Maid of Honor Dress: New Look 6643 with the Chris Palu bias chiffon shred

When my best friend asked me to be her maid of honor, I had no idea what I was getting into!

Really, it was fantastic. A lot of work though-- and not just the dress! Shower, bachelorette party, the toast... I had no idea.

I digress... onto the dress! Of course I had to make my dress. Fortunately my friend went with the super-awesome idea that us ladies could pick any dress we wanted, as long it was the right color and cocktail length. I briefly entertained the idea of buying a dress, but I have a hard time buying RTW to begin with and the choices were limited. Forget about buying one of those made-for-bridemaids dresses that you order in any color... those poly-satin confections are just not for me. If she had insisted I would have spent the $$ on it, but it just would have gone right to the Salvation Army after the big day, what a waste.

Ever since watching Chris Palu create those gorgeous shredded chiffon designs on Season 10 of Project Runway, I've been dying to try it. I figured this was the perfect opportunity!

I'm not quite bold enough to design something as risque as Palu's designs, so I chose a simple sheath dress pattern: New Look 6643. I couldn't find anyone doing a bias shred tutorial online other than this very cute version in knit, so I sort of had to make it up.

I added a center front seam to the pattern so that I could get a chevron effect. Other than that, my adjustments were standard-- a sway back adjustment, and a tweak here or there on the muslin to get it to lay right on my body. 

My fabrics were totally lux. The base of the dress is stretch silk charmeuse. I know it sounds crazy to have chosen a stretch fabric, but I love that extra bit of comfort in my clothes and it really didn't give me any trouble. The overlay is silk chiffon, a beautiful floaty, delicate fabric. It was a bit difficult to work with- very shifty, and easily damaged.

I couldn't get anything to mark it without damaging it, and it was difficult to sew anyway, so I basted the two fabrics together then basted a piece of tracing paper over the chiffon. The chiffon cut on the grain, just like the base fabric of the dress. The fact that my cuts would be diagonal across the body meant they would automatically be on the bias.

I made my diagonal lines on the tracing paper and sewed through all layers with thread that was the closest match I could get to my fabrics. I considered using a silk thread, but in the end I ended up using regular all-purpose guttermans because that was the best color match.

Next, I then tore off the paper. This took forever, longer than sewing! The paper was perforated where I had sewn, but little pieces got stuck under the stitches. A thinner tracing paper might have helped-- something more like what commercial patterns are printed on.

I was worried that the chiffon would fray too much, so I held off on cutting the chiffon layer until the dress was sewn. I sewed the seams on the bodice with french seams, sewing the charmeuse and the chiffon as one piece. But when I had to transition to the skirt, where I wanted the charmeuse to flow freely, it was a bit of a trick figuring out how to transition. I ended up clipping the seam allowance where I wanted the skirt to start and then finishing the seams separately.

Oh, and one other change-- I did an all-in-one facing instead of separate armhole and neckline facings. I did it in silk charmeuse (same fabric as the main dress)- it just feels great next to the skin! And no worries about armhole facings getting out of place. 

The pattern called for an invisible back zipper. I interfaced and tried my best not to shift anything, but I kept getting the dreaded bubble at the base of the zipper. It looked terrible, this little bump on my but! So I carefully undid it all and went for a side zip instead. This worked beautifully! I'm totally a side zip convert.

As the very last step, I cut the chiffon lay in between the lines of stitching. It actually took quite a bit of effort to rough it up and get it to a good fray. It was sort of disconcerting, mistreating a dress that I had worked so hard on!

I absolutely love the dress! It is totally comfortable, and it fits really well. I've worn it several times since the wedding already.

The necklace was the one I wore for my own wedding. It was another DIY, I'll blog about it sometime- it is crocheted silver wire with pearls.

Animal Print Wrap Top: Vogue 3879

This is a wearable muslim for Vogue 3879. It is very wearable... I love it. 

Since this was a super stretchy knit and just a casual top, I didn't do the facings, I just bound the edge with a wide piece of self-fabric. I stretched the binding a bit as I sewed to tighten in the edge. So far it works, no gaping.

