In which I collect fabrics instead of making things out of them...this must end!

I'm a fabric hoarder. I really am. I see pretty fabrics and I just buy them without anything in mind to make with them. Then said fabrics sit in a bin/drawer for months, and at this point years without being touched. I just pull them out now and again, look at them, and then woefully put them away.

I want that cycle to stop.

When I first got into lolita I was so excited to delve into sewing my own lolita clothing. It was fun and exciting, and a great learning experience. I sewed my first lolita garments in High School, and I did a lot research and experiments before I attempted at making anything real. It worked out, and I've created lots of very lovely things as the years have gone by.

But there is also so much I havent made. I have plenty of ideas, folders on my computer full of sewing inspiration images, lists of ideas on things I want to create, all of which haven't gone far. There are a lot of factors that contributed to this lack of creation, some of which I touched upon in my previous post. But I can't allow myself to fall into a deep embittered melancholy over the fact that I haven't been able to do as much as I wanted. It simply comes down to...

"Well, just go on and try now."

I will.

Recently I went on a bit of a spree and bought about $100 worth of fabric yardage over at Shabby Fabrics, you know, the site that I'm always raving about time and time again. Well, they got me yet again! And on top of this I still had 3 other prints I bought back in mid-2011 that were sadly sitting in a drawer. Now I've set them out so I can see them as a reminder to make the pile shrink.

I bring photos of said fabrics! Click the photo to see the larger image!

These four are my newest and recent purchases. The fabrics are currently still available. I would do some poking around in their "Florals" section if you're interested in buying stuff from them. They have some to die for fabrics. I can never resist! The cottons are amazing quality and so worth the price (about $10 per yard). The two on top I am keeping to make Lolita JSKs for myself, the bottom two I am making things to sell off. Not sure what they are yet, but I am going to be sketching out some ideas. I'll be sure to share them here once I do!

Now these three may seem quite familiar, as they are the old prints I purchased. I posted the one on the bottom here before. I planned to make an OP out of it, but I ened up scrapping the original plan. I may revisit it. The first one pictured here, the blue one, I'd planned awhile ago to make an elaborate Rococo inspired OP from it. I might have sketched something once, but I would have to dig it up. I was inspired by that I think it was Victorian Maiden (or was it Mary Magdelene?) OP that had a very Rococo aesthetic. 

I plan on making brand new lolita patterns for all of these. I want to try out some new construction details, cuts, and silhouettes. I also need to alter my sizing standards, as the standards I used to use I am now too small for. Though I make everything with shirring, I still have to size things a little more carefully for myself going forward. I'm planning to create a size range that encompasses US Women's aprrox. size 2-6 (about a 32"-36" bust, 24"-30" waist with shirring) and then another range that encompasses 8-12 (36"-42" bust, 30"-36" waist). It will be tricky though. Everyone no matter what is shaped differently, but I do want my garments to be able to fit a range of sizes, so I have to work in a lot of adjustable details into them. 

Some silhouettes in Lolita clothing I want to try that I never have are Empire waist bodices, raglan sleeves, 3/4" sleeves (or sleeves in general for that matter). I want to play with difficult fabrics like chiffon, organza, and georgette. I want to dig through my inspiration photos for design details I've never tried. While I'm on the subject, here are some random images from my folders as some preliminaries!

Classical Bustles, Underbust (which I have done both, but I want to do more!) 

Bodice and sleeve detailing, Openings with Ruffle details. 

 More shirred raglan sleeves (tried it on the Midnight Pastoral JSK, but it needs refining), Fully gathered bodices.

Historically inspired dresses (Photo credit to Lieschenr), Interesting lace details.

I also want to delve into accessories again. Especially bonnets. I've yet to ever make a bonnet. Half bonnets are more appropriate though. I really want to try some! There are also jackets, corsets and bustiers, underskirts, and more. But I can't spread myself thin! I must focus on one thing at a time. 

So there we have it. I need to stay inspired and motivated. Seeing my Lolita sewing dreams come to life will bring me so much joy, I can't even truly fathom it. After its all done I will look upon myself with so much accomplishment. Now enough talking and more doing! Sketches coming soon! First i will sketch them by hand and then on the computer for a nice clean presentable look!

See you all soon! I'm posting more, go me!

I'm back! With a project in progress? No you're not dreaming!

Hello Followers! Are you all still here? I know I've been so bad at keeping up this blog, and trust me I feel awful about it, not only because I've been neglecting you all, but also because the frequency of my sewing and creating had dismally fallen. I didn't post because I wasn't creating anything to post!

My life has become quite busy. I was promoted in my job, good news yes, but it also meant less time for my crafts. I'm still at Kahn Lucas, but I'm now the Assistant Designer to the Infant/Toddler Mid-tier division of the company, no longer an intern at the Dollie & Me division. It's wonderful, but also more stressful. I get home sort of late and I'm often too tired to do much anything. On weekends I get preoccupied with other things and other people, not that those things are a waste of my time, but I'd been feeling unbalanced in life and now I'm making steps to changing that.

I'm also quite busy with building my collaboration brand for girls with my friend Jen, Lilith et Adalia (as I mentioned and linked in my previous post here), and that too has kept me away from Lolita projects.

But again I feel motivated to create in every aspect of my interests, and even though it is hard doing so much, it brings me so much joy that no matter how tired I am I must do it. I must create beautiful things in every form that I enjoy. This is what truly brings me fulfillment in life and I must never forget that.

And saying this, I will kickstart my plans to create by sharing with you all some previews of the progress I have made on my long awaited Midnight Pastoral Jumperskirt that took me ages for no reason.

I would have finished it today but the invisible zipper I was putting in broke, and now I have to go buy a new one next week. It's a real bummer.

Creating the front shirring.

Fitting.

Testing out the corset lacing. Trying contrast ribbon, what do you all think?

I will have nicer, detailed, and better lit photos of the dress soon! These were taken from my Instagram, haha (I'm dixmacabre on there if you would like to follow me, I post mainly creative stuff.) 

I feel like the bottom is a little plain, but I don't know what else to add and I'm tired of putting beading lace on everything I make. Maybe the print speaks enough for itself and I should leave it at that? I'm also adding waist ties tot he back but I'm unsure if they should be ribbon or self-fabric. Decisions decisions... 

That's all for now. Once I finish the dress next week I will post the completed photos! It's about time this dress was near completion...I cut out the pieces for it in August of LAST YEAR. Now see that's a huge problem! No more of this madness! I must finish things from now on. 

I also need to update the layout of this blog. Its really dark and boring. I need to create a custom banner and brighten the place up a bit. I will work on that soon. 

Expect to see more of me! Sorry I'm always gone for so long, but life really has gotten in my way over the years. First it was school, now it is work. I won't give up though. I need to follow my dreams. 

See you in my next post!