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?

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!)?

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: Anise Jacket

Here she is– my first make of 2013, and my very first jacket!  I’m so excited to add this little piece to my wardrobe!

This is my January contribution to the Mood Sewing Network.  I went to Mood NYC with every intention of leaving with a bright, saturated fabric, but once I laid eyes on this gorgeous Ralph Lauren wool, I couldn’t put it back!  It’s a twill-weave suiting with lots of drape, and the warm, paprika-red shade is really easy for me to wear.  I picked out a fun silk charmeuse in a Tetris-like print for a contrast lining.

I used Colette Patterns’ Anise jacket pattern, which is perfect for beginners.  I bought the The Anise Companion when it was on sale a while back, and it’s a great confidence booster if you haven’t sewn a jacket before.  There’s quite a bit of helpful information about how to correct various fit issues, but as it’s pretty straightforward to fit, you probably don’t need the companion guide if you’re an intermediate (or beyond) sewist.

Oh, look! There’s a mouse in my pocket!

The whole jacket is underlined with lightweight muslin, which helped to stabilize and secure the fabric (like most twill weaves, this stuff frays like a mother!).  I used Pro-Weft Supreme Medium-Weight Fusible Interfacing from Fashion Sewing Supply after Gertie recommended it for her coat sew-along.  The interfacing feels like a quality product and didn’t pill, bubble, or come unglued the way that cheaper products sometimes do.

The shoulder pads gave me a bit of trouble.  I used 1/4″ shoulder pads, and I had a great deal of difficulty getting them to lie nicely and not look lumpy and unattractive where they meet the sleeve.  I think this was due to my fabric– since it’s a drapey, lighter-weight wool, the pads were really visible.  I solved the problem (mostly) by drafting sleeve heads out of cotton batting (instructions for how to do this are included in the Anise companion).  The weight of the batting makes the sleeve cap a bit more substantial, so it looks worlds better now.

All buttoned up…

I made a size 4, but cut the shoulders and sleeve caps as a size 2.  If I made this again, I would narrow the sleeves a bit more as they’re a tiny bit baggy (I was worried that they would be too tight once they were lined and I had a shirt on underneath the jacket).  I also added 2″ to the length to keep a cropped, vintage feel but avoid flashing my tramp stamp lower back when I bend over (don’t worry, ma, only kidding!).

The jacket comes together easily, but it’s really time-consuming.  I spent basically every spare evening/weekend moment this month working on it (granted, I’m pretty slow, but still…).  Steps like constructing the welt pockets are explained really clearly, but they do take time to do correctly.  I hand-basted the markings for the buttons and buttonholes, hand-stitched the lining pieces together to avoid slippage when I sewed them, and spent ages pressing and steaming to get everything to look right.  I’m really glad that I took the time to do a good job, but it was really hard to keep other projects and ideas on the back burner while I slogged away at this one for a month.

This jacket is a little dressier than what I usually wear day-to-day, so I just machine-stitched buttonholes and used 1″ faux-tortoise buttons to keep it looking casual.  But I think this would look really cute (and very early ’60′s) with bound buttonholes and covered buttons, maybe even paired with a skirt to make a sweet little suit.

Overall, I’m happy with this jacket and think it looks alright for a first attempt (although it’s definitely not perfect).   The wool suiting is really easy to work with, too.  It presses neatly, is warm but lightweight, and the seams aren’t bulky at all.  I highly recommend the pattern for anyone looking to make their first jacket.  But I can definitely say that I’m looking forward to making a few quick and dirty projects after this one!

What about you guys?  Are you tailoring fiends, or are you working up the nerve to make your first jacket?  Do you like investing time in slow projects, or do you prefer to sew a top in a day?

[Note: If you're a Mood Sewing Network reader, you may notice that my posts are different there than here on my blog.  I keep my posts pretty brief over on MSN, but I thought that you guys might want to read more details about construction and the pattern.] 

Ginger Made: Renfrew for Mom!

Pardon the photos– it’s just so dang dark these days and nearly impossible to take good pics!

Happy holidays, everyone! Hope you’re enjoying celebrations with dear ones and staying warm (if you’re in the northern hemisphere, that is)! Like some of you, I bet, I swore off handmade presents this year. I’ve spent far too many Christmas Eves feverishly knitting at 2:00am, desperately trying to finish a gift before the morning. Not this year! No handmade gifts, and no stress for me! But when I spotted this gorgeous, heathered wool jersey at Mood, what could I do? It’s my mom’s favorite color, and I knew I could make her a top quickly and easily, so I broke my vow.

This is yet another Renfrew top, a versatile pattern that’s a snap to fit and sew. Since I only needed two yards to make a version with long sleeves and a cowl, this sweater turned out to be a serious bargain and, in my opinion, a lovely gift. Wool jersey and sweater knits are perfect for sewing for others– you don’t have to do much fitting, but the wool adds a luxe quality to the finished object that’s really nice (plus it’s WAY faster than knitting a sweater for your mom… and your dad… and your sister… don’t ask me how I know that!)

