tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407147687875684362024-03-18T04:38:44.829-07:00It's not Bragging if you Made ItA sewing and cooking blog from the thick of MITAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-69853074095918567132017-04-23T23:19:00.001-07:002017-04-24T21:22:16.592-07:00Brass RatIt's been a loooong time since I've blogged. I'm still sewing, but since I'm now busy with school and living in a small (and messy!) dorm room, I mostly make clothes over the summer and when I go home for break. And I'm still blogging over at the <a href="http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/author/apnewman" target="_blank">MIT admissions blogs</a> (you should really check out my post about the <a href="http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/sewing-minus-the-machine" target="_blank">Costume Design</a> class I'm taking right now!).<br />
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But recently, I made something so important that I really have to share it.<br />
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A life-sized sketch of myself wearing a bird costume!<br />
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Just kidding, that was my costume design homework for this weekend.<br />
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I made my <i>first-ever</i> formal gown!!!<br />
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What was the special occasion?<br />
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Ring delivery!<br />
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Ring delivery is a celebration held for the sophomore class where we all, after months of anguishing over the appropriate bezel size and antiqued finish, received our class ring...<i><a href="http://brassrat2019.mit.edu/" target="_blank">the brass rat</a></i>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's called a brass rat because the front always has an image of our mascot, a beaver, and they were presumably once made out of brass.</td></tr>
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The brass rat isn't just any class ring--it's one of the most recognizable rings out there. It's a beacon of kinship between alumni, who have been known to strike up conversations with complete strangers because they recognized the rat from feet away. It's an enduring symbol of class pride and school spirit. It's even a <a href="http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/spotted-a-brass-rat-in-the-wild" target="_blank">pop culture icon</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tony Stark aka Iron Man representing his Alma Mater. See, it's literally famous!</td></tr>
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And for the newest group of sophomores, who just received their rings last Tuesday, it's a a reminder that we're halfway through our time at the Institute...which is both pride-inspiring and terrifying. As ridiculous as all the hullabaloo over a ring named after a rodent may seem (I've been regularly teased by my parents for the past month), it's actually a really big deal for undergrads here. It's validation for getting through two years of a pretty intense school, a celebration of our time here so far, and a toast to everything we hope to accomplish over the next two years and into the rest of our lives.<br />
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In other words, it was exciting enough that I spent a week making a dress to go with my ring!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit goes to Yida for putting up with me and taking photos of my outfit :)</td></tr>
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I spent Spring break at home in LA, which means I had some time to squeeze in a sewing project. But the week before spring break, I spent, as usual, a week at college--which meant a software design exam, an algorithms pset, a research project on 16th-century fashion trends, and a little bit of staying up too late to watch the Great British Bake Off with friends. So when I got home, I had spent next to no time thinking about how or with what material I wanted to make my epic evening gown. Time to raid the stash!<br />
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Can you believe I found this perfect combination of fabric and patterns? I think the ring delivery gods were smiling :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.simplicity.com/simplicity-pattern-8257-misses-special-occasion-dresses-and-gown/S8257.html" target="_blank">Simplicity 8257</a>, misses' evening dress</td></tr>
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The pattern is a (relatively) new Simplicity release. I really like the shape of the band in the back, and the train and the slit give the skirt a little bit of interest.<br />
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I also like this pattern because it gave me a chance to use this beautiful lace. I bought this in the garment district in New York--wow, it must have been <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2014/09/shopping-in-new-yorkfor-fabric-of-course.html" target="_blank">three years ago</a>. I intended to make a prom dress with it, and then ended up not going to prom. I think I found a much more worthy event for it. ;)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fabric for the skirt</td></tr>
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The skirt is made out of silk dupioni. I got this at Joanns! They actually have really nice dupioni and if you wait until you get a good sale or coupon it's pretty inexpensive. The "belt" on the dress is the lace overlaid on this forest green silk crepe.<br />
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Notice the actually construction of the dress is pretty simple--just a princess seam with a bodice and a belt. Even before I got started, my imagination was filled with visions of everything I could make with my remaining fraction of a week after I whipped up my dress. A new shirt for spring, a tasteful matching bolero, another not-so-tasteful pair of crazy pants. It took me less than two hours to whip up a muslin.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAWEsO3e0kxpaSUYONhRphuhkNSysGjGj2wH6eP0mKMAjb73t1jMHa4FAsxWvvCLt7Qklwqie6DX4bVVe7Ac7c7UEhCIpxj65uoMWrBsSKrsH-kYqxX2XVo9E33j32soVJOq2hAcRT_aH/s1600/goofy+muslin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAWEsO3e0kxpaSUYONhRphuhkNSysGjGj2wH6eP0mKMAjb73t1jMHa4FAsxWvvCLt7Qklwqie6DX4bVVe7Ac7c7UEhCIpxj65uoMWrBsSKrsH-kYqxX2XVo9E33j32soVJOq2hAcRT_aH/s400/goofy+muslin.jpg" width="165" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2014/03/perks-of-sewing-perfect-outfit-for.html#muslin-joke-origin-exactline" target="_blank">I forgot to wear a crazy hat</a>, so I added one in retroactively.</td></tr>
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...and then, of course, it took the entire rest of the week to make the actual dress. To the point that I almost had to decide between finishing the hem and catching my plane back to Boston. Turns out, finishing takes <i>forever!!!</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the band with the seam allowance stripped. </td></tr>
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When you're working with lace, you have to cut all of the beads out of the seam allowance before sewing it to eliminate bulk and to avoid breaking your needles. Even for the tiny little bodice, I spent hours measuring seam allowances and snipping threads and replacing broken needles and re-securing the loose beads after the fact! (Seriously. I got through 2 seasons of GBBO and then had to start over. But at least I don't have a soggy bottom.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An action shot of me removing some beads. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bodice. </td></tr>
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I made my own bias tape for the sleeves and neckline using some of the skirt material. My mom is a sewing wizard who has every sewing gadget under the sun, so I was able to use her really nifty bias tape maker.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApdxXtFuipopsNtBk7V3cGf7NgEb5EOPLsoL8HZI9gGSFAQb27QF7x6mU8iQnDw4AmTisPrTZ0V2akvsHE25ofqOEmeFjguG4bMK44KQZcFYrkr7jHubqieTlthF-poIXDGn4Iv5u-7Gs/s1600/back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApdxXtFuipopsNtBk7V3cGf7NgEb5EOPLsoL8HZI9gGSFAQb27QF7x6mU8iQnDw4AmTisPrTZ0V2akvsHE25ofqOEmeFjguG4bMK44KQZcFYrkr7jHubqieTlthF-poIXDGn4Iv5u-7Gs/s400/back.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>
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The back closure is secured with both an invisible zipper (in the belt/skirt part) and a set of self-buttons and loops all wedding-dress style which I used for the lace. (My mom also has a self-button making machine and a special hook for turning out tiny fabric tubes. Literally, everything under the sun. I'm a really spoiled seamstress.)<br />
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I did a lot of prep work on the skirt too. Since silk dupioni frays like mad, I decided to fray-check the skirt pieces to keep them from unraveling while I worked. The dress isn't lined, so I underlined part of the skirt to give the torso area some more body and I'm glad I did. Just those took an entire evening, but it was worth it; the checked edges held up a lot better.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUiMrB30WgKE6w_8Q4v9JKZc452eKi_9ljc4X9hjeKQSjNnWtfyDYS36wBxP54gwfAhBXFgdStYPpXYz8juHRO45wkiUpWxo_aUTHkb-HdTDLBTwfTnxNu8CW0TxaIiYUd-ZYqdpIBUR3/s1600/IMG_0173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUiMrB30WgKE6w_8Q4v9JKZc452eKi_9ljc4X9hjeKQSjNnWtfyDYS36wBxP54gwfAhBXFgdStYPpXYz8juHRO45wkiUpWxo_aUTHkb-HdTDLBTwfTnxNu8CW0TxaIiYUd-ZYqdpIBUR3/s640/IMG_0173.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The underlining</td></tr>
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I also finished all the skirt seams (not pictured above) because<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExSPwSAxgkajdlOP_Rse8KSzMOntuwceqIcTWdmTFK7Lytttgbn7asPf-NLfONAD9g40sTqjerU3aQbemRbQ8Vp71Ghnc5A-rSiWMUnDp0kgKTJ-y1jAKstY_7OdjE3tBXmekEHOafH8b/s1600/pattern+flowing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExSPwSAxgkajdlOP_Rse8KSzMOntuwceqIcTWdmTFK7Lytttgbn7asPf-NLfONAD9g40sTqjerU3aQbemRbQ8Vp71Ghnc5A-rSiWMUnDp0kgKTJ-y1jAKstY_7OdjE3tBXmekEHOafH8b/s400/pattern+flowing.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is THAT an UNFINISHED SEAM???</td></tr>
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I was going to Hong-Kong finish the seams, and then I thought about how long it would take and decided just to fold over the seam allowance and stitch it down.<br />
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As per the pattern, the seams around the belt are hidden with a small piece of lining, which I hand-stitched in and didn't take a picture of :/<br />
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One great thing about the pattern is the fit. I made a size-10 muslin. I took it out a smidge in the upper abdomen, and aside from that, it fit like a dream. It's pretty rare that I don't have to do some sort of adjustment. Also, thanks to the number of vertical seams, it's really easy to adjust. My final version is a tiny bit on the loose side, and taking it in would take literally 10 minutes and an iron.<br />
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I didn't have time to do a proper photo shoot before heading to the airport, so these selfies will have to suffice :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4mmm7gdUccmPt-isI5NqX8o3yaHxs6RArQ5H12LoqB42p4Oqqd83vvTl-As8PF54LNLuNNamZtqRRNPOROYIsxjwTYlyT2xW89iyJQ2Mz9sC5zaKbvz20fONZl38mCBCb-JuzjmnK25O/s1600/IMG_0212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4mmm7gdUccmPt-isI5NqX8o3yaHxs6RArQ5H12LoqB42p4Oqqd83vvTl-As8PF54LNLuNNamZtqRRNPOROYIsxjwTYlyT2xW89iyJQ2Mz9sC5zaKbvz20fONZl38mCBCb-JuzjmnK25O/s640/IMG_0212.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Then as I was walking through LAX, I saw this little girl's T-shirt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8LAHmXU-FrJkUGYzfQ5TW8zde3yGGhuVeRzivzc_eoWhlct1jmBn-pWmreHgVcrnr9sTdQD4t4YJ1jfla5cncYzSKtIqUH1gyyyjEYNLH2_j6Qc0SkKzstPtEZqgn_NGaoyBfqfCKBla/s1600/elsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8LAHmXU-FrJkUGYzfQ5TW8zde3yGGhuVeRzivzc_eoWhlct1jmBn-pWmreHgVcrnr9sTdQD4t4YJ1jfla5cncYzSKtIqUH1gyyyjEYNLH2_j6Qc0SkKzstPtEZqgn_NGaoyBfqfCKBla/s320/elsa.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCW6qP8QuHYEtGINqZxpbmRZFsyP9p5ckEEUcDnjbGoP-AS5jzQadMp0bqaeL2EAUmi2BSvboW8YPcv-sOQ1NYHILTwqdXC-pG_RHPKPg7A1ElVqlCxhWzrFmza5BQInkbmm9WaggNxGZE/s1600/side+by+side.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="547" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCW6qP8QuHYEtGINqZxpbmRZFsyP9p5ckEEUcDnjbGoP-AS5jzQadMp0bqaeL2EAUmi2BSvboW8YPcv-sOQ1NYHILTwqdXC-pG_RHPKPg7A1ElVqlCxhWzrFmza5BQInkbmm9WaggNxGZE/s640/side+by+side.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">???</td></tr>
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<br />...fortunately, no one made a connection, but I almost wore my hair in a side braid before thinking better of it ;)<br />
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I was pretty concerned that the train wouldn't survive the evening, and I was fully prepared to amputate it after the event if need be. But it actually held up pretty well! There are a few shiny marks where you can see where people's heels stepped on it, but I'm super happy with the state it's in!<br />
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So there it is! My first (and maybe my last) floor-length dress.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCPxAqatD4xKxeO6U09IA3tL6Wp1hbxStsbn9Tm1OD0jLOtuJs2CMLkkHzhVywsXu18qLE4Oot-Xfn0sBJDbOP3fnqdoD_NwohuKP-2Zp-FSArIwm3ZFjooCa3MDVAHAH_LdjZLV5B01M/s1600/IMG_0274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCPxAqatD4xKxeO6U09IA3tL6Wp1hbxStsbn9Tm1OD0jLOtuJs2CMLkkHzhVywsXu18qLE4Oot-Xfn0sBJDbOP3fnqdoD_NwohuKP-2Zp-FSArIwm3ZFjooCa3MDVAHAH_LdjZLV5B01M/s400/IMG_0274.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't I have some good-looking friends? :) </td></tr>
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If you're interested in reading more about ring delivery, check out <a href="http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/ring-delivery" target="_blank">my post</a> on the MIT Admissions blog! In the admissions blogging circle, we have a practice called "snacks and shame" where we meet up every week to check in, eat food, and give each other <strike>shame</strike> encouragement to blog regularly. I could definitely use a hearty dose of shame over on this blog. I have a ton of garments in my backlog! Once school is over, I'll get around to blogging them. :)<br />
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In the meantime, I'll be here in Boston enjoying my brass rat ;)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com52tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-77252022973787145602016-01-27T21:59:00.000-08:002016-01-27T21:59:18.166-08:00Crazy PantsHave you ever had this experience where you look at a piece of fabric, and your first thought is, "Wow that is really hideous." and your second thought is "But also kind of awesome. Where can I fit that in my sewing queue?"<br />
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This happens to me quite frequently.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0-ykwLk8jmm6r2ukAKfXfjMU77vbl_mKUTfgR8ViqMj6LtRsmqsM8shRvOLpTkHwAdC1mxm-pKXn9a_iXDVZiBYtk8YmYhG2HEFA36WDEP3QTJGDInyxz09yVOnGLLj5r_ln9Y6x4fJL/s1600/IMG_7919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0-ykwLk8jmm6r2ukAKfXfjMU77vbl_mKUTfgR8ViqMj6LtRsmqsM8shRvOLpTkHwAdC1mxm-pKXn9a_iXDVZiBYtk8YmYhG2HEFA36WDEP3QTJGDInyxz09yVOnGLLj5r_ln9Y6x4fJL/s400/IMG_7919.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I have never seen a more obnoxious seizure-inducing shade of electric blue. Where could I put that on a piece of clothing?"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Cs0WEcgg9mtR_ykbDwjStU0_Cw8vq9AA7zLQf6Rh3MoAfRMMUSm_cSVi9Eb06MVVgfTViCHbw1Rlo1bERddfMvLEXUz4xzY0RZq0Q5Y2Z53_5oeYIH4r7xiRD_2ZuT21mM2-tGFNK_HC/s1600/IMG_1250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Cs0WEcgg9mtR_ykbDwjStU0_Cw8vq9AA7zLQf6Rh3MoAfRMMUSm_cSVi9Eb06MVVgfTViCHbw1Rlo1bERddfMvLEXUz4xzY0RZq0Q5Y2Z53_5oeYIH4r7xiRD_2ZuT21mM2-tGFNK_HC/s400/IMG_1250.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I can't buy that, orange just isn't a flattering color! Does it count if the fabric is half yellow?" </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://demandware.edgesuite.net/sits_pod26/dw/image/v2/AAWA_PRD/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-simplicity-product-master/default/dw5feb8850/images/product/1105/1105.jpg?sw=502&sh=502&sm=fit" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://demandware.edgesuite.net/sits_pod26/dw/image/v2/AAWA_PRD/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-simplicity-product-master/default/dw5feb8850/images/product/1105/1105.jpg?sw=502&sh=502&sm=fit" height="400" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Seriously?! A tent dress?! That's not going to look good on anybody!...Except me. If I make it in that awesome psychedelic 60s print..."</td></tr>
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That's the sort of gut reaction I had when I found these pants.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6meZxvJrepCNoIezVKumjgh5I_PmXPEdLj9RWA3N2pJCG5nYbDSTYGTfbPNDhxaSx-Z8cHb589_hDtKqO40gL489VYgIbIjBULZUomGzNj1UzU-yQvON5Yox1_bGvayL0W6FRJL1r31P/s1600/IMG_0101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6meZxvJrepCNoIezVKumjgh5I_PmXPEdLj9RWA3N2pJCG5nYbDSTYGTfbPNDhxaSx-Z8cHb589_hDtKqO40gL489VYgIbIjBULZUomGzNj1UzU-yQvON5Yox1_bGvayL0W6FRJL1r31P/s640/IMG_0101.JPG" width="384" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes. FOUND them. In a STORE. With two fully-formed legs and a TAG. Cut me a break, I was shopping for college clothes!</td></tr>
