High and Low

Long time, no sew?  Not really.  There has been less sewing going on, but mostly less successful and share-able sewing.  There was a disastrous dress that I'll be able to show you modeled shots of in about, oh, five years because it is SO BIG.  I don't know how it happened.  But I knew it was happening and I kept on sewing until it was done.  Why?  Good question.  I've also been lucky enough to help out with some pattern testing, but I'll sit on that until the pattern is released.  Super cute.

And in between ginormous and test sewing, I've been working on this:

It was inspired by this pin and this pin. It is a self-drafted combo of the two.  And I kinda love it.

The black floral is some kind of syntheticy stuff that I had some big scraps of.  In my head I've seen it as a Sunki Dress, but alas, not enough.  Just the right amount, though, for this high-low skirt and big puffy sleeves.

The bodice is from an old t-shirt - lots of stretch.  I've had trouble in the past attaching a woven skirt to a knit top - keeping the stretchy-ness while maintaining the unstretched shape - but I think I've found a technique that works for me now: cut 1/4" elastic slightly smaller than the bottom of your bodice and connect ends; slightly gather your skirt; zig zag elastic to skirt while stretching elastic; zig zag elastic/skirt to bodice without stretching.  Still working on perfecting how much smaller to make the elastic than the waist measurement, though, because it does stretch out when I attatch the skirt.  Anyone have any suggestions/alternative methods/tutorials to point me in the direction of?

The hemline was a perfect representation of my mood and attitude whenever I sat down to work on this top.  High and low.  Literally minute by minute I'd change my mind - love it - hate it - love it - hate it.  Even while slipping it over her head I was on the fence.  Purple's not my favorite, and I was worried the hemline would be too trendy for me...and it probably is...but I think this girl totally pulls it off.

And sorry for the linty leggings.  I'll probably pair this top with something different when she next wears it, but it's ANOTHER snow day here, and we're all going stir-crazy, and I didn't want to feed into that crazy with any extra wardrobe changes.  So linty leggings it is.

And M & Ms.  Yumm.