So what about you? Did you stay up later than Santa making homemade gifts? What are your favorite handmade gift ideas?  Are you addicted to the Renfrew pattern, too?

Ginger Made: The Wild Side Pencil Skirt

OK, there’s nothing very wild about this skirt, but I really like Lou Reed, so let’s just go with it, OK? First off, a wardrobe confession: this is my first pencil skirt ever!  Not the first one I’ve made, but the first one I’ve worn (or even tried on)!  I love the silhouette on other people, but I worried that it would make me look like a big rectangle since I don’t have much waist definition.  But when I spotted this sweater knit at Mood, I knew it had to be a pencil skirt!

Don’t worry– I had my bangs trimmed after this photo was taken. I KNOW YOU WERE WORRIED.

I didn’t have much time to sew this month, and really didn’t want to tinker with fit and muslins, so I used the skirt portion of my vintage McCall’s 5995 pattern and added a waistband.  Now I know why Carolyn loves TNT patterns so much– it’s such a breeze to jump right into sewing without worrying about fit!  I felt a little dumpy after I put the skirt together, so I pegged it at the hemline (8″ total), and now it feels just right!

I really like this fabric– it’s heavy enough to give me plenty of coverage (no gross bumps, lumps, or panty lines!), but it’s got enough stretch content to make it sleek and figure-hugging.  And I love that it’s a subdued (dare I say sophisticated?) spin on a leopard print.  I wavered a bit about the fabric at the store, but when I put the bolt down, several other shoppers started hovering around it and I nearly had to wrestle it out of another woman’s arms!

The only thing I’m not crazy about is that the thickness of the knit fabric makes it tough for the kick pleat to lie flat.  Any suggestions for this problem?  I suppose I could always go back and cut it out, leaving just a slit, but I do prefer the look of a vent.  Any thoughts?

Super invisible zipper! Invisible zipper foot = best purchase ever.

I realized as I was nearly finished with the skirt that I don’t have a single black top.  Not one!  So I dashed off to Mood at the next available moment and bought some organic jersey to make a quick Renfrew.  The jersey washed up really soft, and it’s one of my most comfortable tees!  I’m sure I’ll be getting lots of use out of it!

How do you guys feel about pencil skirts?  Love ‘em?  Hate ‘em?  Fearful?  And what about animal prints?  Do they bring out your inner “meeeeeyooooow”, or do you think they should be reserved only for Real Housewives of Wherever?

I’m pretty sure I’m hooked on pencil skirts now!  I can’t wait to make a Charlotte skirt!  Are any of you guys joining in on the sewalong?

Ginger Made: Vogue V8511, or The Slightly-Late Dirty Thirty Dress

Finally done!!!!!

I’m finally done with my birthday dress!  “Wait,” you’re saying, “wasn’t your birthday, like, ages ago?”  Well, yes, but Hurricane Sandy + birthday weekend away + Thanksgiving + numerous silly and annoying setbacks with the dress = here’s my birthday dress, now!  Let’s just say I’m continuing the celebration for the whole year!  (And, now that I’m thinking about it, I jacked up my knee right before my b-day, so this dress would’ve looked pretty silly accessorized with a knee brace).

I went to Mood thinking about color– I had just switched over my seasonal wardrobe, tucking away my bright, pretty sundresses and replacing them with gray and navy sweaters.  I’m not sure why I gravitate towards dark, drab colors in the winter, but I decided that I wanted a bold color for my birthday dress.  I was instantly drawn to this silk– it’s an attention-grabber and an instant mood-lifter!

My plan was to use Simplicity 1873, which I had hoped to make once before but didn’t have enough fabric.  I thought I was in the clear this time around, but I was foiled again!  I didn’t notice that my lining fabric was a little shy of 45″, and I couldn’t quite squeeze out the dress.  Unfortunately I had already started cutting out the main fabric, but I dug up Vogue V8511, an out-of-print Very Easy Vogue pattern and was able to cut out the dress very carefully using the pieces that I had already cut.  (This is one of those patterns with a lame-o envelope, but once I saw the adorable versions of this dress that Neeno and Shivani made, I had to have my own!)

The pattern came together quite easily.  I tinkered with the bodice fit a bit, but the skirt is unaltered.  The dress is fully-lined with a lightweight silk, and I realized that the dress was going to be floppy and sheer even with the lining, so I went back, seam-ripped, and underlined the whole thing with silk organza.  I love the effect of underlining– the organza gives the dress body without adding much weight.  The skirt in particular looks worlds better now!

