It's Curtains for Me!

I am in love with PicMonkey's new collage feature. No more ghetto photo-stitching in Powerpoint!

Pink seam binding on the inside, practically invisible on the outside!

I finally got my American Duchess Astorias, which meant that I could finally hem up the skirt from my newest steampunk outfit. I ended up not using horsehair braid, mostly because of how many yards the skirt hem is, and how many yards of horsehair I had left. Instead, I sewed on a strip of seam binding, then stitched a blind hem by hand.

It's been a while since I sewed up this skirt from a pair of donated curtains, but I never wrote my final notes about that skirt, as it technically wasn't finished, so if you were curious (not you, I know, Shayna!), here it is!

I am in love with this waistband.

Summary:
Fabric: About 4 yards of 60" wide (or 1.6 curtains' worth) 70/30 viscose-polyester blend striped fabric. It's impossible to get it to hold a crease, but that also means that it doesn't wrinkle. And the relatively large amount of viscose means that it still breathes fairly well.
Notions: Seam binding, interfacing, hook and eye, snaps, 7" metal jeans zipper
Hours: For the main skirt construction, about five (but that includes drafting and fiddling with the waistband), but then there was an additional few hours of hand-stitching the yards of hem. It was fine, though, because I discovered that Tom Hiddleston/Loki recorded a YA audiobook, The Red Necklace, by Sally Gardner. He has the most amazing reading voice; I could seriously listen to it all day*. As it was, I sat through Disks 1-3 while hemming.

Very non-period closures. But the zipper is lapped,
so at least it's more or less hidden?

Will you make this again? I only need so many long skirts, so probably not. Also these trained, full skirts eat fabric like nobody's business.
Total cost: The fabric was free, so I'm going to say less than $2 once you throw in all the notions.
Final thoughts: I have yet to wear this skirt out, as steampunk-appropriate outings have been scarce, but I love swooshing about the apartment in it! Walnut approves, too, as the skirt is full enough that he can hide inside it comfortably. I love the train, the chevrons, the colors, and the relative luxuriousness of the fabric, considering that I didn't have to pay for it and the curtain material is pretty substantial. I've been wearing it with a long, ruffled bohemian skirt underneath as a petticoat; considering that nobody's going to see it, and that it does just fine fluffing out the skirt, I really don't see the need to gather yards and yards of white fabric to make a "real" petticoat. Incidentally, Cecily is not wearing a petticoat in the top picture, so the skirt looks more columnar.

For those of you who were wondering (which might very well be none of you), the pattern was supposed to be the OOP Simplicity 8375, but I ended up modifying it so much that I don't think I can really say it was that pattern anymore. And besides, it's not even available anymore except from a few scattered online sellers, so I thought I'd share my "pattern" with you all. I've included the actual pattern for the waistband with the higher back (meant to accommodate both the weight of the pleats and the short backs of 1910s blouses) and chevron front, and instructions for drafting the skirt panels to fit your waist. My actual sewing directions are more on the skimpy side, as the construction is just like any modern skirt with a center back zipper and waistband. So if you've ever wanted an easy, vaguely Victorian/Edwardian, long, full skirt with a train, here the pattern download link: 

Chevron Waistband "Bustle" Skirt Pattern and Instructions

It will take about four yards of striped fabric (curtains are a good option) and the extra length in the back will accommodate a small bustle pad. It's a good option for costumes where you don't need to be historically accurate, but still want to give off a vaguely historical air. But lest my assertions seem totally unfounded, here is proof that I wasn't just being fanciful; I did have these gowns as inspiration for the smooth front with a pleated train in the back:

From this book, Harper's Bazaar, 1898.

Back view. My pleats don't fall quite as nicely, but I'm going to file this away as "Ehhh, good enough."

*Why is it that fantasy movie villains always have the best recitation voices? I am, of course, basing this observation off of my very excellent sample size of two, that being Alan Rickman/Snape/Judge Turpin (reciting a poem here) and Tom Hiddleston (sample of his reading here). Does anyone know of any other villains reading literature that I should be listening to?

