MMM Mmmmm?: Day 20 to 27 Recap

My MMM'13 original pledge:

I, Far of Memoryseed blog (farsland.blogspot.com), sign up as participant of Me-Made-May '13. I endeavor to wear (and document that fact) at least one self made/refashioned garment everyday in May. Repeats are a possibility. It is also a time that I am going to truly 'investigate' my relationship with my Me-Made items. Time to take stock, and cull when necessary.

 ~~~~~~~~

I missed my self-timed recap post yesterday :) It was a 3 day weekend for us here in the US to celebrate Memorial Day. So the computer was monopolized by the 2 boys...

Spent the last week sewing a lot, but very slowly as always. We didn't go out a whole lot, also because the weather was a bit dreary at times, but there were some grocery runs, short walks at the park/lake in between some light misty rain that people associate with Seattle. 

Here are some of the pics I managed for this round:

May 21st

Was cold, about 50-55 deg Fahrenheit the whole day. A quick run with the fam to the grocery, and I didn't want to carry my down jacket, so I get to wear this.

Top: My refashioned wool knit pinafore-esque dress (that is now supposed to be peplum, but not apparent on me here. Probably the weight of the knit plus the length of the peplum "skirt" portion. 

Bottom: A thrifted choco brown corduroy with good stretch

Accessories: Me made slouchy clutch bag (refashion project from a jacket)

Verdict: It's a winner in my book. I love the overall shape and feel of the tunic. I'm stumped with how to pair it though. Will resurface again come fall. Carrying the clutch bag is a pain, but if I throw it into my tote bag which was what I usually do, it's great to fit in a bunch of stuff.

 May 25th

Top: Me made Asymmetrical caftan top with shell beading on neckline

Worn with: Dark blue jeans, and carrying my down jacket. Yes, it's kinda cold for me. Taken off jacket just for a quick pic.

Bean wearing one of his mommy made play pants again, with bought tshirt and hoodie.

Verdict: I'm not a fan of this look. Last time I wore it was probably last MM/summer. Beading it was hard work tho. What I don't like is the fabric (clings), the size of the neckline (i hate large gapey neckline), and the asymmetrical-ness of the sleeves. What will I do with it? I don't know yet...

May 27th

This was what I spent my last week sewing. Nope, it wasn't from scratch. It was a refashion project. A men's denim shirt + floral silk twill dress = denim blouse with contrast sleeves.

Essentially I started off with a too big men's denim shirt that I thrifted. I fiddled with it a lil bit each day. My initial target was to make it into a denim shirt with contrast peter pan collar ala Zoe. First the sleeves were off. The more I fiddle and think (thinking can both be helpful and a detriment sometimes) and unpick, the less I want a peter pan collar with this shirt. So while I chucked the original collar, I kept the collar band. I added bust dart (by the side of  the pockets). My next idea was to turn it into a cap sleeved denim top. But the cap sleeves (which was just the original bodice without original sleeves) was stiff and made my shoulders look big. I measured where I want my shoulder to stop at, took the french curve and mark (with approx. seam allowance) and cut off excess. 

And my thinking made me want to have a contrast sleeves instead of the original plan of contrast peter pan collar. Having 2 tubs of saved old clothes, I fished out the perfect treasured silk dress (this one was a silk twill dress) many years old and only worn once!!! Perfect = I will use up most of the dress and leave minimal waste. 

Used up all (with very little left over) of the skirt part of the dress for my self drafted sleeves (drafted to max the fabric).

Unpicked the original sleeve bands from the dress and used it as sleeves band on the new blouse. Added brassy look buttons from stash (purchased from JoAnn's last year), and changed up all the buttons from the denim shirt to match too.

[Saved the bodice part of the original dress with sleeves sans sleeves bands. Maybe turn it into a kid's dress. I do have 2 little nieces (my cousins').]

Verdict: I guess technically the blouse could use with some more shaping (than just at the side seams). Darts under the bust/at the back came to mind. I've never added darts like that before. not that I could recall at least. I tried pinning to see how it will look, and was thinking maybe with the 2 pockets in front it's kinda having eyepatch effect that will look more severe with extra darts under the bust... And If i just added shaping darts on my back, it will make the back falls nicely from the back, but not that nice to look at from the front. So right now it remains an a-line ish blouse, which is basically the same silhouette as always. But, I think this blouse has more of a punch than usual because of the high contrast, and also a shorter hem than I usually opt for, so it's something different in my wardrobe in essence. I really feel happy wearing it.

MM on other days

Mostly on crappy stay at home mode. I did wear my maxi skirts worn before in the previous weeks at home paired with non-me made tshirts around the apartment. That's way better than lounging in my boring pj bottoms. 

Verdict: Yeap. Need nice lounging pieces, so that I won't ruin my nice suitable to going out clothes.

First week recap: mmm-monday-day-1-2-3-4-5-recap
Second week recap: mmm-monday-day-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-recap

Giveaway Winner and MMM Monday: Day 13 to 19 Recap

A Monday hello! Hope that you all had a nice weekend and a good start of the week. Ours were not too shabby. :)

Straight to the fun task at hand:

The fabric giveaway WINNER is.....

There were 5 ladies participating in the giveaway, each has 2 entries ;), and the Bean picked the winner. To the other ladies, sorry!

FAYE! :) So dear Faye doll, shoot me an email of your contact info, and I will pack and mail you the saree silk as soon as I can get to the posto. :) Will be fun for us to see what you decide to make with it! Enjoy!

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My MMM'13 original pledge:

I, Far of Memoryseed blog (farsland.blogspot.com), sign up as participant of Me-Made-May '13. I endeavor to wear (and document that fact) at least one self made/refashioned garment everyday in May. Repeats are a possibility. It is also a time that I am going to truly 'investigate' my relationship with my Me-Made items. Time to take stock, and cull when necessary.

