Going Casual During a Dress-up Holiday

Update:  Wishing all my easterner friends and family a safe Christmas. There has been a snow storm with freezing rain that has knocked out power to thousands of homes. Even though I jest in this post, my thoughts and heart are with you guys. Stay safe and sending well wishes.  

Thank you for all the lovely get well wishes. Your kind words were a real boost and I'm on the mend and actually starting to think dreaming about finishing off some projects. Not quite there yet.

Instead, I've been catching up on my reading since I'm laid up and I have finished reading the December 7th, 2013 Globe and Mail article Relax during the holidays with five cozy but chic looks. It is a look at dressing up casual for the holidays.

Let's face the windchill at this time of year, it is darn chilly out there. And the thought of donning a frock this time of year is only realistic if you're snapping a photo of the latest sewing make to be worn in much warmer temperatures down the road. Or perhaps with your leggings ski pants. 

Heels

For me, the article lost all credibility when a Torontonian spoke about the connection to holiday dressing in the Canadian winter climate, "I want to be that little bit more comfortable, so, instead of a dress, I might wear heels and sweatpants" (Verner). Say what! And the photos that accompanied the article were of outfits styled with cropped pant legs and bare ankles.  

No wonder there is a great divide between the east and west. Silly easterners. I feel I can say that since I was once a silly easterner with a shoe fetish. Gawd, how times have changed.  

or Sorrels? 

For one, I would never equate comfortable with wearing heels. Especially as I'm recovering from a knee arthroscopy. Oh my foolish younger self. (This must be the Tylenol 3's talking?) I would much rather wear a frock and stylish sorrels this holiday season if my foot weren't so swollen and I could squeeze it into a pair of sorrels. But that is a whole other story.  

This holiday season I'm embracing the cas-holiday look minus the j-crewesque "restrained ornamentation" (hold the glitter!) and just rock the flannel pj look. I don't think it would be too much and I know I will be cozy. 

Happy Holidays!  

  

   

Year in Review: 2013 Disappointing Makes (My Bottom Three Picks)

I was so excited to make a peplum top that I did not sew a muslin. Instead I sewed a ill-fitting top.
The darts were oddly placed and too high up. I was disappointed that I used a sateen fabric that
I really liked for something that did not turn out. Lesson:  stop being in a rush and make a muslin!
   

These were my second attempt at making knickers and no I wasn't aiming for granny panties.
Lesson: Take the time to read reviews before cutting and sewing. 

This garment fell into the 2013 disappointed list because I was in a rush and didn't sew the
pockets.  I was making this jacket as part of a Pattern Review contest and just wanted to get
it done.  Big mistake because I really do miss the pockets.  It has also been sitting in the
mending/fix pile for several months because I'm trying to remove the piling on this double
knit.  Lessons: The only person I should be trying to impress is the person who will wear it
and when it comes to picking out fabrics sometimes you have to trust your instincts about the
rayon content.     

Year in Review: 2013 Favourite Makes (My Top Three Picks)

In no specific order, here are my top three favourite makes this year:

Favourite coat, Burda 7304.
This will go down as the most challenging project I worked on this year but it was worth all the work.

My favourite home decor project.  No pattern used.
Super soft faux fur, reverse side knit fabric.  

Favourite top, Butterick 5891.
 I LOVE THIS PATTERN! The collar has a nice drape that looks great open or closed and it has
pockets! What more can I ask for? Besides the easy simple shape that drapes into a funky top.

Year in Review: Other Sewing

Despite my dislike fear (you never know if or when you make a horrible mistake) and avoidance of mending, alterations and sewing for others, it did happen this year.

Year in Review: Garments

What a year! I managed to make over 30 items for moi, some of my family, and for gifts.

