That Loud Lucy's Fabric

Review at PatternReview.com

This LOUD and BIG knit from Lucy's Fabrics was popular a few years ago. I hopped on bandwagon for 2 yards. Boy is it bright. Garish, even nightmarish, I thought. No offense to those who've worn it. Keep reading, the joke is on me.

So, it wasn't "me" because I don't do color like this. It languished in the "sell or donate" pile.

This week signs appeared on walls at work. Something about "wear bright colors" on Friday. hmmmmm.

So I sewed this from Simplicity 4020 view A -- the big pieces show off the huge print -- as a joke. I'd wear it to work on a sort-of costume day but otherwise no way would I get caught in this.

Well. I got so many compliments. Whoa, people said it looked good with my coloring, and I looked like I was going out on a fun summer night. Yeah it's February in Chicago -- that was the point of a bright color day.

I've invested heavily in RTW wardrobe of coordinated solid browns, black, gray, red, blue, etc always put together appropriately. Appropriately risk-averse. And no one compliments those clothes. They certainly don't look fun.

So today was a surprise as big as this print.

You know what, this is fun to wear! I like it! I want to wear it again tomorrow and hope I don't run into anyone from work. I want to wear it all weekend. Who knew. Lesson learned today -- step outta your comfort zone!

It also pays off to pay for good quality fabrics. Despite needing to rip out three seams due to constructing too fast and making mistakes, the fabric did not stretch out. It showed no signs of the seam ripping.

- Posted from my iPhone

Score! Simplicity Cynthia Rowley for $1. Leaves $ for Hardware Closures.

At Joann a few days ago, I picked up two Amazing Fit pants patterns at the $1 Simplicity sale. I'm interested to examine differences between the slim, average and curvy patterns.

But I didn't even know about the new Cynthia Rowley jacket, Simplicity 2443. When will be the next $1 sale? So today I hoped hope-hope-hope it's still on sale when I swung by Joann after work. It was. But where it wasn't was in the drawer. Argh. So I need to go to Target anyway for shampoo, and there just happens to be another Joann near Target. That Joann is also a very old run-down looking store, so I hope it's less popular than the brand spanking new store. Think there's a higher probability there will be envelopes behind the 2443 tab? And indeed there was. Yay.

I will likely do a different front closure. But don't want to lose the funkiness. Just something that looks less messy. Ideas? Maybe a front placket with snaps like this:

 It's OK. It works, in a manual way. But it doesn't work. It loses uniqueness.

Maybe use this Dritz Magnetic Closure, with petersham or grosgrain to attach it in the seam? Attached with the ribbon, the metal pieces would be a little floppy when unfastened. But still a cleaner look than the original floppy ties.

A swivel clip closure? For something very different?

And if you're looking for swivel clasps, check out all the swivel clasp styles at Pacific Trimming. Who knew there were so many?

There's many other unique metal closures. I may go this route. I love metals and hardware.

A-HA! Here's what I want to use. I have a bunch of these in copper. I just couldn't find a picture of it online. I see this is called a surcingle. Never woulda guessed.

But if I got these in gold, I have gold RiRi zippers and I would consider replacing whatever that horizontal detail is on the front jacket with nonfunctional RiRi zippers, with the zipper tape exposed and topstitched on outside of the jacket. Just to add to the hardware angle. Actually the zippers would be functional, but wouldn't lead to anywhere except a view of the top under the jacket. Or the gold zipper tape and teeth could be stitched on without the pulls, with no purpose other than having some zipper teeth detail. Hmmmmmm ... this project may be elevated to priority status.

Happy Sewing Holiday!

Review posts coming soon, when the pics come in. I had to take pics with my dad's camera because ours was stolen and we haven't replaced it yet. I'm actually not disappointed, because it took bad orange pictures in low light conditions. Any suggestions for a good low-light digital camera?

Sewn and gifted:
-- Hot Patterns Slinky Shrug, downloadable pattern -- My Review Post
-- Jalie 979 boy's/men's fleece pullover
-- Green Pepper Santiam Reversible Vest, men's
-- Simplicity 7229 Skirt

Because my mom, sister and I all are avid scrapbookers, I decorated the boxes with the vintage-style hanger above, which is a scrapbook accessory but I don't remember the manufacturer. Clipped to it were measuring tape scrapbook paper tags and button cards that coordinated with the gift colors. The boxes were also decorated with pretty scrapbook papers, and I used plain cardboard hatboxes and photograph storage boxes that my mom and sister can re-cover. And of course I used grosgrain ribbons to secure the gifts. Unfortunately I didn't get pics before everything was ripped open!

And this week is going to be a Happy Sewing Holiday, for real. I'm at the sewing machine instead of at the office all week. Yay!