Happy New Year’s Eve!
I’m a little under the weather today, so go out and glitter for me tonight (since I’ll be home)!
fashion
Caged
I’m still trying to put things back together around here after Christmas (and a fabulous visit from my sister) festivities and a last-minute open-heart surgery for my grandfather (he’s doing well). In between orders, I’ve also gotten the end-of-the-year organization bug and have been re-doing my fabric stash, which (of course) has led to a more elaborate re-do (involving our guest room, new shelves, a new mailing station, and figuring out what to do with extra furniture).
So, rather than blather on too long about all that, I’ll just post some pretty for you. Cages being the theme. Enjoy!
**All images found via google image search**
Unraveled
This sweater. This sweater was never as cute on as it should have been. Maybe it was the kangaroo pouch, maybe it was the too-high-v-neck. Maybe it was just me. It’s been in my closet for about 3 or 4 years. I would put it on, possibly wear it for a little while, and then realize it looked terrible and rip it off, tossing it back into the closet in disgust.
When I did that this year, it suddenly occurred to me: I have never liked this sweater. I will continue to not like this sweater. The closet is not working any magic on this sweater year after year. I should get rid of this sweater.
Why it took me so long to come to this rather obvious conclusion, I don’t know.
Instead of donating it so that someone else could have the same experience, I decided to unravel it and re-use the yarn. I love the colors, and it’s a nice wool-cotton blend that is washable. Also: I love tedious projects that I can become obsessed with.
I started with the sweater, of course. I completely forgot to snap a photo of the complete sweater ahead of time, in my all-consuming desire to kill the sweater and make it into something pretty. So, just imagine a top-stitched kangaroo pouch on the lower front:
I then broke the sweater down into it’s pieces. This is the most tedious part of the project–squinting at the seams in the brightest light available, and trying to snip just the yarn that is holding the pieces together, rather than the yarn that is part of the sweater itself.
Here it is after that process:
Then you just sit back, grab a snuggly blanket, pop on your favorite movies or season of a show (my choice: the final season of “The Office”), grab some wine and start unraveling.
This took me a few evenings (and a few glasses of wine).
In the end, I have a bunch of new balls of yarn to play with–which I’ll most likely make into a few scarves.
No sweater is safe in my house right now. I’m already eye-ing them all and wondering……wouldn’t that sweater be a lot more fun unraveled?
I did this process once before and made 2 scarves from the result. One has sold, but one remains up in my shop:
You can find that scarf here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/110604988/sale-knit-scarf-long-scarf-ribbed-scarf?ref=shop_home_active
And, because I have to share the joy of a song on a continuous loop in my head–this (of course) has been playing pretty much non-stop in my brain-region since I started the process:
Duality
duality: The quality or character of being twofold; dichotomy.
*All images found online in google search engine
Bits and Bangs
Back to the everyday workload. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a hard time getting back to the regularly scheduled programming after our Thanksgiving festivities (and then getting sick for a week).
I have orders in, and am hoping to get a couple special dresses sewn up for my nieces in time for a special Birthday celebration–which means some overtime sewing this weekend.
This lovely tunic (technically one just like it in a different size–it was a made to order item) is on its way to the UK. I hope it has a happy owner in its future.
I have a ready-to-ship one up in the shop right now, and it’s marked down to $56.25 from $75 for my Winter Sale: http://www.etsy.com/listing/127712901/sale-black-tunic-top-velvet-tunic-velvet?ref=shop_home_active
New hair-cut yesterday–I’ve been sporting side-swept bangs for years, and just got the itch to go with the full-on blunt bang. So far I’m in love. The verdict is still out on how everything will look with my regular curls. I generally don’t have the stamina to straighten my hair daily, so the only time it’s done is at the stylists, after a cut.
Hope you have a fabulous weekend. I’m hoping for colder temperatures, good sewing, and getting the guest room cleared out for my sister’s impending Christmas visit!
Christmas Sale!
