Chalk it up to experience

Learning how to sew is a lot more complicated then I had originally thought it would be. My first project was a simple knee length skirt. It came out well and was easy to make so as a second project I bit off more than I could chew.

I bought a simple dress pattern and a sheer fabric that looked pretty but I now find out is extremely hard to work with, it is hard to cut, it is hard to sew, and it is impossible to hem.

I signed up for lessons last spring and for the duration of those six weeks I worked on only the dress but barely got anywhere with it. I worked on it on and off this summer but easily got frustrated and stopped. My instructor told me that my dress was more useful as experience than actual practicality.

Some things I learned while making this dress:

• Keep it simple
  • I’m a beginner and therefore should be doing beginner project
• Measure twice and cut once
  • So many parts of my dress don’t match up, measuring is so boring but it saves time in the long run.
  • I also thought I could just wing it while cutting the hem this dress but I found out that the hem is impossible because it is so uneven
• Get it done
  • I keep pushing off making this dress and it has taken me almost a year which will NOT do if I plan on making 20 outfits by April.
  • Also, because I put off making this dress for so long it no longer fits be because I have gained 15 pounds since last year.

So those are some things I learned along the road of making this dress and as I continue to remedy my mistakes and make it work I try to remember everything I have already learned. Maybe all I can do is chalk it up to experience.

Some Great Tutorials

So there tutorials will definitely come in handy. really cute creative stuff!

Emerging Thoughts T-Shirt Rehab Tutorial from Emerging Thoughts on Vimeo.

Emerging Thoughts Bohemian Bib Top Tutorial from Emerging Thoughts on Vimeo.

Emerging Thoughts High-Waisted Skirt Tutorial from Emerging Thoughts on Vimeo.

Chic and Simple

Some lovely inspiration I came across on Sally Jane Vintage was  a post on an Australian designer called SU Designs. the clothes are cute, classy and an awesome throwback to earlier eras. I really want to make chothing like these outfits.

Photos from Sally Jane Vintage

Thrifting day 1.

Today Neka, my partner in crime, and I went thrifting in town after school.  Between the two of us we only brought $13.00 to spend so that we wouldn’t be able to overspend. With a limit set, we headed over to Sarah’s Cupboard Thrift Shop and started our search for lovely clothes to use in our fashion show (fundrasier and our senior ex) we ended up with 2 dresses and a skirt for an astounding $10.00

We then headed over to another local thrift shop but with only $3.00 left we ended up mostly looking and buying a cute red belt and we plan on going back soon to buy some other great pieces we saw. All in all it was a good day. usually when you go to a trift shop it’s hit or miss and you really have to dig to find something worthwhile but today we definitely hit bullseye because we left with some lovely items.

Here they are:

First Find

While visiting Philly for the Penn Model Congress, some friends and I visited the coolest thrift store I have seen so far. the name of the store is Retrospect and it is located on South Street. We all left with something in our hands and I purchased an adorable 80′s cocktail dress. The dress is well fitted and had cute bows up the back. it was $18 but because the store was one of those stores that already sorted through vintage clothing and only sold the best, it was well worth it.

The shoulder pads on the dress are a little intense but they can easily be removed and altered a bit. I am very happy with the purchaseI made and hopefully I’ll find more pieces like it.

Wish me luck,

-Madeline Claire

sea foam green

April 17, 2009

My progress with sewing is going pretty well, I’m currently cutting out the pieces of a pattern for a dress, it is brown and a deep sheer burgundy and even though the color scheme is a bit fall I am hoping it will come out as a pretty summer dress.

Lately all I’ve been seeing in stores is sea foam green for the summer and I am so excited about it! I lovvve the color and I think it is perfect for spring and summer and I so could have called it to be this springs it color.

Anyways I know that for my fashion show sea foam green will play a rather large part in it and hopefully because of its sudden popularity I will be able to find more fabrics in a variety of hues.

An inspiration I found today for something (I’m not quite sure what yet) is this Betsy Johnson dress Keiko Lynn blogged about. It is stunning and I’m so jealous she found it at a thrift store.

Photo from Keiko Lynn

Well that’s it for now. Wish me luck,

- Madeline Claire

Journal entry 1.

April 5,2009

I learned the basics for sewing last summer but am still a beginner by all means and have signed up for sewing classes at the the night school program offers. I was so nervous because the only thing I ever made was a lousey pencil skirt and I felt very intimidated walking in. It turned out that the teacher was this sweet old lady and there were only four students including me. I was the youngest by about 15 years but it didn’t really make much of a difference because the ladies were so nice and friendly. I started to learn how to fit clothingand I am incredably excited to get started on my project.

So far I have checked out somelocal thrift stores but didn’t really find anything special but this didn’t really bring me down because  thrifting really is a game of hit or miss and I plan on taking a lot of shots.

I did manage to score a beautiful 80’s cocktail dress when I was in Philly so I think I’m of to a good start. I’ll post pictures of it on a later date.

Thats it for now,

-Madeline Claire