What Is the Goal of Sewing?

I've been trying to pack things up for our temporary move to San Francisco, and taking it as an opportunity to simultaneously clean out my closets. Yes, closets. Not only do I have my closet in our bedroom with my regular clothes, I have the closet in our guest bedroom for storing costumes and some of my more fantastic, unlikely to be worn dresses. I'm supposed to clear out a closet for our subletter, which is prompting me to wonder...what is the point of all the sewing I've been doing? Wait, what? how did I get to that question from packing?

See, as I've been trying to pick out clothes to donate, I've been faced with a slightly more preliminary question: what is the value of something me-made? I've got several tops, dresses, and skirts that I made when I was first learning to sew, and while they came in handy during me-made month challenges or laundry emergencies, they are not loved and spend most of their time languishing in the corners of my closet. And yet, I feel hesitant about donating them. Will the eventual owner know that I spent hours planning fabric choice and pattern marriage, lovingly sewing, reluctantly hemming? Or will they just pick up my third skirt and wonder why the seams inside aren't serged? Even though I don't love these garments, it seems unbearable to think about someone else disdaining the time and effort I spent in making them. In other words, I can hate my sewing babies, but nobody else is allowed to.

I see you disdaining my ugly babies, you smug Tim Gunn of a cat. You stop it. Stop it right now.

But it remains that these garments are taking up space in my closet, and they're just not getting worn. Add to it that my fabric choices back then were on the more abysmal, polyester, or quilting cotton side of things, and it seems unlikely that I would take them apart for the yardage. Also, I know that I would much rather make something new with the tasty fabrics I've been dreaming about, instead of going back to revisit a leftover. Nobody ever cheers on Leftovers Night (although I adore leftovers for breakfast...but I'm not sure how that metaphor translates into sewing).

So if the choice is between something relatively well-made-but-RTW, and something not-so-well-made-but-slaved-over-by-me, both rarely worn and taking up closet space, which do I donate? Does being me-made give an item enough value to compensate for its being not-quite-my-thing? I guess that depends, then, on what I want my wardrobe to be about. Do I want my wardrobe to be beautiful, functional, all things that I would feel proud and happy to be wearing (and which may or may not, but more likely will, include RTW things)? Do I want my wardrobe to be all about me-made, even if there are some things I don't love? Is the point of teaching myself to sew so that I can be apparel-ly self-sufficient, capable of making all levels of clothing, from outerwear in to unmentionables? Am I learning to sew purely for the intellectual exercise of it, the challenge of learning to fit pants and, one day, tailor a suit, even if I don't wear suits? Is it just to save money, because thrift-store-sheet-therapy is cheaper than retail therapy, except that cost of notions and the amount of fabric in my stash probably negates any savings? Do I sew just for the frosting, and should I feel bad about my lack of enthusiasm for sewing cake?

Some people are determined to learn to do everything for themselves, from canning their own fruits and vegetables to raising their own chickens/eggs, from weaving cloth to making it into apparel, from building their own furniture to baking their own dog biscuits. I don't know if I'm one of those people, despite what Elaine or Emily may think. I want to sew my own wardrobe, but only if it's a good one, and I don't really feel the need to be bothered with lingerie just yet. And I don't have room to hold onto everything I've made, so I guess it's time to say goodbye to those first, ugly, babies. Maybe someone else will enjoy them, or, given the quality of construction/fabric, more likely someone else will do me the favor of tossing it into the rubbish bin, without burdening me with the knowledge of it. I can pretend that someone out there is enjoying that hideous, unevenly hemmed polyester mesh skirt. And I can hold onto that nice blouse that I probably could make if I really tried, only it just doesn't seem worth the effort when I think about trying to find a comparable fabric, drafting a pattern, and sewing it up with all the proper finishing even without a serger, just so that I can say that my wardrobe is me-made. I have better things to do with my time, and I want to enjoy my hobby, not turn it into something like cooking*, so a sewing diet of mostly frosting (with cake, only when I actually want to make it) it shall be. Who knows, one day I may be seized with the desire to make my own unmentionables.

