Not-So-Haute Couture

Truth, Beauty, Love, and Elisa.

Found a place to upload cute videos of da grandbaby: YouTube Now I just gotta get my photoshop elements reinstalled so I can get the pics out of the camera.

The opposite of fug is CUTE! Cute Overload

Stuff On My Cat: Stuff + Cats = Awesome

You Knit What??

When I get my sewing room back together I wanna make Vogue 1851: Pattern Review has lots of reviews on this and word on the street is that it's a great fit for those with larger cup sizes.

A sewing board I just learned about: Stitcher's Guild - Index

A sewing board I just learned about: Stitcher's Guild - Index

Thanks to A Dress A Day for this groovy link: Make Me!

What a great idea!: Convertible Purse

Royal Collection - Dress for the Occasion

Definately not sewing-related, but interesting nonetheless: A Daily Briefing on Iran

I think I need this book: Sew U

...is now what I have! It will do double duty as a guest room and that is fine by me, since I plan to decorate it so cutely that it will be a lovely room in which to be a guest as well as to sew in. It is exciting enough that we have just bought our very first house, but getting that sewing room just puts it over the top. I would like to thank my lovely daughters for growing up so beautifully, getting married and moving out, which makes that 3rd bedroom so available! I'm enjoying making the house ready to move into and I know I'm going to savor getting my room set up just right. Regular posts will resume eventually!

Plan59 > InkJet Art > The Retro Graphics Archive

Taking some time out from regular blogging because we just bought a house and what with the housing hunting, inspections, signing of papers and moving there won't be time for much blogging for the next month or so. Still gotta get those shirts done for dh, though. And--I've lost some weight and my clothes are too big (yay!) so I need to do some taking in. Our house will have a sewing room for me! (double yay!)

Sensational Beads

That's what The Manolo calls it, like this one: lodonstreetfashion .

No sewing has happened for weeks at my house. Why not? I'm trying to figure it out. First off, Dh & I radically changed our eating habits by giving up sugar & refined frankenfood. It's not the first time we've done that, but this time it's do or die (and I mean that literally, what with the high blood pressure and all). A body can only handle so much change at once, plus it takes time to shop for and prepare actual, real, true fresh food. It's worth it, though; we feel great and are losing weight, but I haven't got any sewing done. Just when I started getting used to our new eating habits & thought I might get my sewing groove back we noticed that house prices in our neck of the woods have stopped going up; indeed we are now seeing such phrases as, "price reduced" and "motivated seller" in the local real estate ads. So we're checking out the housing market. Going to open houses affects my sewing time! Plus, if we do buy a hou

DH needs some more work shirts. Last time I got what I paid for, cut I still want a bargain! Maybe this will do: Fashion Fabrics Club

What The Sartioralist does for New York, Face Hunter does for Paris (and other European cities), apparently.

I had a week off of work and did I get any sewing done? Nope. I wanted to, and after a couple of days of vacation I'd finished up some other stuff & was ready to, but I organized the sewing area instead. My (small) fabric stash has been swatched onto index cards, with the fabric itself neatly tied into rolls and stored in a labeled flip-top bin. Gone are some once-promising but now-wadder-chalk it up as a learning experience-projects such as my bodice sloper and a previous princess seam blouse that I had altered into oblivion and could no longer figure out where I was. I am sticking with 3 of my basics at this point: Basic princess shell Basic darted blouse Basic pants with the princess shell at the top of my list, since it's summertime and this is a sleeveless top (however, I would wear it under a jacket or sweater at work). Both the shell and the darted blouse are very close to becoming well-fitted, tried 'n true patterns and I'm excited to start making them in d

How cool is this? Practically in my own back yard: stitch lounge

Yep, we bought a sectional sofa with ottoman. BRAND NEW. With cash money that we actually saved up special (we no longer use credit cards). Here are pictures of the same design & swatch of our color: We got this 3-piece set from Costco for just under $950, which, after traipsing to every furniture store in town and much internet searching, we knew was a great deal. One internet furniture store wants $1500 before shipping for the same 3 pieces. My obsession over getting just the right sectional at the right price was eating into my sewing time, so I'm glad it's finally done! And it looks fabulous!

