Author: Jess Smith

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Week 2 – MMM15

Here we are again… I guess I’ll jump right in!

Day 8 – Hudson pants

I stayed in all day on Friday, and I honestly wasn’t thinking I would end up wearing a me made, since I had ended up in what I had worn the previous day. I was covered in yarn sheddings though, since I was winding all my yarn into cute little cakes. I was going to count that. And then I changed into my Hudson pants.

Day 9 – Syrah skirt – unblogged

Super comfy and super easy to wear… Great for hanging around the house sewing!

Day 10 – Simple staples black dress

Again, super comfy, practically pajamas! My recipe for success!

Day 11 – Unblogged Nettie Shirt

This fabric is a dream. It feels like I’m wearing nothing, and I hate to admit it, but sometimes I have to double check. So another win! Even if the fabric is starting to pill a bit…

Day 12 – Culottes for a minute, and then my copycat hoodie

I hemmed these culottes by 9:15, because I was absolutely convinced I had a meeting. Until I didn’t. I think I’ll have to adjust the hem, since the waistband is causing the shorts to hang lower on my hips than is comfortable with the shorts aspect. But then since I knew I was baking with a friend I chose to non me made clothing until a birthday barbeque, where I adopted the hoodie. I wish I had worn jeans, since I ended up getting lots of bug bites. Not fun…

Day 13 – Refashioned me-made dress, again

So I definitely wore this last week, and I’ll have quite a few repeats this upcoming week, but it’s so comfy to travel in. Did nothing to help the itching of bug bites, so late in the day I wore jeans and a RTW top to dinner, with my knockoff hoodie to top it off!

Day 14 – Unblogged Bronte, again

What can I say? It’s comfy. I also didn’t pack for cool-ish weather, so the thickness of this shirt was quite helpful.

That’s been my week! No pictures again, but I’ve learned to accept this now. See you next week!

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Week 1 – MMM15

So there aren’t really any pictures new this year in this post. This first week has been more about me moving into a new place and trying to find everything I own rather than taking pics of outfits… And I couldn’t find my comb or tripod for maybe four days.

Day 1: An unblogged as of yet Bronte top…

Yes, I am behind. Will you see this top ever? Probably… This week no. But it’s a comfy sweater knit that probably wasn’t meant for a t-shirt, but its oh so comfy. Along with a slight increase in size, as well as swinging the side seams out to be less fitted, this one is a keeper!

Day 2: An old cardigan

So this was the day I actually moved. So I wasn’t gonna sweat all over my really comfy me mades. But I did use the sweater throughout the day… Cold morning. Cold restaurant for lunch. Cold house. Cold restaurant for dinner. Trying not to die from allergies and asthma that night. You know, normal stuff!

handsDay 3: Cardigan again, and Hudson pants that night.

Some more moving, but once I was alone to unpack and settle I put on my hudson pants, a t-shirt, and a tv show… Oh wait, I didn’t have internet. This was when I watched the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe twice, and the recent movie Star Trek 3 times. Cause that’s how I roll.

Day 4: A redo of an old dress, that is unblogged…

Sensing a theme? I had this me made that I had made with some cousins, but I felt a bit frumpy with my version. Unflattering neckline and not enough room in the bust with the faux wrap top, so it always sat weird. I took it apart, and added a new top. One day I’ll tell you all about it!

brownfrontDay 5: Chocolate bodysuit and eventually a grey crocheted cropped cardigan

I always forget how much I love wearing my oversized onesie. So comfy, and so easy. And then my crocheted cardigan is great. Always.

Day 6: An unblogged top

I pattern tested this top… Super comfy and once again, I’ll let you see it sometime!

 

 

 

frontDay 7: Uganda dress

It was supposed to be a slightly cooler day, so I would be able to wear this with leggings. I did not think I’d be walking halfway home. Could have been better. But now I know that I really do need to put in dress weights and always keep things in the pockets.

So that’s this week’s roundup! I’ll try to keep you updated. And maybe, gasp, there’ll be new pictures!

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Me Made May ’15 Pledge!

It’s nearing that fateful month of May! The month where me made garments rain out from the blogosphere heavens and sprinkle all over participant’s blogs and on Flickr and Pinterest.

And it’s high time I join in!

I sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May ’15. I endeavour to wear at least one me made garment for at least half a day each day for the duration of May 2015.

Once again, I’ll be moving, but my move is less stressful this time. For one, its only five minutes away, but it’s also positioned at the beginning of the month, and I’ll be done with classes. And finals for that matter. Plus most of my me mades are suited for my pseudo office summer employment, so it’ll work out quite nicely!

I’ve counted up my Spring/Summer appropriate Me Mades that are not on the alterations pile and here’s my tally:

2 bodysuits
12 shirts
1 vest
5 skirts
6 daily dresses
2 fancy dresses
5+ cardigans

I definitely think this’ll be plenty to get me through!

Now I can’t wait!!

But I should go study for those finals now…

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Green Gable Hat

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My main reason for naming this was because it was green… and cables rhyme with gable.

Do you remember this hat? Fluffy looking and blue where you couldn’t see the design or shape?

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I almost don’t since I can’t actually find it.

I made that pattern again, the Aran Tam from 101 One Skein Wonders, but this time in wool so I could block it. And it came out so much better!

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Unfortunately it is a bit small, and I couldn’t make it grow bigger at the end, since you start with the brim and work inwards, so it’s a little small on me. But I like it, and if I’m going to wear a hat, I’ve got to like it!

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Now if only the weather hadn’t suddenly realized it was spring, and not the time for warm hats!

Next year, this hat and I will get along well!

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Bronte

This should be the last make that I’ve been holding onto forever.

Last fall I let a lot of projects fall behind on the blog because of the dreaded math class. But now that it’s over I’ve been posting lots!

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Partially it’s in anticipation of beating the last month of school in this semester and that means it’s likely that I’ll have yet another spotty posting record. But you don’t mind, right?

Back to the point.

This is my first Bronte! It’s comfy and cute, though I should’ve decided against the baseball vibe. Also I’m definitely sucking in for these pics. In reality, it doesn’t much matter whether I am or not, since its not as noticeable in the real world, but in pictures I can see it terribly. Maybe it’s because I wear cardigans all year round, which hides all manners of extra cookie eating excursions, but sometimes photographs miss… the way that I want stuff to be.

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So the fabric is this t shirt jersey that I bought specifically for this. It’s got a bit of stretch, but it’s not the softest ever. But because it’s not fluid, cutting was easier!

The brown is yet again the mystery fabric that I made my comfy tee and chocolate bodysuit from. I’m almost out, I promise!

The shirt itself was quite easy to put together, and other than the decision on how to tack down the neck and, pretty simple from a decision standpoint. The seam allowance was small enough that you kinda have to follow the rules, which is good. I like to overthink things so whenever decisions are taken away from me the entire process comes out less stressful.

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I’ve actually got another one cut out, ready to sew and hopefully post soon, so look forward to that!

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Green and Grey

This may be my most comfy “work appropriate” dress.

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I say that in quotes because, as a graduate student, my work attire is pretty much jeans and shirts. But as a tutor, especially one so close to the age of my students, sometimes I dress a little dressy to stand out.

But I don’t care, because this Dandelion is fantastic for both worlds.

I made this up last November, I think. I was giving a presentation, and I needed to get my mind off of it, so I made this!

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The grey fabric is the same as my swingy circle skirt, and I think I’ve still got a bit left… some kind of slightly stretchy lightweight suiting. The lace was given to me by my mom, ego had gotten it from a friend who previously taught home ec for a school that then got rid of the sewing side.

As much as I find it unfortunate that the kids are missing out on the wonders of sewing, I’m pleased that I got some awesome French lace! There was also some lace in black and a burnt orange, so I’m looking forward to some nice lace makes!

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So I made up the sweetheart neckline version… I ended up not needing to put in a zipper, which was perfect, due to the stretch of the fabric. When I don’t have to fiddle to put a zipper in, everyone’s life is happier!

Plus being able to just pull this over my head feels fantastic!

I did have a problem with the facings that was pretty much all my fault. Even though I have some interfacing, all I’ve got is the sew in kind, so after making a muslin for this dress, I just used the muslin facings as interfacing… which added tons of bulk in the neckline.

For a while I got away with just folding the facings under, but they started to roll out. So I stitched them, and the excess started to roll out. So finally a few days ago, I tacked down the ends of the facing to the seamlines in order to keep everything in its place.

