Peace Out Braugust*

(amazon)

 Last week in my weekly favorites post, I mentioned Amy Poehler and Stephen Fry have memoirs coming out, only to find out later that John Cleese does too!

Red agrees!

Anyone who knows me knows I often intend to watch movies, but wind up watching the same three fourth season  episodes of 30 Rock for the seventieth time instead. And anyone who knows me knows I haven't seen a movie in the theater since I don't even know when, but one that I'm fairly excited to see is the upcoming This is Where I Leave You, starring Michael Bluth Teen Wolf Too Jason Bateman and my main lady hero Tina Fey, along with everyone else in the industry.  I just finished reading the book, which is often described as a Nick Hornby style vessel sailing on the stormy seas of man feelings, and it shares a lot of the same pathetic and miserably hilarious (or hilariously miserable) elements. 10/10 would recommend, ect, ect, but, beware- there is a character named Philip, and if you're like me, you find it impossible to envision any character named Philip as anyone other than Philip Seymour Hoffman as portrayed by Jason Sudeikis, and it's just weird.

One of the things I talk about most on this blog, despite it being a directionless catch-all for my pointless whining with no specific theme, is clothing and how much I want clothes I don't have. Regardless the fact that I never follow through with the act of sharing my outfits, due to whatever excuse I have for that day, I search out outfit inspiration all the time. Down the dark rabbit hole that is Pinterest, I discovered some closet challenges centered on instagram from a few years ago, and this being the last day of August at the time of writing, I think I'm going to jump in and do one on my own time!  The one I found that I liked the most was from October of  2012, but whatever- it's exciting to think about the few amount of clothes that I have and be re-inspired. Especially since fall is coming (choosing to ignore the 90 degree forecast for next week. If I don't acknowledge it, it won't happen).

(MNHS)

Lastly, happy Labor Day, and remember that your three day weekend-any weekend for that matter- wouldn't exist without your friendly local Union!


*in my quest to find a title for this post, I unwisely (or maybe completely wisely) googled the phrase "lame way to say goodbye" and hooboy did it deliver. Please enjoy this Yahoo!Answers post circa 2008.  Heller wazza yoeeee hey boy hey!! Supadoole, indeed.

Tired of Me Complaining About the Heat?

With an upcoming forecast of steady (low!) 70s, I'm hoping that means cooler temperatures will be on the horizon. The season of the pumpkin is nigh; I'm seeing (and walking into)  goddamn pumpkin spiders everywhere, pumpkin spice launches Tuesday, and Country Living has some dumb owl pumpkin thing on it's cover.

Fall to me means the re-embrace of layers, aka the best time of year. As I've mentioned before, I've been really enjoying sewing now that I'm actually able to use a table instead of my previous set up of using a chair as a table (don't do this), and am planning on doing a lot more this fall and winter. Once upon a time, I had three shelves worth of patterns and at least three plastic tubs of fabric, but multiple cross state moves and spider infestations have led me to donate or trash 90 percent of that stash, so I'm having to slowly build it back up. It sucks!

While doing some casual browsing through the online pattern catalogs for the big four companies, I made somewhat of a wishlist of things I'd like to make in the next few months! I think it's funny that "vintage" patterns have become the rage and that all four companies (Simplicity, Butterick, Vogue and McCall are who I mean when I refer to the "Big 4") have begun reissuing or whatever the hell McCall is doing here. I remember when Vogue introduced their Vintage Vogue line easily ten years ago, if not longer, quickly followed by Simplicity intermittently releasing reissues over the years.  I couldn't be happier, since they frequently go up to a higher size point than any actual vintage pattern I've ever found (I've never found a pattern older than mid Eighties in my size, and probably never will). It's great for people like me who don't have pattern grading or draping skills who still want to be able to make vintage and retro clothes. 