 ~~~~~~~~

I didn't do such a great job documenting my wearing of my me-mades last week. A lot of the days I wore stuff that are more of a stay-at-home-and-do-the-cleaning variety. Not to say that I do a lot of cleaning (I rather sew and cook), but when I do it can get really messy (the clothes I'm wearing) even though there's just the 3 of us and we live in a tiny apartment. I suppose that's why people wear aprons...

Anyways, here is my 3rd week MM diary with some of the pics I managed this week that are "fit" for public viewing:

May 13th

Stayed at home. Wore me-made first refashion t-shirt with a pyjama pants! 

Verdict: Yeah, I need a better stay at home "uniform".. :( That's an ongoing personal style revamp project I suppose.

May 14th

Went on a picnic lunch with my beloveds at the park. 

Top is a non me made GAP striped t-shirt, but paired with me made hi-lo maxi skirt (that was initially a maxi dress, then turned into maxi skirt and then I hi-lo-ed it). Oh, and if you can see the tote bag I'm carrying in the pic, it's my old refashion project which seems to be one of the popular posts on this blog. I use it all the time!

Verdict: Frankly speaking I don't like it on me. The fabric is a modal knit, so soft and cool. But it's kinda heavy and I did use a lot of fabric (4 pieces of big rectangles initially, 2 outer another 2 as self lining!) and hold it together with a wide elastic. This type of maxi style add bulk to my mid section which is not a good idea when what I should do is minimize it. No matter if I wear a roomy blouse over it (which makes it worse actually). So, I'm guessing it's going to be back to the chopping table, and maybe made into an at home longing clothes somewhat, but not in it's current state.

May 15th

No suitable photos. Pretty much like May 13th, but with a diff me-made top (refashioned).

May 16th

Yeap, no photos on this day either. I think I wore non me mades on that day.

May 17th

It's #ThemeFriday over at MMM'13 flickr group (but I haven't posted there yet) and the theme last week was HAT.

Outfit was my up-sized, re-lined old Zara linen blend jacket (refashion project), over a long black tank top (non me-made) and worn with my newly made yoga waisted maxi skirt. Oh, the Bean wore a mommy made play pants.

Verdict: I like the jacket in the pics more than I like actually wearing it. I didn't reattach it with any buttons/closure when refashioning it, so it gapes open, so I have self conscious moments in it. According to Sarah Liz's body shape style guide, this is a good look for me, and I agree, I like my pics in this get up.

Hat's main fabric was from the leftover of my Zara linen pants (matching with the jacket worn in pic actually, and the pants were originally cut up to add panels into the sleeves and bodice of the original jacket worn here). So I have a matching jacket-hat combo now ;) 

Carolyn had the same pattern for the hat (she made view C i think), and also made hers from a pair of old pants! :) What can I say, I love her style and projects! It's not the first time and won't be the last time I derive my inspiration from her me-mades :)

 

May 18th

Playing kickball with hubby and the Bean at the park.

Wore my silk charmeuse caftan top (also worn during last year's MM) over my thrifted blue jeans.

Verdict: I like it. Color still okay after many machine wash.

May 19th

We stayed home. Nuff said. ;)

First week recap: mmm-monday-day-1-2-3-4-5-recap
Second week recap: mmm-monday-day-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-recap

 Happy sewing!

