Oh My, It's Oh-Nine...

...and so far the year has gotten off to a pleasant start. However, things are about to change dramatically as school kicks back into gear tomorrow morning. I spent most of the day cleaning the house and organizing things like my "junk" drawer(s) and scrubbing bathrooms. Perhaps this feels like that nesting thing before a baby arrives? (Incidentally, I have a lot of pregnant friends at the moment and at least once a month until summer there will be new wailing babies across the country. Maybe this is what made me think of nesting, because I'm sure not!) Read on for a long post!

Other things accomplished during break: aprons sewn as Christmas presents for the future in-laws. His and hers in a nautical print for the house on the river. Awww.

And then a whole slew of Christmas cookies for friends and family across the States. Included in the boxes was a PhotoShop-ed card mapping out the treats. (Can you tell I loooovve having free time on my hands?)

Then, following a week-long trip to Florida I amassed a full face of freckles that should keep me looking healthy amongst Evanston's cold, grey skies for about another week or so. I'll take whatever I can get.

M and I got back on New Year's Day (we flew down on Christmas day and back on NY's day, two holidays on which I just don't recommend flying, no matter how much cheaper it is). New Year's Day also happened to mark 7 months until the wedding. 7 months. Wow.

Once that sunk in I decided it was time to get cranking on things. My dutiful maid of honor searched far and wide for a dress she would actually be comfortable wearing, which is hugely important since I'm asking her to stand outside, in the sun (hopefully), in August, in humid, humid Virginia. She found one and the other gals hopped on board so that task is done. The color is teal but before you shriek "EW! 80s!" I contest it's a different shade and was pleased as punch to see it all over the pages of the lastest Martha Stewart Wedding magazine. Also featured in the "what's hot" section of dresses were tiered gowns, a la yours truly's.

Speaking of Martha, goddess of fanciful living and nuptials, she declared that at 7 months out I should also think about invitations and be prepared to order them in the next month or so. Well, think I did not but decide I did. Thanks to help from Mom, invitations were selected and ordered in what I wager is a record time of 45 minutes. I also have a woman on board to address all of them. Phew. I'll post a pic when they're in but overall they're quite simple with a subtle 1/2"-wide border and then a fine row of dots/"pearls" inside of that, framing the words. For two people who went to school where football game attire was "guys in ties and girls in pearls" M and I found these rather appropriate. Honestly, I really wanted to design and make the invitations myself but between school and the dress I just didn't think it was feasible. I would have made myself crazy, fo' sho'.

Big tangent: I'm starting to think about this concept of "delegating" that professors swear is what responsible leaders know how to do. I don't know if I'm delegating or just not as stubborn in the I've-got-a-theme-and-that-doesn't-work kind of way I thought I might be. Like the bride who picked out invitations before me, for instance. Apparently she had a beach theme going on and after two hours of searching, she just couldn't pick from the 20 seashell motifs available for invitations. A few thoughts. 1: This was in Ohio, where you are about as far from natural seashells and pretty beaches as possible. Thus, funky theme choice? 2: Sparkly seashells, in 2009, really? The invitations lady said she's seen worse - teddy bears. 3: No identifiable theme = less matchy-matchy = less stress. Or so I've decided.

Anyway, all of this means that it really is time to start making The Dress real. I do have one other project that needs to be ready for the Charity Auction Ball in early March so the next sewing-related posts should be about one of those two gowns. If not, somebody kindly remind me that I will be the most under-dressed person at my wedding because I will be without something to wear. I will also be without a clue for class tomorrow if I don't stop typing and start reading.

A Missed Opportunity?

I'm starting to wonder if instead of taking my job at a hospital system next year perhaps I should have turned it down to outfit grad students in need of party clothes? A bit of background: it's finals time around here, which also means people are eagerly counting down the days until the KSM ski trip. This trip consists of approximately 600 students skiing by day, socializing by night. Like everything at our school, students organized this shindig and two of the leaders happened to be in need of some attire for theme parties. Corporate board members have to show up in suits to be taken seriously so shouldn't the ski trip committee show up in perfectly rad 80's and/or rocker gear? But of course.

Behold the modified (previously large and baggy) t-shirt for a Guitar Hero Battle of the Bands:

(pardon the bad picture quality - cell phones are still not cameras!)

And now the winner of "it's so bad it's good" shirt for the storied 80s party. If there's one theme we love around here it's "80s" and people honestly have costume collections just for these occasions.

Yet one can never have enough tacky 80s gear. So the next challenge was to replicate this pink and black shirt from the 80s band Flock of Seagulls. It started with a regular black button-down shirt from the Gap. I then broke out the trace paper to draft the totally gnarly pink bib, as I call it.

Once I figured out the right size I stitched up a piece like a pillow sham then added some trim to give it typical 80s geometric flair. Next I stitched the bib on one side of the shirt; I left the other sides loose and used velcro to afix all the other corners and edges.

The other defining feature of this couture piece is the popped collar with pink underneath. (M would love this and many can attest that he is a devout collar-popper to this day. Bonus points if the shirt is pink. He's from the South, no further explanation needed.) I grabbed a pattern piece from another shirt and it was a close enough match, this being a costume and all. The fact that the pink extends just beyond the black actually works, I think. Gives it more edginess. That got stitched on and then some buttons were added at the top corners for the finishing touch.

Right now it's pretty fug, let's be honest. But once the proud owner of the shirt gets his hair done and tucks the shirt into some nice acid-washed jeans I think it'll complete the look. I expect pictures of these shirts and the stole in action...

Side Project: Sporty Bag

I started this bag on Thanksgiving morning while sitting in my pajamas watching the Macy's parade (and clearly regressing to my childhood years). My intention was to finish up in time to go shopping on Black Friday but I neither finished it that day nor went shopping so I guess it worked out.


The final product looks nothing like the pattern (view B). It's made from a waterproof nylon, like what you'd see on a raincoat, and the straps are a nylon mesh. The inside is lined with a bright tangerine stripe from Ikea of all places. Overall I think it is far more durable than necessary for the kind of bargain-shopping I do but it'll hold a ton of junk and should squish nicely when I try to cram it into our packed front closet.

Next up is something far more glamorous, or at least that's my hope for it. But first I have to get through some pesky final exams...

Baby It's Cold Outside

One quick look into my scenic "backyard" shows a winter wonderland in Bank of America's parking lot. Not quite Courier and Ives but it certainly looks like December 1st!

A brilliant friend at school sensed this was coming and had a project in mind. Her idea? A winter white stole to keep the shoulders warm. The problem? These things aren't a hot ticket item and thus are impossible to find in the malls. So she picked up some furry white fabric and white satin ribbon to match, cut the pieces out, and outsourced the manufacturing (like any shrewd b-school student would.) The result? A chic little wrap for a few parties on the horizon. I may have to make one of these gems again...