Sew Grateful: Giveaway Winner!!

And the winner is:

Claudia E B!!

Claudia, send me an e-mail at montana(dot)nelson(at)gmail(dot)com with your address and information and I will send this gift to you as soon as possible!  Thank-you so much for taking the time to stop by my blog and participate in this giveaway!  And a big thank-you to all of you who participated in this wonderful Sew Grateful Week!  

P.S.  Sorry I was unable to correctly get the random number generator to show on my blog.  Next time I'll figure out how to post the little box thingy!  Have a great day everyone!

Hourglass Figure

Hello friends!

I was reading one of the posts that Sarah at Rhinestones and Telephones wrote, and I was intrigued by a few of the links she had at the bottom of her page that were referring to different body shapes.  I was led to this fantastic new-to-me blog Cardigan Empire which is currently having a week about falling in love with your body type.  In this post, Rachel even has a wonderful spread sheet for you to figure out your body type based on your measurements.

I have very recently taken my measurements, so I was able to quickly run through the spread sheet and figure out my body type.  Let me say, Rachel has a real knack for making one feel like your body is likened to a goddess!  I am an hourglass shape, which was actually kind of a surprise to me.  I am always my harshest critic when looking at my body (a fact that I'm trying to change).  I tend to feel like my middle has no definition, and that I generally look short and fat stout.

Once I discovered that I truly was an hourglass, the post written specifically for those with mythical curves had some great tips for dressing to enhance your body's most positive attributes.  There are also great posts for middle figured bodies, pear shapes, linear bodies, and upper figured body types.

Interestingly enough, I decided to look into my own Sew-spiration Board on Pintrest to see if I generally picked out clothes and wardrobe items that were recommended for me.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that my taste has improved since high-school, and that I do tend to lean towards garments that will work with my body type, such as the following examples.

Source: oasis-stores.com via Montana on Pinterest

Source: dorothyperkins.com via Montana on Pinterest

They really talked about for hourglass shapes, how it is wonderful to emphasize your waist.  They suggested a lot of belts, which is another glimpse into why I really enjoyed my peony so much!  Bring on the belts!

Source: modcloth.com via Montana on Pinterest

Source

One stunning historical example of an hourglass figure that I'm sure every one else was already screaming about in their minds is Marilyn.  Her iconic beauty is something that has started to finally come back into fashion today thanks to inspiring celebrities such as Christina Hendricks who plays Joan on Mad Men.  Kate Winslet also has a wonderful body that has been the subject of controversy ever since Titanic!

Source

Source

So here is to enjoying our bodies, and being proud of the women that we are.  Embrace the joy that you get from knowing that not only are you beautiful, but that you can sew clothes that are tailor made to enhance every glowing curve, or lithe slender line you have to offer!  Go.  Feel beautiful today!

P.S.  I didn't even realize as I was writing this, that it is the perfect valentine's day post!  Show yourself some love!  Happy Valentine's Day everyone! xoxo

My Closet: Bikes and Top Hats!

Hello friends!

I've been holding out on you.  It's true.  I once upon a time (around November of 2011) made a shirt, that I was so excited about.  And I was reading lots of sewing blogs and thought to myself, "Well, gosh!  Maybe I should start one too, because then I would get to share things like the shirt I just made!! And, maybe people would give me tips and hints, and say lovely things about my creations (because lets be honest, we all love a little praise and love from our fellow sewists!)"

So I started this blog.  I had so much fun getting it started that I totally forgot to blog about the shirt.  It was my very first Sorbetto!  I made it from a cotton fabric that I had gotten in my grandma's enormous stash of fabric!  I actually had to fight over this particular fabric with my dad, and he only relented when I promised that I would make him something out of it as well!  Which, reminds me that I need to still do that.  My dad liked this fabric so much because it has old fashioned bikes on it.  Along with the old bikes, there are men in top hats, and ladies in big dresses; the print really is fabulous.

I've enlarged the photo in hopes that you can get a better look at the print

I have a few things that I wish I would have known before making the shirt, but hindsight is always 20/20, yes?  I didn't bother making a muslin of this shirt because I thought the pattern looked simple enough that I would be able to make any necessary changes to the fashion fabric itself.  It's true, I was able to make all the changes that I wanted, except one.  For some reason, once you've cut out fabric, you can't make it grow longer if the shirt is too short, boo.  It's not necessarily too short, but I don't like my belly skin to flash if I move wrong, and this shirt could use another inch or two, but I've had fun finding things to layer it with.

Other than the length, this garment is wonderful!  I did all french seams, so the inside looks great, and the cotton itself is incredibly soft, heavy, and has a great drape to it.  I probably would have made a skirt out of the fabric instead of a shirt, if I'd had enough yardage.

Bikes!

Do you have any specific item of clothing that inspired you to start your blog?  What blogs do you find that have the most inspiration to keep you blogging and sewing?

On a slightly different note, but seeking feedback please!!  Do you any of you bloggers have any great resources for getting better at photography?  Books, blogs, tutorials?  Please send ideas my way if you have any.  Thanks!

P.S.  You can now Follow my blog with Bloglovin.

Indie Pattern Designers

Hello friends!

Has everyone seen this yet?  Lizz at A Good Wardrobe has made this great list of independent pattern designers and has made this great button.  The list is extensive and has pattern designers such as Colette, Victory Patterns, Sewaholic, Megan Nielsen Sewing Patterns, and a lot more!  Look into it, and if you agree, show your support!

If you want to grab the button for your blog as well, the code can be found here

Meringue-alicious!

Hello friends!

So I posted ages ago that I was going to show you my Meringue skirt that I completed for Sew Colette.  I didn't get around to it until just now, so... oops.  The sewing community is a forgiving one, yes?  Maybe as punishment I will have nightmares about endless tracing patterns, and cutting out fabric, and never getting to sew a stitch!  I would be one miserable little sassafras!

On to better things.  My skirt!  I made it out of some fabulously fuscia corduroy fabric.  I got the fabric from fabric.com and was really just curious because I had never sewn with corduroy before.  It's fun!  One very interesting thing that I noted, was that chalk goes right through all the layers!  I'm sure that could be really annoying sometimes, but for this skirt, it was really great when marking the darts... I marked one and the other was already done!

I made the hem facing out of some fun polka-dot fabric that I had left in my stash from a book bag that I made years ago.  I was excited to put a flash of something fun in there!  The waistband has the same fabric for the facing as well!  I should mention that I used Caitlin's (Design assistant for Coletterie) awesome tutorial for adding a waistband to the Meringue.  

Fun hem facing!

So I have a silly confession.  I had my roommate take these photos (she is so awesome to help me with that!)  And after taking a bunch of different photos, I was scrolling through them later and noticed something a little funny about my purple sweater.  Lets just say *ahem* it is a good thing that I always wear and undershirt beneath this sweater.  I wasn't really thinking about it for the photo shoot, and just threw on the sweater.  These two photos are the only two where you can't glaringly see my white bra.  Ha! Oh dear.  I figured you all didn't want to see better pictures of the lovely scallops on the bottom if it meant that your eyes would be burned by my lady support.

Not my best angle, but hey at least you can see the skirt!

There was one little wonky spot on the skirt that makes me furrow my brow in frustration.  On the inside, right where the waistband and facing meet with skirt, I did something wrong I'm sure, because the zip gets stuck.  there is a little part of the facing that is just close enough to the zip that when you're trying to pull up, the zipper head gets stuck and you have to wrench the waistband apart a little just to get the zipper up all the way.  Annoying enough to take out and fix?  Eh, we'll see... 

If you peek in the bottom left corner you can see some of the fabric that I'm using in my Minoru Jacket.  Yes folks, I finally got started on it!  I'm so so excited to show it to you when it is finished!

What are you working on?  Any interesting new fabrics that you are trying out?  How about the weird waistband and zipper problem?  Anyone else ever dealt with that?

Hope you're having a fabulous weekend!

P.S.  On the subject of the Sew Colette project;  I've opted to skip February's Pastille.  I'm not sold on the dress, plus, I just put so much time into a fitted bodice with the Peony, which is the learning goal with making the Pastille.  I think I'd rather use my time to make the Minoru Jacket and pick up with Sew Colette in march.

Sew Grateful: Reflections and Buttons!

Hello friends!

 I was looking at the rest of the schedule that Debi posted for the second Sew Grateful week and saw:

• Write a reflection post (on what your 'sew grateful' for): post by Wednesday, February 8th
• Finish a sewing project: post by Saturday, February 11th

Well, I am late for getting my reflection post up by Wednesday, but I thought I would combine the two into one nice post. 

I feel that most girls learn sewing from their mothers.  I love my mama, and she helped me hem somethings while I was younger (with gritted teeth I imagine), but even she will tell you that I did not inherit my crafting gene from her.  Both of my grandmothers were wonderful seamstresses, even my daddy has some way better than adequate sewing skills (although he hasn't pulled those out in years).  I definitely got my sewing obsession from my grandmothers.  They have both passed away and I sure wish that I could pick both of their brains for sewing help and thank them properly for all the inspiration they have given me.

One memory that I have of my maternal grandma Winona, is of her teaching me how to cross stitch!  I don't really remember much of it now, all the counting and tiny stitches gave me a headache.  I do remember though, that she patiently taught me how to do the stitches, how to count the rows, she let me use her big magnifier to make it easier, and she also bought me the cutest bear patterns to cross stitch!  I also remember playing dress up in her closet of fantastic mu-mu's and polyester track suits.  Her eyes would laugh as I tried them on, and she would tell me about making them.

My paternal grandma, Enid, was a professional seamstress.  She taught me the basics of sewing, letting me learn on her machine, and letting me pick out fabric to make a skirt with!  I remember rolling my eyes when she tried to explain to me the importance of matching my plaids...  I really didn't get it at that point!  Haha, how things change.  

I have both of these women to thank for so much.  Not only did they teach me so much, but they also left me many sewing and crafting related goodies to play with.  My first sewing machine was inherited from my grandma Enid, and the serger that I still use was Winona's.  Since they have passed away, I have gotten boxes of fabric, and lots of haberdashery!  Which leads me to the finished project portion of the post.

I already had posted a few pictures of my finished Peony for you, but I wanted to post a few more pictures, especially showcasing these adorable buttons!  I first spied these buttons when I opened up a box of haberdashery that I had gotten from Grandma W.  they were sitting right on top, and I remember squealing in delight, and then promptly forgetting about them.  When putting the finishing touches on my dress, I was about to head to trusty JoAnn's when I remember that I had boxes and boxes of vintage buttons; and what should be on  the top of the very first box I open...?  You guessed it.  Perfection!

Peony!  Sorry for the dark night-time photo.

It is hard to tell in these photos, but the blue almost perfectly matches the light blue background color in the print.  And the buttons themselves are so fun!  They remind me of the waves at the ocean, part smooth, part foamy/lacy.  Very pretty!  And I really love the contrast they make with the saffron sash.

Fun side note.  Can anyone guess what my new fun word of the day is?!  Haberdashery!!  So, maybe I am just behind in my vocabulary, but I had never heard of this word, until I started reading some blogs based in the UK.  I finally looked it up, because I was prone to believe it meant tom-foolery  But when it was so often used with sewing in context I realized, it must not be related to mischief!  Trusty Wikipedia helped me out with this definition (for anyone else who may be wondering...)

A haberdasher is a person who sells small articles for sewing, such as buttons, ribbons,zips, and other notions. A haberdasher's shop or the items sold therein are called haberdashery.

So, as a final word, if you haven't signed up for my giveaway of a great little gadget (dare it be called haberdashery), please do!  Go here and leave a comment telling me what you are grateful for!


P.S.  My computer is tweaking out and not letting me post the wonderful pictures that I have of my grandmothers, so I will keep working and update the post if I can figure out what the glitch is.  Thanks for stopping by!

My Sew Grateful Giveaway!

Hello friends!

Debi is again hosting this wonderful week of thankfulness, which I truly believe is so important!  I really wanted to give something away since that was the theme for Monday.  As you can see I think I am a few hours late, but I think I can fudge it, yes?

So, for my giveaway I wanted to give one of you this wonderful tool!

You can find out more about it here.

To enter this giveaway, just leave me a comment about something you are grateful for!  I will leave this giveaway open until midnight on Tuesday, February 14th.  These are great for when you use a Burda pattern that doesn't have the seam allowance included!  Hope you enjoy!