Thursday, May 31, 2012

Memorial Day


Russ and I had to work all through Memorial Day weekend except for on Monday. Luckily for us; Friday, Saturday and Sunday were all rainy and not ideal for being outside, so we didn't feel like we missed out on too much.

---

Monday, we skipped town and went down to Pocatello (wild and craziness right here) we had a little lunch, did a little climbing, almost stepped on a not so little snake



Just looking at these pictures gives me the heeby-jeebies. *shudder* Snakes are interesting creatures, they give me the creeps but they are also so cool, the way they move looks liquid. 

On the flip side of the animal spectrum, 


I've been slightly obsessed  interested in all things that cuddle. Luckily, Russell isn't too put out by enabling my pet store habit. Yea, I'm one of those people that lie about looking for a dog just so I can hold the puppies. Is that really so bad?





Monday, May 28, 2012

JCrew Hack: No. 2 Pencil Skirt

JCrew $138

This little floral skirt is one of my favorite summery things I've seen in a while. And since you can find a chambray and blue canvas sneakers ANYWHERE this look is super easy to re-create.

So, here's a quick tutorial on drafting a pencil skirt pattern
Or, find one you like on pinterest.

And here's some similar fabric:

Something to keep in mind when recreating a look that you like is that you may not always find a fabric that is exactly the same or even close really. So identify 2 or 3 main principles. 

1st: What strikes you most about the original item?
here: The floral pattern with the use of white and the boldness of the purple.

2nd: what is it made out of?
Here: cotton (with a hint of stretch), so you're going to want something also in cotton. Often if a high end piece of clothing is made out of something that is out of your price range (try finding decently priced Crepe De Chine, impossible) you can find a less expensive substitute.

3rd: Care.
here: This isn't an issue here, but there's a dress I have my eye on that is made of wool crepe. Now, I know that I will never dry clean that dress and chances are it'll accidentally get thrown into the dryer by a well-intentioned husband, so I'm looking for an alternative that I can just throw in the wash and not worry about.

---

happy sewing!

Friday, May 25, 2012

This week in sewing...

So I have been a little AWOL lately, sorry about that. 

Good news though! I got into the Portland internship expedition (a month past the deadline) and now get to show my design portfolio to a bunch of Portland artsy fartsy big shots.

One problem. I don't have a functioning design portfolio. 
Oh, and another problem, the expedition is on the 6th of next month. 
Yikes!! So I'm scrambling like ants do when you touch them. No I don't do that, what do you think I am? Crazy? psh.

So I'm scrambling and pleading and recruiting models to show off my creations and photographers to capture them and all that jazz.

Anyway, here's a little bit of what I've worked on this week:


I took this dress and an identical one in green from Old Navy, in a size XXL (which I definitely left the tag in, just to freak the dancers out) 

And narrowed the waist to a size 24, lengthened it with a ruffle and added sleeves (they aren't sewn on in this pic yet because I need the girl's over shoulder measurement.)


Next week, we have about 100 costumes in our queue for the costume parade in a week. Yep, the five of us are going to work our little fingers to the bones.

Monday, May 21, 2012

JCrew Hack: Big-Shot Dot Circle Skirt

JCrew $128

If you aren't familiar with a rectangular gathered skirt with a waistband, you can follow this tutorial (just use one layer of fabric and your measurmentx 1.5 because the JCrew skirt isn't nearly as full), or find it on Pinterest :)

You will also need a zipper and closures of your choice for this hack.

and this fabric for $8.98 a yard:


If you'll notice, the skirt doesn't have a stitching line along the bottom, this is because it has either a lining or a blind hem. To learn how to do a blind hem, check out this tutorial.

----

*Side note:*
Fabric.com is my go-to online fabric retailer, I've ordered from them numerous times and I know that I can trust their quality, but if you have a place that you can find this cheaper and know it will be good, go for it!


Friday, May 18, 2012

One of Many


It is so interesting to me that I am just one of many. One of many students, one of many cashiers, one of many seamstresses, you get the picture.

Yet, in my head all facets of the world point towards or are reflected from my perspective and consequentially leaves me with a self centered feeling. Yea, I'm saying my individual world revolves around me. Not in a conceded way, its just that there is no possible way to see or interact with the world as anyone other than oneself. 

Anyway, sometimes I creep on people from the windows of the costume shop as they walk by on campus. I try to figure out what is going on in their heads, what they are seeing, where they are going. It is almost overwhelming to think of how many different mind sets and thought processes are out there buzzing away. Processing, arranging and rearranging, deducing, healing, learning, growing. 

It makes the idea of ever being a teacher extremely overwhelming. How do you connect with so many individuals who are so different even though they are so similar? It also makes me fret a little about the creative process in sewing.

How do I know that someone else will appreciate what I am pouring hours of time into? How do I know that someone, somewhere is going to want to get married in the dress that is currently under my hands? 

---

People are amazing, and connecting (if only fleetingly) with another individual is sort of exciting to me. Sure there are millions of people who sew, climb, or do things that I do that I can relate to...but to actually run into someone and connect that single thread between their world and mine, share an appreciation for a simple beauty, or even a distaste, is just

...neat.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Stolen Time

I broke down and bought a little white board to write my weekly calendar on.

This way, I can find little blips of time that aren't accounted for and which I do not have to sleep or shower during.

This little development tipped me off to the fact that Russ and I both had a free night that we could spend out and about. 

So we BBQ'd! (So many lettersssss!) and slack lined with Kait and Tom



And I totally broke my slack lining record. 3 steps! 
woohoo, right? I was proud.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Another for the J. Crew hack

How cute would this be for summer?

