Forgive my radio silence! I just started a new day job and have yet to figure out how to organize my life, I hope to get it on track soon! In the mean time, I'll make it up to you with a few cool projects that I'm excited to show you!
This is another one of my Fall Looks that I am quite proud of and sad that I didn't make a version for myself! The pictures don't do this shirt justice (or to me really) as it was getting quite late when we took these and we were kind of in a rush. I edited them as much as possible (and when I say edited I mean changed the lighting and so on) but I still feel that they aren't as vibrant and heart warming as my pictures usually are (if I do say so myself).
I always put a lot of effort into taking project photos, I actually put on makeup and brush my hair. I've seen a lot of discussions about pictures vs reality when showing your projects off in your blog in blogosphere (catapulted by Anna), and thought I'd address the issue as well (while showing you terrible photos to unprove my point). I LOVE taking the effort to take pretty pictures of my sewing projects, I sometimes take pictures of the projects in bulk (because I do wear heavier makeup while taking pictures than in real life) and I do time it to the right time of day and so on. I feel that if I put so much effort into making a garment, I should make the effort to showcase it beautifully just the same!
The reason I wear more makeup at photo-shoots (ha! photo-shoots.) is because it is a well known fact that make up doesn't show up in pictures, so you have to exaggerate all the elements of you make up to make them noticeable. I know of a lot of people that wear fake eyelashes to take photos because mascara doesn't show up very well in photos, I don't go that far as I don't like to have glue around my eyes. (and when I say a lot of people, I mean one, and it's a blogger I don't even remember the name of who wrote this a few years ago.
About the outfits - Anna mentioned she doesn't wear heels in day to day life, eve though she does wear them in while taking photos. I have to admit a don't either. BUT I do wear heels quite often when I go out, so I do wear some of my garments that way. Also, I kind of think the point of having a blog is showing yourself in a certain way (in my case a makeup wearing heel strutting sewer) and to show the garments you made in the best way you can.
Anyway, my point is that even though I do alter my photos a bit (and again, it's usualy lighting and coloring) I do feel that I show my true self through these photos! even if they're not my everyday life, it's still me!
That being said, let's move on to the blouse!
The lighting was so terrible I thought that if I gave it a vintage tint it will help matters! This reminds me of a picture I saw of a girl holding a garment and saying "maybe if I dye it black no one will be able to see all my mistakes". Well that's exactly what I'm doing. I'm one step above dying the picture black.
I made this blouse using this really soft and thick quilting cotton. It's SO nice to wear.
I opted for the same silhouette as all my other blouses, I can sew this pattern with my eyes close, I tell ya. I sewed so much trying to meet up this deadline that I probably did. Ha! that would be funny - SLEEP SEWING. What an efficient illness! I could make muslins, baste, do all my hand sewing and all the stuff I hate doing and not even remember it!
Ok, I'm so ashamed of my pictures I'll just post a close up of the collar and call it a day.
What do you guys think? I love this chain idea, I think it's such an elegant embellishment! It was pretty easy to do:
1) before sewing the collar to the shirt I made two vertical buttonholes (that match up with my buttons), I wanted them to end up exactly at the point of the collar so that the chain will really hang and be noticeable.
2) I cut two pieces of chain, one much larger than the other.
3) I chose two corresponding buttons (I opted for gold buttons so that it'll look like one piece). Note that your buttons must have a shank otherwise you can't connect the chains to them.
4) I then connected the two chains with a ring (one of those jewelery making rings) and connected that same ring to the the shank (do this for both sides)
5) sew the whole shirt together, and finish it with inserting the buttons to the buttons holes!
you're done!
Was that easy to understand? I didn't think to take pictures while I made it, which was silly of me, I know, but if I ever do this again (is it just me or is it incredibly difficult to buy chain? just basic not cheap looking chain. One of my friends suggested I buy a cheap necklace at forever 21 or some other store and just use that chain. interesting.) I'll post pictures.
are any of you going to attempt this?? have you ever tried to embellish a garment with chains? (we all know I have)
See y'all soon!
I like it, though its not the kind of thing I would wear. I like the whole outfit- especially that hat!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the new job!
thanks so much!
Deletereally beautiful blouse - love the fabric - and would never think to create a collar like this. The jewelry added look terrific. I just love it.
ReplyDelete