This is a hot topic over at Pattern Review . We're very excited about it: Contour Clone

My purse organizer has been getting some attention. My daughter wants me to make her one for her diaper bag, and my nail lady has offered to trade a fill for one. These actually go fast for me, unlike almost all my other sewing. I'm looking forward to doing these in some fun fabrics. It'll be nice to get back to sewing; for the past couple of weeks I've been giving priority to making major changes in how I eat (see my new blog, HealthQuest ). The changes are slowly becoming habits and as things settle down I can resume my princess shell and start planning my fall wardrobe.

Not much sewing has got done, but I did get a folding cutting table (with the help of a 40% off coupon from jojos): Now I can keep our dining table freed up from sewing stuff. Next sewing room organizing project: Pegboard!

George Stella - Stella Style Community

There's a thread on Pattern Review about fitting a narrow back and a full bum. That's exactly what I have! I think these alterations are going to prove very helpful: Els' swayback and rounded upper back alteration Debfxvt57's full-hip adjustment I won't need to alter for a rounded upper back for myself, but anything I made for my older daughter would need it, so I'm glad to have found it.

I'm just this much closer to having a basic princess-seamed shell to add to my wardobe plan . Read all about it here . And I'm not giving up on that Butterick/McCalls blouse after all.

Oh, dear. Another pattern I've gotta have: Hot Patterns Classic Nouveau Trouser Skirt It seems that some regular Pattern Review posters have started blogging. Yay!: The Sewing Divas Behind the Seams Gorgeous Things' Blog And one of the Sewing Divas (Phyllis) wrote up this pattern. I'm sold.

McCalls M2818 I'm taking my time with this project, trying not to get overwhelmed with fitting and alterations. I devoted the weekend to it, using the excuse that it was Mothers' Day and I could do whatever I wanted to justify sewing instead of cleaning the bathrooms. And I'm glad I did, so there! I'm making the sleeveless, slit neckline view and I'm excited that the fitting/pattern alteration part is almost over. Here's a picture of the basted shell: And a link to the excruciating minutae of how I got this far: Princess Shell .

I came across this article by Sandra Betzina: Today's Fit What Size are You? in which she demonstrates, among other things, this method for a princess seam full bust adjustment (aka fba): I'm working on this princess shell from McCalls. McCalls M2818 I already did a standard fba but I still need a little more room in the bust so I'm going to try Sandra's.

Is this not the cutest thing? Kitchenette Pajamas from Decades of Style. How comfy it would be done up in a stable cotton knit to wear while watching that last episode of Law & Order sipping a cup of caffeine-free, sugar-free cafe suisse mocha before bed! I have been working with my inner brat (the one that wants to stay up late to watch true-life murder movies on Lifetime) to establish a bedtime routine to help us get to bed on time and she would love this outfit so much she'd be thrilled to climb into it all cleansed, toned and moisturized and ready for beddy-bye by 9:00 p.m. That'd give us a whole hour to lounge before lights out. I think my sweet little inner child needs this pattern. Maybe I will buy it for her if she doesn't buy fast food and goes to bed on time for a week.

Butterick/Unique B4609 In lavender silk noil. I've made this pattern 3 times, shortening it all around-front/sleeves/back above the armscye--on the 3rd go 'round. Which improved the fit lengthwise, but brought into focus the fact that the width is wrong. It's just too wide. Bottom line is that this 'custom fitted' pattern doesn't. I'm tired of paying Unique $15-$20 (on top of the original $99 bodyskan fee), waiting several weeks for a pattern to arrive, then sewing it up and finding that the only place it fits reasonably well is the bust and hips. I email Unique with a laundry list of fit issues, they re-draft & send me another pattern that may or may not fit. I'd rather pay $1.99 on sale for a size 16-18 big 3 pattern that fits my upper body, then do an FBA and adjust the sleeve, waist and hip width. I used to think that was too much work but I've changed my mind. If I could get just one great fitted shirt pattern it would do so much for my war

It's Passover: SHANGRI LAW: And the Lord Sent Ten Plagues unto Egypt (thanks to Manolo for the link). It's Easter: The Passion of The Tchotchke (thanks to Going Jesus for this one).

