Break, hiatus, respite

So I haven't done any sewing, knitting, or crafting lately. I haven't even done any blogging on the new Vogue patterns. I have a good reason.

I don't like to talk about my career because people in my career aren't supposed to have hobbies and are looked on poorly for it. Also why I never say my full name, I don't want to be Google-able for having such an awesome other life (cause sewing is AWESOME). But I will say that I am currently a grad student and this semester I'm jumping back into taking classes after 1.5 years of being gloriously classless (lol). Also, more importantly, I have to take a test sometime this semester. This test decides whether or not I can stay in my program. Its kind of important. And its wicked hard.

I won't be doing anything other than work for the next few months. Hopefully, I'll get that test over with sometime in March and be back (slowly) to fun stuff by April, but I'm trying to be realistic here. I'm living vicariously through other bloggers until then, its my only lifeline to sanity. Wish me luck and I'll hopefully see you soon.

-LK

New New Look Patterns: Spring 2013

Wow, New Look released some boring shiz this sewing season.

New Looking 6173

Ok, this is obviously a prom pattern, but that doesn't mean it has to be dull as hell. The one shoulder is fine, I actually think more people should embrace printed gowns, and the simplicity lets the print shine through. On the other hand, the blue-purple thing is cheap and outdated.

New Look 6174

Or maybe I'm wrong, maybe girls these days just want to look tacky as ^&#*. Remember the first season of Project Ruway, with Jay McCarrol and Kara Saun, those people had talent. This is not talent.

New Look 6181

The back is kinda cute with the back-cowl, but that's a pretty sack-like dress. Pretty lazy pattern making if you ask me.

New Look 6185

Cute jammies!

New Look 6188

Another Chanel jacket. This looks fine, but I think other Chanel jacket patterns are going to give you the more detail that a Chanel jacket demands. Unless you want a bare bones Chanel jacket, it is quite cute.

Can we stop here and say a little thank you for the lack of bikes in these pics.

New Look 6176

Plain little shift dress with some shaping and a nice neckline. I was looking for a plain shift dress pattern a couple of years ago and couldn't find one that made me happy so keep 'em coming boys! Those buttons on a grown woman are gross.

New Look 6180

Remember when you graduated from beginning sewing and no longer had to find patterns that used elastic on EVERYTHING? Why are we reverting?

New Look 6183

Gathers under the bust always come off as homemade when I do them, maybe I'm just bad at gathers. Another dated pattern.

New Look 6184

No! This is the same pattern as 6144 with a little fabric added here and there. Don't insult me.

New Look 6186

More elastic = Lazy pattern making

As soon as you lean over in that cross over, you are showing your goods to the world.

New Look 6187

I'll take the bottom right with a pair of righteous bell bottoms, man.

New Look 6189

I don't really understand the front notch in the waistband, but I'm not personally insulted by this pattern. There's nothing special, except that notch, what are they trying to tell us...

New Look 6191

I might have made those pants when I was 11. In sunflower fabric.

New Look 6192

This has to exist already.

New Look 6193

Told you they were going to capitalize on the independent pattern companies popular use of peter pan collars.

New Look 6194

I've come to find I dislike cropped things, but they are fine for other people. Also, those are the same pants found in 6174 above.

New Look 6196

And here are the pants for a third time.

New Look 6197

I'm totally making that shirt for my boyfriend (same fabric) and then guilting him into wearing it outside. "But I maaaade it for you, honey. Don't you love meeeee???"

Beauty

I'm in another country again and that means no sewing right now (which makes me twitchy), but this was one beautiful sunset.

Have a lovely day all.

Pattern Review: Riverbed Shawl

There was nothing better to follow up my enormous, never-ending previous knitting project than with a shawl that took me two days to knit. Two glorious wonderful days.

The shawl is one of my diy Christmas presents and is going to my lovely future mother-in-law. My boyfriend's contribution was picking out the colors and they are very beautiful colors.

The pattern is from Twinkle's Weekend Knits which has the best bulky yarn patterns. I LOVE Twinkle! I used Blue Sky Bulky yarn which is soft and fluffy and yummylicious. My two yarn loves are Noro and Blue Sky, they are the best stuff. The pattern calls for 9 stripes, but I only made 7 to reduce some bulkiness in the width which was perfect. I also reduced the 13" (!) fringe down to 7", wayyy more manageable. I've never put fringe on anything, it was quite fun!

What a pretty project, I hope she loves it!

Now here's the shitty part. I was so anxious to get this in the mail that there's only one picture and it was only discovered serendipitously on my boyfriend's phone.

...yeah.

Christmas present!

Since finishing my awesome jacket that I wear every chance I can get, I'm been working on a super secret project, my Mom's Christmas present and I can finally post it! Here's the story.

A few months ago my Mom sent me a package in the mail and wrapped some things in old napkins that we have. Napkins that we've used since I can remember using napkins and these things were holey. I mean more hole than napkin, you could put your entire face through them. My Mom deserves awesome napkins, and while I was at it, my Mom deserved awesome placemats. I wanted to give her something that was casual, but could be gussied up, something mix-and-matchable, and I wanted to give her alot of whatever I was going to do.