It is the middle of winter, so a bolero top makes this wearable. I actually prefer all of my tops sleeveless right now... I'm STILL nursing my toddler, and those hormones are keeping me warm!

Mod Zag Wrap Dress: Vogue 8379

It seems like the DVF wrap dress calls to every woman at some point in her life...!

Wish I could have found a copy of the original DVF for Vogue pattern, but I got the closest thing I could find: Vogue 8379. I used a gorgeous rayon zig-zaggy print knit from Emma One Sock. It is one of the nicest knits I've ever worked with, just deliciously soft and totally opaque. I wish every knit could be so well behaved! I was just barely able to eeek out a version of the dress with my 2 yards. One change I made was to taking a lot of the fullness in the skirt that I didn't want anyway- 20 inches out of the sweep of the skirt! And I shortened it considerably.

OH, and I also made the dress sleeveless. Not only does it save on fabric, but it also allows me to stretch my wardrobe out to all 4 seasons, and adjust to the wide variation of temperature variations in my environment (freezing office, overly warm classrooms, etc.) In order to make it sleeveless with a clean line, I drafted an armhole facing (this was the first time doing that and it was easy!). 

Sleeveless dress with a long-sleeve bolero made from rayon jersey.

To fit the pattern to my body, I cut an 18 waist and skirt and a 16 bust and shoulders, and still took out another inch around the bust (curved it in under the armhole). For reference, I'm  12 in RTW in both tops and bottoms. I also reshaped the front armhole... it had a very extreme curve, which I tamed down a bit. To fit the pattern onto my 2 yards I cut the belt in two parts-- not ideal but it doesn't look too bad.

With a simple wrap made from a lofty wool/mohair knit from Mood.

I interfaced the facings with lightweight tricot from Emma One Sock-- this is the nicest interfacing I have ever worked with. (UPDATE: tricot from Fashion Sewing Supply is also fantastic!) I also put some strips of interfacing in the shoulder seams to control stretch. I hemmed with interfacing... first time I've done that, and it is really a beautiful method. I tacked the facings down with fusible hem tape (I feel like this was cheating, but I tried hand sewing and everything shows on this fabric, and I can't stand spending all day tugging at facings).

Before making this dress I made a wearable muslin (will post pics later) where I skipped the facings and bound the neckline and armholes. This was okay-- a more casual look, I love it too! For this dress I tried the facings and love the clean, crisp look. This is also sort of a trial run before I make it in silk jersey, and my previous attempt at making another dress in silk jersey was sort of sad-- by the third wearing it has completely stretched out. It was also a b---- to sew, it kept wiggling out from under my needle. I think some very lightweight interfacing would help both problems.

An added benefit-- nursing compatible and adjustable for a changing body, for all those moms out there! I've been wanting this dress for soooo long, don't know why I waited so long! I plan to make it again in silk jersey! It would also be luscious in wool jersey, fully lined, with a thick belt.

Heavy

Keeping track of all of Bug's words is becoming fairly impossible. But lately, favorite words include: heavy hot/cold She now can open some doors... the ones with lever-like handles that are at daycare and the doctor's office. She's added another gear to her running... she is very fast! She jumps with both feet, on the floor or down steps and curbs. When we were building a bed frame this weekend, she walked around the 2x8s turned on end like a balance beam, putting one foot in front of the other (holding onto my hands). She turns faucets on and off, if she can reach them. We read "Where the wild things are" last night and she pointed and said "Beasts, beasts!"

Words at 22 Months

Bug is now 22 months!

