the great northwest cinnamon forest

This week at the Sew Weekly we got to pick whatever theme past we wanted a crack at.  I picked refashion since, well, that's kinda what I do.  Relove.  Get it?

the before

How distracting is this backdrop seriously?  I rearranged my sewing room and it's like a sewing block has been lifted.  All kinds of inspiration is brewing.

I refashioned this lovely 100 % cotton tee using the same not a Renfrew tee shirt block I used here and here.  But I couldn't just make a simple brown shirt and call it quits.  Oh no not me.  I decided my wardrobe is in all seriousness in danger of chronic boredom.  So I decided to try bleach painting.  I plucked some plant parts out of the backyard, found an orphan spray bottle, and boom.

I have ferns in my backyard obviously

Well.  I think the shirt fits pretty well.  And, umm... it's different.  Except it's not really because I see this kinda crap at the mall all the time.

And dammit the one place I didn't want any bleach was the neckline

All in all not awful for a first attempt but I went a bit heavy on the bleach in that one spot and I think if the design continued up the shoulder it might look a bit more congruous.  Those randumb bleach spots were an accident doh.

But here it is inside out.  Much better no?  I'm not sure this shirt ought to be worn inside out with it's big ugly seam allowances but maybe if I tack them down with a zigzag stitch or a twin needle.

There's a good reason I do not look amused.

It's more what I was aiming for.  Vibrant, interesting, but not huge and sloppy.  The leaf outlines are kind of lost but I think it looks like some sort of heavenly body.

C'est la vie?  What would you do?  Rock it proudly or wear it inside out?

whadda ya mean christmas isn't during winter in oz???

Wait, winter isn't synonymous with Christmas?  That's just wrong.  I guess that makes it pretty lame that the Sew Weekly winter challenge said one thing to me: cozy flannel PJs.  In Christmas prints of course.  Which means: I'm finally done with all of the Christmas pajamas.  Forever?  We'll just have to wait and see...

Meet the most unflattering pants that ever did.  The tiny busy present print (butit'ssocuteandpink).  The unisex oversized pattern (why, just why?  was it not awful enough last time?).  The lack of length (I didn't buy enough fabric. doh.).  The weird pocket poof (cuz I cannot have PJ pants with no pockets).  

Those are little pink, red, and green presents.  OMG it's so cute I could barf.  In a good way of course.

 And to get just a wee bit more painfully cute: the cuffs, waistband, and pockets are all this white and rainbow heart print upcycled Care Bear sheet.  That I actually used to have on my bed once upon a time.  The pattern doesn't actually call for cuffs but I really didn't have even close to enough fabric to cut the legs in one piece.  Is it wrong that I die a little bit on the inside every time I see the lack of pink (or red) piping around the cuff?

Feeling queasy yet?  No?

There are matching baby pajama pants.  Whabbam bitches.

What possessed me?  I'm not sure.  I assume it's hormonal.  Or maybe the brand new baby girl with all her little pink outfits.  I'll try not to do it again kay?

Just a bit more cuteness.  I need a tripod.  Meet my new photographer.  Just his foot though.

That one is actually pretty good for a 3 year old I think.  He takes much better pics with my Iphone but it doesn't take low light pictures well.  You can see here just how awfully unflattering they are. 

I'm thinking hard about a new setup for picture taking.  I'm going to have to do something soon, that awful green wall in the kitchen just makes me look ill.

The Facts

Pattern: McCalls M5248 again

Fabric: 1.5 yards of Christmas print flannel from the local fabric store.  Which was like $12 on sale.  Ouch.  And the neverending Care Bear sheet for lining (again)

Notions: elastic

First worn: Just for these pics.  They're about to get washed, wrapped, and stuck under the tree with the rest of the Christmas PJs, a Christmas movie, and some mini marshmallows and hot cocoa mix.  (It's a new tradition I'm trying to start).  I won't lie, though: awful as these pants look I will wear the hell out of them.  Just around the house though.  I'm not one of those people to go out in my pajamas.  I'm not that trashy thankyaverymuch*.  

