Dressing Downton, Sewing Downton

It's no surprise to anyone who knows me that I fell head over heels in love with Downton Abbey. I watched it for the clothes at first, then got sucked in by the drama less than two second later. To celebrate my obsession with this show, I have decided to sew up some Edwardian pieces (also, garments that can be styled as such) I am so excited!


To prepare for all this sewing, I downloaded several patterns from Sense and Sensibility Patterns. I spent the better part of the weekend printing everything out and taping the first pattern I'm going to work on. I decided to work on the 1910s Tea Gown Pattern first. I am going to do it in black fabrics: black lace, black italian satin, black chiffon etc. Kind of fitting since Downtown Abbey started with a tragedy and a memorial (I also have mostly black fabric in my large stash that I have to get rid of before I justify buying any more fabric *cough*)

And of course, I have been collecting pots of inspiration from different places. The possibilities for embellishment and construction are endless. Here's hoping I come up with something fairly cohesive that is also fairly historically accurate.

NOTE: I was on a right-click-save binge, so all the images (except the one from Sense and Sensibility Patterns) are of semi-unknown origin. If you want credit for these pictures or want me to take them down, let me know, 'kay?

I have no idea where this came from...

...but I suddenly developed a MAD MAD MAD obsession with Nautical Dresses. Looks like I'm gonna be paying a visit to my favorite seamstress this weekend with navy fabric and red and white trim.


I seem to have some kind of sewing curse on me as of late. Anytime I try to sew or embroider for myself, something ALWAYS comes up. If I try to draw or paint or even read (YAYHUNGERGAMES) I am for the most part, undisturbed. Fortunately, I have the same good luck when I'm sewing something for a client or a friend. It's (whatever it is) just not in favor of me making my own clothes right now. The white surplice dress I blogged about a billion years ago is still very much unfinished (the front and back are done, but the side seams are not sewn together and a zipper has not been installed) and I fear it's going to stay that way until Christmas. (Please no.)


As always, I shall prevail. Somewhat.

HOTTIE!

I apologize for being kinda incoherent. Too much chocolate and sailor-y/nautical goodness, I guess. :)


PS All of these pictures are from my hard drive. I have no idea where I got these from anymore (I was on a right-click-save spreee) If any of these pictures are yours email me at lyra_kristine *at* yahoo *dot* com or comment on this blog so I can take it down or give you credit. Thanks!

Outfit of the Day: The Red Cross Shirtdress

This is what I wore today. The dress is patterned after the "Grey Lady" American Red Cross Uniform of World War 2 in Japanese cotton fabric from Cotton Depot, Glorietta 5. The print is a bunch fans and flowers on a pretty jade background. The wedges are from Salsatrends, a local brand (I believe) and my black leather kiss-lock purse is from Alfa Delon.


I am slowly taking jeans out of my life (except when it's absolutely necessary, like when I have to go to certain dirty areas where wearing a skirt is simply NOT an option) I've always wanted a shirt-dress, but none of the shirt-dresses I've seen in the malls or online really appealed to me. Nothing looked right, there was always a catch. It was either too baggy, too drab, too bright, too thin, too short, too shiny, too scratchy... etc. I didn't want a drab, baggy boyfriend shirt dress, I'm a big girl (circumference-wise anyway. I'm kinda short, height-wise) and a drab, baggy boyfriend shirt dress is not going to do me any favors. So I looked to the past (as I always do) and I came across these pictures from the blog Unsung Sewing Patterns:

Photo from http://www.unsungsewingpatterns.net/

Photo from http://www.unsungsewingpatterns.net/

I was sold. A buttoned belt! Pockets! A flattering Princess style line! Tiny epaulets! Fantastic. My seamstress was also pleased because it was an easy dress to make (as opposed to the more complicated dresses I have her sew for my clients when I'm too busy with other things or too swamped with other projects to sew it myself) I love my seamstress. She does such excellent work. 

Pictures taken using my Blackberry camera phone. It was already late afternoon and the light was just mehhh. Better pictures coming soon!

Still working...

Taken with my Blackberry. Ahh, I love the contrast of technology and old-fashioned crochet.

Work on my grandmother's unfinished Marguerite bedspread continues. I had taken a break from it when Connor was born and worked on it a little bit at a time when he started walking. I recently rediscovered it and now find joy in following it's puzzle-like written directions. In my mind, it's like a crossword puzzle, or sudoku, only I have a small hook and very thin cotton yarn. It's complicated for sure, but very fun and satisfying.


