Merry Christmas All.....

It's truly the most wonderful time of the year.  It's even more wonderful when you are on the island of Barbados.  Family, fun, sun, beaches, Christmas lights, and gifts......Ummm.....sums up a great Christmas to me.

 I pray that your holiday was enjoyable and if you were hoping for something special this Christmas that you received it.

DarcyRo.

Peplum Florals

Hello again everyone,

     It feels like it has been such a long long time that I have not added a post here.  Well, whenever there is a break there must be something going on. So, it began with my new serger.  I have been serging everything.  I am really enjoying the serger and the beautiful finished look it gives to a garment. In the midst of all that I got the flu and it simply kept me in bed.....On a side note, when did we start losing all of our major brands.  I went to Walgreens to get some cough medicine and other flu remedies but could not find anything but a walgreens brand.  Instead of Robitussin it was Waltussin, wal-tapp, wal-this and wal that....what is happening.....anyway, just my observations and whoever took all the theraflu off the shelves, something has got to be done.

Now back to the regularly scheduled activities....
So, in the midst of serging everything I also forgot to take pics of my work.  No bueno! But I have been working on a dress for the past week that I had to make sure I share with you guys.  I made a peplum dress for a friend of mine that I absolutely loved.  The fabric is remarkable.  She purchased it while on a trip to Ghana.  The fabric is a tiffany like blue color with florals and traces of gold.  It is a V neck dress as you will see. I do not have a pic of the back part of the peplum (bummer--I should have taken one) but instead of the peplum going all the way around and ending at the zipper it actually ends at the back darts and is creatively sewn into the darts........some kinda wonderful.

Here is a pic of her in the dress....Tell me what you think.....

I say cayute......

I'm Official............And Serger Problems :)

I'm official!!!!!!!! I am finally official and I am once again SewHappy.  I finally got myself a SERGER and can enter the land of official seamstresses.   Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!.....I have been looking to get a serger for quite some time but could not find one at a price I could afford.........So I recently saw a deal and I snatched it up.  Now I am OFFICIAL!!!!!!! Here's my beauty......

*singing* Isn't she lovely.........

I'm SewHappy......

And as you can see, I have already put her to good use but I ran into some problems quite early.  The Serger came already threaded and I was happy about that but I did so many happy trial stitches that the thread ran out and as much as I tried I could not rethread the machine to save my life.  I followed all of the directions, read the manual three times and was still missing something.  But thanks to a great video on youtube by artistkaesewing I was able to thread this beauty back up again.  There is something critical about threading the upper looper on a Brother and Artistkaesewing explains it well.  If you are having the same problem with your Brother Serger you definitely want to check out that video.

SERGER PROBLEM
The problem that I now have is keeping the machine consistent.  It seems as if the thread loosens the more I serge.  Does this happen to anyone else? Does anyone know how to fix this problem?   HELP ME......I know there must be some experts at this out there.  Email me, message me, call me, come over......lol.....whatever you have to do to help this sister whose serger excitement is dwindling.

Looking forward to hearing from you all.


DarcyRo-sews

Bags, Bags and more Bags.

I spent a good part of last week working on a specific project.  Bags!!!!!! Why? Because I told my friend ages ago that I would make her one -- I am now getting around to it.  So last week I decided to make it happen.....well, based on my friend's nudging.

This was such a challenge because I was not feeling very inspired so I had no clue where to start.  I did know that I wanted to incorporate some leather into the bag.  Woohoo......a starting place but I've never made a bag with leather before so it heightened the challenge.  Problem was:  Anytime I am not inspired oor havea clear plan it usually means that some fabric will be wasted.  So you know what happened next.......I threw away the first cut of fabric.  :(  Leather proved to be a little  difficult to work with so I put off the leather until I could figure it out and was drawn to clutches.

Here are the results:
Bag#1:  I purchased a square piece of fabric recently from one of my favorite craft stores.....Save a Thon.  I had no idea what to do with it and then the idea of a clutch came to me.  I cut the square in half, lined it with a snazzy oriental like fabric and ended up with this number. 

Bag#2:  Well I didnt just purchase one of those squares from Save a Thon.  I purchased a couple so I decided to make another clutch idea.  This one is lined with another square piece.  It is an off white suede piece.  It feels so great on the inside. 

Bag# 3:  So then I got a little happy and made another one.  This time I wanted to do something a little different to the clutch so I made one with a slanted closure.

Bag#4: So about now I decided that maybe I should go back and try out the leather thing again.  Now I was thinking I would use the leather and do something closely associated to vintage.  So, here is what I came up with.  It is made with a light blue leather material and lined with gold studs.  I plan to add a strap to it.

