MMM - The Finale

Okay....

I don't want y'all to think that I haven't been MMM'ing it. I have. I just haven't been taking pics. I don't have a good spot to take picture of myself and rely on others to take the pics for me.

I have worn my own creations the entire month. Even on days where I wore store bought clothes, I wore a headwrap or a bag I made or repurposed.

I have come to the realization that I have a lot of dresses. I have skirts that I've made (I don't wear pants, though I am considering harem pants), but I don't have tops. Tops are the reason I started sewing. I'm top heavy and I started sewing sew that I could have clothes to wear that fit me. But I like dresses because it's one piece and I'm done. Since that realization, I am going to focus on sewing more and more tops vs. dresses and/or skirts.

I did my thing. I just didn't photograph it.

I was reading a fellow sewist's blog and she was building on the fact that she made 21 dresses in the last year. Her mom said that was excessive, she wouldn't buy 21 dresses. I agree. There is no reason to make a ridiculous amount of clothes just because you can. She showed her closets and they were bursting. Sewing may be cheaper than purchasing ready made clothes, but its not free. You have to buy fabric and notions then our time. From the stuff she posts each of those dresses have to have cost at least $50 if not more to make. She posted the site where she buys fabric from online and that place ain't cheap. I wouldn't order from there at those prices without feeling it first. You cannot return fabric.


I'm sewing today now. There will be pictures.... eventually.




Peace

This is what I wore today....

Good Morning Good People!

Here is another shot of what I am wearing today. I neglected to mention that I am observing to a very mild degree "Me-Made-May." What is that? Let me explain it to you....

I am following a LOT of sewing blogs. Y'all already know that sewing is a passion for me. I enjoy it. I am a bit selfish and protective with what and how I sew, but all and all I do a lot of it. Me-Made-May is a challenge to wear the clothes that we make. A lot of sewist spend a lot of time on their garments, and consequently want to only wear them on special occasions. OR... Feel self conscious wearing the clothes they made because they feel that since they were novices, something must be wrong with the garments.

I have felt both ways. If I spend a lot of money on fabric and notions and then it takes me forever to make a garment, I ain't just gonna wear it anywhere. Even if its a casual look. Sewing your own clothes creates and emotional investment. I would hate to spill something on them or have them soiled. Even though I only really sew with natural fibers like cotton and I know them to be very washer-friendly, still I don't want anything to happen to them. they are my babies, and babies are the greatest!

For the longest I felt like people could tell my clothes were "homemade" Like homemade was a bad thing. I was very self conscious and stopped sewing completely for years. What I didn't realize is that there was a lot of haters spreading their bile around. If they can't do something, they don't want you to do it either.

So, Me-Made-May sounds like a good idea. After perusing the blogs of folks wardrobes, I don't think I have enough Serenity-made clothes to wear every day for a month. I have quit a bit, but not like I would like. Perhaps that will will be a goal for next May. To make enough clothing this summer to have a summer wardrobe for next year. Or maybe begin to prepare for "Me-Made-November" if such a thing exists. Anywho....

This outfit I am wearing, I did not make the maxi dress. I did make the jacket... sort of. That's why I'm wearing it. I never said I don't ever buy store bought clothes. I do. Especially when it a good deal. I got this dress last fall on sale with another dress for $8 for the two of them. I couldn't buy fabric and notions for 2 dresses for $8. So I do purchase clothing. But the jacket.... I rigged that.

It gets good and hot in GA but it's always really cool indoors. So I needed a jacket, that went with everything, that wasn't real hot and that I could ball up and put in my purse or throw over my shoulders when I go out of doors. Also I didn't want to spend much money. At the time I rigged the jacket I was on my clothing restriction and couldn't buy anything brand new.

The jackets started out as a thrift store t-shirt. I bought a zipper that matched, cut the front of the shirt in half and reattached it with said zipper. I get more compliments on it than a little. It is the perfect lite jacket. When I'm feeling preppy it looks nice over my shoulders.

So that's how I'm doing this month's challenge. I may not have made the entire garment, but I at least made some of the ensemble. And pay close attention, because it might be rigged!



Peace

Dress 3

Peace!

Over this weekend I made this Butterick pattern from 1996. Not exactly vintage, lets say reto. I cut it at 16. I had some orange linen that I got on sale last year at Joanns. I had a car accident last year and the chiropracter's office was across the street from Joanns. I don't normally shop there for fabric. I don't like it for fabric. It is really a craft store. And I have never been in one where the employees where kind and helpful. It has been my experience that sewing is a community activity. At least when you are buying the fabric. A lot of newbie sewists go into the frabric shops and need assistance. Not just for fabric choices but guidance and advie on how to make the garment they are planning. When they don't get it, they make big mistakes. That's why I shop at either local fabric stores where the owners are very familiar with their stock and can give good insight or Hancocks. Folks are always uber-friendly in Hancocks. And that's at every Hancocks I have ever been in. Back to my dress....

I changed this pattern so much that I feel bad referencing it. But the dress turned out lovely. So much in fact that I have all kinds of plans for wearing this dress. Firstly, the pattern called for it to be a completely button down dress. I don't have the patience for all that. thinking about the facings, interfacings, buttons with their holes.....! Emphatically No! Also, the pattern had princess seaming. I have never done that before, yet it came out lovely. I'm scratching off princess seams off my to-learn list.

Scrapping the buttions means I had to change the entire idea of the dress. And I had to figure a plan for getting in the dress. I initially planned to put a zipper in the back, and rearranged the pattern to accomodate that. But.... The zipper was too short. I bought the zipper last year when I still was slightly scared of zippers. My mother taught me to fear zippers and for most of my sewing career I avoided them using buttons and drawstrings. But I made a denim skirt a 2 years ago that had to have a zipper, and it came out with no problems. After that I have been putting zippers in more and more garments. I have gotten over my zipper-phobia. I put the zipper on the left side

The front I made 1 panel rather than the two it initally called for. The only big problem I had was the collar. Since I was planning to put a zipper in the back, I cut the collar in half to open for it. So when I changed that, the collar came up short. I had some fabric that I am reserving for a headwrap and I decided to NOT cut that up. So I made do with the collar I cut. I did add a bow to camouflage the short coming. I like it. The bow makes it look nautical. And I was planning to add just 1 nautical outftit to my wardrobe this summer. Killed two birds with one stone.

The skirt is longer than I thought it was gonna be. It is a real floor duster. But with the arms out, I'm okay with that. I actually really like that.

The only thing that gives me pause is it is very low cut. But I'm not sure if its the dress' fault or the bra I'm wearing. This bra does make the girls perky. I will try the subsequent wearings with different bras, and if it is still too racy, I will add some fabric to cover it. I really love this dress.


Peace

WhaT I WorE ToDay....

Peace Family,

Yesterday I was on a bus and a Garden God was on it too. He smiled and gave me a Peace Earth. I recognize the compliment. Some Earths do 3/4th when they are amongst the righteous people, but when they are just doing their thing they does it how they wants to. Not me. I take this Culture to heart. I'm all Earth all the time.

This is what I look like today....



This is how I dress in the warm weather on the weekend. I got the fabric from of all places.... Walmart! Something light and flowy that doesn't cling to me. That's not really a requirement of the Culture that everything be loose and you see not a hil of Mountain. No. It is my personal preference for how I want to appear. All my weekend clothes tend to look like this. I look more traditional and professional when I go to work. I'm gonna get some work clothes posted. Be patient! Yeah who!


Peace

The Earth is Covered by Water (Approximately 3/4ths of its Surface)

No one that I know of reads this blog. That's cool. I will still post.

Should someone start reading this blog, I want to explain part of my Culture..... One of the privileges of this Culture for women is 3/4ths. The planet Earth is covered 3/4ths by water. We Earths (womwn of this Culture) reflect this phenomenon by covering 3/4ths of our bodies with clothing. That is why you will see some Earths with their heads covered and some who don't. Some Earths with halter dresses on. As long as you maintain the proportion you are right and exact. I see it as a privilege because I willingly accept it. Since adopting this aspect of the Culture, I see positive differences with the way people interact with me. Especially men. they are more respectful. Women on the other hand are different.

Last week at the rally/Parliament a God Built that he brought an 85% woman to a party that we had. The woman was looking at the observant Earths and said that she would NEVER dress like us. That it was demeaning to women. He said he wanted that woman to Build with one of the Earths present so that we could give our perspective. He didn't ask, but I would have been happy to.

I have been perusing modest blogs; mostly hijabi, and I noticed that they post what they wear on a regular basis. But I have not been able to find any righteous information on how the Earths do what we does. So.... I have decided to fill the void. Another reason is that there is so much mis-information out there regarding our Culture, I want... no need... to do my part to make Knowledge Born.

Either way, here is yesterday.....


Notice how I match the headwrap with my dress. John Witherspoon's CO-OOORDINATED!!!!


Peace

Dress 2

This dress is a long time coming. The God and I bought this fabric on one of his 2009 visits to the Garden. He liked this fabric a lot. I liked it too, but I was impressed that he liked a fabric. The God is not a frequent fabric store shopper. After he picked out this fabric and I announced that I would make a dress to wear to Show and Prove with it. Yeah right?

I always keep my word. And I did in fact make a dress to wear. But for some damn reason I made it too small. I mean really too small to wear. I have no idea what I was thinking. And I got so busy with other foolishness that I never went back to fix it. Now that spring has sprung, I have decided to get on the good foot and fix this dress.

I found a picture of the Vogue pattern 2902 and thought that would be the perfect inspiration for the remix. I mostly sew by eye. I'm not ashamed of it either. My body has 'interferences' that make me hard to fit. So sewing with patterns won't guarantee that the garment will fit as promised. I have been down that road more times than I care to admit.

So... I separated the bodice from the bottom. I originally made the skirt flared and modestly long (3/4ths). And remember, it was way too tight for me to wear. So I cut about 6 inches off the top of the skirt. Now instead of the skirt dusting the floor, it now hits me mid calf. That's still okay. I like floor dusting skirts but will accept mid calf but no shorter. Now the skirt fits.

I took out all the seems of the bodice until it was in it's original cut pieces. Me and the seem ripper have been handling our business. Although I cannot find my regular seem ripper. That's my justice for ripping seems all over the house. I've had that seem ripper since I got the machine so you know I'm sending out a search party to find it but let me get back to business...

I did use a part of a pattern. I use this pattern for plain bodices and sleeves. I have never made the bottom part. Never even cut it out. It has shown and proven itself to be tried and true. This dress was always planned to be sleeveless. So what I originally had planned for the front of this dress became the back. I pulled a zipper out of a dress that was originally going to Goodwill. It's now on the quilt pile. The zipper went in the back of the remixed dress. I cut the front of the bodice out of a remnant. I really have to learn how to resize patterns to fit my interferences. It is not just a matter of making more room; but making my breasts look like I made the bodice intentionally for them.... which I did. I ended up making 4 freehanded darts (2 side, 2bottom). I have to start considering princess seems. But princess seems scare me.

I actually almost finished it last night, but I didn't sew the bodice and skirt together. That is unlike me. I was maybe 5 minutes from the finish line and I laid the garment down on the bed and decided to watch TV instead. VERY unlike me. But now I understand. As I have been traversing through the internet today, I became inspired to change said dress. Let me explain how...

Even though I have opened up the waist, it will still be difficult for me to put the dress on. I will have to put the dress on over my head and breasts. My breast will get caught in the waist. Having large breasts isn't all it's cracked up to be. I knew it was going to happen but I felt powerless to fix it. It is one of those things you deal with. I'm quite sure people with true handicaps don't complain, they just handle their business. But as I was perusing Veronicadarling.blogspot.com I noticed that she put in her zippers on the sides of garments. >>Light bulb!<< If I put the zipper on the side it will open up the waist and my boobs won't get caught when I put the dress on! Yea!!!! But I already put the zipper in the back (and it is one of the best zipper jobs I've done in a minute too) But that is alright. I will take that mammerjammer out and put it on my left side.

How can you not like this dress? I already have a head wrap, beige sandals and a beige bag to wear with it. All I need now is some gloves and this is the perfect date dress. Though I don't know why I need a date dress when I don't go on dates anymore.

Show and Prove 2010?. Here I come!!!!

Peace

Interferences

Interferences is a term used in dentistry to describe the situation when teeth are mal-aligned and begin interfering with the function of opposing or adjacent teeth. I use this term when referring to my breasts and hips.

I have large breasts. 40J to be exact. I cannot purchase bras just anywhere. I have to go specialty stores and pay a grip for 1. If you ever want to give me a gift that is not cash... Buy me a bra. Google 'Goddess bras.' Having breast this size keeps me from doing a lot of things. That's why I call them interferences.

I cannot golf. My boobs interfere with the way I swing. When I was a child jumping rope, I had to hold them down by putting my palms on the opposite shoulder. Yeah that screwed with my coordination. When I used to jog, I would have to wear a supper tight t-shirt between my bra and regular shirt. They don?t make sports bras to fit me. My personal space is different that other folks. If you stand too close to me, I will move or hit you. You choose. And my bras are not pretty. They don't have to be. Pretty bras are for them small breasted women who don't need to wear a bra. I have to buy what I can find.

Folks ask me all the time when will I have a breast reduction. Why? My boobs do not hurt my back at all. They grew with me, so my infrastructure can handle the weight. When I say that I have no intentions of having them reduced, folks feel like they can make all the jokes and rude references they want. Not so much. I will hurt your feeling if you try to hurt mine. That's Equality.

Another 'interference' are my hips. My hips have and always have been really pronounced. My waist has always been a lot smaller than my hips so clothing that fit my hips never fit my waist and vice versa. So I look like this plus sized coke bottle of big boobs and big hips. SMH.
With all that my boobs and hips bring to the table, my behind gets lost. It's not that I don't have a nice sista-ass; but it is clearly not the star. As an Original woman I feel like it's my birthright to have junk in the trunk. And I do; you just have to look for it. The great thing about my shape is it appears that I have little to no stomach. I am very okay with that even though that is a lie. I have much belly, but it's hidden. LOL!

These interferences brought me to sewing. I saw my mother getting frustrated with trying to fit me properly and just throwing her hands up. I was getting some pretty bad looking outfits. And all my mother would say was it's so hard to fit you and I'm not paying to have all of your clothes altered. So for my 8th grade graduation asked for a sewing machine. I've altered all my own clothing from there on.

But even sewing for myself wasn?t always the answer. Patterns lie. Meaning you can make a garment and follow the directions on the pack and still end up with a garment that doesn't fit well. For years I shunned patterns. Once I found there was this extensive sewing internet community, I learned why the phenomenon existed and that there was a way around this. I have come to take the best part from the pattern thing. I use those parts that work for me and discard the poor parts. Now my wardrobe is blossoming with garments that fit me! I just need to work on the construction more. Anywhoo...


Peace