12 May 2009

How do I Love Thee, Let Me Count the Ways...1...

I love the skirt from Simplicity 4599, an out of print wardrobe pattern. It is my favourite skirt of all time. You could say that it rocks my world. It has a lovely flowy A-line shape, falling from a waist hugging yoke. I have made this skirt at least 8 times, with many more versions to follow.

So when I was looking to create couple of quick, elegant and flattering skirts for the transition from winter into spring, I turned to S4599 and two lovely suiting fabrics that I purchased from Vogue Fabrics a while back. To the right, you can see the Theobroma and Harvest Weave suitings (as an aside, I love that Vogue Fabrics names their fabrics and creates a little story to go along with them in their swatch club). Both fabrics were a bit lightweight and a touch see-through, so I underlined each skirt with a toffee coloured silk gauze that I purchased from Timmel fabrics. The gauze not only beefed up the suiting fabric, but it also provided an interior to which the hems and seam allowances could be hand-tacked (leaving no unsightly stitch marks on the front of the garment).

Here I am on my way out the door this morning, heading off to work. I am wearing the skirt made of the Theobroma suiting (I will post about the other skirt as soon as I wear it). My top is a former dress that got the chop. I love the concept of a bias cut dress, however my arse does not. I decided I wasn't comfortable with how the bias fabric highlighted my ample rear, so I shortened the dress into a top because I still loved the fabric.

I took this photo with my new wireless remote control. I am still fiddling with it, but I seem to be getting the hang of it. Although my husband is more than happy to take pictures of me, it's nice that I can do my own when required.

Finally, I wanted to answer a few questions from the comments on the last few posts:

kiltsnquilts writes, "i am curious to know about your stats in the side bar - particularly the money earned and money spent bit - do you also find time to sew for others? Do you mind me asking? Or have you given yourself a budget and that is your tally?"
The tally I have in the right margin is related to my New Year's Resolution. In an effort to get off my duff more this year, I decided that for every hour I spend exercising, I earn $10 to spend on my hobby. If I don't exercise, I don't buy fabric and the like.

gwensews asks, "You were concerned about the polish which had no ingredients listed. If you wear base coat--does it matter what the polish contains that you wear on top? I am thinking the colored polish doesn't touch the nails. ????"
I must admit that I am only minimally concerned about the nastier ingredients in nail polish. However, I figure with all the "healthier" (big 3 free) polishes out there, why spend money on ones that could cause health issues. I do think you're right though, applying a less healthy polish over a base coat would lessen the health impacts, but I find that big 3 free products don't tend to play nice with big 3 full products, so I just avoid the whole problem and only buy the big 3 free stuff.

Maggie writes, "Shannon, just wondering if you try to coordinate your polish with your outfits?"
Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, but I do more than I don't. Did ya follow that? It really just depends on my mood and the amount of time I have for a manicure. My toes tend to stay one colour for a couple of weeks before a change, so I gravitate toward neutral colours for pedicures (although my neutrals are not everyone's neutrals - my toes are navy right now as I prefer dark colours on my toes - black, navy, dark purple). For my fingers, I switch things up every 1 to 3 days, so I can't always coordinate my clothes and my polish, but I try to as often as I can. I actually have a girl in my class that checks my nails each day and loves it when my nails match my clothes.

18 comments:

Nancy K said...

Well you look fabulous girl! I need some more tnt patterns that flatter me as well as that flatters you. That skirt really is perfect on you. You'd never know there was a rear end you didn't like underneath.
You and Cidel have inspired me to get back to doing manicures and pedicures and to do it myself to save money. My question is what do you use on your cuticles to get them so smooth? I use the cuticle remover that you do, but I wash my hands a lot during the day and they get very dry. No, I am not ocd, but graphite gets all over my hands when I am working and to keep my drawings clean I wash them a lot.

Lori said...

Great looking outfit. Great idea with the exercising incentive, thanks for sharing.

Lisette M said...

Love your skirt! I have a very similar pattern in Simplicity 4500 which I have made and I love to wear.

Summerset said...

I love that skirt! I've made similar ones, but seeing yours convinces me I need to remember this shape. The length/skirt width proportion is perfect on you, too!

Unknown said...

I have that skirt pattern, and 2 of them hanging in my closet! Great way to save the bias cut dress!

Ann Made Studio said...

Your outfit looks great! Perfect for this type of weather :)

gwensews said...

Totally cute outfit! You look fabulous. Love the shoes and your toenail polish!

Sew-Ann said...

I'm going to try the exercising deal, but with my own twists of course. I have a nice stash going as a beginner so I need to slow down on gathering fabrics and the like. I also need to workout and can't seem to find any motivation. Either way I will have to create a monthly budget for the sewing.

I also tried a skirt highly similar to this one and had a horrible time. My body hates yokes but you work them very well.

Carolyn (Diary of a Sewing Fanatic) said...

i love the fabrics you chose for the skirts. And I'm sooooo loving the self portrait!!!

Uta said...

Lovely skirt. I really like the combination of a suiting fabric with the feminine cut of this skirt - very sophisticated! And the colors are very flattering.

Kitty Couture said...

Lovely skirt and great outfit! You look fabulous.

Rachel said...

Pretty skirt --- and it looks so nice on the inside, too!!

Meg said...

Cute photo of you and your skirt! Wireless remote—now why didn't I know about those?!

kiltsnquilts said...

Great skirts, thanks for answering my question re your stats - what great motivation! I too have a very similar skirt pattern but have to shorten the yoke as it hits at my widest wide part, but the skirt shape is very flattering.

lynn10w40 said...

its important to know what is in the nail polish. the ingredients may not affect the nail but think about the areas of your body that come into contact with your hands.....face. i was in the emergency room with itchy, swollen eyes and diffuculty breathing. the doctor determined it was a severe reaction to the ingredient(s) in the nail polish. perhaps toluene or formaldehyde.

Vivienne said...

I can't wait to tell my husband I e-know someone else who "motivates" herself the same way I do! I pay myself $40 per hour of exercise to cover any fabric, shoe or book purchases. And if I don't go 3x per week, I deduct $40 accordingly.

Tany said...

Great looking skirt, looks fab on you!

Anonymous said...

Sexy bitch makes me hard, just jacked off to the skirt picture