Weekender Take 2 - Done

I've been sewing, sewing, and sewing some more this week! First up was the Weekender Bag. I would like to say that the second time around was a breeze, but I still ran into some problems. All of them were my fault and they were all fixable by spending time with a seam ripper, so no harm done. The end result is still not perfect, but I'm proud and happy it's finished. (And it's mine!)

The problem with my computer uploading has mysteriously solved itself so I'm back to taking "real" pictures with Papa's camera.

Weekender over shoulder



Over shoulder side view



Close up



From the side



Interior



I think I'm having a weird sort of mid-life crisis. But I'm not really "mid-life". So mid-30's crisis maybe? Last year I really wanted to run the RNR Chicago because it fell near my birthday so it would be a "present" to myself at 35 to run 13.1 miles. And if that weren't ridiculous enough we're doing it again this year. Because at 36 I need the same present? But I can't stop there. I needed to make myself this wonderful Weekender Bag to take on the trip. And I can't have a homemade suitcase without homemade clothes to put in it, right? What is wrong with me? Remember the scary lady from Hancock's that makes all of her own clothing? I'm close, folks. Just promise that there will be an intervention when I start using the kitty-cat prints. So as part 3 of "present to myself" I wanted to make a few tops and skirts to take to Chicago and wear.

Here is what I've come up with. I'm not sure which ones are going and which ones are staying - if you have a favorite (translate - which one looks least "homemade") I'm up for suggestions.

This is a 3-tier ruffle skirt that I copied from an existing skirt I own. It has already been worn out and about when we went to a park to see a Salsa band playing. A friend got this picture of Claire and I doing the merengue.



Next is a plaid top. I went out on a limb and added an elastic waistband because I thought it looked trendy. (ooh! and I made my own bias strips which I learned from Amy Butler and her crazy weekneder bag thank you very much!)



Yes the camera phone is back. I took these before I knew that my uploading woes were solved.



Next is this shirt "refashion". I took an existing dress shirt and cut off the sleeves to make ruffles around the neck and down the front. The idea was inspired by a tutorial online.



Next I used this fabric for another skirt. Nothing fancy on this one, just a knee length straight skirt.





And finally is this shirt. I found this fabric at Ikea and have been waiting for the perfect moment to use it. This shirt is actually version 2. Version 1 was a horrible lesson in "measure twice, cut once" and will have to go to someone that has size 2 hips. I had just enough fabric to barely eek out a second shirt. I still love the print but I'm not thrilled with the outcome. I tried to do some gathering at the neck and it looks weird to me.



Maybe it's not the gathering but the stitching. I'm thinking of adding black trim around the neck? It's too late to change anything before this weekend so maybe not looking at it for a while will help.



And that's what I've been up to lately.