Saturday, September 28, 2013

No Pattern Batwing Top!

I needed a quickie project to get my mojo back.  I wanted something simple but rewarding.  Since I love tops and can't seem to get enough of them I thought a simple top would do the trick, and it did.  I had a yard and a half of Red Ponte Roma Knit (my drug of choice), and so I decided to make a quick top with it.  I used a Tshirt that fits me well and just traced it extending the arms to a length right above my elbow.
 
For some odd reason I have sewn a lot of red, so I need to get away from it a bit, but it is a great fall color that can go good with both light and dark colors well.



I love the fit.
 
 
Happy Sewing!

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Printed Pants

I'm seeing printed pants everywhere.  Just recently I took a mini vacation to Amelia Island.  Amelia Island is located North of Jacksonville, Florida.  Its beautiful and I stayed at the Omni Resort at Amelia Island.  There was a cute little clothing shop on the island (can't remember the name), but they had the cutest printed pants, similar to these: 


























I also like these wide leg version as well.



 
 
Here is my version of Simplicity 1699, printed pants.  The picture isn't the best but I will post a picture when I wear them out.   I tapered the legs a little to give me the look I wanted, but these were fairly simple to make.  I also used bias facing as suppose to the twill tape that the pattern called for  the waist.  I like how they came out.

Style Watching and Inspiration

I am not big on following the latest trends.  I have my own little quirky style. Its really not defined, I just like what I like.  If I see something someone is wearing that I like, celebrity or whomever, I go hey I like that.  I get my style inspiration from all sources.  I consider myself a classic chic. 
 
Recently, while pursing one of my many blogs I like to follow, I came across this picture of Kelly Rowland, and it caught my eye.  I just really love the stylish but casual fun look with just a pop of color (those darn pink shoes). 
 
 
 For those of you are not familiar with how she is, she's one of the RB Group Destiny's Child member, or better known as BeyoncĂ©s former group.  I have always loved Kelly's look.  She doesn't really conform to a particular style.  She has a really fun casual look that I really like. 
 

 
 
Just simple and cute when she about town.  
 

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Florida - Not a Sewing Friendly State Among its other Problems

I  was born and raised in Florida, Orlando to be exact.  At 17 I left Orlando to join the U.S. Army and to serve my country and after 8 years of service I decided to get out of the military and move back home.  I was recently divorced and a single parent so I wanted to be close to my Mom and sisters. 



I often see my sewing sisters and friends with such beautiful fabric, from New York and California and even across the water.  Florida doesn't have these options, that I know of anyway.  We have Joanns, Hobby Lobby and a couple of Hancocks, and there is one specialty shop that I often visit and they do have a nice selection, but that is about it.  I just wish Florida had more places to purchase fabric, especially in Central Florida where I live. 
 
I do order fabric from:
 
  • Fabricmartfabrics.com
  • Fabric.com
  • Lowpricefabric.com (Michael Levine's Fabric)
  • Moodfabric.com
  • Denverfabrics.com
  • Fashionfabricsclub.com
 
I know there are many more places to buy fabric, so what online stores do you buy your fabric from? 
 
Happy sewing!

McCall's 6744 Done but not for the Wedding.

I was so excited about my cousins wedding this past weekend.  I picked a pattern Simplicity 2281
and fabric a few weeks ago and was ready to sew it up last week, but assisting my very ill sister kept me from getting it started.   So I chose another pattern that I thought would be quicker  M6744, but needless to say I did not get that finished either before I had to leave for South Carolina.  So I ended wearing a dress I made a few months ago, M6700
 
I got a lot of  compliments on my M6700 dress so I was pleased, though the shoes I initially chose to wear with the dress fell apart.  They were my favorite dressy dress shoes and they died on me after 10 long years.  Thank God I had a decent backup.  A little too casual but I had no choice, so they worked.
 
After returning from the wedding, I finished M6744 and I can't wait for an opportunity to wear it.  Here goes:
 
 
 
Side View
 
I am so very pleased at how it turned out.  I love this pattern. 
IT'S MELANIE DARLING // BLOG DESIGN BY CHIC PIXELS