I am on a roll with my knit dress knockoffs. First there was the “mustard active dress,” and now I give you the “turquoise fleece active dress”:
This one is a loose interpretation of this dress (in boring gray, for $90):
As you can see, the pockets and front seams are similar, but instead of figuring out how to draft a hood I just added a cowl neck like before. My starting pattern was the same one I used for the “orange sack dress” in September, and I used an organic sweatshirt fleece that is warm and soft and pretty much feels like pajamas.
The active dress: For when you can’t wear yoga pants.
Tuesday Project Roundup
Tuesday Project Roundup: Warm, Yet Dull
I have three knitting projects in different stages of completion, so because I don’t have any sewing finished this week, let’s talk about the most complete one:
I started this last winter to use up leftover yarn. (God only knows how I ended up with so many earth tones.) It’s coming along slowly; I’m sure I’d like working on it more if it were made of, say, leftover orange yarn. But it will be warm. I’m planning on using it as a layer for winter hiking–hopefully this winter, but if not, the next one.
Tuesday Project Roundup: Active Active Active
In my new incarnation as Active Girl, I’ve discovered that active wear companies sell more than the actual active wear–they also sell comfy knit dresses that you picture someone even more active than you pulling on after yoga, or wearing walking around a ski town and drinking beer after an active day. (I am a sucker for marketing, no matter what lifestyle it’s promoting.)
The issue? The dresses are all at least $80, and they are all in earth tones. So I decided to try copying this one:
I used the basic t-shirt pattern in my trusty Built By Wendy knits book, then added length and width by tracing a Lands End polo dress I wore all summer. Add a length of fabric to make a cowl and blammo: a pretty good copy of the dress, not in boring gray.
I may go back and add a kangaroo pocket to the front, since pockets are always useful and that would make it look more (wait for it)….active.
Tuesday Project Roundup: Last Week’s Projects
Here are pictures of the pants and the hat from last week. Both projects turned out a little big, but look–projects! And PANTS. That I can WEAR!
For the pants, I used a Lisette for Simplicity pattern and some cheap “bottomweight” from JoAnn. These could have been fitted better (I’ll probably cut a size smaller next time and maybe do some pattern adjustments to boot) but I wore them last week and didn’t hate them too much. Considering my pants record, that’s a success.
As for the hat, a cousin had a baby last week and what do October babies need most? Pumpkin hats.
Tuesday Project Roundup: Take My Word For It
I made a baby hat AND tackled the colored pants this week. I think I’m out of my rut! But you’re going to have to take my word for it, since I still need to update the photo library on my new machine and that will take more time than I have this morning.
But I made stuff this week. Really.
Tuesday Project Roundup: The Definition Of Insanity?
My old roommate used to say, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again, but always expecting different results.” By his definition I must be crazy, because I’m going to try to make pants again.
I’ve tried to make them a handful of times and they’ve never turned out how I want (when they turned out at all). But this fall, colored pants are everywhere; I’m a sucker for color; and it’s almost as difficult to find pants that fit/are affordable as it is to make them. So I’m going to try again. It will be different this time, right?
I’ll make a test pair as a muslin so I still have time to decide what color. Pink? Blue? Mustard? These pants are going to be so successful. I can just feel it.
(Images via my Pinterest; click through for credits.)
Tuesday Project Roundup: Hear Me Roar, Etc.
Look! I finally finished the leopard pencil skirt!
This is a direct copy of a now-sold out version I admired at J. Crew. J. Crew’s was unlined stretch cotton. J. Crew’s was $118. Mine is lined, with a kick pleat (versus a vent), and put me out about $18. J. Crew, who needs you?
Now that this is done, I’m thinking about a jacket of some sort in this black and white leopard. Because cat ladies love dressing like cats.
Tuesday Project Roundup: Progress Report
I think I’ve gotten over my rut–over the weekend I started a pencil skirt:
And last night I finished the second sleeve of the sweater:
Also, the Hamburglar coat took first in the state fair, as reported by my brother.The collar baffled the fair ladies in charge of display, as I thought it might–but a ribbon’s a ribbon, right?
Tuesday Project Roundup: No Boots Before Labor Day
Boots after Labor Day are just fine, though–because now it’s fall, right? I didn’t do much with the long weekend but I did finally finish that orange dress:
For something that’s pretty much a sack, it seemed to take a long time. On the other hand, there are a lot of nice details (topstitching, pockets) that made the sack a little fancier, albeit time-consuming. But overall, I’m happy with it.
Tuesday Project Roundup: Color Of The Week
Does it surprise anyone that both projects I’m working on right now are orange?
The orange sweater has 1.375 sleeves now:
And look, I’m finally sewing again–this is the front piece of a dress in orange sateen:
Can you make out the pocket detailing in all the orange? So far I’m happy with how this is turning out, if just for the color alone. Such is the power of orange!