summer already?
March 1, 2015
Okay, it doesn’t really get cold here…but it also doesn’t get particularly hot. I am in a little bit of a holding pattern, waiting around for summer. These two pieces remind me of hot, humid weather. A shirt or dress that you can wear all day, and into the warm night.
They made out of thin cotton shirting. Each one is double layered, lined with more of the same plaid. I simply sewed the neck and sleeves together, turned the garment around, and sewed the shoulder and side seams. The whole thing, turned right side out, made an inner and outer dress layer.
The shoulders and sleeves are cut a little bit on the bias, and are meant to be worn loose, drapey, and possibly folded over.
The shirt was initially meant to be the top of a dress. I didn’t have much luck with the skirt, the fabric was just too thin to lay right, so I turned the top into a shirt. It was a little bit too short, so I added a strip of fabric at the bottom.
The shirt and dress have different necklines. I was having fun cutting out shapes and curves.
And here is the finished neck. Simple symmetry of curves, lines, and plaid.
goodmorning tunic!
January 15, 2015
This tunic shape is one of my new favorites. I ended up creating a mini series to study the shape, and how it changed with different fabrics, combinations, and directions. These are the results.
The above two are opposites. The fabric is the same, reversible double layer cotton, but the tunics were made with different right sides. On the left, with the checks as the right side, and on the right with the plaid. It was fun for me to see how the different materials looked, fit, and felt. Some people look better in small prints, and some better in large prints. It is interesting to see the same shape, with different prints, colors, etc, tried on different people. They are both mostly reversible, although the inside seams aren’t quite as nice as the outside ones.
Above is the desert tunic. To be worn in a dry, sunny climate. The sleeves can be unrolled for more sun protection. It is the thinnest fabric of the bunch, and while double layer, it is the same on both sides.
The sparkle plaid is one of my favorites. The little bit of glitter goes so well with the black and white check on the reverse! Again, it is two layers of thin fabric, magically attached together. It is a delightful combination, that still cheers me, even after working with it quite a bit.
Each tunic s hand finished around the neck, with homemade bias tape. Every one is finished a little bit differently, to keep me entertained.
All of these tunics are available for sale in my etsy shop here.
cozy winter flannel
December 4, 2014
Here are a few new dresses, made of flannel, and made for winter. 
They are both designed similarly, with bias cut sleeves, box pleats, and a simple drape.
Blue plaid might work over tights or leggings, to keep warm in this cold, damp weather. Blue plaid’s sleeves are not too long, and the boxy shape would fit well over a long-sleeved shirt. Blue plaid was designed to layer, and to keep cozy. Blue plaid is available for sale on my etsy store.
Brown plaid is going to my mom, so that she can stay warm while keeping shop in Iowa. With the cold winter winds, a warm dress is always welcome!
a dress for a day like today
August 18, 2011
Today was beautiful. Misty, and almost rainy in the morning, then breezy, cool, and sunny all day. I was working at home, and wearing this dress, which I made a few months ago, but haven’t been able to wear.
This dress makes me feel like baking bread, or picking apples. Or roasting pumpkins. Things to look forward to!
The pattern came from a garage sale, and was a little bit too small. So I added a bit of fabric to different spots, experimenting to increase the size.
The fabric is cheap flannel. There is something satisfying about making a dress for $12, plus time. I am hoping that the flannel will hold up to a little bit of wear though…you pay for what you get!
The front of the dress is gathered, and I added some fabric there to increase the size. I also changed the placket a little, and had to adjust it quite a bit more when I realized that the lines of the pattern weren’t matching up well…something more to worry about with plaids!
The sleeves are long, but need to be worn pushed up past the elbows. Otherwise there is just too much green going on! I never put buttons on the cuffs, and if I push them past my elbows and then pull some extra fabric down they seem to hold up well enough.
The pockets are awfully handy. They are conveniently located on the front of the dress, and can hold quite a number of things. The only problem is that the fabric isn’t too strong, and I am worried about the corners of the pockets tearing. I suppose I should have put some interfacing on the underside of the dress for reinforcement, but I didn’t think of that while I was making the dress.
The back is simple, with a bit of shaping at the neck. I was hesitant about putting that in, but I did anyways, and it seemed to work out all right. Again, I was having a little trouble adjusting the fabric so that the lines matched. I am going to need to be a little more vigilant about that!
living in the woods and making stuff 