Wednesday, August 02, 2006

A stitch in time...

I have decided to do some sewing.

Most of the sewing I have done in the last few years has been for housewares. Pillows, bookcase curtains to cover the clutter, slipcovers for my computer monitor, keyboard, and headboard. In addition, I also made, if you can call it sewing, bulletin board covers.

 




Now I am getting an itch to make more clothes.

When I was in college, I made the half of the wardrobe that I did not get at thrift/vintage stores or swaps with friends.


These were pretty elaborate things, a wool cocoon-like coat (see below), a slinky red gown with orange lining, a sweetheart neckline tea-length dress made of baby blue brocade fabric. I had a rockabilly red polka-dot dress, a Parisian themed outfit, a revamped black leather jacket that I cropped and elasticized at the back, and quite a few wasp-waited 50'’s dresses (these I bought).

Let us just say I had a very schizophrenic wardrobe back then. Any era or style that caught my fancy was represented. But then again, I had my mother make me Issey Miyake outfits from Vogue patterns when I was in Junior High school! Can you believe that? I actually wore that whole ensemble below in 8th grade!
 


I still wear the cocoon coat for special occasions. I made it in a silky chocolate brown wool and never put the shoulder pads in so it looks more like a 1930's cocoon wrap coat than anything.

So I just joined the SewRetro blog community, a group of retro-minded sewing enthusiasts like me. This months project is to make a back-to-school/fall wardrobe staple. One of the members listed these new Simplicity Retro patterns.



I might try my hand at one of these, along with the dress I'm finishing from the Target Ipanema fabric.

No comments: