[daligula]

Weird style? - A short monologue.

2012-01-19T18:25:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I found my boots next to my father's and was amazed by the similarities. I wear skirts very often, and I like dresses very much. But when looking for shoes I find myself very often taking a look at men's shoes... and -less often- buying a pair.

Is it possible to be girly and not at the same time? Could I be called a tomboy given my love for men's shoes? Are my feet weird?

Emergency party dress!!

2012-01-12T18:17:00.001-06:00

Sewn in one day for my cousin's wedding.
Used a pattern from Revista Patrones, MADE A MUSLIN (!!) and loved the results.
Total investment: 50 pesos / less than 5 USD
...It's so good being a sewist!!

Santa was a little late... / Santa llegó tarde...

2011-12-29T09:28:00.001-06:00

But he arrived! I can't wait to start one of these projects =)
Pero llegó! No puedo esperar a empezar con un proyecto =)

I know I shouldnt...

2011-12-08T06:51:00.001-06:00

But I really love these boots.
They're exactly what I was looking for and I've been wearing them three days in a row.
I love my boots =)

Obsession

2011-10-10T23:49:00.000-05:00

I.want.this.dress
Via The sewing Lawyer

I have a bunch of projects in line, and then I found this.
Now all I can think about is knocking off the pattern of this dress.
It was love at first sight and looks like a great challenge as a patternmaking exercise.
We're witnessing the birth of an obsession here.

---
Tengo un montón de proyectos por hacer y luego se me atraviesa esto.
Ahora sólo puedo pensar en intentar copiar el patrón de este vestido.
Me enamoré al verlo y como ejercicio de patronaje se ve muy emocionante.
Somos testigos del nacimiento de una obsesión.

I swear I finished SSS '11 - Juro que cumplí con SSS '11

2011-10-09T23:13:00.001-05:00

... The thing is I was so boring!

I had nothing new to show, my camera died... and i just thought it was useless to have ugly computer pics to show what I've shown before, so... just believe me.
The good thing... or I should say the grrrreat thing is that finally I commited more to sewing.
I still have little time, but hell, don't we all?
So, while using the same things I wore in mmm'11 I managed to put together a few things...
Allow me to show off a little bit. Thanks =)

----
Con una sola excepción, cumplí con el SSS'11 de inicio a fin. La cosa es que no le vi el punto a publicar la evidencia fotográfica si en esencia me la pasé usando las mismas cosas que en el mmm'11. Eso aunado a la muerte de mi cámara y la consecuente dependencia a la cámara de mi laptop, pues... ¿para qué? Pero créeme: cumplí.

Lo bueno de todo este mes es que tras una larga pausa al fin me di el tiempo para coser más.
Todavía tengo poco tiempo para hacerlo, pero qué demonios: todos estamos igual, ¿qué no?

En pocas palabras, aunque me la pasé usando las mismas prendas que usé en marzo, me di tiempo para coser algunas cosillas, mismas que a continnuación presumiré =)


Significant something color block top Made with fabric scraps of T-Shirts I made for my significant-something-someone Top hecho con retazos de tela que sobraron de unas T-Shirts que hice para mi ... emmm...'algo'

Little birds tunic
... I finished it today and I have no words. I need to have cooler days to wear it, though.
La acabé hoy y no tengo palabras. Estoy enamorada de mi túnica depajaritos! Sólo necesito que Playa refresque tantito para poder usarla.


Bikini - First attemptNow I know I'm able to save loads of money by sewing my bikinis instead of buying them. But it's urgent to find the swimming suit elastic! U.r.g.e.n.t. I used regular elastic and, just as I thought, it is not wave-friendly. And I don't want to end up as a youtube star as 'girl loses her bikini bottom, so funny!'. No, no no. Ahora sé que puedo ahorrarme un dineral haciendo mis bikinis! Pero es urgente conseguir el elástico para trajes de baño. Usé uno normal y, tal como sospechaba, el calzón no es tan resistente a la fuerza del agua... y como no quiero verme como una estrella de Youtube más me vale encontrarlo pronto.

Its gorgeousnessI had been thinking in a dress like this and finally made it.
I love the results, but I'd sew a second version soon: I need to add some length to the torso. My idea was to wear the belt slighlty lower than the waist line, but I failed.
Había estado pensando en un vestido así y al fin me di tiempo para hacerlo. Me encanta el resultado, pero estoy pensando en hacer una segunda versión para hacer un poco más largo el torso. Mi idea era usar el cinto ligeramente por debajo de la línea de cintura, pero me falló el cálculo...


Burdastyled skirtI mean, the pattern is mine... but I've sewn 4 skirts using the same pattern and just changing little details... Just as they do in Burda Style magazine. Maybe I should name it 'the ecological skirt' after that Reduce, Reuse, Recycle motto. I'll think about that. El patrón es mío, pero ya es la cuarta falda que hago usando el mismo patrón, nada más cambiando una que otra cosilla, justo como hacen en la revista Burda. Quizá debería ponerle 'la falda ecológica' por aquello del Reduce, Reusa, Recicla. Lo pensaré.

Finally, and not shown above, there's a pair of shorts I made for my significant something so he could go to the beach looking good.
I made them yesterday after fixing his old shorts -elastic change- and realizing he needed something new. Well, there I was, sewing until late at night just to get a 'mmmmm... what color is this? (burgundy). They're really not my style. Maybe you can give them away to one of those fancy italian guys you can see at the beach... Really, what color is this?'
¬¬
Maybe I could keep the fancy italian and stop this dramas.
I'm not saying any names here, but someone is not getting any handmade presents anymore.

----
No se muestra aquí, pero también hice un par de shorts para que mi 'algo' fuera a la playa con mucho estilo. Le había arreglado sus shorts viejos, que necesitaban un cambio de elástico y me pareció que hacerle unos nuevos sería un buen regalo.
Error.
Ahí estoy cosiendo hasta las no sé que horas y todo para escuchar un 'mmm... qué color es este? (guindo). No son mi estilo. Quizá se los puedes dar a uno de esos italianos que andan en la playa.. Oye, en serio... ¿qué color es este?'
¬¬
Si me hallo al italiano pues ya de una vez me lo quedo y me dejo de tragedias, ¿qué no?
En cuanto a mi 'algo'... mmm no más regalos. Se acabó.

day two and an idea

2011-09-02T21:20:00.000-05:00

I was looking at my blogroll and realized all my inspiration are english-speaking bloggin' girls [english writing in this case]. I remember I used to follow the blog of a spaniard girl, but when she followed the knitting road I let myself lost her. Then I found a portuguese girl, but... No mexicans? No latin people blogging about sewing?

I'm sure they're somewhere, and hoping to get closer to spanish-writing sewing bloggers, starting today and until a give up my idea, I'll blog in both languages.

Spanish-writing-sewing-bloggers... Where are you?!

sss 11/ 2 --Camo skirt // Falda de camuflaje

Estaba viendo mi blogroll y me di cuenta de que todas mis inspiradoras son angloparlantes [o anglo-escribientes en este caso]. Solía seguir a una chica de España, pero cuando le dio más por el tejido me di chance de perderla de vista. Después encontré a una chica portuguesa, pero... ninguna mexicana? Ninguna latina blogueando sobre costura?

Sé que están en algún lado, y esperando acercarme más a blogueras que escriban en español, desde hoy y hasta que me rinda en mi intento voy a bloguear en ambos idiomas.

Blogueras hispano-escritoras... ¿¿dónde andan??

day 1 -- Bike friendly dress [as long as I knot the skirt]

2011-09-01T20:24:00.005-05:00

Almost nothing new to share.

Spent day one in this dress I made last year and git two compliments... Not bad!

---
After more than 4 months of sewing almost nothing... well, going back to my sewing machine.
Bye bye.

I did finish mmm' 11

2011-04-10T12:36:00.003-05:00

I'm super late, but well... life has been busy lately and I just wanted to keep record of me completing mmm'11 successfuly. The pictures are not in order -I still don't have time- but the idea is to show the outfits, no? It was the last day of march! both garments are made by me. Both garments made by me! Two days in a row =)

Daltonic test blouse...

Dirndl skirt and refashioned T-Shirt

Hurricane skirt.

Chocolate puzzle jumper.

Long T-shirt to wear with skinny jeans. I also wore this outfit on april the 1st... just to finish the week wearing mmm clothes.

Orange T-shirt

Happy accident top with a mexican solution for someone whose bike lacks of a mud guard. I need to fix that pronto.

Orange T-Shirts... I think it's obvious now it's one of my favourite tops.

And that's it. I did it! .. Now i get back to work. This blog is officially abandoned for mmm.. maybe two more weeks. See ya then.

mmm'11 / third week

2011-03-20T20:17:00.010-06:00

March is almost over! And even when I did slow down the garment production, I've managed to look a bit diferent every day.

Day 15 / Green DVF skirt
I made this skirt for the spring palette challenge inspired by some picture I'd seen from the winter -I think- collection by Diane Von Furstenberg.
It made me think about how fashion comes and goes being almost always the same.
It's an A line skirt with one box pleat in the CF and pockets.
I've seen this style since the 30's, also I remember to have seen lots of pictures from the sixties and seventies with girls wearing this kind of skirt... even I was taking sewing lessons I remember I made one skirt exactly like these...
Ah! fashion... you're not that original...

Close up...

Day 16 / The happy accident blouse.
I'm a knit monster, you know. And I was playing with my new t-shirt template because I wanted a kimono sleeve top. And I traced it, forgetting to add seam allowances to the sleeve.

Since my templates include seam allowances, I just forgot... and the sleeve was so tight that if I had dare to use it like that, I'm sure I had lost both arms. So, I did what anyone would have done: add 'gussets' from the arm pit to the edge of the sleeves. And it worked so good, and the top looks so nice that I had to admit it had been a happy accident.
And it deserved a little treat, so...I went Chez Celine to have a coffee and one of those muffins I love.

Day 17/ Mandala dress

This poor dress was abandoned as soon as it was finished. It was a long dress that I was never able to wear because it's not bike friendly.

I made a minor surgery shortening it and now I have a new friend.

Day 18/ Bi-color top

I'm a knit monster... I'm a knit monster and I had to use even the smallest pieces of fabric I had.
This knit monster was sick on friday -and thursday, and wednesday-, feeling really bad and wasn't in the mood for pictures.

Day 19/ Super sweet blouse
I can't believe this isn't my favourite top and yet I've used it twice.

Day 20/ Black dress
Not bike friendly.
Well, it is... but I'm sure everyone could see my undies today. I know when I'm flashing the poor people in Playa because too many heads turn my way...

Ten more days!...

mmm'11 / second week

2011-03-14T21:28:00.005-06:00

I've been enjoying so much this challenge! I'm very happy to see that I can spend every day wearing at least one me-made garment... and also to see that, with a little effort, I can sew, own and wear the kind of garments I like. Just what I wanted!
I think I hadn't been so me since... 2003 maybe?

Day 7
I think Zoe has the best word to describe this garment. It's a skirtain. And I l.o.v.e it.
And my sister love it, and a friend of my sister love it... and I'm sewing one for her =)

Day 8
I made this blouse as part of the spring palette challenge using the same pattern of my black dress.
I like the color, but the fabric was a nightmare to sew and is a wrinkle nightmare also.
Yet, it's very light and the air goes thru it. I think it'll see lots of action this summer.
I'm thinking about wrinkling it on purpose and keep it this way.

Day 9

I hadn't time to take my picture. It was one of those days when one think takes you to another and I ended the day at the beach, watching a fashion show.

I was wearing the super sweet blouse, denim shorts and sandals.

Day 10
The not-so-bike-friendly dress.

Day 11
It was a cold day, perfect to wear one of my favourite scarfs with the hurricane skirt.

Day 12
I spent almost all day in my pj's, while I was sewing two tops.
I had had Sew U Home strech by Built by Wendy for almost 2 years and never used it, but I needed to sew some knit tops and now I'm a knit monster.
I can't stop! I made two tops using the scoop pattern... In the picture, the orange top.

Day 13

Well, you know... I only used this top for about three hours on saturday... And I was going to the beach, so.. why not? =)

Day 14
This is the second top I made on saturday.

I can see myself sewing at least I-don't-know-how-many-more =)
It only takes about 30 min to sew them! I want this top in many many colors.
[And I can see in my table a purple one already cut and waiting to be sewn].

I kept sewing almost everyday last week, but I think I'm going to take it easy the remaining days.

I'm still settling down in my new job and I've been feeling extremely tired lately.

I even dreamed that I was working! I can't stop even in my dreams...

So, I won't be sewing that much, and I hope not to seem like a picture in these 15 days yet to come.

Me-made-march '11 / Week 1

2011-03-06T21:06:00.006-06:00

Despite my limited me-made garments, I could spend each day of the week wearing at least one me-made piece.

Day two > Souvenir skirt
Sorry about the weird posture. It'a a product of a self-portrait taken in a hurry.

Day three > Daltonic test blouse
Pre-blogger creation.

Day four > Chocolate puzzle jumper
Made for the Spring palette challenge, not yet blogged. It's the FO# 3 of this year.
And that was a long day and I wasn't able to take a picture... woops.

Day five > Dirndl I-hate-you skirt

Marinero style for a day at the beach. Oh! and those pants in my nephew were refashioned by me!

Day six > Sunday top
I made it a few weeks ago, but didn't have time to blog about it.
It would be the FO # 2 of this year.

Today I also made the FO's #5 and 6! I'll try to blog them during the week. I'm in love with those two skirts I made...

awful february - mmm' 11 !!

2011-03-01T18:47:00.007-06:00

Hurricane skirt for mmm'11

February. It was awful, I swear.

In January I was unemployed. Then I got this job as an Art History teacher, which I love; I had always wanted to earn teaching experience, and teaching this class in college has been great!... but then they offered me a different project which killed all my free time and for one month I didn't sew anything.

Then I realized how unhappy I was feeling and I quit... and I was lucky enough to get a new job the same day I decided I was quitting!

So, since yesterday I have a new job and I'm feeling happier. Again I'm working monday to friday, which gives me two days for rest and sew. And the best of all is that my new boss allowed me to keep teaching, so... I have two jobs and yet I have more time than before, isn't that amazing? =)

The bad news to me is that I was considering february as a key month to fulfill certain very important tasks, but I never had the time.

Anyways, I'll try to keep positive and do my best effort to make up with all the things I have to do.

Now, two of my very important tasks happen to be challenges.

I signed up to the Spring palette challenge and to me-made-march '11 and I'm in deep trouble!

I've completed only two of my projects for the spring palette challenge -but haven't had the time to take pictures- and I found myself with a very limited amount of me-made garments, so... I'll have to be sewing as march goes on...

I've got plenty of fabrics, and I've got the notions too, so I only need to start drafting, cutting, and sewing in order to build a me-made summer wardrobe, yes!

Me-made-march '11

Most propably I'll be uploading my pictures weekly, but I wanted to start the mmm'11 challenge showing that I did it!

My me-made garment is the hurricane skirt. I made it last year, when a hurricane was supposed to hit us and I was trapped at home, sewing with whatever I had in my stash.

I love it, by the way! I've found out that A-line skirts are much more bike friendly than wider styles, so I think I'll make some more during this month.

Ah! and also my bike panniers are me-made!

Neckline contouring // For Bhoomika

2011-02-03T16:35:00.004-06:00

Hey there!
Look at these two pictures.

Picture 1- With neckline adjustment

In this picture you can see my pattern with the neckline adjustment, and under it the fabric already cut.

Now, for the second picture I took out the tape I had used for contouring the neckline.
This is the 'normal' shape of the neckline... but since this blouse has a deep neckline I needed to contour it in order to avoid gapping.

Under the pattern you can see the cutted fabric with the new shape. That difference is the extra fabric that won't become a crease.

Picture 2 - Without adjustment

To do this adjustment I usually trace a line from the armscye to the neckline and mark one centimenter to each side to draw some sort of dart.

Close the dart and reshape the neckline. And that's it...

In your case, since you have a pinned muslin I think you could use it as a pattern.
If not, you can measure the dart you pinned to know how much you need to take in and do this adjustment directly in the paper...

Good luck!

Birthday - and challenge

2011-01-31T15:53:00.005-06:00

I use to sew for me on Saturdays, but this week I made an exception, since it was my birthday and we went to Xcalacoco to celebrate.

Xcalacoco, which apparently means 'twin coconuts' is a very peaceful place that I love.

And it seems like my nephew also loves it. Everytime we go there, he's very chilled out...

I envy those guys... =)

I love this place not only because it's peaceful, but also because it shows life in all its splendor.

For example, this stone, I can swear that when we went in the summer it was, well... just stone.

But look! Now there are lots of sea plants.

And other little creatures... Everytime a wave comes in you can see them eating.

While walking on the beach I could feel the water getting warm again, so if I'm right, these plants and clams soon will be gone.
I'll have to see if that stone is just stone in the summer or if it's covered by different living creatures.

These are trails of planes taking off in Cancun.
I don't know if for international departures it is the same, but Mexican pilots use to torture the people who's leaving Cancun saying something like: before we leave we want to show you once again this fantastic view... And they fly over the area so you can see the beach and feel miserable for leaving this amazing place.

I wonder where those planes were going...

So.. we spent the day there and I didn't sew anything. But I had some homework to do...

-- challenge --

I didn't sew anything, but at least I can share my first two sketches for the challenge.

Here's the drawing for my jumper and one of the blouses. This sketch is for the off white shirt.

I already have the hot pink fabric, but after four sketches I still can't decide how I want it.
So, by now I only have these two sketches and I'll start drafting the patterns... now!

... If I can beat my desire of going to bed to keep reading my book.
Right now I'm hooked by Dan Brown's Angels & Demons.
And Travels with my aunt by Graham Greene.
And another book about the realtionships between mothers and daughters...

So... shall I draft patterns or keep reading?

FO# 1 and challenge!

2011-01-22T18:20:00.006-06:00

But this time the F is for f.a.i.l!

I'm affraid that the good experience I was having with Patrones Magazine ended with the last stitch I made in that jacket.

I started sewing the pants and they turned out to be extremely wide. But really wide.
And if we add the fact that I had attached patch pockets in the back you can imagine the results: I looked as a hip-hop singer.

I think that I could have saved those pants if I wanted... but it was just too much work for a cheap fabric that doesn´t take unpicking very well.
In that matter, it's very alike to tafetta: you can tell where the needle was since it leaves a hole.
That's why I'm much more comfortable with the idea of throwing them away, so... here they go.

But talking about happier things, I had been looking for a challenge.
I know that most probably Zoe is going to lauch something in March, but... it's a long way to march.
I thought about joining the sew weekly, but I knew my schedule wouldn't help and I didn't like the idea of sewing with a topic...

And suddenly I found out that Sarai is organizing something right now, the spring pallete challenge, and I loved the idea of, as she says, creating a mini spring wardrobe. Yes! jus what I needed!... so I joined the 10 week project, and here's my palette.

I'm not sure the colors are displayed exactly as I had planned, but this is the basic idea.

I've been thinking about the idea of sewing a jumper.
I'm not sure it's the best idea in a place so warm like this, but the other day I saw this amazing cotton fabric in a gorgeous chocolate shade and I've been drooling with the idea ever since.

I want to sew it in such style that allows me to wear it as a jumper or as a dress, depending on the top I choose.

So, the jumper would be the center of my mini spring wardrobe, and the other 4 colours would be complements.

I can't wait to start!

FO #1 - Patrones Jacket

2011-01-16T18:39:00.003-06:00

Blurry self-portrait somewhere in Playa

I finished my Patrones jacket, and I'm so happy with the results!
I'm glad I finally made it.

As I said in the last post, it took very little time copying the pattern, cutting, and marking the fabric. And also the sewing took little time. But when I was about to sew the sleeves I found this:

Holes... holes in the cap of one of the sleeves. No!

I didn't have enough fabric to cut a sleeve again, but I had two little pieces in which I could cut two 'short sleeves', so that was the solution to my problem.

It can be seen here the 'short sleeve' solution.
The 'short sleeve' is about 4 cm above the rounded piece that goes in the jacket. Before a surgery that I had to make those seams were actually at the same height -and I must say it was pure good luck-, but that surgery brought some changes...

Note the different heights of the seams in the sleeve and the jacket.

Let's talk about the surgery...
Even when I tried this jacket during all the sewing process, it was until I had finished it that it was clear that there was something wrong with the sleeves.

They were way too low in the shoulders. It might be the fact that the model actually is planned to wear with shoulder pads, but I hate them.... but still the shoulders were too long.
My first thought was to leave this jacket like that and take it as a learning experience... but I really liked it and I hated the idea of having an ugly, badly made jacket when I could have a very nice one.
So, I unpicked the sleeves... and since I had unpicked the sleeves I also took a bit of ease of the side seams to make the jacket a bit more fitted.

Then I cut 4 cm in the shoulder lenght, until it was 11cm, and sew again the sleeves, just to find out that they were still weird.
Further analysis took me to the conclusion that even when the shoulder measure was ok, I needed to cut a bit more in the front armscye to avoid that 'hanging' look... and it worked!
The weird thing is that with the change in the shape of the armscye I could not set the sleeves without some gathers in the cap. But since the jacket has gathers in other parts it didn't bother me, since it just matches the rest of the jacket. Also the seam in the sleeve was not aligned with that of the jacket anymore, but well... it's pecata minuta. After the surgery I had a more fitted jacket and better set sleeves.

Oh! and my serger is alive! I found out that it wasn't working because of a slightly bend needle. I just changed it and voila! I had a serger again.
And since I was frustrated after the mandala dress that could not have colored rolled hems, I used colors to finish the seams: hot pink and light green. Beautiful.

This jacket has the fun inside :)

But look at the ugly part. Can you see that crooked seam? right in the middle of the base of the neck?
Agh! I hate it! I unpicked it and made it three times with the same results. And the idea of taking off the jacket and showing those ugly seams made me suffer. So I had an idea...

Some crooked teeth are sexy, but crooked seams are not.

I took a piece of bias tape and a piece of ribbon to stabilize it.

And embroidered a label...

That not only covered that horrible seam, but also looks very nice in my jacket.

And the buttons! I found these amazing metal buttons, and also little ones for the sleeves!
In a town where it can be impossible to find 10 buttons in the same color, I was incredibly lucky to find 4 big buttons and two small in the same style.

Jacket, front view.

Nice mirror! Let's take a picture of me.

Let's forget about the pictures in the beach today... I only could make it to a small bar -the mirror is theirs- where they sell the best Marlin tostadas... yum!

I love my jacket. I think I'll wear it tomorrow again.

Summarizing:

- I'd make this jacket again, maybe in a thicker fabric.
- Changes: I took away 4 cm in the shoulder lenght and 2cm in the side seam from the armscye to the waist, and in the hip I made it a bit wider. Also I took a moon shape slice in the front armscye.

- If I make this jacket again I'll skip the neck base. I think it adds bulkness and can make it difficult to keep the neck in place.

And it was my first finished object of this year!
I'm happy happy happy :)

Let's give Patrones a second chance...

2011-01-09T17:14:00.002-06:00

I have a love + hate relationship with Patrones magazine.
I love that I can learn about patternmaking and that I always get ideas from it, but I hate that in México we only get the outlets of Spain,most of the times with months or years delay... and the two times I've made something from it the fit wasn't that good.

But last year I bought this issue because I loved this jacket in the cover, but given the past experiences I hesitated about actually doing it. I even thought of drafting my own pattern, but agh! just to think about the time it would take I never attempted to do it.

But, you know, I really want this jacket. Even when Playa is not thaaaat cold, a light jacket like this is very convenient... and since I really want to participate in those challenges that Zoe uses to organize about wearing self-made cloths for a month, well... I decided to give Patrones a second chance. And so far it's been a good time-saving experience.

I decided to make not only the jacket, but also the pants. When I saw the flat drawing I thought they were really cool, so... I copied both patters, which took me 50 minutes.
Then I spent one hour and a half marking the seam allowances and cutting the patterns and another hour and a half cutting and marking the fabric, which gives a total of three hours and 50 minutes of work for two garments.

If I had attempted to draft both patterns most probably I would be working still in the first pattern, so... I cannot complain.

This is the jacket. I'll use a very nice cotton twill.

And the pants, also in cotton twill... but less nice. It cost only 10 pesos/ meter!

I had a piece of that fabric from a past project and I thought it was perfect for the experiment: if it fails I won't cry for 20 pesos...

I went earlier today to look for the buttons for the jacket and the zipper for the pants.

Again, button drama.

I needed two sizes, one for the front buttons and smaller ones for the sleeves. Well... it was impossible to find both sizes in the same style. I ended up buying three different buttons, hoping to find in my button stash others that match one of those styles. Wish me luck.

But also I bought these two fabrics. First I saw the green one. I thought about a skirt, but it's very light, and I didn't like the idea of lining it, so, despite the large pattern, I bought it with a summer top in mind.

Then I went to pay, then I picked up the fabric and when I was leaving I saw the white fabric in a table filled with remnants and oh! instant love. It's a small piece, only 80cm long -and I only paid 10 pesos for it! less than a dollar!- but I think it's enough for a second summer top.

I already can see my closet filled with little cotton tops... and I already can picture myself wearing self-made garments more and more often. Yes!

sewing, crocheting

2011-01-08T15:15:00.002-06:00

It shouldn't surprise me that my client who wants it all took two weeks since the day I called her to come for a fitting and the day she actually came... but yet it shocks me. Two weeks!
But finally she came and I could keep working.

I've said before it is fun to sew for her, because she always comes with all these weird proyects, but I would complain about her fabric choices. I've felt tempted to tell her to stop worrying about fabrics and that I can take care of that, but I guess I'll have to wait until we are more kind of 'friends'.
Until that happens, I'll have to be brave.

But it's hard sometimes.
For example, she wanted a dress with lots of gathers in the bodice, but the fabric is too thick for that, so I'm having a hard time trying to make it work.

Look. Don't you think those gathers are too coarse? I think she will complain later because she will think she looks fat.

But I'll not keep complainig about that. Let's talk about happier things..

First, remember my dreamed black and pink long dress? Well... it turned into a short dress.
I don't know what happened... but maybe a pair of tennis shoes that my sister gave me are in part guilty.
It's a pair of checked cloth tennis shoes, in yellow, green and black colors... and I loved them, but I didn't want to wear them only with jeans, so in an afternoon this short dress was born.

In the picture we cannot see those tennis, but we can see the beach. And since it was one of my new year's resolutions I'm happy.
My first picture in the beach... Taken January 1st!

I also gave a try to this pattern.
I had read lots of reviews about it and I couldn't resist to make my own pair of Madeleine mini bloomers.
I must say that even when I went for the bigger size that would fit me and that I gave an extra inch in lenght, these mini bloomers are really.. em... mini.

But I loved them. I made them having in mind the possibility of making a longer version to wear as shorts, and I think I'll make them soom, since the weather is going more and more warm everyday.
I would make two changes to the pattern: add at least three inches in lenght and narrow a bit the leg to avoid a pamper look.
I'd keep that beatiful elastic casing technique, which by the way, I pretend to keep using very often.
I love how it makes the fabric gather.

I loved it so much that I even made a dirndl skirt -style that I really hate- just to use this casing again. Sorry about the blurry picture =/
We could say that I forgot very soon my resolution, but actually this picture was taken before the end of the past year, so... not guilty?

And look! Crochet!

I think I hadn't crocheted anything since 2009, when I made an endless loop scarf for a friend... who happens to be the same person who will get these gloves!

I guess I have a client, hehehe...

He studies guitar, and he was afraid Monterrey's cold days wouldn't allow him to practice enough, so I promised him I'd make him these fingerless gloves I found in CrochetMe years ago.

Maybe they should have been longer, but I think his fingers will need freedom...

Let's see if he is happy with his gloves.

I've been thinking about my resolutions, and I think I'd need to add two more.

I said that I would sew more for me, and try to get better pictures -in the beach if possible.

Well I think I'll try to post more frequently, and avoid writing as if I was in a rush.

I'll keep the resolution I had in 2010, which was to try to sew more clothes instead of buying them.

2011 will be fun.

Mandala dress

2010-12-22T19:03:00.003-06:00

After a few days in which I didn't work at because of the visit of a friend i finally managed to finish some clothes for a customer, and as I said in my previous post, before doing the next assignment I would give me some time to sew something for me... And I did it.

It took little time, since I already had the pattern drafted,but I had to take time in the cutting phase, because of the fabric's pattern.

While I was struggling to keep the fabric aligned I couldn't help start thinking about mandalas, and because of that now I call this 'mandala dress'.

When I tried it on for the first time I was worried about it being too colored but then I thought: well... I live in the caribbean, where bright colors are mandatory!

I almost died when I discovered that my serger didn't want to cooperate in this project.

I couldn't make it work... so I gave a change to zig-zag. Here's a detail of the hem.
I love it is bicolour :) But really I wanted it to be tricolour.... damn serger :(

A few gathers in the shoulder...

Sash belt... it is sewn to one side of the dress to avoid any future drama.

Mandala, mandala...

I had thought on adding a slip to the skirt, but then I though in leaving the dress simple, so in the summer I can put it over a bikini as a chic option instead of shorts, so I made a half slip that I can use with the dress or with any other garment... if the weather allows it, of course.

Elastic with crooked zig-zag.

Zig-zag bicoloured hem.

I love sewing... but I love more sewing for me! I have to make sure to give me more time to do things for me.

Oh! that should be one of my new year's intentions!

Maybe it's too soon for it, but I better write it before I forget... mmmm... intentions... I can think of two right now:

1. Sew more for me.

2. Take better pictures... preferably on the beach!

Let's see if I come with more intentions in these few days before 2011.

Dreams and baby T-shirts

2010-12-19T11:18:00.004-06:00

I've been complaining about not being able to sew anything for me. I've been working and working in things for customers and all my projects are stopped.
But I found this skirt I brought from Monterrey, which only needed a hem... so, voila! A skirt for me!

But I have a long list of projects, or 'dreams' given the lack of time.

For example, I have this weird dark brown cotton with a metallic copper glaze. I'm thinking about sewing a simple A line dress, maybe with a detail in the sleeves.
It's brilliant enough as to keep the design very simple.

Also I have this printed knit. I love the design and I'm thinking about a long dress.

Actually, it is the only project that has some work already. I have the pattern, and I'm just waiting to finish some blouses for a customerto change the thread colors on my serger.

I'm planning on sewing this dress before I attempt to sew some other customer's garments.

Then I have these fabrics.

The camo twill is a very small piece, so I'm thinking on using it to sew something for my nephew: shorts? a light jacket? Not sure yet...

The blue one is a knit fabric, very similar to a light sweater. I'm not sure yet what I could do with it... maybe a shirt dress? a long open sweater to wear with leggings? Don't know.

Both fabrics in the lower part are also knits, and I plan to turn both of them into long T-shirts to wear with leggings, but haven't been able to draft the patterns.

And these are my favourites, the 'serious projects' section.

All these fabrics are suposed to become ladylike garments.

The printed fabric on top left is actually a fabric for courtains, but I loved the design and bought 3 meters, since I couldn't decide at the moment if I'd like to make a sixties-like-A-line dress or a skirt.

It's a gorgeous cotton... and if it happens to be enough fabric to sew both the dress and the skirt I'm doing it!

On the right side there's a pink and black cotton twill.

I'm planning to make a long, sleeveless dress which showed me the weird paths of inspiration.

A few months ago I went to pull & bear and tried on a dress which I loved. It was a long dress with spaghetti straps and a different fabric in the lower part of the skirt. Bot fabrics were flower prints, and it had a little sash to use as a belt, with a slight blouson effect on the waist.

I loved the dress, but it wasn't lined and the fabric was very very thin... I even could see my undies!

And even when my ideas about wearing a slip have turned less strict since I live here, I didn't like the idea of being out there showing my undies to everyone... so I didn't buy it, but decided to make a similar dress with a better fabric.

But for me better apparently means different, since I ended up buying black and pink fabrics, and thought of a different design for the straps, since spaghetti straps are not my favourites.

I have all figured out... in my head. I hope to have the time soon to draft, cut, and sew it.

Finally, the stripped fabric in the bottom is a soft 'silk' that I bought for about a dollar/meter and I want it to become a flowy skirt. That or a flowy dress...

As I said... this is the ladylike section :)

But not being able to sew for me doesn't mean that I've been having a lack of fun. Not at all...

The playense winter has been around, going from a warm day to a chilly night, torturing us a little bit. And specially my nephew, whose winter wardrobe was very weak.

I went with my sister to look for some long sleeve t-shirts or jackets, but it seems like the managers of the stores around here think that babies are unable to feel cold, or I don't know what they think.. the fact is that we couldn't find anything: no sweaters, no T-shirts, no jackets... nothing!

So I made a new series of t-shirts fot my little nephew.

The 'rocker T-shirt'...

The camo fleece...

And two camo T-shirts.

Camo, camo, camo... I know. The thing is my brother in law loves this print, so I thought it would be cool that both of them could wear similar clothes.

He also loves rasta colors and I think I'll use those in some spring-summer garments... think of shorts, little shirts... maybe with the camo fabric I showed before... :)

Having a nephew to dress is the funniest thing in the world! and the faces of my sister and brother in law when they see what I made for the baby are the best reward I could have.

Bridesmaid's drama!

2010-12-02T10:01:00.002-06:00

I'm not sure about how I did it... but I did it: I made a bridesmaid dress in one day.

I was sewing on Sunday when I got a call. It was a woman who was in shock, because a tailor someone had recommended to her... well... basically stored her fabric for one month and then gave it back to her.
The same fabric, folded, in a bag, just as she had left it one month earlier.

She told me she had to take a plane on Wednesday, so she needed the dress ready that day in the morning, but I only could see her on Monday in the afternoon.
Maybe there are not so many people sewing in Playa del Carmen, since she chose to wait for me.

Wondering how I could save some time, I decided to use a technique I had seen years ago, but never had the chance to practice: draping a person.

I've been saying to those who ask about how I feel sewing for others that with every customer I've learned something new. Well, with Male, the bridesmaid in trouble, I could finally use this technique and I must say that if I could finish this dress in only eighteen hours, it was because of this draping technique.

After I took off the fabric toile, I only spent two hours drafting the pattern. The other sixteen hours where for sewing, with only one fitting.

Another thing that was more than clear to me, was the fact that while I live here I must be ready for the weirdest fabric/thread combinations.

Most of the time I don't mind going to the shop to get notions for my customer's garments, and that's why I know that finding a good match can be hard.
I was used, back in Monterrey, to always get thread almost in the same color of the fabric.
Here that is a just a dream, since most of the times the thread color will be very different. And the same applies to zippers and buttons.

That's why I wasn't surprised when Male came with a weird thread color.
She seemed ashamed with her choice, but I know that most probably she tried really hard to get a good combo.
Luckily the dress didn't need any topstitching, so no one was going to be able to see that bright pink color.

The only problem could have been the hems, but thanks to the invisible thread I found the dress came out really well.

I have to say I bought two of those threads, since I know that most probably I will have more cases of weird color combinations :)

And this is it. The design was very simple: a dress with high waist and kimono sleeves with a sash in contrasting color. Instead of darts under the bust I used gathers, which gave me the hardest time. They just didn't seem to be in the mood to be set and sewed.
I must tell they almost made me cry.
Damn gathers...

I'm sorry for the picture. I hate using flash but at 11.30pm it's hard to have a good light.

Despite the hurry and the gather-suffering, it was a fun project... but I'll try not to do it very often: I'm not ready for gray hair yet! :)

Learning, learning and learning

2010-11-13T19:52:00.002-06:00

These have been busy days...
I fiinished the garments for my customer 'who wants it all', a.k.a Lenny. It took ages for her to come to fit the garments. She came, I made the corrections needed and then it took a longer age for her to come and pick them up. Yersterday she finally came and I'm happy to say that she was really pleased with her dress and skirts.

I liked the things I sewed for her, and I really enjoyed the process of drafting and sewing, even when it was for someone else. But what I liked more was to learn new things and to have the opportunity of practicing new techniques.

For example, for the pink dress I had the chance of drafting a built up neck. I had never done that before... and the best part was that I had to use one of my favourite techniques: cutting and spreading the pattern. I love it; I feel like in kindergarten doing that =)

Here MyrnaMaría is trying to model the dress. I think she's kind of depressed, since the dress didn't fit!! MyrnaMaría is bigger than my model!

I also made this gray skirt for my customer. She asked for a pencil skirt with a seam under the buttocks -I think she saw something like that in a magazine- but when drafting the pattern, and since the fabric didn't have any special feature as stripes, or something to play with, I thought it was going to be weird to have a seam there, so I suggested to make the lower part of the skirt with a little flare.
I have to say that when I called her to tell about this, she didn't seem to be happy with the idea, but when she saw the skirt she really loved it.

I used satin bias tape for the hem and made two fabric flowers that can be used as brooches and I think those elements helped a lot. She loved the skirt, loved the bias tape and the flowers.
It seems I can make my customers happy =)

And she wanted a really tight pencil skirt which made me suffer.

It was the easiest skirt to sew... and I failed... and failed... and failed.
I had to unpick lots of seams, handbaste, unpick again... agh! but at the end it was decent enough as to make Lenny happy.

Now I'm done with those garments, but she came with new fabrics for me to make her three new dresses and a bustier... I have lots of work to do!

But I really enjoy sewing for her. I like the fact that she actually noticed those little details in the gray skirt. Working for people like her make me love more and more this thing of being a seamstress.

But then I met other people... and it was a different kind of learning.

I met this woman from a hotel who asked me to sew some culottes for her workers.

I had thought of a price, and when I got to the hotel she asked me for a 'friends price', which for non mexicans is to ask for a lower price.

I did adjust the amount of money, but what she did was to tell her boss that I was going to charge the first price I mentioned... so she could keep the rest of the money.

I have to say it took me some time to understand what she wanted, and when I realized it I felt stupid and used.

I never do that kind of things. I believe in honesty and in working hard and earning what you deserve for your work... and when I understood this woman wanted to keep part of the money I didn't feel happy at all. And the worst part is that when I took the first samples for a test fit, she was really rude.

She's this kind of woman who doesn't want to get old and who thinks that wearing mini skirts and lots of make up make her look young and sexy... so, when she saw her culotte, she tought it was too big: 'isn't it M's culotte? I mean, this is too big this cannot be mine!'
When I told her it was her's her face froze and I could see her anger.

But it was fun, hahaha....

Then she spent the rest of the test fit yelling that she didn't like the culotte at all, and etcetera... but I decided to ignore her.
I thought that the opinion of those girls who didn't think their culottes were too big was more accurate, and they were a lot more gentle expressing their ideas.

Of course I had to make some corrections, but they didn't seem 'offended' with the size of their skirts.

I think that so far this has been the hardest and the more important lesson for me: learning to deal with dishonest people... and to run away from them!!

I had made a deal with her to fix some tablecloths for the restaurant, but I'm not doing that anymore. In the first place because I have lots of work to do for an actual and loyal customer, and in the second place because it makes me feel really uncomfortable to work for people like that.

The last time I went to the hotel I met the owner, who seems to be a really nice lady and who has been very kind to me, and I don't like the idea of acting against her interests.

So, as soon as I finish the culottes and get paid, I'm not going back, unless I deal directly with the owner.

The good part of this episode is that I learned to draft the pattern for a culotte... I'm even thinking about sewing some for me, since they seem to be very bike-friendly.
And also, despite what that woman says, they are really nice.
I like the fabric and that I'm adding some hand sew details, as can be seen in the picture.
Each culotte has three of this little crosses. They look really cute!

Finally, today I went to a meeting and there's a big chance for me to design and sew the uniforms for a spa.
At the meeting there was the boss and four of her workers and they liked the designs I had made.
I hope I'll get the deal! Some of my friends are coming to visit soon, I need to save money! =)

What is wrong with these people?

2010-11-05T12:08:00.003-06:00

Something that really has been a cultural shock is the difference between the idea of 'urgency' that I've seen here compared with the urgency as it is understood in Monterrey.
I have two examples with my customers.

After three weeks waiting for clients, I just got tired and one day in which my brother in law had a day off at work, we went to the beach and were there almost all day.
Then my phone rang and it was a woman asking to see me right away. She needed some uniform skirts for her daughter. I told her I wasn't home, but that I could see them later that day.

They agreed on going later to take measures.
And well... they never came.

My second customer asked for two dresses and two skirts. The day after she brought the fabrics she called me to change the design of one of the dresses, because she had found another that she liked better. I'll go this afternoon to give you the picture, she said... and she hasn't come yet.
The other three garments are ready for a fit, but have been waiting for two days for her to come.

People here don't seem to care about your time: on wednesday she said 'I'll go today at 8pm'... and she didn't come. Then she said she was coming yesterday at 4pm, and well... she just didn't come.

Here's MyrnaMaría showing us the garments... She's tired of being waiting too.

Oh! and yesterday I had a new episode. The manager of a hotel called me to ask for skirts for her and another two employees, and asked me to go right away.
I was busy at the moment, and as I was waiting for the other customer to come, I told her I could go at 5pm. She said: oh! no, please... come earlier because one of the girls goes home at 4pm... So I went to that hotel right after I got home. I was starving, but I needed to be back home at 4 or earlier, so I didn't have time to eat.

I arrived to the hotel, took measures for the manager and one of the girls... and the third one? well, it was her day off. Can you come back tomorrow at 5pm?
Grrrr.

Anyone can explain to me why it was so urgent to go at that moment? please?
Really, I don't get it... and it really annoys me.

People has told me that these episodes are really common here, so I need to get used to it... or leave, hehehe.

Let's talk about something more positive.
I'm in love with the technique for drafting skirts shown in Helen Joseph-Armstrong's Patternmaking for fashion design book.
But... totally in love. Ridiculously in love.

The thing is that I learned to draft skirts with this formula: 1/4 of hip measure plus .5 cm.
The skirts are ok, but there was always something that didn't fit nice.
But in Helen's book she uses a different measure to draft the front and the back and it results in beautiful skirts that drape over the body really really nice.

The first time I took the measures needed I thought it was an exaggeration... but when I saw the results I couldn't believe it... finally a skirt that didn't look odd in the buttocks! Hips nicely covered by the fabric and a front piece without bulks!

Now it is my standard technique to draft skirts, even when it takes a bit more time that using the formula I learned first...
In the picture it is shown a pattern I'm drafting for one of the girls at the hotel. As we can see, the hip depth at center front is longer that the HD at the side and center back: this girl has flat buttocks and a round belly.
My old technique didn't seem to care about these details.... and what can I say. I love details.

But even when I love her skirts, I didn't love the bodice templates I made following her method.
They seemed to be ok, as I could see in the test fit... but when I started using them to make clothes it was obvious that something was wrong.
As you know, my bike-friendly dress took ages to fit right... and then I was sewing a dress that I ended up throwing away to the trash.
That hadn't happened to me in a long time: to throw something away. But that dress really annoyed me.

I took a closer look to the templates and I found the problem: I had an ease of 10cm at the armhole level, while in the waist the ease was about 2cm.

I had to draft again the bodice, first following my old technique -6cm ease in total- which didn't make me happy, and another I found that uses an ease of 2cm in total and didn't allow me to move.

Finally I drafted the bodice, using an ease of 4cm in total... and it is perfect. Finally, after countless attempts, I have templates that really fit well.

Look at the difference: below is shown my template following Helen Joseph-Armstrong's technique and on it is my new template.
I expect to be a happier seamstress from now on :)

And that's it. I've been very busy sewing for people that never shows up for a fit, and going to 'business meetings' where some of the interested people is not present.

I can't wait to finish these things and be able to sew a pair of dresses I've been dreaming about.
I have the fabrics already, which only adds more suffering to my suffering... And one of them is jersey: I expect it to be my reconciliation with my serger.

Happy weekend!

Bike pannier

2010-10-23T10:57:00.004-05:00

One of the first things I did when my bike arrived to Playa was to take it to a bike shop to see if I could attach a basket or a rack to carry stuff.
Unfortunately my bike is a mountain bike, not exactly designed for these baskets they sell here, which are really popular, but for crucero bikes... I thing they're called that way.

I've been using my backpack to carry things, but because of the weather, I've been trying to avoid using it, unless I'm going to the beach.
After the shortest ride with the backpack I always end up with the back all sweaty, and it's nothing comfortable to have your shirt wet when you have to go into a shop that has the AC in the coldest temperature =/

Besides, I'm not always in the need to carry something big, so I had been thinking about options to solve my carrying issues, since riding with a regular purse -even a messenger bag- is not comfortable a all.
I might buy a rack and a pair of panniers, but in the meantime I just made my own pair of mini paniers, which are designed to be carried in the front frame, tied to the handles and to the upper tube.

I made this sketches to plan the pattern and the pieces I'd need.

I wanted something that I could easily untie and carry with me, that's why I planned my panniers to have the shape of a regular purse, but roomy enough to carry sewing notions, a couple of meters of fabric, fruits, bread...or anything.

They can carry lots of things, and thinking about an overstuffing situation, I attached these long straps that can be tied to a loop in the lower part of the bag.
I have to confess, though, that these straps were a last time solution to a mistake I made.
I drafted the lap pattern without considering the width of the bags, which is 8 cm. I realized my mistake until I was assembling the bag and I found out that if I kept it that way the capacity of the bags was going to be diminished, so I tought about the loop and strap as a way to allow the overstuffing of the bag without the risk of losing things in the way.

Anyways, I'm not sure they can handle heavy stuff, since it's tied to the bike only by the front straps and two pairs of huge snap fasteners sewed to the inside face of the bags.

This is one side of my pannier showing the strap and loop.

A view from the top. I could ride without problems during my test ride, but I think that in the case of carrying something bulky I could have some trouble... or I could open a little bit my knees, which will be something funny to see, I think =)

I had to sew by hand some parts of the bag, because the fabric is so coarse that sewing more than 4 coats was almost impossible to my machine.

It's an upholstery fabric with the texture of suede, nice enough to use it as a purse if needed.
This is the second reason I don't think it's a good idea to carry heavy things on it: what if my stitches can't handle it?

And this is how it looks when used as a purse. Between the two bags are the snap fasteners, which help to keep the bag tied to the bike and keep the shape when used as a purse.

The bike-friendly dress...

2010-10-18T08:28:00.005-05:00

... which I'm no longer sure about its bike-friendlyness =/

All started with this project. I wanted a dress with a waist seam and a fitted bodice.
I had been reading Helen Joseph-Armstrong's book Patternmaking for fashion design and I wanted to try the waist dart cluster drafting.
Also I wanted a wide skirt, since my bike is my most common mean of transport.

I had planned a 3/4 sleeve, but I had to change them for short sleeves, because I only had 2 meters of fabric and I'd have needed at least 30 cm more.

I love the dart cluster idea, and it was fun to draft.
I think its a good way to get a good fit but it is more than necesary to try on and try on and try on the pieces.
It seemed like an easy project but it took me two days to sew, because I had to be fitting the bodice all the time to make sure it was going to be ok.

Besides the dart cluster, I also made some contouring in the neckline to avoid unnecessary bra exposure.

When I started to sew, I thought it would be a good idea to topstitch the darts, but I made this huge mistake: I topstitched them before I tried the bodice, and when I did try it, I realized it was too roomy. I couldn't contour the darts to make it more fitted to the body without altering the bust measure, so I decided to change the regular darts for tucked darts, which were easier to manipulate and allowed a closer fit.
It was a sad task to unpick all the topstitch that I had done with so much care and love, but that was the first lesson: never topstitch before making sure the darts are ok.

And this is it. I love the fabric, a heavy cotton that made all the sewing process really easy. I also loved that it is not easily marked, so it allows to unpick stitches without getting ruined.

The back...

Despite the bad experience with the topstitch and its removal, I topstitched again the tuck darts. I really like the effect.

I like the way the dress came out and how it fits. But when I saw the final fullness of the skirt I'm no longer sure it's bike-friendly.

For the skirt I drafted a basic flare skirt and then I added more fullness to make enough room. But now I see that the skirt is too full, so most probably if I ride while wearing this dress, half of the population of Playa del Carmen is going to be aware of the color of my undies and the general appearance of my legs, an idea that does not make me happy at all =/

So, I have two options:

1. To add ribbons inside the skirt to tie them and make it some kind of pant-skirt when needed, or...

2. Forget it was made with the idea of riding in mind and use it only when I won't need to use my bike.

Changes made:

- Short sleeves instead of 3/4 sleeves due to the lack of fabric.

- Tuck darts instead of regular darts.

Lessons learned:

- Try on, try on, try on the pieces. Even if you only sew a seam, if it's an important seam, try on.

- Never topstich a seam if you're not sure it's ok.

- If you think 2m is enough for a dress, buy half a meter more, just in case.

Oaxaca blouse

2010-10-16T10:52:00.004-05:00

I have this terrible problem with blogger... I upload the pictures in a certain order and it arranges them in a different way. It's not possible to tell a coherent story if the pictures are not in order! *sigh*

But ok.. later I'll see how to fix that issue, but now let me tell you about the boxy blouse I bought in Oaxaca last year.
Yes... last year.

Last year I went to Oaxaca, México, on vacation and while wandering in a handicraft shop I found this blouse for only 160 pesos, which is about 15 dlls. That is extremely cheap for a piece that has so many details and is hand embroidered. I fell in love with the colors of the flowers and the sleeve detail.

The only thing I didn't like was its boxyness. I know that traditional Mexican costumes are just a square or a rectangle of fabric almost all the time -Mayan dresses, Oaxacan dresses and blouses, some blouses from Chihuahua, etc, etc... there's nothing one can do about that.
So, I bought the blouse thinking that I could easily fix it. And the poor blouse laid on my sewing room for months, waiting for that fix that seemed far and more far every day.

Then the hurricane came and I temporarily moved to my friend's house and after two weeks I took my sewing machine and some fabrics with me; also I took this blouse, thinking that it would be an easy project. But I only managed to achieve the step one: take a picture of the blouse showing all its boxy splendor (see the last picture).

But here in Playa I've had more time to sew. I quitted my job at the kinder garden and decided to earn my living as a seamstress. Of course I don't have any customers yet, but hopefully they'll arrive soon.
In the meantime I've been sewing and planning some garments that I expect to sew and sell... and then I realized it was almost one year since I'd bought this poor blouse and k.n.e.w it w.a.s time to fix it.

And this is it. I only had to draft -direct on the fabric, shame on me :) - a kimono sleeve, cut the excess of fabric and sew.
I had thought in using waist darts, or even a bust dart to shape the blouse, but then I thought it would be cool to keep the simplicity of the Mexican costumes, which don't have darts.
So, I just kept the bust measure as a base, to easily slip the blouse without the need of buttons or a zipper, and kept the original sleeve lenght to save the pretty embroidery.

MyrnaMaría shows us that this blouse is not a box anymore and now I can wear it without the fear of looking like a... box. Or like a tamal, which is one of my greatest fears in life.
It'll look great with jeans or shorts!

Kimono sleeve. Pencil on canvas.

The first picture I had uploaded, the original blouse as a perfect square, shown in the last place by my friend Blogger.

The only thing I'd change would be to add a gusset under the sleeves to avoid that bend that can be seen between the neck embroidery, the sleeve, and the underarm.

Too sad I got rid of all the fabric scraps... and there's no way I'm going to buy half a meter of canvas just to fix that, since it's not that bad! :)

Oh! I would change another thing: I would never wait one year to achieve such a simple task as fixing a blouse. Now the summer is gone and I can't wear it! I'll have to wait until the spring...

I hope that no one else has a similar story to share. A story of a blouse that laid sadly, abandoned, getting stained by time, coffee drops, and dust until its owner had the time and heart to fix it.

Happy weekend!

Woring, working, working

2010-10-13T23:11:00.002-05:00

Yes, I've been working hard in sewing.
First I had to draft all my templates, because when I moved from Monterrey to here I decided not to bring the ones I had. They had a mistake. The shoulder slope was weird, and even when I mesaured it over and over, and everything seemed to be ok, when I sew something, there it was that little detail of the shoulder... so I decided they weren't good enough to travel with me, and I had to do all the templates again, which took one week to complete.

I took my time to try different techinques, and even when it took so long, finally I can say that the templates I made fit like a dream.

So, I could start sewing again. This week I've been sewing a lot. Today's task was this skirt.

It started like an experiment, because it was raining and we had a hurricane alert, so I couldn't go out to get a zipper and two black buttons. I started to think about what could I do using only things I already had.
I knew I wanted to use this cotton, which I had bought thinking about sewing a little summer dress. The only black zipper I had was too long, and instead of cutting it, I decided to use it like that. Two buttons and thread and it was it.

I have to tell I loved the result. What started as an experiment evolved to a piece that I'm going to make again, using better materials and changing some sewing techiques, just to make it better.

Before that skirt I had been sewing some long sleeve T-shirts for my nephew.
It happens that in playa is really hard to find winter clothes, and my nephew had to go through some cold days we had last week using short sleeves.
Even I was cold! poor little baby, it broke my heart to see him without any sweaters... and then I remembered that I had one of those kwik sews books and I used two of the patterns, a regular shirt with buttons in the shoulders and a ranglan shirt. I adapted one of the patterns no make a T-Shirt without buttons in the shoulders. It's shown below... I loved it!
Now my nephew has three long sleeve t-shirts to go through the playense-winter =)

I also fitted a blouse I had bought in Oaxaca last year... I had it one year waiting for a mini-surgery! I had to fix, and it turned out really well...but blogger didn't get the picture... instead he decided to show us my pattern weights =)

I know that if I try to change te picture I will lost everything I've written, so... tomorrow pictures of my blouse!

Good night!

... and then I moved

2010-09-01T19:04:00.002-05:00

Last time I wrote here I was telling about my unability to sew due to the hurricane that hit my city and destroyed some main roads wich were vital for my daily home-office-home route.

I was living with a friend for a while and and then everything changed, when my sister and her husband, who have been living in a very cool little beach town, convinced me to move here.

Suddenly I had a new job and I only had two weeks to sell my stuff, pack, move from the North to the South of my country, and come to my new town.
I've been here for two weeks, working like crazy and... I still don't have time to sew =(

The boxes with all my stuff arrived one week ago, and they are still all packed... and I'm struggling, trying to feel more and more in control in my new job, before I actually have my afternoons free to sew.

I used to work in education, at a large University... and I changed that for a position as a kindergarten teacher. What a big change, no?
I used to be grumpy with some teachers I used to work with... now I think I kind of get their point.

Being a teacher can steal almost all your free time! But I'm sure it's a matter of time to start feeling more in control and able to create my lesson plans more quickly... but right now I feel like giving baby steps, on a daily fight between what I think is cool for the students and their actual interests.

And so... My sewing time has been zero.
I was supposed to be a participant in the Self-stitched-September challenge, but for obvious reasons I won't be able to do so.
Anyway... I might be doing things now and then, so... keep in touch!
=)

I had to stop sewing..

2010-07-07T17:47:00.004-05:00

Hurricane Alex hit my city last week and this is the road that I used to take to go from home to work and back.

Right now I'm some kind of refugee, living at a friend's house since I can't get home easily, and of course I didn't take my sewing machine with me.

I hope to get back to my sewing duties soon, and be able to participate acceptably in the SSS as I had planned.

Do I need to say how sad I am? =(

Dressform!

2010-06-30T00:04:00.004-05:00

The super-sweet green blouse.

I'm not sure I'll be able to wear it. I see it and think about old ladies... aunties.
Oh, god! I'm an auntie!... damn.

The funny thing is that yesterday one of my workmates was wearing a blouse very similar to this... which tells us I'm not that original... and she looked great, so maybe this blouse is not that bad.
I should give it a chance.

My dress!

I love it... But it annoys me that the red stripes near the bust didn't match the way I wanted.

---

I always wanted a dressform and today was the day.
I had been chasing this girl since past saturday but even when I went to the shop and blah blah blah... well... they didn't take credit card and... etcetera and drama.

The thing is that today I had the cash and went to pick her up. She went with me to see some friends and at 11pm we got home and I couldn't help getting her dressed and taking some pictures.

Next time I'll wait until the sun is up to take pictures but today... she's new! she wants to model! Look at her!

Please note this girl's waist is at least 12cm smaller than mine. And her derriere at least 4cm smaller. I'll try to fix that issue this weekend.

Done!

2010-06-27T22:16:00.006-05:00

Black blouse

This is the back. I made a triangle shape buttonhole to let the sash go throug the other piece.

Ranglan sleeves, darts at bust...

The sash tied in the front... I really like it.

It's done! The black blouse -at the end it became a blouse- is done. And I love it.
I haven't done the math to see how many garments I need to sew for the self stitched september, but if I keep this rythm I'll be ok.

I also began a new project, a light green blouse. I had this fabric since 2006, i think.

I liked it when I thought about the idea, but I'm not happy with the results. It's just too sweet for me =/
Maybe i could mix it with jeans and high heels to cut down the sweetness a little, but... really it's too sweet.
Pictures soon =)

My striped dress is ready

2010-06-24T21:50:00.003-05:00

I finished my striped dress!! Now I have my first self-stitched piece for the SSS challenge!
I did wear it, and I don't see fat at all. It turned out really nice, and a couple of friends really liked it.

No one asked if I had done it, tough. It may be that it seems well done… or maybe it's too obvious that it is handmade and they didn't want to embarrass me… I couldn't say what the right option is, and actually I don't care. I'm just happy with my dress and I'm thinking about sewing a second version of it, using some weird cotton-linen blend with a silver coat that I found last year and thrilled me, but then I never knew what to do with it. I just thought I would be weird to go to my office wearing a silver dress… but I think that this pattern could work really well.
I hope to upload some pictures soon.

The thing is I finished my striped dress and right away I started with a new project. It's a black blouse-dress, with ranglan sleeves, V neck and a sash in the waist.
I'm sorry, but I can't fix the picture's orientation...

I only had drafted a ranglan sleeve twice, and I had this idea that drafting it was super quick and easy, but when I had the front-back-sleeve patterns I found myself really really lost.
I consulted two books that didn't help at all, and suddenly I found my notes:

Yes. I didn't understand a thing, hehehe. But after a few attempts I could do it!

Now I have the pieces ready. I even made a pattern for the sash. I just don't know what shape to use for them. The options are angle shape and leaf-shape, but I think I'll use the leaf-shape ending.

I'm cutting it tomorrow… and expect to finish it as soon as possible! I want to use it right now!

Drafting, drafting...

2010-06-10T21:12:00.006-05:00

It took me almost a month to finish this pattern, but finally it's done.

I don't know why I still can't sew from made patterns, for some reason I need to draft them, otherwise I feel they won't fit and I'll ruin my project and the fabric.

Anyways, I've ruined lots of fabrics so far, so, maybe it's time to give patterns a chance and save time on this process, no?

Well... I finally finished it, but I'm not in the mood of cutting, since I have a mess in my table and cutting would mean cleaning, which I don't want to do right now =)
I'm in lazy mood, it seems.

I like to cut and get into sewing right away, so, saturday is a better option I guess.

I love the fabric I chose for this dress, but I'm still wondering if a stripped dress, when the stripes run horizontally, is a wise idea... I hope to find out soon!

Self-stitched September [I just signed in!]

2010-06-03T18:02:00.002-05:00

Sometimes all we need is a little push. And then I read this post at 'So, Zo...'

Just what I needed! I need to work hard in order to fulfill the commitment I made.

Here I copy my contract:

I, Daligula, sign up as a participant of self-sticthed-september. I endeavour to wear at least one handmade item of clothing.

In search of Zen time

2010-06-03T13:50:00.000-05:00

A long time ago I used to sew a lot. I had plenty of clothes made by myself and I loved the idea of having unique things.

Then came grad school and other stuff, including a lot of new tasks to do at my day job that took me away from my table, my machine, and my fabrics.

But this year is a year of change. I’ve been doing a lot of things differently and one of the most important things I want back is my zen time, which I can only find when sewing.

The first project is already on my table. Let’s see how it ends.