Next week

We'll be traveling to Baltimore so I can be hospitalized (admitted) to begin plasmapheresis early next week.   Not sure how long they will keep me for observation, how many treatments I'll get there or when I'll be back.   I will be able to continue the treatments on an outpatient basis locally.    Then I go back the end of August.

In the meantime, stay cool, do what you love, keep being inspired by all things beautiful, be good to yourself and love one another.

More Fall Planning -- Add a Fendi ruffle

I only subscribe to three fashion magazines -  Allure, Harpers Bazaar and Burda Style.    I like Allure because when they do fashion the styles are closer to what I would really wear, and not the crazy over the top styles and artsy photo shoots like W and Vogue.   The August Allure arrived in today's mail.  In their article, How to be Stylish (and businesslike)  they featured the Fendi dress in the second photo with this interesting ruffle on the front as an accessory instead of jewelry.

Fendi Ruffle detail - NY Magazine Fashion

To get a better look at it I went to the Fall 2011 Fendi RTW Collection on the NY Magazine site and saw that Karl L put those ruffles on blouses and dresses -  9 outfits in the collection.    So I wanted a better look, Googled and found that the Honestly..... WTF site already picked up on this ruffle/frill last March when Erica posted a DIY for the Fendi Frill there.     That site is a super inspiration site that I just found,  so thanks to Erica for the fabulous step by step how-to because it was love at first site for me as well.   I'm going to make one or several, especially to be able to add onto a dress like this one.   Note that this ruffle will look and behave differently in different fabrics.   The fabric of the one above is obviously a tightly woven wool and the DIY example was made in a wool felt.   The one on the dress in the Allure Magazine photo (page 118) is quite drapey/floppy as is the one on the silky blouse worn under the vest.

photo from NY Magazine Fashion

I'm thinking the ruffle would be a stylish and warm scarf insert worn under a winter coat or jacket, or on a blouse worn under a plain vest like the Burda Style vest I blogged about yesterday.   Here's the Fendi fur vest with the ruffled blouse but seriously this vest would make me look like a caveman.

photo from NY Magazine Fashion

August Burda Style - Always a Favorite Issue

This year's is no exception.   Since my issue should arrive next week, I googled and found a preview on Katherine's blog in London, UK  where she linked to the Burda Russian language site with all the styles and patterns.   Why can't I find it easily anymore?  


Well I'm loving so many of the simple, elegant and easy to sew styles that I don't know where to begin.   The dresses with the interesting necklines are very stylish and wearable with details you can easily add  to your favorite dress silhouette.   For example,  I added a soft bias collar like that of pattern #123 to one of my Loes Hinse Princess Tank Dresses a couple of years ago.  


So here are my favorites.    First, there is this easy raglan sleeve shrug/jacket for knits that I'm definitely going to make.

Pattern 117C

Pattern 117D

I love to layer and the right vest kicks up your style tremendously, whether over pants, a skirt or a simple dress.    Vests are sleeveless jackets and I love how 3/4 length and longer jackets lengthen and slim.   So that's why this vest is my favorite.    It has simple lines and will be a great addition to anyone's fall wardrobe.

Vest pattern 133

I'm a sucker for swing jackets and adding pleats at the back of patterns, so the swing trench jacket (#124A) caught my eye.  Unfortunately the model photo doesn't show off the garment very well.  I like the simplicity of this classic cape that they updated with these big patch pockets.

Cape pattern #113

You know how I love cap sleeve dresses and cowl necklines, so how about this really simple dress that combines the two!

Dress pattern #116

Another TSW Quincy Jacket

Hope you don't get bored by my multiple garments from one pattern but it's just faster and easier for me these days for many reasons.    Here's the second one I sewed yesterday using a synthetic boucle I bought from Peggy Sagers.    I guess this counts for fall sewing too since it's too hot to wear this anytime soon.

Here's the link to the Sewing Workshop Blog with their versions and link to the pattern if you aren't familiar with it.

