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jueves, 24 de noviembre de 2011

Tres cosas hay en la vida ...

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Tres cosas hay en la vida: salud, dinero y amor
Y el que tenga las tres cosas, que le de gracias a Dios ...

Hay muchas cosas por las que tengo que estar agradecida. Tengo un trabajo que me gusta, tengo una salud de hierro y amor ... bueno, en ello estoy.

Pero hay otras cosas que necesito mencionar porque son importantes:

- Doy gracias por tener unos amigos EXCEPCIONALES. Amigos que me quieren, que me aconsejan, que me ayudan y que están ahí cuando se les necesita. Tengo muy buenos amigos, pero mi amiga EVA es la mejor. La que me ha salvado de volverme loca en esta mudanza, la que se ha arremangado para ayudarme, literalmente. Nunca podré agradecerle lo suficiente que se haya plantado en Rotterdam cuando más la necesitaba. GRACIAS.

- Doy gracias por tener los mejores padres del mundo. A pesar de la distancia que nos separa, los siento más cerca que nunca. Además, vienen a visitarme en 2 semanas ¡SIISIISI!

Eso era en la parte emocional. En lo material:

- Con la que está cayendo, doy gracias por tener un sueldo todos los meses.

- Doy gracias porque me puedo permitir el hobby que ocupa buena parte de este blog, la costura.


- Doy gracias por la comunidad costurera online, de la que aprendo a diario. Son una fuente de inspiración y de sabiduría colectiva. Doy gracias porque la costura entró en mi vida cuando más lo necesitaba.

- Doy gracias por haber encontrado mentes afines tanto online como en la vida real (¿habéis visto el blog de Sigrid?).

Hay otras cosillas, ¡pero son privadas, gente!

* No es estrictamente un gracias, pero si el rumor de que mañana habrá unas rebajas de patrones de Colette es cierto ... Por favor, que sea verdad, porfavorporfavor...


There's an old kitschy song in Spanish that goes: There are 3 things in life: health, money and love, and whoever has those 3 things should thank God.

Right on! I have a steady job I actually like, I'm never sick and love ... well, I'm working on it.

But there are things I'm really grateful for, let's see:

- Thanks for my EXCEPTIONAL friends. Friends who love me, who advise me, who help me and are there for me when I need them. I have many good friends, but my BFF Eva is the f*cking best! She has saved me from going crazy during this moving, she has turned up her sleeves and has been hands on during this difficult time in my life. I can't thank her enough for taking the first plane to Rotterdam when I cried for help. THANK YOU.

- Thanks for having the best parents ever. Yeah, we live in different countries, but I feel them closer than ever. Plus they're visiting soon, yay!

So I got all emotional here. Now for the material world:

- Thanks for having a steady income in these turbulent times.

- Thanks for being able to afford the hobby that occupy a good part of this blog, sewing.


- Thanks for the online sewing community, from which I learn daily. They're a constant source of inspiration and shared knowledge. Sewing came into my life when I needed it the most, so I'm very thankful for that.

- Thanks for having found plenty of sewing buddies, online and in real life (have you checked out Sigrid's blog?).

There's much more to be grateful about, but that's private, people!

lunes, 20 de junio de 2011

Planes - (Bah!) - Plans

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Se aprende una barbaridad leyendo los blogs, demasiado diría yo. Dan ideas peligrosas y abren la caja de las opciones infinitas - ¿Rooibos en tela denim? ¡cómo no se me había ocurrido antes! ¿o quizás otro ¿Macaron?

Pero otras veces son realmente buenas ideas, útiles, tipo ¿cómo no se me había ocurrido antes? Una de ellas es el Proyecto de productividad de Tilly and the Buttons ¿cuánto tiempo dedicas a la costura? ¿se podría hacer de maneras más eficiente? Sobre todo el post de Casey, donde explica que hace una hoja de Excel con los proyectos pendientes me ha gustado mucho, hasta el punto que la he copieteado sin vergüenza alguna. Foto del planning que yo tenía el viernes (haz click para ampliar):


En definitiva, poner orden en el caos, porque hay tantos patrones y telas, que cuando repaso las listas de mi libreta me sorprendo de yo misma (¡ostras, no me acordaba que quería hacer este vestido!). Ambicioso y poco realista, fiel reflejo de su autora:


La otra idea lógica en la que nunca habría caído es de Molly, que dice que su parte menos favorita de coser es cortar la tela y lo hace en tandas. A mi cortar no me molesta, pero trazar los patrones sí requiere su momento específico (de día, con buena luz) y me gusta hacerlo las mañanas del fin de semana. Así que el sábado pasado me he puesto en plan producción industrial manos a la obra y he trazado varias cositas.

