OOTD/Made by Me File: The Two Hour Dress: McCall's 6886 in a Colorful Tribal Print ITY Knit.

Day: Saturday, February 28, 2015.

Where:  Mass and Dinner at Chick-fil-A (living the life, you all).

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  If the ITY knit had NOT stuck to my tights, I would have given this a 5 out of 5.  But, nooooooooo, stupid Virginia is going through a stupid cold/dry/winter is NEVER EVER going to end phase, and the static electricity is at an insane high.  My hair, even with all of its thickness, is falling prey to this, too, and will stand on end whenever it wants, usually in front of a crowd of people.  (You should see my kids, it is way worse on them, especially Angus with his baby hair.)


That said, in the house, where the humidifier is properly working to pump moisture back in the air, the dress doesn't cling to the tights, and feels so comfortable.  And crazily enough, for the thinness of the ITY knit, it keeps me warm, too.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) I really love it, and I think the bodycon style works for my frame (which surprised me, especially with my pear shape), but I think tribal prints and bodycon went out a few years ago, so probably not "cool" anymore.

Anecdote of the Day:  Rex hasn't been to mass since the accident since he has either been in pain (first week), or uncomfortable and unwilling to move (second and third) week.  But he had to get out on the 28th since he was set to receive his First Penance that morning, and after we saw he could manage an hour in the handicapped pew (in his wheelchair), we knew he would be fine at the the mass later that night.  The handicapped pew combined with Rex looking older than he is meant that the extraordinary minister wanted to give him Communion, which he has not received yet (his First Holy Communion is in May).  I had no idea they would try to give him Communion, and he stared at the man and was all, "no, I can't get it yet!" 

McCall's 6886.  I made this dress on the fly because I was so sick and tired of working on my son's First Penance blazer project (Burda 9452), which you can see in the last photo at the end of this post.  That blazer is a very classic blazer, which means a two part sleeve, full lining, proper set-in sleeves, darts, roll line, collar, and so on and so on.  I needed the break from all the navy blue wool!

I figured I would like to make up a knit dress in something colorful, since nothing cures the winter "blah" as much as bright cheery colors.  So I looked through my pattern shelves, and into my fabric closet and spied two that would work very well together (at least in my head they looked good together).

It seriously only took me two hours from cutting to sewing/serging to finishing to get this dress done.  Admittedly I decided to leave the sleeve and skirt hems raw (but even and tidy), but even if I had decided to hem them properly, it would have only added on a half hour, tops.  This knit doesn't ravel and it doesn't curl, so it is the perfect fabric if you ever decide to try a raw hem yourself.

A big chunk of the two hours was spent making sure I properly laid out the fabric so I would have the right horizontal lines at the right places.  I knew I wanted the brighter colors at my shoulders, waist, and higher hip, and the darker, more muted colors at my low hip, so that my hips wouldn't be over-highlighted.

I also had to make sure the would match up at the side seams, which you can see in the next photo.

I did make a neckband as opposed to turning the neckline and stitching (that's what the directions wanted me to do).  It looks like it sticks up a touch here and in the next photo, but that is only because I have my hand on my hip...it stays flats 90% of the time, and you can see that in the second to last photo.  I decided to make the neckband two inches tall by nineteen inches long, which when seamed into a circle and pinned into quarters, makes for a non-saggy, flat-lying neckband.  I felt like a champ when I successfully made this neckband, since neckbands are usually my big problem in making knit clothing.  (I really like using the 7/8ths rule for the neckband, seems to be the best solution for making them.)

I sewed up the size 10 at the bodice and then made sure to carefully grade out the pattern from waist to hips from the size 10 to 14 so that my curves would be skimmed by the fabric and not stretched to the full capacity because I chose to let the ITY stretch do its job in the 10 versus cutting my proper size.  I think I made the right choice since the color and stretch stays the same throughout the garment, rather than being brighter and less stretched at the bodice and duller and more stretched at the skirt.  (I hope what I am describing makes sense.)

Here is a close-up of the fabric (bought for $3 a yard at Fabric Mart last year--here is a selection of tribal prints they have right now).  You can also see the neckband laying flat here, too.

I wrote more technical details, etc., here at this Pattern Review if you want to read more about the dress construction.

And before I go, here is a photo of Rex after he successfully gave his First Penance.  :-)  The blazer I made has on its lapel the pin he received for partaking in this sacrament.

You all have a great day!!! Be back later!

OOTDs: Dressing Up, Wind Whipping Style.

