Not-So-Haute Couture

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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