Uncategorized Archives • Page 8 of 12 • Jessica Smith Creates

June 9, 2014

May ’14 By the numbers

This May, I wore me made:

dresses 3 times

skirts 2 times

jeans or leggings 3 times

shirts 9 times

and sweaters 12 times (or more).

My most worn items were sweaters, as three of them were worn three times each. I wore almost every shirt twice, excepting my mesh T.

My favorite make is my grad dress, even though I only wore it once. It has such sentimental meaning to me, being both from fabric from my mom’s stash and being what I made and wore to end a chapter of my life.

Most surprising to me was that I pulled out and wore a grey crochet sweater that I haven’t worn in years. It’s made of cozy cotton yarn and was a project out of the Stitch and Bitch Crochet book. I’ll have to look up which one, I’m not sure off the top of my head which. It’s warm enough to be nice shoulder covering on a cooler summer day.

Not surprising to me is the fact that I wear an awful lot of jeans. I know this about myself, but for a good bit of writing up my last post I tried to restrain myself from saying “and jeans.” This could be a warning to myself that I will have to make or obtain some more jeans in the future, as I may run through pairs quite quickly.

I’m really happy with my new Plantain shirt that I had made rather quickly. I did not do a good job on the neckband, but I am going to treat it as a learning experience. I definitely think this could be a pattern I’ll repeat, since it would be a great pattern for basic tops.

All in all, this was a successful first Me Made May, and I look forward to participating in the future! Thanks Zo for organizing the great event!

June 3, 2014

Wrapping up May with a Bow

Well then, it’s been a few days… but I have completed Me Made May, successfully!

And I have now moved successfully!

What I haven’t done successfully is take pictures of the last two weeks of outfits…

Will you forgive me for that?

Let’s start with the week-ish that I did get pictures for:

Day 12: The corset belt, which is quite uncomfortable and tends to squish inward to my waist, because I didn’t interface it with anything. Something I should think about fixing.

Day 13: Anna subtle cosplay, for the fun of it! Me made sweater, which is gaining sleeves soon, and a me made skirt, which I just hemmed that morning. And then donated my mini-sewing machine to charity. I’m gonna miss that little buddy… but not at all.

Day 14: I wore my Claudia vest! This is almost precisely what I had been planning to use as my Claudia costume, but with a different tank underneath. I was delivering cookies to some of my favorite professors, and then helped out at work!

Day 15: My second sleeveless Archer came into rotation, and I went fabric shopping! Who doesn’t love that!

Day 16: I made this Plantain t-shirt in the morning, and paired it with my folded mini.

And there ends the pictures.

Honestly the next two weeks weren’t super special.

For one thing, I wore jeans almost every one of the days.

So let’s continue:

Day 17: My family came into town for graduation, and so I wore my Mint and Navy sweater in preparation for the cold restaurant.

Day 18: Graduation day!! I wore my dress, which fit me even better than when I had made it. My family did get some pictures, but none of the ones of just me turned out okay, so we don’t get a picture here. But it was lovely!

Day 19: Out around my hometown – meaning getting groceries for my mom. I wore a grey cropped crochet sweater I hooked in high school. One of these days I’m going to post about some of my pre-blog makes, and I’ll show it to you then!

Day 20: I wore my green sleeveless Archer again!

Day 21: My green long sleeve sweater got worn today.

Day 22: Newly cropped Belle Mock-2 made and appearance for a mall-walking adventure.

Day 23: I visited a friend and cozied up in my pink Anna sweater

Day 24: The floral sleeveless Archer reappeared.

Day 25: I shortened the sleeves on a previous green-grey sweater make, and then wore it today…

Day 26: … and again today! But today I packed away all of my clothing, except what I would be wearing for the rest of the week, so I had limited options from then on.

Day 27: My plantain shirt reappeared, after I fixed some seams and the neck binding, though I’ll need to redo some of those seams again.

Day 28: My drapey light blue shirt came out again, and I must say, it’s quite comfy, for being made when I had no idea what was going on with clothes-making.

Day 29: My mint and navy sweater got lots of wear this year, as it reappeared today.

Day 30: The green-grey sweater came up again.

