Georgia Tee Two Ways

 My brain can really only handle simple projects right now! 

Simple tops, simple pants... simple but satisfying.

Mabel, Take 2

After my first Colette Mabel skirt came together so quickly and fit so nicely (until my fabric crapped out on me with its lack of recovery: be wary of french terry!), I was jazzed to sew up another one post-haste. Luckily I still had ikat ponte (care of Girl Charlee) left over from my Anita pants and there was enough for a Mabel.  Really, enough for two Mabels... this pattern uses so little fabric. Scraps, practically! 

Having worn my Anita pants a couple times, I knew this ponte was likely to be a better fabric choice for Mabel because it doesn't get stretched out of shape easily like the french terry I used for my first Mabel. This one worked out better than my last since the fabric has such awesome recovery... nice and snug. Snug enough that I felt I had to ask Tim if he thought it was still appropriate for work.  But I love it!  Keeps all my bumps under wraps.

I was going for pensive model pose.  Kinda looks like I need to vomit, huh?

The only problem is that the kick pleat would not lie flat.  After hemming the skirt with my twin needle, the kickpleat stuck straight out and this ponte refused to be pressed.  Sigh.  So I pinned the kickpleat down, walked around in the skirt to make sure I could (no problems there with the stretch fabric), and then ultimately chopped the kickpleat off, sewing the back seam straight up.  Worked out fine in the end!:

Mah butt.  Sans kickpleat.

I love this version of the skirt.  Comfortable, slick, animal-print-esque without being animal print... good stuff!

By Hand London's Victoria Blazer in Balinese Ikat

I missed jumping on the initial By Hand London bandwagon, but my patterns have finally made it around the world to me and I am running to catch up and jump on! 

The Victoria Blazer sewalong was held in July while I was on the road with Martha, so I wasn't able to join in, but I was thinking about their cool and casual blazer constantly and admiring others' versions as they popped up on ye olde interwebs (this one and this one and this one and this one... I die.).  Since I couldn't get the blazer off of my mind, while in Ubud, Bali, Martha and I picked out these two pieces of gorgeous hand-woven Balinese ikat fabric specifically for the Victoria (as well as a shit ton of ikat for other purposes!).  A beautiful patterned ikat for the outside and a coordinating "solid" for the lining, lapel, collar and cuffs.  I say "solid" because the fabric is woven from at least 10 different colors, giving it a slightly stripey appearance and picking up all the colors of the pattern on the shell fabric.

I love my new blazer!  It's the perfect blend of slouchy and stylin'- I think it will look equally good with jeans or to work with a pencil skirt.  It's definitely got a little bit of an '80s vibe to it that I dig.  I also adore the permanently turned up sleeves.  The fabric works well for this pattern, I think- it's super light and airy, perfect for sweaty southeast Asia days.  I love how the pattern on the ikat jived with the Victoria: I centered the pattern down the center of the back, down each side front and down each arm.  Looks pretty badass if I do say so myself!:

My version came together really quickly- it was so easy!  I've never made anything even remotely blazer-esque and yet this process was totally smooth sailing (it helps that there are no closures and not any significant tailoring).   I can't wait to make more!

And finally: please excuse these photos... there are several things going on here that make them kooky: 

• It's 7 am, which turns out to be the only daylight hour that I am awake with someone to take my photo since the sun sets at 6 predictably every night on the equator.  Hence the sunglasses to cover my sleepy eyes.  But it kinda goes with the Miami Vice shape of the blazer, no?
• I just got my hair cut the day before, which explains the too-short bangs and weird waves, since my hair dresser insisted on styling it with the big curly waves favored by the wealthy Indonesians.  But anywho...

Ikat Meghan Blouse

After my success with Sis Boom's Meghan pattern a few weeks ago, I had to make another one.

This one is made from some hand-woven Balinese ikat that I bought in Ubud... rust colored with a pretty teal, green and grey print.  I think my pattern placement was much better on this version, although the print does have somewhat of a uterine effect on the stomach area.  Oops!

(Please excuse my shiny face and awkward hands.  I don't think a career as America's Next Top Model is in the cards for me, for obvious reasons.):

I made it one size smaller for a closer fit after wearing the green version out and finding it slightly blousey in spots.  I think the bust fits better, but it's a smidge tight in the hips... shocking, I know. I may have to add some vents or whatever you call them on the sides.  Maybe next time I combine the two sizes, smaller on top and larger on the bottom.

So Many Tiny Pocket Tanks

So many Tiny Pocket Tanks (all without pockets... I have a bias against unpractical pockets for some reason).  I love this pattern, though; it's quite cute and works so well with funky prints.

During their wild and crazy adventure here in Indonesia, the EPA girls took some time to pick out a piece of fabric each, to be made by moi into a Tiny Pocket Tank.  

Jenny chose this amazing navy and turquoise hand-made ikat in Ubud (I took the remainder of the cut and will probably make myself an identical shirt).  So beautiful.

 Ms. Guitar chose this funky batik and I convinced her that she should split the yardage (handmade batik usually comes in 2.25 meter lengths, the length of a traditional sarong, but not quite long enough for 2 tanks) and make one tank for her and one for her twin sister.  I cut the back of the tanks from a solid black cotton that I got at Pasar Mayestik here in Jakarta.

Eileen chose this cool, funky colored ikat.  Love it.  

(Faux) Ikat Tiny Pock Tank

I love, love, love the Tiny Pocket Tank that I made a few months ago.  I would wear it everyday if I could, so I decided to make another one.

I might love this one more.

The neckline is flattering and perfect for necklaces, it can be dressed up or dressed down, it stands alone or under a cardigan or blazer...  this one, too, is particularly awesome because the fabric (a faux [i.e. printed, not woven] ikat quilting cotton from Joann Fabric) has so many colors that it's very versatile... I can take it in lots of different directions- brighten it further with an orange cardigan and big turquoise jewelry, or tone it down with a taupe or olive green blazer.

Love it.