I am nowhere near finished though. This bedspread may take a lifetime for me to do, but I'm not worried. I just hope that the person I will hand this down to (my son, a future daughter or a grandchild) will love it and look after it long after I'm gone. 

Waaah. Why is she doing this to meeee?

Look how gorgeous that top is!
And I have the just the yarn for it too.

Gah. I am completely enthralled.

I just purchased the pattern for the Orchid Crocheted top over at Lily Go's blog. Ack. Another project lined up for me, but I don't care. It's gorgeous and completely doable in a short period of time since I crochet faster than I knit. Now to get the buttons! :D :D :D SQUEEHEE.

Ooh, the Sage Cardigan is also very pretty...

Casting on (again): Stitch Diva's Sahara

I have decided to frog my second attempt at Sahara and have a third attempt at it. While the pattern is easy to knit, I keep forgetting to take certain (very important) things in to consideration. Liiiiike, I was too excited to swatch when I started knitting it the first time and it ended up looking like it would fit three of me. The yarn I used is also not the recommended yarn in the pattern, I used four strands of number 10 bedspread weight cotton. Two strands in a variegated violet and two strands of white. It looked gorgeous, but like I said, it would have been too big even though I've never been (or felt) bigger in my life.

For the second attempt, I forgot to take into consideration that, oh yeah, this top is rather form fitting and what's my condition again? Heavily pregnant. Arrrgh. So with a bit of calculating and remeasuring, I tweaked the Sahara pattern to accommodate my huge pregnant belly.

So we will see how this goes...

What I've been up to...

I had to quit my job a few months after I found out I was pregnant. My doctor told me that I have a heart-shaped uterus (also called bicornial... or something like that) and because of that little difference I am apparently more prone to miscarriage or early delivery. My job required me to stand up for long lengths of time and sometimes I would have eleven hour shifts. I would start spotting and cramping after the end of every work day. It was definitely scary during those few weeks of all that. My parents urged me to leave work and take it easy, so I am taking it easy and enjoying things I know I wouldn't be able to do or enjoy for a while after this baby is born. It sounds completely scary, but I am absolutely excited about having this little one.

Tea and crochet. (The infamous Marguerite pattern.)

The most basic baby jacket and hat ever. Done with two strands of number 10 crochet thread and US size 2 knitting needles. I mixed a variegated yellow with white and the color turned out to be a cute baby duck yellow. Thanks for sending the yellow thread from the Philippines, Mom!

Another variation of the super-duper-no-brainer basic baby jacket pattern, only I used acrylic baby yarn and US size 6 knitting needles (I think). I was also playing with some watercolors that day (if you notice my Sakura Koi paints on the upper right hand side of the picture), but that's another entry.

I'm currently working on Opptuna by Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton in her Noro Collection Book 2. I'm using Caron in Autumn Red and US Size 7 knitting needles. The pattern is also very very easy. I can't believe I had second thoughts about tackling this project.

I'm now five months along and I'm more than halfway done! The baby is very active, and from what we saw in the sonogram two days ago, very healthy. He gives me spin kicks a couple of times a day and absolutely wriggles in delight when I demolish Banana Cream Pie Blizzards. Hoh yeah. What more could I ask for?

Current Work In Progress: The Champagne-Colored Doily

I found this beautiful Champagne-colored thread while browsing at my favorite craft store. It's the color of old parchment (or natural linen) with a gorgeous sheen. I fell in love with it the first time I saw it. I got the pattern from (again) Madonna Crochet Magazine Number 6. The pattern was fairly easy and I whipped through it like nobody's business.

It's obvious where I like to work, no? Now you can see what my sheets look like.

I'm going to work on another doily, or maybe a larger centerpiece after I'm done with this. This could be for the doily swap, or I might decide to keep it, who knows? The larger doily is definitely for the swap. The lady I'm making the doily for likes purple and I found the perfect shade of purple in my stash. It's the closest thing I can get to Cadbury purple, only the thread is a little richer in tone.

In other news, it's so HOT! I'm planning to frog the Klaralund sweater I did back in Evansville. It's too large for me (wow, who would have ever thought that was a possibility?) and I spent too much money on the Kureyon for it to be shoved in a closet, never to be used.

So much to do, but I'm definitely not complaining!

Hot Pink Halter: DONE!

After a week of non-stop work, it's finally done! It was better than I thought it would turn out. I'm so happy. Special thanks to my sister Nuniko for modeling it. (It's really for her anyway... heehee!)

Materials:
Four Balls of Monaco Crochet Thread in Shade B34,
Size 7 steel hook (Imia)
Yarn needle to weave in ends.

Pattern derived from lace pattern found in Madonna Crochet Magazine Number 6.