Potpourri

Like a good Jeopardy! category, this post will be a little bit of everything.

First up, I present my much less piled upon ironing board:

All that remains is (1) a skirt that's too big but I'm keeping because I want to make it again and I'll use this one to judge the size I'll cut next, (2) a green slinky skirt that needs shortening, but I haven't decided if I'm willing to tackle the slinky again so I'm giving it more time, (3) a dress that I'm going to cut off to a skirt, (4) a too-big top, the print on top, which I want to remake into a smaller tee because I'm not ready to give up the print, and (5) the houndstooth skirt hanging off the side, but it's wool so it can wait a few months to see what size I am then.

Everything else was either put in the donate pile or I altered or finished or whatever it needed. Yay me, and less to pack.

This is the scrap pile from the alterations. And oh, that pretty print jacket I never wore should be in the ironing board pile too. I want to save the fabric and make a gored skirt from it.

First remake is this green skirt, after I decided it matched my new RTW top perfectly. I never did wear the skirt/top outfit I made last summer and it was huge now. I spent an hour picking out the coverstitched hem, the many, MANY coverstitched/topstitched panels, and the coverstitched elastic waist. I finally found a foolproof "reverse" coverstitching method that I'll share at a later time, for when you KNOW you're ripping out in the right direction but it still ain't working. I ended up sewing 14" out of the panel seams in total. Amazing, but now I have much skinnier panels. lol And now that my knees aren't so fat, I also shortened it about 6" cuz I'm thinking the shorter hems are more youthful for my ancient self. Oh, and more summery.

I hemmed this white drape-neck top I made a few weeks ago and shortened the RTW skirt 3" so I wouldn't have to keep wearing it up at my bra. ;-)

I took in the sideseams of this top about 12" total from the armpits downward. Unfortunately, the sleeves are still too big so I may cut them to short sleeves or I may still put it in the donate pile. But I didn't want to toss it without giving it a go. No, I won't wear it with the green skirt.

Another Walmart $15 dress. I did nothing but cut off the tags and wear it today. And received 2 compliments. Here, I look like I have no waist because the waistband doesn't photograph well. In person, it's totally flattering (hence the 2 compliments!), and the skirt is very swingy. I've lost more lbs. and this one is size 12. Woot!

Another Walmart purchase. It's a top and skirt, so I'll definitely get wear out of both pieces since I can wear the top on weekends with denim and white capris. Size 12 again.

The same top as above, same size, but a different print. There was no matching skirt available. This will most likely be weekend wear.I'm wearing two earrings but only one is showing.

Goofy face. Bright orange top, because I love me some orange. Definitely weekend, maybe office, especially if I do turn that print jacket above into a skirt.

First choice for necklace for the wedding. There are matching dangle earrings. The bluish tint to the beads will look good with the teal dress and the whole thing sparkles more than appears here, but not so much as to be too much. The cascade keeps the open feel/look of the sweetheart neckline of the dress.

Second choice if I decide to go for more sparkle, but I'm leaning toward this being a bit over the top. My sister will weigh in when we're together on Friday.

And now I'm actually contemplating trying on some of my bathing suits because my sister wants to lay by the pool at the hotel on Saturday. OMFG. ;-)