Well, I’ve never seen Project Runway, but I can say now that I understand why they would shoot a tv show in that place.  I tried to come up with a way to describe the place without swearing, but it proved to be impossible.  Let’s just say that place is amazing.  What an experience it is.

So to get there, you wander down the sidewalk of the Garment District in Manhattan, trying hard to ignore all the shops with signs out front saying things like, “no trying on” and “wholesale only” and “samples–$5.” Then you stand there looking like a yahoo wondering, “where the hell is it?” because you are standing right at the correct address and Mood is nowhere to be seen. Then a very New Yorker doorman says, “You lookin’ for Mood?  Third Floor.”  So you take this ancient elevator up and when the doors open, the smell of fabric sizing and inspiration fills the air.

I snapped only a few photos because I was so busy running around admiring all the gorgeous fabric.  As someone whose only choice for apparel fabric is Joann, this place is my holy mecca.  With its three huge floors and over 40,000 square feet of floor space, you can find any kind of fabric you can imagine, from faux fur to the finest lace.  The staff is actually really helpful (kind of unusual in my experience of NYC).  There are lots of cute boys working there (What? Why are you looking so surprised?) who are being flirted with constantly (not by me).  Fashion students can be seen wandering the aisles with design sketches in one hand and fabric swatches in the other.

I felt like I was in a tv show, even if I wasn’t.

Pictured above are the leather hides.  I would have loved to purchase some leather to make a purse, but I was completely unprepared, and had no idea what I wanted to make and how much I would need.  It’s really expensive and sells by the square foot.  Someday.

All of the fabrics I purchased there, and I would say almost all of what they have there is 60″ wide, which is a real departure from the 45″ bolts I’m used to.  Also, they are very generous with their cuts, giving a few extra inches of fabric on every cut.

First off, I chose three cotton batistes.  Gorgeous lightweight and crisp cottons, perfect for summer tops.  I’ve already begun working on the one with the blue fruit shapes.  I also picked up a beautiful off-white cotton viole that I just couldn’t resist. Even though it is simple white, everything about it is perfect: the weight, the feel, and even the not-quite-white-and-not-quite-cream shade of off-white.  I can’t explain why I like it so much, but I really do. I’m thinking lightweight pajamas, or a simple strappy top.  These were all $10 a yard each.

Since I’ve never sewn with any silk charmeuse before, I couldn’t resist its shiny texture and slinky drape.  And for only $12 a yard, it felt like a steal.  Did I mention that eggplant purple is my absolute favorite color in the whole world? I know it’s kind of hard to tell the color from that photo above. I see a bias cut camisole and french knickers made of this.  Something like the Nutmeg pattern from Colette Patterns.  I’m a bit hesitant to purchase it though, because I think my girls need a bit more support than that.

And lastly, I picked up the very loud and colorful green and yellow print.  Also $10 a yard.  That’s one for the what-was-I-thinking file.  I really love the colors, and I even like the print, but I don’t know if it’s something I’d wear.  The Girl likes it, so I may make something for her out of it.

Enormous self control had to be used in this place.  I could have really gone crazy, but this is enough to keep me busy for a while.  But I felt the prices were really good, the staff was nice, and the experience is definitely very New York.

I dragged the entire family to Purl Soho for some glorious fiber love, and was it ever worth it.  That place is amazing.  Beautiful white walls, well-lit, and no music.  It was a quiet, peaceful little oasis in the midst of a crazy city.  The staff was so sweet and helpful.

All of their displays are simple and sweet.

Inspiration is everywhere.

How can one possibly choose?

And I didn’t even look at the wool felt, but it was gorgeous.

I finally settled on two yards of the Anna Maria viole (on the left), one yard of Liberty of London (on the right), and one skein of Cascade yarn for The Snail, who would have died and gone to heaven if she had been there with me.  The fabrics are all intended to be future tops for me.  The voiles are just as gorgeous as everyone says they are, and now I know what all the fuss is about.

