bodice in the serger and cut a hole right at the, um, apex, of the bust… sigh…  I had to tons of hand stitching to repair that screw-up.  It’s not invisible now, but it’s not immediately apparent.  Don’t worry– it wouldn’t be a Ginger project if I didn’t have some sort of massive, complicating issue on an otherwise straightforward project.  I also managed to slice my left index finger with my shears– be careful with those things!  I didn’t realize they could snip through a dadgum FINGER!  Luckily I figured out how to PhotoShop the bandage out of the photos!

The neckline and armscyes are finished with handmade bias binding.  Cotton sateen is pretty heavy for bias tape, so if you want to use something like that (I didn’t have anything else), you have to really grade the seam allowances to reduce as much bulk as possible.  I made the waistband out of just the sateen to emphasize my virtually non-existent waist.

The only thing I’m unhappy with is the hem.  I stitched a machine hem, thinking that it would make the dress a bit more casual, but I don’t think the stretchy lace played well with the feed dogs so there’s some twisting and such around the hem.  I’ll probably rip it out and do a blind hem by hand.

Overall I’m pleased!  The color is a bit more drab than what I usually wear, so I was nervous as I was constructing the dress that I was going to hate it.  But luckily I really like it!  I can’t rave enough about the magical sateen– it just makes the dress feel so fancy and fun!  I love the way the skirt hangs in a full-bodied fabric– I felt like a Parisian princess when I slipped the dress on (and not like someone who’d spent the better part of the afternoon cleaning up after a sick dog!).  Maybe I cheated a little by not choosing a really lacy lace, but I’m still going to count this as a successful lace project.    And the pattern is just so fun– I love where the shoulder seams fall, the length is perfect, the pleat looks super cute, and the cutout is an awesome surprise when you turn around.

Alright, so I’m pretty sure this marks the beginning of a serious love affair with Deer & Doe.  I’m already planning out three more versions of this dress, and I’m trying my hardest to ignore their new patterns, but… you know how good I am at not buying patterns.

What’s next for all of y’all?  Any fun spring dresses on the docket?  And how do you feel about lace?  Love it?  Hate it?  Are back cutouts heading out of style anytime soon (I hope not!)?

Odds & Ends + Pattern Geek-Out: Deer & Doe Spring-Summer ’13!

Hi, guys! I’ve been a bad, bad blogger. I’ve been crazy busy and feeling really overwhelmed by the thought of sitting down to post. But things are returning to normal and I’m excited to get back to more regular posting! Here are some quick bullet points to catch you up on what’s been going on chez Ginger:

• Lauren (and Karen!!) came to town!  If you haven’t already, check out the great recaps by less lazy/frazzled bloggers on their blogs: Wanett, Lauren, Devra, Charlotte, Karen, Carolyn, Peter (I’m sure I’m forgetting a few since this was, oh, WEEKS AGO)
• I met the coolest cat of all time, Indiana Jones (he’s even friends with Susan Khalje, WHAT?!):

There’s an “M” on his forehead (“m” for “mine, all mine”!). I will definitely be abducting him in the near future.  Sorry, Devra!

• I did some top-secret pattern testing (another reason for silence on the blog)!  You guys.  You’re going to love this pattern.  I’m just sayin’.  GET EXCITED.
• I broke down and ordered a walking foot last week.  I’m suuuuuuuper excited to make a plaid Archer shirt, and if that minimizes the cursing, sweating, and crying that I’ll probably be doing as I try to match plaids, that’s gotta be a good thing, right?  Anxiously waiting for its arrival as we speak!
• On that note, I’m way stoked for the Archer shirt sewalong!  My new office job gives me normal-ish hours, so I *should* actually have the time in the evenings to keep up with this sewalong [sobs of joy]!
•  And today my mug is over on True Bias as part of her new series, Tried and True!  You guys know Kelli, right?  If not, hop over there RIGHT NOW.  GO.  What are you waiting for?!

But now, let’s get down to our real business– a big, fat, sloppy pattern geek-out!  I didn’t even know this was coming, but I just happened to mosey over to Deer & Doe’s blog today and what did I see but NEW SPRING AND SUMMER PATTERNS!!!

Datura

Oh my gah, how cute is this?!  The Datura blouse, a swingy (but not TOO swingy) woven top with neckline cutouts and buttons in the back (but NOT at the top of the back so my hair won’t get caught on the buttons… GENIUS).  And the sample is made in a gorgeous mint green– I can’t even deal with this.  Folks.  There’s a Peter Pan collar option.  I’m in danger of raving.

Reglisse

Look at this!  The Reglisse dress, a summery little dress that I’m DYING to get my grubby mitts on!  I usually hate elastic waists (c’mon, I’m not a toddler, people!), but I love the neckline, sleeves, and easy fit so much that I just want this pattern so badly!  I wanna swan around in a little sailor dress all summer long!

Chardon

Finally, the Chardon skirt!  I rarely wear skirts (it’s just too complicated to put together an outfit, as opposed to just pulling a dress over my head), so I’m not as tempted by this one, but I’m sure that this is making many other hearts go pitter-patter all across the blogosphere.  Plus there’s a cute ribbon bow at the back!  Sheesh, Eléonore, don’t you know I’m trying not to buy more patterns?!  Give a girl a break!

Man.  These are all just too amazing.  I have serious Paris envy, people (look it up, it’s a psychological disorder)!  Why am I all sweaty?

What about you guys?  What’s going on with you?  These patterns (or any other new ones) got you all hot ‘n’ bothered?  Do tell!

