Strawberry Pants

So I made up a pant muslin out the the pattern I posted last time. And, to my amazement, all was well. I even managed to get the fly together with only a little bit of difficulty. As much as I feel guilty sewing for myself, I feel a little validated--in the last month I've picked up how to do sleeve plackets and zip flies. I really want to work on bound buttonholes next.
But I can't wear pants made out of muslin, so I made up a pair out of this awesome cotton twill gifted to me long ago by my teacher Chrissy Day. Stripes and strawberries. Of course!
The fly was a little more unwieldy in this fabric than the muslin, but I think I did fairly well.

I did purposely line up the stripes on the butt gusset (is there a name for that piece of fabric?) I didn't on the waist band though, sort of wish I had.
The insides are pretty darn good for me (for machine sewing--I'm super controlled with my hand sewing but I lose it at regular machine sewing sometimes.)
And here they are on me! Pretty good fit--I think next time I'll dart or curve the waist band though, it gaps a little at the top...like most of the pants I buy anyway.

I've also gone back to the filet net, and am ripping, ripping, ripping away at the lace.

Purple Pants, Red Scarf

I've been working on my leather braid coat, but it doesn't look like much progress, so I haven't taken another picture of it. But in the meantime I've also started a few small projects.

I've started this scarf now, because on size 1 needles, it is going to take a very long time to finish. But I love a good cable, and this yarn is super super soft. It's a wool/cashmere blend I found still in it's original skein at a thrift store for a couple bucks. This one's just for me.
I dyed a pair of jeans to this...orchid? color. They were originally a light tan/off white, but I didn't realize when I bought them online that they had a 'stain effect' on them. It wasn't noticeable in the pictures, but it was sure noticeable on the pants, and it didn't look cool, it jsut looked stained. Dying it made them just about disappear.
I also traced out a basic jean/pant pattern from a pair that had ripped. The only tricky part was that the pants had stretched out quite a bit, so they were a little warped. I'm hoping to make a muslin soon to test out the fit.
I also found this book on Seminole Patchwork, which I've been really interested in!

Class is Out

Done with teaching Summer Institute! It was a lot of fun, but also a major challenge, and just a whole lot to do while still working full time at the shoe store. But now I've got my free time back, and my shiny new studio, so I'm getting back into it.
I think I've got my shirt-making skills down just about pat now, I'm very pleased with how this shirt came out! I found all three awful/wonderful fabrics at the thrift store, they work so well together. This picture was taken at about 80% completion, I hadn't sewn on the cuffs or done the buttons. It's done now and I've worn it several times, I need to take a good finished picture.
This was actually my first sleeve placket! It's a little lopsided, not too bad though. And just look at all that piping.
Matched up the stripes just to be cool like that. The new machine is a fantastic topstitcher! I'm still a little wobbly, but so, so much better than usual for me.

I put the log cabin blocks that have been sitting around a while together. I'm sick of making them, so I'm just going to make some borders (probably piano keys or string blocks) to make this bigger and finish it. I'll most likely use this to cover another ratty comforter and tie it.
I also recently found this big filet-net lace table cloth at the thrift store, and I'm rather painstakingly removing all the worked lace so I'm left with a giant piece ( or at least some long strips, if taking out the tight woven part in the middle is too difficult) of filet net mesh. I'm thinking it'll go towards a shift dress to go under the leather-braid coat.
I'm thinking it'll go towards a shift dress to go under the leather-braid coat. Which I've also started back to work on.
I was a little stalled out on it for a while because I was beginning to run out of leather, and wasn't sure if I should go light on the leather braid and try to finish it, or try and find more. But another awful XXL black trench coat jumped out at me from the thrift store (which turned into this pile of leather) so I'm back on the case, and now I can make it a braided as I want. I also found a few yards of nice cotton velvet in an olive color, not sure what I'm doing with that yet.
And just for fun, since I don't post much of myself here, I also got a great navy blazer at the thrift store as well! And new glasses (but not from the thrift store)