I'm back!

I'm back from my trip and sewing away. While I get some stuff ready to public consumption, enjoy this beautiful picture from a beautiful dawn in the wonderful country of Chile.

New Independent Patterns

So looking at the Big-4 patterns lately has made me really appreciate the independent pattern creators. The patterns are generally simple, but modern and needed in the sewing universe. The Big-4 seem to go one of two ways with their patterns, over complicated and over wrought or a rehash of something simple and boring. Independent patterns are like a breath of fresh air mingled with sewing machine oil.

Colette Anise

One of the two new offering from Colette and ain't she just the prettiest. I've said in the past I'm not a vintage girl and this definitely has a quality, but with the right fabric I really love it. When I first saw the pink version, I wasn't in love, but the blue transforms it. I'd make it in camel with gold buttons and try to play up a military feel. I think in camel, the peter pan collar would be a little less sweet and a little bit of an interesting juxtaposition. Love the length. Making a companion to go with it as well as a sew along is just too sweet of the designer!

Colette Juniper

Juniper, I want to love you, I really do, but something is off for me. I think its just the fact that its a wide leg, but I really want to wait and see what more people make out of this. I've always thought of myself as someone who'd really like wide-leg pants when presented with a good pair, but I've never had that chance. I've been raised in a low-rise, tight leg world and its hard to come out.

I don't like Hot Patterns that much. Yes I'm making a Hot Patterns jacket right now and that's the exact reason why. I find what's presented on the envelope and what's inside to be two remarkably different things and that's some poor quality. But I'll give some lip service to some of their new stuff that I find interesting.

HP 1140

Hey you can't mess up a bag too much right? I really love this thing, its got a great casual, slouchy shape. I think I can figure out this pattern for myself though.

HP1139

Love love love love love! I've been dying for a pair of tuxedo pants. I want them cropped, I want them long, I want them tight and loose and in every color with every other color stripe. Now I don't think you have to buy a pattern specifically to get that stripe, some mild changes in most pant patterns could get you a stripe, but if you don't want to and want to try this out, I'd love to see it!

HP 1132

Well that's just sex-on-a-stick, isn't it? If I were to get another HP, this would be it. The shape is amazing and that front panel (not the patchwork thing) is exactly what I've been looking for. Having not seen what actually comes out of the envelope, I'm worried, but there isn't too many places in this pattern for there to be something completely out of left-field (see my anger over my jacket's collar, here). I've need around 50 pencil skirts in my wardrobe for about 3 years now and there are still exactly none, so maybe?

HP 1143

Are you freakin'-frackin' kidding me? That's a glorified two rectangles with some drawstring.

Sewaholic Thurlow

So I'm a little late to the Sewaholic train, but this stuff is great! I need to make a million t-shirts because all of mine are old and holey and the Renfrew top is totally the answer, but that's an older pattern, so here's one of the newer ones. Great traditional pants details and made for ladies with hips, what a concept! The shorts are also supah, dupah cutah. I feel like these would be easy to adjust into a skinnier or bootcutier silhouette pretty easily and I'm dying to see people's creations of these!

Sewaholic Alma

So sweet! I'm not that sweet though. All those sweet girls out there will look so sweet in their Alma's <3

Isn't it interesting to see the different pattern company's styles compared against each other? They all certainly have their niches. I think its wildly important to have an actual picture accompanying your pattern, whether online or onenvelope, you listening to me HP? Those are just the clearest patterns.

New Simplicity Patterns: Winter 2012

So I'm traveling for work again. I'm about 8,000 feet about sea level and up at at 4 in the morning with nary a sewing machine in sight so instead of actually working, I will share my critique of Simplicity's latest offerings with you. Mind you, its 4 in the morning, these will be the ramblings of a crazy woman.

I'm going to start with this one...

Simplicity 1727

Ok, I first wanted to start this with, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? But the more I think about this, the more I philosophize. These types of collars are crazy trendy right now among the crazy trendy. Now follow me, most of the crazy trendy probably don't sew, but if they got the hankering to sew and to sew a decorative collar, they couldn't throw together a collar 'pattern' like you and me, they'd have to use this. Think of this as like a 'first hits free' kinda pattern. So any way to bring innocent people into our fold has got to be commended, right?

Nevermind, this pseudopattern is just crazy-sauce.

Simplicity 1726

Being a cape lover, I am insulted by those calling that blue taffeta monstrosity a cape. That is an ugly. The jacket is unremarkable and so are the shirts, but thank goodness, I will looking for a pattern for an obi belt, I could never have made that on my own.

Simplicity 1718

Oh Project Runway Simplicity, much like the show from which you glean your name, oh the mightly have fallen (Gretchen, Anya?!?!). Those are some of the dowdiest pants and skirts I can imagine. The pattern for that shirt was already made, and made better, by Cythia Rowley.

Simplicity 1716

That dress is cute on the model, but on my chest would be an unhappily stretched monstrosity. The cowl is ok, but I think I've made my thoughts on cowls pretty clear in the past.

Simplicity 1715

I think the 'Amazing Fit' concept is quite smart, it allows people a beginner approach to fitting patterns to their bodies than to jump in whole hog. Gotta say though, that is one dowdy dress.

Compare this pattern envelope to the Project Runway pattern envelope. The clarity on this is just lightyears better.

Simplicity 1717

Hey, that's kinda cute! Love the A-line and the pockets!