I've got a lot of projects going at once--something I don't ordinarily do 'cause things get mixed up. In the hopper, or just out: Unique jacket in poly/rayon pinstripe is all cut out (and I really need clothes!) but I interupted it for... Scalloped apron, which is 1/2 finished and looking cuter everyday. I thought it would be a quick project--maybe 2 evenings, but noooooooo! It's been about a week now, and still not done. But getting there. 2 flannel blankets for the grandbaby--these really were quick; both are finished and were wrapped around the baby, who pooped all over his clothes and needed both blankies to keep warm on the way home since all he had on was a diaper and it's been raining cats and dogs for days now. Black sweater, which I cut out months ago and haven't sewed up yet. Probably because I have about 3 black sweaters already. But I was given this sweater knit from a sister sewist and I want to try sewing with it. Plus it's a v-neck, which I l

Dig this! Fabrix is a discount fabric store in San Francisco that I just found out about.

Currently in the works: Unique princess seam jacket in a lovely polyester/rayon pinstripe. Jacket is cut out and ready to baste. Pants to match the above jacket. Need to make some adjustments to the pattern to get rid of the last of the back-thigh bagginess. Butterick/Unique B4609 shirt in lavender silk noil. Needs hem, buttons & buttonholes. And this cute apron from the Paisley Pincushion : I traced the pattern last night. I did the petite chest tuck and increased the dart. I know it's just an apron, but I want it to fit well enough that I don't have to be tugging the straps up all the time. I think this is apron is just the cutest thing. I can put my Flylady timer in the top pocket where it's less likely to get bumped. No bothersome ties. I can throw it on after I get dressed in the morning so I won't mess up my work clothes while I eat breakfast. And I can make it out of some fun cotton prints that I would never otherwise wear.

Guess what!? I'm petite! I'm just a wee little thing, so delicate that a gust of wind could blow me away--NOT! But I did have a petite fitting epiphany while working on my latest shirt: I need to take a tuck in the bodice--above the bust--just as if I really were petite. I have known that my backwaist length is around 2" shorter than standard patterns, but I always thought it meant I was short- waisted when what I really am is short- chested . This short-chestedness is the cause of my most hated fitting problem: Collars falling down my back. I hate it when the collar falls down my back! And it does in every single ready-to-wear shirt I have ever tried on, as well as many shirts I have made. Now I know how to fix it! Taking the same tuck at the same level across the front, sleeves and back pattern pieces eliminates the individual fiddling I used to do on each piece. It takes care of too-long sleeves and too-low armholes, and puts the waistline mark in the correct

What better way to celebrate getting our taxes done than to get a new pair of shoes? Besides, my old ones were about worn out. Check out my black Bandolino pumps: The cute heel and squared-off pointy toe give it a little more fashion edge that my usual basic boring dress pump. I love them.

Neat-o blog of NYC on-the-street fashion: The Sartorialist , linked from A Dress A Day .

An image website recommended by Flylady : MissusSmartyPants.com the know-it-all of style

Thank you for my Pantone shopping color guide . I love it, I love it, I LOVE it!

Some finished projects to add to the NSHC Collection: Butterick/Unique B4609 shirt (blue/white stripe Butterick/Unique B4609 shirt (pink/black stripe) After these pictures were taken I shortened the sleeves 2" by taking a tuck at the cuff line. The next iteration will have extended shoulders by 3/4", raised armscye and shortened sleeves from the get-go A bunch o' customized t-shirts. I scored a great buy at Old Navy @ $4.99 each. Shortened bottoms and sleeves.

Thanks Rusty Bobbin, for this terrific tutorial for One-Strip Sleeve Placket I can't wait to try this!

Purse organizer pockets using this tutorial from Craftster.org Mine's 42" long (this was for a tote and I wanted to get everything in) and the same finishe height as the one in the tutorial.