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I mean, the picture pretty much says it all. I wear the pants around my dorm constantly, but I'm afraid to wear them <i>outside </i>my dorm because I might show up on Google Earth.<br />
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<i>*Note: I am apologizing for the nosedive in quality of my pictures. I now live in a college dorm, and I have a camera but I no longer have a tripod or a clicker or anything. These pictures were taken by photographing myself in the mirror of my closet. See?:</i><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqY6N2AgyKGBu3lFlyvH3Uz52E7i28SMro1RYAQaAK22kqWmYNCrgDFHUIspvE70-9DYQH-hjIvkJSzFfLXVYL6sRECaXCydMytwXVbWPOu_46IpyuG72_ud85KP3_QsQy7_4sfweLpgj/s1600/IMG_0088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqY6N2AgyKGBu3lFlyvH3Uz52E7i28SMro1RYAQaAK22kqWmYNCrgDFHUIspvE70-9DYQH-hjIvkJSzFfLXVYL6sRECaXCydMytwXVbWPOu_46IpyuG72_ud85KP3_QsQy7_4sfweLpgj/s640/IMG_0088.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><i>Featuring: my overstuffed closet, and a bedsheet hung over a pipe on the ceiling behind me to mimic a backdrop. As Tim Gunn would say, "Make it work!"</i></td></tr>
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<i>*End note. :) </i><br />
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For some reason, people seem to notice when I wear these pants. My flowy pants have been known to transfix passersby. A friend in my dorm is convinced that I never wear anything but these pants (*not true. She just doesn't notice what I'm wearing unless I'm wearing the pants). I have even been told that they are so much a part of my identity, that I practically wouldn't be the same person if I didn't own The Pants.<br />
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It's fate. Crazy comfy pants are my new wardrobe staple.<br />
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So I made three more pairs!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnPeOHIKLQPFIyq608vhqFwEQT_PqCkZb6ZtKHWFcX8UBcCsu3SOJ1h_jhi2ffkrAoYmeVugUH0Hskcn7xxej6a0eOSbtCDum_jbwQV363eo8ta1qr6yjRgBhQ7Jkjc6rTCc0NsQuDf7L/s1600/IMG_0113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: .5em; margin-right: .5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnPeOHIKLQPFIyq608vhqFwEQT_PqCkZb6ZtKHWFcX8UBcCsu3SOJ1h_jhi2ffkrAoYmeVugUH0Hskcn7xxej6a0eOSbtCDum_jbwQV363eo8ta1qr6yjRgBhQ7Jkjc6rTCc0NsQuDf7L/s320/IMG_0113.JPG" width="192" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidR2aQVcIDMTONVk4fw0MiRVvCB6BRTxzJNZYEl2wQFvEhOIOA1kuVtpccFLyTyNXXLm9DqyDqAzSnCZ8Ngfuug2Cl8W3xWN8mbQCEZbZlyt2kKz5WLsrrH22PPlDXqHAIeJUhxKWLu79H/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: .5em; margin-right: .5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidR2aQVcIDMTONVk4fw0MiRVvCB6BRTxzJNZYEl2wQFvEhOIOA1kuVtpccFLyTyNXXLm9DqyDqAzSnCZ8Ngfuug2Cl8W3xWN8mbQCEZbZlyt2kKz5WLsrrH22PPlDXqHAIeJUhxKWLu79H/s320/IMG_0138.JPG" width="192" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1Nu7VM3hNywHFtsi_UI_xSJEv0-kaQsFqKL3y7aR5r5OzOjJUqSMKuQRLmpKVfD2CKOzSUHM0u1b1jOR2NKcD0z_p4Zvq8D8xnCKyM-KV4fwAnJrHGN7Us_q3dZ2FNWs7iX9OAciUOKd/s1600/IMG_0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: .5em; margin-right: .5em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1Nu7VM3hNywHFtsi_UI_xSJEv0-kaQsFqKL3y7aR5r5OzOjJUqSMKuQRLmpKVfD2CKOzSUHM0u1b1jOR2NKcD0z_p4Zvq8D8xnCKyM-KV4fwAnJrHGN7Us_q3dZ2FNWs7iX9OAciUOKd/s320/IMG_0108.JPG" width="192" /></a></div>
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Crazy pants are pretty my substitute for sweatpants. They're just as comfortable, but they've got so much more character. Plus, you can do laundry in crazy pants and look like you're making a fashion statement as opposed to (what you're really doing) dredging up lounge clothes out of your two-week old closet.<br />
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PLUS, crazy pants are a really quick project--a few hours at most. I whipped out a pair when I was home for Thanksgiving break, and made two more over Christmas (in addition to a coat and almost every dessert recipe on this blog!)<br />
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This was the first pair of pants I made.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSU66-1Ca4yrqAkZpUuDVRipa5cPItoxZ_0Im1X4_sCaYzaAY8rVQTltsbwN-c84A95LvO0UUBmKj0g-sGHqXCBA8tAp3GmN336eXOiNq9G-I8-BqUQXDyCDMqGjh7znNIbbbXMUPMacb/s1600/IMG_0109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSU66-1Ca4yrqAkZpUuDVRipa5cPItoxZ_0Im1X4_sCaYzaAY8rVQTltsbwN-c84A95LvO0UUBmKj0g-sGHqXCBA8tAp3GmN336eXOiNq9G-I8-BqUQXDyCDMqGjh7znNIbbbXMUPMacb/s640/IMG_0109.JPG" width="384" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6sJiTTO0b28NBEVWkJ4znUAOKgMq9mbxTuH9Z4X-SBCCcu_c3EIWI4juXDlWHyzMrh6TPgKI7kdm0TkT3rn_GtLZ0usU2JinVo76F_qG9dSZaH1Grtrb8lv0fQ-XbP4hRXWpkaqiGB6v/s1600/IMG_0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6sJiTTO0b28NBEVWkJ4znUAOKgMq9mbxTuH9Z4X-SBCCcu_c3EIWI4juXDlWHyzMrh6TPgKI7kdm0TkT3rn_GtLZ0usU2JinVo76F_qG9dSZaH1Grtrb8lv0fQ-XbP4hRXWpkaqiGB6v/s400/IMG_0107.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only way I could photograph the back of the pants. </td></tr>
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I used the pants from a Very Easy Vogue pattern: </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://demandware.edgesuite.net/sits_pod15/dw/image/v2/AAPM_PRD/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-sales-catalog/default/dwf26f2b66/images/products/4092243.jpg?sw=1500&sh=1500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://demandware.edgesuite.net/sits_pod15/dw/image/v2/AAPM_PRD/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-sales-catalog/default/dwf26f2b66/images/products/4092243.jpg?sw=1500&sh=1500" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v9159-products-50718.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">V9159</a>, a tunic and flare-leg pants pattern.</td></tr>
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I think I made a size 10 in the waist and cut down to an 8 elsewhere based on the measurements on the back of the pattern. I also added some length to the pattern when I cut it out, which probably wasn't necessary but I like to be safe. The fabric I used was an ITY knit from <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v9159-products-50718.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">FabricMart</a>; I think I got it on sale for a few bucks per yard, and I LOVE the blue/black/yellow coloring and the 60s-inspired print! </div>
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In my second pair of pants, I wanted to try to replicate the flared silhouette of the original Crazy Pants, so I altered the pattern I used for the first pair of pants. I marked where the widest part of my hips would fall on the pattern piece; I then decided how wide I wanted the leg to be at the bottom and drew a straight line from the hips to the hem. The circumference around the bottom of the leg ended up being 35 inches. :O</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEAAETrS1VWHMWVwkWgDCIVePZsVMuGwCvGnBZb-pthxNzjwZpZA4QxE5HwLUaa1xXveSw624Armfg9FtdfrEW63brbw0cPNB3qCFxLOOU6wbG0fYTLdBnJwVaN0N1uaoFBzRTKOTPs-N/s1600/IMG_0124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEAAETrS1VWHMWVwkWgDCIVePZsVMuGwCvGnBZb-pthxNzjwZpZA4QxE5HwLUaa1xXveSw624Armfg9FtdfrEW63brbw0cPNB3qCFxLOOU6wbG0fYTLdBnJwVaN0N1uaoFBzRTKOTPs-N/s640/IMG_0124.JPG" width="384" /></a></div>
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This fabric is an athleticwear knit from FabricMart. The colors are very vibrant and it has kind of a sparkly sheen on it. I didn't have enough fabric to cut exactly on-grain, and the pants turned out fine. Oddly, I did have some problems with the side seams puckering, which I was little worried about. Then I put on the pants, and realized that nobody was going to notice the puckery seams.</div>
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Oh, and just in case you were afraid these pants couldn't quite keep up with the originals: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_IJBZ2SCYaShY7Yaxz0WcmA52cZf9ORQMvkPVjvpenLNauMzYEk5fejfjH2FgyamtL3XQb3OhzKcdfVHElc59ta74L5Iu9mBeVlURNCeP8Y11QPvNR4KIMEdAbnc1UTdAVAKfoeX-CMRy/s1600/IMG_0131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_IJBZ2SCYaShY7Yaxz0WcmA52cZf9ORQMvkPVjvpenLNauMzYEk5fejfjH2FgyamtL3XQb3OhzKcdfVHElc59ta74L5Iu9mBeVlURNCeP8Y11QPvNR4KIMEdAbnc1UTdAVAKfoeX-CMRy/s640/IMG_0131.JPG" width="384" /></a></div>
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I did in fact replace the waist elastic with a big stretchy panel, as if to cover as much of my surface area as possible with neon fabric. :D</div>
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For my third pair, I went the other direction and made leggings. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EwQJPRwQ8joLJw2-qTmga7lLLU79rHiMzb-XyUZEhF_vH59wm7XETEKspXW7jkOVX8my4bv5AizE3Eh5HiKsBPaLiNmHhfGdAgJZ6HLdY9VK3qBYsYo9E7bER2XxjBKeOGu1m2704eUI/s1600/IMG_0133.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EwQJPRwQ8joLJw2-qTmga7lLLU79rHiMzb-XyUZEhF_vH59wm7XETEKspXW7jkOVX8my4bv5AizE3Eh5HiKsBPaLiNmHhfGdAgJZ6HLdY9VK3qBYsYo9E7bER2XxjBKeOGu1m2704eUI/s640/IMG_0133.JPG" width="384" /></a></div>
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I scavenged the pattern from a Cynthia Rowley pattern in my stash. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.patternreview.com/sewing/patterns/simplicity/1372/1372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://images.patternreview.com/sewing/patterns/simplicity/1372/1372.jpg" height="400" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/Patterns/65606" target="_blank">Simplicity 1372</a>, a top and leggings pattern.</td></tr>
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There is supposed to be an exposed zipper in the back of the leggings, which I did not include; unfortunately, I forgot to cut the center back seam bigger to make up for the space where the zipper was supposed to be, so I just made that seam really small and I think took in the center front a little bit to make the front/back waistband the same length and it worked well. I also had to take in the leggings a little bit around the knees, which is strange because they fit ok everywhere else. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sOTLfflcagrjrrPdtxK2906SnCYNfFLK92xjVIk1jEyOHODyVP2L6umm6jqKryp1_KkUs8YKeViSnSmr1mwbKxkMPv1kv9I41R8rYFCxXlGRfG2mnD42Ar1rEM43DW8YjQZIdBnNUyRA/s1600/IMG_0132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sOTLfflcagrjrrPdtxK2906SnCYNfFLK92xjVIk1jEyOHODyVP2L6umm6jqKryp1_KkUs8YKeViSnSmr1mwbKxkMPv1kv9I41R8rYFCxXlGRfG2mnD42Ar1rEM43DW8YjQZIdBnNUyRA/s640/IMG_0132.JPG" width="384" /></a></div>
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Once again, this fabric is a product of (totally justified) FabricMart impulse buying. It's a beautiful, thick, primarily cotton, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGh8iUj7jHQ&t=0m49s" target="_blank">lime green and tangerine</a> Pucci knit. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpV2kyWSdhOfIh8gXam1geDvODPiKpX60VMXJgLrKNDK-FXy8ZE68AQxxWcf0UlaByRpGvtgqR-79flqwZY0lTYtaj2QmWrFEaqQfzHeB9T-kjJSGNK49CfAcMODNiOziRc2rebZB3pVjE/s1600/pucci.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpV2kyWSdhOfIh8gXam1geDvODPiKpX60VMXJgLrKNDK-FXy8ZE68AQxxWcf0UlaByRpGvtgqR-79flqwZY0lTYtaj2QmWrFEaqQfzHeB9T-kjJSGNK49CfAcMODNiOziRc2rebZB3pVjE/s640/pucci.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="goog_617724422"></span>This has nothing to do with the post, but I love <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=pucci+fabric&espv=2&biw=1455&bih=705&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiaut_LvMvKAhVJvoMKHfd4CsUQ_AUIBygC#tbm=isch&q=pucci+print+fabric" target="_blank">Pucci fabric</a>.<span id="goog_617724423"></span></td></tr>
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Doesn't my fabric kind of look like Jupiter? </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPYPpfSyrX_uWuBXftKLZkAwPhYRyz1GaXHmYObQNdZe58raMItF6ecRyJnrLMMLaCyevU5xzgTYhbjpszE8WW5uVpGKVT_4XvIxiak_H8M7BSWhQvvrif6CyY-CZG5MAyYe7Vlr5Wg3c/s1600/jupiter+fabric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPYPpfSyrX_uWuBXftKLZkAwPhYRyz1GaXHmYObQNdZe58raMItF6ecRyJnrLMMLaCyevU5xzgTYhbjpszE8WW5uVpGKVT_4XvIxiak_H8M7BSWhQvvrif6CyY-CZG5MAyYe7Vlr5Wg3c/s640/jupiter+fabric.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you appreciate that comparison, you would really enjoy <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130401.html" target="_blank">moon or frying pan</a>. </td></tr>
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That's my pants collection! </div>
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I haven't posted in a while because school has been really busy! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGzh9Ztn1RZckFvfMcAJbdnrdf8oTfaNfP2LjPpbL5oyz4PzZawVOEhYXAaKnWilhcxOdYL9RhnNhOlp7pYmUreTHMLvv8cCLiXhSmPpHEiN7rBTc6KpTW779_MVBfnMtGL8Avh6Tl0og/s1600/IMG_2947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGzh9Ztn1RZckFvfMcAJbdnrdf8oTfaNfP2LjPpbL5oyz4PzZawVOEhYXAaKnWilhcxOdYL9RhnNhOlp7pYmUreTHMLvv8cCLiXhSmPpHEiN7rBTc6KpTW779_MVBfnMtGL8Avh6Tl0og/s320/IMG_2947.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ice skating with friends! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdLrlP9wsiHFGfNtY2lzTkNr3DpYA4yr7-w7URJ9eonRzenixg1-2dzO6R71HAL09p2lsuVCGNK_avIF_IMhJM6WNaRMVYOhkBpw_E5UCEFj21tJxkxCuPoI8puXgzchRX86S8sR97RUQ/s1600/IMG_2983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdLrlP9wsiHFGfNtY2lzTkNr3DpYA4yr7-w7URJ9eonRzenixg1-2dzO6R71HAL09p2lsuVCGNK_avIF_IMhJM6WNaRMVYOhkBpw_E5UCEFj21tJxkxCuPoI8puXgzchRX86S8sR97RUQ/s400/IMG_2983.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look, some homework I haven't deleted from my phone yet!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making actual food (as opposed to just dessert...)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow!!!</td></tr>
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And I've been publishing on the <a href="http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/author/apnewman" target="_blank">MIT admissions blog</a>! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDKvtDbZbz8Bq6ht4XDkaeujtyZHttXBnAvY1M_cyAxNbkq4DiWImicPTMDVOW-yUFYApySncgtBZBTjfp8_T0N59F9gnblKf0UiKrK4AaarSA542xinuzU5ode1LD-mb-Jt9kY63pQRu/s1600/IMG_0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDKvtDbZbz8Bq6ht4XDkaeujtyZHttXBnAvY1M_cyAxNbkq4DiWImicPTMDVOW-yUFYApySncgtBZBTjfp8_T0N59F9gnblKf0UiKrK4AaarSA542xinuzU5ode1LD-mb-Jt9kY63pQRu/s640/IMG_0070.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this is a picture of the State House that I took from my room with my new camera! A little more picturesque than the inside of my closet :) </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-54451837869516652982015-10-24T07:57:00.004-07:002015-10-24T07:57:59.636-07:00Boston Fashion Week and what to do with your leftover coffee filtersI was pretty excited to learn that I now live within walking distance of a fashion week.<br />
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One Saturday afternoon some friends and I headed over to the Back Bay area to the big mall in Copley place to see an exhibit put on by the Massachusetts College of Art and Design called "Wearable Art."<br />
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It was straight out of a Project Runway unconventional challenge.<br />
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Forget recycling. "This garment was crafted out of cut and scrolled aluminum cans and wired to window screening. Designer: Jessica Soter". This looks like a treacherous dress to make--those aluminum strips are probably really sharp! Also, can we all take a moment to admire how adorable it is that she used a row of can tops on the back of the dress to mimic the look of sewn-on buttons and loops?<br />
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"This garment is made from woven raffia on a loom and sculpted by hand. The skirt is from brushed lambs wool and baby's breath. Designer: Elle Audra Mackey." I love the back!<br />
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Remember when you did that art project in like kindergarten where you microwaved scraps of plastic cups to make a pin or something for your mom? </div>
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This person took that idea to a whole new level. </div>
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<i>"Mom, I made you a dress in art class today!" </i>"This garment was made from melted spoons (?!?!!! <i>Melted spoons!!!</i>) which were molded into the shape. Designer: Nicole Dupuis." I'm never throwing away my plastic spoons again. </div>
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"This garment was made from over 500 dyed coffee filters. The skirt is shaped by 4 chair back supporters. (Confirmed by me.) Designer: Sylvia Lund." The shaping on the skirt is really cool--it looks like a continuous piece of ribbon or tulle! </div>
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There was also a coffee filter ballgown! </div>
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"This ruby evening gown was crafted out of coffee filters. Designer: Olena Cook." </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAvyJqGi4B5Yc-WJFm9gQSr1-Q7JLopYfltqU4Gov-Bhn174v9eO3-_AztUG1vpzkMQZcWI8F3eZPKeYehQ6Wn3d6S_0hrVkbwUtXn8ndY_EePGXtdpWagq_5aol3kZddwt3pubQdSHh7x/s1600/IMG_2687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAvyJqGi4B5Yc-WJFm9gQSr1-Q7JLopYfltqU4Gov-Bhn174v9eO3-_AztUG1vpzkMQZcWI8F3eZPKeYehQ6Wn3d6S_0hrVkbwUtXn8ndY_EePGXtdpWagq_5aol3kZddwt3pubQdSHh7x/s640/IMG_2687.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
