1. Vogue 2923 - DKNY Jacket, 2. Simplicity 4045 - ~The LBD~, 3. The Wrapdress, 4. Vogue 2942 - Donna Karan Dress, 5. RTW Knockoff - DVF, 6. Vogue 2951 - DKNY Skirt, 7. Amber's "Cha-Cha-Cha" Dress, 8. Vogue 8330 - Jeans, 9. Orange you glad it's Spring, 10. Scoop Neck T-shirt & Cuffed Shorts, 11. Flowy Camisole & Cuffed Shorts, 12. Simplicity 3867 - Silk Empire Waist Tunic, 13. Simplicity 4135 - White Linen Pants, 14. Simplicity3744 - Black & White Shift Dress, 15. Simplicity 4112 - Black & White Polka Dot Georgette Top, 16. McCall's 5329, 17. McCall's 5329 & 5142, 18. Simplicity 3874, 19. Simplicity 3799 - Psychedelic Shift!, 20. PR Wardrobe Contest 2007, 21. Stairway to Heaven, 22. Simplicity 3800, 23. Simplicity 3686, 24. Amber's Homecoming Dress 2007, 25. Vogue 8425 - The High-Waisted Skirt, 26. Simplicity 3684, 27. Simplicity 3631, 28. BWOF 09-2007-117 - front, 29. Butterick 5101 -- View A & E, 30. The "CHANEL" Jacket, 31. Vogue 8426, 32. Black & White Paisley, 33. Brown & Pink Polka Dots, 34. McCall's 5512, 35. McCall's 5512

I had to tell you all about my new toy tool. I absolutely love it and I don't know how I have lived without it while sewing. As a sewist, I spend as much time (if not more) pressing as I do at the sewing machine. A good, reliable iron is a must. I decided that it was time for an upgrade. I had been considering for months on getting a gravity feed iron. It's just not fun for me running back and forth to the sink in order to fill an ordinary household iron that only holds around 4 ounces of water.

Another important thing is the Demineralizer. The demineralizer is poured into the water bottle and settles on the bottom and is used to filter the water. The demineralizer extends the life of the iron and prevents calcium build-up. When the demineralizer changes from blue to brown, it should be replaced. I'm playing it extra safe by using the demineralizer and distilled water.

One thing that should be considered before purchasing this iron is that it's quite heavy. I can really feel it in my shoulder after using it for a while. But the one good thing about this is you don't have to press as hard as you would with a basic iron.

Other things I noticed is that when you are using the iron for a period of time, the handle can get quite warm. Also, I was a little excited to have the iron and noticed that if the thumb switch is pressed vigorously, the iron will "spit". But since the water is filtered and the iron is clean, there is no staining to worry about. I've been using it (a lot) for the last couple of days and I have no complaints.

and all through the house No sewing had been done (for days), not even a blouse! With all of the cake I have nibbled, And eggnog lattes, I may be changing my measurements If they've gone to my waist!

ROFL! How was your Christmas? Ours was fabulous. Saturday and Sunday, I ran around doing the last minute shopping. On Monday, I baked the Southern Comfort Cake (again)... this is turning out to be a family favorite. I also baked a fabulous Red Velvet Cake. I made Gumbo for Christmas Eve and started the prep work for our Christmas meal. Later that night, we utilized the wonderful cutting table and finished wrapping presents. By the time I got up Christmas morning, the kids were already up and it looked as if FAO Schwartz had exploded in the living room! We all got plenty of loot and we're very happy! Oh, my menu:

Standing Rib Roast Potatoes Gratin Green Beans with Shallots Gumbo Red Velvet Cake Southern Comfort Cake

We caught the 3:50 matinee for "The Great Debaters". This movie now holds the title for THE BEST MOVIE I've seen this year! How was your holiday?

Description: Lined, loose fitting, A-line dress, with cut-in shoulders, 5" above mid-knee, has gathered neckline, back opening and bias turned down collar with button and fabric loops.

This dress was very easy... it only took a few hours in an afternoon to complete it. This dress only had 6 fabric pieces (front, back, under and upper collar and the front and back lining pieces). I cut a size 4 above waist and blended to a size 6 from the waist to the hem.

The instructions didn't recommend interfacing for the collar, but I did it anyway. Since the collar was cut on the bias, I felt the the interfacing should be cut the same way. The fusible that I had was only 22" wide. Not wide enough to lay it on the bias. I use cotton muslin as sew-in interfacing and it was the perfect weight for the collar.

