being warm is worth it

I keep seeing adorable asymmetrical hoodies, but can not bring myself to by one. It might have to do with the exuberant price tag, the crazy sizing or the fact I can just make my own. Since I was granted a mini-vacation, complete with some of my very favorite people, I used this as an opportunity to figure it out.

I couldn't find a pattern for this idea, so I had to alter one that I already had.



I used view C as the base, but added a double layer to allow for the pleats. I also added the buttons and snaps.



Snaps are hidden under the pleats for closures, with the exceptions of the two top buttons. The silver and clear gavd it a little glam.



The hood and cuffs are lined with a grey burnout knit to add a little variation to the color.

A New Shirt, An Old Scarf and Just a bit of Time

When Target had their line of Kirna Zabete line a few months ago, the stripe and lip pattern caught my eye. As always, I waited it out, got a scarf at 70% off, brought it home, packed it away for a few months and forgot about it. Tonight in my search for something to wear this week, I re-purposed it into the back of a tank top.

You will need 3/4 to 1 yard of knit fabric
1 scarf large scarf
(okay, if you're petite, you can probably use a smaller scarf)
a pattern, or you can draft your own out of an old tank top
thread, pins, needle, scissors...the basics

This top took about 45 minutes, while watching tv.

Originally when I bought the pattern, it was used to make a workout tank with built in bra; it's not for that today. The basic concept, a racer back tank, is the same, but I drafted it to be longer and allow more room through the hips.

The front was done in black knit, back was the scarf. Sew it together using the directions. If you're drafting your own pattern, make sure you allow enough room for a seam allowance, add some wiggle room to compensate for the back not stretching and line up your stripes!

finish your edges. If you're serging it (which would work perfectly!) just use a rolled edge on the arms and neck.

And it's done! I'll be rocking it on Thursday night!

Time Killer, Supply Killer, Money Saver

Johnson's Department Store hangers.
My Grandmother used to do alterations for them, about 60 years ago.

These hangers have been hiding in the back of a closet for 30 or so years. I think they are perfect for hanging garments and taking pictures. Maybe I'll find more hidden away.

Yoga Skirt
This is what I use to teach folks how to sew.  It's useful and very easy to make.

The everlasting collection of fabric will dwindle down at some point, but not yet! I'm not really sure why I bought this stripe 2-way stretch knit, but it made a nice skirt.

A very slight cowl neck.

A few years ago optical illusion type shirts were all the rage. (okay, it wasn't a few years ago, it was 1997.) In cowl neck form, they seam to be making a tiny comeback. I'll be wearing this somewhere, I hope.

If you find something on Pinterest, You should make it.

One of my friends pinned a very easy DIY shirt out of scarves to her Pinterest  page a few weeks ago.  Upon following the links, I found it!  So do give credit properly, the directions are here: Scarf Shirt.



I found the front scarf on the clearance rack at Gap. The back is Symphony broadcloth from Jo-Ann fabrics.

Mine is more like a dress, since it's so long, but given the weather it can be a swim coverup.

There are many Shades of Blue

Paisley. In the past I was afraid of prints, but not anymore.

The lady at the fabric store always argues with me about what I'm making. Yes, I understand that the company where you work has embedded the question "What are you making today?" in your head. Yes, I know you "think" you're an expert. Yes, I know how to sew. Yes, I know what the recommended fabrics are and that this is not one of them. Yes, I know it "might" not work. No, I do not want your input. (Oh and I also know that Jo-Ann's is named after the founder's daughters, Jo and Jackie Ann. Which the manager at that particular store did not know.) For anyone who does not know, I worked for Jo-Ann Fabrics for 9 years in a 13 year time span. Yes, 9 very long years. Those years started before the big do-it-yourself/I-can-make-anything movement in the early 2000's. Those years started in North Kent Mall, which no longer exists. Back in those days Martha Stewart hadn't committed any known felonies yet and the store did not carry very much yarn. There are a few other details that are important to my sewing journey. First, my mother attempted to teach me to sew, but didn't really have any teaching skills. One day I decided that Barbie needed some new clothes, so I made some, I was about 10. Second, the Home Ec teacher in middle school didn't like me. I'm pretty sure it was because I already knew how to make a drawstring bag. Third, the Home Ec Teacher at the high school where I was about to attend died of cancer when I was in 8th grad. They did away with that department. All those things made me a self taught seamstress. When you teach yourself how to do something that's hands on, the best way to learn is to jump in head first and experiment your little (or big) heart away. So I did. Making a pair of dirty lime green corduroy trousers was probably not a the best beginner's project, but they looked pretty awesome when I was done. (Back in those days you could wear something you made to work at Jo-Ann's on Friday's) The cords led to other projects, including the interior of a car for my classmates in an auto shop class, re-upholstering things for teachers at school and being on too many musical crews to count. Not all of my projects worked, but a fair share turned out awesome. Fast forward to 2012, today. I now live in something that's close to a time warp. Southern NJ is still stuck in the 1950 and 1980's at the same time. Think: Snooki driving through a stop sign in an El Camino with a bed of trash behind her. She's wearing a vintage shirt dress, which she wears while tending to her huge garden while listening to a mix of Laurence Welk, Third Eye Blind and Bon Jovi. She's pregnant and had a beer in her hand which she throws out the car window when it's empty. Oh, but she has a lot of spare money to spend on things she doesn't need. That is a mental image of where I live. For many reasons, I make my own shirt dresses, refuse to have a garden in my front yard and will never sing along to Bon Jovi again. Don't get me started on the El Camino. When I go to the fabric store, it's a gentle mix of all those things. The person who cuts my fabric always second guesses me when I tell them what I'm making. I alwys wear the project in the next time I go to prove them wrong.