Sewing this kind of cake was fine, though.

On another note, thank you to all of you who had such nice things to say about my blogiversary! I really enjoyed reading all of your comments and felt very encouraged and warm and fuzzy. I used to want to be an artist and a writer when I was in elementary school, and then my parents' practicality got in the way and I ended up majoring in science. But through blogging my creative projects, I feel like I'm getting to live that dream a little bit! And in case you didn't catch it, the pattern giveaway is still open for another couple days; nobody seems to want poor set #2, so you've got a great chance if you fancy those patterns!


*I realized recently that while I love eating good food, I don't actually enjoy cooking all that much. It's not at the bottom of my list of tolerable chores, but it's certainly not a hobby for me either. My husband actually likes cooking, and will experiment with new recipes when he has the time, but I would rather just make the same TNT recipes so that I can get eating out of the way, and have more time for truly fun things (at least for me) like reading and sewing. Baking is slightly more fun, but only just.

Mathom, Anyone?

As promised, today I continue the blogiversary giveaway, this time by unloading some patterns that are either not my size, not things I'll ever make, or very similar to other, already vetted patterns in my stash. This time, there are four sets up for grabs!

Set 1: skirts! Simplicity 4763, a size 6 juniors' wraparound skirt, circa 1960s, and Butterick 6789, a size 10 straight skirt with pleats and pockets, no idea of the date.

Set 2: work-appropriate attire! Simplicity 6454, a size 14 1/2 top, pants, and skirt, circa 1974, and Vogue 7599, a size 14 jumper, circa 1970s. Golly, you could even wear the jumper over the top over the pants, and then use the skirt as a cape for warmth!

Set 3: a complete size 14 wardrobe! McCalls 9672, a size 14 dress, circa 1969, and Simplicity 6235, a size 14 unlined jacket, top, pants, and skirt pattern, circa 1970s.

Set 4: okay, this one was just because the pattern pictures/illustrations were too funny (also because the patterns were $0.15 at the thrift store, so why not, in hopes that someone might actually find them useful?). If nobody wants them, I'll just keep them around for the amusement. Simplicity Crafts 8211, hippopotamus stuffed toys in different sizes (LIFTING WEIGHTS, NO LESS!), and Simplicity 8944, a size 44 men's shirt pattern (the model could use some lessons from Zoolander), circa 1981.

That's quite some mathom, eh? Here are the rules:

1. Leave a comment, telling me which set you are in contention for, as well as what you enjoy about my blog. Because it's my blogiversary, I can ask for my ego to be stroked a little bit, right? Alternately, you could tell me that it is not okay to ask for ego-stroking, but then, let's just say that it's highly unlikely that uhhh, random.org will choose your comment as a winner...
2. This giveaway is open to all geographic locations, with the exception of Antarctica. 
3. Don't be allergic to cats. I'm pretty sure Walnut slept on the stack of patterns last night, as I've found random hairs stuck to the jaggedy edges of the pattern envelopes. Even though he's hypoallergenic, in today's litigious culture, I don't want to be responsible for anyone going into anaphylactic shock.
4. Same as previous giveaways: it goes without saying, but you really should be a follower of my blog. I'll assume that you're a follower if you leave a comment. Also goes without saying, but I hope you really intend to sew up the pattern! Please don't win it just so you can turn around and sell it on Etsy, shred it for hamster bedding, or use it to decoupage a Regretsy-esque wooden plaque.

If I somehow find out that you've turned these patterns into a shabby chic lampshade, I'll send Walnut after you with a baseball bat. This is, of course, an empty threat, as cats don't have opposable thumbs for gripping bats. Also, cats would lose interest halfway through the assignment, probably stopping to lick themselves right at the crucial moment.

I'll close the giveaway at the end of the week, on Friday, June 8, 2012, at 11:59 PM PST, and announce the winners on Saturday morning. Again, thanks for reading Cation Designs!