What really made this dress easy was the fact that it had no zipper. Only 2 buttons and the fabric loops at the collar. Notice that the top button is sewn on top of the collar. I used hem tape for both the shell and the lining.

I had planned on making the leggings also, but I couldn't find the type of knit I wanted. The only thing I could find locally were the shiny power knits. I didn't care for those. They scream -- on my way to dance class. I decided to just purchase a pair that looked almost like a sweater knit. We decided to accessorize with black suede platform pumps and a silk wrap since it was a rather warm night.

Wow... one week and one day until Christmas! The kids' last day of school is Wednesday and they'll be out for their 2 week Winter Break. Everybody done with all of their shopping? HA! I'm not! I managed to send out my Christmas cards on time but I still have to finish up some odds and ends early this week. By Thursday I'll shop for Christmas dinner, make sure all the gifts are wrapped, and take some holiday pictures for the photo books.


This weekend was all about movies. I think by now, most of you know that I love CHANEL... it's my favorite haute couture house. I spent Saturday afternoon watching this FAB-U-LOUS documentary about what went into putting together CHANEL's Fall/Winter 2004 - 2005 Haute Couture collection -- "Signé Chanel" (Thanks for the link Carolyn). Karl is a genius at what he does but he is the least interesting of the group. The amazing seamstresses steal the show! Madame Martine, Madame Cécile and Madame Laurence, who cut and sew until their hands are literally bloody for the sake of getting a dress finished on time (You'll note that there is not a single sewing machine in their work room. All of those beautiful pieces are sewn by hand); and about 75-year-old Madame Pouzieux who, in-between bringing in bales of hay, makes the unique CHANEL braids on an antique loom in her farm house. Also, the fabulous André Leon Talley (Vogue's Editor-At-Large) makes an appearance. The film is in French but has English subtitles... make sure you have time to sit and watch because it's extremely addictive.

"I Am Legend" was a *different* kind of role for Will. The jury is still out of what I think of this. I may have to watch it again before I can fully digest it. It's kind of "Castaway" meets "28 Days".

The next one was:

"The Perfect Holiday" was a cute, family-friendly movie with a typical happy ending for all. Even the slime-bag character made amends at the end. At first, I was unsure about this movie. I thought it would be the Christmas version of Tyler Perry's "Daddy's Little Girls"... the white collar woman falls for the broke down, struggling man. None of that was ever addressed and everybody lived happily every after!

How was your weekend?

Once again, my Burberry-esque trench sits unattended and unfinished on the dressform. *sigh* You ask why? Well, I'll tell you. Amber so kindly reminded me that her Winter Dance is Wednesday and I had yet to even purchase fabric! This sent me into an immediate state of panic. What if I can't find fabric locally? My first thought was to say forget sewing and do the thing I dread the most -- going to the mall. I hate malls with a passion and avoid them at all cost, I adore boutiques though, but I digress... So, the thought of me buying a dress from, God forbid, the "mall" had Amber at the point of tears. She is serious when it comes to not wanting to be the carbon-copy of anyone else.

I took a chance today and went to Hancock. Luckily, I was able to find a lipstick-red wool crepe and it was 30% off and the notions were 10%!

Black & White Paisley
100% Cotton
Grosgain ribbon on the pocket

Brown & Pink Polka Dot

100% Cotton
Grosgrain ribbon on the pocket

Remember I said I *was* going to do my trench coat in the microfiber polyester? Well... see what had happened was... LOL That fabric was bitch to work with. Okay... let me give you some background info on microfiber and a small tutorial in case you ever make the mistake decide to work with it.

Microfiber fabrics are made of high-quality, superfine polyester threads, densely constructed. This density gives the fabric its drape and water and stain resistance for outerwear, although it lacks breathability. The best reason to love microfibers? No static cling.

Cutting & Sewing: To pin or not to pin?
Most performance fabrics can be pinned within the seam allowances without damage, but pins leave permanent holes in coated fabrics, so opt for pattern weights or binder clips where needed. When sewing, you should use Microtex needles because they have a thinner shaft and slimmer point than universal needles. Also, a good choice in thread would be fine embroidery thread.

For microfiber fabrics, choose the presser foot with the flattest bottom, holding the fabric taut against the feed dogs.

