This month, I challenged everyone to Try Something New! I myself made my first ever pair of jeans (jeans, y'all!!) and love how they turned out.
We had a small crowd this month, but what we lacked in size we made up in challenging projects, including two more pairs of jeans... um, amazing!
See Carmen Sew is in the spotlight this month for her Mimi G skinny jeans!! Congratulations on a successful pair of jeans, and just look at that "success!" photo at the end of her post... if that isn't a "challenge conquered" pose I don't know what is.
I was SO excited to see Nathalie Sews with her very first time using a vintage pattern!! Y'all know I love vintage and Nathalie's red 1960s Butterick 9599 is so unique with that lovely zig-zag button front. How would you style this dress?
Melissa of Mahlica Designs is our other jeans-maker, with her Liana bootcut jeans that she's been fitting meticulously over on facebook. I love the back pocket detail and that topstitching looks great!!
Dress Bakery made a gorgeous dirndl, her first! I believe she is Bavarian, and says that women can opt to wear a dirndl in lieu of a formal dress, say, at a wedding. So interesting! (Plus, it's another stellar item-made-from-a-sheet!)
Lassemista Liliana made her first Seamwork pattern, the Astoria cropped sweater. This is on my list! She says she'll make some fit adjustments next time, but I think the color and boxy shape is perfect on her!
Thanks to all who participated! Next month's theme will be Cozy Layers... snuggle up in a wrap sweater, a new wool coat, or leggings and a drapey tee, and maybe give yourself a rest if you tackled jeans this month, huh? I hope you'll join in!
One last thought on jeans: In her Liana jeans post, Melissa asks is it worth it to spend $30 and 15 hours on a pair of jeans? What do you think? Personally, I enjoyed the experience of making jeans (and I'm pretty proud of myself for tackling an intimidating project) but I'm not sure how many pairs of handmade jeans are in my future. The materials and pattern for the jeans I made myself totalled $50, plus hours of sewing time. Meanwhile, these high-waisted skinnies from Grana, made from high-quality Japanese denim in regulated factories, are also $50, and take zero hours (plus, perfect topstitching). To me, the reasons I sew my own clothes are:
1. not available in my price range (i.e. camel hair coats)
2. not available in stores (i.e. vintage styles)
3. not available somewhat ethically (I'm not an expert in this field, but I'm learning)
4. something I want to try (i.e. jeans)
If I can find something that is in my price range, available, and somewhat ethical, I don't see any reason to make it unless you specifically want to for the experience... and I've experienced jeans. So, will I make jeans again? I guess my answer is we'll see... and y'all will be the first to know if I do.
How do you decide what to make and what to buy? If you had unlimited time and money, would you buy a Burberry trench or spend 25 hours making one?
Thanks so much for reading!!
xoxo,
We had a small crowd this month, but what we lacked in size we made up in challenging projects, including two more pairs of jeans... um, amazing!
See Carmen Sew is in the spotlight this month for her Mimi G skinny jeans!! Congratulations on a successful pair of jeans, and just look at that "success!" photo at the end of her post... if that isn't a "challenge conquered" pose I don't know what is.
I was SO excited to see Nathalie Sews with her very first time using a vintage pattern!! Y'all know I love vintage and Nathalie's red 1960s Butterick 9599 is so unique with that lovely zig-zag button front. How would you style this dress?
Melissa of Mahlica Designs is our other jeans-maker, with her Liana bootcut jeans that she's been fitting meticulously over on facebook. I love the back pocket detail and that topstitching looks great!!
Dress Bakery made a gorgeous dirndl, her first! I believe she is Bavarian, and says that women can opt to wear a dirndl in lieu of a formal dress, say, at a wedding. So interesting! (Plus, it's another stellar item-made-from-a-sheet!)
Lassemista Liliana made her first Seamwork pattern, the Astoria cropped sweater. This is on my list! She says she'll make some fit adjustments next time, but I think the color and boxy shape is perfect on her!
Thanks to all who participated! Next month's theme will be Cozy Layers... snuggle up in a wrap sweater, a new wool coat, or leggings and a drapey tee, and maybe give yourself a rest if you tackled jeans this month, huh? I hope you'll join in!
One last thought on jeans: In her Liana jeans post, Melissa asks is it worth it to spend $30 and 15 hours on a pair of jeans? What do you think? Personally, I enjoyed the experience of making jeans (and I'm pretty proud of myself for tackling an intimidating project) but I'm not sure how many pairs of handmade jeans are in my future. The materials and pattern for the jeans I made myself totalled $50, plus hours of sewing time. Meanwhile, these high-waisted skinnies from Grana, made from high-quality Japanese denim in regulated factories, are also $50, and take zero hours (plus, perfect topstitching). To me, the reasons I sew my own clothes are:
1. not available in my price range (i.e. camel hair coats)
2. not available in stores (i.e. vintage styles)
3. not available somewhat ethically (I'm not an expert in this field, but I'm learning)
4. something I want to try (i.e. jeans)
If I can find something that is in my price range, available, and somewhat ethical, I don't see any reason to make it unless you specifically want to for the experience... and I've experienced jeans. So, will I make jeans again? I guess my answer is we'll see... and y'all will be the first to know if I do.
How do you decide what to make and what to buy? If you had unlimited time and money, would you buy a Burberry trench or spend 25 hours making one?
Thanks so much for reading!!
xoxo,
allie
ps: where can i, an american, wear a dirndl and not look silly? also, is that cultural appropriation if i'm not from the dirndl-wearing part of the world? let me know!
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