Entonces ¿en qué he trabajado este fin de semana? Por supuesto, en lo que menos prioridad tenía cuando hice la lista, en el pantalón azul marino (casi listo excepto cremallera), la falda de Rachel Comey (cortada y piezas remalladas) y en el blazer rosa inspirado de Zara (patrones trazados). Ah, sí, y un par de vestidos de niña que ni siquiera aparecen en la lista ….

Los planes están para saltárselos – a la torera.

*PS. todo esto suena a que no tengo una vida coso mucho, pero es que estos días ha llovido mucho y no he pisado la calle prácticamente. También me he zampado la temporada 2 de Mad men (Don Draper con una crisis existencial, oh, cómo caen los mitos).


You learn tons of stuff reading the blogs, sometimes they’re too much of a good thing, I’d say. They open the box of the infinite possibilities. Rooibos in denim? Fab idea and I have just the right fabric! Or maybe a Macaron again? Options, endless options.

But sometimes they do provide with really helpful ideas, like the Sewing productivity project at Tilly and the Buttons. No, I’m not logging all the hours I dedicate to sewing, but the guest post from Casey got me thinking – an Excel sheet to keep track of everything that goes on my mind? Yes, please! So, here it is, shamelessly copied, as per last Friday (click to expand):


I’d try anything to put order in the chaos that is my (sewing) life. There are just too many patterns and fabrics and I can’t tackle them all at once. When I go through my lists I rediscover stuff long forgotten (oh wait, now I remember that dress!). Ambitious and unrealistic rolled into one:


Another logic idea that wouldn’t have crossed my mind is from Molly, whose least favorite task is cut fabric, so she does it in batches until running out of pins. Like, d’uh! Cutting is not even my problem, but tracing patterns is. I like to do it with natural sunlight, so it’s only possible on weekend mornings. Last Saturday I worked like an industrial plant I should and I’ve traced several things.

Well? Oh, but of course I’ve been working on what on Friday seemed like the least of priorities, the navy blue slacks (ready except the zipper), the Rachel Comey skirt (cut and pieces serged) and the Zara inspired hot pink blazer (patterns traced). Also, some girl dresses for a friend that are not even in the list!

Sewing plans, like traffic laws, are vague guidelines - not strict rules.

PS. It may seem like I dont have a life I dedicate a lot of time to sewing, but it's not really like that. It's been raining non stop for a week and I don't feel like going outside. Also, I've managed to watch the whole 2nd season of Mad men - who would've thought that the Draper would suffer an existecial crisis!

jueves, 16 de junio de 2011

Dudas y preguntas - Fitting woes and questions

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Un post rápido, con cosas que tengo en mente.

Sobre el vestido Madrás, como comentaba María, 03-2011-108 es un patrón tipo talla pequeña (17-21), pensada para personas bajitas (160cms.). Yo mido 165cms y la talla 18 (equivalente a la 36, mi habitual en Burda) me queda que ni plantada. No he tenido que modificarlo para nada, está hecho tal cual.

Hablando de ajustes y patrones, hace poco ha llegado a mi atención un cierto problemilla que en los 30 y pico años de mi vida no había notado. Hace poco me compré este vestido de segunda mano. Esta es la foto “antes”:


¿Por qué la cintura está a unos cuantos centímetros por debajo de mi cintura? ¿Y tengo que ponerme una camiseta de interior si no quiero enseñar lo que no tengo? Veamos si hago esto:


¡Mucho mejor! No es que el diseño sea escotado o bajo de cintura, ¡es que yo soy corta! (en muchos sentidos, pero quiero decir que me faltan centímetros para ajustarme a lo que esta marca de ropa holandesa considera normal en una talla 36).

