Sunday, March 03, 2013

Ode to Stripes // Your Opinion Please


Hello, hello!  I'm not sure why it took me so long to get on the stripey bandwagon, but the bug has bit me in a big way recently, and in the spirit of the spontaneity that I hope will characterize the rest of this year, I sat me down at the sewing machine and whipped up a couple makes.


Dress #13 // Johnnie B.
Pattern: Sewaholic's Renfrew, scoop neck with cap sleeves (no cuff), lengthened to dress length (no cuff), patch pockets attached (finished dimensions: 4.5"x6")
Fabric: 1 yard, striped cotton/lycra/rayon blend


So totally get all the Renfrew love that's gone around the blogosphere forever and a half already.  (I know, I'm so late).  Inspired by the Boden aesthetic, I was originally going for a tunic, but like it as a short dress instead.  I think it'll work well with flats and leggings in spring, with chunky jewelry and sandals in summer, and with a cardigan, tights and boots in fall.  My kinda Cake!  Next time around, I'd move the pockets up 2".


Blouse #12 :: Refashion #34 // Airelle (Wearable Muslim)
Pattern: Deer & Doe's Airelle, size 34 with heavy mods
Fabric: XXL Mens button down blouse, quilting cotton scraps

Credit for this blouse goes to Roo, who every time she makes something, inspires great bouts of covetousness combined with envy that seems to land me in the "monkey see, monkey do" camp of unabashedly copying her.  I took a page from Paunnet, too.  My workaround for the C cup drafting was to cut a smaller size in the bust - and somehow between the measuring and the adding and then the subtracting out darts I seem to have lost 4" or so, because this blouse is clearly too small in the bust and shoulders, yet somehow my math indicated I'd have a good 2" of ease.  Hm.  So I let lots of seams out and lowered darts and everything, and this was the best I could come up with.  I think it's going in the Goodwill pile, unless anybody out there who is a 33" bust or so would like a package in the mail :-).


(I've been bitten hard by the sock bug of late)

So here's my question for you.  Of late, I feel as though I've lost my blogging voice, and I'm curious what you like best about this blog?  What do you like to come here and see, and what leaves you feeling kinda 'meh'?  I thought about quitting this blog entirely, but I knew I'd miss you all, and I do like writing ... so I thought I'd see what you all thought!  If you've got a moment, please help me out and give me a little something to chew on :-).

8 comments:

river said...

Hi Jessica,

I enjoy every one of your posts, whether it be about knitting, sewing, refashioning, traveling, or working. You write thoughtful and thought provoking posts and I would miss your blogging voice if you stopped sharing. I admire (and envy) your crafty-ness and intelligence. Share as much or as little as the muse strikes you!

Roobeedoo said...

So much packed into one post!
I can't believe your dress only took one yard - it is fab and very Boden, as you say!
Your Airelle looks great from here :)
I have made two and one shrank in the wash, while the second is feeling a bit baggy. But still I love them both. I thought about adding a side seam zip to improve the fit of mine...?
And you just can't go wrong with stripey socks ;)
Why do I read your blog? Because you embrace the quirky and make things I would like to wear myself. We are worlds apart and yet seem to share a similar aesthetic. Can't be bad!

Amy said...

Oh, Jessica, don't stop blogging! Take a break, be silent when you need to (Lord knows I am), but we'd miss you if you disappeared from the bloggy world. I really just love visiting with you, no matter what you're writing. I love your crafty sewing and knitting posts, and your more extended writing-writing and life observations, and seeing your lovely self in photos. I know there are folks who read blogs for specific content only, and they get uppity when the blogger has the audacity to write about something other than, say, underwater basket weaving. (Which, by the way--totally a real, non-ridiculous thing that a friend taught at a summer camp one year...but I digress....)

Anyhoodle--I consider you one of my online friends at this point, and I love seeing you pop up in my reader. Don't feel like you need to limit yourself to writing more of one thing and less of another because your readers prefer one thing over another. Those of us who are meant to be *your* readers--readers of Jessica--will happily read whatever comes from your lovely heart and admire the creations of your clever and capable hands.

Also: That stripey tunic/dress thing up top? The bee's knees. So adorable.

(Oh! And FYI: My mail these days is on a strange journey to a place I don't live, for complicated reasons that basically boil down to "someone at my local post office is an idiot." It's all safe with someone I know, and one day soon I'll get it all back, but you know--I'm sure you know why I'm telling you this, and I just wanted you to know there are some ISSUES over here.) xoxo

Alessa said...

Yay, stripes! Love the Renfrew dress, and the Airelle also turned out rather cute. Thanks for reminding me that my wardrobe could do with a couple stripey additions, too. :)

Also, please don't stop blogging, Jessica! Feel free to take long-ish hiatuses (hiati?) whenever you need, but I'd really miss reading your blog if you stopped writing. I really like reading about whatever you write, be it your new sewn and knitted garments, or your current favorite outfit, thoughts about life in general or yours in particular, travel photos, little pearls of wisdom or writing/poetry... I like that you show different facets of yourself. Also, you're one of the online people that, for reasons I can't quite quantify, I'm sure I could be actual friends with in real life (which, admittedly, I'm a bit particular about. I'd be happy to have coffee and a chat with most sewing bloggers I read, but being friends is still different, right? And that may have been a bit too much sharing. But ah well. ;) )

jessica said...

Thank you everyone for your feedback and kind words of encouragement and support!

River - what a nice thing to hear! Your comment was a bright light on what was otherwise a trying day.

Roo - Style twins! I love how we're still going strong with the doppelgangering! I had also thought about possibly inserting a zipper into the Airelle, it really strains when I slip it on, Ali saw me do wriggling into it and made a very casual comment about her personal experience with seams popping open, haha :-P.

Amy - thanks for the encouragement! Sometimes I feel like it must read so drab and boring, and especially coming from a gifted writer such as yourself, those words mean a lot to me :-). I feel the exact same way any time a post of yours shows up in my reader - funny how the online friends sometimes click so well. (And the post office? Really guys? Sigh. I hope they fix that soon! There's some MAIL waiting for you!!!)

Alessa - it's so funny, I feel exactly the same way about you! It's nice hearing from those who like to read about a variety of topics, so hard for me to confine myself to just one and sometimes I worry that it's boring to others. However, if we were to meet up in real life (which I do hope happens sometime!), I'm guessing we'd probably cover a whole range of topics anyways :-), so that makes sense!

Minnado said...

I love that sripey dress Jessica. I saw it on your photos and thought "wanty, wanty, want that, must make that" I would so miss you if you stopped blogging. I like the way we have similar tastes but such different lives. I love reading about your makes but also the snippets and pics of life in your world. I like your tone and use oflnaguage, your thoughtfulful writing and your humour. It's a cliche but like the other commentators I consider you a friend now, not just another blogger and I seriously think it would be great to meet you in real life one day. Consider yourself having a standing invitation to my (real) house. :) xx

Antoinette said...

Hey Jessica, I feel odd commenting on this post as my blog reading has been so erratic the past few years. But I do try to check out what you're doing because of your interests (sewing AND knitting, and you know I don't do the knit); because your refashions are interesting and many of the fabrics you choose are cute and quirky; and because your writing style feels very authentic. Something I've sensed bloggers struggle with after several years is how to change a blog to keep up with how the blogger is changing. Just go with your heart. Do what feels right. :)

jessica said...

Debbie - funny, I always look at your makes and have the same reaction :-). We truly have similar tastes but different lives! I hope we do have the opportunity to meet up in real life one day (hm, perhaps a trip to your side of the pond is in order!)

Antoinette - thanks for the words of encouragement! Especially coming from you, I think you were my first commenter (which, incidentally, encouraged me to continue reaching out and find other likeminded bloggy friends).