As promised-- sewing projects

So, here are the sewing projects that I've completed since May. (above) Vintage Vogue pattern shirtdress, made with a navy bedsheet. You can't see it, but there are some calico turquoise details. See my flickr stream for more details on any of the dresses.

This is a modified dirndl dress (a "dirndl" is a traditional German peasant dress, like the stuff you see Oktoberfest barmaids wear). I found the pattern and instructions on the BurdaStyle website. As enamored as I was with the dress (TOTALLY had to make one, immediately), the finished product still needs a lot of modifications, which is the last thing I want to do after working hard on a dress and trying to follow all of the directions. Still, I could wear it "as is" with a cardigan, and it would cover up my mistakes just fine. Despite the shortcomings, though, I do like this dress and I look forward to wearing it.
Colette Sorbetto-- a free and wonderful pattern available for download! A lot of people tell me they would like to start sewing. Well, this is the perfect pattern to start out with! It comes with fabulous instructions, and it only takes one yard of fabric and some bias tape. Even if you're experienced, you'll love how quickly this pattern comes together, and how flattering it is! It's also a perfect blank canvas for embellishment and endless modifications (I add the lace and the buttons myself)
See and Sew B5166 wrap dress pattern. I use this as a "summer robe." Much lighter, and it is quite useful when darting out of bed and corralling a certain screaming 5 year old off the front lawn after daddy leaves for work. Since we're already waking up the neighborhood, I might as well do it in style, right? I actually really love this, and I'd like to make a dress out of it... even if I am a bit terrified of any item of clothing that has "wrap" in the title... As a mom to little ones, I'm just asking for trouble wearing something like that.
Colette Ginger skirt, in vintage upholstery-weight damask. I finally, finally took in this skirt, as I initially made it too big. I look forward to wearing it and having it actually fit!


another Colette Parfait, only lengthened. I was going for a "vintage Gunne Sax" dress look. Have you ever stopped to marvel at how modest (at least compared to today) the dresses were in the 70s? Like, my mom wore a floor-length, long sleeved, high collared dress to her prom in the seventies! And that was the style! Even in the age of "free love". Ironic!

So, that's what I've been up to in regards to sewing! I haven't been sewing much the past few days because... we have lice (which means all that hair you see above is gone! I cut it!). There, I said it. Now you'll be itching all weekend, won't you? I can't believe we've had this for a week. And pink eye. But no biggie. Just add it to the list of communicable maladies we've had this year, back to back, since August of last year (viruses, hives, strep, strep, strep, croup, stomach bugs, pneumonia, pink eye-- oh my!) ... Boy, oh boy, has this ever been the worst year of my life. No wonder I haven't blogged very much! Really, I'm doing okay, and God is good and His grace is sufficient. But that doesn't mean I/ we couldn't use some prayer. If your parish holds Paraklesis services this week and next, please add our names to the list! We would so appreciate it.

So now you know the truth. It's not that I'm super crafty and ambitious and a fabulous time manager... it's just that sewing has been a small coping mechanism, a creative outlet, for when it seems like I can't get anything else accomplished in my life. At the risk of sounding like a self-pitying whiner (oh, who am I kidding, I totally am), I feel like most everything I do is a big fat fail, especially keeping my family healthy for more than 2 seconds.

Lord have mercy! Panaghia mazi su!