More Star Wars
You guys rock my world . Your comments on the Star Wars dress have left me in mushy (geeky) heaven all week, even as I’ve had almost no time or read, write, or comment myself this week. Which unfortunately is probably going to be pretty representative of the next few months of my life. Aiee. I’m exhausted just thinking about it. (Incidentally, I wore the dress to work on Monday. Not. One. Single. Comment. Which says something about my workplace…)
After finishing a big exciting project like the Star Wars dress, there’s always a bit of a “what next” feeling. Obviously it’s not possible to top it, at least immediately. So I backed off, and made Tyo another Young Image tank-top.
Except I decided to experiment with some fold-over elastic instead of a self-fabric binding, and, um, the results were not pretty. I gave it to her for a pyjama shirt.
She wore it to school the next day.
Tyo’s new racerback tank (aka boybeater)
Which is an awesome ego-boost, even as I cringe inwardly that people might actually see it. They know I sew at her school. Someone might notice. Anyway, to redeem myself in my own eyes, at least, I immediately made another, with “proper” binding. The photo is the “proper” one. I couldn’t find the crappy one to photograph—which might mean she’s wearing it again. The fabric is a black rib-knit I found at the thrift store; it’s soft and drapes well but has zero recovery, which works okay for a shirt like this—I won’t say well, but okay. Also when I was putting on the bindings (with clear elastic this time) I didn’t always stretch them quite enough, so when I finished one side of the back armscye was stretched out *way* more than the other. And with clear elastic in the binding, there’s no chance of it shrinking down in the wash. So I trimmed that side to match the other, sacrificing grain-straightness in the process. So probably it will twist weirdly when worn. At least the bottom is still on grain.
That’s a funny thing I’ve noticed, sewing for my kids. They have definite standards for what they will and won’t wear (sewing for Syo, in particular, is very hit-or-miss) but when I do get a hit, they a) won’t take it off until I peel it off with a spatula, and b) don’t give a rat’s ass about the stitching, finish, quality, or even attractiveness. Syo’s favourite homemade pieces are some self-drafted bits I couldn’t even bring myself to blog about, including one she made herself that looks like something a caveman would make, if cavemen had access to lycra and sergers. (And, thinking of the amazing Neolithic art out there, I’m probably being offensive to cavemen.)
Syo’s faves: caveman sewing
And they’re both grubby, having been retrieved from the laundry for this photo. Like I said, peeled off with a spatula. Although the print of the one on the left has these weird grey smudges in it that always looks grubby. The one on the right she made pretty much all by herself. There are some bits pieced in over the butt on the one side. Symmetry is optional.
Thrift store “scores”
Anyway, just to round out this post (since there’s not much to show when it comes to simple tank tops I’ve made before) here’s the week’s thrift store gleanings. Some off-white silky stuff that will be good for a lining*, some random odds and ends from a baggie, and one early-80s athletic pattern of questionable redeeming value. What do you think about those generic woven labels? I love the custom labels people make (even though I forget to use mine most of the time, and mine at least don’t hold up to the wash at all well), but these generic ones strike me as a little, hmm, tacky. “Made for baby with love” and “Made with love by Mommy.” I might have to put them in stuff for my husband. That would be kind of awesome, actually.
It’s our anniversary today, by the way. 13 years. I believe the plan is to “celebrate” with steak and Return of the Jedi. I was hoping for a motorcycle ride, too, but Osiris slept funny last night and now his neck is killing him, which doesn’t work so well with things like shoulder-checking while leaning forward holding on to handlebars. Maybe a walk instead. The weather is too fab to spend the entire day inside working. 🙂
*There was also off-white poly satin and off-white poly chiffon, which I resisted. Methinks someone was planning to make their wedding dress, then bailed.
Tanit-Isis Sews 
No one said anything? Nothing? Wow… that does say a lot about your workplace.
I’m with you on those tags, a bit too cheesy for my liking. I’d rather do something myself or nothing at all.
Yup. And I’m willing to bet it’s not because there’s a lack of Star Wars fans there, either…
Hi, not to be an enabler here, but a lot of the patterns in this eBay lot remind me of things you like: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/LOT-23-VINTAGE-60s-70s-WOMAN-SEWING-PATTERNS-/221036218784?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3376c909a0
Sorry! 🙂
LOL! That is tempting. So far I’ve steered clear of online thrifting… I think that way lies danger 😉
Clearly your fellow employees are vision impaired fools with no taste. Not one comment? Wow. Really. Wow. That dress is so amazing. I really like that my little old pattern had some part in it as well. I am basking in the reflected glory of The Star Wars Dress, Canadian Edition.
Tags. Agreed. Icky.
Have a good weekend.
Your pattern played a large part, I didn’t really change anything above the waist. 🙂 You totally enabled this dress.
And I’m in love with it enough for all of them. 🙂
What they don’t have eyes? Hang on a minute, you don’t wear a lab coat or hazmat suit or boiler suit or something right? Did they not notice or just not comment. Hah hopeless.
On the kids clothes thing – my two love colour and fabric way above construction. Fortunately they are five so tend to forget their ‘favourite’ things for weeks after the washing machine gremlin mercifully steals them. By the time memory returns its too late. Phew.