Happy First Birthday, Cation Designs!

It's been a year since I first started blogging here at Cation Designs about my various projects, mostly sewing-related, with some random crafts, geekery, and scattered thoughts here and there. It all began with Me Made June 2011 (thank you, Zoe, for the impetus!), and ever since then I've been hooked on blogging! I love the experience of recording what I've been creating, and you all are such an encouraging and inspiring community. I'm so grateful to you all for making my first year of blogging so much more exciting and wonderful than I could ever have dreamed. So in true geeky hobbit spirit, Cation Designs is celebrating its first birthday by giving you some mathom: my very first printable sewing pattern!

Raglan Sleeve Swing Top Pattern
Raglan Sleeve Swing Top Instructions

Now, mind, I've never tried anything like this before, so apologies beforehand if this doesn't work, or it's not in your size (I don't know how to grade patterns just yet, but this top is pretty forgiving), or you actually try making it from some treasured fabric and end up hating the finished garment. Disclaimers over with, here's what it looks like:

With a belt:

And as a special bonus...

Does that look familiar?

That's right! It works pretty well as a modern reproduction of Sybil and Edith's blouse in Downton Abbey! [Update: For those who wanted to know more about my scalloped skirt that goes with the blouse, check out my write-up of it here.]

Here are the "official" specs:
Description: Loose, pull-over swing top with wide neck and wide raglan sleeves
Recommended Fabric: 1.5 yards of 54-60”/2 yards of 45” lightweight, drapey fabrics, such as rayon, silk crepe, georgette, or chiffon. I made mine with a soft and buttery dark blue floral print rayon.
Finished Measurements: Bust 36.5”, Hips 44”, Neckline 32"
It should fit BurdaStyle Sizes 34-38, Big 4 Pattern Companies Sizes 8-12, RTW Clothing Sizes 2-6

I originally made this because I adore the wide-necked top look, but could never find the perfect balance between wide-enough-for-the-ballerina-look and not-falling-off-my-shoulders in RTW blouses. That said, I adjusted the width of the neckline for my own super-wide shoulders, so you may need to adjust it to fit your own shoulders (or just use it as an off-the-shoulder top). I also wanted it to have a loose, comfy feel while still looking somewhat put together, kind of like those oversized dolman sleeve tops that are so popular now (Anthro versions, some other versions).

It's a really simple top to make, not having any buttons or zippers or even fiddly hooks and eyes to sew, nor sleeves to set in (but it's still very easy to move around in, even without gussets or anything like that); the trickiest part is probably the self-fabric bias tape, but even that is easier than it sounds. Seriously, I only started making self-fabric bias tape this month, and I've been wondering why I was so afraid of it for so long.

Anyway, if you do sew this up, please let me know/send pictures! I'd love to know if this even works for other people. And again, thank you to all of you for following me in my creative endeavors. I'm still slightly shocked (and think I always will be) that strangers would want to read my ramblings. And in case swing tops or novice patterns aren't your thing, stick around, because I'm going to give away some more mathom (in a more tangible sense) on Monday!

As for Walnut's cake, well, it's actually a lie. I made it from felt and pipe cleaners as a dust cover for my magnetic pincushion.

May Round-Up of Things

I was going to call it the round-up of awesome, but none of these links are actually about suits or Barney Stinson. So here are some things that caught my eye this month, not all sewing-related.

