macro monday

Recognize this macro photo? It’s scrap cotton lawn used as the inside waistband of blue flannel trousers made at the end of last winter.

Closet/wardrobe analysis has picked up a tad due to some temporarily cooler weather. Yeah!

Last week we had a cold front come through—thank you, Canada! Just in case we get more colder weather I spent the weekend airing out and laundering the coat closet.

Nice change of pace. 😉

Thus the need to get out the flannel trousers from last year, along with coordinating tops, although they were only needed for a couple of days.

And that’s how I discovered the navy flannels need some attention. Oh, goody. More ripping out.

Not a bad thing because I’ve discovered Louise Penny’s excellent series, and our library has a lot of them on disc. Nothing nicer than welding a seam ripper whilst listening to a good yarn. 😁

But I digress… Back to the flannels. I know I tried them on last year, but I didn’t actually wear them. Last week I did, and realised they need the waistband taken off and lowered, and I might also take in the side seams.

I deliberately cut the legs to be wide; however, stiff flannel might not be the best choice of fabric for a wide leg silhouette. Am still debating that one.

After all, one can always take in the seams. 🤣 😆 😁

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name that flower

If anybody knows what these things are, please let me know. It will ease my curiosity. 😉

Have only seen them in this one protected corner that doesn’t get full sun. There’s even a little furled bud down sort of in the bottom right corner.

It’s still cool enough to get a bit of baking done before the heat and humidity starts. Am chomping down the latest – Wacky Cake, or Chocolate Depression Cake. A cake with chocolate must be tried, don’cha think?

This recipe has quite a history, but here’s the version I used. (My modifications are in parentheses.)

Wacky Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift these ingredients into an 8 inch ungreased pan.

• 1.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup brown sugar (used less than 1/2 cup dark brown sugar)
• 3 tablespoons cocoa (used heaping tablespoons!)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Put each of these into a separate dent in the dry mix.

• 1 teaspoon vanilla (I never add vanilla to anything chocolate!)
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 5 tablespoons melted butter or marge

(there is not supposed to be a dot here, just a blank space… 😠)

• Add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup coffee to the pan and mix everything together in the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.

Ice or dust with powdered sugar or eat without icing!

Still slow sewing up these flannel trousers. One of the seams is going to have an interesting design detail… the side where a swatch got cut out. 🥰 Lol!

this ‘n that

Have been trying to finish up a batch huge pile of UFOs (unfinished objects) which includes things cut out but not sewn.

Have had some success, and was wear-testing the last one today. Not that the pile is gone, mind you.

Click a pic below so you can read the texts. And onward to the next one . . .

mirror, mirror on the wall…

before

… how I cheated and fooled you all.

No, this isn’t Snow White and I’m not the Wicked Queen.
It was dumb luck that this photo had some points in it’s favor.

I’ve been reflecting on what styles would be most flattering and comfortable for Autumn/Winter cooler weather and my current working-from-home life style, so I  decided to do an analysis. The before is the colour photo on the left.

The analyzed after (right) includes a bit of dodgy playing with trouser width.

analysis & wider trouser, with heads marked off on the sides

• Pinned naturally poofy hair up, and put curls on top of poof
• Wore darker shade on bottom without a stark contrast
• Had a 2/3 ratio between light top and darker bottom
• Longer, fuller trouser has vertical (natural) fold lines to visually lengthen legs
• Wore high heels with slight platform
• Pooled pants legs over instep
• Twisted upper body to show thinner side view
• Twist adds pleasing vertical folds that help balance the bolder contrasts of the top’s colours
• Arranged arms outward to add width to upper torso, and bring into better balance with lower torso
• Further emphasized face area by having camera & both hands at face level

Can you tell how much better I would have looked with a solid, fuller pair of trousers? Lots more of those vertical slimming lines, and they would have been longer.

If it had been a skin-tight pair of leggings I’d have looked like a popsicle. Definitely not the look I’m going for.

Now if I can just stop being tempted by all the wrong silhouettes . . .

😮

Other posts about fitting:

• Let’s Talk Fit
• Principles of Clothing Selection
• Partnering with Curves
• More About Proportion

Submitted for the WordPress Photo Challenge.

de-clutterings & gatherings

Finally! Three days of winter temps. Makes me feel like gathering those boxes up & going to recycling (see stuffed cart on left!).

My winter wardrobe consisted of a few dodgy baggy fleece items and LL Bean lined jeans. I had planned serious sewing once feet & sewing machine hit the ground.

What I didn’t know was my lovely & generous friend Karen was going to de-clutter her closet.

You know the drill: One day you tear into your closet and toss out everything that doesn’t fit, you don’t like, or you never wear.

Then you call a bestie with your colouring & approximate size and give her first choice.

And that, Dear & Lovely Readers, is how I suddenly acquired a Wonderful Winter Wardrobe of great designer labels, and some great Spring/Summer items, too.

Today I gathered a few of these treasures together to share ~ click any pic to see enlargements & captions.

There are also about half a dozen plain black trousers in various fabric weights.

Ain’t Ms. Karen the greatest?!

 

Submitted for the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge.

subtle reincarnations

subtle luv ~ ickle hang loop!

subtle luvin ~ skinny elastic waist & oh-so-easy, no-sew “hem”!

“a photo that feels understated, suggestive, subtle in its use of colour”     Ailsa’s travel theme

Maybe I’m straying a bit from Ailsa’s original challenge, which was all about colour. This is more about texture and detail, other  details that can make or break an item of clothing.

Last year’s subtle green flowered dress has held up well. And for me, the paler green is subtle!

As to texture – the rayon hasn’t pilled or stiffened, and is still buttery soft. Time to use that extra fabric for the shorts I’d thought about making last summer.

But, wait. There’s enough fabric for trousers. Why not? If they don’t get worn, I can always chop them off.

So I made the long version, and have been wearing them ever since.

Just as the subtle drape and texture of the fabric & style makes the dress so easy to wear, they continue with the trousers.

And there’s still a bit of the fabric left… a cami?

about the pattern
They’re a front and a back from a pair of old flannel pjs from L.L. Bean, bought years ago whilst living n a very windy, cold city. Last winter I realized I wasn’t wearing them because they were so worn. Bit how to reincarnate??

After much debate with self (why is it so hard to cut into RTW???), I carefully cut out a front piece & a back piece. And used them as the pattern for the darker green flannel pj bottoms sewn earlier this year. (Being worn as I edit.) And used again for these comfy summer pj bottoms. How’s that for reincarnation!