Lengthen your stitches slightly for this fabric, to approximately 3.0-3.5 length. Hems are beautiful when done with a coverstitch. Be sure to remove any auxiliary needles from your coverstitch machine, as pinholes will leave a permanent mark in the fabric. If you do not have coverstitch capabilities, use a double row of topstitching for your hems. Lengthen the stitch to 3.5 for this hem stitching. Seam finishes are not necessary to prevent fraying, as the fabric does not ravel. However, you may choose to topstitch your seams to encourage them to remain flat. If so, use the same 3.5 length stitching as for your machine hem. You can finger press the seam open and stitch on each side of the seamline, or you may choose to finger press the seam to one side, trim out the inner layer of the seam allowance, and run one row of topstitching to secure the seam in place.

Buttons and buttonholes will require additional reinforcement, such as a second layer of interfacing. Again, avoid the use of heat on this fabric.

You can definitely feel the resistance will attempting to pin this fabric. Make sure to use new, sharp pins. And handsewing... forget that!

Interfacing
If a fabric is already coated, a fusible will make a mess. Coatings and fusibles don't mix; use a sew-in instead. Test your fabric before fusing any interfacing. Some of these fabrics do not respond well to the application of heat; in these cases, a sew-in interfacing will be necessary. Choose cotton muslin or batiste, washed to eliminate the possibility of further shrinkage, and cut it using the same grainlines as the rainwear fabric. Baste the interfacing to the rainwear fabric with dots of glue stick. (The school variety glue stick works fine.)

What caused me to dislike this fabric was the fact that I could not press it. This garment has too many details that require pressing to just sew and go. I tested scraps of fabric to see if I could apply low heat... I could, but it did give the type of finished look I would want. When I turned up the heat, it scorched the fabric as I expected it to. I decided to just scrap it and start from scratch. I'm using a beautiful blue satin, that will give me more of the "look" of what I originally wanted. Sometimes, you should just follow your initial instinct. I'm *still* deciding on buttons (I hate picking those out) and as soon as they arrive, you'll be the first to know. Meanwhile, I have other small projects in the works and I'll be sharing those this week.

I received my Saks email this morning showing the Premier Designer Resort Collections. I always look at Resort to get an idea of what I may want to sew for Spring. There were a couple of pieces that really stood out to me.

This is a great Jacket from Akris and Vogue has a similar design. I would modify this pattern by adding gentle waist shaping because it is a little boxy. I would reduce the front edges and add a separating lapped zipper. I wouldn't cuff my sleeves, so I wouldn't have to modify those.

I also spotted this jazzy lambskin jacket. I've had this pattern pinned to my corkboard for while now. I had been debating whether to do it in suede or leather. I think leather may be my choice. Notice that Akris does not use buttons, this jacket has snap closures. And it's lined with luxurious Cupro Bemberg!

Question:
I love high-end RTW and I knock it off every chance I get. Where do you find your inspiration for what you sew?

I have been completely obsessed with sewing a trench coat since around this time last year. Even though I never got around to doing it, it has always been on my mind.

The trench coat is as iconic as the CHANEL jacket and it's a wardrobe must have.... just ask Tim Gunn! The trench coat is a descendant of the heavy serge coats worn by British and French soldiers in World War I. The trench coat was created by Thomas Burberry, the inventor of gabardine fabric, who submitted a design for an army officer's raincoat to the United Kingdom War Office in 1901. Burberry's raincoat subsequently became part of the service uniform of British officers and was dubbed "trench coat" by the soldiers in the trenches. Therefore, I present you with my inspiration:

I'll be doing my coat in the same shade of electric blue as the Burberry Mikado. I wanted mine in a more "everyday-wearable" fabric than the satin that Burberry used. I choose a high-performance microfiber for mine.

In doing my research for this jacket, I have looked at EVERYTHING CHANEL I could find. I have searched through Karl's RTW and Couture Collections from 2003 to the present. I found that the jackets that appealed to me the most were from Fall 2003, Fall 2004 and Fall 2005. I decided that the short, boxy version was not for me. I preferred the longer style with a little bit of nipping in at the waist. So I guess you can say that my jacket is modern like Karl and constructed like Coco!

This was a very labor-intensive project and I truly understand the price point of these iconic jackets.

"Luxury is what can not be seen." - Coco Chanel

Back view:

The rivalry between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers runs deep and thick as sludge, cutting an indelible line across the State of Alabama. In this state, you are either a fanatical fan of Alabama or Auburn. You have to pick sides. Neutrality in such a *serious* matter is not an option!