• I don't know how I've never seen this page before now, but it has an excellent collection of illustrated, detailed sewing technique guidelines.
• Amy of Sew Well made the awesomest jeans ever. I mean, check out the topstitching on the pockets! I look forward to seeing what C will be. I also look forward to the day that I will make my own awesome jeans. No word yet on when that will be. 
• This tutorial from Esz of Kitty's Drawings on how to make a belt without turning fabric is the best, as I hate turning fabric tubes. And I love belts, so it's only a matter of time before I get up the gumption to locate some belt buckles.
• Leimomi the The Dreamstress posted an excellent series of adorable photos of her cat, Felicity. That girl is beautiful. I'm pretty sure that if Walnut wasn't neutered (or an ocean away), he would totally have a crush on Felicity. I love seeing pictures of other seamstress' cats in action, so that post was as good as Cute Overload.
• Speaking of cats, I seriously cried reading this post from Winston's ex-owner. I don't know what I would do if someone said I couldn't see Walnut again. If you love your pet and need a good cry (or masochistically enjoy having your heartstrings tugged), read it with a tissue handy.
• LiEr of ikatbag had this excellent series of lists about things a competent seamstress should have under her belt, as specifically applies to her daughters, but also useful for adults. She also muses on what qualifies a seamstress as "beginner" or "advanced," something I myself have wondered. I've been sewing for two years-ish, and I've never made an evening gown or jeans, but I have made hand-worked eyelets on a tabbed pair of bodies. What does that make me? I wish there was a syllabus like in ballroom dancing, e.g. bronze level means you've mastered the natural turn and reverse turn, and silver level means you've got the reverse corte under your belt. I'm pretty sure tailoring your own coat is gold level sewing. 
• The Animaniacs was a staple of my Saturday mornings for a good while, and Pinky and the Brain was a family TV-watching event, so I loved this article about them on Mental Floss. Especially the video of every single "Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?"
• This brilliant article comparing being a straight white male as the lowest difficulty setting in a game totally inflamed certain people, but my husband and I both thought it was an excellent metaphor. 
• The NY Times wrote about the effect that clothes can have on self-perception. I have felt the same way wearing my lab coat, despite not being a doctor. I still remember how heartening it felt as a first year teacher to don my coat, and feel slightly more authoritative and competent, despite being only three years older than some of my students. Incidentally, I also feel both geekier and happier when I wear my superhero/geek dresses.
• These articles are pretty old, but I only just came upon them this week thanks to a link from one of my former students. I was never a huge fan of Tom Bombadil, but I will never look at him the same way again. Even though I know these are just speculations (with their sets of issues), I love entertaining ideas like this. Also, I'm really glad I read these articles in broad daylight...if it had been midnight, I'm sure I would have been totally creeped out; I got the shivers as it was. Also, the author of the first article also wrote a piece about R2 and Chewie and their secret roles in the Rebel Alliance...I'm pretty sure this is now going to be my head canon since it makes Episodes IV-VI so much more interesting. 
• Tomorrow, Colleen Atwood's Snow White and the Huntsman opens in theatres! Oh, it's not hers? Because I'm pretty sure her costumes are the only reason why I'm going to see it. Seriously, check out this slideshow of her work in it...it's mind-bogglingly beautiful and intricate and everything costume design should be. And if you don't mind spoilers (I, for one, can enjoy movies a lot more when I know what's going to happen), this post also has a lot of excellent pictures and description of the costumes.

Also, this May marks the college graduations of many of my very first students ever. I still remember stepping into Room 16 for the very first time, being totally petrified of these sophomores, and wondering how I was going to teach them the basics of chemistry. And here they are seven years later, going off into the wide world, some of them with chemistry degrees (!!! was that my fault somehow?!), and I feel both proud and old.

This picture was taken during the Grand Canyon trip my very first year of teaching.
Are these kids really old enough to be done with college? They look so young here!

The beginning of June also means it's time to start packing up for the move to San Francisco. I don't know how I'm going to decide what to bring from my fabric/pattern stash. I'm thinking of bringing a couple of big projects (tentatively the VPLL #4016 dress, the The Duchess dress, the skeleton dress, jeans, and my Little Prince quilt), and maybe some embroidery. However, I will be leaving my machine and Cecily, which makes me slightly sad. It's funny how you get so attached to something as simple as a sewing machine, but I know all the quirks and tricks of mine, and even when I use someone else's exact same model (all of the people I've taught to sew either have the same machine as me, or are learning on my machine), it's not the same. If any of you have ever moved for just a couple of months, how did you deal with the sewing aspect of it? How did you decide what to bring, or did you even bring anything?

