RED LEO COMBO

It's that weekend, or rather, week of the year, again that seems to have more hours than the rest of the weeks and in the same time way too few, as you don't really get to sleep and everything all blends into one long day. A very long such, during which I have managed to manage more things and details than one could possible think of, one of them being putting this pencil skirt tie-top combo together between one and three am two nights in a row. It turned out really good; the past years I've spent more details on how the clothes I sew look on the inside too and I've gotten used to how to cut the pieces of fabric for myself I usually get it right once away without having to correct the seams (I don't use patterns, just cut straight from the fabric) afterwards.

We are producing the Pin-Up Finland event this year again, thus the long days and short nights this week; and if you head over to Lahti tomorrow (or, it might be today by now already) you can catch me wear this on stage when I also host the event at the Autot & Viihde happening! Lots of great looking cars, bands, custom goodies to shop and lots of aspiring pin ups. And me, running on Choca-cola (that's caffeinaited chocolate for ya) for the xx-day in a row. So come, it will be fun!

THE TURNED-AROUND DRESS

I made myself a new dress!

A sixties styled A-line dress from a mint green pepita-patterned fabric I bought last (or might even be the year before that) and had moved so far down on the want to-section of one of my to-do lists I had basically forgotten about it.

I have never sewn with, or properly learned to take advantage of patterns but make them up myself as I go along. Sewing for myself for almost twenty years I have learnt a lot along the way, and now plan more before cutting, thus mainly have to make the seams once (as in opposite to before, when I'd often make the piece a little bigger to be on the safe side, and then sew the seams smaller a couple of times over and over..). It's been a lot of trial and error during the years, and nowadays there's also the internet to consult when in doubt. So the clothing I make these days even look neat on the inside! Win.

I had a mint green decorative metal zipper that I had intended to put in the front of the dress, and was thinking to perhaps add a collar to it.

But then I changed my plans halfway trough, switched some darts and ended up making the back the front instead!

Also, I have to add, the mannequin was very much worth the investment, especially also when it come to (stage-)costume making. I still do the final try-ons and adjustments on myself, as the doll still lacks breast and behind even though the measurements are the same,  the clothes still looks a bit different on the body. So if you like to sew even a little bit I really recommend getting a mannequin to work with/on!

The zipper got to look pretty on the back of the dress instead.

And after some thinking back-and-forth I decided to go for the version with the collar.

Spot the black cat.

My shoes are the Daisy shoes by Frollein von Sofa. She really has so pretty shoes, and they are vegan and comfy as well, so do check them out!

As a bonus; every time I take outfit photos a few of them look like this; Dag absolutely has to pose in them himself. He is very proud of his outfit as well - it is a constant outfit nowadays; he does not only dress up as a red ninja, he IS one. I had to go and get a few pairs of red sweatpants to him as herefuses to wear anything else, and he has a few of these red Ninjago t-shirts... He also asks to get the scars painted on every day.

I have a bunch of other fabrics waiting to turn into dresses and tops and skirts. Sewing is fun! I just rarely have the tie to do so anhymore (nor wear the clothes) but I guess it's kind of just like a hobby...

SUSPENDER SKIRT BLISS

The best thing I've sewn myself this year (and well, also the only - stage costumes don't count -altough the wish list is long and fabric pile high!) was the black suspender skirt; the one I replicated from a skirt I previously had.

Blackl anbd comfy and stretchy, the only thing missing would be pockets but sometimes you know, you just have to go without (sigh).

It is very easy to wear with anything and goes with most shoes, easy to pull on and off when going to and from the studio and I've also had it with me on all my travels. If I could only ever pack one thing with me anywhere it would be this. Well, and a top too, obviously. Hehe.
So yey; skirt-yey!

THE BLACK SUSPENDER SKIRT

I finally had the time to sew myself a long-awaited (bought the fabric last autumn already...) new black suspender strap A-line skirt!
I made a copy of a skirt I already had purchased from ze interwebz two years back, but the quality turned out to be so bad it became pretty much unwearable after a few washes (floppy and noppy).
It was one of the easiest pieces of clothing I had so I'm relieved to now again have something quick to pull on before and after work, that can easily be styled into anything.