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Have I mentioned comfy? It does ride up a bunch when I wear it with leggings, but soon it’ll be too warm for leggings, and then I’ll be sailing smooth!

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Emerald Circle Skirt

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During one of the big storms that hit the South this winter I started dreaming of a wool skirt. And then I remembered my plans to make another circle skirt, this time out of a real color.

Grey is a great color, but it’s not someone’s first thought when you say “Pick a color!”

So I went online to the magical land of eBay and got this great emerald wool crepe. This one’s a nice weighty fabric with a loose weave and a lovely texture.

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This time I made a 3/4 circle skirt, since the fabric already had enough body, and twirling would be dangerous enough.

I just had acquired a bunch of mystery fabric, and done of it was stiff and canvas like, so I used that as interfacing, since I always forget to obtain heavy interfacing.

pocketses!

And pockets. I put in (drumroll please: tssssssssssss) two pockets! Not one, which is acceptable, but two. Cause I love pockets!

Everything was going perfectly… until the hem. Now, I should have known better than to attempt using my rolled hem foot for such a thick fabric… but I don’t learn. So after an hour of attempting, I gave up.

sideMy piles and piles of vintage bias tape called to me, and I found this nice goldish beige. I’m pretty sure it isn’t the original color, as I think it just aged that way, but I love it!

So I attached this lovely double fold to the bottom and called it a day!

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I think I’m in love with this skirt, and I’m proud to wear it for St Patrick’s Day!

Of course, though, it’s now quite warm out. Oh well!

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Yellowtail

I’ve had this project done for weeks now.

Maybe even a month or two.
Definitely a month or four.

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A long while… but I’ve finally fixed it up so I like it and wear it, so ours time to share!

This is my first version of the Yellowtail Cami. It’s a cute pattern and fills in with my wardrobe needs.

I’ve been buying camisoles from Forever 21 for years now… they’re just so comfortable and inexpensive and great for layering. But all of mine are stretching out. The elastic to hold n most of them up had stretched out to twice the normal size. Now, I could just fix it with new fold over elastic, but where’s the fun in that? Plus slippery fabric.

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I bought this pattern at the same time as the Dandelion Dress pattern (which I still need to show you), since the design lines were so unique. And it looked more sophisticated than my normal ones.

But for my first time through I wanted to use scraps and scraps only, so I happened to have enough t shirt weight fabric, so I started with that! It came together rather quickly, with only some minor confusion involving the top front pieces, and especially with me sewing them in backward.

And I had a top! But I found that, at least for this fabric, the fit was off. Some of this was due to pressing errors, but I think I should have just sized down on the pattern.

I ended up taking in the side seams and adjusting the angle of the front top pieces so it would lie flatter across my chest, but it still gapes a little. With a smaller size and stretchier fabrics this problem will probably go away.

I also will probably lengthen it in my next make as well, since I like my tops to reach at least a couple of inches past my belt. This was in part due to my cutting choices, and partly due to the cut off the pattern.

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Most of the time I wear it as an undershirt-type thing… Which is really how I wear camis anyway. But I like that the top is pretty and peeks out nicely at the top, since its a higher cami than I normally wear.

But all in all a nice little top! I can’t wait to make more!

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Shiny

This project took me forever.

I was looking up when I ordered the parasol in the first place. It was the end of September. That was a long time ago, wasn’t it?

This is basically the same one I got, which is the perfect size in every way, except it doesn’t fit well on my desk… So painting it sometimes got touchy.

Now, I then didn’t start painting until the first of our snowstorms. Because what else was I to do? So that was February…

I also have nearly no in progress shots, because I worked on it mainly at night, or when it was raining/snowing, neither of which provide enough natural light to take nice pictures. I do have this one though.

For paints, I used the cheap acrylic for all of them. I’m talking the 50 cent paints at Walmart. Maybe they’re a dollar, but either way, very inexpensive.

This might be why I needed nearly three coats to get the green to look solid, not streaky. The yellow and red didn’t have that problem, but the green and I were not getting along.

But the funny thing is, a few days after some snow melted, and we were back in classes, the power went out at home. I’m pretty sure that’s why I woke up before my alarm. Since it may have been three hours till it came back on,  as expected by the power company, I decided to pack up the project and take it into work.