Bag#5:  Yeah, I started to get a little excited now.  But I left the leather alone again because sewing it was not easy and I had broken a needle....No Bueno! Plus those studs had my fingers hurting.  So, I went back to my fabric squares.  This time I had picked up a red one.  I won't even add a description because this is by far my favorite.  It's hot!

I love this!!!!!!!  It is a red clutch with a lace top.  By the way, all of these bags will be for sale on my etsy store or you can email me.

Bag#6 and #7:  I went back to the leather.  Leather was still misbehaving and between these two bags I broke another 4 needles. Ugh!!!!!! I was not happy one bit but it taught me that I have to find another approach for sewing leather. 
So here are the final two bag creations.

First one: Feathered Leather.  Tan leather with black feathers.  *Feathers only on front.  This bag is not one for sale because the leather was so thick I was not able to sew through it easily or as nicely as I would like.  When I come up with a plan to alter this bag a little nicer, I will add it to etsy.  I am not sure the picture actually does this bag justice because in person it is some kinda wonderful.  If you like to have a piece that's a little different this would be the bag for you.  Ooooohhhh Weeeee.......I love it!  Just wish the sewing was a little better. 

The final bag is also another one of my favorite ones.  I added bag handles to this one.  I enjoyed making this bag because I wanted to do something vintage with my leather and this bag reminds me of a bag my mom carried when she was younger.  I think the handles also take me to that era.  I added the studs to make it vintage yet contemporary. 

Well you can see how full and eventful my week was.  I enjoyed delving into this area and doing something I don't do very often.  Now my friend can have her pick of a bag.  Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.  You might know how to sew leather and if so I would really love to hear from you.

DarcyRo.

1970s Vintage Mod Dress

Well Sandy has passed over but the after effects are enormous.  Gas seems to be the necessity of all NY residents and still there is none.  So people and cars line up waiting for hours on hours just to receive the limit mandated. 

But I am assured that my great city will get back on its feet.  So in the meantime I got myself busy again at the sewing machine.  I'm telling you there is never a reason for me to be bored because I have an outlet.  My sewing machine.  So this time I created a dress that I really really love.  It is a 1970s Mod look.  I love that era of dresses where the skirts were kinda flared the necks were high and the fabric was amazingly great quality.  I like to call it the demure era where women and their clothing portrayed confident yet sexy; Classy yet Sexy.  Sexy did not require revealing your genetic makeup.  Modesty was sexy and there is nothing wrong with bringing back an era of Modesty.

I have always wanted to make dresses that would speak to that era; the problem was getting the right fabric.   Well hooray! I finally found a piece that would qualify. 

This is what I call my 1970s Mod look.  It is a high neck collar, with a slightly flared skirt and some buttons in the middle to really bring it into the 70s era.  The design of the fabric is also quite Mod to me.  Check out this beauty.

I wish I could say check out my etsy channel; that, I will be selling them there but I can't because I have no more of this material but I can definitely create this look in a different fabric and might do just that and add to my etsy store.

Here is another view which shows the pattern a little clearer.

Thanks for looking.  Hope you like it.  Don't be afraid to leave a comment :)
I have a video of this dress on youtube.  Check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vZptB9Wvps

Simplicity 2452 Blazer -- In Progress

This is what I call a Sandy Work in Progress.  Work on this blazer, like the city of New York, had to come to a crashing halt.  We did not lose electricity but we had no heat so it was impossible to sew under the covers. 

This project is special to me because even though I have tons of patterns, I usually do not make what the actual pattern suggest but rather, I mix and match them to create something that I can be pleased with.  However, I decided to try making the actual pattern this time. 

This is Simplicity Pattern 2452.  I have not made a blazer in years;   I am very much into making dresses, but I love blazers and I had a paisley piece of fabric that I thought might be a good fit. 

I got very far in making this piece.  I simply have to adjust it a little more to my size, finish the hems, and get some button holes on there which I still do not do well.  I will show you all the end result when I am finish but for now here is the Simplicity 2452 corduroy/velvet paisley blazer in progress. 

More Sandy Pieces....

If there is anything good Hurricane Sandy did, it was to take me to Sew Heaven.  If you love to sew then you have loads of fabric in your home and somehow, I know, you always manage to purchase more.  So being locked in the home to a seamstress is glorious. 

I have a soft spot when it comes to the fabric stores especially when I get a good deal.  I have a favorite fabric store on 35th street in Manhattan.  They have some of the best fabrics there and they are always getting in new styles....They know me all too well because I treat it like my second home.  So, I think I may have gotten this fabulous piece there.  I just wish I had purchased more of it.

The pics will probably not do this fabric justice so let me describe it.  It is black velvet with gold glitter dots.  Some kinda fabulous trust me on that.  :)  I envision this at a New Years Ball or something.  Here is a close up pic of the fabric. 

Well without further chatter, here is the dress.  It is a bateau neckline with a V neck back topped off with a bow.  Initially I had the V back a little deeper but I was worried about bras showing and all so I hiked it back up.  Still a V just not as plunging and my bow in the back can be easily missed by this pic.

So what do you think?

Bonus:  Check out my youtube video.     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFlCALwK00g&feature=youtube_gdata

NYC Under Water but I'm SewHappy.

Never in a million years would I have ever imagined the great NYC forced to its knees.  And you are probably wondering why am I SewHappy about that. 

Hurricane Sandy swept through the big apple and left herself a legacy.  The great NYC-- the city that never sleeps was forced to come to a halt because now LIGHTS were out.  Electricity out, tunnels and subways closed, fallen trees, broken power lines, and the residents of NYC left to take it all in.  I drove through the area of Canarsie and was amazed at Sandy's end results.  Beautiful home awnings cracked from fallen trees,  streets blocked by fallen trees, huge trees uprooted-- all by wind and water....

But that's not all the water damage was severe.  Streets were flooded therefore homes with basements were flooded.  As I drove through Canarsie everything that was once used in the basement of homes were now damaged and left for the garbage pick up. Beds and more beds, TVs, furniture, carpets, you name it and it was lost.  The great city and its residents were left to start afresh but more importantly to slow down.  No one could go anywhere because the train stations were heavily flooded.  It was stated that it would take NYC transit at least a week to get all the water out of the stations.

We weren't even going anywhere driving because the streets were flooded, the tunnels were closed because they too were flooded, and our cars were floating down the streets and on top of each other.  NYC had come to a halt.  The city that never sleeps was forced to stop. 

And never mind trying to call a taxi because they were all buried in water.  Can you imagine the insurance claims that would come after this.  Hertz received over 3500 claims today just in Brooklyn.  WOW! 

But this blog is all about my sewing ventures so in the midst of all this chaos, I was SewHappy.  I was SewHappy because I did not suffer a loss of electricity so I had all the time in the world to concentrate on my love -- sewing....I couldnt go anywhere or do very much so I was attached to my sewing machine.  So, here are some of my Sandy pieces. 

The first night we learned we would get a storm I found a great piece of fabric in my stash.  It was only a tiny piece so there was not much I could do with it so i decided to turn it into a mini dress.  I initially made it for myself but my niece decided it was all too cute and she needed it so I sized it down for her. 

I love this little number.  Nothing oh so fancy but it is certainly a great lounge dress that you can dress up or put on some tall boots and go. 

The other Hurricane Sandy pieces will be featured in the next blog.  I decided that I don't want this blog to be so long you get tired of reading so check out my Hurricane Sandy Pieces post.  But here is a sneak peek.

SewHappy!

Peplum Love.....

Peplum, Peplum, Peplum.......it's all about the Peplum this season and in fact I love a peplum look whether its a peplum dress, top or skirt.  So I decided to make one to show my blogging family.

This project was originally thought about because I wanted to do something constructive with my scrap fabrics.  I knew I wouldn't have enough fabric to also make a waistband so I decided to make it with another piece of scrap fabric.

This is a stretched ribbed material in a solid blue color paired with a printed waistband.  So here is how the peplum skirt turned out.

I think it turned out well with my different scrap fabrics.  My niece decided to play around with it and also wore it as a dress...So here's another way you can wear it.

 

So which look do you like best? skirt or dress? 

BONUS:  I like to give you all an opportunity to make some of these things on your own, so if you have a sewing thumb (get it, get it....lol) check out my youtube channel for how to make this skirt below...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRyPXS03bBE

Oldies but goodies......

So I decided to dig up the past a little and show you guys two of my older dresses but two of my favorite dresses.  These are two of the first dresses I made.....and made without using a pattern.  I actually don't like using commercial patterns but instead to think of the idea and try to execute it.  My niece often had a singing engagement so this is really what began my sewing ventures. 


For the first dress:  Peplum is in now but it was already in my mind May of 2011. I wish I could say that I was the one to bring peplum back but somehow I doubt that.  This peplum dress is made in a dark blue taffeta.

So you are getting a two for one deal here.  Two dresses in one post.  As I mentioned my niece often had a singing engagement with her school and always requested a new dress.  The above dress, though its a little snug now (remember it was made over a year ago) was made for her to sing the National Anthem at an event. 

 The dress below was made for one of her many school performances.  This performance she sang I'm Here for a black history program.  This dress is made using a black brocade.  I might even add her performance at the end. I am one of her biggest fans so you would have to excuse all of my chatter in the video.  But for now, let's focus on the dress.

And now as promised, here is the video of my niece singing Fantasia's I'm Here from The Color Purple.  She wants to do a broadway musical someday.  Any leads, just message me folks.  :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoHZDeRUT2U&feature=youtube_gdata

Enjoy!

Polka Dot Sheath Dress

I"m back........I got really into creating this blog and then somehow none of the pics would show up when I posted from my iPad -- the source for all my pics.  So I had to regroup but I am back and back with a nice dress for you guys.

This is one of my newest designs.  I purchased this polka dot fabric over a year and could not quite decide what to do with it but I knew that when the idea came to me it would be fabulous.  Well, I cannot take all the credit for the dress design because I got the initial idea from my cousin and ran with it.  I know, I know....It would appear that I was on a long run considering I bought the fabric over a year ago and we are not two months away from the close of 2012 and I am now making the dress but great things take time.  :)  At least that is my excuse.  

So check out the dress and let me know what you think.  The underneath is a fuschia stretch satin with a polka dot organza overlay.  I just love this dress.  Here it is....

Hey, hey, hey again....I have another look for you guys.  Now this look is quite different than my usual little cocktail dress.  I got this inspiration while playing around during Labor Day.  While I was not heading to Eastern Parkway for the West Indian day celebration, I still wanted to represent my country that day.  BARBADOS.....YES!!!!  So I got one of my Barbados t-shirts cut off the sleeves and the neckline then just decided to cut up the bottom. This is how it turned out.

 I liked what it turned into so much that I decided to carry the design further.  So this is what I made.  What do you think?

I hope you are all enjoying my new blog and some of my fashions.  As the weeks go by, I will continue adding more of my work.  However, beyond being a seamstress and applying my creative genes to fabric, there is a deeper spiritual side to me.  It's an individual who loves the Lord and spends her Saturdays with Christ.  Yes, I am Seventh Day Adventist and I enjoy honoring the Lord's sabbath from sundown on Friday until sunset on Saturday.  After all, God create this world in 6 days and rested on the sabbath day.  The Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it (made it holy.). So, have a good weekend.  As for me, I will be......

I usually do not make dresses with patterns though I am trying to be disciplined enough to do so but this dress was made without a pattern.  In fact it was a trial dress.  I wanted to see if I was able to create a hi-lo dress.  So, here is my first hi-lo in this beautiful pattern.  I like the hi-lo concept and thought this turned out well.  So here is my Hi-lo maxi dress action.  Model: Peggy

It is so rare that I make a dress for myself but recently I found this material at Save-A-Thon and fell in love with it.  I love my fabric stores in Manhattan but Save-A-Thon never fails me.  I love that place.  This fabric is a thick stretch cotton in animal print and I have paired it with a belt.  I made this dress in about 2 hours.  Tell me what you think.

I was at one of my favorite fabric stores in Manhanttan and I found this fabric.  It had not even hit the showroom yet and I made sure to grab some of it.  I thought it made the perfect summer dress.  It is a bright yellow with black flowers -- doesn't sound too great in words but definitely beautiful in pictures.  Now, because I am excited about my new blog, I am also going to attach the video I made of me making this dress.  This video is on my youtube channel DarcyRo4u.  So below is the dress and also the link to the video.  Model:  Satara

 

 

Okay, now let's see if I can truly attach the link to the video.  This way you can learn how to sew this dress for yourself. 

 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDBn-z7Wt88&feature=g-upl

 

 

I love you for watching......Ok, now I sound like Wendy Williams.

 

If you could not tell, I just created this blog so I am quite excited about sharing some of my hard work.  Here is another one of my pieces.  This is in fact the first dress I have ever made to wear to a wedding.  It is a slightly stretch fabric with some bedazzling around the waist and a floral piece (also bedazzled by me) on the shoulder.  Tell me what you think. 

Vintage Polka Dot Dress

I got this really great fabric a couple months ago in Michigan and immediately I knew I wanted to create a vintage inspired dress with a pop of color.  So here is what I eventually came up with.  This dress was just showcased in a fashion show at my church.  Tell me what you think.  Model: Satara

This blog is all about my sewing ventures.  My biggest hobby is sewing and I have created this blog to show the world some of my stuff.  Comment and leave me your thoughts.  This is one of my spring collection dresses.  Green and silver brocade flared dress.  Model: Satara