Because I keep all my inventory in my guest room, and because I have a Christmas guest coming to visit next week, I need to clear out some inventory. That means–it’s SALE TIME!! I’ve marked most ready-made items down 25%–just look for the “SALE” in the listings title. It’s the perfect time to check off holiday gifts for family, friends or yourself! Come see what’s on sale: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TrappedInTimeDesigns
Finale
The final look for my mini RAWards collection was actually the second look I dreamed up, hot on the tail of the first look. I knew I wanted Mary Andrus to model it from the get-go, too.
Initially, I envisioned a brocade bust with an extremely full chiffon skirt. I even toyed with pockets.
Paired with the tattered lace collar and the (not-gonna-happen) spats, it looked really cute.
I think I design things that I would wear if I were tall and thin. Because I would so totally wear any of the things in my collection if I were. Sadly, being of the oompa loompa persuasion, I must live vicariously through my beautiful models.
I decided to make the closure for this dress lace-up to accommodate a closer fit that wouldn’t have to be hiked up every few minutes. I switched the chiffon idea over to a beautiful black lace with an attached black mini skirt lining. The back is bustled and the overskirt is longer than the lining.
First fitting:
Mary looked beautiful, OF COURSE. The top did need to be taken in quite a bit, so there was some deconstruction and re-construction in the dresses immediate future.
Walking the runway:
From the pre-show photo shoot:
Clothing by me: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TrappedInTimeDesigns
Hair & Make Up by: Amanda Bravender For inquiries : http://www.ahbweddingandevents.com
Model: Mary Andruss https://www.facebook.com/ModelMaryAndrus
Photography by: Underexposed Photography https://www.facebook.com/brittsmithphoto
Five
My post titles are really gripping lately, aren’t they? I just can’t come up with witty headers for the RAWards looks. Ah, well. You’ll have to settle for little wit, but a whole lotta pretty.
The fifth look is another that underwent a rather extensive transformation from sketch to final product. That had to do with a few things:
1) my falling out of love with the idea of using that grey pinstripe suiting
2) my realization that the original idea for this look was DULL DULL DULL
3) my recent love affair with bustles
So, the (dull) original (dull) sketch was this (SUPREMELY DULL):
The original idea was a brocade bustier, grey suiting mini skirt, ruffle capri leggings, tattered collar & spats.
I realized one day that it was just boring. It just felt thrown together, no real inspiration.
As I mentioned, my love affair had begun with the bustle, and I knew that I wanted to do a bustle in that gorgeous brocade. This time, I decided to do an attached underskirt, rather than just the bustle (as shown in the first look). The brocade made the most gorgeous bustle.
Fitting:
I ended up going with the bustle and a repurposed mens-wear bustier featuring belt loops at the waist, to accommodate a belt if desired. This fit beautifully from the get-go. No alterations needed at all.
The final design walking the runway:
And from the pre-show shoot:
I couldn’t be happier with the look–Marielle really brought it to life, and looked gorgeous.
Clothing by me: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TrappedInTimeDesigns
Hair & Make Up by: Amanda Bravender For inquiries : http://www.ahbweddingandevents.com
Model: Marielle Songy/NolaChick www.nolachick.net
Photographer: Underexposed Photography https://www.facebook.com/brittsmithphoto
Number Four
I have a little secret about the fourth look. *I ended up re-styling a dress I showed at my last RAW runway* Not that people couldn’t recognize that fact themselves just by looking at the dress. And in all fairness (to me), I did have every intention of making a NEW dress in a different fabric–even had it all cut out (it’s still sitting in pieces on my “sew these someday” pile). The original idea was this:
The idea was to use this grey stretch suiting I have that has a maroon pinstripe. Lovely fabric, but I was hesitant to use grey. It was just so…..grey. I know, like army green/brown and cream are fascinating colors. Who knows what it was, but I ultimately decided I didn’t want to use the grey paired with the brocade looks.
So, anyway, this look was originally designed to be that fabulous slinky grey pinstriped dress with a plunging neckline, a brocade under-bust corset, spats and a tattered lace collar. Of course, the spats took a hike.