Ginger Made: The “Oona Made Me Do It” Simone Top!

Friends.  The internet is a dangerous and scary place.  One minute you’re innocently setting up a Twitter account, and the next you’re accepting dares from a madwoman!  BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL.  Gillian‘s #sewingdares spread like wildfire!

Obviously, I’m no sissy, so I immediately agreed to this dare and headed to Mood with Oona and friends!

This is what happened.

photo stolen from oonaballoona

Oona pulled many the bolt of fabric down and wrapped me in colors and prints from head to toe.  It was a difficult decision, but, like the loose cannon she is, Oona decided at the last minute to up the ante and dare me to use TWO prints.  WHAT?  I’m a plain Jane, yo!  I do NOT mix prints!

But.  I’ve been looking for justification to download the super rad and sporty Simone Top from Victory Patterns, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity.  Is it not crazy cute?  I thought its modern lines worked well with these abstract prints, and it felt like a good way to mix patterns.  Plus I just really wanted an excuse to buy it.

Speaking of patterns, let’s talk about the fabric for a minute!  The blue fabric with the larger print is sold in 1-yard panels, which made the yardage perfect for a top rather than a dress.  It’s a stretchy silk blend of some sort.  The gray and orange fabric is silk charmeuse (I used the wrong, less-shiny side).  I had a sudden inspiration to separate these two partners in crime with handmade piping (chartreuse!)– I love the extra pop of color it provides, even if it’s a bit over the top!

I really liked both the main fabric and the contrast, but they were a nightmare to stitch together.  The slippery charmeuse and the stretchy blend slithered and bunched together around the curves of the placket and back yoke– it wasn’t pretty.  I unpicked those seams so many times that I eventually lost count (even though I hand basted all of the seams before machine stitching!!), and it definitely took a toll on the fabric (and my psyche… I cried… SEVERAL TIMES…).  I was ELATED when I finally finished it!

Let’s just pretend that I’m not so pale and slouchy. The back is way cute, though, yeah?

As far as the pattern goes, I took the liberty of raising the armscyes by about 1″ from the get-go since that was an adjustment I needed to make in another of Kristiann’s patterns, but then I trimmed them back unscientifically.  Since my main fabric was stretchy, I skipped the zipper and I can just squeeze into it.  Win!

I think Oona was acting as my spirit animal or something because for some reason I went rogue and totally skipped making a muslin.  I didn’t even check flat pattern measurements!  It strains a little bit at the bust… whoops.  But I can totally live with the fit.  Even though I can’t close the top at the neckline.

What?  I TOLD you I didn’t make a muslin.  Don’t be like that.

This pic is so terrible that it would be wrong to deprive you of seeing it.

So, what do you think of this?  Am I channeling our beloved Oona?  Did I do her fabric choices justice?  Would you let her pick out fabric for you?  Who’s in on a sewing dare?

Ginger Made: Naughty Kitty Petrouchka Top

It’s still January, right?

OK. I may have technically missed Jungle January, but I was with you in spirit and have been dying to add some animal print madness to my wardrobe! As soon as Anne announced the month-long extravaganza, I pulled this jersey out of my stash and started plotting. I picked it up at Mood several months ago during a mega shopping expedition with my sister, and the whole time I couldn’t stop saying to her, “This is so awful… I HAVE to have it!” It’s neon leopard print jersey, people! It’s too obnoxious NOT to bring home with you (ladies: this mantra does not apply to dudes). I found out at the cutting counter that it’s Betsey Johnson… makes sense, right? Homegirl loves her crazy prints!

I used Papercut Patterns‘ new(ish) Petrouchka Top pattern, a raglan-sleeved peplum top with a curved seam at the midriff (totally obscured by the print, but it’s an adorable detail). It was mondo easy to put together– seriously, the most difficult part was trying to figure out what 1cm seam allowances are equal to (I spent a ridiculously long time trying to do that math… before I figured out that there’s a 1cm mark on my sewing machine…). I made an XS, and I had to remove a ton of excess from the side seams and sleeves (like, as much as 4″ in some places). I wish that there was a chart of the finished garment measurements (OH WAIT, THERE TOTALLY WAS BUT I IGNORED IT BECAUSE, AGAIN, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHAT 99 CM EQUALS IN REAL NUMBERS???). So yeah. After I’d already made all the alterations, I spent 3 seconds Googling “99 cm to inches” and realized that 39″ in the bust would never work for me, so I should’ve known better and just sized down from the get-go. Live and learn. Let’s see… I also re-serged the seam joining the peplum to the bodice to raise the waistline a little. I still think it’s a bit too low, but I don’t want to lose any more length in the front, so I’ll just leave it. I’ll shorten the bodice and lengthen the peplum if I make this again.

I’m still not 100% sold on the peplum trend. This doesn’t emphasize my hips, luckily, but I’m not sure how flattering it is to have all that fabric hanging from the waist. But I definitely wouldn’t have tried a peplum at all if I hadn’t loved this pattern so much, so that says a lot. I will probably make this again before ye olde peplum’s 15 minutes of fame in 2013 is up. I’ll say this, though– I definitely feel like a bit of a naughty kitty in this top.

Wicked, wicked kitty…

I’m so glad I finally have a reason to get this out of my stash and onto my body! It’s so trashy and fun– I feel like throwing a cosmo at someone when I’m wearing it! I’m sure Anne would approve this message– if she’s not president of the Sewing Bad Girls Club, I don’t know who is.