Project #17: Dyed Back Cut-Out Lace Dress

I've really been wanting to work with dyes lately, and I came up with a decent design to try it out on. It's a pretty simple dress, has all of the things I love in a dress, and it's hopefully going to be one of my favorite colors.

I love turtle neck designs, and a mixture of cold-wear with warm-wear, where a dress has long sleeves, yet is short on the legs. I also thought the back cut-out would be a pretty touch to it as well.

I've really wanted to work with lace again, just because it's pretty, so I thought it'd be the perfect fabric.

So, I bought blue and yellow dyes to hopefully concoct the perfect green.. I'm going for a nice dark turquoise.. you know, a nice warm, gem, pretty green.

I will try my best to have this done by Saturday, but since the end of the semester is rolling around, school work is at a high, and job searching has begun so I can successfully move to Philadelphia soon. But I still want to remain on track with these projects, so I will work hard!

As for future projects.. I may, again, be using my old fabrics to try to create things because I still have a ridiculous amount, and don't want to buy more fabric just to add to the clutter. We'll see.. I really want to revisit that purple floral fabric I used on the peplum jacket after seeing it on a TJ Maxx commercial.. I may do something ridiculous with it next week.

I'll keep you updated!

Project #16 Completed!

I made shorts! I'm really rushing on this post, but I wanted to get it up while I could, since I'll be in NYC all day.

I'm pretty decently happy with these, especially for a first try. They're not earth-shattering or anything, but, hey! Also, they're navy.. I photographed in dull light. The pictures really don't do them enough justice.. Also, it's hard to tell when they're not on a body, but my mannequin doesn't have a good bottom shape. I'll be seeing my sister next weekend and I'm definitely making her try them on.

First note, buttons are expensive.. I'm getting over that aspect of things. The fabric was cheap, but the total cost was $9.00. The amount of time to make these wasn't nearly as long as I'd thought it'd be. It took, probably, around 2-3 hours.

How I made them was the way I said I would originally. I put the four different pieces along the hips and butt of the mannequin, and sewed up the whole sides, and then I sewed half of the connection between the front and back pieces. Then I connected those underneath, sewed together some leg holes, added a zipper, and then worked on the buttons and back pockets! That's about it.. I'm just really curious to see how the fit is. I may add seam pockets on the side if the fit is right, but I didn't want to if it wasn't, because I'd have to take them out anyway. This was my first patch pocket, and I love them.. Very easy to get the shape, and just sew it right on.

So, I will keep you updated on these shorts.

They don't match the polka dots, haha, but it's okay.. I like them anyway. I'll post a picture of them together tomorrow when I announce my next project, just so you can get an idea of what I was going for.

Speaking of my next project, I'm soo excited! I'll give you a hint, it'll be my first time working with dyes.

With love from the Upper West Side (I'm going to the Met), I hope you enjoy!

Project #16: High-Waisted Button Shorts

It's time for part two of the look I was trying to create. This is a pretty big step for me.. My first pair of shorts! I'm expecting this to take a lot of time and be difficult, because I really have no idea how to go about it.. I'll probably lay the fabric on the lower part of the mannequinas if I was making a skirt and do some cutting and folding.. I don't know, I'll work it out as I go!



Nothing has really changed from the original post.. It's still based on the same idea as before.. Allows me to use my Project #15 dress in two ways.. And is a big step for me in my quest to learn all things that are sewn.


Soo.. I'm just going to say, sewing starts soon and show you the look by Saturday! Wish me luckk, I'll need it!

PS, thanks for subscribing, friends!

Project #15 Completed!

Wow, I'm actually on time with this one! Back to a normal schedule. So.. This dress is a bit plain and standard, but I still think it's cute. Definitely classy. Also, I think the simplicity works well with the fabric.. It's actually pretty loud when you look at it.. It was hurting my eyes by the time it was finished.

