Bow Hazel Dress

Stash-busting success! This is the Marc Jacobs bow print cotton from FabricMart, that has been sitting in my stash for what seems like forever. I chose the Hazel dress from Colette Patterns because I thought that the V-seamed bodice would show off the stripes of bows. The fabric was a little sheer so I lined the whole thing with the perfect color of light pink, that really made the bows POP.

The bodice sat a little too low on me so I added a contrasting block of pink at the top for more coverage. I cut another facing piece and this time attached it upwards, the effect is not exactly fitted, but it does cover the goods. The hardest part about this dress was trying to match up the stripes, which are not even, they kind of subtly zig and zag, so when I went to match up the stripes on the skirt, it was way off. I had enough to cut another skirt side piece, so it matches somewhat now.

The pattern calls for a gathered skirt, but I chose to pleat it instead, I think it's a little bit more flattering on me. The best thing about this pattern is the POCKETS, I love that Colette always adds pockets. I think this dress looks best with a little cropped cardigan, this one I knitted a million years ago, it's a Rowan magazine pattern.

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Giveaway Winner!

The lucky winner is JuanitaTortilla! Here is her comment:

Hi Erika!

I found your blog in good time :)
I've just moved (back) to Central New Jersey this February after 4-odd years in Europe. It's nice to be back, and I was trawling the 'net for a friendly neighbour.

The favorite thing about sewing is simply making things according to my taste and size... We all don't come from the same cookie cutter! Also, I just love to make things with my hands!

Followed you on twitter and will do that on Instagram... Not just for this great giveaway, but because I think you're too cool for school. Can't wait to hear more!

Sincerely,
Juanita

Thanks Juanita! So glad you found my blog, I am indeed too cool for school :) Please email me your contact info and your fabric will be on its way! 

Thank you to everyone for entering my giveaway! 

                                                                   

Winner was chosen by random number generator, the lucky number was 16. ( sorry I can't put the picture up for some reason)

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GIVEAWAY REMINDER

 Today is the last day to enter the fabric giveaway! Enter HERE 

 Good Luck!

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How about a GIVEAWAY!

You guys were so overwhelmingly nice about my wiggle dress, I decided it is high time for a GIVEAWAY! 

4 yards of this Marc by Marc Jacobs cotton canvas print can be yours! Please leave a comment below answering the question...what is your favorite thing about sewing? AND follow me here on blogger or instagram, or twitter, just so I can get in touch with you.  The giveaway ends Wednesday, March 20, at 11am est. Anyone is welcome to enter!

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The Wiggle Dress

I've gone full out Joan for the Mad Men Challenge. I was already planning on making the Wiggle Dress from Gertie's Book for Better Sewing, which is inspired by Joan. Then I found the perfect purple wool crepe at Fabricland to make this dress with, so it was the perfect time to make this dress.

If you read the blog posts Mad Style by Tom and Lorenzo, you know that Joan has many versions of the same outfit, she always wears a wiggle dress and is known for wearing purple when she is in emotional turmoil. So I thought I would combine the two for the ultimate Joan outfit. Although, I am not trying to express my emotions in this dress, I just like purple. Joan always has her hair perfectly quaffed in a sixties updo. My Aunt happens to be a hairdresser so I had her put my hair up just like Joan, and boy did it take a lot of teasing. I accessorized with Joan's signature pin and long gold necklace.

Source

For the dress, I traced out the size ten and crossed my fingers it would fit. It's such a fitted dress and the fabric has a lot of give so it would be impossible to tell how it would really fit if I made a muslin out of any other fabric than this wool. But luckily it fit, it even had to be taken in at the hips! I love when I get lucky at sewing! This is another well drafted pattern from Gertie's book, I've now made three in all, The portrait blouse, the pencil skirt and now the wiggle dress, and plan on even more. The best thing about this pattern are the gussets! I've never made them before so it was fun to try out this new technique. And now I have a reason to show off my armpits!

Can't wait to see what everyone else makes for the Mad Men Challenge! Anyone else working on something?

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Reknitting

I've recently lost some weight, yay, but now my hand knit sweaters don't fit the same, boo. I have a lot of sweaters that I've made but I just haven't been wearing them because the fit is off. 

I've ripped the front out of my beatnik babe sweater, removed the bust shaping and reknit it. I hate reknitting. I'd rather be working on my neglected fairisle sweater, (which I still need to make the sleeves for), but instead I'm ripping out things from 2- 3 years ago and trying to remember what I originally did. Thank God for ravelry, because I have the worst memory and would never be able to keep track! Here is the new and improved beatnik:

And now I need help altering one of my favorite sweater, Meredith by Kim Hargreaves.The neckline is gaping, the sides are too bit, its just unflattering. I worked so hard on it, I just can't wrap my head around how to fix it. Do I just take up the shoulders, take in the whole thing, I'm just too emotionally invested in the sweater to evaluate it. Ever feel that way?

HELP ME!!!!

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