Day 31: And on the last day I was actually moving, so I didn’t wear a me-made until my pajama pants that night, made in 9th grade. They’re a bit short, though I doubt it’s because I grew. I was exhausted, and crashed at about 9, so they were still worn for enough time to count!

Later this week I’ll work up some statistics and perhaps reassess plannning… But I’m happy that I made it through the entire month! It feels a bit weird now to not be wearing me-mades all the time, but it’s nice to bring back the variety that my RTW wardrobe can contain.

Bye for now! And congrats and thanks to the other participants! It was great being able to see what other people were making!

May 11, 2014

MMM’14 – Days 1-11

Phew. It’s been a difficult two weeks since I last posted.

Do you remember that I’m graduating from college this spring? I apparently didn’t until the last week or so before classes ended, so I have been working super hard on just surviving.

Today though I’m triumphant in my laziness! I got my grades, and therefore I passed and will definitely graduate in a week. Not that I thought I wouldn’t, but… you never know!

Finally I am able to share with you what I have been wearing this Me-Made-May!

But I should tell you that almost all of these were photographed about a half hour ago… But I promise I wore them!

I promise!

Day 1

I had a symposium, so I took the opportunity to wear my Belle dress with an H&M blazer. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a picture, and the dress is not easy to get on and off, so I didn’t try it on again.

Day 2

Today I was sick, but after spending all day in bed, I got up and put on my me-made sweater, which I never blogged about really, and a scarf to go and see a free movie.

Day 3

I wore my Spring Green Almost Jeans today, with a lovely thrifted silk and cotton top.

Day 4

There was a field trip today, so I knew I had to stay warm, so I wore a t-shirt, the same me-made sweater from Day 2, and jeans.

Day 5

My day took me on my first trip to a casino for the first time. I ended up wearing my Belle Mark 2, which I had fixed. When I made it I had cut it a bit too short. I always felt more comfortable with it over jeans anyway, so I just cut off a few inches from the bottom to make it a tunic-shirt instead.

Day 6

My coworker and I returned to campus with little debt, having slept comfortably in the hotel beds instead of the uncomfortable dorm ones… I wore this turquoise drapey shirt which I had made about 3 years ago, just randomly putting some pieces of fabric together.

Day 7

I wore my Meshy mesh t-shirt, which seems shorter than I remember. Perhaps it shrunk a bit in the wash.

Day 8

My roommates and I went out to dinner, and I wore my Kaylee dress! Please ignore the fact that my sleeve decided to stick to my shoulder, and the fact that I took pictures and didn’t even realize it!

Day 9

I had my last final as an undergrad today, so I wanted something simple and comfy. I went for my green sleeveless Archer!

Day 10

One of my professors had my class over for dinner, so I wore my green almost jeans again, this time with a thrifted polka dot top.

Day 11, aka today.

Confession time. I put on non-pajama clothes for the first time for the kinda late photoshoot, taking advantage of the last glimmer of light. But my roommate is having friends over for dinner, so it was definitely time to dress anyway, and this is what I’m wearing. My me-made is the Mint and Navy sweater.

So that’s my round up! I’m planning on updating more regularly from now on, but we’ll see how that works out!

April 25, 2014

Me Made May 2014

I’m writing this as I’m waiting for something related to my senior thesis to render.

It’s already been ten minutes, and I can only think it’ll take quite a bit more.

But on to the main purpose of this post!

(It’s finally spring time, so time for culottes!)

I believe I’m participating in Me Made May this year, or at least I’m going to try!

Looking at the makes I’ve created, it’ll be a challenge definitely, but I have some more that I’ll be working on soon, not specifically for the challenge, but in reality for my wardrobe. If you missed it, I had a little heart to heart with the internet on Monday about what I actually wear.

So here is my pledge:

I, Annabelle of Annabelle’s Project Overload, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May ’14. I endeavour to wear at least one me-made garment each day (for at least 2 hours) for the duration of May 2014.

There it is, my pledge of fealty to the Me Made Kingdom!

I put in that stipulation of for at least 2 hours, because honestly there will be some days that I’ll stick in pajamas all day, so I’ll use a cardigan to complete the challenge. May is finals period, and I’ll be packing for moving in June. This generally equals days of laziness, and I’m very good at laziness! Also, in my Me Mades, I’m counting things that were both made from fabric, and those made from some other type of garment that is drastically changed… For example, a long dress to a tunic or top. Also, I’m adding a clause that if I can’t wear me made garments, I need to wear at least two pieces of me made jewelry.

