Happy Scary Halloween

I am a very lousy blogger lately, but my 9 months old son Adam has made the decision that it's about time to learn to walk (apparently, crawling and pure standing is not so much fun anymore), so I have to keep an eye on him for most of the time and don't have much spare time for a lot of "me" activities (like sewing and blogging). That's why I am writing at least this very short post - to say Happy Halloween, because even though I don't sew right now, I did not forget about all the lovely people who read and follow my blog. That's why I wish you all a

Happy Scary Halloween ;)!

Unfaithful (to Sewing)

First of all I'd like to thank everyone who reads and follows my blog, even though I have been such a lousy blogger recently. Even lousier than my lousy standard. So THANK YOU VERY MUCH for not giving up on me and my blog. I have to admit, that I would have the time to blog, only if there was something to blog about...

Do you know how you can find out that you really miss sewing? It's been months since I was able to sew at least a stitch on my sewing machine and the other day I just needed to repair something like two centimeters of a ripped seam on a pair of trousers and the couple of stitches on the sewing machine I made made me feel very happy :D. So that's how I can say that I really miss sewing...

My little son Adam is already six months old and I don't know where the time has gone. But that is a completely different story :).  

This blog is a blog about sewing, but because I did not make a single stitch on my sewing machine for ages (if you don't take into account the trousers I have just mentioned and I suppose you don't :), I did not write a post in ages either. It makes me feel somehow bad, but what I hate about the situation even more is the lack of a creative outlet I just need, to have a kind of a balance in my life. So I figured that until I get to my sewing machine I need to find another way to be creative. 

The last week we've been to a week-long vacation and I made a decision to finally learn to crochet. I have learned to knit as a child, but I couldn't learn to crochet if my life was dependent on it, even though my mum showed me how to do it as often as I asked - and it wasn't once... 

So I have bought the book First Crochet: Projects for Beginners from Lesley Stanfield, a couple of hooks and some wool and packed them into my suitcase together with my firm resolution to finally learn to crochet.

My first day ended up with three failed attempts to get the pattern right - as it was portrayed in the book, but I eventually got around it and here is the result so far - a future blanket, which is going to be finished some time around 2030 I guess, knowing the number of these squares (something between 400 and 475) I need to complete:

The squares are still far from perfect, but as a complete beginner I am quite happy with the results so far - I am sure the square number 475 will be just impeccable :).

I apologize to my readers that this is not a post about sewing, but crocheting. A book, a hook and some wool are much more portable than a sewing machine and I was only able to steal a half an hour here and there on our vacation to make this piece of a (fingers crossed) future blanket. 

I very much hope to get to sewing very soon. But I am not my own boss since Adam was born :), so I can just hope. On the other hand, I don't forget what I promise and because in the comments to the post about this Burda top I somehow promised to get and post some pictures of me wearing it, I will do that soon. 

Until then, happy sewing and thank you once again!

Mother's Day

Today was the first Mother's Day when I could call the day mine as well :). My little son Adam will be 4 months old this week and although the four months are not a time long enough to maybe fully understand what it means to be a mom, it definitely gives you an idea - it's a tough and underpaid job, which requires your full attention 24/7 - physically and emotionally. It doesn't sound like a good deal and sometimes it even doesn't feel like one, but at the end of the day, when you see your child getting smarter and happier day after day, you get your well deserved reward - a big toothless smile (or in my case, a very surprised face expression ;D).

March 2013

Happy Mother's Day to all moms out there :)!

Top - BWOF 4/2005 - 106 A

I haven't got around sewing yet (looking a little blamingly (and therefore a little ashamed) at my 11 weeks old son), so I am going to write about another piece of garment I made a long time ago.

It's not a spectacular piece of art or anything close to it, but I think it's worth mentioning, because this is a very easy to sew and easy to wear top. In fact, it's one of my favorite pieces I've made (which is not many, but still :)...

I've made this tunic-like top from a fabric I had at home for ages and I have no idea about its composition - it's multi-tone, with metallic threads going through it and it's got a nice drape.

 

The pattern I used is the number 106, view A from an old Burda World of Fashion magazine, namely from April 2005 and I think the pattern is pretty timeless.

There is not much to say about my work on this top. I serged (overlocked) the whole thing (with an off-white thread, because at that time I think I only had two colors at home - off-white and antracyt). 

I like wearing the top in summer, with a light camisole underneath to avoid unwanted body exposure :), because the V-neck and sleeves are cut quite widely. It's ideal with white linen pants for the ultimate easy-breezy summer comfort.

I can recommend this pattern to any sewing beginner for the ease of its construction, but in fact to anyone for its easy-to-wear character.


Now I hope I get to sewing (at least something) in a matter of weeks (depends on the little boss a.k.a. my son), because I've got myself a little (or not so little) helper and I can't wait to test it - whether it will work as I had imagined it... Hm hmm...

The helper will be introduced in the next post.

Until then, happy sewing to all :).

The Clothes That Make My Heart Skip a Beat

I've spent some time on the Style.com website to have a look at how the Spring 2013 trends are interpreted in collections of various fashion designers. Among the trends to keep an eye on this Spring are:

* graphic prints, including stripes
* neon colors
* exotic prints and textiles, often combined in patchwork looks and multilayer garments
* leather and leather details
* lingerie look, lace and transparent, sheer fabrics
* ruffles and flounces
* power suits

There are a couple of fashion collections that have caught my eye and I chose three I find amazing and I just couldn't NOT make a blog post about them :).

The first collection that makes my heart sing is the Zac Posen Spring 2013 RTW one. It is a masterpiece full of very feminine elements - beautiful dresses, light fabrics, floral patterns and shine and ruffles everywhere.

Badgley and Mischka Spring 2013 RTW - another fabulous collection in pale, muted colors, with a touch of metallic fabrics and lots of flowy materials. Very elegant and sophisticated. What's not to like...

The third collection I have to talk about is Gucci Spring 2013 RTW.  Again, very feminine, but unlike the first two collections mentioned, this one is in black, white and strong neon colors. The feminine puffy sleeves, flounces and flowy fabrics are in an interesting contrast with the strong colors and make the whole collection stand out from the crowd.

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed the eye candy :).

Is there a trend or a fashion collection that keeps you inspired this Spring?

McCall's 5704, Sort Of...

This is the third day in a row that I'm trying to put this post up. The reason: on January 16, I became a mom of 3300g of cuteness called Adam, whose innocent eyes are only a well-covered disguisement of the fact, that he is a 19/7 job (the remaining 5 hours a day, he is asleep, so I am kindly allowed to take a nap too :).. So after three weeks of being a substitute for a newborn's bed mattress I am trying my best to one-handedly write this blog post (and finish it before March comes around :).

Since it's pretty difficult to sew with a baby glued to one's body, at the moment I can't brag with a new creation from my sewing room (a.k.a. our living room). (And how much do I want to sew!!) Instead, I made a decision to blog about some pieces I made before my blogging era that haven't been mentioned here.

This dress which came to its existence on the basis of the McCall's 5704 pattern, is one of the first garments I've made and is in fact probably my favorite piece of the few clothes I've made so far. For the bodice I used McCall's 5704, which I prolonged for 10 cm, so that it hits my waist instead of remaining the empire-styled one. I drafted the skirt part of the dress myself. 

The dress is quite loose in the waist area, so I wear it cinched with a belt. I've made a belt from the same fabric as the dress as well, but since it has a tendency to fade into the fabric pattern, I usually wear it with a brown leather belt like in the picture, to show off some shape.

One of the reasons why I love this dress is the fabric it's made of. It's a kind of a knit blend and I have no idea what kind, but it's very comfortable and just a delight to wear. I still have a cyclamen and white version of it in my fabric stash. I am fighting the urge to use it for another dress of the same cut.
The other reason is the very well fitting upper part - I didn't have to do any changes to the sleeves or the collar area and it fits like a glove.

The next thing on my plan is to shed the pregnancy weight and get some regime into my new life, so that I can incorporate sewing into it. I am inspired all the time by other sewing bloggers and the Spring fashion - I only need one hand to browse the internet (and buy sewing patterns :-P).  
Aah, good that I am a woman and therefore can multitask :)...

See you as soon as my new diapers-needing boss allows me to ;).