Entonces, este pequeño detalle, ahora que lo pienso, también me está pasando al coser, lo que pasa que no es tan exagerado (un par de centímetros en vez de 5). No me molesta demasiado, pero no es lo máximo. Y mi pregunta es ¿cómo lo soluciono? Simplemente metiéndole en el hombro, o modifico un poco acortándolo así:


¿Sólo delante o la parte de atrás también? Yo tengo que experimentar con esto, porque no quiero que la modificación afecte a la manga, se quede desbocada o haga arruga, etc, etc.

Aparte de eso, tengo una duda tonta. Tengo una tela de denim de peso ligero, ideal para un vestido (¡cómo no!). Pero al prelavarla (sí, ahora prelavo, porque me han pasado un par de cosas que en fin) me he dado cuenta que destiñe cosa mala. Mi pregunta es: si el vaquero destiñe, ¿esto ya es para toda la vida o a los cuántos lavados deja de soltar color? Lo pregunto porque quiero hacer el Rooibos de Colette y la tela de contraste es roja. Y quiero que se mantenga roja y no morada, no sé si me explico. Si no deja de desteñir, me busco otro patrón y listo, tampoco me voy a complicar.


A quick post with things I have in mind.

About the Madras dress, as María commented, 03-2011-108 is a petite sized pattern (17-21), designed for women about 160cm tall. I’m 165cm. and size 18 (equivalent to 36, my usual in Burda), and the sizing was just perfect. I didn’t had to change anything, it's done as it is.

Speaking of adjustments and patterns, recently it has come to my attention a little problem that in the 30+ years of my life I had not noticed. I recently bought a lovely 2nd hand dress. This is the picture "before":


Why is the dress waist a few centimeters below my own waist? And why do I have to wear a cami inside if I don’t want to show what I don’t have? Let's see if I do this:


Much better! It is not that the design is low-cut or low waisted, is that I'm short! Well, not that short, I mean that I lack some centimeters according to what this Dutch brand considers normal in a 36 size (and this is why I stick to Zara and Mango when buying RTW!).

Now that I’m thinking about it, this little problem also happens when I sew, but it’s just not so exaggerated (about 2 centimeters instead of 5). It doesn’t bother me too much, but it is not ideal either. My question is how do I fix it? Simply by taking in at the shoulder, or shortening the pattern a bit, where the red line is:


Just in the front piece or the back too? I have to experiment with this, because I don’t want the modification to affect the sleeves, neckline or whatever.

Other than that, I have a silly question. I have a denim fabric, lightweight, ideal for a dress (but of course!). I’ve prewashed it (yes, I prewash now, because I have had a couple of incidents lately that ...) I've noticed that that evil thing bleeds like nobody’s business. My question is: if the fabric bleeds, is it like forever or does it stop at X washes? Tips, anyone? I ask because I want to make Colette’s Rooibos with contrast fabric in red. And I want it to stay red and not purple, if you know what I mean. Maybe I’ll choose another pattern, I'm easy like that.

jueves, 7 de abril de 2011

MMM11 - Conclusions (English)

**The Spanish post will appear in a second**

Why wait until next January if you can start a new life in April? There is some stuff going on on a personal level that I won’t discuss here, but let's say my house is for sale and I am about to enter a new phase in my thirties*.

But let’s get to the point, the conclusions of MMM11. You may have noticed by the tone of recent posts that I finished it a bit stressed. It may seem that I didn't like to participate and really isn’t so. First things first, the positive stuff:

- I sew according to my (questionable) taste and I definitively go my own way here. My handmade wardrobe is impractical, eccentric and totally inappropriate to my daily life. But! Utilitarian sewing bores me to death and it’s not my cup of tea. Conclusion: I should adapt my life to my clothes and not otherwise.

- This year I've gone from sewing, hmm, stuff which I prefer not to remember to make more than decent garments, technically speaking, even aesthetically interesting (category "dresses that start a conversation" – I mean this literally because that has happened to me a few times this month). Conclusion: next year I hope I to have learned many more techniques, I'll have mastered the serger and who knows if I'll have a four stars Burda blazer. Although I'd settle if I manage to finish certain unmentionable garments.

- Limitation requires the use of the imagination. The number of garments has been exactly 14 and it’s been a challenge to dress myself in the mornings, trying to give a new twist to this dress or that one. Belts, tights, shoes, I could have not done it without accessories.