JCrew $128

Fabric.com: $8.98 a yard

or

$15.98/yard

and if you're not familiar with making a gathered waistband skirt you can print out this pattern from Burda Style





Saturday, May 12, 2012

Burning the Midnight Oil...


Hi, my name is Cambra. I'm taking 15 credits, I work two jobs (42 hours this week), I'm sewing a wedding dress, taking on side projects, fulfilling my church calling, currently doing laundry and getting this week's meals in order.

----

And apparently I don't know when to say no.

----

This week has been oh-so-long, I closed at the pizza parlor last night and I had to be up by seven to pick up our bountiful basket and then be to work for a mandatory meeting...4 hours before my shift, the meeting ended an hour and a half early so I skiddadled my way out to my car before anyone could side track me and took an hour long nap in the front seat.

 Homeless person style.
...
Well, homeless person with a car style.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

This week in sewing...


I learned that prom dresses are not fun to alter. A lady had brought in her daughter's dress last year for Junior Miss and wanted it cut to a cocktail length. So it was done.



The other day, she came back through the door with the same dress and bag of all the excess that had once been cut off, so we could sew it back on....commencing my two day tulle cage and my first time using the Juki ,and lemme tell ya, that  bad-mama-jama is a beast!


and...
 (don't tell, but) it went so fast I accidentally beheaded a pin. Chopped it right in half. It was pure carnage.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Baby Carson

Corey and Noelle, you've done it again. Cutest little mexi baby I've ever seen.


Welcome to the world Little Mister, have fun keeping up with Lil Miss.
I love you already.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Wish list...

I know I just bought fabric for a skirt, but here is another one that's in the works:


This one is positively COVERED in sequins...and is $850 from J Crew. 
Ouch.

So here's the ingredients to the version I'm cooking up:

Woven Lurex Seersucker Striped Fabric: $5.98/yard


and

 Glitter spray, about $5

Haha! Doesn't that just sound so ghetto-fabulous? Glitter painted skirt. Awesome. I've done my research though, and I'm feeling pretty informed that with the Lurex woven into the fabric that this little boost will give me the sheen I'm looking for. Also, since the fabric I found is lacking in the sequin department, I replaced that textural element with a seersucker, which will also help the glitter to reflect light in interesting ways, instead of along a flat surface.

----

I promise this is the craziest of my sewing list right now. :)

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Friend dates

Friend date #1:


Russ was gone for a couple nights (our first time apart since we've been married! It was pathetic how lonely I was...) So, I went to watch the vow and get hot chocolate with my new friend Kait who is an extremely talented seamstress and a total crack up to be around.


Friend date #2:


cupcakes, thrift stores, speak of crafty things...

Best friend date ever with the amazing Laura who can crochet like nobody I've ever met and (don't let her be modest) can sing amazingly. I'd buy her album (if she had one) even if I wasn't her friend.

----

Friend dates, where I can both catch up and get to know someone even better are just one of my favorite things. 

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Bouldering Comp


Today, Russell took me on a date to I.F. where we stopped by the fabric store where I got some amazing fabric for a maxi skirt (What can I say? I'm a fan of staying cool and not having to shave my legs in the summer) and we stopped by a Mongolian Grill for lunch. 

---

After we got back into town, we stopped by Stix and Stones to check out the bouldering competition and Russell made a last minute entry. They awarded prizes to the first places in each of the three categories (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) and then pulled names randomly. Russ won a nice locking carabiner and had a ton of fun. So, all in all, it was a win.

--- 

We also got to hang out with Jeanette for a little bit because she came into town, which is always a blast and a half. 

---

Then, we got called to work at Regional Rock Walls.
It's been a busy day!!!

Friday, May 4, 2012

This week in sewing


Isn't he so creepy?? A couple semesters ago, when the girls were moving the fabric room, he fell off of a shelf and terrified everyone. He was promptly bedazzled and now lives on the project shelf.

This last week at work I:

Hemmed 3 pairs of jeans, while keeping the original hem (they were all $170+ pairs of pants, so I was a little nervous) using a tutorial I found on Pinterest. 

Put neck, sleeve and waist casings on 5 Southern Belle skirts/shirts

began sewing a pair of sweats from a previous pair of sweats

Tag teamed 8 60" long sashes

Seam ripped, and re-cut 6 cheer leading shirt fronts (after the local screen printing shop melted the fronts)

and, I did a little freelance work in sewing a baby blessing dress and bonnet, with promises of more to come!

and that's all I can remember right now haha. But today it hit me that I am actually getting paid to sew and it seems (seams, punny) all too good to be true!

My friend/coworker Kait and I are going to be making a wedding dress this semester, so I'll be keeping you updated on that! We are going for something really old-Hollywood glamour. It's going to be stressful awesome!

So, if you're in the market for a wedding dress, let us know!

(now it's off to work V2...)

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

back to sewing...

I've been bouncing around between jobs a little bit, luckily I've got it figured out!

I had the amazing luck of getting hired on at the school Dance Costume Shop. It's like a paid internship! I am learning so very much! And the practice is really helping my skill set.

I'm also working at a pizza parlor and eventually as part of that job as a zip line guide (woot!)

----

So to reward myself, I think I am going to try and make myself a blazer.

an awesome blazer.

Similar to this without the buttons and tailored to me:


With this fabric!:


and lined with this:




Pretty awesome, right?

I want to make a jacket, because I've never fitted a jacket before and it's a lot better to test it out on something for me than on something for somebody else! I think I'm even going to try making a muslin first so I'll really end up with something quality.

Now, I just need to find a pattern to start with, because there is no way that I am drafting that whole thing at this point in time :)