Is it me, or is this badly drafted? Notice that the pockets match. And nothing else. Not the top, not the bottom, not the armscye curve. I attempted to make the side panel fit by taking what I hoped would be stylish tucks at the seamline. It doesn't look so good in this picture but it looked sorta okay in real life. I might've pulled off stylish tucks, but look at that low armscye! No way will that fit! I've had to raise the armscye on every single top pattern I've purchased from Unique. And another thing--I don't have a picture for this, but the center front was too long. Just like when I've done a full bust adjustment on a pattern and the extra length added by that adjustment made the center front waayy too long--I guess because I'm big-busted and short-waisted. That sort of frustrating alteration that leads to another alteration is exactly why I decided to try custom patterns like Unique, but apparently even they didn't get it right on this one. My ot

My 'Completed Sewing Projects' link has been revamped. It hadn't been updated in a few months and when I checked the web page it was all wonky--photos weren't lining up with project descriptions, etc. So I created a new blog, The Not So Haute Couture Collection , to journal my finished projects.

A place to buy tencel Silk Road Fabrics - High quality silk, linen, cotton, wool and tencel fabrics and buttons for home decoration and sewing

Here it is Monday with a progress report on Friday's to-do list: Finish blue pants (attach waistband & hem) These were a ULE-- U nwearable L earning E xperience, aka 'wadder', as in wadded up and thrown away. Very much a bummer. The problem was the too-high rise, the too-baggy back thighs all combined with the fabric choice. See, in order to eliminate the bagginess, the back waist needed to be pulled up, but pulling the backwaist up enough to correct the fit threw the fit off in other places--for instance, the side seam was pulled toward the back. Then, too, this fabric was a heavier stretch twill; very denim-like and I found myself wanting to fit them much closer than a drapier fabric. But these were meant to be office slacks, not jeans. It was a learning experience that was reinforced when I sewed the exact same pattern in a drapier poly blend in black and I was able to fit them to a wearable state without ruining the design. Finish blue striped shirt (hem/buttons/but

The 1st Butterick/Unique B4609 shirt (pink/black stripe) is done, the 2nd (blue/white stripe) shirt is waiting for buttons which are waiting for the hem. I've got some pants and a jacket to work on after these are finished, but I'm coming back to this pattern when I start my SWAP. All I have to do for a perfect fit is to extend the shoulder width a wee bit, tweak the forward shoulder alteration and raise the armscye a tiny bit more. I want to play with this pattern--maybe try different collar styles or a straight hem instead of a curved one. The pants (1 pair black to wear with shirt 1 and 1 pair blue to wear with shirt 2) are coming along. I'm having rise issues. I have to pull the pants waaayyy up in the back to get rid of back-thigh bagginess and pulling them that far up destroys the fit in the back waist. I think it may be the fabric, which is a fairly heavy blue stretch twill. I'll finish these and start on the black poly pants. I'll be interested to see how th

Clothing site--great ideas for wardrobe planning: French Rags

Dig this! It's my wardrobe plan story board! My inner brat kept me up past my bedtime to do this. Next I'll play with colors! Right now I need my beauty sleep.

Up until recently, I could take Project Runway or leave it. I'm not a particular fan of reality shows, although I have been known to plan my evenings around episodes of Dancing with the Stars . But Manolo offers amusing Project Runway commentary , so when I was flipping through channels and saw the show, that's where I landed. And boy, am I glad I did. I had been in a sewing lull, you see, with several garments cut out and waiting, as well as 2 cotton french-cuff blouses in process and I had had to actually force myself to sew because dang it, I need the clothes! But what's this? Grown people, interesting people, with artistic talent, actually sewing? On television? Actually making clothes? Why, how delightful! How inspiring! It made me want to sew again! And I did! One of the shirts is finished and looks really good. The other is 2/3 done and then I will start on the coordinating pants that are already cut out. And as a special bonus, Kathy Griffin the D-List was on afte

Here's another interesting print: "Vogue Fabrics By Mail" Coordinated Fashion Fabrics Swatch Club - Transition 2004 - VF044-04 Lavender Abstract - VF044-04

Print fabrics are hard for me. I'm afraid they look busy and accenuate curves that are plenty accentuated without any extra help. But since my wardrobe plan calls for a print I've been looking around and I found this one at Vogue Fabrics . It has black, gray, charcoal, pink and purple. I could sure work with it. It's priced right, too--56" wide @ $6.99/yd.