Favorite things to say this week:
"What is it?"
"Where did it go?"
Uh-oh.
Oooooh noooo!
Put it away.
Mine! It is mine.
Nooooo. (in answer to most everything) (Rarely, "Yes," clearly annunciated.)
Let's go!
Stuck (I stuck, it's stuck)
Yummy!
Whoa! It's a Whoa! (whenever balance is required... like walking on a bed, or a curb)

Words:
Brush
Baby, Mommy, Daddy, Julian
Dog, Bird, Cow ('ow) (and even, this morning, "Cat"). Of course every four legged creature is still a "Dala" first.
Choo-Choo. Trains, seen or heard, but also trucks.
Down! Jump! (once or twice, "up")
Home
Night-night
Potty (and Big Potty)
Water (for all liquids, or anything in a cup), (lately, "wat-y")
Pretty
Dress
Sock, Shoe
Eye, Nose
Feet, Toe, Belly, Body
Yellow (and she points to the right color)
Watch (said once, with confidence, pointing to a watch in a book)
Wet, Rain
Appy, Apple (for apples and pumpkins)
Hat
Book

Songs:
Twinkle Twinkle (loves "up above the world so bright")
ABC song.
Ring around the rosies ("all fall down!")

She understands far more than she says. This morning I told her to go get her jacket from the bedroom, and she came back with it promptly.

Words like Water

The words flow out of her now... every day new ones, things that surprise us. This morning, she reached for the brush, and said "brush." Quite clearly! She looked at the room we are painting, to be her room, and said, "yellow." The babysitter said they practiced that one last night. Yesterday evening when I picked her up, she pointed to the swing on the porch and said, "swing." I asked if they had been on it, and they had not.

Favorite words:
"Noooo." Said with emphasis and inflection, and shaking her head, to nearly everything she is asked.
Yes.
All done!
Uh-oh. It's uh-oh.
Mine! It's mine.
Mommy
Dada

Other words:
Choo-choo
duck
bird
dog (although all animals are still "Dala" first)
water
Julian
Thanks
Bye
Banana (or 'nana)

She will mimic lots of words, repeating after us.

21 Month Words

Favorite word: Mine. Is it mine? It's Mine! Mine, mine!

When she wants milk: mi? mi?

Put it on? (can mean put it on, or take it off).

Is it ot (hot)? (can mean is it is hot, or it is cold).

All animals that walk on four legs are "dala" (the name of our cat).

Words heard more than once: bird, nose, nana (banana), water, baby, potty, tissue, bottom, shoe (one syllable), Dada, home.

Words heard once, mimicked: Julian, elephant, Thank You.

A Glorious Fall Afternoon

A glorious fall afternoon. We picked ripe orange cherry tomatoes, clinging to the late fall vines. Bug smushed them in her mouth, and sometimes her hands, slippery seeds clinging to her shirt and chin. We picked peppers from bushy, vining plants-- bell, italian sweet, poblanos, and brilliant red thai hot peppers. A few curling late season string beans, Little Bug picked a fat yellow one and crunched on it. I cut bunches of herbs for drying. We lay on our backs in the grass, looking at the clouds. A monarch butterfly fluttered past, the smell of the herbs fragrant around us. Bug lay on her back next to me, her head pillowed on my arm, content, giggling at nothing in particular, commenting on this or that with complete sincerity, in Bug language, twisting to look into my eyes to make sure I was following. I was, every word.

Later, we went dancing, the Sunday milonga at Oasis. Bug and I went early, we had dinner there. When our pizza and quesadilla came, she was eager, climbed up onto her chair, reaching above her head to her plate, munching happily on pieces I cut for her. When her hunger was assuaged, she climbed onto my lap, watching me eat. Then she wriggled down, reached for my hand, and led me onto the dance floor. We danced, forwards and backwards, her giggles filling the room as she pulled us in circles until we were dizzy. Dad came later, her face lit up when she saw him, and she leaned her head on his chest, their faces so alike. They danced together, a dance of silly colgadas and volcadas and lots of laughter. She fell asleep on his shoulder. She looked at us when he put her in the stroller, but closed her eyes again. Seeing me free another tanguero took my hand, and I didn't refuse. My sweetheart took another partner. But the next tanda we danced together, and the next, and then the compacita without letting go of each other. We kept dancing through the song after the compacita that wasn't tango at all.

Little Bug was asleep when we got home, and the bed was ours.