*(If you are one of those people and were offended by my last comment: seriously.  How hard is it to put on real pants?).

what's black & white

and not terribly interesting?  this week's meager offering to the sewing gods.  it's a pretty simple a line skirt in a 

very heavy synthetic floral print.  i got this fabric second hand.  it's so heavy i would assume it's upholstery fabric if it was a greater width.  it may be...

this skirt gave me an inordinate amount of trouble.  i had an a line skirt pattern cut out... somewhere.  and i have several skirt patterns still in factory folds.  why didn't i cut one out?  because i'm out of tracing paper and good little seamsters trace their patters.

so i tried to copy a rtw skirt in my closet.  everything was fine until the waistband... and then the zipper.  eventually some darts were made and one pocket sacrificed but it all came out ok.

i can't say i'm fully satisfied with this skirt but it seems wearable enough.  now to see if i actually wear it.  i used to wear skirts and dresses all the time but since baby #1 it's been tough learning to dress my new (oft changing) body.

the facts:'

pattern: self drafted nightmare

fabric: second hand mystery fiber

notions: one of the many zippers i picked up at the thrift recently.  99 cents for 11 - 12 zippers?  yes please.

time to complete: for the first time i actually tried to keep an eye on the clock and i was pleasantly surprised; i only spent about 2 hours sewing... so let's say 2.5 including cutting

total price: about $4 for fabric and 10 cents for a zip... let's round to $5

first worn: just for pics

wear again? hopefully

final thoughts: i feel like i got a pretty decent return on investment... but i think next time i'll just cut into that tissue paper and save myself a headache 

on a completely unrelated note: i wanna love these boots and i just can't do it.  i just can't seem to style them right.  no matter what i feel like a wicked pointy toed witch.

do you do the pointy toed heels? yes? no?

i think maybe tights would save this outfit, but i'm not convinced.  i think only time will tell... or my husband.  he's usually the one who stops me from leaving the house in questionable garments.  although to be honesty the longer he knows me the laxer his standards get.  (and they say you can't change a man, hah!)


but back to the question at hand:
what's black and white and black and white and black and white?


a nun rolling down a hill

i went to catholic school and that's my favorite joke. ever.  that's for you sister helen.

not a renfrew

i spent my morning making this shirt, not doing my hair obviously

this isn't really meant to be a renfrew knock off (if that is indeed what it looks like).  i merely wished to make a copy of an old worn out tee shirt that i loved to death (quite literally!) and you know how the best laid plans work out... 

it's got some wrinkles since it's not skintight: here i am smoothing

i'm getting ahead of myself: this shirt was made for the sew weekly challenge (shirts).  i wanted to join the sew weekly because i didn't think i'd every end up making myself any clothes if i didn't have a push.  i've had the pattern drafted for 3 months now and i'm just now committing the 3 hours it takes to make (be gentle, i'm still learning).  i think that just about proves my point.

this was meant to be a sort of muslin, hopefully of the wearable sort.  i don't really think this sweet candy pink (cotton candy perhaps?) is a great color for me.  as colder weather approaches the availability and location of acceptable sunlight has gone from limited to nonexistent.  the shirt color is a little bit darker than in these pictures; more along the lines of this:

ugh, horrible bathroom artificial light shot

 i sewed all the major seams and then tried it on: the shirt was just the right length or maybe even a wee bit short...  meaning: if i hemmed it, it was gonna be too short.  uh oh.  so when i cut the neckband i cut a wide band for the bottom and thin bands for the arms.  if the seam allowances start migrating when washed i'll go ahead and topstitch them down, but for now i didn't bother

ice princess! wtf is with the weird blue light?

i'm not gonna lie, maybe it's the newness, the honeymoon period, but i seriously love this shirt.  this will be my favorite shirt until i make another one.  i don't know if i'll do the band again or just lengthen the pattern pieces to be the right length.   is it perfect?  nope.  it's asymmetrical, imperfect, and there are a couple of puckered spots but nothing that bothers me today!

the nitty gritty

fabric: a small portion of a sweet pink jersey sheet from the op shop. approixmately $2.50

notions: none

pattern: my new tee pattern (for my own reference: the brown pitaya shirt pattern)

first worn: all day today, chalk marks and all (if you can see them in the pics, consider them temporary please)

time to make: only 2 or 3 hours, which i'm pretty happy with.  i'm sure the next will be quicker

final thoughts: i wish i had a few days to just whip up more of these.  i'm really a jeans and tee kinda gal (or at least my lifestyle as stay at home mommy makes me one) so i never have enough cute flattering tees.  when christmas is over!

aww shucks, i'm pretty proud of this little thing