Clockwise L to R: 1. Top, Vogue 1274 2. Baby Onsie, McCall's 7367
3. Men's Shirt, McCall's 2447 4. Most challenging and rewarding
project of 2013, Spring Coat, Burda 7304 5. Bedroom curtains, self-drafted

Clockwise L to R: 1. Navy wool pants and my favourite pattern of 2013: Vogue 1325 2. Floral Top, Burda 7255
3. Messanger Bag 4. Baby Blue Baby Dress, Burda 9752 5. My favourite make of 2013: kAtheRine Tilton Top, Butterick 5891

Clockwise L to R:  1. Knit Fleece, Vogue 8854 2. Plaid Skirt, Vogue 8835
3. Knit Dress, McCall's  6612 4. Knit Dress, Vogue 1312 

Clockwise L to R:  1. Shirt, Burda 7136 2. Leather trimmed denim skirt, Burda 7025 3. Faux fur and knit blanket,
self-drafted 4. Black wool pants, Vogue 1325 5. Gray and blue pinstriped wool and cashmere pants, Vogue 1325 

Clockwise L to R:  1. Skirt, Vogue 1038 2. Vintage Dress, Simplicity 7478
3. Flannel PJ's, McCall's 8525 4. First attempt at making knickers, online pattern
5. Plaid dress, Vogue 8667

Clockwise L to R:  1. Dress, Simplicity 8024 2. Dress, Simplicity 2372 3. First unintentional attempt
at granny knickers, Kwik Sew 2100 4. Red denim pants, Vogue 1325 5. Peplum top, Vogue 8815

Clockwise L to R:  1. Knit sweater,Stretch & Sew 200 2. Black cotton sateen
vest, Simplicity 4763 3. Blue shirtdress, Vintage McCall's 9424 4. Orange
knit skirt, Vogue  86375. Silk duponi top, Centre for Pattern Design, Spiral Top.  

And there were other types of sewing projects that materialized in 2013. More to follow...

Signing Off, Sort Of...

Not for good, just for a bit. And sort of...

Yes, it is that busy time of year when sewing machines are humming making Christmas gifts with care but that is not why I'll be signing off. I'll get to that in a bit. Confession time: I didn't even get any of the Christmas gifts I hoped to finish done. Heck I didn't even get them started.

There was the jacket that I wanted to make for Mama R, Vogue 8916. I didn't even get around to making the changes she wanted to the pattern. This is the one project that breaks my heart that I was unable to finish. This project will have to make it on the top of the list in the new year.  

Most of my sewing time this month was devoted to helping out with sewing Advent concert costumes. The kids who sang like angels looked adorable by-the-way.  

After the concert costumes were complete there was a whole lot of cleaning that was in need to be done. The sewing machines are cleaned and packed away, the basement dusted and vacuumed. 

There were other gifts that I had hoped to make. McCall's 5795 patterns lay unopened and did not materialize into velvet dresses that I hoped to make. Messenger bags, men's shirts, oh the plans I had. Maybe next year I will do a better job at planning for the holidays.  

But for now, I'm going to sign off for a bit. There are some pre-written posts that are scheduled to appear. If I don't comment to any of the upcoming posts don't worry I haven't passed out from excessive amounts of holiday cheer. I'll be getting some much needed rest and relaxation recovery exercises.  

I have a knee arthroscopy coming up in a couple of days and that is why I'll be signing off for a little while. 

Wishing everyone a happy holiday season. See you in a couple of weeks with some real sewing news (that is the plan!). Who knows, I might even tackle that mending pile while I'm laid up.  

Happy Sewing!

Holiday Dressing

What's your holiday dressing style?

Or is it more like this?

There is much to do about dressing during the holidays. I'm not going to offer advice here other than wear what makes you feel confident and comfortable. Besides, I'm a wear-your-pj's-whenever-you-can kinda gal, so who am to give holiday fashion advice?

I rather hear what you think about the dressing for the holidays. Are you more fun or formal when it comes to holiday dressing? Or do you just skip the festive dressing and stick to the usual wardrobe attire?