a juggling act

usually i stick to one project at a time from buying fabric to sewing the last stitch. not so much right now... so i just wanted to share with you everything i have been working on!


at christmas i received the colette patterns handbook, which i totally love. the illustrations are beautiful and the content is very thoughtful and really makes you stop to think about your sewing choices. the book includes five patterns and i'm working on the first two for now: the meringue skirt and the pastille dress.




they are both relatively simple pieces with lovely little details. the skirt has a scalloped hem and the dress has a cute neckline, cap sleeves and tucks at the bottom of the skirt. both are very practical and will fit into my wardrobe perfectly!


i also have a casual dress i made a while back (the anda from burdastyle). while i love the cozy plaid flannel i used, i just hadn't been totally satisfied with it. the dress was too wide, the armholes too big and the whole thing was a bit fiddly because i left off the drawstring in favor of simply belting it. soooo i hacked off the top, added pockets, a wide elastic waistband and... ta-da! now i have a skirt! (elastic waistband skirt tutorial here)

sometimes you just have to know when to let go of your original plan and make a change. hmm... sounds like more than just sewing advice. i do plan to revisit the pattern this summer, it was supper fast and would be a great floaty summer dress or swim suit cover-up! hahaha... like i can even think of summer when it's 30º F outside!


then i reworked a dress i made last year for one of my sisters. i've learned so much about dress construction and fitting since then—i took apart practically every seam, underlined the bodice pieces, changed out the lining and cut the bodice differently.

ahhh... nice soft cotton lining

in the end it was a ton of work but totally worth it. i'd rather put extra work into something and have it get worn instead of hanging squished and unused in the back of someone's closet. lucky for me, my sister and i are basically the same size from shoulder to waist (though i'm at least 4" taller...) so i can show off the finished product!

it's seriously 30º F right now. dedication? stupidity?
it's a fine line between the two really...

even though it's freezing right now, this dress has me totally dreaming of spring!

seems like there's one more project... oh yeah, i'm outfitting that same sister's wedding! here's a picture of the wedding dress muslin work in progress.

there's not much to show on this yet, i'm working out some cap sleeves, will have to adjust the bodice seam lines to match up with the pleats and figure out how to make a short train. i'll definitely let you in on the project as i progress! i don't know about you, but i am endlessly fascinated by the interior workings of gowns and such.


well this was a wildly schizophrenic post, i'll be back next with my lovely meringue skirt. i've already made it up, worn it and love it! i have an awesome little trick for the waist facing you WON'T. WANT. TO. MISS. seriously, sometimes i'm a genius...


—lisa g