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Guess what this one is made of!?! You won't be able to so I'll tell you. "This dress was made from torn <i>egg cartons</i> dipped in dye and molded onto tarp using hot glue. Designer: Cassandra Gossett." This is where "no touching" started getting really hard.</div>
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This one looks like something out of a movie set! "This garment was created completely out of feathers. Designer: Breanna Budryk." </div>
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This one is just ridiculous. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6W2C65tWzS1KOcjj-ausm3JK6rRy-LLoB-FdPiVgJaCj8GIlO4_jIhknBMcqPoAmNxfiXrb1g5a2DdylTRysK8v3LRRTLnj-eISJ82rcN2zSanh2feQxYJYOZkBlWH6LnsfJFlbpC0LzF/s1600/IMG_2690.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6W2C65tWzS1KOcjj-ausm3JK6rRy-LLoB-FdPiVgJaCj8GIlO4_jIhknBMcqPoAmNxfiXrb1g5a2DdylTRysK8v3LRRTLnj-eISJ82rcN2zSanh2feQxYJYOZkBlWH6LnsfJFlbpC0LzF/s640/IMG_2690.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
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"This garment is made of over 5000 coffee stir straws. Designer: Kathryn Higham." And I thought using boning was hard. The incredible thing about this dress is that even though it's made out of tiny wooden sticks, it's <i>completely awesome</i> and deceptive in that I can totally picture this being a runway, not to mention an actual person. </div>
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After checking out the exhibit, my friends and I took a walk around Back Bay. While marveling at the beauty of Boston's historic buildings, I saw this: </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's hard to see from far away...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4TKAeWqzGpmYVFqPI1Mc8cW-TccImBxvYOttd7GH80uXhLKHVB1w9L6O190NjnE5Ow3vtfzWbxSI6k_lmpc3t8YCdVs2iHU3gKCMHlKf22PCP9eJsuIcfXJNYeq-N2J3OkaQOqJ2bYjK/s1600/IMG_2710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4TKAeWqzGpmYVFqPI1Mc8cW-TccImBxvYOttd7GH80uXhLKHVB1w9L6O190NjnE5Ow3vtfzWbxSI6k_lmpc3t8YCdVs2iHU3gKCMHlKf22PCP9eJsuIcfXJNYeq-N2J3OkaQOqJ2bYjK/s640/IMG_2710.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The entire display was filled with these gorgeous, intricate vintage sewing machines! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9_PZLYMI56aXyThpuH-w6w3IkMJjj4JFUI-zncQYkLthnk6eLLdlPy45_5u97kxp_PHBR-C6Adl0T5qeFMTmjcRC5Va7Wde9AsBP4o-WNtW5UhExAu2N1atS2i3n8ELGzuI2urjVie0w/s1600/IMG_2711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9_PZLYMI56aXyThpuH-w6w3IkMJjj4JFUI-zncQYkLthnk6eLLdlPy45_5u97kxp_PHBR-C6Adl0T5qeFMTmjcRC5Va7Wde9AsBP4o-WNtW5UhExAu2N1atS2i3n8ELGzuI2urjVie0w/s640/IMG_2711.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each of them was like a little functional piece of art! They were absolutely beautiful! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPFQQ1IJXCvxuwgl9wmEa1vhfh73QdSDUzdObrdZI8wSO9ZSkyRCyReGVFECya1FhZGrQjnAQvkKgvN2Bg6-EUUU1oQKRdzW0eE3lh-sK1xoV_5_tEckFd6zJ47ihCaSyz5XclPjb5pYl/s1600/IMG_2709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPFQQ1IJXCvxuwgl9wmEa1vhfh73QdSDUzdObrdZI8wSO9ZSkyRCyReGVFECya1FhZGrQjnAQvkKgvN2Bg6-EUUU1oQKRdzW0eE3lh-sK1xoV_5_tEckFd6zJ47ihCaSyz5XclPjb5pYl/s640/IMG_2709.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's me in the background :D</td></tr>
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Afterwards, a remarkable event occurred: we stopped at Georgetown cupcakes, and I ate the only purchased cupcake I've come across that was worth eating. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpw3vMhYT80LfdWo58dGFEPUwt8ttXe84dXv7Ft_IR9QxTp8y1Gk5cpVBpCVMolBRLDlfHvscl96eH08zqbcf94FlfbefEo64wR6H_tfeqk_kr3hpCO0Vq9tvCHRsF5nrILwKNDyhNZxlg/s1600/IMG_2713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpw3vMhYT80LfdWo58dGFEPUwt8ttXe84dXv7Ft_IR9QxTp8y1Gk5cpVBpCVMolBRLDlfHvscl96eH08zqbcf94FlfbefEo64wR6H_tfeqk_kr3hpCO0Vq9tvCHRsF5nrILwKNDyhNZxlg/s640/IMG_2713.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YUMM</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWrwrS9vVCaLSGrGTvCsJZOi8lse1VgqD3WEsna_0SYPomVdlDfnLIbWYujt7uINMgpVKo_J_ogEyL67I3x-y-dEFS8Lxr22MJkYZpBUgyoSIfkJH0qf8-aCz-Ya2VGdZ4wwj3XoZLLHT/s1600/IMG_2716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWrwrS9vVCaLSGrGTvCsJZOi8lse1VgqD3WEsna_0SYPomVdlDfnLIbWYujt7uINMgpVKo_J_ogEyL67I3x-y-dEFS8Lxr22MJkYZpBUgyoSIfkJH0qf8-aCz-Ya2VGdZ4wwj3XoZLLHT/s400/IMG_2716.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate fudge and peanut butter. It was actually SO GOOD. The filling they put inside tastes like <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2014/01/finallychocolate.html" target="_blank">molten chocolate cake batter</a>, and the creamy peanut butter frosting goes perfectly. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4u9psjInDrmk_rrNBgNvTM-T-Px9g7P2McZDMEU4NK62GIG3F7T2bN9QvoUAQdxpTyNDhbvZebfXHmgYkPYNV5taVe5N6vfuKxUjw1PYP8KWyAntXAToTCUHgtOYy7dcFnwWPW8ZSqME/s1600/IMG_2715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4u9psjInDrmk_rrNBgNvTM-T-Px9g7P2McZDMEU4NK62GIG3F7T2bN9QvoUAQdxpTyNDhbvZebfXHmgYkPYNV5taVe5N6vfuKxUjw1PYP8KWyAntXAToTCUHgtOYy7dcFnwWPW8ZSqME/s400/IMG_2715.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plus they had a sparkly mixer ;) </td></tr>
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Boston is such a gorgeous city, and the weather was beautiful, so I can't resist sharing some pictures :D<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCHAYfBLquCGnfqFR-wxHY36ZNN0sYm1t_V98VEB6ORviVson3ZgiBTBSVtqWEfMkh06XfqsnTDynG0uCjpCQ1R7Ry0Ma_wLtx4Bq5WC7GEko5GbyroagY_hvBwZNw3Yu-adkVDYAq3eQ/s1600/IMG_2705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCHAYfBLquCGnfqFR-wxHY36ZNN0sYm1t_V98VEB6ORviVson3ZgiBTBSVtqWEfMkh06XfqsnTDynG0uCjpCQ1R7Ry0Ma_wLtx4Bq5WC7GEko5GbyroagY_hvBwZNw3Yu-adkVDYAq3eQ/s400/IMG_2705.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trinity Church</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nFq70A-OMgggZkBv_1tCoIKjDXpinbvm2KhdO8uBN1zOnDQYjmt41bppSFL25d1wTccRRD7zJ_ki-i3KCb1RJYaS4PJJFnxLvmU2LITyIurHvjmXJFBL3bAq9p35q6UgjMLyi2l5Br7D/s1600/IMG_2707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nFq70A-OMgggZkBv_1tCoIKjDXpinbvm2KhdO8uBN1zOnDQYjmt41bppSFL25d1wTccRRD7zJ_ki-i3KCb1RJYaS4PJJFnxLvmU2LITyIurHvjmXJFBL3bAq9p35q6UgjMLyi2l5Br7D/s400/IMG_2707.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-Bzh0IDJQgu_CLkuHP0_PV7SGDGcJhrOd0pkNmDPEPSzlEV6f7IBf7ncoC_u_MAO2RyjUP2cwv_FpWXG2fyQmTmDjmpejAA3lv_abcDcl3yyXDkWfwzX0sJiZqXlLe_IfEItFEQmNu3s/s1600/IMG_2720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-Bzh0IDJQgu_CLkuHP0_PV7SGDGcJhrOd0pkNmDPEPSzlEV6f7IBf7ncoC_u_MAO2RyjUP2cwv_FpWXG2fyQmTmDjmpejAA3lv_abcDcl3yyXDkWfwzX0sJiZqXlLe_IfEItFEQmNu3s/s400/IMG_2720.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sWoWOz9cazxb37RATnNSKLz9Y09sgFgIOF0sSTBJe6skG0FL_Ym0NWugX14bkT_VrRvmLyZ1hl6HyZUBeghriJYKqyW1_JkbwxuxW3fAVa0IOUWPjf9aVcd1jA-9sg-Y6rN1L56fy5aI/s1600/IMG_2721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sWoWOz9cazxb37RATnNSKLz9Y09sgFgIOF0sSTBJe6skG0FL_Ym0NWugX14bkT_VrRvmLyZ1hl6HyZUBeghriJYKqyW1_JkbwxuxW3fAVa0IOUWPjf9aVcd1jA-9sg-Y6rN1L56fy5aI/s400/IMG_2721.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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Next time we have a formal, I feel like I should make my dress out of coffee filters ;) </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-86714771540408975622015-09-29T13:21:00.001-07:002015-09-29T13:21:55.251-07:00Prospects for the future, a new blog tagline, and a cake!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just over a month ago, I moved 3000 miles across the country to a new city.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XxFBP5pDRqudDMiNOTjgTjkHG9O8gtrvAT2zNwZ0MqcDTl4CMz4vBmIfJgVQsSEM4QlpuOnp4193iDIsJGDSVrSEb5LOG_HKrfAAmF9gEJChe7Ac2gInFcY655hAfRkHkCXtR-9-Nj83/s1600/find+iPhone+Boston.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XxFBP5pDRqudDMiNOTjgTjkHG9O8gtrvAT2zNwZ0MqcDTl4CMz4vBmIfJgVQsSEM4QlpuOnp4193iDIsJGDSVrSEb5LOG_HKrfAAmF9gEJChe7Ac2gInFcY655hAfRkHkCXtR-9-Nj83/s640/find+iPhone+Boston.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
And got to move in to my dream school.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunndd6b0xrn9x3qjlzEU9OPXvKV_ctCpuCa6VLoPZUaNcQFakN76hJO5Gvuq6F46LBVWig7xyN4Nh6z8AKYHbXkMcUFaGOhvsbzMYZTJrT2IQQN3FjUH41P_AmLns1KKRzkxMuSQeqmuc/s1600/IMG_2416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunndd6b0xrn9x3qjlzEU9OPXvKV_ctCpuCa6VLoPZUaNcQFakN76hJO5Gvuq6F46LBVWig7xyN4Nh6z8AKYHbXkMcUFaGOhvsbzMYZTJrT2IQQN3FjUH41P_AmLns1KKRzkxMuSQeqmuc/s640/IMG_2416.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly my selfie angles need work. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2L1wNqbKlsY1aau7s3_gDN0mO_fy1-Irb4xOjfyjCU0E3SbyyLh-7Cc3twCeySx25kkAIpb9vmcn8Gj7AeRNNTN7_iR55xhMOLPwyBIfesgH-vYO3ffqHxM1xWzDRghzhy796drWveO0F/s1600/MIT+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2L1wNqbKlsY1aau7s3_gDN0mO_fy1-Irb4xOjfyjCU0E3SbyyLh-7Cc3twCeySx25kkAIpb9vmcn8Gj7AeRNNTN7_iR55xhMOLPwyBIfesgH-vYO3ffqHxM1xWzDRghzhy796drWveO0F/s640/MIT+cake.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It seemed only appropriate to ring in this new period of my life with an appropriately-themed cake. Which my mom got to with a knife before I could with the camera...but you get the idea! </td></tr>
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This change of scenery, of course, will necessitate some radical changes in sewing and cooking habits. Fortunately, I don't have to give up sewing and cooking entirely. Mainly because MIT is an awesome school. For these reasons.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1) My dorm room is a single!!! And I'm a freshman!!!</span> </u></b>That's practically unheard of for US colleges. MIT has one dorm on campus that is almost entirely composed of singles, so if you're like me and you need occasionally privacy to function, you won't go stir-crazy within the first two weeks. ;) PLUS, no roommate means that, conceivably, I would have no one to bother if I decided to install a sewing machine in my room and get some garment-making done after I finish my homework...which would probably be after 3:00 in the morning. xD<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>2) There's actually a sewing room on campus.</u></span></b><br />
Ok, it's more like a sewing closet. And based on the pictures I found online, its usage is not super advanced.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHGluDhmotaR5xii7J5MP8PaH3ktIWZz6-nsJV4s8rDB7nRyL4vHFyt9Fk39FRRh00NhUYk8tIjR3p1WNkV7hH3hy9TwCUkPbBUz96bx-sMO3_qDf_bCP7OHFD2QgybUGTTxUsqbK3V_m/s1600/McCormick+sewing+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHGluDhmotaR5xii7J5MP8PaH3ktIWZz6-nsJV4s8rDB7nRyL4vHFyt9Fk39FRRh00NhUYk8tIjR3p1WNkV7hH3hy9TwCUkPbBUz96bx-sMO3_qDf_bCP7OHFD2QgybUGTTxUsqbK3V_m/s400/McCormick+sewing+room.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mitguidetoresidences.mit.edu/map/mccormick-hall" target="_blank">From the MIT housing website</a></td></tr>
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(Though come to think of it, a portable backpack pillow sounds like just the thing...)<br />
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One of these days I'm going to have to make it over to the dorm in question and check it out!<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>3) Maker culture</u></span></b><br />
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When someone is building this in front of their dorm, I just don't think people would find me sewing in my room to be so terribly outlandish.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8labUsF-4MJszksns7nA8SNvyckqXd55oUMQAyPHBLYg09hGb-PVhTpq3ifco0QLdXAyhnr7HmTOa_ScMzPi7TfCqjMgbRIjM2T1k7nvGhg53C3Qn9KvDWjlBOzA8JKDweYHi6QWXANl/s1600/IMG_2513.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8labUsF-4MJszksns7nA8SNvyckqXd55oUMQAyPHBLYg09hGb-PVhTpq3ifco0QLdXAyhnr7HmTOa_ScMzPi7TfCqjMgbRIjM2T1k7nvGhg53C3Qn9KvDWjlBOzA8JKDweYHi6QWXANl/s640/IMG_2513.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4) ...secondary only to food culture.</span></u></b><br />
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Food is a big deal at MIT.<br />
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At some of the other schools I toured, if I asked about the quality of the dining on campus, I got this dismissive look like "Ye naive peasant, we're too busy cogitating to concern ourselves with matters of the flesh!"<br />
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When I toured MIT, they offered me food.<br />
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That's when I knew I had found my people ;)<br />
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I mean really, the attention paid to and the sheer quantity of food around campus is kind of ridiculous. I'm so well-fed I don't think I actually paid for a meal during three weeks of Orientation. I even went to dinner at a frat that served me a free steak and lobster dinner. (Like we're talking an entire crustacean, ready for the dismembering.) Which is pretty remarkable considering that I'm not even a dude.<br />
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There's a big "free food" mentality around campus with people flocking to events that will feed them. During the prime of the school year, when the stream of low-cost sustenance starts to wear thin, you can actually sign up for a mailing list to have free-food@mit.edu shoot you an email whenever an opportunity arises. ;)<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5) But if scavenging isn't your thing, cooking will be.</span></u></b><br />
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Yet another thing I love about MIT. Whereas most universities force you to purchase a huge, gut-stuffing, wallet-busting totally superfluous meal plan, <i>MIT doesn't force you to buy a meal plan at all. </i>Which is completely awesome because it means that *gasp* I'm cooking for myself this year!<br />
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EVERYTHING! Not just, like, cookies and granola!<br />
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It's going to be a challenge finding dishes that are reasonably restrained in terms of ingredients, prep time, and space (the kitchen I'm working with is itsy-bitsy) but I'm looking forward to it. I already made quinoa burgers the other week<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSaMputnl7_NoGFgRyd2osejmtnre5Oug-cwNe3Oo-bSBmrOJybwKrudy0OrVR25-xKFd1mJISU2NxR8FAKx2xBNrtVPrzDLvJCDuaoxZId-L51XCWSx5PFfKMOPGDPfsodyIN-XN_tvBH/s1600/IMG_2577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSaMputnl7_NoGFgRyd2osejmtnre5Oug-cwNe3Oo-bSBmrOJybwKrudy0OrVR25-xKFd1mJISU2NxR8FAKx2xBNrtVPrzDLvJCDuaoxZId-L51XCWSx5PFfKMOPGDPfsodyIN-XN_tvBH/s400/IMG_2577.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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and they turned out delicious. I've got some more delicious dishes planned for this week!<br />
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Plus, cooking communities around campus are really prevalent. I'm shopping for a great group of people to cook with!<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>5) And some exciting news...</u></span></b><br />
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Ok this isn't strictly related to sewing or cooking, but it is related to blogging so I thought I would share...<br />
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I AM NOW AN OFFICIAL MIT ADMISSIONS BLOGGER!!!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHQAezuSAf_aekWVz2Wz8LMr-7fpB3VdLOFiFkM88AaaOiT61-rvgbcJUkObfB2iV5fBsoGP2Y-7ugj_2RQu5UzmEjKt8iH0A_WSRqlCmR8xSqPAowa8FZRSweyJy9HG_wsJd4WdPq0Yn/s1600/Blogger+Avatar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHQAezuSAf_aekWVz2Wz8LMr-7fpB3VdLOFiFkM88AaaOiT61-rvgbcJUkObfB2iV5fBsoGP2Y-7ugj_2RQu5UzmEjKt8iH0A_WSRqlCmR8xSqPAowa8FZRSweyJy9HG_wsJd4WdPq0Yn/s320/Blogger+Avatar.JPG" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's my little official admissions avatar! <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2014/01/wrap-coat-electric-blue-fur-7-pounds-of.html" target="_blank">Look familiar?</a></td></tr>
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On their admissions page, MIT hosts an <a href="http://mitadmissions.org/blogs" target="_blank">admissions blog</a> with posts from current students writing about every aspect of their experience at MIT, from student life to academics to new opportunities to hacks to <a href="http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/where-to-buy-food-mit-groceries-guide" target="_blank">where to buy groceries</a> to the <a href="http://mitadmissions.org/blogs" target="_blank">cats</a> that populate the pets-friendly floors of some of the dorms...and guess who's one of the newest writing recruits from the class of 2019!<br />
<br />
Here's the link to <a href="http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/author/apnewman" target="_blank">my feed</a>!<br />
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On the MIT blog, I'll be posting general stuff about my life at MIT. On this blog, I'll continue to post the excess of sewing- and cooking-related exuberance that MIT doesn't want to hear about.<br />
<br />
Like I'm pretty sure most prospective MIT pre-frosh wouldn't totally care that I attended an event at Boston Fashion Week last weekend...(but you might ;D).<br />
