Self Portrait(s)

Challenge no. 28 was to learn to sew, design my own outfit, make it, and take a self portrait in it. The last step proved to be the most challenging as I prefer to be the one behind the scenes. If someone pulls out a camera, I tend to hit the ground as if it were a loaded gun.

So, with that in mind, here they are (I made the shorts and the shirt). Many thanks to my stylist and photographer, one Kaleigh McBride, who has finally proven herself to be relatively useful:

Homemade

My outfit is done! I finished the shirt last night (with some expected imperfections) and am making plans for a self-portrait shoot very soon. Here's a sneak peak at the final pieces (for challenge no. 28):

 I plan on styling it with this belt.

 A homemade shirt. Clearly.

Short Challenge

My shorts are complete (thanks once again to Sara at The Sewing Studio and her patient instruction). All I have to do is sew the bottom seam and neckline of my shirt, which will complete my outfit, take an artsy picture of myself and call challenge no. 28 a day.

 Shorts!

 Pocket!

Zipper!

Sew Close

I've started making the shirt that will go with my shorts for challenge no. 28 (learn to sew, design an outfit, make it, do a self portrait in it). This endeavor was much more simple and sane than the bottom half of the outfit, mostly because I could just cut out two pieces and sew them together. In fact, I'm nearly done.

Once again I enlisted the help of Sara from The Sewing Studio in NYC. I told her what I had in mind, and she helped me create/cut out my very own pattern and then get to work. I learned how to finish sleeves and measure a bust and create the neckline I wanted. This is definitely something I'm confident I could do again and again. A priceless skill to have. I just feel sorry for my future children who will be forced to wear the same shirt for the first 18 years of their lives.

Here is a little sneak peek:

Short Progress

With the help of Sara from The Sewing Studio NYC, I am very close to a pair of shorts (challenge no. 28). Shorts! I've almost made shorts! They have pockets and a place for each leg and a crotch and everything! Here is photographic proof of my sewing progress:

A work station at the Sewing Studio.

Me, doing very important/difficult sewing-relating things.

Two panels that will eventually have the honor of covering my butt.

And...shorts! Almost. 

 Successful crotch.

A Little Help

Going from sewing curtains and throws (which require nothing more than sewing the ends so they're not ragged edges) to making a pair of tailored shorts somehow, in my tiny human brain, seemed a hundred percent possible. Then I realized that I am still a complete amateur and raised an angry fist in the air at my inability to instantly be awesome at something.

I am enlisting the help of The Sewing Studio in NYC (www.lovesewing.com) via a private lesson. Details to come, but I feel this is the best way to make my outfit vision a reality (challenge no. 28).

Style Inspiration

Structured shorts. A casual, draped top. Below are some of my inspiration photos for the outfit that I will be putting together as soon as I figure out exactly how (challenge no. 28). I already have my fabric:

Now it's just a matter of sewing it, and more importantly, sewing it correctly.

The Whole Nine Yards

As the first part of challenge no. 28 is learning to sew, my needle-and-thread escapades continue, this time with homemade floor-to-ceiling curtains for our new bedroom.

I ordered the fabric (nine yards of it) online for $11 a yard, which I got all giggly about because I saw the exact same fabric at Mood Fabrics in NYC for more than double that price.

Curtains are insanely simple to sew. The challenge with these was just keeping the hem consistent for fourteen feet. But I pulled it off with the help of some hem tape, an iron, and my trusty Brother sewing machine.

The pictures don't do them justice. They are dramatic and soften the room, giving it an elegant, hotel-like feel. I'm pretty much in love with them.

Thank you to Austin, who channeled his inner rock climbing handyman to install these 14-foot decorative beasts.

Fashion Sketches

I never sketched out my idea for my DIY outfit (challenge no. 28), primarily because I can't draw. But I do have the vision in my head and my fabrics have been purchased, which I'd argue is half the battle.

But speaking of fashion sketches, here are some beautiful ones I came across recently:

And just to prove that I have no sketching talent whatsoever, here are two of my own:

 

No one would ever buy this outfit.

 At least the hair is better in this one, but there is the problem of the chicken bone hand.

Pillow Covers

Before I launch into sewing my own outfit for challenge no. 28, I have to strengthen my overall sewing skills. I had some throw pillows that didn't really go with the black/white/gray scheme of our upstairs loft, so I decided to make new pillow covers with some great upholstery fabric I found at Mood. The tutorial I used (view it here) called for an envelope back, probably the easiest way to make a pillow cover since there's no need for a zipper or buttons.

Pillows BEFORE:

And AFTER:

I am personally a fan of mixing patterns (in this case geometric and floral) within the same color scheme. They turned out pretty well, and now I know how to make a pillow cover for the rest of my life. Loving these challenges.

And Sew it Begins

Last Friday evening my very generous Uncle Richard took me fabric shopping at Mood for my sewing challenge (learn to sew, design your own outfit, make it, and take a self portrait in it).

Mood Fabrics is always a bit overwhelming. Combine that with my tendency to be crippled by indecision and there was a chance I would walk out empty handed. But alas, I found two fabrics that inspired me:

The striped fabric, which has a nice tooth to it, is going to become a pair of tailored shorts. The minty teal fabric, which is light and airy, has a future as a beautifully draped top.

I can see the outfit very clearly in my mind, but making it a reality is going to take a few practice runs and probably a lot of yelling at the sewing machine.

Or maybe I'll just linger outside the Fashion Institute on 27th with some cookies and a wad of cash.

I Am a Sewing Machine

The first part of challenge no. 28 is to learn how to sew. My grandmother, the sewing guru that she is, was kind enough to give me one of her smaller machines, this Project Runway edition by Brother:

My first sewing project had to be a simple one. I found a tutorial (here) that seemed to be within my realm of capabilities. Then I skipped on over to Mood Fabrics and happened upon exactly what I was looking for. A classic wool fabric with an interesting chevron pattern.

But the first hurdle I had to get over was threading the machine. On a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 represents simple things like "breathing" and 10 represents difficult things like "juggling poisonous snakes while climbing Mt. Everest naked," threading my sewing machine was about a 9.5. It took me way longer than it should have, but I did it. I threaded the s**t out of that machine.

Then the sewing began. I sewed like a champ. I made a beautiful throw for my mom's birthday gift, and I couldn't have been prouder of myself. You would have thought I solved the country's debt problem.

My mom sent me these pictures of the throw after it arrived. Please note that the very first thing she did was give it to the dogs.

 Pooh modeling the throw.

Look at those edges! I did that!