1930s Blouse: Yay or Nay?

Some time ago, my compulsive pinning self came across this scan of a fascinating vintage sewing booklet with directions for drafting and making a 1930s blouse. I'm vaguely trying to sew through the decades (inspired by the oh-sew-accomplished Debi, of course!), and I don't have any patterns from this era, nor am I likely to come across any in thrift stores, so I thought I'd give it a go. I like the idea of a pullover blouse with no buttons or zippers, but was skeptical about its shape, or rather, lack thereof.

Directions for making a Size 16 blouse (in 1935 this was Bust 34, Hip 37).

I used a lovely soft rayon with a tiny floral print, it being the most vaguely 30s fabric that I had that would also be suitable for such a blouse. Oddly enough, the directions call for a "cotton material in some interesting rough weave," which makes me think of burlap sacks. Is that rough and interesting enough? Anyway, I figured that the drapiness of the rayon would be suited to this mostly-shapeless blouse.

Making up the pattern was fairly simple; I was fortunate that the blouse measurements fit me almost perfectly. I did accidentally make my holes too large, though. Instead of the little slits shown in the diagram, well, let's just say that when I showed the finished blouse to my husband, he said it looked like there was a face with a huge nose at the neckline. Humph. I didn't bother with the collar or belt described in the pattern, as I didn't have any contrasting fabric in a suitable material/weave, so I settled for a chiffon bow stolen from another top.

Despite the minimal waist shaping, it's essentially a large sack.

It looks pretty shapeless this way, though, so I decided to take a page from The Dreamstress' book and try a sash tied at the hip:

Better? I think?

Back view. Hmm.

I'm still not sure about it. In its defense, though, it is ridiculously comfortable to wear, thanks to the soft rayon. Which, incidentally, slipped all over the place during the cutting/sewing, and especially as I tried to make the bias binding for the neckline and sleeves! In order to ensure that the rayon didn't fray like crazy, I had to bind all the seams. I am so happy with how they look! And in the realm of being clever/efficient/a cheater (thanks for all of you who chimed in to reassure me that you, too, use the selvage as a shortcut!), I used the selvage for the hem of the blouse.

Pink seam binding and self-fabric bias facing at the sleeve.

Summary:
Fabric: 1 yard of 54" wide floral print slippery rayon
Notions: Just a tiny hook and eye for the top closure, and then lots of seam binding
Techniques used: Making self-fabric bias tape, top-stitched cut-outs
Hours: Three-ish? I was taking my time, though, since I wanted to make sure the fabric didn't get off-grain or otherwise misbehave. Also, binding everything just means sewing each seam multiple times, with trips back and forth to the ironing board every time.
Will you make this again? Probably not...I don't need more shapeless tops. Especially since there's one more coming up tomorrow...
Total cost: $3. Yay for nice rayon from the discount warehouse!
Final thoughts: Like everything else I've made from slippery fabric and shown this week, meh. Not bad, but not great either. Decent. Serviceable. I think I'm boring even myself. Is this what happens when one sews cake and not frosting?

Also, I think this is just what happens when you make patterns that only show illustrations, instead of actual clothes on a real person. I'm pretty sure the model on the pamphlet has 28" hips.

See, if I only approach people from the 3/4 view, I can appear to have no hips, too!

Not-Quite-A-Taffy Top

Don't you like how Gollum's arm is waving creepily behind my shoulder?

I've mentioned before that when you've descended into sewing madness, words like "jasmine" and "rooibos" no longer refer to types of teas; they're obviously Colette patterns. Well, this Taffy-ish blouse falls into that category, especially since real taffy is sticky, and this Taffy knock-off was made with could-stand-to-be-a-lot-stickier chiffon fabric. Seriously, trying to line up chiffon on grain is a nightmare. What I found helpful, though, was laying out fabric on my living room rug. The chiffon doesn't shift nearly as much, thanks to the friction provided by the rug, and when cutting, the shears just slide underneath the fabric, in between the carpet fibers. And I even managed not to cut up my rug in the process!