Those sneaky girls put the Liberty right there next to the cutting counter, so you have no choice but to admire it while you wait.  And that stuff?  Gorgeously amazing.  Beautiful florals and paisleys in the most luscious colorways, all printed on crisp but lightweight cotton.  You can tell that no detail was overlooked in the production of this fabric.   How could I not splurge the $35 a yard for it?  I almost didn’t but then I remembered that I was on vacation.

I asked the girl at the cutting counter, “how do you ever cut into the stuff?  It must be so nerve racking.”

To which she replied, “Once you use it, you’ll never go back.”

This could be bad. Really bad.

I thought I might finish this dress this weekend because I had some alone sewing time.  All I wanted was a classic summer sun dress.  And I really love that fabric.  I’m starting to wonder about pattern envelopes that show sketches rather than photographs of the finished clothes…

This pattern got pretty good reviews (it’s Butterick 5351), but it turns out I had the same problem fitting the bust as I did on the silk dress.  My bosoms just ain’t what they used to be, I guess.  I tried and tried and tried to make the top of this dress fit, but I just can’t get it to work.  So frustrating, and so disappointing.  So as I do with misbehaving knitting, I sent it away.  Officially.  You win some, you lose some.  I’ve made plenty of dresses in my day, but I cannot for the life of me find the pattern I used to sew.  I cannot believe I would have gotten rid of it, but I can’t find it anywhere.  Sigh.

I sulked for a while yesterday, so aggravated at that dress.  Mad at myself for not getting it to work.  Then I decided to switch gears, and do some knitting.  And I managed to finish The Girl’s sweater, and I recaptured my Crafting Mojo.

This will always in my head be thought of as The New York Sweater because I made it to bring with us on our trip this summer.  It’s Lion Brand Yarn’s Eyelet Yoke Sweater.  It’s a nice lightweight cotton.  Perfect for air-conditioned museums and cool evenings. (It hasn’t been washed and blocked yet, so it’s still a bit wonky.)

I put the ultra-girly flower button on it because I knew The Girl would love it, and I thought it had a slight vintage feel to it that went well with the sweater. And the best part is that the yarn, the knitting needles, and the button were all from my stash.  Awesome.

I know I’m way late on this, but I am totally in love with Natalie Chanin, and her company, Alabama Chanin.  The Daddy Monkey gave me The Alabama Stitch Book for my birthday, and it is such a beautiful and inspiring book.  I love the fact that she left New York City, and then Europe, to bring her business to her home town of Florence, Alabama, which was struggling after the post-NAFTA switch to overseas manufacturing.  At her company, Alabama Chanin, stitchers create all hand-sewn garments from recycled materials and American-made organic cottons.

Just look at this skirt!

I would love to support such a beautiful and noble endeavour, but it’s a bit out of my price range, so now I have the instructions to create my own.

The book and Miss Natalie herself are just oozing with charm.  What’s not to love about this video blog, wherein Miss Natalie shows us how to “love” our thread, literally and figuratively?  She writes in the book, ” ‘Loving’ your thread infuses the work with kind intentions, but it’s also a very practical step that removes excess thread tension and prevents pesky knotting.”

The book is gorgeous, the projects are beautiful, and the story is so uplifting and inspiring.  I practically ran to my local thrift shop to buy this stack of old t-shirts to make the Reverse-Applique Corset.  A pre-cut stencil is even included in the book.

Looks like a lot of hand stitching, but lately, I’ve come to really love hand-sewing.  As good for the soul as knitting, I do believe.  And apparently so does Miss Natalie.

I am really in love with it, and can’t wait to start living in it at the beach this summer. The Daddy Monkey asked if I was going to model it for the blog, but no.  I don’t think I am brave enough to put photos of myself online in my swimsuit, no matter how healthy my self-image is.

The bottom is from my own pattern, and the top is from McCall’s 2772, which is out of print, I believe.  The only thing I have to say about sewing this lycra stuff is: don’t mess up.  The seams are a bugger to remove.  I used the stretch stitch function on my sewing machine for the first time ever, and it worked great although a) the stretch stitch takes a long time to sew on, and b) uses a lot of thread.  I had two half-used spools in my stash that I used to sew this, and in the end, I had only this left:

I have tons of the navy lycra leftover, and The Girl has been asking for a special suit too, but of course she wants pink.  (I am really loving the suits Amy made for her girls.)