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But that's a post for another day! Stay posted and cross your fingers for me that I don't get overwhelmed with homework and have time to post again soon!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHtzr6oluG-nClWKh1i6I7VBjDDKejS0tlYatW2zD3OBsQDVTGOh6BY-yA9Z5XJO8lRCnUQFP_DYTwgro2BZTV7E_r15pDlsV6JxUT8a7bGVaMiNxxnMP3haWlJThKs24i0h9o_xGIoLS/s1600/IMG_2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHtzr6oluG-nClWKh1i6I7VBjDDKejS0tlYatW2zD3OBsQDVTGOh6BY-yA9Z5XJO8lRCnUQFP_DYTwgro2BZTV7E_r15pDlsV6JxUT8a7bGVaMiNxxnMP3haWlJThKs24i0h9o_xGIoLS/s640/IMG_2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thought I would share a picture out my dorm room window. That's a view right over the Charles River right into downtown Boston. The view is AMAZING :) </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-9595144005310564002015-08-04T00:30:00.001-07:002015-08-04T00:30:36.441-07:00Missoni Maxi Madness <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0Nlo_3nAPI1dwrIDmmkUBiVmC_9rLMWBZS87g_aMV_Tdgpbq5cESJGYf2pytt5OpTy8EU807loeNEqZDRvc2wuRIkR706XkbYTQC_XA51Do4aYS-5aL13C4u2d1VtLt2aRdm9GP-0OLZ/s1600/IMG_4078+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0Nlo_3nAPI1dwrIDmmkUBiVmC_9rLMWBZS87g_aMV_Tdgpbq5cESJGYf2pytt5OpTy8EU807loeNEqZDRvc2wuRIkR706XkbYTQC_XA51Do4aYS-5aL13C4u2d1VtLt2aRdm9GP-0OLZ/s640/IMG_4078+edit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YiF0a1nRwWjWpqJnDi5IgZlfGFufxiJoFf4mbp5EPKr-hvSJYvqv1ZE8f_pCs2OV6bj-kpxW_byneZJOEGGBvI7SofGAnEhikpLwoq_gK9iqfpQal2_tiHZFOXY5YksHPTGdwYEGEXRO/s1600/IMG_4107+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YiF0a1nRwWjWpqJnDi5IgZlfGFufxiJoFf4mbp5EPKr-hvSJYvqv1ZE8f_pCs2OV6bj-kpxW_byneZJOEGGBvI7SofGAnEhikpLwoq_gK9iqfpQal2_tiHZFOXY5YksHPTGdwYEGEXRO/s640/IMG_4107+edit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is an example of total fabric inspiration!<br />
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I would never have pictured myself making this project on my own.<br />
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Prior to making this dress, this was my mental picture of a maxi dress:<br />
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<a href="http://www.clothingww.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/10/0/196-PinkClubwear-Pinkclubwear-Plus-Size-High-Waist-Vertical-Chevron-Print-Maxi-Skirt-for-Women-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.clothingww.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/10/0/196-PinkClubwear-Pinkclubwear-Plus-Size-High-Waist-Vertical-Chevron-Print-Maxi-Skirt-for-Women-2.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pretty much a tube of fabric (which I don't mind, I love fabric!) except that maxi fabric is usually ugly and clingy and sometimes the stripes don't match up and really the only good reason I could think of for wearing one was if you forgot to shave (...actually, that's a pretty good reason).<br />
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And this was my mental picture of a Missoni dress:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBuu7R2wijG1XbH-4hOxgdYEy5CCyv55rfzqJzrlUPzX6feHjikZUSmdxlNS6IsW7vVDf8_BSUfeqP6cIva20YWTCG6ZGgsgyTaUD7K-uCIy_Rv7mvR2H4D2mAASm2D6pfQuYkpWFh44y/s1600/Missoni+Dress+Price+tag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBuu7R2wijG1XbH-4hOxgdYEy5CCyv55rfzqJzrlUPzX6feHjikZUSmdxlNS6IsW7vVDf8_BSUfeqP6cIva20YWTCG6ZGgsgyTaUD7K-uCIy_Rv7mvR2H4D2mAASm2D6pfQuYkpWFh44y/s400/Missoni+Dress+Price+tag.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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....And I was like eeeeeeeegh I'll just wear jeans.<br />
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And then Elliot Bermann had a promotion, and among my mom's haul from the sale was this gorgeous swath of textile.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKD4AE6A8WWs1X9ZknMDzi0BMuuTYP7w_TjeXmE-FL6sKxgPuPfF_scWsk33CVbepCpmmX9hXHtPoTYgIdE9FPQroH4NivJ-TaELnQ8g66vlaMqvoMMvnrFH3edAm9NiEs9dQd-VwInhIn/s1600/IMG_4183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKD4AE6A8WWs1X9ZknMDzi0BMuuTYP7w_TjeXmE-FL6sKxgPuPfF_scWsk33CVbepCpmmX9hXHtPoTYgIdE9FPQroH4NivJ-TaELnQ8g66vlaMqvoMMvnrFH3edAm9NiEs9dQd-VwInhIn/s640/IMG_4183.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disclaimer: I got permission from my mom to steal this fabric.</td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a>This was totally different from most of the Missoni fabrics I'd seen. For one, the colors were bright and vivid (lime green and magenta next to each other? Sign me up!). Plus, this is not a sweater knit. It's a super lightweight wool-viscose blend, and it has one of the best drapes I've seen in a fabric! It moves beautifully, gathers effortlessly, and is actually really flattering in the way it drapes across the body. (Seriously, Plan B was a toga.)<br />
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I decided that my kaleidoscopic fabric really needed a full-length skirt to show off its full varicolored jagged glory. So I went to what has become my go-to repository of interesting categorical patterns. No matter what sort of garment you're looking to make, from a t-shirt to a cape, Burdastyle is sure to have an intriguing twist on it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://assets.burdastyle.com/patterns/technical_drawings/000/002/477/123_technical_large.jpg?1368460463" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://assets.burdastyle.com/patterns/technical_drawings/000/002/477/123_technical_large.jpg?1368460463" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/printed-maxi-dress-052013" target="_blank">Burda Printed Maxi Dress 05/2013 #123</a></td></tr>
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And thus my conceptions of the maxi dress were reinvented.<br />
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To be honest, I didn't really follow the pattern instructions that came with this design because I didn't want to bother figuring them out <a href="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php" title="Smiley"><img alt="Smiley" border="0" src="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-ashamed005.gif" /></a> so I just sort of put things together on my own and it all came together. If anyone is out there right now (like I was a couple months ago) looking for more details on how to put everything together in the right order, please feel free to use me as a resource by commenting!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6A8MrqZt-UGaHCifG7TILN4qLhSqQgJ2j-s6TY6cehosqj-Bo_IfG6vZm5R8Wi1vcjWYrFyDQtZVueRLVWiIuXwpnN_et1pZSuLtd4BjvWGYphRqMXbPivEuUdRSz31WIQO19L78LcA4/s1600/IMG_4157+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6A8MrqZt-UGaHCifG7TILN4qLhSqQgJ2j-s6TY6cehosqj-Bo_IfG6vZm5R8Wi1vcjWYrFyDQtZVueRLVWiIuXwpnN_et1pZSuLtd4BjvWGYphRqMXbPivEuUdRSz31WIQO19L78LcA4/s640/IMG_4157+edit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YUI71DDcXTZAORoHzpnHMnfyZuarVKEefOOYlHWyU7ALBTJzAF_JGZZC0g1AJOfTyRf047ZOtcr-A7C2IZu6YtM_ANPHekIi2roVIlmG4mPsFScOd0F7H_IffjvFCl4YTlibfnWiDr3s/s1600/IMG_4158+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YUI71DDcXTZAORoHzpnHMnfyZuarVKEefOOYlHWyU7ALBTJzAF_JGZZC0g1AJOfTyRf047ZOtcr-A7C2IZu6YtM_ANPHekIi2roVIlmG4mPsFScOd0F7H_IffjvFCl4YTlibfnWiDr3s/s640/IMG_4158+edit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This dress wasn't too hard to assemble, but some of the details were time-consuming because I wanted the details to actually turn out nice. For instance, there are no shoulder seams on the straps (though I'm sure you could add them if you wanted to), so you have to sort of pin, baste, and tenuously hold the bodice together on yourself before sewing it to make sure that it sits right on your body. I think I ended up taking something like 5 inches out of the straps!<br />
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Also, I was really careful to make sure the chevrons on the skirt lined up as precisely as possible. The front and back pieces for the skirt were almost identical, so I was able to do that by first cutting out the skirt front. Without removing it from the pattern piece, I flipped the entire thing over and positioned it on a new length of fabric so that the design perfectly lined up. Here's a bad phone picture.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBmTILik18jQg1xXZzeyg2m03xtD0BvUrxPk-BXPMzVOiYywLpY5bjTC4SnwT3MZpq6ts6oMBgSeuwEW16qmZtUHbgIHWBdHS-Y3A0KtgOTQPf7YWq-AZT4uKqi2JMiDoaiLgzFUzY_Rk/s1600/photo+1+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBmTILik18jQg1xXZzeyg2m03xtD0BvUrxPk-BXPMzVOiYywLpY5bjTC4SnwT3MZpq6ts6oMBgSeuwEW16qmZtUHbgIHWBdHS-Y3A0KtgOTQPf7YWq-AZT4uKqi2JMiDoaiLgzFUzY_Rk/s400/photo+1+%25284%2529.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you look really closely, you can see the outline of the pattern piece!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIADnzwzd-cQd8Fs5ZKCY9wTuOW-2eWZg9SFefGqUVxKcTOMErSf3S5q1xegteylq1pf-P_hpVLG9kAs4BaBZs64dr953OxT5T6WA6URcQEQYtHmQVHtzk9Et9fdz31bGtSGAL9Kj3mNQ/s1600/photo+2+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIADnzwzd-cQd8Fs5ZKCY9wTuOW-2eWZg9SFefGqUVxKcTOMErSf3S5q1xegteylq1pf-P_hpVLG9kAs4BaBZs64dr953OxT5T6WA6URcQEQYtHmQVHtzk9Et9fdz31bGtSGAL9Kj3mNQ/s400/photo+2+%25285%2529.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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I then cut around the edge of the pattern to get two virtually identical pieces of cloth, which I sewed up along the sides.<br />
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Since the skirt is A-line, there is sort of a V-shape on the side seams, but it really doesn't show that much!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXT2sZkr6sAGyxoNJy9fbXOWxsEc4__NQ64uiIPsSJl-CEXhLTPdsQJGIyPesI8rOHoz-6pAX3rZuvdeN02fXtsmOKrBZv-reXE6zSJ8kI4qoiJHoCe03K41e-y6hXWx78bcal_ptSP0Yl/s1600/IMG_4181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXT2sZkr6sAGyxoNJy9fbXOWxsEc4__NQ64uiIPsSJl-CEXhLTPdsQJGIyPesI8rOHoz-6pAX3rZuvdeN02fXtsmOKrBZv-reXE6zSJ8kI4qoiJHoCe03K41e-y6hXWx78bcal_ptSP0Yl/s400/IMG_4181.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxg42rwaGqBPCg7jeWt1BmKhNJdqpeIBwwug2sfCBEb40Hedt1LQ04HkyIHTgend5Q_TQrROR42EugnX0fkNel3Dj_mmNyrhMq5gBE4xDtMcNfOoGxT2ehsuilsPBPoCnPGN4O0Ypuh4F/s1600/IMG_4116+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxg42rwaGqBPCg7jeWt1BmKhNJdqpeIBwwug2sfCBEb40Hedt1LQ04HkyIHTgend5Q_TQrROR42EugnX0fkNel3Dj_mmNyrhMq5gBE4xDtMcNfOoGxT2ehsuilsPBPoCnPGN4O0Ypuh4F/s640/IMG_4116+edit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I lined the bodice in this really exciting silk with parrots and flowers that I think may have at one point been destined for a Hawaiian shirt for my dad...because why not.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOOnDJMd42fH2Z2Z2BjJeW0Ksh3R1Jvr_V-sTf01lQQEFemHcX0q0VDZ7D5Z3ZlYO0GWHi7kYhgmZrWbtx0jEWXzI2IkhKL_jQhi2ojmRqdOzGuImau1VhTGlWaj96Tav0ulPTQxzwCv_/s1600/IMG_4179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOOnDJMd42fH2Z2Z2BjJeW0Ksh3R1Jvr_V-sTf01lQQEFemHcX0q0VDZ7D5Z3ZlYO0GWHi7kYhgmZrWbtx0jEWXzI2IkhKL_jQhi2ojmRqdOzGuImau1VhTGlWaj96Tav0ulPTQxzwCv_/s640/IMG_4179.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's a close-up of the ruching on the bodice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fMGBuy7FEvFuilw3abVlqnxwad_qiW7DwrIrbSFUKjsEErF1xSUOgjBR4GGUJCcKzsv2vrQ6tPmb_VGH2717EUZVIENtdOX20oZD8KzeyzMfQIIpYtcov_fAN-VKiFcl6wsmov9GMWv2/s1600/IMG_4173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fMGBuy7FEvFuilw3abVlqnxwad_qiW7DwrIrbSFUKjsEErF1xSUOgjBR4GGUJCcKzsv2vrQ6tPmb_VGH2717EUZVIENtdOX20oZD8KzeyzMfQIIpYtcov_fAN-VKiFcl6wsmov9GMWv2/s640/IMG_4173.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly, the print-matching on the bodice wasn't as meticulous as on the skirt...haha ;P</td></tr>
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Wearing this dress has really inspired in me a greater appreciation for the virtues of maxi dresses. The light fabric and ventilation really comes in handy in Southern California in the middle of summer. Also, it's kind of nice not having to worry about having a ladylike posture while sitting down!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LZSfK6PNBx8YMx5ikS3BCixPxN4aXPnW8vxwq3Rvh-vXWw6CVVVyM8Lj9vZzQGiyt0_Y-rfBz5njZO_hQAQJIlKAZXQ0K2oIjDreeXvD_ravHYg7TpwrOFpAkE0Qv2qiLdx9qcGBfT4R/s1600/IMG_4172+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LZSfK6PNBx8YMx5ikS3BCixPxN4aXPnW8vxwq3Rvh-vXWw6CVVVyM8Lj9vZzQGiyt0_Y-rfBz5njZO_hQAQJIlKAZXQ0K2oIjDreeXvD_ravHYg7TpwrOFpAkE0Qv2qiLdx9qcGBfT4R/s640/IMG_4172+edit.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what happened when I tried to take some pictures sitting down. What is my dog doing, you ask? He's chasing a water balloon. My puppy is OBSESSED with harvesting, chasing down, and then tenderly coddling freshly-made balloons. Does he think they're his babies? His prey? A hostile invader? We have no idea.</td></tr>
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This dress is actually holding up pretty well for all the abuse it's already endured. I wore it to a barbecue at my cousins' house the other day, and halfway through the meal we had a freak thunderstorm in the middle of drought-stricken SoCal. I spent the rest of the day playing in the pouring rain with my baby cousins, and my dress doesn't really look the worse for the wear! (So much for a sundress, right?)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU770mcbM9UZgeyEwwDyWZwpgWBL26aan0z6eWkXVPhH8VQ2plcX9ay2ZMTL7x6oI6bvYE03kjsiHSGhiQLzHq48nquUVNXA9GXErHhDeZ41tWe91RqHid3Wv7D9MqqprvK1YDPLScUjlw/s1600/IMG_4084+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU770mcbM9UZgeyEwwDyWZwpgWBL26aan0z6eWkXVPhH8VQ2plcX9ay2ZMTL7x6oI6bvYE03kjsiHSGhiQLzHq48nquUVNXA9GXErHhDeZ41tWe91RqHid3Wv7D9MqqprvK1YDPLScUjlw/s640/IMG_4084+edit.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Got a little bit of wind-action there...</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjP-5af-gmc8pRrhNEdQhEg1fgWhlOTeS3cFR9GKNRkMUnBLIeOj0ZDKGwchelhK4wZt9MTiIutEQIDEMkUgdZkxCc3AEQyK-zyJn5wnuZDLlC5LBjbQhLJDThygHw5dpYrZKQn2-2aeO/s1600/IMG_4076+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjP-5af-gmc8pRrhNEdQhEg1fgWhlOTeS3cFR9GKNRkMUnBLIeOj0ZDKGwchelhK4wZt9MTiIutEQIDEMkUgdZkxCc3AEQyK-zyJn5wnuZDLlC5LBjbQhLJDThygHw5dpYrZKQn2-2aeO/s640/IMG_4076+edit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-65970375442474965602015-06-03T23:43:00.003-07:002015-06-04T09:50:17.621-07:00Romper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUQUDLXZr-ChMHaEuWWLjWjqxXHhS3SC2vM3PV5B1ECbqg1j9_tGSPpDe1Ea8xTMMcBynDc_KCJ9U1IqSL9DqCaA8YsyEGBMBLRN8wBUjq775wIHoneHX7vsLx090-28e6YmXtfCL4WXl/s1600/IMG_3849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUQUDLXZr-ChMHaEuWWLjWjqxXHhS3SC2vM3PV5B1ECbqg1j9_tGSPpDe1Ea8xTMMcBynDc_KCJ9U1IqSL9DqCaA8YsyEGBMBLRN8wBUjq775wIHoneHX7vsLx090-28e6YmXtfCL4WXl/s640/IMG_3849.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvE8I4Ri6Ww1VCfN6RngjPo6IA3CWTg2PbtSHkbkAaqMbSKc9UdJUdDmzMZQqKotMvPdnFbHAFEWfVEcstsAWQitdjsHadFjQs-OaiLWXJRoSu5BEhZbCxLZsgc_lTQfeIgJkMj_URX9ID/s1600/IMG_3876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvE8I4Ri6Ww1VCfN6RngjPo6IA3CWTg2PbtSHkbkAaqMbSKc9UdJUdDmzMZQqKotMvPdnFbHAFEWfVEcstsAWQitdjsHadFjQs-OaiLWXJRoSu5BEhZbCxLZsgc_lTQfeIgJkMj_URX9ID/s640/IMG_3876.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Aren't rompers super-cute? I think so. They're also in-style. I know because I went to a school-sponsored event the other day and a bunch of the girls were wearing them...which probably means they're already on the back-end of trendy... (I'm really out of touch with clothing trends...is that ironic?) </div>
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My brother, who is not as fashion-oriented as I am, insists on misinterpreting the name of my newest garment. Whenever I'm wearing it, he makes sure to tell me to "break a leg" or "break out a dance move!" or "I know you have senioritis, but don't break out of graduation practice." In Spanish, you see, <i>romper</i> means to break. </div>
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And actually, that's a pretty good metaphor for this article of clothing. Por ejemplo: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnurz4ECpDpQmPShYfzlZxVEDe9Ft2FToNWZ_pfTxFjgKGnONV6vtFUHAInW_qhAdfnY6fZ2k_mnk5zCuq-Fu7OgmdkkId6vbzmh3LLj_UveVV-9FinP7PNrb3pG_zsLdWKo8ECeSBF-xr/s1600/romper2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="54" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnurz4ECpDpQmPShYfzlZxVEDe9Ft2FToNWZ_pfTxFjgKGnONV6vtFUHAInW_qhAdfnY6fZ2k_mnk5zCuq-Fu7OgmdkkId6vbzmh3LLj_UveVV-9FinP7PNrb3pG_zsLdWKo8ECeSBF-xr/s640/romper2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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One usage of "romper" is to describe waves breaking. Which is appropriate because SUMMER IS HERE and I am officially BEACH-BOUND!!! <a href="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php" style="vertical-align: sub;" title="Smiley"><img alt="Smiley" border="0" src="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-sport007.gif" /></a></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAelRLXA7JiZ6qPJO61BLJS0TtsCYSTyW8_YE6k2_I1ZyufxuN7IXah5EDhYJx0tja0H8Q-T40uNGT1l_56fZgOxeRQqgrcBNh8iPkDsTR0fPxTc8Wzel4if4kKa3AYekNrABsEPL8W363/s1600/IMG_3902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAelRLXA7JiZ6qPJO61BLJS0TtsCYSTyW8_YE6k2_I1ZyufxuN7IXah5EDhYJx0tja0H8Q-T40uNGT1l_56fZgOxeRQqgrcBNh8iPkDsTR0fPxTc8Wzel4if4kKa3AYekNrABsEPL8W363/s640/IMG_3902.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Celebration shot!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPvEoEWqh_EmzhHHakOkbwoeYM4cZLugdHhDNn5wao8UWLLNDBQs4v7EY1TaZcEYsacfFA-d9U3cGZvRRXm6Qdv0s6TLc-n651RF0bk43oJXKdDetNLTmDU-HWwtNQ51O7MNyrNXz0z__/s1600/romper3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="72" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPvEoEWqh_EmzhHHakOkbwoeYM4cZLugdHhDNn5wao8UWLLNDBQs4v7EY1TaZcEYsacfFA-d9U3cGZvRRXm6Qdv0s6TLc-n651RF0bk43oJXKdDetNLTmDU-HWwtNQ51O7MNyrNXz0z__/s640/romper3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Romper</i> can also be used to mean "take a break"...which I seriously need. High school is over...I know where I'm going to college (more on that in another post)...time to de-stress and kick back. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTa3cWhyVhY3HYG9JT1mtHpTg6l-8_Q1Z2nRKdjrDi76whJDKpWjAyHOt9V_4TLflOXp8CSkOw4O0oqUVWVDw2L90N5X0f_V2v3eSKS0LjZZ3I_wangzoQVE5uol3Er58JLUXneEuMoHN1/s1600/romper4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="26" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTa3cWhyVhY3HYG9JT1mtHpTg6l-8_Q1Z2nRKdjrDi76whJDKpWjAyHOt9V_4TLflOXp8CSkOw4O0oqUVWVDw2L90N5X0f_V2v3eSKS0LjZZ3I_wangzoQVE5uol3Er58JLUXneEuMoHN1/s640/romper4.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not intended to refer to acne, tears, or prison. Read below.</td></tr>