This is so fabulously 90s; there aren't even words. Also, it is
impossible to find this pattern on PR, and it's not old enough to
be on the vintage pattern wiki yet.
I had to steal this image from an eBay seller.

Ever since I've seen Taffies popping up all over teh interwebs, I've been immensely curious. I have enough sewing books already, and honestly wasn't super psyched about any of the patterns in the Colette handbook, so I didn't want to buy my own copy. I need to save all of my book-buying budget for that copy of The Crisis, a romantic Civil War novel by Winston Churchill (not to be confused with The World Crisis, a WWII book by Sir Winston S. Churchill), that I swear I'm going to find someday in a thrift store or used book store. Anyway, I was unsure about the massive sleeves that, though they look fetchingly similar to wings, I'm pretty sure my wide shoulders don't need. So when I found a Simplicity 8986, circa 1994, I got excited because in one hour I could have my very own low financial commitment, Taffy-esque, View E blouse.

And then I had to go and complicate things by trying to use up this dusty rose, sparkly chiffon that I had leftover from my Dulcie dress knockoff. I ended up cutting a medium in the hips, coming in to a small at the bust and extra-small at the sleeves (so as not to overwhelm my already prominent shoulders). French seams were pretty much a requirement, as there was no convenient selvage left to use. Also, the size of the pattern pieces and the remnants of my fabric meant that I had to cut it on the cross grain instead of the straight grain, thereby making the blouse even boxier. Also, my facings are crap. So much so, I have to wear this blouse backward so as to hide the ultra-ripply "front" facing under my hair. Still, I'm pretty excited by my rolled hems on the sleeves.

See, it looks more or less normal with my arms down.

But this way, you can see how shapeless is truly is.

Back view, somewhat uninspiring.

Please don't laugh too hard at the facing.

A nice rolled hem on chiffon is a thing of wonder and beauty.

Sparkly fabric and French seams!

Summary:
Fabric: 1 yard of 100% polyester crinkle chiffon, with silvery strands woven throughout
Notions: None.
Hours: More than an hour, since I used chiffon. Even so, I imagine that any fabric you'd want this blouse in would take longer to finish without a serger. I think this design pretty much requires a drape-y silk, satin, chiffon, or rayon something. And yes, I'm aware that satin and chiffon are not types of material, but rather types of fabric weave.
Will you make this again? I don't think this fluttery sleeve look is a good one for me, so probably not. And even though this pattern ends up pretty shapeless, I'm still tempted to try it again in the kimono-sleeve version, maybe in a rayon or something.
Total cost: Less than a dollar, since this is a remnant of a discounted by-the-pound fabric.
Final thoughts: Again, it's a basic top, but because of the sheer, sparkly fabric, it looks fancier than it is. It should be cake, but it's masquerading as frosting. This cake is a lie. Ummm, Portal references aside, I'm feeling okay about this top. It suffers a bit from an identity crisis not only in the cake/frosting realm, but also in that it looks sheer and airy and perfect for hot weather, only it's polyester and therefore doesn't breathe well. And the sleeves are too large to allow for a cardigan over it. Still, despite all that, it's a decent enough top and still serviceable. Kind of like yesterday's skirt. So far, slippery fabric week isn't going so well...good thing tomorrow's make is rayon instead of chiffon!

With sleeves like this, I believe I can fly! Wow, can you believe that that song is almost contemporary with this pattern?

Also, did anyone else watch the first episode of the History Channel's Hatfields & McCoys last night? I'm not really sure what I was expecting, but I found it almost unbearably sad, and we haven't even gotten to the worst part yet. And apparently I had no idea what class the families are, because I was expecting costume inspiration, and yet found none. They all just look so incredibly...disheveled. Also, I was distracted by how much Johnse Hatfield looks like Draco Malfoy. I half expected him to suddenly start sneering at the McCoy boys, "You wait until I tell my father about this! He's on the board of governors!"