Ok, I was kinda coherent right? Join me tomorrow night for crazy late night-early morning ramblings of a sewing machine-less sewing blogger.

Project Update: Wedding Blanket

Oh boy, oh boy! The body of the wedding blanket is done!

And its only over two months late.....

Its huge, its about a 5.5'x5.5' square and I'm still trying to convince myself that its blue and coral and not blue and red/orange. Now I just have to add the border, I had to buy an extra skein because it turned out so darned big and I didn't think that one skein would make it around all the edges. In that vein, Jimmy Beans Wool has a really really nice customer service, super fast shipping, and are my yarn suppliers when I can't get to my LYS when I'm out visiting my parents. They also have really cute pictures of their dogs and dog lovers need to be supported.

Project Update #3: HotPatterns Biker Babe Jacket

I've cut out the outer fabric and starting putting everything together, hooray! All the changes I've made are coming together smoothly and I'm pretty happy.

That's my angry biker babe face (and also how I feel about the collar).

The one thing that I'm really really unhappy about is the collar. I didn't make a muslin of the collar because I though, hey, its a collar, what can do wrong. Giant neck wings that extend past my shoulders is what can go wrong!!!!! Let me remind you of the picture is that is presented to the consumer of what this pattern will look like.

You see the size of that collar (easier to see in the line drawings)? It doesn't even go out past the princess seam. The real collar is 3, III, THREE times the size of that. This is why I hate Hot Patterns. I have 5 of them, I'm made three others plus this one so I think that I've had a feeling for them. While they styles are generally good and intriguing, if they aren't going to put in the time to actually make patterns that represent their visualizations or images that represent their patterns, I don't care to buy them. I don't appreciate being lied to. Also, 'close fitting' my ass. The only reason I thought that this fit earlier was because my chest is bigger than the average bear so it fit there just fine, but the waist is huge according to the measurements for anything that wants to pretend to be close fitting. Liars!

Otherwise.....
The fabric is fantastic and its going to look really really good. Just with minimal help from the pattern.

Confidential to the people who are googling "hot biker babe" and coming here: I know its happening because google tracks these things and I'm sorry, you must be very confused right now :)

Pinterest

I caved and joined Pinterest, you can see is here or use the button to the right. I'll be using it save outfits, looks, and pieces of clothing or accessories that inspire me. Its short now and I'm trying to discerning because I've been known to go crazy with inspiration boards in the past, but it'll grow. Oh it'll grow. Enjoy!

New New Look Patterns: Fall/Winter 2012

The New Look patterns are finally here, I wonder why they always release them significantly later than the other collections.

The good

New Look 6152

Capes are one of the most inefficient articles of clothes, your arms stick out like some fabulous T-Rex, your body turns into the shape of a fierce bell, in cold weather you get drafts up your cape, in hot weather...you are wearing a cape. There's no good time to wear a cape, which is why they are awesome! There's no point at which you can blend in wearing a cape, which is why I love 'em! People will ask you what your superpower is and the answer, my reader: "I look more fabulous in a cape than you ever could, muthahfuckah!"

New Look 6144

This main dress is perfect, the other ones I could care less about. The tiny bit of detail at the shoulders, the pleat at the neckline, and the obi belt are the perfect combination to make this dress a little bit fun and a lotta bit put together. I fell asleep last night imagining new color combinations. The first one will have a royal blue body with orange accents.

The ok patterns

New Look 6145

I love long sleeve, short dresses and I love that high collar, but I'll probably never go for this pattern. Too shapeless and referential for me. Also, I think this pattern already exists.

New Look 6141

 Ok, I'm adding this pattern, not because I think its a nice dress. Its remarkably unflattering and has a weird 5-year-old and cheerleader justaposition to it. I'm adding this in the ok group because I see where the patterns makers were going with this. Now I don't know how to fix this model flesh colored monstrosity, less stiff fabric, some other treatment on the skirt except pleating, lose the *shudder* puff sleeves? Maybe a sleeves version done in two different colors. Hey, that idea has teeth.

New Look 6148

Not a bad pattern, the contrast piece has some interest to it. Good tunic pattern.

I hate tunics because they are worn with the demon legging. Do you know how many bare butts I see on one day's worth of using public transportation in the fall due to inappropriate legging use? You would hate them too.

New Look 6143

Need another lace dress with a faux sweetheart neckline? This has been done already and better, but I don't blame this on New Look copying, I blame this on Taylor Swift. I think I'll blame more things on Taylor Swift.

New Look 6155

Bor....

New Look 6155

-ring.

Although, I gotta say. Matching the plaid like they did on this skirt really messed up the look of the ruffle. I never thought I would say that someone shouldn't have matched up a pattern.

New Look 6157

The idea of having a contrasting front and side panel to the skirt is a nice and trendy idea, but can you image putting that peplum on the long skirt? That would look horrible!

New Look 6161

Fall jam-jams! Not bad, but why is she wearing pumps? And she looks more flammable than southern California.

The bad (now this is just an opinion, if you makes one of these and love it, please don't quote me as the anti-Christ)

New Look 6151

That's some fierce lady Vulcan work wear. The stylists really should have gone whole hog and done her eyebrows right.

New Look 6150

Why is this so unflattering?!??!

New Look 6153

Need an 80's coat to cover up your black leotard? Do I have the pattern for you!

New Look 6146

This is ugly and boring and view A with the peplum was just made on Project Runway for a modern, stylish woman.

Good night and good luck.