In case you’re interested in what I’ve got in my Me Made Wardrobe, read on for lists and lists! In reality, the following is mostly for me… And I’ve divided it into what I’ve got with me at college, which is double checked for accuracy, having it nearby. I can’t actually remember what I’ve got at home.

Tops: 4, Vests: 2, Cardigans: 3 (and 3 to make), Shoes: 1, Dress: 4, Skirts: 2 (and 2 to make), Shorts: 1, Pants: 1.

And that is it! Whew. This’ll be a challenge.

April 21, 2014

Universal Truths About My Style

I’m lazy. My defining feature that affects my personal style is my laziness.

I think its about choices. I love having choices, but I don’t like making decisions.

So if I only have certain types of clothing items, it’s easier to decide.

Really meaning jeans, t shirt, cardigan.

This is the exact reason why I read through Coletterie’s Wardrobe Architect series, and read a lot of the articles from Into Mind here.

Personally, the latter articles were better for me, minimalism calling to me as a soon-to-be college graduate who will be moving from home. The less I own, the less I move!

But Into Mind’s technique is really meant for people not making their own wardrobes.

So I’m adapting her rules and procedure here:

Define my personal style
Try for small amounts of high quality, in workmanship and materials
Own up to what you typically wear, and create a strong backbone of these pieces
Don’t plan/buy anything that you don’t love, especially for fit or material
Spend as much time as necessary to make and find materials for each required item… or finding it if I can’t make it
Own only items that I wear a lot, have worn a lot and will wear a lot, and anything I won’t miss when its gone, and if I make it, that it will last for a number of years.
I’ll donate/sell items that don’t work.
Care well for my clothes, as soon as I’m no longer in a dorm with awful facilities… These washers and dryers are killer monsters that steal id cards, and there is no place to really hang clothes up, or lay them out.

Well, first I’ll explain my rule 4. This in particular is the reason why I’m lifting my fabric buying moratorium (~~Please don’t hit me!~~). With limits. Every piece of fabric I buy will be for a reason, for a particular garment, and will be a fabric that I will wear. Meaning no polyester. I sweat too much for polyester. Trust me. And fit will be variable as I’m learning. But hopefully good, since each piece will be in my wardrobe for a reason.

So I’ve realized over the past few months that I pretty much wear jeans, t-shirt, and a cardigan every day. On occasion, I’ll wear dresses with tights, but unless its the dead of summer I get quite cold in dresses. They always have a cardigan too. I wear cardigans all year round. I will admit to wearing shorts in summer, but when I know I’m traveling from one heavily air conditioned building to another, I’ll often wear jeans anyway. Scarves, very important in winter.

But one point I have to consider is that I’m moving south this summer. So number one summer, and number two, warmer summer than I have experienced barring Texas. And Texas was brutal. It was lovely, don’t get me wrong, but my heat quota was fulfilled 400 times over. So I also need to keep in mind that the climate will change, and perhaps so will my wardrobe.

When I was working out this wardrobe planning thing, I kept all of this in mind, as well as my tiny student budget, and the tinier amount of fun money that I’ll have in the near future. Because of this, I chose to keep most of what I have, knowing that when it dies, I’ll not have to replace it. But I also am only really working with what I have up at college. I’ve got quite a few clothes back home that, well… I leave at home.

At this point, I’m only making a black skirt and three cardigans. And some socks. My socks have been eaten by that washer and dryer I mentioned. I think the dryer has an irrational vendetta against me.

link

I have a black wrap skirt that goes past my knees, but me being short, well, I don’t get that lovely feeling from it. I used to have a black fluffy mini type skirt, but I had to leave it behind on my return trip from study abroad. There were just too many great clothes there! I might also make a just over knee length royal blue skirt. Can you smell an Anna from Frozen cosplay in the air?

link

Did I mention cardigans? My favorite for spring and summer is this navy blue drapey one I got from an Express outlet during one of those season-closing sales. These ones above are super similar…

I’m making three drapey cardigans, one of which will be a little heftier and warmer, I hope. Beige, magenta, and plum.

In fact… beige…

…magenta, with added sleeves…

link

…and plum. I wish I had links for all of these. But I’m lacking in links for the first two.

I will do research on this… but I’m currently all researched out for my mini-thesis in order to graduate. Cause I want to do that graduating thing…

So, two skirts and a few cardigans. Totally doable.

Did I tell you I like cardigans?

March 31, 2014

Checking in!

Hello everyone!

It’s only been two weeks but it feels like forever, so I decided I would let you know I’m alive…

That’s what I think when I haven’t seen someone post in a while, but perhaps that’s just me.

So I’m alive, and I’m working on some minor stuff…

Including this piece of embroidery!

This is from my last Design Donnerstag, and I’m not quite done, but I think I’m going to finish it tonight!

So look for a post on it, and hopefully some other stuff, shortly!

March 18, 2014

When you play the Game of Thrones…

This weekend I embarked on the journey known as the show Game of Thrones.

It is a good journey, filled with lovely costumes and entertaining murder.

And I have news.

I’m a non-monogamous crafter. By far.

Maybe that’s not news. In fact, I think you all probably have caught onto that by now.

But now its most definitely okay!

I will not be attending SDCC this year, like I had planned. My friends and I decided that it was more important to go on an adventure together, rather than some of us attending the event while others couldn’t.

This means that a) I won’t have the deadline of July for my costumes, leaving me more time for non-monogamous fun.

b) I won’t have to shell out airfare for southern California on the super busy busy week.

Whew. Saving money is fun, ain’t it?

I’m still planning on making the costumes, so never fear, my super difficult to conceptualize and describe plans are definitely going to happen. It’s just a matter of when.

But this allows me to have some more fun too!

Although, knowing this, I should mention how many projects I’ve got going.

Ahem.

Archer shirt – my brown and cream one’s red bias binding came apart, so I need to fix it.

Belle’s cape – attaching ties and lace

Belle’s necklace – in a super hibernating state

Cardilero – Hehe. Let’s just not talk about it. Haven’t touched it in awhile.

Green denim jeans – I recently lost my favorite pair of jeans to inner thigh holes, so I’m gonna try my hand at making a pair.

Mesmerize sweater – I started it this weekend. Game of Thrones is quite lulling.

Strax – haven’t touched it.

UFO #2 – finally found it and got some pictures. Expect a post soon.

Sleeping? That I’m good on. Got lots of it. Perhaps that’s why I’m not being productive. Or doing homework. Sometimes my short term sanity takes priority over my long term homework efforts.

March 2, 2014

Tempus Fugit

It’s been one of those weeks.

Those weeks that actually turn into nearly a month.

I haven’t finished a project since the corset I posted a few weeks ago, but actually finished on February 1st.

Luckily I did finish it then, because that completed my obligatory February project. But it feels weird to say that I haven’t finished anything since.

Anything for me, that is.

The week leading up to Valentine’s Day was tech week for me, so that week and the week before I was busy sewing up three dresses, but I didn’t actually complete any of them from cutting the fabric to sewing the hem.

The following week I needed to play catch up for assignments I put off during the show, which led to being behind on that week’s work. And this past week I finally got caught up. Whew, what a relief. That is, I was relieved until I realized all the work I’ve got for this week. It’s a busy time being a graduating senior.

I did work on some projects during that time, though.

Remember this fabric?

I had been planning on using it to make a ballroom dress, but I decided to repurpose that plan to make a different kind of dress. I’ll post on it soon, but I worked on it during February, I just had to delay it for awhile during my catch up period. I’ve got the zipper mostly in at this point, and I’ll be working on the upper “binding” shortly. Then its just hemming and straps.

I’ve also started work on that sweater I had said I started last fall. In crafting I am not always a woman of my words.

I just cut the leather for that hair slide that I was going to make for my Belle costume.

And I just pulled out the cape I had been working on, also for Belle. I promise that under the crumpledness, it’s a cape.

These will all be posted on soon, as I’ll be working on them all during the month of March. Maybe not finishing, but working.

So when I just got the notification of it being a year since I started this blog, I was pleasantly surprised.

Last year I was abroad, I had just met two of my best friends and we had just decided to go to SDCC after two of us would graduate from college.

I was a different person, not needing (really) to look past the end of the semester.

Now, I feel I’m more centered, giving equally to my creative and studious lives.

I’ve been cooking my own food, becoming more self sufficient.

I got myself a serger, and yeah, it may not be working pleasantly, but its just a hop skip and a jump away.

I’ve learned how to truly make clothes for myself, learned how to fit my body, learned to accept my body.

I know what I like to wear, what I feel comfortable in, what I’d love to make more of.

I’ve accepted my geekdom, and the fact that I’m a superfan for many a show.

And I’ve kept up with projects, which was my main reason for this blog in the first place.

So happy anniversary! Here’s to many more!

January 8, 2014

Mixed Feelings

I’ve been moving along on projects, including a purple jacket.

This jacket in particular.

Technically it’s finished, in that I’ve completed the pattern as written, with my changes, but it doesn’t look right.

So I’ll be making some changes, and when I get to that I’ll let you know what I did!

I’ve also made an Archer, but that worked out wonderfully, so that will be in another post tomorrow.

And I’ve made progress on my Claudia necklace, meaning that I’ve started my Claudia necklace. I made up the chain for the back of the necklace. The front, though, will be a bit more elaborate.

Finally, I’ve made progress on the sweater I’ve been crocheting. For the holidays I received a bunch of knitting and crochet books, and now that I’m eager to get started on something new, I’m all up for finishing this one. But I’m waiting to reveal that one as a finished project!

December 31, 2013

Changes

This upcoming year will be big for me, bigger than 2013.

2013 was big.

I studied abroad, and loved the scenery!

I started this blog when my friends and I decided we were going to SDCC in 2013.

I bought a vintage serger, and while it may not be working at the moment, it’s been a treat to have it around and fiddle.

I started working with leather, which has been fascinating and rewarding.

I started sewing clothing for real. Even though I had made a shirt before, and costumes at work, I had never made something I was completely happy with for myself.

My totals:

6 totally completed costume pieces, sewing-wise

1 still needs beading, but it’s done with the sewing

1 is pretty much unwearable as is, so I’ll likely rework it in the new year

6 garments, including a mini crinoline

2 new leather belts

2 props for costumes

1 completed costume necklace

I’ve got other projects in the works, but these are what is fully completed as of right now.

In 2014, though, many changes will be happening.

I’ll graduate from college with a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Biology.

I’ll hopefully be going to graduate school.

I’ll need to get an apartment in order to attend graduate school.

~~REAL LIFE IS COMING~~

And I’ll be going to SDCC, if all goes as planned.

It may not, which is not a happy thought, but my life has proven time and time again that it doesn’t always go as planned.

In honor of the changes in my life, I changed my blog theme. I wasn’t 100% happy with the old one, and this one even allows for my own banner and multiple pages, so I can lay out my projects all nice.

So my current plans for the year are to finish at least one project per month, with two of the months being a yarn based project.

I really need to finish my crocheted sweater that I’ve been working on for years. I told you that I had also started knitting a sweater. At this point that sweater is a lie. I haven’t even cast on yet. So those would be the two projects.

I still have two complete costumes to start and finish before July. I bought some taffeta for the TARDIS costume, so that’s a bit more fleshed out.

There is also a bit of an issue with my fabric stash. I’m unable to sustain what I have, as it’s eaten my closet.

So I’m instituting a ban on fabric buying, with a back door. If I use ten different fabrics, and completely finish the projects involved, I am allowed to buy two yards of fabric. Any fabric, in any combination, as long as the total amount of yardage is less than two. I know full well that I may break this, but that means I’ll have to use (total yardage/2)*10 fabrics before I can buy more. The counter starts again immediately after fabric buying. This will count out anything that I have begun sewing before the new year, but projects that are cut out, but not sewn may count towards the fabrics. So I already have one project towards this new goal.

One of these days I’m going to organize my at-home fabrics, and when I return to school I will do the same for my school fabrics and give you the stats. It’s going to be terrifying.

I also want to do some more week to week blogging, so that I don’t go weeks without a post because I’ve been too busy to make something. So look out for something regularly popping up!

I have a lot of stuff to work on, but it’s nice to know that you’re right here with me!

Have a great NYE and have a great new year!