Agree about the labels unless you use them as a trim with tongue firmly in cheek. Then it could be cool.
PS have you used the fold over elastic successfully? I’ve not had a go yet … partly because its not locally available so I’d have to travel or internet shop to get it.
Lab coats are an option, but not one I usually partake of (at least until I get around to making myself a hawt one like Thirteen had on House, anyway…)
Yeah, colour and fabric… although their fabric choices can be pretty, um, iffy.
I should probably have gone into more detail about the FOE, but as I couldn’t find the disastrous specimen for photos (and they probably wouldn’t’ve shown much anyway, black on black and all that), I was a bit vague. So I’ve used FOE in the past that was “pre folded” with a picot edge, and quite wide (like 1/2″)—I stitch it down in a single pass, and as long as I can keep the fabric in the elastic “sandwich” it works pretty well. This black stuff was different—1/4″ once it was folded, but it came flat with a “groove” in the middle where you would fold it yourself. I tried stitching it on in two passes, and something about the fiddliness of keeping it overlapped (with a fairly annoying fabric) the right amount was intensely aggravating, plus for whatever reason I was getting loopy stitches all over the place. It actually looked much better on than it did half-way through, as long as you don’t look close enough to see the stitching…
I think i will keep a look out for the grooved option. Might as well just use the same fabric to bind, though that can be a pain too depending on the curl of the stuff.
BTW have you seen this site and this T? http://www.roadkilltshirts.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=12756
I can only assume they were so overcome by the glory of the dress they were rendered speechless whilst in your presence. There really is no other possible explanation.
Also, Happy Anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LMAO. I like that one. 🙂 Thanks!
You work with all guys, don’t you? They never notice anything.
I am not a fan of tags, but have been tempted to get some size tags just to put in the clothes that wind up donated to thrift shops. I feel bad for the people who have to try to figure out the size! Those particular tags are actually made for quilts, I believe (going by the size and shape); they’d look a bit odd on clothing.
Happy anniversary! We just celebrated our 14th in March — and I know I’m old because the only way I can remember my anniversary is to take Oldest’s age and add one.
I suspect that many thrift stores (at least the major ones) have a set of measurements they use rather than relying solely on the tags—so many people cut tags out, or they just wear out, not to mention how inconsistent different sizing is. Although a size-tag would be handy for the kids clothes especially.
There were at least two other females in the lab that day. /sigh.
I used to work at Value Village, pricing women’s clothing. When there wasn’t a size on the garment, we’d figure it out based on flat measurements. Actually, I wish they just went with that, because clothing sizes are all over the place, and I’m tired of finding what is the equivalent of small labeled as a large. lol
Congratulations on the anniversary, you should take off for the weekend-find a scifi meetup group on meetups.com and rock out in your SW dress!
That would be an awesome idea… 🙂
Have a lovely anniversary weekend!
The dress really does look great. I suspect I could wear it to work without comment, too. I think *because* I work on a construction site, the guys are super-cautious about commenting on appearances in case it’s taken the wrong way?
Anyway, well done on the drop waist!
LOL. That’s kind of funny (I have noticed I don’t have the same trouble passing construction sites I used to when I was a teen, but had mostly been blaming on, y’know, no longer being a teen…)
Thanks! 🙂
Wow, NO ONE noticed he awesomeness of your StarWars dress? Total slackers, dude. The guys at my work usually notice, but then I work with a lot of black men. For whatever reason they (at least in Atlanta, I can’t speak for elsewhere) seem to notice and comment on style more than anyone else.
And I feel you on the kids’ thing as mine do the exact same thing.
Aw, it was our anniv’ too this week- sadly, we usually spend it at Star Wars Weekends in Disney, but not this year- I showed the husband your dress and he was very upset that this was possible and I had no made one! My co-workers wouldn’t have said anything either- they handle my little aesthetic like plutonium !
HOW COULD NO ONE COMMENT?!
I was sharing your post with my Mom and Step Dad, and even they loved this dress (and my Mom is very iffy about anything “funky”). 😀
Happy (belated) anniversary! I hope you get your motorcycle ride soon!
WHAT?!?!? I have to put that down to sheer envy – the silent I’m-not-going-to-let-on type, y’know? And a big congratulations on 13 yrs!! I hope you celebrate well!
Hahaha, caveman sewing. At least they’re enthusiastic?
Congratulations on your anniversary!
Your workplace sucks rocks.
End of story.
Um… no, really. It does.
That is AWESOME. If people can’t jump up and down and say, “That is AWESOME!!”… I mean, really. WTF?
Wow, what is wrong with your coworkers?? That dress is practically demanding of comments!
I’ve always thought those labels were cheesy, but used ironically would be awesome. I’ve also seen printed labels on Etsy that say something along the lines of “This took a freaking long time to make.”
I am absolutely flabergasted that no one made a peep about that dress! I’m guessing that most people are so wary of looking original that they had no idea what to say. But i have to say wow, and girl you rock that dropped waist. who knew a nerdy bed sheet could be so sweetly sexy?
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