So this, the free preview & premier issue of Blueprint (a Martha Stewart Living publication), arrived in my mailbox on Tuesday. At first glance, I'm not sure what to think. I will say that my overall initial impression is that it's hard to tell the content from the advertisements and the layout is a bit too cutesy for me. Why I'm mentioning it here, though, is one of the editors, Katie Hatch, is a sewer and her bio blurb says she makes most of her wardrobe herself. So maybe there's hope for the fashion portions of this new rag?? We'll see. I don't know how many others will read the "fine print" on the editors or if there'd be any impact at all even if they do.
There's also a free dress pattern download (designed by Katie, natch) for a grown-up version of what I've known as a pillowcase dress. Blueprint refers to it as "elegant." I know I'm not a fashion plate, but somehow a sack belted in the middle doesn't meet my expectations of elegant. Cute, comfy, casual -- now those are the adjectives that come to my mind and this would work for a fun summer frock on a slimmer figure than mine. I also found the cost breakdown of the outfit interesting. The fabric and cord were $76 (the fabric is $35/yd. silk twill). The belt is $150, the earrings $50, and the bracelet $449. For a total of $725. Hmmm ... maybe that's why the Blueprint editors dubbed it elegant??
But go ahead and download it, even if you know you'll never sew it. Hopefully Blueprint will be tracking the downloads and if this one is popular, maybe there will be a next. And maybe that one will be elegant. We need to encourage all the home sewing promotionals we come across.
ETA: Drat! I had links which should've put you directly at the magazine contents, editorial, and download pages, but they're not working as they should. You should be able to find everything easily though once you're on Blueprint's site.
I was not aware of this mag, so thanks for mentioning it. For what I could see of the dress, yes, it was "cute", and no, it wouldn't work for me, either. (Sadly, I have no waist for a belt!) However, I do like that they have a downloadable pattern and that one of their editors makes her clothing.
ReplyDeleteI noticed the little blurb for the Moen faucets (on main site at the bottom) described them as "elegant" also. Kinda funny that they would use the same word to describe both a dress AND a faucet! :)
Thanks for pointing this out. I couldn't agree more that we benefit from any increase in main stream sewing. Interesting choice for a first project. I just think spending that kind of money on a middle school class assignment is a bit wacky.
ReplyDeleteFor Bev, the model doesn't have a waist. Of course, the usual wearers of pillowcase dresses don't either.
Might make a nice nightgown in a nice fine cotton or linen.