I quickly decided to use the brown pinstripe dress instead of making the grey. Well, maybe not quickly, since I went through the trouble of cutting the dress out, but the decision was made.
The first fitting went well–other than the fact that the corset was 2 sizes too large. I’m not posting images of that fitting primarily because, well, boobs (ooo–I just opened my blog up to a whole new search category!). It was discovered at the fitting that this model has more, shall we say, blessings up top than previous models who have worn the dress. I had thoughts of a tank top for modesty’s sake (though I never really liked the idea too much). It hadn’t occurred to me that we didn’t try the dress without a bra at that fitting, and luckily we were able to make it work without a modesty panel for the show.
So, after the fitting, I re-made the corset. I love the under-bust corset–I’ve been wanting to make some for awhile but somehow hadn’t gotten around to it. I have plans for many more.
Luckily, the dress fit like a glove already so no alterations were needed.
Onto the show!
And the pre-show photo shoot:
Love it!
Clothing by me: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TrappedInTimeDesigns
Hair & Make Up by: Amanda Bravender For inquiries : http://www.ahbweddingandevents.com
Model: Ashton Akridge https://www.facebook.com/ashton.akridge
Photography in final images by: Underexposed Photography https://www.facebook.com/brittsmithphoto
Third Time’s a Charm
The third look in the show is the one that under-went the most transformations. I started with one look, changed to a second (that I was never 100% happy with for this show) and completely re-did the entire look at the last minute. Literally. My last fitting for this look was the morning of the show. I finished it up in the hotel room that we had for the event. I’m now a proud member of the small group of women who have brought sewing machines to their hotel room. Booyah!
My initial idea for this look was playing off of the lace idea. It was to be a lace tunic dress–the very top would be lined, but the dress and skirt portion would be sheer. Since I don’t send naked ladies down the runway, I made a khaki bustier to go underneath. All that would be paired with ruffled full length leggings, the spats (in brocade) and a tattered lace ruff:
I somehow managed to not take a picture of this look on the dress form. I think I deleted it accidentally. Suffice to say, it was pretty much as you see in the sketch (minus the spats).
At the fitting, it…..well……it looked awful. The top of the tunic was resting inside the top of the bustier, creating what can only be called a shelf above her bust. It looked so awful that I didn’t even snap a picture of it on the model. I had had an inkling that this look wasn’t going to work–and maybe I’d just fallen out of love with it by the time I had the fitting. Maybe I could have made it work, but I was determined that it wasn’t going to. Either way, I had brought back-up options. The bustier was great on her, and I brought a pencil skirt (you saw it in my previous RAW show, actually) to pair with it. The skirt needed many alterations, but was workable. Everything looked great on her, but it all kind of looked…..the same color. Her skin, the bustier, the skirt, the shoes….I wasn’t feeling it.
So, I put this look to the back of the queue and just kept moving forward with the others that I was 100% behind. I figured something would come to me at some point. Hopefully. Or else I was screwed.
So, I completed the other looks, and I stressed and I thought and I changed my mind about a ba-zillion times. Finally, I decided on doing a dress that was similar to my finale look. I used a brown suiting with a metallic pinstripe for the top, and a cream lace with the soft moleskin under-lay for the skirt. The underlay is shorter than the overskirt. The back is grommeted and laces for a better fit (and a little more “staying up” power than a zipper can offer). I bustled the back of the skirt a bit, too, for volume. I couldn’t be happier with the result!
Walking the runway:
And a shot from the pre-show photo shoot:
The dress suffered some tearing during the show, so, sadly, it won’t be available for purchase. However, I can make one to measure and in any color desired. Contact me for details.
Clothing by me: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TrappedInTimeDesigns
Hair & Make Up by: Amanda Bravender
For inquiries : http://www.ahbweddingandevents.com
Model: Elizabeth Austin https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.austin.18
Photography (final image only): Underexposed Photography https://www.facebook.com/brittsmithphoto
Trapped In Time Designs 