The top is almost done.  I just have to sew the straps and put the hook on the back.  I haven’t started on the bottom yet, and I wanted to have it done by this weekend, but I am sick.  Again.

The Daddy Monkey and I had tickets to a fancy party for the closing night of our town’s film festival.  Due to several unrelated events involving a volcano, my mother, and the Monkey Children, we were not able to go ahead with our date as planned.

But at least we still had a babysitter.  The Daddy Monkey asked if I was wearing the dress I made, even though our plans had changed.  Yes, I told him, I made the dress and I am going to wear it. Every free moment I’ve had for the past nine days were spent on this dress, which is why I haven’t posted here all week.  And the dress was finished only an hour before we were set to leave.  But our evening was salvaged with a visit to our favorite sushi place, and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey eaten on the beach at sunset.  At least it wasn’t a total waste.

The dress is Simplicity’s 4070.  The original version of the dress was made with the pleated skirt, because I thought it would hide the empty baby house, but it only made things much worse, plus it made me look like I was about 20 years late for the prom.  Not good.  So I took the skirt apart and was able to re-cut it with the lining pattern pieces instead, making it a very nice and slim A-line.

I bought the silk fabric for this dress two years ago, from Joann’s on crazy clearance.  I think it was about $5 a yard.  My only regret is not buying the entire bolt.  The lining is a lightweight cotton-linen blend.

I am really trying to improve my sewing skills, so I tried to make the inside of the dress look as good as the outside.  Behold my first ever French seam:

It sure it pretty isn’t it?

Here’s the lace-bound hem that my mother taught me how to make many years ago.

The hem and lining match up well.

Overall, I’m pleased with the dress. The fit was a bit troublesome, and I ended up purchasing an enormous push-up bra because I could not fill up the top of it.  I also had to add some darts to the top of the bodice, to keep it from gaping on the top.  I finally achieved a nice fit, but come to find out I couldn’t really breathe all that well with it that fitted.

But who needs to breathe when you look like a bombshell, right?

p.s. The shoes are red patent leather DKNY I bought for $16.99 at Ross many years ago.  They are a knockout, but murder on the feet.  Obviously.

Wear your new yellow tights with your new gray corduroy skirt.  (I think I finished this skirt just in time for it to be too hot to wear it, but I love it anyway.)

And…go to the fabric store, in search of a single pack of bias tape, and come out with a stack of yellow fabric.  I mean, it was on sale.  I added the textured cotton/linen and the gold silk on top from my stash.  Thank you, M for that silk, I’m looking forward to finally using it.

This is going to be a new quilt for my bed.  I know I already have three quilts in progress, please do not remind me of that.  I know I should be working, please do not remind me of that, either.  But, I thought a new fun project would motivate me.  So my new goal is to allow myself 30 minutes a day to craft just for me.

Because sometimes a girl just needs a little carrot dangled in front of her, to keep her motivated.

Those of you who know me have already seen this skirt about 100 times, because I’ve been practically living in it this summer.  There’s a reason for that.  It is comfortable, the perfect shade of yellow, and it has held up remarkably well.

Remember these two skirts?  Well, this was from that batch, and it is the only one that still looks good.  I made the others from cheaper fabric from That Big Fabric Store, and they looked faded and wrinkled after about 15 wears.  This one, made from lovely Amy Butler fabric that I purchased at The Fancy Fabric Store, is still going strong.

So now I get it.  When making something that’s going to get used alot, go for the good stuff.

Here’s a little belt I whipped up on Sunday to wear to a fancy affair I was invited to.  I bought the dress at the Goodwill last month because I loved the 50’s-style cut of it, the color, and the fabric, but it was too baggy in the torso, so I made the belt to wear with it.

Here’s the best part: it didn’t cost me anything because I used fabric from my stash.  Three cheers for stashbusting! Three cheers for cheap and cute outfits!

This was a really fast and fun project, so I think I need to make more of these.