A Sleeveless Blazer for Spring
If you do not yet own a sleeveless blazer, run… don’t walk to the store or your computer to purchase your pattern. You do know what a sleeveless blazer is? They used to know be known as a… you guessed it, a VEST! The pattern I selected is Simplicity 1756, from Cynthia Rowley. For this project, I was inspired by Balenciaga Spring 2013… the ads were fabulous. I chose a Mood Fabrics black Italian cotton suiting that has a smidgen of stretch (cotton/lycra and it’s 64″ wide). This fabric has a medium hand, a fabulous drape and is lightweight enough [...]
Striped Jersey “Nantucket” top
“I don’t really know how to do casual clothes.” Oscar de la Renta I don’t know how to sew casual clothes – the kind of knock around frocks you wear on the weekend – but I’m going to learn. I believe the art of making a simple garment requires an underestimated level of sophistication that I’ve yet to acquire. How does one – Avoid the discount department store look? – Address excessive ease in loose-fitting patterns? – Achieve a finished appearance despite a lack of construction details? – What is Eileen Fisher’s secret? I gave myself the assignment to sew [...]
Lace for A Valentine’s Day Dress
For the past couple of months, us Mood Sewing Networkers have been plotting to have a month where the entire group worked with a similar fabric. Lace was decided for March, and since I had already been lurking the lace selection and dreaming up options, I was 100% game. I was also inspired by Liz’s Macaron Lace Dress because GIRL(boy?), have you seen that gorgeousness?! so jealous. I thought it would be fun to have the dress ready for Valentine’s Day – I’m not really much of a Valentine’s person (this is like, one of maybe four Valentine’s EVER that [...]
March is Lace Challenge Month at Mood Sewing Network
In the early days of the Mood Sewing Network, Meg and Eric of Mood asked us to consider a challenge where we each sewed something from the same fabric. They even let us agree on the fabric we wanted to sew. After much discussion between the initial nine bloggers, we chose lace. Why lace? Here are a few explanations from my fellow bloggers… Lori from Girls in the Garden says… “Lace is an unknown fabric for me. I have only made one garment previously from lace. I am intrigued and challenged by this fabric, it is beautiful and delicate with [...]
The “Oona Made Me Do It!” Top
Friends. The internet is a dangerous and scary place. One minute you’re innocently setting up a Twitter account, and the next you’re accepting dares from a madwoman! BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL. #Sewingdares spread like wildfire! Obviously, I’m no sissy, so I immediately agreed to this dare and headed off to Mood with Oona! She pulled out bolt after bolt and wrapped me in vibrant colors and prints from head to toe. It was a difficult decision, but, like the loose cannon she is, that girl decided at the last minute to up the ante and dare me to use TWO [...]
By: Ginger Makes
Black-on-Black Pants
Let me introduce you to my newest garment: my black-on-black pants. These pants are the culmination of my efforts in Sandra Betzina’s Pant Fitting Techniques class on Craftsy. The pattern is Vogue V2948, a princess-seamed basic pant pattern that either zips at the side or back. I chose to use a black wool crepe from Mood that is described as “an absolute staple for three-season wear”, which makes it a very worthy fabric for all of the time I put into the class! I’ve spent a decent amount of time these last couple of months going through Sandra’s class. I [...]
An Alien Fabric
And here endeth the outdoor shots for this particular post. IT IS FRIGID OUTSIDE, even for my snow foolery behind. And although there’s a lovely amount of wool in this Caroline Herrera yardage (similar
By: Oonaballoona
Red and Seafoam for Spring
I know it’s only February, but try telling that to my spring fever! GAH can it go ahead and get warm here already!? Since I can’t control the weather (something I’m still waiting patiently for, as well as for my own Hoverboard and Jaws 19), I can at least get a head start on pulling my warm-weather wardrobe together, yeah? Before you accuse me of shamelessly ripping off Lori’s red pants, I’ve actually had these planned for a couple of months. Lori just beat me to the punch, and of course hers look better (which is NOT FAIR). Figures! The [...]
Emerald Faux Leather Skirt
Faux leather is off the beaten path in Mood. It’s on the third floor, way in the back, behind all of the scrumptious designer boucles. The Saturday that I was in Mood NYC, I was back there all alone! But the treasures, people, the treasures that are in that section are mind-blowing ~ well at least to a fabric junkie like me! As I was pulling out bolt after bolt, I stumbled upon this goodness… …and I knew right away what it should be! It was love at first sight, really it was! So Todd helped me get it to [...]