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Because the future is bright, my friends! I'm on the verge of adulthood, and I'm ready to break out into the world! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjasS76Hxvx-sB7ruSsiz02tO3P5qs_VM6hSBAgsPvb5jnO_XgnGzOx7vJdff_7d2pBFFhCiA_VXioa3T8t9ELW1e9HFwGW1dTnlMrPLtFVq3eWicbvlGeAZ-pk4jeBWYbNJYz-wNdQAaYx/s1600/romper1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="32" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjasS76Hxvx-sB7ruSsiz02tO3P5qs_VM6hSBAgsPvb5jnO_XgnGzOx7vJdff_7d2pBFFhCiA_VXioa3T8t9ELW1e9HFwGW1dTnlMrPLtFVq3eWicbvlGeAZ-pk4jeBWYbNJYz-wNdQAaYx/s640/romper1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks, <a href="http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=romper" target="_blank">WordReference</a>!</td></tr>
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And finally, if we want to talk about the most literal definition of breaking (and actual sewing, because that's what this blog is supposed to be about), this project was <b>definitely a stash-buster</b>. </div>
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Everything I used to make this romper--fabric, pattern, interfacing, lining, elastic, even the buttons--came from the stash. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBQoFgQYqUvS0j7CbF4divL_3JHDRu6OOayYnYPayOc7_OZL0Nem_kuKQ3_MMk2WSdOREJX7la6jOPcEaHVqwLNahcLwLKZe5fLuLYwZSaXB_BMLzd_7Ldg3EXjhr8NqllkK6OVcF7XDh/s1600/IMG_3924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBQoFgQYqUvS0j7CbF4divL_3JHDRu6OOayYnYPayOc7_OZL0Nem_kuKQ3_MMk2WSdOREJX7la6jOPcEaHVqwLNahcLwLKZe5fLuLYwZSaXB_BMLzd_7Ldg3EXjhr8NqllkK6OVcF7XDh/s400/IMG_3924.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you make out the $1.50 in the top right corner? Read 'em and weep.</td></tr>
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This design, 6904 by Simplicity, is a jumpsuit pattern...from 1975. I bought it off eBay a while ago because it's absolutely adorable. </div>
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I'm going to come right out and say that I LOVE this pattern. It's easy, it's cute, it's got vintage quality and it FITS ME. (I did add 3 inches along the "lengthen/shorten here" line on the waist, but that was a preemptive guess, not an after-the-fact alteration.) I pretty much cut it out and sew it on up. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5ANnCKJCIwdA9sK07c93sjoSaafAhk8qUSCzzoRtIGINHBQGHfLVqPdzcEQ-X4rDUFbPTpWPELYMfJ9FVC4o42DF9P_jlSWxSxBCyycc6xpozQey9viElhUimru3WP7Pk3e7Ot2KXI0u/s1600/IMG_3925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5ANnCKJCIwdA9sK07c93sjoSaafAhk8qUSCzzoRtIGINHBQGHfLVqPdzcEQ-X4rDUFbPTpWPELYMfJ9FVC4o42DF9P_jlSWxSxBCyycc6xpozQey9viElhUimru3WP7Pk3e7Ot2KXI0u/s400/IMG_3925.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's what I mean by "vintage quality"...look at those nice, clear markings, thick black lines, and marked seam allowances! The triangles even extend <i>outside</i> the cutting line so you remember to cut them. Someone thinks about these things.</td></tr>
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In fact, I love this pattern so much that it is the ONLY pattern that I have ever made <i>twice</i>. (A couple summers ago I made the long, full-on-70s flare-leg version in a pale blue denim with a silver sheen...it is very amazing. But I will post that another time because I was too lazy to take pics the other day.) </div>
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I decided to make this pattern again because I wanted a quick, cute summer outfit. </div>
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Note: I did make one simple, purely design alteration. The pattern only has a belt panel on the <i>front</i> of the garment, and a simple waist seam on the back (<i>what?</i>). Since I was drawing attention to the belt by using a different fabric, I drafted a matching back belt piece and reduced the back bodice and pants accordingly. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBj0-NZBhW1MrKu9dS5QuaMNjCTJ-rvY2t7FFZqvPlWuD1DOZs8WtIuShrWRF9JiB-BMdn7dhwjJLPo-l6agridSBJLZRwvnSIEgWxSL3R_75GuADfecI5crKFz_w_IUE9u27VUQnpg4d/s1600/IMG_3919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBj0-NZBhW1MrKu9dS5QuaMNjCTJ-rvY2t7FFZqvPlWuD1DOZs8WtIuShrWRF9JiB-BMdn7dhwjJLPo-l6agridSBJLZRwvnSIEgWxSL3R_75GuADfecI5crKFz_w_IUE9u27VUQnpg4d/s640/IMG_3919.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>
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These two white-and-black inverse fabrics with contrast embroidery have been in my mom's stash forever. I think they're a medium-weight cotton. They look adorable together. I liked the contrast so much that I made self-faced buttons. I also top-stitched on each fabric in the same color as the corresponding embroidery. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDpAjKxRFSlfdLWu_6VqMfk-TvWLxhOMX6gewCngdvXezfftdYuAmu-05hivTuWrX8VWgipP5UDIpo4hVWEBG0b8BhqIqwRUQ6-H-ayDmbdMkr0VUmQR6Lj-_98CvH_f9sWX4EnnHIMNJ/s1600/IMG_3921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDpAjKxRFSlfdLWu_6VqMfk-TvWLxhOMX6gewCngdvXezfftdYuAmu-05hivTuWrX8VWgipP5UDIpo4hVWEBG0b8BhqIqwRUQ6-H-ayDmbdMkr0VUmQR6Lj-_98CvH_f9sWX4EnnHIMNJ/s400/IMG_3921.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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The inside (the bodice is lined) is a very thin, white cotton with a subtle paisley print from Fabric Mart. As you can see, I went ahead and sewed a bust pad into the lining because the garment is low-cut and white and I didn't want to worry about scavenging for an appropriate bra every time I want to wear it (you know what I'm talking about). Excellent decision. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_GiexxS4S4nVfsjfrOZGXG8sBBGksVsiMizmq5jxKMH5rFl-jSK25rM9FXTCbBXayMkrMMGupHV2bUhBQA-vOP0Pi74Sc8nORMii6QAJHM6jJ6luTNAYj5sbbZTgNup0PxLPy7szYayu/s1600/IMG_3922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_GiexxS4S4nVfsjfrOZGXG8sBBGksVsiMizmq5jxKMH5rFl-jSK25rM9FXTCbBXayMkrMMGupHV2bUhBQA-vOP0Pi74Sc8nORMii6QAJHM6jJ6luTNAYj5sbbZTgNup0PxLPy7szYayu/s640/IMG_3922.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As you can see at the top edge of the black bodice, I added a really thin strip of elastic to keep the back and the underarm area from gaping. </div>
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Anyway, I'm really happy with how it came out. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1XBOdXmyjVsi7QDzGQqvw6loLdwj-TZ0bcINIcYVnuRNcbHfgdlQuBtbuYDl1OTo1LJPx5QCtbSSHVU_P9ZE74zOBKjyfFwKLs2uk_erUJGpC7Ao_HbdDr9oG9XYq4vUghvRzaB2ZVsB/s1600/IMG_3859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1XBOdXmyjVsi7QDzGQqvw6loLdwj-TZ0bcINIcYVnuRNcbHfgdlQuBtbuYDl1OTo1LJPx5QCtbSSHVU_P9ZE74zOBKjyfFwKLs2uk_erUJGpC7Ao_HbdDr9oG9XYq4vUghvRzaB2ZVsB/s640/IMG_3859.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I included this one just so you could see my dog photobombing me. </td></tr>
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Happy start of summer! </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-23313629578515118792015-05-26T14:16:00.000-07:002015-05-26T14:16:13.039-07:00Pretty Pictures of a Summer Apricot Tart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The other day, my family went to our awesome local grocery store. My dad likes to bring me with him when he goes because I used to play basketball, and buying produce there requires a lot of the same skills as grabbing a rebound.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Boxing out"</td></tr>
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Just as we were walking through the fruit aisle, a worker came by and unloaded a beautiful, mouth-watering, glowingly fresh batch of apricots on the stand. Chaos ensued.<br />
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Considering that several people were shoved out of the way in the name of these apricots, I figured I had better make something extra special out of them!<br />
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I didn't take pictures of all the steps that went into making the tart, but it turned out so pretty that I thought I would post some pictures and a link to the recipe I used.<br />
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<a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/verlets-apricot-tart-101800" target="_blank">This recipe</a> is for an apricot tart with an almond-flavored custard made with mostly eggs, extracts, and cream. The filling and crust of the tart ended up being pretty sweet, while the apricots added a little sour kick. I followed the recipe pretty much exactly and it turned out beautiful!<br />
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Side note: my #1 favorite part about this tart was the crust. The tart slid out of the pan so easily, there was no weakness or sogginess in the bottom, and the crust was delightfully crunchy and even caramel-y.<br />
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P.S...I know I haven't posted in forever (shame on me. Life has been crazy lately.) That will (hopefully) be rectified shortly. I'm a few buttons away from finishing a sewing project!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-248720208733768212015-03-10T19:31:00.001-07:002015-03-10T19:33:35.063-07:00Emergency Dress!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today was the most important day of the school year, because it's the one day of the year we get to wear fancy clothes to school!!!<br />
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Our schoolwide celebration of Founder's Day is the one time we get to ditch our boring uniforms for dresses and suits! (Some of you might remember it from last year when I made a pair of <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2014/03/sparkly-springtime-separates.html" target="_blank">sparkly separates</a>.) Clearly, such an event warrants a new outfit!<br />
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This year, I intended to wear my new <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2015/01/vogue-1419-my-winter-white-coat.html" target="_blank">winter-white coat</a>. Except that I had absolutely nothing to wear underneath it. (As in, true confession, I am actually wearing biker shorts underneath it in the pictures I took for my blog.) </div>
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So it was time to whet my needle, thread up, and rise to the challenge of putting together a dress in time for the event!<br />
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(Let it be known, that this is the first time in three years of Founder's Days that I have not been up late frantically sewing the night before. Mission accomplished.)<br />
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This dress was entirely a stash-raiding project--the pattern and all the fabric came out of the cupboard! </div>
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The design is a Simplicity Pattern by Leanne Marshall (who is actually a <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=leanne+marshall+project+runway&espv=2&biw=1242&bih=606&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=qBT_VJySGNbXoAT0jYDgDg&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#imgdii=_&imgrc=vp0YnvzqDLhXUM%253A%3B8nr6mwgzzPXNJM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fimg2.timeinc.net%252Fpeople%252Fi%252F2009%252Fstylewatch%252Fblog%252F090713%252Fleanne-marshall-300x400.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fstylenews.peoplestylewatch.com%252F2009%252F07%252F02%252Fproject-runway-winner-leanne-marshall-debuts-line-for-bluefly%252F%3B300%3B400" target="_blank">Project Runway winner</a>, who knew?) </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.patternreview.com/sewing/patterns/simplicity/1876/1876.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://images.patternreview.com/sewing/patterns/simplicity/1876/1876.jpg" height="400" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.simplicity.com/p-7449-misses-miss-petite-dresses-leanne-marshall-collection.aspx" target="_blank">Simplicity 1876</a>, a Leanne Marshall dress</td></tr>
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Let's just take a moment to admire that glorious skirt. It's beautiful, intriguing, and very unique. One of the reasons I chose this pattern is that there's no danger of me having anything else like it!</div>
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Aside from the floral perfection of the bottom, the small, simple bodice was ideal for using up a scrap of beautiful lace has been sitting in my mom's stash since before I knew what a presser foot was.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close-up of the lace I used</td></tr>
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I didn't want to deal with making French seams, so I underlined the lace with the same fabric I used for the skirt.<br />
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The fabric I used for the skirt was a stiff silk satin. We had about 5 yards of it sitting in our cupboard from when a fabric store near my house went out of business a couple years ago and we were able to pick it up on clearance for $6/yard!<br />
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Both of the peplums are faced in the same fabric as used for the outside, plus they're supposed to be interfaced! My fabric was already stiff, so I skipped the interfacing, but the peplums were still pretty thick. The gathering at the hips was difficult to do and involved extensive pinning and manhandling of the fabric. Then, my top ruffle (the gathered one) was sticking WAY out over the sides of my hips, much more than is shown on the pattern envelope, to the point that I felt a little ridiculous. It looked vaguely like a French undergarment from the 18th century.<br />
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I managed to mitigate this impression by concentrating the gathering to the front and back edges of the gathered region as opposed to right over the side seam and by suggestively pressing/pulling/folding the peplum until it lied a little flatter. But the top ruffle still has quite a life of it's own! If I were to make the dress again, I think I would face the ruffles in something thinner, like my lining fabric.<br />
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The only change I made to the pattern was lengthening the bodice by an inch (I have a long torso) and lengthening the zipper an additional 2 inches (so I didn't have to wiggle as much to get into the dress). That worked out nicely because it made the zipper the same length as the top peplum. The zipper is hand-stitched in and has a snap at the top.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe0I6BUIVZoPerwDEOaU5vep5aZqsW3Q2C2voMsv49eZDxOINg17sHzQPxj7bNgmgIobsVfwLsVMStutKw9_Ygu0tstivyJf6-Ur3UMV4rm-bDhnr8rsqpRzIamvRF63bPhnijZzXf21r/s1600/IMG_3777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe0I6BUIVZoPerwDEOaU5vep5aZqsW3Q2C2voMsv49eZDxOINg17sHzQPxj7bNgmgIobsVfwLsVMStutKw9_Ygu0tstivyJf6-Ur3UMV4rm-bDhnr8rsqpRzIamvRF63bPhnijZzXf21r/s1600/IMG_3777.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfZkJora2BxRMFrPj4Oa0G0ULKqxlbA5Zylutht1cHuSql0GhKr_CzBkx6_dT557Yf-gtr0Kpfo9q4M_AE-E4zdFUXI2VZMH7xHWDRXaOZ47ZlHJBO9Rs1guqAvUs5G3M-h2YSuSaAHFg/s1600/IMG_3778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfZkJora2BxRMFrPj4Oa0G0ULKqxlbA5Zylutht1cHuSql0GhKr_CzBkx6_dT557Yf-gtr0Kpfo9q4M_AE-E4zdFUXI2VZMH7xHWDRXaOZ47ZlHJBO9Rs1guqAvUs5G3M-h2YSuSaAHFg/s1600/IMG_3778.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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Here's the inside of the dress. The skirt is not lined so as to minimize the bulk at the waist seam. It's not winning the prize for prettiest-on-the-inside garment I've ever made, but overall it's pretty good. I hong-kong finished the side seams and the lower part of the center-back seam. The rest of the center back seam (under the zipper) is serged. (Plus I added little hanger ribbons!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvGjE-DuYSNLsZKlvKRxypdSSei2-2ClCjzDdnBq-QbXeJS1XXU-jCiogRgCBeUbi8g2rllULn5tHOoQmaw3CooOU-0HQY1NAC9q0MnU4uXOb-tr5ypAYLa_3bxkfSHY2vnDHCiFphhEi/s1600/IMG_3773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvGjE-DuYSNLsZKlvKRxypdSSei2-2ClCjzDdnBq-QbXeJS1XXU-jCiogRgCBeUbi8g2rllULn5tHOoQmaw3CooOU-0HQY1NAC9q0MnU4uXOb-tr5ypAYLa_3bxkfSHY2vnDHCiFphhEi/s1600/IMG_3773.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is the first project I've made that requires boning! (I've been having a lot of firsts lately--I'm still at that stage in my sewing career where nearly every project involves a first!) Thankfully, I found this great <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlIXPdgUNNg" target="_blank">YouTube video</a> from Professor Pincushion on the different types of boning and how to insert them.<br />
