Yoga Socks

Back between the age of dinosaurs and the 1980's, I took many a jazz and modern dance class.  We weren't allowed to wear socks in class. Those would be way too slippery for the waxed dance floors.  Most of us had regular tights, and had to cut the toes and heels out of them.  But then stirrup tights came around, and those looked a lot nicer. So when I ran across a free pattern for yoga socks at a store, I was intrigued.  Those sure brought back some happy memories. So I of course want to design my own yoga socks. So I looked it up on Google, and evidently a lot of people know about yoga socks. I guess you wear them for Pilates too.  I haven't had an official yoga class in years so I guess I'm out of the loop.

My daughter was taking yoga during her pregnancy. Maybe she'd appreciate a pair of hand knit or crocheted yoga socks.

My New Sewing Buddy

Yesterday on Etsy I found myself a sewing buddy. She may live on the East coast while I live in California, but we can still cheer each other on via Facebook, Etsy and our blogs. As soon as she gives me her blog address I'll share it so you can see her awesome sewing skills. I just don't know how she does all that as well as working full time.

I have tons of sewing to do. I have to get some of it done, because it's taking up so much space in my apartment.

Here is a snood I just finished. I already got it listed on Etsy.

Flowery Sundress

I'm happy to say my new wardrobe website got about 50 viewers today, and I just started it yesterday.

For my second outfit, I took a wrap dress/ skirt that I sewed in high school, and by sewing just one seam on it, I made a sundress that is ever so comfortable. I've been wearing it all day and I feel great. It's slinky, flirty and ever so fun to wear. And it's driving my boyfriend crazy because it's both short and low cut. Scandalous!

Since I bought the fabric in the 70's, it is now considered vintage fabric. Now I'm glad I never threw it away. I'm even happier that I'm getting some use out of it. And somewhere I have a matching triangular shawl.

Tiger Baby

About 3 AM this morning I was surfing the web and came across a video that triggered an old goal I had. Namely, to go a whole year and only wear clothing, accessories, shoes, handbags and fashions I'd either re-purposed, embellished, or created from scratch. So today I'm making the commitment. I wanted to dress that way today so I had to chose things I had on hand already in my wardrobe. So here is the look for day 1.

I have never worn these 3 pieces with each other. The skirt I made for a belly dancing costume. The t-shirt I painted for a dance group I was starting. The hair ties I made to sell on Etsy but never got around to listing them. Somehow the colors all work together and I feel fabulous in them.

The navy pumps were so damaged I'd actually thrown them away yesterday. But this morning I rescued them and started gluing on buttons and beads and odd bits of earrings. It's going to take me awhile.

The best thing is I feel fabulous and totally me!

SCAMPS

I just founded a group called S.C.A.M.P.S. which stands for the Sewing, Crochet, Art, Metalwork, Patchwork Superstars. I made a NING group. Still working out the bugs, but it will be my version of a Stich-N-Bitch only much more expansive. One of the things I hope to do is make up for the lack of art education in public schools by passing arts and crafts to a new generation.

Men Who Sew

I'm not the only sewer in the family. Here's my boyfriend using his Mitsubishi sewing machine.

He's making bowsocks for archery. Not only is he sewing them, he dyed them all as well.

Retro '60s

Simplicity 3833 dress pattern

Simplicity 3559 dress pattern

I just bought 2 retro 60's sewing patterns. I was born in 1958 and I miss the fashions that were around when I was a teenager. In fact, one of the dresses I saw in the pattern book looked just like a dress I make in sewing class in Jr. High School in  1971. I thought my teacher was daft for making us sew a lined dress in S. California but I did learn a lot making it. It has princess seams and set in sleeves and a zipper sewn in by hand. I think my teacher's head was stuck in the 1950's. Sewing classes in high school were much more pleasant. We could make anything we wanted provided it was a skirt during the skirt lesson or a dress during the dress segment. In Jr. High the teacher would pick maybe five patterns, the class would vote, and you'd be stuck with whatever pattern won.