Abstract Polka Dot Maxi Skirt with Hat

:) Today's photo theme for the Me-Made-May '13 is hat, and since I have pattern Vogue V8844 in the stash for months now, it's the perfect time and excuse to make it! :)

I suppose this is a refashion project, coz the main fabric used for the hat was what's left from the pants that I cut up firstly to up-size my linen blend jacket, while the contrast fabric was leftover from one of my sad skirt projects. (P/s: I made View A)

And, here worn for the first time my yoga waistband maxi skirt (a Simplicity pattern that I can't recall right now but will link later. Hey, it's Simplicity 1616!) done up in a bold print ITY knit called Urban Moon that I got from Marci Tilton's booth during the March 2013 Sew Expo in Puyallup. (They don't have it on their website in this color anymore, but there's one with black background with grays, taupes and teals which is quite lovely too). Mine is burnt orange with black, chocolate browns, beige, emerald green I think. :)

What do you think? Isn't it quite bold of me?

Really nice weather today. It was nice to walk a bit by the waterfront and then grab some shrimp and fries with the Bean. :)

Have a great weekend y'all! And happy sewing!

Far

Surprise Birthday Pressie!

My very first beginner serger to join my very first beginner sewing machine! 

Brand: Brother (via Amazon)
Model: 1034D (Homelock)
3-4 thread lay in tension serger with lower looped threader

I admit I've hinted to the hubby that I wanted one a while back, but truly didn't expect to get it just yet what with the recent emergency trip back to Malaysia and so on. He managed to keep it under wraps, I didn't even guess it!

It's still in it's box, I haven't opened it yet since I got it yesterday, hehehe... Am prolonging the celebration you see... :) Yay!

Fabric Giveaway Deets!

As mentioned in previous post, I'm hosting a giveaway to celebrate my birthday :D

I'm mentally preparing for the 2013 Style the Stash Sew-a-long, which meant I have been canoodling with some of my stash, while fantasizing what I can make out of them. Fellow sewists, sewer, etc etc will understand this, won't you? 

Anyways, technically I don't really have that big a stash (haha), although my husband and the Bean might disagree, seeing that I've kinda taken over most of the limited closet spaces available in our apartment and stuff em with things sewing related. A sizable portion of my stash are quilt related (excuses, excuses), so I will maintain that I have a huge gap in my apparel fabric stash department. Okay amount for tops, not so bad for jacket making/practice, but almost next to none of bottomweight fabric. I think I do have the odd yards here and there from the thrift store that are bottomweights, but I don't think each cut will be enough to make a whole pants? Well, we'll see...

From one of my containers is this piece of maroon Indian silk saree (that's what it's called).

Info on the fabric:

I am not sure what kind of silk it is since it was purchased 5 or 6 years ago back in Malaysia, but most probably a type of blend and is really pretty. What I initially thought as embroidered, is actually weaved gold colored threads. So I would think it's best to just handwash it with baby shampoo and air dry. I do not recommend machine washing it, but if you must, use the delicate cycle. Absolutely do not put it in the dryer, methinks.

As customary with silk sarees, they usually come in a set of 6 yards, so my guess is that this is that much also. I didn't measure it when I took the photos this morning... :) I bought it not to be used as saree, but to make a Malay traditional dress (which typically only need 4m) for my cousin's wedding (her theme for us female family members was red saree Malay dress, but I moved to the US before the event... and she changed the theme by then ;)). 

I have another almost identical piece but in green, so I'm giving this one away (de-stashing) to any sewers/sewists in the blogoland who wants it. 

- Yes, you'd have to love sewing to enter this "giveaway". Coz you'd need to sew this up yourself... Hehehe... 

- Having a blog counts as 2 entry. Just so that I can follow you, and see what you make out of it. A bag? A skirt? A dress? A saree? A top? Quilt? The possibility is endless...

- This giveaway is open to both US-based and international reader. As long as the postman can reach you, then you are eligible ;)

Please leave a comment informing me that you'd like a chance to grab the silk saree, and include info for me to contact you (email add or blog) in the comment.

The giveaway will remain open until Sunday, May 19th before midnight PDT (Pacific Daylight Time). I will have the Bean pick the "winner" if there are more than one person vying for the chance to get the fabric, and announce it on my next MMM Monday recap.

I think that covers it. :)

--------- FABRIC GIVEAWAY CLOSED------------------------------

MMM Monday: Day 6,7,8,9,10,11 & 12 Recap

So here's my original pledge:

I, Far of Memoryseed blog (farsland.blogspot.com), sign up as participant of Me-Made-May '13. I endeavor to wear (and document that fact) at least one self made/refashioned garment everyday in May. Repeats are a possibility. It is also a time that I am going to truly 'investigate' my relationship with my Me-Made items. Time to take stock, and cull when necessary.

 ~~~~~~~~

Picture diary for the 2nd week of Me-Made-May 2013:

May 6th

Top was refashioned from silk dress. 

Worn with non me-made cropped cardi and white eyelet skirt.

A quick run to the grocery's.

May 7th

 The great weather continued into last week (and seems like this week too). We went for a stroll at the Gas works Park and looked at the sailboats.

 I wore my spring silk chiffon blouse, which was a refashion project from an old dress, over blue jeans.

The Bean wore one of his mommy-made pants again...

May 8th

I think we must've stayed in the whole day, while I did some sewing and re-work on a couple of things. The whole day I did not wear any me-made, just a stay at home knit dress. But hubby worn to work some sort of a refashioned shirt. From a long sleeved baggy checkered shirt, re-did as a casual short sleeved one. Hehe..

May 9th

Wearing my last year's birthday silk jersey V1179 dress that I chopped into tunic length. Again, paired with boring black cardigan and curduroy pants. 

Me and the Bean went to Joann's to add some more Simplicity patterns to mommy's stash (was on sale for about $1 each), but we had to wait for hubby to come home from work to take pics... Actually I tried taking pic with our proper cam (with tripod and remote, inspired by Carolyn :)), but man, too many toys on the floor in the shots...

 May 10th

 It's Friday and the week's theme was sewing space. :) My sewing space being in a closet in the narrow entryway of our apartment made it difficult to take picture of me at it...

But the above are snapshots of the space's wall that I re-did just earlier in the week. I made 2 fabric-covered pinboards by repurposing thick and doubled polystyrene foams from packaging (the fabric cover was leftover thrifted bright green cotton curtains that I used when making cushions and stuff previously). One of the pinboards, on the left, are now my fully covered by inspiration photos ripped off old InStyle magazines, while the one on the right is pinned with family photos. I also finally hung the framed carved wood art of the kebaya dress, purchased in Kuala Lumpur during my recent trip home visiting my father. Very apt for my sewing space!

Also on that day, I wore my emerald green refashioned top with jeans, while chasing after the Bean at the playground (who wore another old mommy-made play pants that he already wore last week)

 May 11th

We went out for a lil bit to get pizza takeout and then stay in :) Pic was of me carrying the food in the elevator. I wore my yellow and white silk top, and the up-sized, re-lined linen light jacket. Definitely over jeans I think...

 

May 12th

 Mother's Day! Wearing my silk chiffon pink parfum blouse, over a baggy white jeans! LOL.

The Bean was happily jumping in another one of his old mommy-made play pants.

We were at the Gas Works park again. Of course. It's just a lil bit under a mile from our place after all. 

Hope that everyone had a great weekend and Mother's Day as we did!

Verdict:

It is obvious that all my pants and jeans are very baggy, will I look better if I make them a bit fitter? More proportionate or at least look trendier/younger? Even my mom and aunt wore better fitted pants!

First week recap: mmm-monday-day-1-2-3-4-5-recap

~~~

FABRIC GIVEAWAY

By the way, tomorrow is my birthday, and i think a giveaway is in order. I have this mostly maroon silk saree fabric, with embroidered border (gold thread on grey/metal). I didn't measure the length, but if it is enough to make a saree, it would be more than enough to make a dress, top, blouse with some leftover i'm sure. :) Would anybody be interested in the fabric? It is really pretty, but the color is too dark for my coloring (I got another set in bright green that I plan to make into something for myself :))

p/s: The pic is bright. I think the maroon is deeper.

NOTE: For fabric giveaway info, click here

Fixed Parfum

I've unpicked, chopped/resized the shoulder a bit, and re-sewn the sleeves in. Felt much better about the pink silk chiffon blouse now than before. :)

Have a nice weekend!

Far

Pink Parfum Silk Chiffon Blouse

So this is my first make from the pile of fabric I got at the Sew Expo in Puyallup this year. The fabric is a silk chiffon, lovely but fiddly to work with. Usually. Fortunately for me, this project went on without a hitch. It was just a tad ravelly, but I pressed on rather quickly after cutting before it has the opportunity to go batty on me. 

I started over the weekend (i think) and done with the sleeves (which was the last thing I inserted, after already hemming it) by noon.

I used my TNT/go to bodice pattern, and then used pattern McCall's M6648 for the collar part. 