In my defense, I’m still basically only taking classes. This first year of grad school is basically undergrad part 2. So when I don’t have a class until 12, am I going to do work in the morning? Or rather, on a Friday, with no homework due in that class, what am I supposed to do in the early morning?

So I finished it up, and during my mass photography escapade (where I also photographed my shawl, and a yellowtail cami that’s upcoming, and maybe something else too), I got some nice pics.

And there you have it! A lovely parasol in a Kaylee style. Yes, I did wait for the entire post before I mentioned Firefly. Can you notice my restraint?

Because I’ve been squealing internally ever since it was finished.

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Foodie Friday #10

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a Foodie Friday…

Perhaps its because I’m lazy, since I’ve certainly been making awesome recipes.

So as much as I like my little explanations, I’ll probably also have some versions like this one. Short sweet descriptions, and then links.

But consider this the super awesomely massive version. Great for number 10!

Empanadas. They’re like the cornish pasties I’d love to make (and haven’t) except smaller! But don’t forget to season the filling… Or be prepared to get out a dip. Like I have to. Hummus for the win!

Mini pop tarts. This weekend was the that of the pie crusts.  These were totally worth it, though I need to invest in a real rolling pin. An empty wine bottle will not cut it.

Pizza dough. I’ve fallen in love with this thick one from Alton Brown and this thin one from Inspiration Kitchen.

Goldfish cheese crackers. Delicious and puffy. Just don’t leave the leftovers in your overheated office… Not a good decision on my part.

Caramels. Still love this recipe to death. You don’t even have to stir!

Risotto pudding. Takes longer than a half hour (like my silly mind thought), but so uber worth it. I did sub in mostly lactose free milk and it was fantastic. Fun fact: Joy the Baker was the first blog I ever followed, and I still do today!

Mom’s soup. No link here, because it’s more of a word of mouth. Diceup any leftover soup worthy veggies you’ve got, saute until soft. Then one can of diced tomatoes to about two cans of chicken stock (give or take). Simmer for at least a half hour, or until you finish whatever else you’re cooking. You know, like risotto pudding…

Hummus. I’m pretty sure I just google it every time, and then ignore the recipes, but this is what I tried last. I added roasted peppers, though, and its amazing. This infographic is cool too. Maybe I’ll try one of those next!

Avocado chocolate mousse. I think it might just be my new favorite dessert. Now, this is the recipe I started with, but I first investigated others. And really I should have stuck with one. But helpful hints: Don’t just pour in chocolate chips. If you wanna use them, melt them first. Perhaps soften any hardened dates BEFORE you try to use them, or else they’ll soften in the refrigerator. Which is fine but odd. Also, if you can let it sit in the fridge for more than two hours, do so… I think it tastes even better. Also it counts as a breakfast replacement. Don’t try to eat it after breakfast, because you won’t want to eat lunch.

Scones. Already hands down my favorite breakfast-dessert. (But don’t worry, pancakes come as a close second) But with this fantastic recipe, you don’t need an egg or any butter. Just heavy cream. I actually used whipping cream, and I subbed in chocolate chips for currants. My new favorite recipe. Period.

Barley. Now this is simply just how to cook barley, but I had been carting around some barley for years, so I was happy to learn how to make it. And I do happen to love it. Though I’ll make it with chicken stock or salted water next time.

Tomato sauce. Simple, but I’ve been getting these delightful cherry and plum sized tomato buckets from Sam’s Club, and they are fantastic. So I thought, oh, I’ll just roast up some tomatoes and put it into my food processor with some garlic. I may have added the oil too. It’s delicious. And definitely use it for both pizza and pasta.

Pasta. Definitely try out this. Though invest in a rolling pin if you don’t have one. May I repeat. An empty wine bottle is not a replacement. P.S. I froze mine, and they still cook up a dream!

Nutella-ish. Try and follow a recipe. This one is a great one too! Don’t improvise unless you know what you’re doing. Or else you’ll come out with something like dough. And then try to smooth it out with oil. And then consequently, straight from the fridge your Nutella-ish will not be spreadable. Smooshable, but not quite spreadable. Great on the scones though!

So that’s it for this extended Foodie Friday!

I know that I’m forgetting a thing or two, so I can just tack them on to any future post.

See you next week!