National Hat Day!

I'm not sure about the history of National Hat Day, regardless it is a fine thing to celebrate. We all wear hats for various reasons. 

These past few weeks I've been wearing a hat hats for warmth. Earlier this week when we had wind chills in the minus forties, I would wear two knit hats layered over each other without any concern over how silly I look. Besides, 

A person carries off the hat.  Hats are about emotion.  It is all about how it makes you feel.  ~Phillip Treacy~

And I like to feel toasty warm.

In the summer, I wear a hat to protect myself from the sun. But I also wear hats for fashion. I'm fond of the retro look of newspaper boy style caps.

Vogue 9044

And I've been know to tune into an episode of Downton Abbey every now and then for a look at the fashions and hats.

Our reasons for wearing hats may have changed over the decades and seasons but today I hope you wear your hat with a sense of fun and celebration!

Happy Hat Day!

In Sewing News Today...

I've decided on my 2015 Jungle January outfit. Sort of...

The pattern, Vogue 8975, has been in my pattern stash for almost a year now. The pattern is for a dress and jacket. If I had enough of the animal print knit I would have made the dress but I bought the rest of the bolt which isn't enough for the dress. Although, it is the perfect amount for the jacket (1.6 metres). Or it could work as the contrasting fabric if I do make view B of the dress without the jacket.  

What do you think?  

1. The dress in the solid grey colour with the animal print jacket or
2. Just the dress mixed with both fabrics

It is on the cutting table waiting for a final decision, hopefully by the weekend.  

Yesterday, Vogue patterns gave us a teaser of their upcoming patterns with a promise that they will soon appear. I'm still waiting. No sign of them yet and spring is only seventy-two days away (according to the radio announcer this afternoon). I have my hands on the Vogue Pattern magazine but the patterns that I'm most tempted by were not featured in their sneak peek. And there is a colour blocked knit dress pattern featured that would work nicely with the above fabrics as well.  

It is not the harsh blowing snow outside that makes one feel like spring will never get here rather the waiting for the new spring patterns. I jest, as I try to patiently wait.  

In the meantime, I've been finding time to read which has been cutting into my sewing time. I just finished reading "I Am Malala" a memoir on the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for another read to add to your own list.  

Well, that is all in sewing news today... 

Happy Sewing!  

And Now the Dress

Stash-busting 2015:  Long-sleeved dress

Fabrics:                      3 metres satin @ $23.73 ($7.91/metre) + 0.15 metre of fusible interfacing @  $1.02 ($6.78/metre) = $24.75

Basting Tape:          1.12 metres @ $0.98/metre = $1.10

Needle:                       $0.62

Zipper:                       22 inch invisible zipper @ $3.57

Pattern:                      Simplicity 2372

Sewn on:                  Janome 4120 QDC using straight stitch for seams and blind hem for the hems. 

Hand-stitching:    Slip sttich (blind stitch) strategically stitched along facing and basting before hemming.  

Seam finish:            Serged on Janome MyLock 234D

Are you feeling a sense of deja vu?  No worries, you did see something like this a couple of days ago when I made a top using this very pattern and this very same fabric. Mama R likes both that much.  

There are a few changes made to the pattern that you may notice from the pattern illustration to finished garment. The centre front seam has been removed, short sleeves lengthened to full sleeves, and there is a centre back invisible zipper.  

I picked up this fabric to make myself a top but Mama R loved it so. So I gave it to her--all of it. ~sigh~ It would have made a lovely top with McCall's 7053 but it wasn't meant to be. It kind of breaks my heart a bit thinking about it. No more, not thinking about it. All the fabric is used up. Moving on... 

The total cost of materials used to make the dress came to $30.04 and how happy Mama R is with her new dress makes this dress priceless. It is all well worth losing this gorgeous piece of fabric just to see her smile and the hugs. Priceless.   

Happy Sewing!  

Fabric Porn

Warning:  I am not responsible for corrupting or enabling any other fabricholics. 

Anne over at Pretty Grievances wrote,

prttynpnk3 January 2015 at 16:17

NO fabric porn? I want to see!!!

regarding my epic fail at my 2015 fabric fast. You asked for it, fabric porn.  

This is the silk suiting fabric that I picked up

The picture doesn't do the fabric justice. I wish you could rub your fingers across the surface of this fabric, "you can hear its music" (Kelby 204). There is a scene in The Pink Suit where Kate unwraps a length of pink boucle exposing its raw beauty and her own passion. It is one of my favourite scenes in the book. And it describes how I feel about this fabric.  

The other fabric I picked up in hono[u]r of Jungle January.  

I'm sure this is what Anne was waiting to see. Sorry, I made you wait for this one. It is a lightweight knit with marsala spots. How 2015 is this! I'm pretty excited about this year's animal print fabric. I do believe that I have a lipstick colo[u]r to match these spots. I have to decide on a sweater pattern and finish off the current project on my sewing table and then I'll get to work on the sweater.  

Well, that's it for fabric porn. Happy Sewing!  

Book Review: The Pink Suit

The Pink Suit by Nicole Mary Kelby
Published by:  Little, Brown and Company (a division of Hachette Book Group Inc.)
ISBN:  978-0-316-23565-5
Retail:  $29.00 Canada / $26.00 US

The length of time that it took to read this book is not a reflection of how much I enjoyed it. Instead, it is a reflection of how busy my life can get along with how much I wanted to savour the descriptions of hand stitched haute couture art.  

The Pink Suit is rich in details that have been woven from facts into an exquisite piece of fiction. Kelby has created a masterpiece that anyone who has an interest in history, pop culture or the art of sewing would enjoy.  

The story captures the search for equilibrium between reality and fantasy that characters in the novel try to create and navigate through their work and lives. Kate takes us on a historical romp through a time where innocence is lost for the protagonist and a nation through the back streets and service elevators of the fashion districts inspired and lifted from the runways of Paris.

This is truly an enjoyable read that I can not recommend enough. If you haven't yet read this gem, you might want to consider putting this on your "must read list."

Happy Sewing (and reading)!

In Sewing News Today...

Two days into the new year and I've already failed at one of my sewing goals. I bought fabric. I don't know who I was trying to kid with that goal. Maybe myself? Crappy start to the day so...

Yup, good ol' fashion retail therapy. I bought a piece of silk suiting fabric and a fun animal print knit. I'm thinking about a Jungle January garment. Stay tuned.  

I found the fabric at Mitchell's and I was pleasantly surprised to find that they are now selling New Look patterns. So happy. Fabricland stopped selling New Look and Simplicity patterns last year. They also changed their membership discount where Butterick patterns only get a 40% discount for members. At Mitchell Fabrics you can still get 50% off and no membership required.  

I did pick up New Look 6106, an A-line skirt with front pockets. This will be perfect for work and I like the below the knee length. I just have to get another dress for Mama R off the sewing table and then I will be able to start on this skirt pattern.   

Happy Sewing!  

2015 Sewing Goals...

New year, new sewing goals.

✄  Get out of my comfort zone and learn new techniques.

✄  Fabric store fast (or shop my own stash).

✄  Continue with the RTW fast.

✄  Learn how to make bound buttonholes.

✄  Make a pair of lined pants.

✄  Make that winter coat I've been talking about making for years now.

✄  Make a Chanel-esque cardigan jacket.

✄  Make a tailored jacket.

✄  Make some workout clothes and use them!

✄  Make a pair of jeans.

✄  Clear out the sewing drawer of all those unfinished sewing projects.

Wishing you the best that 2015 has to offer and a creative year of fun and productive sewing!  How about you, do you have any sewing goals for 2015?