To be honest, I had so many silly issues with this dress (like the miles of seam-ripping and hand-stitching I had to do to underline the dress) and I was so disappointed that I had to abandon my original plan that I sort of hated the dress the entire time I was working on it.  I kind of figured that this would hang unworn in the back of my closet for years, but when I installed the zipper and tried on the fully-assembled dress for the first time, I couldn’t believe how much I loved it!  I love the shape of the skirt– it’s so fun, but not over-the-top.  I also love that there’s the merest hint of a sleeve, which is really flattering and sweet.  And the hem rises up just the tiniest bit at the front to show a peek of knee, which is a longer length than I usually wear, but it works in this dress.

If I make this pattern again, I would draft a back vent or kick-pleat.  The slit is fine, but a kick-pleat is much more hard-wearing and elegant.  After looking over these photos a bit more, I’m realizing that I didn’t get the bodice to fit as perfectly as I’d like to have.  But I can live with it and I love having a colorful new dress in my wardrobe!

How about you guys?  Do you find yourself bored with bland, dark colors in the colder months?  Or do you rock the classic black-on-black NYC winter look and love it?  I’m plotting ways to add pops of color to my darker outfits (I’m thinking I could wear this dress with a navy boyfriend blazer, gray boots, and chunky, bright jewelry… what do you think?).  Just look how exciting navy looks paired with bright tones!

Silks from Mood

What are your favorite ways to wear colors in the winter?

Ginger Made: The “Climbing Mt. Fuji” Dress

Well, whaddayaknow?  It’s a fancy new dress, my latest Mood Sewing Network creation!  Now, I’m not usually a print gal, but when I saw this Oscar de la Renta raw silk at Mood, I HAD TO FREAKIN’ HAVE IT.  No question about it.  I brought it home, petted it about 1000 times, then… could NOT decide what to do with it!  My original plan was to make Simplicity 1873 (how cute would that have been?!), but the selvedge was only 36″, so I couldn’t quite make that happen.  I knew I didn’t want to break up or detract from the print, but I also didn’t want my dress to scream “kimono” or look costumey, so I had a tough time choosing a new direction.

Capes and hats and gloves, oh my!

My sister actually dug up the pattern on one of our “shopping trips” (i.e., talking on the phone and sending Etsy links back and forth on G-chat… #hipsterchicks).  It’s Simplicity 5359 from 1964, a simple shift dress with a little button-tab self-belt.

I spent AGES matching up the print and attempting to avoid any unfortunate pattern placement scenarios, with a reasonable degree of success, I think (if you need help figuring out pattern matching, check out Tasia’s post here).  In a perfect world, the side seams would match up as well as the back, but… well, this ain’t a perfect world (or lactose intolerance wouldn’t be a thing).  I removed much of the ease from the back– I like the idea of gathering up the excess with the little belt, but in reality, it just looked messy and unintentional when I tested it in muslin.  I could probably stand to tighten the belt just a tad.  I also shortened the dress by 6″– maybe a little much, but hey, what’s a little leg between friends?  It’s fully lined and I spent like a gazillion hours hand-stitching (LIKE A BOSS)—with fabric this special, it only seems right to treat it like a lady!

This is really different from what I usually wear, but I really like it! I’ve been trying to try new things and meet new challenges in my sewing lately, in no small part due to seeing what the other Mood Sewing Network gals have been up to. What about you guys– trying anything new lately? And how do you feel about large-scale prints?  What would you make with a fabric like this?

Mood Sewing Network: You, Too!

Hey-0!  If you’re interested in becoming a Mood Sewing Network blogger, too, check out Meg’s post for more information!  I can think of so many of you awesome bloggers who would TOTALLY CRUSH IT blogging for Mood, so you should apply now!

Hello, Mood Sewing Network!

GUYS.  I am so GOSH DARN EXCITED to announce the Mood Sewing Network to you!  I don’t know how, and I don’t know why, but the good folks at Mood Fabrics picked me as one of nine sewists to kick off their new blogging network, and I couldn’t be any more stoked (seriously, when I got the email, I started screaming and jumping around the house)!  You can read more about it on the Mood blog, but long story short, we receive an allowance every month to try out new fabrics and blog about our projects as we normally would.  Luckily for me, nobody’s upset if I have an epic failure (well, except for me), and there’s no pressure to make anything specific.

I’m so thrilled and honored to be part of this project, and the other lady sewasaurii are seriously the coolest of the cool! You should definitely check out their blogs if you like style, inspiration, and general awesomeness!  What’s particularly fun about this group is that the ladies are different ages, have different styles, and do completely different things in their real lives, so they’re all really unique and make very different garments.  So fun!

Thank you, Mood!! (Ack, I’ve always wanted to say that!)

Now, RUN and add these guys to your blogroll:

Amanda’s Adventures in Sewing

Diary of a Sewing Fanatic

Erica B’s DIY Style

Frabjous Couture

Goodbye Valentino

Miss Celie’s Pants

Oonaballoona

Sew Well