Vogue 1179 Remix

In case you didn't know, I love animal prints. A couple of week ago a picked up a lightweight sweater knit in JoAnns and immediately knew what I would do with it. I started with Vogue 1179.

I shortened it, made it more of an A-line and added the sleeves from Butterick 5554.

This is what I came up with.

I've paired with store bought black jeggings and over-the-knee boots. Of course you can't see the detail because of the fabric but the fabric is the star afte rall. The husband says it looks like a maternity top but who died and left him "chief of the freakin' fashion police?" It came out just as I intended. I love the super long sleeves and added an opening to insert my thumbs to kick it's style up another notch. Can you say SUPER COMFY. Love it, love it, love it.

On a Rescue Mission

I'm still trying to rescue this dress from my last post. Would you believe that I picked the ENTIRE dress apart? It's not as if the fabric was super expensive or that it has to be this particular color...I DON'T DO WADDERS!

One of the reasons I think I wasn't liking it is because the proportion of the center front piece, relative to the side panels, was much too narrow. My making a 1" FBA to the side panels was the problem. I went back and reduced that one inch from the side panels and transferred it to the center front panel. It made a huge difference. At least I think so. I also raised the neckline 1".

I don't feel so much like it's a "skunk stripe." The color is terrible in the photos immediately above this paragraph and simply has to do with the camera. The actual color of the brown is like a Hershey's chocolate bar.  (Had to switch to a different camera because the battery died.)

I added the "faux" cuffs for some additional style. Still needs a hem. I'm still not in love with it but I like it a whole lot better than I did before. It needs a good pressing also. I'm struck by how conservative this dress looks when it's on me. I don't even have any really "skanky" brown shoes to add extra pizzazz. It is comfortable so that's a plus. The solid is ponte de roma and the contrast in a miscellaneous knit from Vogue Fabrics. Here's a close-up of the contrast fabric.

There are very few reviews of this dress on Pattern Review.com but one sewer did touch on the issue of the center panel being out of proportion after altering. I don't know why I didn't check the reviews first! Of course I'll be back later this week with me wearing my "Rescue Mission" dress.

Butterick 5554

As usual I'm late. That's right I didn't jump on the color-block trend when it first appeared. I had to let it settle in for a while. I've only made one other color-block, Vogue 1329, and thought it was a huge success.
I decided to tackle another one. Today I altered, cut and sewed Butterick 5554 (I almost never do it all in the same day).

I am not in love with it. I do like to be in love with the clothes I make. I decided to switch it up a bit and still don't like it. I don't know if the silhouette is wrong from me or it's the fabric or what. The husband doesn't like it either.

Of course I want to salvage it. I think I like it better with the solid sleeves.

On another note. This is what I wore today. Another McCalls 6566 top. It's now my favorite! The skirt was made by me as well. Do you think it would be too much to ask my photographer to wait until I'm smiling instead of catching me when I look like I've sucked sour lemons!

Really? It looks like I'm trying to fly but is a good shot of my outfit.

Is there a reason he felt the need to snap a picture while I was checking out the scar from my knee replacement? I am desperately in need of a new photographer!