Hi!  Happy Thursday.  :-)  I have been nose to the grindstone, and with great concentration, furiously sewing up my son's suit for his First Confession on Saturday.  I started the project last week, and whenever I could find the time, I worked on the blazer.  I am *still* working on the blazer, but at least the shell is done, I just need to finish the lining.  I am actually insanely proud of the work so far, but I won't exhale until the finished product is being worn by him on Saturday.  Anyhow, wish me luck, and I hope that explains a bit of why I have been away so much lately.

Also, NADA is going on with Boden, sale wise, so there's that, too.  I had plans to do the Boden Weekly (haha) Review Roundup this week, but with the details I need to follow to the tee with the blazer pattern, I realized something had to be given up.

Okay, I do have a few brief moments to show off a few recent dressier outfits I wore in the past two months.  I have definitely been more focused on casual wear, especially since Rex is housebound and I am going nowhere, but there have been a few occasions that required me to give a little more effort than a pair of Turner pants and an embellished sweatshirt.

Day: Friday, January 16, 2015.

Where:  Fairly certain I went grocery shopping with the Angus that day.  This was before Rex got injured (that happened 1/25), and I saw I took photos of him fooling around the house that day, so because I got dressed up and I have photos of him at the house, I have to assume that Harris Teeter was the reason for my "dress up."  LOL. 

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I never know what size to get at J. Crew or J. Crew Factory when it comes to these straight shift style dresses (this one is the Factory Printed Shift Dress).  I always know that the bust and shoulders will be too big unless I get a size 4, but my hips don't lie and are a size 10, so that's what I chose to purchase.  That was a wise choice, but I still could use a half-inch more if I am being honest, I would prefer just that little bit of extra ease.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Love this look.  I need to wear this again before it gets too warm (ha, no threat of that here in Southern Canada aka Virginia).

Anecdote of the Day:  Angus made some cute faces when I was taking photos of him that day.  Other than that, nada.

Day: Thursday, January 22, 2015.

Where:  A friend's father's interment at Arlington National Cemetery.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  It wasn't about ease that day, since the occasion called for very formal.  I am glad I had proper funeral clothing, but with the very chilly day and windy weather, I have to admit that I was close to frostbite (especially on my feet) by the end of the ceremony.  But again, more than okay by me, we were honoring a man's service to his country on this day, my cold feet are nothing to complain about.

Cool Factor: (N/A of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) Again, unimportant.  Not a concern of mine that day.  The look is very proper, very put together, and in sedate coloring.

Anecdote of the Day:  I cried at one point, even though I had never met my friend's dad.  The ceremony was so moving.  I felt honored to be there for her and was in awe of how reverent the military is in honoring their deceased veterans.  And the day, though bitterly cold, was incredibly beautiful, and from what my friend said, she knows that her dad would have been so pleased with both the weather and the ceremony.  :-)

Day: Monday, January 12, 2015.

Where: Subbing.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Super comfortable, and the outfit kept me warm.  Let me give a shout out to the J. Crew Factory Harper Double Bow ballet flats.  These shoes fit well on first wearing and have been worn at least fifteen times since I purchased them in early January.  I bought the 9.5, which is my normal size.  They are great for folks who want something pretty but are also flat enough for those of us on our feet all day.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) Exactly the right look for substitute teaching.

Anecdote of the Day:  Everyone loves that collar necklace from Accessorize that I bought when I went to Ireland two years ago.  I have a pattern for collars from Simplicity, so I bet I could figure out how to make the base from a firm fabric (like canvas) and bedazzle it with beads.  Hmm...

Okay, thanks for stopping by!  Hope my next post is sooner than later, as that means the suit sewing didn't do me in...

OOTD/Review/Made by Me: Knotted and Beaded and Crocheted.

Day: Monday, February 16, 2015.

Where:  Star's Beads in Vienna for a class on crocheted wire beaded jewelry.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Dang boots had to be worn since it was supposed to snow up to eight inches (with it starting while I was in class), so I had to wear them for traction and safety.  The pants have a boot cut but were not super wide, so the pants got a teeny bit bunched at the top of the cuff of the boots.  Oh, well.  Could have looked worse, just wish I could have figured something else out (I was a bit time crunched, though).

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) Meh.  The sweater deserves a cute skirt and ballet flats.  On the plus side, the merino wool/cotton blend kept me warm enough.

Anecdote of the Day:  My friend, A., from high school, invited me to come with her to a class on how to make crocheted wire jewelry.  I am always willing to give something crafty a try, so I said sure.  A. LOVES making jewelry, and is really good at it, so I knew if I screwed up, she could hold my hand a bit.  I can crochet, I didn't even realize it until I was watching a knitting video and they showed the crochet stitch, and I was all, OH THAT'S SO EASY!  LOL.  For the longest time I thought crocheting was harder than knitting.  Anyhow, it was an awesome time, and I loved being able to see my friend and make something really pretty at the same time (photos are at the bottom of this post).