Homemade Animal Crackers and Goldfish Crackers

In the last couple of years I've been trying to cut packaged and processed foods from our diet. But I don't want Bug to miss out on yummy and cute things like animal crackers and goldfish crackers. I had been buying those super-overpriced organic bunny snack crackers, but Bug was pretty lukewarm about them. So one day I tried them- they taste sort of like cardboard! Bleck.

One day it occured to me- why not make our own? Somebody has to have done it. And sure enough, there are lots of recipes out there. I tried a few, and have now come up with a couple that work really well for us.

I also spent far too much time searching for a goldfish cracker cookie cutter. The only one out there that looks like the pepperidge farm one is seriously overpriced for a tiny cookie cutter, and I haven't yet gotten around to enacting the DIY goldfish cookie cutter directions that are out on the web. Clever, but I don't have any soda cans lying around, and haven't been inspired enough to dig one out of someone else's recycling bin.

In the meantime I fell for the super-cuteness of all the other mini-cookie cutters out there- how cute are those little frogs, turtles, dolphins, and dragonflies! I've decided that I don't need my cheese crackers to look like Pepperidge Farm goldfish afterall. Bug doesn't seem to mind either.

So here is my Animal Cracker recipe. It makes me feel good that it is full of good stuff like ground flax (high omega 3s!) and oatmeal flour. There is a lot of butter in it... but I don't think that milk-fat is a bad thing for kids, especially as a treat. This is an adaptation of the King Arthur flour recipe:

Omega-3 Animal Cracker Recipe 

3/4 cup (12 tbsps) butter
1/8 cup organic cane sugar
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup of oat flour (I grind up rolled oats in an old coffee grinder)
1/2 cup ground flax (I grind up flax seeds in the coffee grinder too!)
2 tbsp water

I make it in a food processor. Cream the butter and sugar, then add the honey and vanilla. Mix the salt, baking powder, ww flour, oat flour, and flax. Add to the food processor, and pulse until it resembles coarse, wet sand. Add the water 1 tbsp at a time and pulse. Empty the food processor bowl into a ziplock or onto a piece of plastic wrap, and press together into a ball. Chill for 30 minutes. Roll out to 3/8 inch thick on a floured surface, and cut with floured cookie cutters. Bake at 350 until the edges get a touch of gold on them.

Omega-3 Goldfish Recipe 

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup oat flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp water
In the food processor, grate the cheese into the bowl of the food processor using your grater attachment. Switch to the usual blade, add the butter, and blend until the large chunks are gone. Add the flour, flax, oat flour, and salt, pulse until it resembles coarse, wet sand. Add the water one tbsp at a time, and pulse until just combined. Empty the food processor bowl into a ziplock or onto a piece of plastic wrap, and press together into a ball. Chill for 30 minutes. Roll out to 3/8 inch thick on a floured surface, and cut with floured cookie cutters. Bake at 350 until the edges get a touch of gold on them. 

They are totally fun to make too! Of course I get lots of help, some of which includes poking holes into my nicely rolled dough and tossing handfuls of flour on the floor. The cookie cutters themselves fascinate her, she loves picking out the cutter and handing it to me, and washing them up in the sink afterwards.

They are soooo yummy. And they make good play too.

Roar!

Crunch!

It is pretty satisfying to start the week with full jars of yummy snack food to put into lunches!

20 month vocabulary

Bug's words at 20 months:
(things she says all the time)
Uh-oh
Bye
Shoe (two syllables "shoe-ah")
Bike
Ball
Stuck and "I stuck"
Mine
Mommy (mumma, mama, mommy)
Dadda
Wow
Eye
Dala (all dogs, cats, and sometimes other animals)
Whatisthat
It is a bike/ball.
Boo-boo

(heard them once or twice)
That is a bike.
Spudder (spider)
Crayon
Bottle

Maybe she said that?
Dropped it.
I'm fine.
Water
Dolly
More

Her own words:
mi-i, mi-i (pronounced with a long "i" as in "my", with the second i sound rising in question)- when she wants things-- food, milk, a toy

From our 20-month studio pictures.