The new Quincy Jacket from The Sewing Workshop

Zipped up

Zipper Open

I just had to add the new Sewing Workshop Quincy jacket to the mix.  I have a jacket  by a US designer that is similar in shape,  so I just had to put aside my fall cutting of the Pure and Simple separates I wrote about and sew up one of these.   I had a couple of pieces of fabric that were left over remnants that really worked well together so I said "Why not?",  measured my other jacket  and settled on the size medium, cutting the length at the largest size that added about 3/4".  This Quincy jacket hem is 1" just turned up and blind-hem stitch.   I'm the queen of blind hems.    I shortened the sleeves and added a 1 1/4" hem allowance.    To secure the facings I used Steam-A-Seam.


I would typically sew an XS in an older TSW pattern,  but the new patterns are not as oversized and medium had the ease I wanted for this swing jacket style.    You can see that the shoulder seam is nicely positioned.   I like the fit and eliminated the pleat that is not necessary at all -  suggest you baste it in to see how it affects the fit.  then decide if you want it.    At first I thought the sleeve was a bit wide for my arms, but looking at the photos,  I think I will leave them as is - besides it's easier to roll the sleeves up as I typically do.    


The muted blues and brown colors in the japanese cotton allow me to coordinate the neutral jacket with lots of things I already have like these aqua/brown cross-dye linen Ikina pants and the CLD ABO top in a fine cotton brown/aqua cross-dye that I like to wear with the pants.    There are lots of in progress photos and others in the TSW Quincy Pattern Flickr Set.      I want to try the narrow pant on this pattern,  but doubt I will put the optional loop/button on to get that drapey look at the side.   But.... I may change my mind.   

 

The style is elegant,  and I intend to wear this jacket often!













One piece of fabric on the cutting table for fall is this gorgeous mauve cashmere blend I bought from Michael's Fabrics when I was in Baltimore mid June.   I had a short swing jacket in mind when I bought it, not knowing about this jacket pattern at the time.   I plan to eliminate the zipper and will wear this over long sleeve tops and sweaters so I won't change the sleeve width.

Cashmere blend from  Piacenza 1733, a very high end mill in Italy

Moving on to Fall Sewing

Many thanks to all for the nice comments on the posts about my warm weather dresses.   I particularly wanted to get the fit and length right for the cap sleeve dress from the Pure and Simple pattern so I can use this tonal silk fabric to make a dress and coat for fall from the same pattern.    I started sewing spring and summer when it was snowing and freezing last January so I would have it to wear when warm weather finally arrived.   The fall trunk shows are coming out on the store websites, in magazines and in the stores I look at the trunk shows and the collections to see what works with my style, fabrics I love, and the pattern lines I like to work with.

Two of my favorite contemporary lines for inspiration are Vince and Theory.   The Vince Fall Trunk Show and the Theory Fall Trunk show are up on Neiman Marcus' site, and I'm psyched by some of the pieces.    I'm into simple, easy and elegant and I found these pieces that fit all those criteria, not coincidentally the same criteria for the patterns and silhouettes I sew.   So here's a preview of my upcoming projects, the fabrics and patterns.

Here is a versatile pullover by Theory at Neiman Marcus in a dark expresso brown knit. The turtleneck and sort batwing sleeves are trimmed in ribbed knit.   They describe it as a loose, boxy fit with a mid-thigh length.   How easy will this be able to do using view B, the tabard in Louise Cutting's Of the Moment pattern, laying the pattern center front on the fold,  then using the neckline template and collar for the 2x4 pattern view with the standing collar.     I alaready have just the fabric -- a nice ribbed knit in the same color.

Theory pullover from Neiman Marcus

Ribbed knit from Casual Elegance Fabrics

Continuing with the Of the Moment pattern, how about another easy one from Vince?   Here is a single layer chunky knit coat with leather trim at the edges.      Wow,  here's some Italian charcoal wool knit boucle with a fleece hand and a quality faux leather that could pass for lambskin.    Add a loop and a button at the side seam.    How hard is this going to be!

Vince Leather Trim Coat Neiman Marcus

My fabrics

And another from the Vince, fall trunk show.  How about this simple and elegant hooded drape coat?

Vince Hooded Drape coat at Neiman Marcus

I can make a similar style in luxurious alpaca lengthening this Burda Style pattern from the November 2007 issue.    I used the same pattern to make this hooded jacket last March in yellow french terry to get the fit just right.

Burda Style 11-2007  #126

Fine alpaca boucle from Michael's Fabrics, Baltimore