12 placemats, 12 napkins, 4 of each color. I backed the placemats with oatmeal colored fabric to add to the mix/matachableness. The thread is oatmeal colored and used on the napkins too. I used 3.5 spools, that machine embroidery takes a lot of thread! There is the thinnest batting I could find in the placemats that gives them just enough loft. And its real linen!

Ah, perfectly mitered corners.

My Mom loved them. Merry Christmas Mom!

Pattern Review: McCalls 6325

I finished another project, I am on fire! When I finished this top, I only had one, 1, ONE project left on the table. That's a freakin' record, I love to start projects and have issues with finishing them. I only have 2 knitting projects unfinished, its a miracle! I don't want to talk about general crafts though, that's a disaster.

Sunny day in sunny CA!

I really love the shape of bustier tops, but they don't usually fit my body, but a bustier pattern with cup sizes! Awesome-sauce!

Great fit! Awesome haircut!

So, the pattern was great except for the cups. Ironic right? I made the D-size cup so maybe the fit issues came from that, but as written, the cups would very well fit Madonna cone bra boobs, not human woman breasts. If I had taken pictures of what came out of the pattern envelope, you'd be on the floor laughing. The couple other reviews I found online didn't have any problems, but it appears they used smaller cup sizes. Admittedly I didn't check the measurements, but I'm sure as hell not an A, B, or C and I can't imagine larger boobs fitting in that pattern. A lot of adjustment went into getting the top of the top to fit. My amazing boyfriend helped a lot and I think he was happy to.

The other change that I made was more buttons! More buttons! I hate button gaps. But then I realized that I would have a buttonhole right on top of a seam so my button holes are totally uneven and very (sarcasm ahead) professional looking. Anyways, there are absolutely no button gaps. This thing is SOLID.

Just what I needed! A good underlayer.

The fabric I used was Amicale silk-cotton broadcloth and is really really nice. Like really. On a wish and a prayer I prewashed in the washing machine and it turned out well so I may try that again with the finished product if I'm feeling dangerous. I got the fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics, but its no longer available, I got it almost exactly one year ago. Don't let anyone tell you I procrastinate.

This is a good pattern idea with lots of changes, but I want to make it again. I want the cups to go a bit higher everywhere. Also they seem to wing out a bit at the sides and I'd like to nix that. I want to wear versions of this top all summer with pretty little skirts, like Megan Nielsen's Kelly, how grand!

My family's new dog Rocky likes it too! He also goes by Rocky-Do, Rock Star, and Stanky (he likes to roll in deer poop, but who doesn't?). Always adopt, never buy.

New Simplicity Patterns: Early Spring 2013

Coming in close on McCalls' heels is Simplicity

Starting with the prom offerings

Simplicity 1691

My best friend from high school and I like to go through magazines and play 'which outfit would you rather wear, and you can't pick something I picked.' Even if you can't stand anything on the page, you still have to pick something, its a lot of fun although it kinda sounds lame written out like this.

If I were going to prom this year (as a 26 year-old) I would pick 'FLIRTY', what would you pick? (I'll allow multiple pickings of the same dress, just this time!) I love v-neck, ruffles, and the center slit makes it a party dress.


Now which Leanne Marshall pattern would you rather wear to prom?

Simplicity 1689

or

Simplicity 1690

?

I choose the short strapless 1690. Not all prom dresses need to fulfill the fairy princess fantasy, prom is a freakin' party! Any other adult women want to play my game with me? What prom dress would you choose?

I also like the 'day' look from this pattern, but its a bit poofy. The top is cute, but crazy simple.

Simplicity 1688

Ok, prom dress play is over, lets discuss real clothes. I LOVE this. Cynthia Rowley is the bomb-diggity. The dress is perfection, the contrast, the seaming, the jacket is perfect, omg stripes, and its lined! I'm going to buy the crap out of this next 99 cent sale.

Simplicity 1687

This looks like something Taylor Swift would wear. Its cute, I love the contrasts (piping and yoke), pockets, and pleats coming off the pockets, but I think its a bit too cutesy for me. Fabric choice might alleviate the cutesy.

Simplicity 1692

OMG, its SENCHA! You can bet your patooty that Simplicity (and the others) know all about the independent pattern makers out there and are following their every move and success. Sencha is one of Collete's more popular patterns so I guess this is not surprising. I like Sencha better. So there.

Simplicity 1693

Boring shirts and those bell sleeves are unflattering. I don't like drawstring waists. They are trying to cash in on the peter-pan collar trend.

Simplicity 1694

Going for the high-low shirt hem. That front split with only one button is not my cup o'tea. Whatever is going on with the hem in view F is awful! Interesting fake fabric choice with view B, that's straight out of the 70's.

Simplicity 1699

Ok, I like that top in a pilgrim sort of way, but everything else is throwaway.

Simplicity 1696

Those look like very comprehensive pants. Very standard.

Simplicity 1686

I don't watch Mad Men, but is this what they are wearing right now?