Obsessed with Embellishment

I thought you might like to see who I work out embellishment ideas.

This version of the Sportive Skirt is a wearable muslin, which I don’t usually do, but this is an embellishment experiment rather than a fit experiment, and I’ve already done 3 versions of this style anyway (2 Hot Patterns Sportive Skirts, and one Trouser Skirt; they share the same sloper.)

There’s no lining on this denim version, and I wanted to finish the cut end of the (too long) zipper. The red stitching is decorative, and also holds the outside edge of the invisible zipper tape to the seam allowance. There’s a small piece of leather to finish off the cut end of the zipper (I always shorten coil zippers from the bottom and finish the end this way, or with a dab from a glue gun. I shorten molded zippers from the top by pulling off the extra teeth with a pair of pliers.)

The hem is finished off with Petersham because I decided the cut length is where I like the hem, so I had to make a faux hem of some sort. Lace was my initial choice, but I didn’t have any in brown, so I thought I’d go sporty with the Petersham.

This fabric not super high quality or special, and I used iit for the wearable muslin only to test the embellishment. The fabric I really want for this skirt is a stunning dark wash stretch denim that I need to retrieve from Ann. I’ll refine these interior embellishments on that version.

This was a fun experiment. The ideas are good and the colors just need to be worked out a bit more.

This is a great skirt – it’s a short version of the HP Classix Nouveau Trouser Skirt, and is based on the same sloper. I really love the jacket too, and will probably make this up again as a suit in gray – a color that showed up quite a bit during Fall ‘07 Fashion Week - with a contrast lining on the hoodie.

This skirt is a 100% stash reduction project - I literally didn’t buy a thing; the fabric, thread, beads, lace, lining, interfacing, zipper - everything - came straight from my stash. That felt really good!We’re going to an Oscar party tonight, so I’ll wear this pretty much as you see it, with brown fishnets. Oops - I need to press the hem a little more - just noticed some ripples.

This time I thought I’d try a hand picked zipper. Lately I’ve been hand finishing my projects because for some reason it’s easier to get my brain around that than it is to do all the steps to machine finish every detail. The lining is hand fell stitched to the zipper tape – honestly, sometimes it’s just simpler to just do a bit of handing sewing instead of wrestling with it on a machine. Plus I like the smooth look of hand finishing. The top stitching works, but I’m not convinced the beading really does. On the first try I just had the seed beads, but it made the zipper look eerily like a chest surgery scar, which was a little freaky. So I added the bugle beads. So the beads may come off at some point. Maybe I’ll do the pick stitches in the same brown topstitching thread I’ve used on the seams.

The lace edging on the lining is something I’ve done before on skirt linings – a friend said it’s a sort of a fin de siècle look, and I like the hidden luxury. A more detailed review of the pattern itself is on PatternReview.

So – I really like this result, it’s a great Hot Pattern!

30’s Flare for the 21st Century

I really love this blouse from HotPatterns (it’s the Miss Moneypenny Pussycat Blouse) - it has just the right amount of soft, feminie style without being really gooey. I finshed it up today, and it’s part of a Fall 2006 wardrobe.

This is an idea I learned from Diva Georgene, and it’s a great way to really maximise your sewing effforts.

So far I’ve completed the long black skirt, which has a secret lime green lining that coordiantes with the blouse. Next up might be the Burda cardigan with the faux collar and cuffs. Gotta look for some nice black double knit.