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I used featherlight boning for this bodice. The pattern didn't actually call for using the casing provided with the boning. Instead, you press the seam allowance to one side, then sew it to the lining 3/8'' away from the seam, making your own self-casing! Pretty nifty!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixryHqUXU8SwG432ZKh3OyjLQscpV7m-FUK1wEecKAXoKqetwLOWDi-FKNlaKisxQdLRnA3afh4VRKB-uccIFAxr318-n2bj_tbbtN0EfaFlCYYpNZ2pH2jX5EE0-kB2GK6wq7_UP-8O0q/s1600/IMG_3775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixryHqUXU8SwG432ZKh3OyjLQscpV7m-FUK1wEecKAXoKqetwLOWDi-FKNlaKisxQdLRnA3afh4VRKB-uccIFAxr318-n2bj_tbbtN0EfaFlCYYpNZ2pH2jX5EE0-kB2GK6wq7_UP-8O0q/s1600/IMG_3775.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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And the boning is doing its job, no straps required. Thankfully, my emergency dress hasn't given me any dress emergencies!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-34792496502577281542015-03-01T09:43:00.000-08:002015-03-01T09:43:49.259-08:00A Quick Post for a Quickie Top: Burda 130c<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ivyvbYpsCEI09uei3vd_dmJ5w1gwCUaJGU4nIIpuNN-pJ-PQUtRIdTk3CxRG7tag_5SZPuLARWeRalSUWJvqUs4Cpy2qud6IwJz4l_BdfdoVJDOOC82B1bwh_yNtkMyxony5HExti86N/s1600/IMG_3696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ivyvbYpsCEI09uei3vd_dmJ5w1gwCUaJGU4nIIpuNN-pJ-PQUtRIdTk3CxRG7tag_5SZPuLARWeRalSUWJvqUs4Cpy2qud6IwJz4l_BdfdoVJDOOC82B1bwh_yNtkMyxony5HExti86N/s1600/IMG_3696.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I took an inventory of my wardrobe recently, with disconcerting results: I have no clothes.<br />
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Ok, so maybe that's an overstatement. (I do write a sewing blog, after all ;) )<br />
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What I should say is that I have I have a lot of eveningwear, a lot of jeans and pajamas, and a bunch of school uniforms. But I'm missing interesting, casual garments for wearing around on a daily basis, which is problematic, since I'm going to college next year and that's all I'm going to be wearing.<br />
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So I'm making shirts!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cuwCi9ZESlZTSD_cGFvio4ajvpYZnXv2CqSXzh-ccMe1K2GNYQnP01F5Us_xQwEa72yqDEiCCU1J_8aCM4uWkLGNYhciMT3lRnhKiXZk8SHXJdlJOB6dLczFt8IC21gnwiQtNC_rAOPd/s1600/IMG_3685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cuwCi9ZESlZTSD_cGFvio4ajvpYZnXv2CqSXzh-ccMe1K2GNYQnP01F5Us_xQwEa72yqDEiCCU1J_8aCM4uWkLGNYhciMT3lRnhKiXZk8SHXJdlJOB6dLczFt8IC21gnwiQtNC_rAOPd/s1600/IMG_3685.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is the first time I've used a Burda pattern, and overall it was a pretty good experience. The actual pattern was easier to put together than the Lekala one <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2015/02/twist-on-a-turtleneck-lekala.html" target="_blank">I just tried</a>. The instructions weren't as detailed as a Vogue pattern, but the shirt was simple enough that I didn't have trouble putting it together.<br />
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<a href="http://assets.burdastyle.com/pattern_images/assets/000/015/011/130C_0214_B_large.jpg?1391094038" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://assets.burdastyle.com/pattern_images/assets/000/015/011/130C_0214_B_large.jpg?1391094038" height="320" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtX2cPo9GydC5Kwx9FK6Cxj6k95PCb2JF24HRz9JkJwaohAXKG2EczkwYtAljLidYasI3wyTf_xfaNVNqM_xKWWYMoDvPafbdCcBIH7v0bWmmz3Q8FAIy950jTx64h_RjRfHf_tn8iG5wF/s1600/line+drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtX2cPo9GydC5Kwx9FK6Cxj6k95PCb2JF24HRz9JkJwaohAXKG2EczkwYtAljLidYasI3wyTf_xfaNVNqM_xKWWYMoDvPafbdCcBIH7v0bWmmz3Q8FAIy950jTx64h_RjRfHf_tn8iG5wF/s1600/line+drawing.jpg" height="320" width="173" /></a></div>
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The pattern is #130c from the Burdastyle website published on 02/2014, <a href="http://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/long-sleeved-keyhole-top-022014" target="_blank">"Long Sleeved Keyhole Top"</a>. (I'm not quite sure how to refer to Burda patterns by number. Do I use the edition date or the number next to it? Is there a convention?)<br />
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The fabric is a stretch jersey from the stash. It was originally navy blue, but my mom and dyed it (and by dying, I mean throwing it in a tub full of purple water and salt, crossing our fingers, and being delighted to realize it came out slightly purpler than it went in!).<br />
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The only alteration I made was on the strap (the piece that is attached to the back neckline and threads through the front piece). The pattern called for it to be gathered to 4 inches, but I gathered it down to 2-3 inches so that it would connect to the neckline farther to the back of the garment, making the cool neck detail more obvious. Oh, and the sleeves were WAY too long, but I decided to gather the bottom section instead of lopping them off.<br />
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So for about 2 half-days of sewing, I have a new shirt. Not too shabby!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-73655120526185199372015-02-23T20:23:00.000-08:002015-02-24T16:01:00.975-08:00A New Twist on the Turtleneck (and my first Lekala Pattern)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpCMIwRVdOkpeNjy7pjeZMVyXS0knNr7gpH66tIP4LpCuVOl0CGnn04uo4l6qxHGRiHjBAeQZasqsnR6FJ-zo7Y9FAbmFf3sqZ5_iSwt_-dkHLAuDMVIiGc3cQaLsonm6qxgQclR4EQQ9/s1600/IMG_3585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpCMIwRVdOkpeNjy7pjeZMVyXS0knNr7gpH66tIP4LpCuVOl0CGnn04uo4l6qxHGRiHjBAeQZasqsnR6FJ-zo7Y9FAbmFf3sqZ5_iSwt_-dkHLAuDMVIiGc3cQaLsonm6qxgQclR4EQQ9/s1600/IMG_3585.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
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This started off with good intentions, I promise.<br />
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I wanted my next project to be something easy, simple, wearable. A top that I could actually put on on a daily basis.<br />
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But all that went down the drain as soon as I remembered about <a href="http://www.lekala.co/" target="_blank">Lekala patterns</a>.<br />
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I learned about Lekala only a little while ago when Anne from <a href="http://clothingengineer.com/" target="_blank">The Clothing Engineer</a> made a really neat <a href="http://clothingengineer.com/2015/01/lekala-4011-sweatshirt-version-2/" target="_blank">sweater</a> from one of their patterns. Lekala is a Russian pattern company that--get this--generates customized, pre-fitted patterns based on the measurements that <i>you</i> input! Their patterns are bought and sold entirely online. You order in through their website and soon thereafter are emailed a PDF pattern that you print and assemble yourself.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkzD3vBYNmEEB9rzSArkN5w2mrCTr_vFw7U1cccIGFLJ5y2NPf_9xjFfIY8A6BHTRtAfOR9JuCrUDS2fsfSp6nVphW6mn7ObvoHYac5ORBm678XXR0m_BFLwdG7CPl1Sc4u9kAjfyz8Jdt/s1600/Lekala+dress+drawing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkzD3vBYNmEEB9rzSArkN5w2mrCTr_vFw7U1cccIGFLJ5y2NPf_9xjFfIY8A6BHTRtAfOR9JuCrUDS2fsfSp6nVphW6mn7ObvoHYac5ORBm678XXR0m_BFLwdG7CPl1Sc4u9kAjfyz8Jdt/s1600/Lekala+dress+drawing.JPG" height="400" width="110" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJuSZdd2zQfsRCB5TJP6y6ha1QSrCXCLaF9ZnYKn1eNM5suz5rkpTpKZPwesj13O1pUZCISc-3Ohii62VQozYfnjYDCRHvtOlvdHsuBT_20zMGh7VmdRR7Q6YDyUxXLo9tnFfP5KChEjd/s1600/Lekala+dress+line+drawing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJuSZdd2zQfsRCB5TJP6y6ha1QSrCXCLaF9ZnYKn1eNM5suz5rkpTpKZPwesj13O1pUZCISc-3Ohii62VQozYfnjYDCRHvtOlvdHsuBT_20zMGh7VmdRR7Q6YDyUxXLo9tnFfP5KChEjd/s1600/Lekala+dress+line+drawing.JPG" height="320" width="295" /></a><br />
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The first time I went on the Lekala website to <strike>browse</strike> oggle, I was immediately drawn to <i>this.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.lekala.co/catalog/women/dresses/5217" target="_blank">Lekala #5217</a>, a draped wrap dress.<br />
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What a pattern! I <i>love</i> high necklines paired with big shoulders, and this dress takes it to the next level with horizontal pleating that creates a ribbed effect. <br />
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The thing is, I'm not in the market for another dress right now. What I did need, was a shirt. I decided to cut the pattern off at the waist and get rid of the pleated draping across the chest to create a seriously funky top.<br />
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Thus was conceived the most complicated black turtleneck anyone has ever aspired to!<br />
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Fabric!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before I did this project, I didn't even know we had this fabric. Turns out we had about ten yards of it sitting in a bin in the garage. I have a new respect for my mom's stash. </td></tr>
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This is a beautiful, soft, supple. black knit. You know, turtleneck fabric.<br />
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The actual body of this shirt went together really fast. When I got to the interesting parts--the pleating in the neck and shoulders--is when it got hairy.<br />
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I should have seen this coming, but the fabric that I used was not cut out for the type of rigid, structured pleating that is required for this garment. It didn't iron at all and wasn't stiff enough to hold a fold. The pleats I made fell out completely and looked more like gathering.<br />
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So I had to artificially tack the pleats in place. I ran a line of stitching along the inside folds of the pleat, and then slipstitched them into place.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The inside of the neck. </td></tr>
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To add some stiffness and body, I actually interfaced the entire sleeve cap (which also removed the stretch, but that's ok because the top of the sleeve is very voluminous). Nevertheless, I still had to sew the pleats in place like I did for the neck to keep them from unfolding.<br />
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I originally handstitched the pleats into place, but when I curved the sleeve to sew it into the armhole, they started stretching and falling out of place, so I went over it again with the special hem stitch on my mom's machine.</div>
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And I seriously had no black interfacing :( </div>
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Now at this point I had already invested way more time and energy into making this shirt than I had anticipated or was willing to spend. That's when I went to sew in the zipper. Unfortunately I didn't get the news flash that sewing zippers into stretch fabrics without some sort of stabilization is a no-no.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom, I'm turning into a camel!</td></tr>
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A little interfacing on the center back seam did the trick.<br />
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Guys, it's a miracle I finished this shirt at all. This was way more time-consuming and complicated than I wanted to spend on a top. Lesson learned: seriously reconsider before overcomplicating a project!<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What do I think about Lekala?</span></u></b><br />
This was the first time I've tried a pattern from this company (or any non-Big 4 company, actually).<br />
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I wasn't crazy about having to assemble the pattern yourself from a PDF. I took me at least an hour to assemble the pattern (there were 55 pages total--that's what I get for making a shirt out of a full-length dress pattern). Here's the way I think about it: had I spent that time working at my current job, I would have made enough money to buy quite a few Simplicity patterns on sale. I'm just not sure the price ($3) makes up for the time it takes to prepare the pattern.<br />
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The instructions for this particular pattern were very cursory, which was ok for this shirt because it was pretty simple to put together. The only thing that I wish had been elaborated upon more was the pleat markings. I would have loved if the pattern included directions for which way the pleats were supposed to fold. For instance, I wasn't sure whether to pleat or gather the sleeve cap--I ended up gathering because I thought it made more sense.<br />
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But the overriding plus for this pattern was the totally awesome and utterly unique design. I've never seen a design like this before, and I'm never going to find anything like my turtleneck. That's what I aim for :)<br />
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But the real question is<br />
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Does this shirt make me look more like a football player or Katniss Everdeen?<br />
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;)<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-7101751137578956912015-02-11T22:00:00.000-08:002015-02-12T09:22:29.500-08:00My College Interview Dress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I finished my dress!</div>
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I am now ready and ravishingly-dressed for all college interviews. Which is pretty ironic considering I'm done with almost all my interviews...but at least now all of the ones I have left will have to accept me! ;)<br />
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The pattern that I used is V1265, a Pamella Roland suitdress pattern. I made it in a really cool black fabric with a purple pinstripe and iridescent purple silk dupioni for the lining. (In <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2015/02/V1265-business-casual-in-progress.html" target="_blank">my last post</a>, I discussed my inspiration for my dress, my fabric, and the alterations I made in greater detail.)<br />
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I really like the skirt of this dress. I love how the front panels hug the body as if it were a pencil skirt, even though there's a big puffy ruffle in the back! Bam!<br />
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Because the ruffle in the back is a little longer than the front, you can see the lining peeping through. Which I love because I used some AWESOME purple lining to match my purple-pinstripe fabric.<br />
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In fact, I hemmed the skirt specifically so that the purple lining would show a little. The pattern calls for the ruffle and its lining to be sewn together at the hem to finish it off. Instead, I wanted the two to hang separately so when I walked or turned you could catch a glimpse of the lining.<br />
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Hemming this dress took FOREVER. In total, there are almost <i>20 feet </i>of hem. I pretty much spent my entire Sunday hemming this dress. First, I put in a false hem on the pinstripe fabric by cutting 2 1/2 inch-thick bias tape from my lining fabric and then stitching and understitching it on. I then sewed the false hem in place using a fancy stitch on my mom's sewing machine. (And good thing, too, because if I had to slipstitch it I would still be working on this dress when I was 80!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLWc0v4H4aGebCw3NP93R058a0grb85Tq5TyU91UnLEstg2Hg5y05I5z_TENn6hLZ67fJIvVPQ8vTe-uqrfui_GrVDZmUHQMFwta61qNq2Yx24dsthVa2Rb1pkGCA_-2CxQJgL2iRUgbT/s1600/IMG_3518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLWc0v4H4aGebCw3NP93R058a0grb85Tq5TyU91UnLEstg2Hg5y05I5z_TENn6hLZ67fJIvVPQ8vTe-uqrfui_GrVDZmUHQMFwta61qNq2Yx24dsthVa2Rb1pkGCA_-2CxQJgL2iRUgbT/s1600/IMG_3518.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I then turned in the lining twice and stitched it using a normal narrow hem. I slipstitched the front piece of the lining to the front of the dress, but let the ruffle hang separately.<br />
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I love the way this dress fits (which is good, because I spent quite a while fitting and ironing the heck out of it!). As I discussed in my last post, the pattern is cut pretty loosely, but I think it is much more flattering for this particular design to fit snugly.<br />