 

And I kinda "drafted" my own sleeves based on my other projects. I made a pleat on the top part of the sleeves instead perhaps gathering it to fit the armsyce, and it doesn't look good. Obviously, mix and match, trial and error style of designing is not working here. The sleeves looks silly with the pleat, because it is already a roomy type sleeve. It seems messy in the pics because I didn't iron the sleeves after sewing it in. Coz I will take the seam ripper to it and try a different way... Not looking forward to unpicking all those french seams...

I lined it with lining fabric that feels silky but most definitely a synthetic (I didn't check the label when purchasing it at Joann's). Nahh, it's not those shiny bemberg rayon ones, they don't have it in this pink color when I was there last... 

I didn't line the sleeves.

Did you spot the mistake among my neat insides (albeit not too thin french seams)?

Because I wanted a neat inside finish, I had the bust darts sandwiched between the main blouse and the lining. Ugghh! If you look closely (in real life) you might be able to detect the lining's bust darts, although the prints kinda camouflaging it on the outside... I hope. (tiny phew) But hey, I'm telling you about it here, so you're bound to look at me closely... Well, just look at the french seams okay. I may or may not take the seam ripper to amend this. Most definitely not tonight. 

Probably not even this week. Who knows. This is supposed to be my mother's day blouse. I planned to wear it with a white jeans, which I didn't have... but me and the Bean went to the thrift store today for a lil bit of last hurrah stashing before SarahLiz's 2013 Style the Stash Sew-a-long commences in June. She did say it's okay, LOL... But I was good. Just picked up a white jeans for me, 2 summer shirts for hubby, and one boucle looking fabric that I am going to practice my jacket sewing with, just as planned for the sew-a-long... I hope it has enough yardage...

Oh... have I told you that I didn't like how this blouse looks on me? All the hard work... and lovely cute fabric. I looked quite mumsy in it. I know it's mother's day blouse, and I am a mommy, but still... You know I like roomy blouse, but the part I don't like is the upper part, around the shoulder and neck. I am convinced that the style with the collar and the (roomy sleeves perhaps) makes me look like a top heavy triangle... I will wear it this weekend, and since it's Me-Made-May, I'll post the proof on Monday. :(

____
[Note: Sleeves are now fixed. ]

MMM Monday: Day 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 Recap

 So here's my original pledge:

I, Far of Memoryseed blog (farsland.blogspot.com), sign up as participant of Me-Made-May '13. I endeavor to wear (and document that fact) at least one self made/refashioned garment everyday in May. Repeats are a possibility. It is also a time that I am going to truly 'investigate' my relationship with my Me-Made items. Time to take stock, and cull when necessary.

 ~~~~~~~~

May came rolling by, and I find myself quite committed to reworking some of my existing me made pieces. More so than taking pics of me in them, that's for sure! But hey, here are some pics snapped on my phone!

Picture diary:

May 1st: 

No pics of me on the day. Was indoors the whole day sewing, reworking some me-made stuff and house chores. Wearing rags (old self made tunic top which was a frankenpattern with non me made shorts).

Here's the pic of the top from the dryer:

Sorry for the wrinkles, but there are bust darts in there, one of my very first ones. LOL.

May 2nd:

Bean wanted to go on a busride, so we went downtown (also to take advantage of hubby's picturetaking). We were next to the Pike Place Market in Seattle.

I was wearing my happily wrinkled Peony pink linen blouse from McCall's M6702, worn over thrifted chocolate brown curduroy pants. Was super windy, so you can see next to us was my trusty black down jacket!

Me made on the Bean was the pants from his choo choo pyjama set now kinda short and worn as play pants.

 Verdict: Already noted but just another reminder to add an inch for french seaming on the shoulder seams. Hate ironing linens and that it looks old after a couple washes, but how comfy it is to wear! Top is a keeper.

May 3rd:

Friday Water theme... This is by the nearby Greenlake in Seattle just before sunset as the Bean wants to go see the ducks. 

Bean was wearing a me made pants (refashioned from his daddy's old pile of clothes). 

I'm wearing my Sorbetto tunic top, paired with thrifted black cardigan and black curduroy pants.

Verdict: Not bad. Keep. Wear!

May 4th:

Again by the water, but this time just after brunch at home. What lovely weather we have had!

I wore my re-fitted/re-worked white eyelet top from Vogue 1247 over another me made (wahhh!) which is a maxi dress from the hot cha cha knit.

Verdict: Top so much better after the re-fit! Was too boxy before. Perfect spring/summer top. I like the maxi dress, but will re-work this into a long maxi skirt instead for more wear.

May 5th:

No pics. Was at home cooking, hanging with the fam, and sewing this fabric for Mother's Day blouse:

Lounging in my me made pyjama pants.

Verdict: Need to make more!