(simplicity)

This pattern always scared me off, thinking it wouldn't work on me, but thanks to several pattern reviews, it turns out it works on larger sizes. Plus, I think it's something I could use the loud and crazy Marimekko fabric I was fortunate to get as a gift!

(simplicity)

The matching coat/dress suit is kind of a holy grail. I found a set this past week at a Goodwill in my size, but it was pricey for Goodwill and had bad staining that I didn't want to try and possibly not be able to get out.

(simplicity)

I like this in maybe a hunter green?

(simplicity)

Typically, I would pass this by, but I think in the right fabric, it'd be great. Plus, pockets.

Butterick 5951

Both this and the following Butterick patterns are modern with strong 1940s details. I love them both!

Butterick 6090

Butterick 5030

This pattern looks super dated but I really like the 70s-style wrap dress, something that is surprisingly hard to find Ready to Wear in my size and not in an ugly print.

 

AND THEN THERE'S THIS

why

 

Midweek Favorites Episode III: Revenge of the Favorites

Guess what's back?!

Although its more of like a "things on my radar" or whatever than a "favorites" post, despite how stupid that sounds. Guess it's time for a new post header image

URGENT NEWS:

In the coming months  (SOON), both  Amy Poehler and Stephen Fry will be releasing memoirs.

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When I was twelve, I was obsessed with Shakespeare, so much so that I named one of my pet mice Mercutio. What was wrong with me?

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Modcloth is calling these "Look at This Phonograph", opting for a terrible Nickelback pun, I'm assuming, because RCA Victor charges a hefty price for "His Master's Voice"

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All my life and/or boyfriend goals in one image

 

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I can't shake my affinity for disco fashion, nor can I let the idea of "the evening pajama" go.

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Everything Tatty Devine produces is both out-of-this-world amazing and expensive.

In the time since Robin Williams' passing, I've watched The Birdcage probably four times,and will most likely watch it several times more in the coming weeks.  Everything about this film is amazing, and fortunately, it's on Netflix!

Now that my life is settling down a little, but I'm really working on getting my ass in gear and improving the scheduling and content consistency of this blog. I'm personally not a huge fan of having the same recurring content every single week, but having a more structured format I think would help me with consistency...

meth freaks to trash geeks

Last night around midnight, I woke up to thrashing in the bushes under my window that sounded like human footsteps. Normally, the two bark-y dogs that live here overreact to any sound outside at all, but they were didn't seem to hear anything, so I went back to sleep. About half an hour later, I was woken up by Jackson, the bigger dog, snarling and barking so ferociously, that I assumed someone was in the house- but he was just outside my door.

square headed doofus or ferocious bad-guy getter

 He'd be downstairs if someone was in the house, right?  He quieted down, and I heard him go downstairs, so armed with heavy scissors, I followed him down. There was no one there, of course, but the dogs were begging to go outside.  Until very recently, I lived in a world where you don't open the door after dark for any reason whatsoever, so being still vaguely in that state of mind, I told them tough luck, and went back to bed.  A few minutes later, he was back outside my door, barking as if someone were trying to come in the tiny window that overlooks a small roof over hang on the landing outside my room. I opened the door to find him lunging up at the window and  two raccoons that had their faces pressed up against it, looking in.

hey kids wanna buy some weed

 I made direct and prolonged eye contact with one of them, and was only able to get them to leave by banging on the window, after which they ambled away, disinterested and completely unafraid of this massive dog and totally non-threatening human.

Seems I have traded drug-dealing hoarders and neighborhood kids who set off fireworks in dry grass for raccoons, who, if they had opposable thumbs, I think would probably also set fireworks off in dry grass and deal drugs. 

PATTERN REVIEW DUMP!

I've been doing a bit of sewing lately, and it's been great to get back into it. Unfortunately, over the past few years I've had to get rid of a huge bulk of my fabric and pattern stashes, and I've been having to scrape together fabric and patterns to use, at one point resorting to a flat sheet because it was the only thing I had that equaled over a yard and a half of fabric.  Fabric ain't cheap, ya'll! Especially when you aren't of a size that let's you make a dress out of a yard of fabric.