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You have to admit, it's pretty awesome to be able to walk into a college interview and be like, "Yeah, I made this." ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8n34K83WyZhL3UcqNuyBJ5dAbj3apDu-f2Fh2FBk0kDTSFAdg9I2JUGcmWdCbc2D9JP7tEKn2SQGIvHRCGy0nCyRLppY0OSRVWRtZKMpqfiUnoDr8jebrQ86CiGcxLM3NhNQksNEQgVQQ/s1600/IMG_3447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8n34K83WyZhL3UcqNuyBJ5dAbj3apDu-f2Fh2FBk0kDTSFAdg9I2JUGcmWdCbc2D9JP7tEKn2SQGIvHRCGy0nCyRLppY0OSRVWRtZKMpqfiUnoDr8jebrQ86CiGcxLM3NhNQksNEQgVQQ/s1600/IMG_3447.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up of the front lapel. I'm not sure I'm crazy about wearing the matte black tank top underneath--I think it kind of blends into the dress too much. Maybe I'll make a shiny black inset. What do you think? </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyZsWeZM09awzt8HT_Rt_rwF84uSgQjbBKQ2lDSul_orSyV2KXW68qQc-BTVfCHGCTqNv57ygEdLDgC29UiN-qkLDC3dolLn5emlZzQzUULSG__R2_DCKYi-sEQ3Gc84uyEdJO3QTRNoL/s1600/IMG_3499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyZsWeZM09awzt8HT_Rt_rwF84uSgQjbBKQ2lDSul_orSyV2KXW68qQc-BTVfCHGCTqNv57ygEdLDgC29UiN-qkLDC3dolLn5emlZzQzUULSG__R2_DCKYi-sEQ3Gc84uyEdJO3QTRNoL/s1600/IMG_3499.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One magnificent ruffle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hbhglUQQRK6M5IlyoY0NYGouqEyiJvTf2KQ6CLHeFc_358BOzQCTLYsTG7YGI884L3aT01kuhI5rkHYJdfGzbQTJDzzJNlfQceSdSSPU9thSSJ8B-LqAsNKTXCt6g6JF9VP0JTluNFpP/s1600/IMG_3486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hbhglUQQRK6M5IlyoY0NYGouqEyiJvTf2KQ6CLHeFc_358BOzQCTLYsTG7YGI884L3aT01kuhI5rkHYJdfGzbQTJDzzJNlfQceSdSSPU9thSSJ8B-LqAsNKTXCt6g6JF9VP0JTluNFpP/s1600/IMG_3486.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at my lining! </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0haG4ZSLXK3S0nI4zbY0-56UQ5nYxlLLZG2ZT4nsKwAlJWefuyeaFAzt1uzjZpFRq3aEZ4gihkCjq0QrqEfpWT7dgamsOtEGlL5Dy7WXq7k6y_toe5EaZpUcPH5KOsF536h-axNppTzdv/s1600/IMG_3514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0haG4ZSLXK3S0nI4zbY0-56UQ5nYxlLLZG2ZT4nsKwAlJWefuyeaFAzt1uzjZpFRq3aEZ4gihkCjq0QrqEfpWT7dgamsOtEGlL5Dy7WXq7k6y_toe5EaZpUcPH5KOsF536h-axNppTzdv/s1600/IMG_3514.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTI929UxhkXZiuAxsZlVdyjGA9cmBPR_kwJkYD-_f8zv8KyW1zqOZJUvU6FRJnrFLMNFm8-fr9RwpppO2HwuIQBDfzG1vcEs5ympQBbSYyeEWUXA6i3TbjVoaaQjqNYYIvczBWYxbaroR/s1600/IMG_3516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTI929UxhkXZiuAxsZlVdyjGA9cmBPR_kwJkYD-_f8zv8KyW1zqOZJUvU6FRJnrFLMNFm8-fr9RwpppO2HwuIQBDfzG1vcEs5ympQBbSYyeEWUXA6i3TbjVoaaQjqNYYIvczBWYxbaroR/s1600/IMG_3516.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The inside of the dress is so pretty I just have to show it :) </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpKGLZljuB-jF47HUVYr3Uhy4DGkGHXsVy1AUX9QE28Fk6iNCc3afNgmI5SZ9xSTUB55k05TwYfHdDuNwLcw2IlrFdrEXC09rUg2ffDK0Hja33WtagdxnlDhPsbADLzhB9VhvJV02tPYi/s1600/IMG_3428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpKGLZljuB-jF47HUVYr3Uhy4DGkGHXsVy1AUX9QE28Fk6iNCc3afNgmI5SZ9xSTUB55k05TwYfHdDuNwLcw2IlrFdrEXC09rUg2ffDK0Hja33WtagdxnlDhPsbADLzhB9VhvJV02tPYi/s1600/IMG_3428.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Action shot! And guess what, the ruffle actually swishes back and forth when I walk! </td></tr>
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Ok I have to admit, between this dress and its score of feet of hemming, and <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2015/02/V1265-business-casual-in-progress.html" target="_blank">my last coat</a> with all its <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2015/01/bound-buttonholes-welt-pockets-and.html" target="_blank">bound buttonholes and welt pockets and fastidious tailoring details</a>, I'm ready for something simple and easy. I'm not sure what that will be. Isn't it lovely not knowing what you're going to make next, and being able to walk into your stash and concoct something?<br />
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If anyone has any questions about the dress or pattern, feel free to comment and I'll be happy to answer!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-73689601135897964132015-02-03T19:43:00.000-08:002015-02-03T19:43:03.061-08:00"Business Casual" In Progress--Pamella Roland V1265<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I've been doing a lot of college interviews lately, and it has been posing challenges for my wardrobe. </div>
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Most requests for an interview come with the dubious instruction to dress in "business casual". Well I don't really own a blazer or a pair of slacks, so I end up wearing a full pantsuit and heels, and then my interviewer looks at me like "This is your idea of CASUAL?!?!" and I make a bad joke about how I'm an attorney on my school's Mock Trial team and this is my Prosecution Suit.</div>
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So I decided that next up on my sewing queue had to be a garment that was sharp, business-themed, and stylish, but slightly less imposing than the suit I use when I'm (hypothetically) trying to send people to jail.<br />
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Pamella Roland to the rescue! Let's all agree that Pamella Roland has some amazing suitdress patterns!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/First_Full/V1233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/First_Full/V1233.jpg" height="320" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1233-products-13651.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">V1233</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/First_Full/V1279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/First_Full/V1279.jpg" height="320" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1279-products-15142.php?page_id=948" target="_blank">V1279</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hacktherunway.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/pamella-roland-vogue-v1232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.hacktherunway.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/pamella-roland-vogue-v1232.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that action shot! <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1232-products-13650.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">V1232</a></td></tr>
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And my muse...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/First_Full/V1265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/First_Full/V1265.jpg" height="400" width="377" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1265-products-15129.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">V1265</a></td></tr>
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I love this pattern! It's tailored, professional, and sophisticated, but it's also cute and even feminine. Where's the femininity, you ask? Wait a minute...<br />
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<a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Add_1_Full/V1265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Add_1_Full/V1265.jpg" height="400" width="378" /></a></div>
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BOOM! RUFFLE! (Look at that sly smile, she knows she's wearing an awesome ruffle ;) )<br />
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I wanted my fabric to reflect the same business-with-a-twist aesthetic. After extensive searching I found a great fabric for a steal while <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2014/09/shopping-in-new-yorkfor-fabric-of-course.html" target="_blank">fabric shopping in New York</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxeuZg9ajrVvwXDKAZBW5UPSORZ4urCrM6ccnjoV7j6CBtjULU9FYvecOEPB3OF04ALdh_KLBEDIY-ure81P4ZAwnEU_6-yw3i-GR1b6S_vEQxB3KlVn66VMwk05w5s_4OYNhsePEjlwFH/s1600/IMG_3354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxeuZg9ajrVvwXDKAZBW5UPSORZ4urCrM6ccnjoV7j6CBtjULU9FYvecOEPB3OF04ALdh_KLBEDIY-ure81P4ZAwnEU_6-yw3i-GR1b6S_vEQxB3KlVn66VMwk05w5s_4OYNhsePEjlwFH/s1600/IMG_3354.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9F4VHywT7iVFphYWgttORMBKbR1zDkbIT00pMihoR1sHRoeqrcnbRFG-GTNSoj4g0xRfw3rqMLNEbEbfVu5eqwnoS7gmyBoUGSXShQ9mkdmHu8KNR4sfGzsn9EAt7aIKPQ5S0jjw5jnp/s1600/IMG_3355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9F4VHywT7iVFphYWgttORMBKbR1zDkbIT00pMihoR1sHRoeqrcnbRFG-GTNSoj4g0xRfw3rqMLNEbEbfVu5eqwnoS7gmyBoUGSXShQ9mkdmHu8KNR4sfGzsn9EAt7aIKPQ5S0jjw5jnp/s1600/IMG_3355.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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I bought this at <a href="http://paronfabrics.com/" target="_blank">Paron fabrics</a>. I love the fact that it takes a typical, menswear-like pinstripe and puts a playful, feminine twist on it. <b>Purple power pinstripe! </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRJZYT2x1QkKk3e-pZa9kYlrX8JsrpQ8wGyXFaEgllnHENUXUIMpij4TxAB4RHyZ-bD65x1iIQxpeRajeTMLchFIituMaZm7_b2oYcMcTkUis453hdNbZEwnYTWhG2tiMLscjypPpHZbP/s1600/IMG_3358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRJZYT2x1QkKk3e-pZa9kYlrX8JsrpQ8wGyXFaEgllnHENUXUIMpij4TxAB4RHyZ-bD65x1iIQxpeRajeTMLchFIituMaZm7_b2oYcMcTkUis453hdNbZEwnYTWhG2tiMLscjypPpHZbP/s1600/IMG_3358.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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At 60'', this fabric was $6/yard. I bought three yards for less than $20 and actually had a sizeable leftover piece. I'm not quite sure what fiber content the fabric is. I know it's not synthetic because my mom took the initiative to burn a scrap (should I be thankful? Alarmed?) and it smoked instead of melting. I'm thinking maybe a wool-rayon blend. Anyway, it's pretty thin and supple.<br />
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And just when you think it couldn't get any cooler...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRaeooGdW-ujvty1NTan3Dmr3ruEV-D9AN7DwgwY4UxjiTJaJu4VtXlsMs1QN4pLuRx1ZBn1i5wy-yXnmXUIwQKnOVzLkcstphLTZpV5E91Nf0vsvtRAqt6wE6LqN-Bjmeqpb5x0ZGRnM/s1600/IMG_3349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRaeooGdW-ujvty1NTan3Dmr3ruEV-D9AN7DwgwY4UxjiTJaJu4VtXlsMs1QN4pLuRx1ZBn1i5wy-yXnmXUIwQKnOVzLkcstphLTZpV5E91Nf0vsvtRAqt6wE6LqN-Bjmeqpb5x0ZGRnM/s1600/IMG_3349.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How cool is this picture? I promise I didn't Photoshop it or anything--the flash on the camera just picked up the blue and red threads in the fabric.</td></tr>
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MATCHING PURPLE LINING! This is an iridescent silk dupioni that I bought on sale at Joanns and use frequently for lining in nice garments, like my <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2015/01/vogue-1419-my-winter-white-coat.html" target="_blank">Ralph Rucci coat</a> and my <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2014/01/v1316-chic-sophisticated-rebecca-taylor.html" target="_blank">Rebecca Taylor blocked dress</a>.<br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A note on how I prepared the fabric: </span></b></u><br />
The pattern calls for you to interface the whole dress except the ruffle. At first, I thought that was overkill, but after reexamining my fabric, I thought that it was pretty flimsy and might benefit from a second layer.<br />
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Also, I found an awesome review on this pattern from <a href="http://sewtofit-andrea.blogspot.com/2014/07/vogue-1265-that-little-black-party-dress.html" target="_blank">Andrea from Sew-to-Fit</a>. She made a more eveningwear-ish version of this dress. Her ruffle in the back is very drapey and is longer than the rest of the hem, and is much too elegant for the dress I'm making. I wanted a ruffle with VOLUME!<br />
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So ended up applying fusible interfacing to the whole dress--front, back, facing, ruffle and all! The interfacing was pretty thick, the weight of a thin cotton fabric in itself. It certainly helped the weight of the fabric, but it made it a little bit puckery in places and VERY prone to wrinkling. Were I to do it again, I might use a thinner interfacing for most of the dress and just use the thick stuff on the ruffle.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>Alterations: </u></b></span><br />
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<ol>
<li>Let's attack the elephant in the room and observe that the neckline on this dress is INDECENTLY low and very far from professional. I'm not actually going to alter the pattern or anything, but I just want to say that I will be wearing a tank-top/insert under this haha :D</li>
<li>That slit in the front is unnecessary and weirdly placed. I bet it's also a lot of work. I wouldn't know because I ditched it! </li>
<li>The pattern calls for the ruffle and its lining to be sewn together at the bottom. Instead, I kept them separate at the bottom because I sort of want the purple lining to peek through when I walk! I <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/09/hong-kong-seam-finish/" target="_blank">Hong-Kong seamed</a> the center back ruffle seam on both the suiting and the lining to that it would still look neat. </li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyz8KzaMlwskEJypqKF5isp_2rGZn6-fywbd6dO9Cv88V6XaEKXIy46716N4h2m0RUjhN4B8zbrZFXPIqawyPZI5Qkiqpjthtt0doOeCrwaJMSI0fi7vjPl9MZtHgMpWVHKgfCYnTbjoS/s1600/IMG_3193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyz8KzaMlwskEJypqKF5isp_2rGZn6-fywbd6dO9Cv88V6XaEKXIy46716N4h2m0RUjhN4B8zbrZFXPIqawyPZI5Qkiqpjthtt0doOeCrwaJMSI0fi7vjPl9MZtHgMpWVHKgfCYnTbjoS/s1600/IMG_3193.JPG" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
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And finally, fitting. This needs its own section. </div>
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So I made a size ten of this dress, which pretty much fit all my measurements. I tried on the dress and it looked like a sack. It was horrible and unflattering in every way. </div>
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I ended up taking it in 3/4 inch on each side seam. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIR44p2xcYULk_UobRELbVI8XxzTGVXsdnPVuO8M_XoRUzZ07jg9FOhXFZ5KI0jnzMuy-8Z-CgjgmkqmY9dIpd0UKkZU9QyMLfjvAA8j-7OaAvsIwMoIfTfGeYxCHX7jj7mzl0ClpUNne/s1600/IMG_3286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIR44p2xcYULk_UobRELbVI8XxzTGVXsdnPVuO8M_XoRUzZ07jg9FOhXFZ5KI0jnzMuy-8Z-CgjgmkqmY9dIpd0UKkZU9QyMLfjvAA8j-7OaAvsIwMoIfTfGeYxCHX7jj7mzl0ClpUNne/s1600/IMG_3286.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's where I took in the side <i>three times.</i></td></tr>
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I also had excess fabric in the side-bust area, which I took in about 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch. This is a common alteration for me because I have no chest :P </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvuiCU19D28lMN8UoL-BQMYiYLHtt9GyGmKwt6CKvqF5iIYcTa0GjhDa3A1wHcyxQlarTQI2b-VCQ3j2Gi_iGbV6YVTHueI1OVZU9emOyw7E-7pEOwJbJy5iZR7tf2bmuuWFiYzQFS9NM/s1600/IMG_3283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvuiCU19D28lMN8UoL-BQMYiYLHtt9GyGmKwt6CKvqF5iIYcTa0GjhDa3A1wHcyxQlarTQI2b-VCQ3j2Gi_iGbV6YVTHueI1OVZU9emOyw7E-7pEOwJbJy5iZR7tf2bmuuWFiYzQFS9NM/s1600/IMG_3283.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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I did a 1/2 inch swayback adjustment (that's the fancy term for when you take in the center-back seam to curve the back more, right?) which was really necessary because the ruffle in the back is so heavy that if the dress doesn't fit the contours of your back exactly it will pull down and you will look like you have a board-straight spine. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdx0u-uo-D5OcOXWFMAqS0CzZJ5HiKltxbQBdXGnuCuHTpoHqRA0cFp5ytTHzjyT-2QtcomVkHctSjoVdMJH02PUJwi5gDNdzR-7rhPg8vUXeVHwnJbd0T1XkGG0N3fpF1mpRCyDvEIDvo/s1600/IMG_3277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdx0u-uo-D5OcOXWFMAqS0CzZJ5HiKltxbQBdXGnuCuHTpoHqRA0cFp5ytTHzjyT-2QtcomVkHctSjoVdMJH02PUJwi5gDNdzR-7rhPg8vUXeVHwnJbd0T1XkGG0N3fpF1mpRCyDvEIDvo/s1600/IMG_3277.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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After these changes, it fit like a glove. I then added the facing and lining on the inside and found it was too tight (NOOOO!!!) I am in the process of taking the dress back out another 1/4 inch in the center back and two side back seams. Hopefully after that it will, once again, fit like a glove and not a sausage casing. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>Bashing the pattern</u></b></span></div>
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Don't get me wrong, I love this pattern and this design, but there was something I had to make note of from a pattern-reviewing standpoint. </div>
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I think this dress runs sort of loose--looser that it appears to be on the model on the pattern envelope. The pattern description does say that it is "loose-fitting", but based on the pattern pic I thought it was loose just in the skirt, but it looks like the same goes for the bust. </div>
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For one, the amount that I had to take in a dress that supposedly fits my measurements was ridiculous. Secondly, look at this picture of the same Pamella Roland dress on the runway: </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7qXH8wTKYlS1Rq3e4ivy56XztZGAb6u1v0ZohXH4a-yUxQu7YJd54PErLVdPLyqBb7d4G0HZoXK2kXx5a7RukzKnTiYACHLgVJ89MvMYQwMsWqtpeDIdVRC6yQ3EVmSDD5zi0v_IvBCp/s1600/dress+on+runway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7qXH8wTKYlS1Rq3e4ivy56XztZGAb6u1v0ZohXH4a-yUxQu7YJd54PErLVdPLyqBb7d4G0HZoXK2kXx5a7RukzKnTiYACHLgVJ89MvMYQwMsWqtpeDIdVRC6yQ3EVmSDD5zi0v_IvBCp/s1600/dress+on+runway.jpg" height="640" width="441" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WHAT is going on with those shoes?<br />Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.hacktherunway.com/category/designers/pamella-roland/" target="_blank">Hack the Runway</a>. In fact, they have runway photos of all the Pamella Roland patterns I mentioned above!</td></tr>
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She's wearing a sash to keep the dress tight around her waist, and it looks baggy in the bust. My point: probably don't expect to cut out this pattern and have it fit nice and snugly. </div>
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So that's where I am with my dress now people...I still have to finish the final fitting, and then there's a lot of handstitching to do as I sew in the lining. Here's a pic of the dress right now. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuvjx8lNugRug-mJWhE92_wNz6ARx734MMkcQ7CN1_MLSzUZe-3J_nD9dfPpFpYyFhalwORDjqsWml8eqcLJcpcemZ4yJbwsWHhFZkve76Bbl04qdzZgxckHAY8pI6zH6sP5guFtvuU4F/s1600/IMG_3339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuvjx8lNugRug-mJWhE92_wNz6ARx734MMkcQ7CN1_MLSzUZe-3J_nD9dfPpFpYyFhalwORDjqsWml8eqcLJcpcemZ4yJbwsWHhFZkve76Bbl04qdzZgxckHAY8pI6zH6sP5guFtvuU4F/s1600/IMG_3339.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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It looks atrocious at the moment. It needs the heck ironed out of it. And also, sleeves...I'm just posting this picture to prove I'm actually putting a garment together, haha! </div>