I used to have goals.
I used to have ambition.
I used to drink.

The drinking may be part of the reason why I have not achieved some of those goals.  If I could go back in time I would not cut the drinking/partying/chaos out of my life.  It made me who I am.  It has lead me on a little adventure, and now I have new goals.
Someday, I'll be a dietitian, just not for quite a long time.
Some of these goals are a little harder to accomplish from Farmland, USA, but I'll keep trying.  Until those days come, I'll stay busy working on those projects that I don't really need.

My Grandma seems to think the print is "too busy", but I like it

I really like the piping on the collar! The pocket detail didn't turn out quite as I wanted them too, but it'll work.

Even though I have a fancy smancy sewing machine, the button holes never turn out okay. I think I need to get it tuned up, but I've been a little busy for that. Making nine button holes using a tight zigzag stitch is not easy, fun or painless. But a fabric marker and some patience....they worked!

It just keeps raining.  Well, not right this minute, but it'll start again, I'm sure. 

About a year or so ago there were some silly shower curtains on clearance at work, so I bought with the idea of turning them into a rain coat.

Working with cheap pvc curtains was not easy, but I think the coat turned out okay.

It's almost my birthday, I needed a dress

 I love polka dots, this is an important piece of information if you ever look in my closet.

 The dress is tea length, with tight gathers over the stomach, backside, back and chest.  And pockets.  More dresses need pockets.

Now, I just need somewhere to wear it.

Polka Dot Phase

Cleaning out my closet last fall meant giving away all my favorite clothes. They did go to a good home, to my friend Lauren, who will probably wear them until they are worn out. But that doesn't help with the fact that I gave away my favorite polka dot dress. This meant, I needed to make a new polka dot dress!



The fabric came from the "bargin" section at Jo-Ann's. This was one of those finds that you have to know what you want to make in order to make it work.



Yes, it has pockets. Since the fabric is super stretchy, the pockets are more for light weight stuff, like chapstick.



There are a lot of pleats. 30, to be exact. I don't like making pleats, not one bit. You know what I like even less? Pleats on a super stretchy light weight fabric.



The pleats did make it drape beautifully.

Petticoat Skirt

Someone made a petticoat skirt on their page, I found it one on Stumbleupon. Here's my own take on it.

1. You need a bunch of fabric. I had a set of gently used 100% cotton sheets that were in the "I hate these and want to get rid of them" pile. There's my free fabric.



2. Create a base skirt. Mine is semi-based off of a pre-existing bias cut number I had in my closet. Since the ruffles will be adding a tiny bit of length, the pattern was cut down a bit. Also, I didn't make my base skirt on the bias, so I figured some extra room for that.



3. Measure where you want the ruffle to be attached. Start at the bottom of the skirt, it'll be much easier to attach them.



4. Time for some math. Measure around your skirt and get the circumstance. I wanted my ruffles to be a little poof, but not too much. The ruffles are two times the width of the skirt.



5a. Make your ruffle fabric.



5b. Remember that the little black kitty will try to "help".



5c. Mark your fabric at the 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 way mark around the ruffle. This will make it easier to gather and attach evenly. Use lots of pins.



6. Depending on how many ruffles you want, do this three or four more times.

7. Create a waistband. Mine is a simple fold over casing, it worked pretty well.



I'm thinking of adding one more ruffle, but not really sure. It looked pretty cool as a petticoat or as a regular skirt.

Only half a pj set just won't work.

After finishing the sorts, I decided that a top was in order too.

Dress Up Time

Sometimes a simple dress is the classy way to go.



I love the way a cowl shirt looks, but I have a hard time pulling off the deep plunge that most of the current trends entail. (I should clarify that, I have a hard time making the deep plunge look work appropriate. This collar can be folded a few ways to change things up a tiny bit. It hits just below my knee, making it look a little like something from Mad Men.



The fabric is a polyester knit I had in my stash, I have no idea how old it is or how much it cost. The belt was off another dress I already owned.

Are you ready for winter?

There's a little history to this project. Every year since about 2007 I've made a new winter-ish coat. Every year since then Amanda Foran has managed to dump an entire glass of beer on said coat. (It's okay, it was an accident, and I never minded smelling like decent beer.) Next semester I'll be teaching a class on pattern making, using a cool software program that integrates both fashion and CAD work. (Finally, those first two years of college are paying off!)

The program uses basic formed pieces and alters them for the modifications you chose. It's pretty neat. My second attempt was this coat, it's very fitted, fully lined and pretty girly. If I was going to do it over, I'd make it longer.

The class is also going to make patterns and other garments from scratch, meaning strictly numbers. Can't wait to see the things they come up with!

Everyone needs some excitement occasionally.

This is kind of exciting, I'm the interim teacher at Rowan for Garment Construction! If the original teacher can't return, I've already got my foot in the door for the position. Not that teaching college will make me a millionaire or less stressed out, but at least it's doing something I enjoy!

So much for having a day off, ever.

when you can't find a dress, make one.

In less than 2 weeks i'm going to my friend Amy's wedding! For this huge celebration, I must have an approprite dress! After trying on so many dresses that I lost track, I finally broke down and made one.


I bought this fabric when I worked at the Jo-Ann's in North Kent Mall for just a few dollars a yard, and matched it up with casa crepe. The dress is based off of a few patterns combine together, but happened to work! From the front it looks like a halter, but it's not! For accessories I'm going to add a belt, I think. The pattern calls for a sash, but that just didn't look good. The flash made the fabric a little brighter than it looks in most light.


This dress conquered my fear of three sewing things.
1. sheers (cutting and sewing)
2. french seams
3. top stitching