neutrals

I have been thinking about making dresses out of neutral colored fabrics I have had in my stash for some time.  I do not need any more clothes so why?  I do not know but I figure it is better to make them out of something I have then going shopping.  

Two of the fabrics were going to be shirts for my Beloved.  But they were purchsed at a different point in his life.  White really does not work for him.  They were soft so I have had my eye on them for a while.  The third was purchased from Ragfinery.  My Dad calls it a rags shop.  Thrifted fabric and clothes.  He is right.

I just wanted A-line dresses.  Not cut as wide as I normally cut them.  Something that I can wear all over the place, whether it is over leggings or tights.

I admit to not liking any of the pictures I got of me in them.  They are a style that looks good on me.  But pictures do not do them justice.  I need to be living in these dresses.

One of the things I tried with a couple of them are overly long sleeves.  I cut the sleeve an extra half inch wide but made it so it fell to my finger tips.  I am quite pleased.  They fit well under my sweaters.  Better then a three quarter length sleeve.  

One of the other things I like about working with a neutral fabric is that when I want to, they can become another color.  They will not stay white for the duration.  But then the dresses I make seem to last for years.  Which is why I have so many clothes.  Dresses that last for ten years or more are the norm in my wardrobe.  I am very good about making things that are the styles I wear.

I do have a longer dress shape cut out as well.  Two more of those to go.  Not quite so neutral but I have been leaning towards greys and blues.  I will need to see how those turn out.

dress remake

I believe I blogged about this dress when I made it.  I had a changed a few things about it.  One, it was flannel which I really do not make dresses out of.  Two, long sleeves with cuffs.  Three, the original pattern dress length.  I found I really liked it but I only wore it when I felt ill.  A dress I just wished to wrap around me and be kept warm by. 

I loved the fabric.  So much so that even when I was making it I wished I had bought more.  Could I find it again?  Of course not!  But I did have about a yard left over that I kept.

So I cut the dress apart.  I had enough length in the skirt to make most of the dress.  I had enough in the scrap to add short sleeves and more length.  Then, the day before traveling I started sewing.  Because I wanted the dress for my parents.  Their house has a tendency to be on the chilly side.  It has a very open floor plan.

I finished it the morning of departure.  I packed it into my bag and off it went with me.  Through a few adventures getting to my parents and I changed into it on Christmas day.  I did not know I could drive from Mountain Home, Idaho to Prosser, Washington on one tank of gas with some leftover.  Driving through three states at between 30 and 45 miles per hour most of the time was quite an experience.  It was not even that bad just slow.

Back in my own home, it is the dress I am wearing it today.  I like how soft it is.  It is a comfort.  But it feels stylish in the sheath shape.  My one fear now is that I am going to wear it out and not be able to find similar fabric again.  That will be a sad moment but it will be what it will be.

I hope every one had a lovely holiday season.  I am just getting back into the swing of things.  I am not caught up at all but simple things are done.  The bed is made.  Tea is in the pot.  A morning walk was had.  I am curious to see what will be left of my garden after the below freezing nights.  The seed catalogs are here.  This could be a very bad thing!

party dress

Unexpectedly, I had a Christmas party to go to.  It was held out of town and at a place called Vaudeville.  The boyos sell their knives there so it is great for networking.  Though the after after parties do feel more like going to a Mardi Gras party!

I was already planning to make a new dress for Christmas dinner at my parents.  I had a lovely thrifted piece of silk that I was planning to make up into an A-line dress.  Very simple, pretty, comfortable.  Party and celebrations but not having to worry about how much you are going to eat.  Or, in the case this week, how much you are going to dance.

I moved the plan up and put together this party dress.  Black in any form always works at Vaudeville but sequins were really the trend of the evening.  Not for me though.  The comment was made that I looked lovely and warm.  The temperature dropped into the twenties and part of the party is always outside.  It is just a crazy party.

So, my dress for Christmas dinner is done.  It feels nice on and is pretty.  Though the pictures of me in it are not the best.  I did try.  

Now, let me see if I can figure out how to get everything else done I need to get done.  The out of town Christmas party did make all my plans and timings change.  It is going to be interesting.

blue dress

After the mad week, there was some quiet late Sunday and Monday.  I decided to try the Farrow dress pattern from Grainline Studios.  It is an A-line dress which I like.  The dress had some interest added with seams and pockets.  The hem was a high low hem.

The dress came together failry easily.  I have to admit that it took me more then once to figure out how the pockets were supposed to be created.  But they do work if you follow the directions.

What do I think of the dress?  It is very comfortable but fits me a bit like a burlap sack.  I followed the size suggested by measurements and I could have gone down one size if not two.  I like the neckline but I changed the sleeve from long to short.  It works better in my life.

The hem is going to drive me crazy.  I hand stitched it so I can easily take it out after it is washed.  I am going to make the hem even all the way around and give it a narrower hem so it is not quite as short.  Because it is so big on me, it feels very short even if it is not.

Would I make this dress pattern again?  With some variations.  It is very similar to the 100 Acts of Sewing dress.  I have made that dress many times before.  I do really enjoy having pockets though.  I think I am going for more of a hidden side pocket though.  But then I also get teased that I do not really follow a pattern.  I always change something.  I just think having a bit of seam interest is fun.   

driving and sewing

I was a bit antsy yesterday so after my Beloved's class we went for a drive.  We drove across Great Smoky National Park.

As we drove into the park, we saw elk.  We have another elk story but that is Montana at 3.00 am, includes a local and the interstate and I am not going to tell it here.  These elk were just grazing.

And then there were the colors.

Everything was so pretty.

We were snowed on by leaves as we drove through.

I really like the Park much better then the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Just so pretty and so many differences in the same drive.

I have been doing a bit of sewing.  I have to admit that I am missing my normal, everyday tools.  Especially my treadle sewing machine, work table, and spinning wheel.

But I got a new linen dress made.  It is very red.  I will see how I like it.  There is a lot of sewing that I have not gotten posted yet.  Hopefully, soon.