There it is! It's hard to notice the gathering details in on the sides, but there are a few folds on the boobs and gathering at the hip.. I thought it'd add something to it. Plus it's my new thing I like trying out.

The price to make it was about.. $4.50. The time it took, probably about.. 3-4 hours. I probably underestimate.. it really takes longer, but I take a lot of breaks to think about things, and I don't really know. Actually manual labor is much less.. so I think I just average the two or something, haha.

I made this the standard way. But for the bunching in the sides, I just really just followed what the fabric did when I was molding it into shape, and tried to make some rhyme and reason out of it. The hip was a little bit more complicated, but I had to do some gathering up on that. I really hope this is a decent length.. I've been so slutty lately.. But this looks good. I'm hoping to see my sister soon to check.. I can see her definitely wearing it out!

I have to do some research into tag making.. I need some so when people wear my clothes out there's some official status.. Hahaha.

A LOOK INTO THE PAST:

I got a few new pictures of the completed Projects 13 and 14 with the zipper installed. ..Though, I ought to just retire them ASAP.

The back of Project 13:

Project 14 revisited:

So yeah, comment and let me know what you think. So excited to try shorts this week! I have all the supplies and I hope they will be hottt!

PS, can people please subscribe to my blog?? I feel like a loser.

Project #15: Thick Strap Puff Hip Dress

I'm excited about this one! It will be in two parts. The entire look was first designed and inspired by '40's pin up models and retro bathing suits (because I love them):

[Image from: Stylehive.com]

Though this picture is a more modern version.. Something like that.. I love those!

So, yeah, I came up with a complete look that I'll show next week, but it involved a polka dot top (considering I still have a ton left!) I figured, why not just make that top into a dress and have it be a dual-use item.. Since I'm into using one item and making it work into many different outfits lately.

Not the most effective drawing, but I think it's going to be really cute. I love the thicker straps and hopefully I'll be able to execute the puff on the hip like I have it pictured in my mind. Add some pearls and class, and you're good to go!

This is just a classic, cute dress.. That I'm going to pair with some nice shorts next week!

Sewing starts tomorrow!

A LOOK INTO THE PAST:

Erica's gallery opening was yesterday! It went amazingly, and her work definitely stole the show.. No competition. So proud of her! Also, she looked amazing in my dress! I stayed up the night before and re-did the entire top because it was falling apart (probably due to poor original execution), and doing that really helped! The seams stuck together and fit her perfectly! Okay, I'll stop talking, if you haven't seen yet, look at her!:

So happy she wore it and hope she loved it as much as I did! Workkk.

Project #14 Completed!

Finally, we end up with the hottest mess of them all! So.. Like I said, originally, I was going to make this a one piece dress, but I decided it's be fun to make it two pieces, because really.. You could add various colors under the black and white polka dots and try to make it work.

Luckily for me.. I already made a hott mess taffeta dress that I could use for under it.

Get ready..







Eeek! Hahah.. Well.. It was quite easy to make the top part. I'd say it costed.. $2.50-ish to make? And took at most 2-3 hours.. Probably less.

So yes.. It basically is a boobless and crotchless dress on it's own.. Hott! I'd probably rock that out.. Just wear a bra and underwear and make it work.. Gaga would do it!

Hahaha. I tried looking around for something else I made that I might use under it and couldn't find anything. So, for now.. I'm just going to keep it in mind, and see if anything that comes up might work better with it.

So, as for the sewing, much was the usual, but for the strap, I wanted it a bit more puffy, so I took a bunch of excess fabric and bunched it together and sewed it to give it that type of look. Also, for the shaping, I had to cut that out on the mannequin and then just sewed a clean edge.

There is also no zipper here, getting it tomorrow! But the back didn't look like such a mess like the other, so I just put it in.

Yeah, so.. This didn't work out.. But a more solid, neutral color might work under it.. The polka dots are a lot to take in.. And adding the taffeta is.. loud! But.. Dual use for that dress #13.. Plain or under things?