French Knot Sweater.  Size 6.  At least Boden's knitwear is pretty much consistently true to size.  I usually buy a size 6 and all three sweaters I have shown off this weekend (Rainbow Knit here and Tilly here) are this size.

The fit on this one is a touch more fitted, but it is meant to be.  It is not tight-feeling, even with the cami layered underneath, though.  There is a nice amount of recovery in the wool blend that it fits and hugs properly without either stretching out or feeling to constricting.

That said, I do think the fabric is a bit thin, and in the white you can see everything below, so be choosy with your undergarments.  I wore a white cami, but if I had plans to tuck it in, I would wear a nude one.  It also shows bulges from the straps, so I need to invest in a cami with bralette that is also seamless (I am sure that won't be too difficult, chortle).

The length is nice, hits at the high hips.  The sleeves are three-quarters, which on me equals just a bit below the elbow.  They are never the proper length on me.  (Darned monkey arms.)

The French knots are hand tied, from what I can tell, and are a bit delicate, but nothing major.  The consistency of the knots is off, though, see that yellow up there, OFF!  I am just persnickety enough to be slightly bothered by it, but the beta blockers I take (for migraines!) must be helping because I don't care if I can't see it.  ;-)  The rows are very straight, so I will hand it to them on the *level* (slaps knee).

I would say to be careful with the tufted underknot on the wrong side of the fabric, though, and definitely hand wash or hand wash cycle on the machine.

And lay flat to dry, of course!


French Knot Sweater.  The sizes and colors are fully stocked.  Though the 20% off knitwear and outerwear ends tonight, you would be fine to wait if you need to wait for a better deal.

20% Off Outerwear and Knitwear ends at 11:59 pm tonight:
20% Off All Knitwear, Coats, Jackets and Skiwear, Plus Free Shipping When You Spend Over $49

Crocheted Wire Necklace with Pink, Pearl, and Grey Beads.  I am just so excited by this necklace.  It was much easier to do than I thought it was going to be, and am glad I took the time to go to the class today.  I have hopes to make one again in the future.  (But with all my sewing and knitting to do, this will be lower on the totem pole.)

I chose the colors of ivory/grey/pink to match the dress you all saw on Valentine's Day over at Fabric Mart's blog.  My friend, A., had most of these beads in her bead stash (I only bought the smoky grey ones, example of one is front center).

Okay, that's all for now!  Have a great night! 

OOTD/Review: Mint, Mustard, and Grey. And Another Tilly.

Day: Sunday, February 15, 2015.

Where:  My house. Boring.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Again with the Turner pants.  I now own them in four colors.  They are up there with my Pure Collection tie-waist trousers (last photo, also worn with *another* Tilly Sweater**, lol) as the best pants ever.  I *do* own traditional pants, with proper closures, but it has been remarkably easier to just wear these ones instead.  (I will give a shoutout to the pants I have made since they are tailored to fit me properly, but I only have two pairs that I have made, so they don't get a bunch of wear.)

The temperature outside is 17 F.  So I am more than happy to wear the current Tilly Sweater, which was one of the sweaters I promised I would wear at this blog post.  I am very happy to report it feels great, it is keeping me warm, and is a wonderful color to wear on such a cold day (gives me the feel of early spring).


**Can Boden give some other ladies a chance at having clothing named after them?  Sophie, Tilly, Laura, Olivia...it is getting boring.  May I suggest Dina? 

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) The Nike shoes help up the score, but again, a very basic outfit for a very basic kind of a day.

Anecdote of the Day:  Mardi Gras is Tuesday, but Mr. Dina's parents leave tomorrow.  I love making gumbo, and they seem to like my version, so I will be spending the next couple of hours preparing it.

Tilly Sweater.  Size 6.  Though the carnation color seems to be getting the most attention, it is this light aqua/slightly mint color that is sold out/low stock in many sizes.  I guess they ordered more of the carnation and navy, and ordered less of this mint color.

The 6 fits awesome, hitting right at my mid-hip.  The neck doesn't constrict, and while there is little shaping in the garment, the wool is lightweight enough to be drapey and show a bit of the natural curve my body has.

This view really shoes how lovely the knit is, the scalloped design is a bit unusual, and if hand knit, would undoubtedly be over the top expensive and would have taken the craftsperson ages to complete.  Fortunately for us, a machine can do this and we benefit by getting a sweater that looks more expensive than it actually is.

You can see the dropped shoulder line here.  It is not obnoxious the way some styles have been in the past year or so (especially at J. Crew, much to Gigi's discontent), but it is still present, and if you loathe that detail, stay far away.

I think this is the best representation of the color.  The color is amazing in real life, it seems a bit snowy with a blue/green undertone in it, but the lightest of blue and green.