Now the not so pleasant ones:

- This has nothing to do with fashion but it’s more of a psychological issue - the limitation mentioned above gives me the creeps. I’m used to have a really full closet (or two) at my disposal, and having to spend a month with only 14 items was almost, almost a trauma. I actually follow Cargo Cult Craft and The wardrobe reimaged, lovely ladies that have imposed themselves a year of rationing clothes, like women did in Britain during the Second World War. Not only do I deeply admire these women, but now I know it'd be absolutely impossible for me to voluntarily impose such austerity on myself. BUT! I don’t want to go all 2012 paranoid here, but what if tomorrow we find ourselves in this situation? I’m telling you, these things keep me awake at night. Conclusion: The last days were really challenging, being forced to wear certain predetermined clothes and not what I had wished to wear. Let’s think positively for a second, I am terribly privileged and I won’t say never again say "I have nothing to wear " (ok, maybe never is a very strong word, but not that often).

- Truth to be told, the previous point is not exactly true. Hand washing it's even worse! I don’t dare to put my clothes in the washing machine. I’ll die if I ruin in one hour what took days to make, no way! On the other hand, having to wash by hand daily it’s very annoying and bordering on “why did I ever agree on doing this”, which is totally besides the point, but has an impact on my mood, not a positive one.

Probably there are more conclusions somewhere in my grey mass, but right now I am not focused at all. This blog will suffer a bit the coming period, I may not write as often as I’d like to. By the way, there is a dress that I finished about two weeks ago and it’s still hung up waiting its turn (talk about adapting my life to my clothes).

Also, where’s my mojo?

*This is self explanatory, I think.


martes, 23 de noviembre de 2010

Very Cherry

Vestido Superspy de Heartbreakers

Ese vestido Superspy tiene mi nombre escrito ....

Very Cherry es una de mis tiendas favoritas en Rotterdam. Está especializada en ropa de estilo retro (años 50's sobre todo) y ocasionalmente tienen ropa de segunda mano.

Para mí fue en su momento un descubrimiento encontrar con marcas como Stop Staring! y Heartbreakers que diseñan ropa que parecen sacadas de una película de Marilyn Monroe o Betty Grable. En esta tienda compré uno de mis vestidos favoritos, de cuerpo ajustado, escote generoso y falda de vuelo - ¡con estampado de cerezas! Cuando me lo pongo me siento instantáneamente femenina y espectacular, dispuesta a ponerme el mundo por bandera. 

Mi relación con la ropa retro es en estos momentos estrictamente platónica. La "ponibilidad" de estas prendas es escasas, al menos yo no tengo la ocasión de vestirme con frecuencia como si fuera Bettie Page, ni siquiera como Joan Holloway.

Ahora mismo estoy en una época de cambios, he estado perdida y me estoy encontrando de nuevo (dicho esto en términos de estilo). Si bien no voy a convertirme de la noche a la mañana en una pin-up, sí que puedo intentar femenizar mi vestuario.

Estoy harta de los pantalones negros.

miércoles, 11 de agosto de 2010

Midday musings - Autumn sewing

It never fails: as soon as you have placed an order with Sewing Patterns, there is a super sale the next day at Club BMV!
Nevertheless, 2 large orders of patterns are coming my way, finally getting all those wish list items I've waited so long. The SP order has already arrived, full with possibilities and let's be honest so last season. So, I am ever going to sew the V1159 or the V1161? Summer weather in NL is as good as non existing and those 2 weeks of holidays in sunny places are just not enough! Next summer maybe? But then there will be new trends and Burdas and ... The vintages are lovely and you can never have enough dress patterns even if sewing what I already have will take me years.
My fingers are tickling in anticipation at the idea of autumn sewing and the challenges it brings: thick materials, linings in bright colours, trousers and my new goal: jackets. I know of the risks of self-imposed deadlines, but a jacket should happen between September and Christmas. I mean a proper jacket, with lining, welt pockets and buttons! Oh dear machine, why do you refuse to make buttonholes, am I condemned to learn to make bound holes?
So all this matters are wandering in my head instead of doing something useful with my time. Sigh.
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