A LOOK INTO THE PAST:

Project #10: The fitting with Erica went great! Though, I need to make alterations because of this damn fabric and to make it as perfect as I can get.. It's not half bad! It helps that Erica works it outt. I was going to post a sneak peek preview.. But I almost want to wait until Friday, where she is going to wearing it to her gallery! Exciting! So I'll be working on that for the rest of the week.

A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE:

This three weeks of experimenting has got me down.. But I'm getting back to beauty! Ignore this, good for practice, bad for you guys. I just had to post these to show you I'm working on things and my 52 items are coming along! My next project has got me soo excited! If it comes out like the design, it's going to be retro fabulous! Dual uses will happen!

I'll announce that on Friday, probably! Until then!

Project #14: Dual Color Super Cut Dress

Well, going with the great theme of experimentation these past weeks, I've definitely experimented with this one!

Yeahh.. So I tried something different with this one. I decided to try something with dueling fabrics, and make it into an interesting dress.

The materials being used were:

- Dusk Taffeta Fabric (I said it'd be back again!)

- Black and White Polka Dot Cotton Fabric

I was unsure how I'd go about it in the beginning, so I'll save how I did for the next post! Originally, it was going to be a one piece dress, but it changed.

Project #13: Experimentation Dress #1

So, for lucky project #13, I decided to break tradition a bit. I had no design in mind and just wanted to play around with fabric. I used taffeta, because it was cheap, I have a ton lying around, and I wanted to use something like it for upcoming Project #14 (but that mess will have it's own post..)

Okay, so.. I really just wanted to play around with lines, folds, pleats, and shape.

*I don't have a picture of the back because I didn't add the zipper yet (need to go to the store tomorrow), and it was not looking good*

So yeah.. It's not the prettiest thing I've ever seen, but it was good practice for me. Especially because I'm going to be using folds much more in the future.. Especially for a project I have lined up soon! I like the back as well, and I'll have to post the picture of that tomorrow once I sew in the zipper.

I love the ghetto iridescence of taffeta too! And it was good that I spotted its tackiness in the window of a store! Haaa.

I think it has an interesting shape and could almost work for someone bold enough to try it! Hey, for $2.00 to make it, it's worth the practice value!

Project #12 Completed!

Well, that was the longest break ever. I got behind on this project, and then I ended up just doing all 3 of my next projects lumped together and I figured I'd just update all at once.

Let's start off with Project #12! Ahh, the elephant print. This really didn't come out as I wanted it too. There were a few issues, mainly that I didn't have enough fabric to do all that I wanted to do. You'll notice a lack of a real collar because of that. I had to make it ghetto-ly.. Because I didn't know what else to do with it.

I really think if I had got the fabric I intended, it could have been really nice.. But hey, I'll work with it. It's also a lot heavier than I thought it'd be.

This was more expensive than anything I've done, I think.. And considering it's not one of my favorites, that sucks. Haha. It was about $11.00 worth of materials, and I really don't remember how long it took to make.. I'd say.. Umm.. Probably between 4-5 hours.

I won't describe much of what I did, because it's pretty typical. I did, however, get to try my first pocket! I really wasn't sure how to go about it.. So I put a slit in the fabric and sewed the fabric inside out around the slit and then added a pocket shaped piece to that slit.. Or something like that. Haha. But I did learn a bit from that.. I'd do it a bit different next time.. Mainly, making a circular shape to go around the slit instead of two pieces, etc.. And it will probably come out better.

Yeah.. So I thought it'd go together with that skirt.. Not so much. I'll post the picture anyway though, so you can see.

I wouldn't recommend two shiny fabrics like these works together, especially when both being fabrics. It's too much. I mean.. It might work in the right lighting.. But.. Yeah.. I mean.. It's not the worst thing I've ever seen..

So, overall, not my favorite, more pricy than I'm used to, and meh. But I tried! I mean.. It's pretty well made?