Manic Pop

Alright, everyone! Here is the tutorial I promised of how I designed and constructed the Trafalgar Dress! This dress isn't 100% perfect by my standards but I had never done this technique before this and am still getting a hold on it. But it's an exciting technique that has changed entirely how I design now. What you'll need: Pattern blocks (or a fitted pattern you like) Drafting paper Pencils Ruler set - straight, hip curve, french curve Pins Thread/fabric/sewing machine Muslin  Dressform I attended the webinar that BurdaStyle did mostly about the technique Japanese designer Shingo Sato applies to his garments. I'll eventually be buying his book. If you're a fan of the Pattern Magic series, then you'll definitely appreciate his work. First thing's first - you will need to make a muslin in the shape of the garment you're planning to make. Much of my pattern work consists of simple silhouettes with color design inset pieces. I just...

   Today's retro installment comes from a book I found at a garage sale about 2-3 weeks ago by Mechanix Illustrated's How To Do It Encyclopedia. This sweet old Polish woman named Harriet was telling me all about her life and talking about her husband right in front of me ("He's ok, but eh! What the hell?" she said with a Polish accent coming through.) She also told me to "use your brain" when thinking about kids in the future, who you pick as a husband, etc. Hilarious but perhaps sound advice from a seemingly near-90 year old woman.  I'm assuming these were her husband's books he no longer cares about. They only had 2 of them and this one is Volume 14, "Sa through Sw", printed in 1961. I also got an awesome 60s polyester dress from her which she says was her daughter's (that will make an appearance soon enough!), a bag, and some curtains which fit perfectly in a window here. I...

So while I was on the phone with my dad today, I spontaneously had the urge to update the fabric lampshade that was on this hanging cage lamp in the guest room. I know, I know! The guest room yet again. You may remember the hanging cage lamp I had in the last blog post where I did hard-edge stripes on the walls near the door frame. This lamp was found in our "magical basement" - the joke is whatever you wish for it's probably there in the basement. The fabric was seriously shabby - faded yet somehow not ripped (yet). Who knows where this was in it's previous life in the house. The design of the shade was much less complicated than I anticipated when I ripped it apart this morning. I did this the super-lazy way. I laid the fabric on top of the new fabric, pinned it so it wouldn't move and then added 1/2" seam allowances on all edges. (See how only the top edge was gathered at the top of the lamp?) This is what the lamp looks like... when it'...

So I am absolutely dying to make curtains like these: These are specifically made for a kitchen as they are much shorter than what I would do. I have curtains that desperately need replacing  in my living room (the front picture window) and this project is definitely on my list. It's daunting though because each curtain will have to be around 4 ft. by 6 ft. Yikes!  I also would sort of update this look by using more subdued hues like a pale green and a pale, sheer blue. This would be fun to try on a much smaller scale - like a kitchen window in this photo. (Photo credit: The Complete Encylopedia of Crafts, Volume 1 from 1975.) For anyone in Chicago, a great place to find lots and lots of cheap fabric is Textile Discount Outlet . Go there with some time on your hands as there are 3 warehouse-sized floors of fabric, notions, etc. and always check their hours! Another fun home idea is this, though I may be the only one crazy enough to actually do this: (Photo:...