Ms. Mad Men Extraordinaire + New Look Patterns

Howdy everybody!...Its kind of a melancholy evening for me; my mind is on things that aren't that happy but yet the memories are very much alive...You may or may not know that I consider myself an orphan now (parents deceased)....I also know my sewing know-how has a lot to do with my Mom....after all, it's her modest sewing machine that I create with...she and my father have been heavy on my mind today....Lucky for me my mind had the ability to think of one million and one things simultaneously which means that my mind was on sewing just as heavy as well as my new favorite show ~~~~> MAD MEN....that show has really rubbed off on me...
I decided to watch an episode of it the other day because one of my sewing friends told me a while back that she was surprised I didn't watch it because of the ladies' fashion that the show features...Now while I don't usually watch shows for the characters' style of dress, I must admit that I now tune in to MAD MEN because of their impeccable style...Both women and men...Now while style is the main reason I am now a super fan, it is definitely not the only reason...the show is just beyond cool; you have to watch it to understand...I didn't realize that I was already a MAD MEN kinda gal when I started buying patterns or when I started to watch the show...I didn't know anything about it....You can bet I do now! (smiles and hauteness in 50's and 60's style forever)
Maybe all my dresses I have whipped up with the exception of one or two give you a "back in the day" woman type feel and it was purposely done...Sex appeal without all the raunch is my fortay and sewing makes it bunches easier to convey just that....Now that I'm aware of my official MAD MEN dress craze I had to whip up a dress for the epiphany.....
I sewed up New Look Pattern #0167 View A.....I added a tie belt from another New Look Pattern in my stash to finish off the dress.....Now I will share the photos because I need to make some dinner...be back when I can and if you have time tell me whatcha' think of my new diggs....;)
~~MsKRS~~

Polka Dots + New Look Patterns

Howdy folks!...I have been kinda busy lately and I've had hardly any time to sew up stuff....my life seems so empty when I don't sew; one of thee main reasons I always have to at least see someone else's projects or I get serious withdrawals....but wearing the clothes I wear ALWAYS perks me up....
I went with my huny today to a couple of places (he wants a new car) and I wore my pretty polka dot dress on my outing....I got a ton of compliments on it (I already know its very cute; yes I'm tooting my own horn a little)...I love, love, love to say "why thank you, I made it myself!"....Most of the time when I get dressed I have created my entire outfit and that is some kinda coolness I tell you what! :)....Well I really didn't have much to say this go 'round, and I will share the piccies now.....TTYS
~~MsKRS~~

I made this simple tote bag a while back....Ms. Lisa Lam loved it so much she still features it on her website; U-Handbag under "Eye Candy"!....:)

New Look Patterns + Same view + Life

Howdy folks!...It seems that I haven't posted in a while and I do miss writing and letting out my feelings...Life has been going and going as usual and I haven't had much time for sewing...been baking though but that's another post....My babygirl got a new job; which effects my life although I am not the one with the new gig...she needs a ride to and from so guess who gets to be a taxi?...just one of those motherhood things I guess...Family and/or others have been needing attention; more or less literally begging for it because its been an ongoing "visit" for almost a week now...no overnights but there has been "everydays"....my patience for that is wearing very thin with that but it should be over soon...I'm a people person I guess just not every day....Enough venting and on to my new dress...
My sewing mojo had gone missing because there has been just so much junk to do that I couldn't get around to sewing...my half-finished dress has been longingly hanging on my dress form for a long time...it seemed to call to me every night but I have been running and running...all that made me very tired and I couldn't muster up the strength....today was different though...I finished New Look Pattern #0167 View E again and I love it...the fabric (IMO) has a very country feel and I knew I was going to make a dress from it...I opted to use a metal teeth zipper in Marigold instead of the invisible zipper this time...they are never really "invisible" anyway since the zipper foot I have isn't very helpful in applying them....(a good invisible zipper foot is next on my list of notions to get)....I just see this dress with the little short Cowboy boots and I don't even like them!..it just feels like they go with this dress...but with our temperatures in Cali, I know for a fact I wont be pairing them with this dress...its just too damned hot here to do that...so flats or wedges it will be when I debut it....
I also was able to apply my newly acquired skills I learned from a Tricia Waddell video on understitching...my armholes and neckline are much, much better because of it too....takes a few more minutes but its worth the time and effort....
I also got two kittens while I was "gone"; a brother and sister duo I named Si (an Orange boy named after the man from Duck Dynasty) and a purty girl I named Harley Quinn ( a Tortie girl named after Harley Quinn from Batman)...she is named Harley Quinn because of her face...she is sooooo beautiful....
Well I have complained, rambled, and probably shared too much once again but you know I always have a photo or two to share after I bug y'all...LOL...
TTYS
~~MsKRS~~