All of these photos are terrible. It seemed much brighter in my room when I was taking them, but they ended up grainy and weirdly blurry.  I'm still trying to figure out how to take a good photo of myself with my phone. I am hoping to be able to update in the near future with better photos. 

Review template taken from patternreview.com

Simplicity 3964 (Built By Wendy)

Pattern Description:  Dress, tunic or top
Pattern Sizing: size 20
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Mostly

Were the instructions easy to follow? I would rate this best for at least intermediate beginners

 
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

The inset was quite fiddly, and the pattern cutting lay out would have wasted a huge amount of fabric. I really struggled with the diamond inset. In the future, I would ignore the instructions and do it a different way, and would hand sew that part of the garment for more accuracy.

 
Fabric Used:
lobster print flannel and black poly sheet remnants

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: No alterations, though I did hand sew quite the tie ends, armhole facings and interior facings.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I would like to try the other options. 

 Simplicity 1692

Pattern Description: misses 1940s vintage tops; View D, jewel neck top with neckline buttons and kimono sleeves.
Pattern Sizing: size 22
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Basically. It looks very frumpy on my mannequin, but better on the body.

Were the instructions easy to follow? very simple

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

A very fast sew, I was able to complete it from pattern cutting to hemming in about five hours.

 
Fabric Used:
alexander henry bobby pin cotton print from about ten years ago and vintage red buttons

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  I omitted a button on each side, as I only had four of the style I wanted to use and swapped the invisible zipper with a metal one from the seventies, as it was the only white zipper I had on hand.  I had to significantly shorten the sleeves, and could do even more. Because I carry most of my weight in my stomach area, the bust is quite big. I need to learn how to grade patterns down. I could have gotten away with a 20 or maybe even an 18 in the bust, but the waist area would have been much too tight. I would also extend the tucks up a bit more to make it less overtly blousy. Also, I didn't use any fusible interfacing in the facings, simply because I didn't have any. Instead, I used pinking shears on the raw edges to prevent fraying.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I would like to make the long sleeve version (view a)

 

Simplicity 1426 

Pattern Description: Vintage Misses 1950s Bra tops
Pattern Sizing:  size 22
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Yes 

Were the instructions easy to follow? yes

 
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I wish the bottom band were a little bit wider so it was more of a 'crop top' than an actual bra top, but that could easily be altered.

 
Fabric Used:
Poly cotton halloween novelty print

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

I made the straps a cross back instead of tied halter neck and used ribbon loops for the back closure instead of self fabric loops. 

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I actually sewed this one twice, making a semi wearable muslin just to see if it would actually fit. 

Rectangle Feet Problems

Along with nearly everything to do with fall (except spiders), I really love boots and look forward to “boot season” every year. My favorite style of boots are chelsea ankle boots, most commonly thought of as Beatle boots.  They seemed to be having a revival last year and the year prior, and I was lucky to get some that were cheap from Target both years. Unfortunately, their quality matched their price and the first pair I had practically disintegrated after a month of wearing. The second pair from last year lasted much longer, and finally wore out earlier this summer.  I really hope their popularity hangs around, and that I can find some again this year!

I’ve been digging around on various websites to see what may be offered come autumn, and it seems kind of promising, though none are remotely in my price range! As usual!

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I also really love tall lace-up-but-not-combat styles, and these from Modcloth remind me of WWI/II Lumberjills.

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These are nearly perfect for what I consider to be a great Chelsea boot!

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These are also 9/10 when it comes to the shoe in my head. I wish they were black, but I’m okay with the grey. But upon closer inspection, they do come in another color....

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GOLD, YES. The ultimate Vince Noir boots!!!

These are on clearance, but the highest they go is up to a 9.5, which could feasibly work, but...  damn these rectangular feet!