Must remember to check out Timmel Fabrics for wardrobe fabric. She uses the Pantone color system I've been hearing about. I want to look into this color system more & maybe get their textile color fan --what a great tool that would be! She had some nice stretch shirtings and some pants/suiting fabric that is washable. Washable is key here. If my wardrobe is going to work for me it will not require dry cleaning.

Great wardrobe planning discussion on PR: Sew Alongs >> Approaching Wardrobe Planning - in theory

Using the Timmel Fabrics article as wardrobe plan inspiration, here is the start of my wardrobe plan. Stage one - Make 11 garments: 2 pairs of pants (Unique slacks pattern) 2 skirts, one in a solid color, one in a print or check (Not sure which pattern) 2 simple tops, one solid, one in the above print (Butterick/Unique v-neck t-shirt) 4 tops, in colors which coordinate with the solids (Butterick/Unique B4609) 1 simple cardigan jacket in a solid color (Unique princess-seam jacket) According to this article, which describes a plan shown in Australian Stitches magazine, one would start by choosing 2 basic colors, then add a third complementary color, and make sure the print has the two basic colors in it. I think I will make the cardigan jacket in one of the basic (neutral) colors and make a 12th basic garment: 1 basic jacket in the 2nd solid color (McCalls/Unique M4930) Wow! I didn't realize 'til I wrote it down, but I have almost all the patterns I need. As to colors, one of my

Thanks to Manolo and the Divas , I do know that we are in the throes of fashion week. However, until I nail down the 'well-fitting' part of my mission statement (see title, above), the 'stylish' (i.e., fashionable) part has to take a back seat. I am enjoying reading about fashion week and I share the Divas' taste in clothing, but I must say that the disturbing concentration-camp-victim skinniness of the models is the first thing I always notice on the runway. How do those poor women manage without their comfortable, feminine curves? To address the 'well-fitting' aspect of my goal, I'm working on two of the McCalls blouses, one in pink striped stretch shirting, the other in blue. I'm still going to ask Unique for a re-draft of this pattern, but I made a few adjustments to the custom pattern and went ahead, mainly for the practice. This is a great basic blouse pattern and I want to get very familiar with making it. I've made the most progress with

So inspiring: Timmel Fabrics' sewing with a plan

2 shirts from Butterick/Unique B4609 are started: I made up a toile of the custom pattern. It fits great from the bust down (I didn't have to do an FBA! Yay!), but there are issues: The armholes are too low The upper back is too long The shoulders aren't wide enough The shoulder seam is wayyyy back on my shoulder I altered the Unique pattern to correct (I hope) the above issues, but they are basic fitting concerns and I will be sending Unique an email with pictures and I expect that they'll re-draft. I can compare the re-draft with my altered pattern. I went ahead and did the alterations for practice in altering and for sewing practice. I need to make a toile for McCalls/Unique M4930 to see if it has the same issues.

Off the Cuff has highly recommended Islander Sewing Systems for men's shirts. They have a nice-looking men's classic dress shirt .

To sew my own stylish, everyday clothing that looks like well made ready-to-wear but fits much better. I saw the above blurb in Threads magazine and it is exactly what I strive to do. So I made it my sewing mission statement. It sure sounds good but I'm not there yet. I've had to figure out my personal style, which is a fun thing to do. I've read, enjoyed and learned from a ton of wardrobe planning and image books like these: They all suggest that you find your personal style. Mine is a sort of casual/classic. Out of the above recommendations,, Ready to Wear and 40 Over 40 were the most helpful for everyday wardrobe planning-probably because they are the most recently published.

Kai is clearly telling me here how much he adores his new toy. Sonia Rose is checking hers out: