The Fashion Fund

Have any of you been watching The Fashion Fund? So far, this 30 minute documentary is 3 episodes in and is streaming for free here at Hulu! It follows the 10 finalists of the 2011 CFDA / Vogue fashion fund through panel interviews, fashion shows and lots more on their quest to win $300,000 towards their business and a mentorship. This program is a change of pace from the sometimes gimmicky weekly challenges of Project Runway (which I still love, by the way). The Fashion Fund is a highly recommended 30 minute weekly fashion fix!

My Latest Etsy Finds & Wants

Here's a peek at some of my favorite Etsy finds & wants!

Just in time for Spring! Sweet scalloped hem shorts PDF sewing pattern from PatternRunway.

Vogue Paris Original 2628: Super chic Alexander McQueen for Givenchy asymmetric double-breasted dress pattern from PatternVault. This one comes with a hefty price tag, but I would love the challenge of making this dress!

Pleated shirt PDF sewing pattern from SalmePatterns. Simple and pretty.

Colorful rainbow striped vintage 1970s wrap skirt from OldAge. One of my absolute favorite vintage clothing stores on Etsy!

Cute nautical knot rope bracelet by junghwa. I don't wear a lot of jewelry, but I think I would wear this quite often this Spring and Summer.

Completed Project: 1970s Betsey Johnson High Waist Pants

When I moved back to North Carolina almost 9 months ago, I unintentionally lost a lot of weight due to stress and other factors. I found that all of the pants and trousers that I'd put so much time into making no longer fit, which left me without a few essential wardrobe basics. So now, along with looking for thrifted vintage pieces, I'm trying to sew and build up my wardrobe again (with a 1970s slant, of course)! I used Butterick #3846 (a "Young Designer" pattern by Betsey Johnson) to make this pair of simple high waist pants:

Do forgive the dark and pixelated photos! I am well in need of a new camera (and some natural sunlight)!

I omitted quite a few details from the original design and opted to keep these pants extremely basic. I thought the extreme high waist fit and wide legs made enough of a statement. The original pattern design included huge patch pockets over the hips, round applique patches at the knees and a detachable bib.

I wore these out to lunch today and received a few nice compliments. The fabric that I used is a lightly slubbed medium weight denim-look cotton that I purchased with a huge lot of patterns at a local sale. I thought this type of fabric would be perfect for the transition from winter to spring - not too heavy or too light. The pants have a front zipper, wider than usual waistband and button closure.

I will definitely be wearing these often and I'm so glad to have a basic pair of high waist pants in my wardrobe again!

TOTAL PROJECT COST:

Fabric - approximately $1.00

Zipper - approximately $2.00

Pattern - $6.49 from Granni Gert's Attic @ Etsy

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$9.49

Sewing....How I've Missed You!

I can't believe this, but it's been almost 10 months since I've posted anything here on my sewing blog. Without going into specific details, let's just say that I've been going though a major life change and I'm now a single mom working full-time. It's been extremely difficult and sewing (sadly) hasn't been a major part of my life recently. I feel like I've missed out on so many possible sewing projects and not being able to sew as much as I used to has been like suffering a huge loss....like I've had a creative hole in my life for the past 10 months.

Things are looking up, though! I have a new project in the works and my goal is to start sewing and posting here regularly again. Here's the pattern I'll be using, an amazing Betsey Johnson of Alley Cat pattern, circa 1974:

I'll be making the high waist pants, without the detachable bib, from a nice lightweight dark denim chambray, perfect for the transition from winter to spring. Definitely time to start thinking about a home sewn spring wardrobe!

Completed Project: Waves Print Dress

This was a relatively speedy project for me! The total time spent cutting out and constructing was a little over 2 hours....because I didn't have to construct or hem the skirt!

I used an early 1980s pattern for the bodice, which is made from black ponte knit (the best knit fabric in the whole wide world to work with, by the way!). It has puff petal sleeves and I added a white embroidered floral collar to brighten up the bodice. The skirt is actually an upcycled vintage 1980s rayon skirt that I thrifted a while back. I love the crazy squiggly waves print and the bright primary colors! Altogether, a quite satisfying project for a very time-strapped person like myself!

Completed Project: 1970s Wide Leg Trousers

So I've finally resigned myself to the fact that I will probably only be updating this blog whenever I complete sewing projects which, at my current sewing rate, will be about 1x per week. I'm just in love with posting on my Tumblr blog, which I actually do daily, so check me out over there if you'd like!

My latest completed project is a pair of wide leg trousers that I made from an early 1970s Butterick pattern designed by Betsey Johnson. I think the design was actually inspired by 1940s-style trousers but with a much more exaggerated silhouette for stylin' 1970s seamstresses. :) These were really simple to make: several top stitched pleats at the front, a 7" zipper at the back, and a wide waistband with a button closure. I used a slubbed black and white rayon/linen blend fabric that I scored from a local thrift store for $4.00.

I'm really happy with how they came together. I'm obsessed with high waist, wide leg trousers (just as I'm obsessed with 1970s fashion in general) so I have 3 more (different) pair in my sewing queue waiting to be made. They are so comfy and breezy and perfect to wear up until it gets really hot during the summer!

1960s Fashion Inspiration: Who Are You Polly Maggoo?

From Criterion: After nearly a decade as American Vogue‘s most subversive fashion photographer, William Klein made this wild, pseudovérité incursion into the world of Parisian haute couture. Elegant, scathing humor ties together the various strands of this alternately glamorous and grotesque portrait of American in Paris Polly Maggoo (Dorothy MacGowan), an Alice in Wonderland supermodel who becomes the pinup plaything of media hounds and the fragmented fantasy of haunted Prince Igor (Sami Frey). Klein’s first fiction film is a daring deflation of cultural pretensions and institutions, dressed up in brilliant black and white.

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This is one of the penultimate fashion movies of the 1960s. According to William Klein, Dorothy MacGowan retired from modeling after this movie was released. The amazing Peggy Moffitt also puts in a few cameos (see below). All screen caps were done by me - please enjoy! Please click on the images for a closer view - it's worth it!