This is not an accurate representation of color, but I wanted to up the shadows for dimension's sake so you could see the beautiful patterning in the knit.  Also, this wool is super soft.  I am not prone to itchiness when it comes to wool, but I read that others felt like this wool was also very soft and not scratchy, so for you sensitive ladies, this may be your winning knit.


Tilly Sweater.  Navy and carnation are fully stocked.  The mint is selling well.

Okay, have a great day, will be back with one last review tomorrow night (right before the sale ends) of my last wear of the weekend.  (I will be wearing the French Knot sweater!)

Boden: 20% Off Outerwear and Knitwear. Till Monday!

Instead of just doing a normal "sale" announcement post, I am going to write up some brief reviews of some of the pieces that fall in this sale category that I have received from my preorders but haven't yet found the time to get around to blogging about. 

It is also so frigid and cold here this weekend that I have an excuse to wear multiple layers of clothing, so I will for sure wear the sweaters and the coats from the selection on sale and get those photos posted tomorrow and Sunday (I have my in-laws in town so they can help with childcare while I get the posts written--yay!!!).

Okay, so the deal is, as per usual, you can receive 20% off any piece of outerwear or knitwear that is part of the regular season items.  This 20% off does not apply to anything in clearance.  Sadly you are unable to stack promo codes, so the 15% off coupon (in my sidebar under the sale coupon) won't work on top of the 20% off.

This sale ends Monday night according to the site, so you have a few days to ponder your choices, and I have three days to enjoy wearing my new knitwear and hopefully keeping nice and toasty whilst doing so...

Reviews (or links to former reviews):


Rainy Day Mac. (The photo link may be bad, the affiliate has not updated this product since last fall, use this link to get to the current offerings.)  I have worn this a lot since purchasing last fall's version.  Apparently the sizing stays the same, so my review of last year's should hold true for this year's version.  Review here.


Eliza Coat.  The coat I own is from last fall, but they carried over the coat to this season, so it never even made it into clearance.  Every. time. I. wear. it. I receive compliments.  I wish it was made from thicker fabrics just for right now since it did absolutely nothing for me last night when I wore it out when the wind chill was 5 F.  BRRRR.  But I knew better, lol.  Review here.


Ingrid Coat.  This coat looks exactly the same as the one I own from Fall 2014, so I am going to guess they just changed the colors.  Review here. 


French Knot Sweater.  I bought this in a size 6.  I chose to get the ivory shade.  It is a beautiful sweater that is properly represented, color-wise, on the computer screen.  It is made from a lightweight cotton/merino wool blend, but is a bit sheer because of that.  I will absolutely have to wear nude underthings (either a cami or bra) when wearing it.  The model in the back shot is apparently wearing a blue tee under it, but it doesn't show through.  I suspect a bit of *le photoshopping*.  ;-)  I don't know if the navy is as sheer, but I imagine probably not.  It fits a bit tighter than my other sweaters from Boden, so I would say size up if you have broader shoulders or a bigger bustline.


Rainbow Knit Sweater.  I also purchased this in a size 6.  I bought the color the model is wearing at the top of this post.  I love this sweater.  It is very comfortable, with just a bit of ease, but not so much I am swimming it.  Its colors are so lovely together, I really do feel a bit like an understated rainbow in it.  The open knit (it's a cotton) is perfect on its own in the spring and possibly summer (not 'round here, though, too hot and humid), but can be worn with a shirt under in the winter for an extra layer.  The open knit is opaque enough that you can do that without looking foolish. I am so enamored that I am tempted by the other colors, but I need to exhibit restraint.


Tilly Sweater.  I chose to purchase the freshwater color in a size 6 to replace this sweater of mine that I love but is not my favorite silhouette on me.  Unfortunately it is not an exact color replacement, but it is close enough that I am satisfied (yes, I am selling the J. Crew one).  The Tilly reads as almost a light mint, but with a bit more blue in it.  It fits well in the 6, a bit big through the torso, but I like its length, which may be too short for some of you who have a longer torso.  It also features a dropper shoulder line, so definitely keep that in mind if you are not a fan.  The collar is really nice, and if the retro thing is up your alley, this will make your decision easier.  The wool is less thick than the photo would have you believe, and I think it wears better this way. 


Milano Dress.  I did a review of this one in the fall.  This is a great dress, I can see why the carried it over to the spring.  :-)  Review here.

Do you all have any favorites from the sale?  Let us know!!!

Too bad we can't buy the Wendy coat.  RIP, Wendy coat.  (Well, I think RIP...maybe she is just in witness protection.)

The sale ends Monday night.
20% Off All Knitwear, Coats, Jackets and Skiwear, Plus Free Shipping When You Spend Over $49