Si, the greedy Orange boy

Harley Quinn, the pretty little Tortie...

New Look Pattern #0167 View E...my new dress...I can wait to wear it.....:)

Smooth like "Butter"ick Patterns

Hiiii everyone!...Good afternoon/early evening!..I'm sitting here excited about my new dress although it gave me a time trying to put it together....I just completed another one of Butterick's See & Sew #B5871 View A...I've made this dress before but I didn't make it according to the directions...that's why I decided to sew it again to see if I could get it all the way right...well, I'll just say I have to make it again LOL...even though its not "right" its very nice...I love the fabric for this one (the first one I made was a seersucker-type, stretchy type fabric) and this one is a silky, slippery fabric...
The bodice was the part that gave me just too many issues and now I know exactly why I didn't follow the directions when I made it the first time...I didn't understand 'em!...this time around I learned what I was supposed to do and it made the finish much cleaner and eliminated the need to finish the arm and neck holes...I left out the elastic at the waistline with this one...I didn't want my fabric crinkled like that but I added quite a few extra pleats in the skirt....I almost wanted to gather it but the there are pleats on the bodice and the skirt so I kept it going....
The absolute best thing about this dress is the hem...I used my SUPER COOL hemming foot and the hem is immaculate!...I love that hemming foot so much...my sewing skills are advancing quite well because before I would have never even thought about changing the foot if I wasn't doing a zipper...I have bowl full of feet left to try...I have a good feeling my ruffler foot is going to knock my socks right off! (smile)....okay photos now then?...;)
~~MsKRS~~

New Look Patterns #0180 View C AGAIN

How's everybody doing this afternoon?...I'm beaming and excited because I have a new dress and it came out very, very nice; if I do say so myself...I found some very nice Chambray fabric on a couple trips back to Hancock's Fabrics...Of course I couldn't bring myself to cut it right away but something told me it was okay to cut it now...LOL...(I have a problem with cutting my fabric sometimes; weird I know but its true)...anywho I decided to make New Look Patterns #0180 View C again since I made some mistakes design features on the other one that I wanted to work on with this one...I'm glad I decided to make it again because it turned out beautifully....
For this one I cut the bodice a size smaller but left the skirt the same size as the last one...I binded the armholes on the last one but I added a cool vintage lace to the armholes and hem for this one....I also added the lace to the back around the zipper...the lace made the entire dress...its from the 1950's and it absolutely lovely....I also pleated the neckline differently on this one too...The Chambray has a slight stretch to it which makes it very comfy....I did a much better job on the zipper although I had to rip out one side; it just was too jacked up....I am now sold on lace and it will be in my shopping cart every single time I go to the fabric store...it just makes things so frilly and pretty!...I didn't interface the neckline facings either because I wanted to cut down on the bulk...the Chambray was thick enough....
This particular pattern has 5 looks and I've made two....I'm going to make a different look next go 'round...the look on the package is View E...I made make that one next....;)...Now for a looksee at my new dress!
XOXOXOXOX
~~MsKRS~~

My new Chambray dress

view from the side

Cool zipper and hook and eye installation....see the lace around the zipper?...pretty, pretty stuff...

Look at that hemline!....My skills are improving; greatly improving...

Neckline central...I love it.....

Ooh La La....I tried to show my super cool zipper and hook and eye installation but I dont know how to work my camera well enough....(shrugs shoulders)...but you get the idea right?...Yeah baby! (in my Austin Powers voice)...I love this dress...