Mine was excellent... fantastic family time. I started prep work on Tuesday evening... all of the chopping and dicing. Started cooking on Wednesday and finished up by midday Thursday. Michael left work early on Wednesday and worked a couple of hours on Thursday... the retail life. He made all of the many trips back and forth to the store and picked the wine... a Coppola Chardonnay, a Yellow Tail Riesling and a Clos Du Bois Pinot Noir (he has excellent taste). It's amazing that no matter how you organize and strategize, make the lists and check them twice, you always manage to forget things. The kids helped out A LOT! They were fantastic. My son kept the kitchen clean... the poor baby did nothing but washed the dishes and swept the floor. The girls mixed and stirred. I must give special recognition to Mikaela... she made the Southern Comfort Cake. We all ate quite well and slipped into Tryptophan-induced comas!

So... anybody shopping today? I plan to make my trip to Hancock for notions at 8 a.m and THAT'S IT! The one in my area is located directly across the street from the Riverchase Galleria -- the largest mall in Alabama. Hopefully, by 7:45 a.m. traffic will not be *too* bad. I plan to come back home and spend the rest of the weekend finish up the couture jacket. Honestly, I'm tired of looking at it half-finished on the dressform and I'm ready to start a new project. So, what are your plans for the rest of this holiday weekend?

The Menu

Roasted Turkey

Southern Cornbread Dressing

Bourbon Glazed Spiral Cut Ham

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Green Bean Casserole

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

Dessert:

The Southern Comfort Cake (from CreoleinDC)

Homemade Brownies

This is a great gift I received from Sugar, Inc./Coutorture in the mail. It's a fantastic 6 piece set of tools to create this season's hottest makeup trend -- The Smokey Eye. The set includs 5 Sephora Professionelle brushes (wide smudge, all over shadow, small domed smudge, detail, and dual-sided brow brush and come), Volume Mascara in black and the how-to instructions for applying the look, in a very chick gunmetal faux leather case.

Thanks a lot!

This was such a quick and easy project, how could I not make this? I haven't completed a knitting project in such a long time, this was just what I needed... baby steps! Since I had no clue whether this would be another abandon UFO, I decided to work with what I had in my stash which was brand new balls of Rowan Cashcotton (it is so soft)! This project was simple garter stitch worked sideways, with short-row shaping to create a wide bell shape at each end. On each end, stitches were picked up (I remembered I'm not real fond of this part) to add bobbles. Even with the short-row shaping, this is an excellent project for a beginner (no purling).

This was an excellent distraction from the burn out and sore finger tips from all of the hand sewing on the jacket. Now, back to sewing...

*SIGH* What Project Runway episode inspired this?? They give a whole new meaning to "Make it work." I'm not totally trashing them... they look "OKAY"... but, THIS is not what I expected. I thought they would be waaaaaaaaay more fashion forward. These just look like plain ole Simplicity Patterns... nothing special here. I was expecting something along the lines of a gorgeous Laura Bennett dress... something creative from Santino Rice... something jazzy from Michael Knight... one of those colorful maxi dresses from Uli... something sleek from Kara Saun... not even a wrapdress from Kara Janx??

Just because you can whore out your brand, doesn't mean you should!

I'm so disappointed... y'all feel free to discuss this amongst yourselves.

Once upon a time, I use to say that I hated handsewing with a passion. This project has really challenged my handsewing skills. I've always been impressed by the details of hand-workmanship and always felt that I didn't have the patience for it. I am so proud of myself. Who would have thought I would be able to make perfectly, invisible catchstitches! The next time you flip through Vogue magazine and see a couture garment priced upwards to 5 figures... trust me, it's priced correctly! You never have an appreciation for things like that until you sit down to do it yourself.


Okay... this is where I so far. I've done everything except sewn on the sleeves, the trim and the chain at the hemline. It was an adventure getting the plaid to match in the curves of the princess seam.

None of the resources I previously listed gave any instructions for the pockets, so I used common-sense and winged it. I knew that the top of the pocket was to be folded under, creating a facing and I also had to fold all of the seam allowances under. I quilted the lining to the pockets and trimmed it down to reduce the bulk. I handstitched the trim and fell stitched the pockets to the jacket.

As you see here, I used my walking foot and quilted down the white lines in the fabric because the lining fabric was white and I wanted to make sure that the thread blended into the boucle.