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I'll post again when I have the dress finished. Which hopefully shouldn't be too long, because I've got more interviews to go to! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-62107599223232125542015-01-26T09:16:00.000-08:002015-01-26T09:16:20.887-08:00Romantic Raspberry Danish: an Entenmann's Copycat Recipe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7O02z_coIwdgRial5gKTn3Wdrg9iEx-J4ddk0i_e5uIlEdmLV41c3csUozFsiqnMy2_mBT9BW-gsgZNOuDFaR6kY-Z3J9Koa754aE-T4W_lfMcJXLLUPUaVCGfunHQUQ0EyHc_CY8PreE/s1600/IMG_3260+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7O02z_coIwdgRial5gKTn3Wdrg9iEx-J4ddk0i_e5uIlEdmLV41c3csUozFsiqnMy2_mBT9BW-gsgZNOuDFaR6kY-Z3J9Koa754aE-T4W_lfMcJXLLUPUaVCGfunHQUQ0EyHc_CY8PreE/s1600/IMG_3260+crop.jpg" height="382" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1jTnazo0sJNiNU6cgLoeMB0Xa2Dk-_NIxhvV-d5pzrcoAgwU2u_FMaVObhH9owIZuvZ9GrJsv0-94F7RELcCq3jut5FoRwSuZjen5821wujXZaIB_wxC1YhjN2lGl0r8vYc5MnnKMYX9/s1600/IMG_3266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1jTnazo0sJNiNU6cgLoeMB0Xa2Dk-_NIxhvV-d5pzrcoAgwU2u_FMaVObhH9owIZuvZ9GrJsv0-94F7RELcCq3jut5FoRwSuZjen5821wujXZaIB_wxC1YhjN2lGl0r8vYc5MnnKMYX9/s1600/IMG_3266.JPG" height="432" width="640" /></a></div>
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It was my parents' anniversary this past week. 20 YEARS!!! That's a really long time!<br />
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I wanted to do something nice for them for their anniversary. I decided to make them breakfast, so that they could get up and have a nice meal without having to worry about putting it together themselves (for once!). However, this posed a problem because I actually have to leave for school at 7:00 in the morning, meaning that even if I did find time to make a meal, my parents probably wouldn't be up to eat it!<br />
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So I looked for something that I could make ahead and that would still be nice and fresh and tasty in the morning, and that would be special for my parents--that is, though I have <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/search/label/dessert-for-breakfast" target="_blank">several delicious breakfasts</a> in my arsenal, I wanted to surprise them with something new.<br />
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Does anyone remember these Entenmann's pastries?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQzu-kTElUA9GfYiX87736Yl3g2QVL4_8vG67rOCvYCeosWSuCeyOHeeFQafTolsjY6IyzZMcVuJIxrGOrhKV0_1AKg-FSobxTqn94aEQZyJ8v71YnjOW_0JFe1qJVe9wNEaGH5kCc19A/s1600/entenmann's%2Bpastry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQzu-kTElUA9GfYiX87736Yl3g2QVL4_8vG67rOCvYCeosWSuCeyOHeeFQafTolsjY6IyzZMcVuJIxrGOrhKV0_1AKg-FSobxTqn94aEQZyJ8v71YnjOW_0JFe1qJVe9wNEaGH5kCc19A/s1600/entenmann's+pastry.jpg" height="203" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.entenmanns.com/op-prod.cfm/prodId/7203000237" target="_blank">Entenmann's Raspberry Danish</a></td></tr>
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Probably not--but they used to be a breakfast staple in my household when I was little. My dad would pick them up from the grocery store to have as a special treat. Then Entenmann's discontinued them. My family was discussing them wistfully the other day. Lightbulb!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eTtejztKuI2TPX5bUbyU3lKrkol5MBbgoFxaV4Rj1SNENdKBAnvgusqD7beXxzv61tF_59ses_jdCpTQ3g0__VgzF6FmcpDYzkG6aqIZ8EtDE1rkMPyIYBLD7njC6wvtNSkchn9sd5Hp/s1600/google+search.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eTtejztKuI2TPX5bUbyU3lKrkol5MBbgoFxaV4Rj1SNENdKBAnvgusqD7beXxzv61tF_59ses_jdCpTQ3g0__VgzF6FmcpDYzkG6aqIZ8EtDE1rkMPyIYBLD7njC6wvtNSkchn9sd5Hp/s1600/google+search.JPG" height="42" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSEhfY9A1gfyXHDbZsEjVwby4IWn_T90ZVWHjLnRtUyfqfLuA1aaanW_6wb4ccOEBGluzJe-6VQS0tT9dWReXMMls7tJvd-l5K7KW5Hc8tVvHQTx886KuW08yFgvpKgJxVDX0RooW203x/s1600/IMG_3235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSEhfY9A1gfyXHDbZsEjVwby4IWn_T90ZVWHjLnRtUyfqfLuA1aaanW_6wb4ccOEBGluzJe-6VQS0tT9dWReXMMls7tJvd-l5K7KW5Hc8tVvHQTx886KuW08yFgvpKgJxVDX0RooW203x/s1600/IMG_3235.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I ended up finding <a href="http://ratebakecreate.blogspot.com/2010/06/recipe-raspberry-danish.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a> from <a href="http://ratebakecreate.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Rate. Bake. Create.</a> that looked pretty much exactly like what I was looking for: a pastry dough topped with icing and raspberry jam. I need to give tons of thanks for this recipe because it was the only one I found that had everything I was looking for--it was easy, basic, no cheese impinging upon my raspberry jam, and it was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS.<br />
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Plus, it was pretty fun to photograph because of how curious this piece of pastry looked.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAXib0C-G34KnZmmN-luFz31Vu2gdK9Avur8NTldHNTW27xATZ1mEshbYET1mymvUcNH9ttBQMHaNQHRkyQMk1_vpMaxWRHQyP41uemu3uloRwmVykBCPtYeKeCVaTl2BZ-q4y2uo92mT/s1600/IMG_3254+sleigh+art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAXib0C-G34KnZmmN-luFz31Vu2gdK9Avur8NTldHNTW27xATZ1mEshbYET1mymvUcNH9ttBQMHaNQHRkyQMk1_vpMaxWRHQyP41uemu3uloRwmVykBCPtYeKeCVaTl2BZ-q4y2uo92mT/s1600/IMG_3254+sleigh+art.jpg" height="412" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look, it's Santa's sleigh!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsBhGY-82zv9CelnVA5PzmH6ktjg6g526Rcg281HGpRHmMdWuX07S2tT_X3CMqdUGO2M2g9PLX0CwTEyNbS3kVcJ-Cpc3TX1LiCLBnaAPnVUOZDjGxEefn_UGQ7KSajuorBXPliwQAjNL/s1600/IMG_3251+sundial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsBhGY-82zv9CelnVA5PzmH6ktjg6g526Rcg281HGpRHmMdWuX07S2tT_X3CMqdUGO2M2g9PLX0CwTEyNbS3kVcJ-Cpc3TX1LiCLBnaAPnVUOZDjGxEefn_UGQ7KSajuorBXPliwQAjNL/s1600/IMG_3251+sundial.jpg" height="360" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An edible sundial!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14DovYCng9NQH3jLZuLhH75ay_xmeg_5dQKdugZOoFHGYzV847QZVC49txi7J3czhMdxcydJtTeGiLTKPDR_S5iOtKiENUH2DTuXw2BeaE_Z2li68E7zymz3gLtigeXBRVu6tprJEVaab/s1600/IMG_3246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14DovYCng9NQH3jLZuLhH75ay_xmeg_5dQKdugZOoFHGYzV847QZVC49txi7J3czhMdxcydJtTeGiLTKPDR_S5iOtKiENUH2DTuXw2BeaE_Z2li68E7zymz3gLtigeXBRVu6tprJEVaab/s1600/IMG_3246.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here it just looks really really yummy.</td></tr>
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Here's the recipe and pictures!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>Iced Raspberry Danish</u></b></span><br />
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This recipe is guaranteed to become even more of a breakfast staple in my house than the Entenmann's pastry it was modeled after. It's simple and easy to make, but decadently delicious. The slightly sweet, soft pastry combined with the thin icing and sweet jam makes for a gooey, decadent cake. And needless to say, it's even better than the commercial original :) </div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pastry</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 1/2 cups warm milk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 packets yeast (1 1/2 tbsp)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup granulated sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 tsp salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 egg yolks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Raspberry jam (I'm going to guess you'll need about a cup) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Icing</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 cups powdered sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3/4 tsp vanilla extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3-4 tbsp milk</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Instructions</span></u></div>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dissolve your yeast in your warm milk. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, and salt) in a large bowl. Cube the cold butter and mix it into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter. Add the milk/yeast and the egg yolks to the bowl and mix together. Your dough may be slightly sticky; if so, add flour just until a manageable dough forms. Move the dough to a cutting board and knead until smooth. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ALTERNATIVELY: If you have a bread machine, you can make the dough in it! That's what I did. Add the flour, sugar, salt, butter, milk, and eggs to the machine. Add the flour on top. With the tip of a knife, form a well in the flour. Pour the yeast into the well. Process on the "knead" setting, but don't let the dough rise in the machine. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Divide the dough into five equal sections (they don't have to be perfect, unless you really want an immaculate pastry with ruler-straight jam lines). Roll each section into a long, round rope. Lay the ropes side-by-side, lengthwise, in a 10x15 casserole or brownie pan. They should press up against each other. Spoon your raspberry jam into the grooves between the ropes. Add as much (or little) jam as you like! </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let the dough rise a little--maybe 1/2 hour to an hour. Most of the rising actually occurs once you pop the pastry in the oven! While waiting, <b>preheat your oven </b>to 350 degrees.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bake your pastry for about 30-40 minutes, until a golden crust forms on top. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While your pastry cools, make the icing by mixing together the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and milk. Once the danish has cooled <i>completely</i>, drizzle the icing over it using a spoon. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dig in for a luxurious breakfast treat! </span></li>
</ol>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-olrpoaCSlhn-kA2o8GbLpXN_lwfkyvx1ITmQeqPL1DSRMBLpV_GobI5qZp_YgzNHw5crKgncG173CJzHmT09RTXKE_YSDfW3sKoZIMoaGDcKYfiEh0Y3O1aJqKHAyzFY4amBaKQJ5n7P/s1600/IMG_3214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-olrpoaCSlhn-kA2o8GbLpXN_lwfkyvx1ITmQeqPL1DSRMBLpV_GobI5qZp_YgzNHw5crKgncG173CJzHmT09RTXKE_YSDfW3sKoZIMoaGDcKYfiEh0Y3O1aJqKHAyzFY4amBaKQJ5n7P/s1600/IMG_3214.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are all the ingredients in my bread machine. My machine warms and mixes the ingredients, so it was no more complicated than dumping everything in the bowl together! Though it would also be very easy to mix the dough by hand or using the dough hook of a mixer. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYCtIw8qSAPJ4IwPsWZkCc91Ry4hwOUHVE9sQb31CldHTrELVzNFxh1C_LwE9zLJZINW9FPGsUz8C-qH78N5EHc6DFlzY84vTBlYjifPIvU6YO7yUsoRu0-WFcKy2tfPAKs8vG-yBIiz4/s1600/IMG_3219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYCtIw8qSAPJ4IwPsWZkCc91Ry4hwOUHVE9sQb31CldHTrELVzNFxh1C_LwE9zLJZINW9FPGsUz8C-qH78N5EHc6DFlzY84vTBlYjifPIvU6YO7yUsoRu0-WFcKy2tfPAKs8vG-yBIiz4/s1600/IMG_3219.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My five strips of dough, laid out in the pan.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXy8HM_FuKusE0avir5jPb-tHRpoRqyuNECYCkwP4pB9AsZLwIC_QXxlMZpRJm0A6sK8lYyxdkurLvjzfcXqbb52u-ysVHgHL6Fw8k_N8eIRgw6COmrKn-d2eDV1Wf3TQUeGjTPp9xU7Lc/s1600/IMG_3222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXy8HM_FuKusE0avir5jPb-tHRpoRqyuNECYCkwP4pB9AsZLwIC_QXxlMZpRJm0A6sK8lYyxdkurLvjzfcXqbb52u-ysVHgHL6Fw8k_N8eIRgw6COmrKn-d2eDV1Wf3TQUeGjTPp9xU7Lc/s1600/IMG_3222.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't chintz on that raspberry jam!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_O-XpzBjNlK1qWn6csFiIGhACA1DvDGRj5PPoaKz7SCb-Bvhvj0f-Y6dzSV-I7DEnB1nqM_7mQvC-Z7v9mCdZoWGHT-v8a1vlAVTbKYffxCcz5ODQegUhTge-d-UJ279cVbNN84tftOMa/s1600/IMG_3224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_O-XpzBjNlK1qWn6csFiIGhACA1DvDGRj5PPoaKz7SCb-Bvhvj0f-Y6dzSV-I7DEnB1nqM_7mQvC-Z7v9mCdZoWGHT-v8a1vlAVTbKYffxCcz5ODQegUhTge-d-UJ279cVbNN84tftOMa/s1600/IMG_3224.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dough after rising, before going in the oven</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4B-Df1Y1Ye5VJqyNMsJy0gWMG6FLrFjAsVOUCk9oZfJRU8H1IudHkCK2SRFj8Rynf-U20MqAoD2HSAyuM6yEgkuyDg1ROknmWL63tAVWkMyKeD-Bzc5kpe8JL4WxLoTLSH5v-nMnuB-T6/s1600/IMG_3228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4B-Df1Y1Ye5VJqyNMsJy0gWMG6FLrFjAsVOUCk9oZfJRU8H1IudHkCK2SRFj8Rynf-U20MqAoD2HSAyuM6yEgkuyDg1ROknmWL63tAVWkMyKeD-Bzc5kpe8JL4WxLoTLSH5v-nMnuB-T6/s1600/IMG_3228.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This thing really poofed up when it went in the oven!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlc_H0sa6dL_5kS-Tnsz7-x6OiZp7PscExdoANFeIPniQfRdK6lW1B0aHHftJsLmL8sHJYeu4lH1SOr_esw1PgU-CogaKB8e4MWtQNVnECv00oRUMnjpzjNb6aJsTXSvhHrhyxeKD_ShHz/s1600/IMG_3231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlc_H0sa6dL_5kS-Tnsz7-x6OiZp7PscExdoANFeIPniQfRdK6lW1B0aHHftJsLmL8sHJYeu4lH1SOr_esw1PgU-CogaKB8e4MWtQNVnECv00oRUMnjpzjNb6aJsTXSvhHrhyxeKD_ShHz/s1600/IMG_3231.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The baked pastry</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9PqV3nCF7hOlaDMcdciuYZLUU2Ty0oEQh6lLf6AaOR2-OEdMnGIUUo-iKeX028_JOAYvpjsNDGqmkZOiXVxafSXF27hq0sxgXipRPbV5XkG-sVW1-ahBuFGS_30DTOmQqd_aDaWObeTB/s1600/IMG_3234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9PqV3nCF7hOlaDMcdciuYZLUU2Ty0oEQh6lLf6AaOR2-OEdMnGIUUo-iKeX028_JOAYvpjsNDGqmkZOiXVxafSXF27hq0sxgXipRPbV5XkG-sVW1-ahBuFGS_30DTOmQqd_aDaWObeTB/s1600/IMG_3234.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished pastry, complete with icing</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SvlhFJkxhpKHiC3VbRAClD8_v6o4pg5bd7dEKMUtYjcICKGf9bQB9bw9NqIrVbmsQbmwikf59jS8LGnGdSxJEJozdRzP3pamoeVxZlpoeJOrgvw7kMyw_-_D3Gk_VWvMaFP8iMinqU1T/s1600/IMG_3242+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SvlhFJkxhpKHiC3VbRAClD8_v6o4pg5bd7dEKMUtYjcICKGf9bQB9bw9NqIrVbmsQbmwikf59jS8LGnGdSxJEJozdRzP3pamoeVxZlpoeJOrgvw7kMyw_-_D3Gk_VWvMaFP8iMinqU1T/s1600/IMG_3242+cropped.jpg" height="490" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div>
What do you guys think: romantic enough for an anniversary breakfast? </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-23377219496678069192015-01-20T14:12:00.000-08:002015-01-22T09:29:19.539-08:00What do I think of Vogue Patterns' new spring 2015 collection? Not much.I got home late last night, unhappily resigned to sitting down at my dining room table until 1:00 finishing the chem homework due the next day that I had put off in favor of sewing, when I checked my email.<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
PUT EVERYTHING ON HOLD VOGUE RELEASED THEIR NEW COLLECTION GOTTA SEE THE <b>NEW PATTERNS!!!</b><br />
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Unfortunately, my enthusiasm waned when I actually arrived at the website :(<br />
<br />
I had high hopes for Vogue. After a couple of shockingly mediocre collections, their fall 2014 series included several notable gems, such as <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1413-products-48734.php?page_id=866" target="_blank">this mouthwatering Mizono blouse</a>, and <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1408-products-48729.php?page_id=857" target="_blank">this funky DKNY dress</a>, and, my personal obsession, <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1419-products-48740.php?page_id=265" target="_blank">this Ralph Rucci coat</a>, which <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2015/01/vogue-1419-my-winter-white-coat.html" target="_blank">I wasted no time in making up for myself</a>.<br />
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But this time around, I'm afraid my friends, there are once more slim pickings.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>Here are some of the better patterns I found. </u></b></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1432.jpg" height="400" width="378" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1432-products-49514.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">Kay Unger dress</a></td></tr>
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This one, V1432, looks so plain in the styling that I almost missed it! Look at this line drawing! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMKc3KKo8_Ilgafl21Di2KQqDHadUcqDG6MKfDRrbihrdJ7ozxfHonkdAenG7QnLFl3ibCm44c7j2gFPcviGOxmcL50j_qtz1EHlK1La2t-4pGiRtvGz_LtDOfNUUanZMIYgXWF95Uf9c/s1600/line+drawing+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMKc3KKo8_Ilgafl21Di2KQqDHadUcqDG6MKfDRrbihrdJ7ozxfHonkdAenG7QnLFl3ibCm44c7j2gFPcviGOxmcL50j_qtz1EHlK1La2t-4pGiRtvGz_LtDOfNUUanZMIYgXWF95Uf9c/s1600/line+drawing+7.JPG" /></a></div>
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Isn't that seaming on the bodice so cool?! But if I were to make this dress, I would definitely be using alternating fabric for the strips on the bodice, because on Vogue's rendition you can't even see the detail! </div>
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<a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1435.jpg" height="320" width="303" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Add_1_Full/V1435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Add_1_Full/V1435.jpg" height="320" width="303" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1435-products-49517.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">This Tom and Linda Platt jacket</a>, V1435, looks relatively interesting, until the model turns around and you realize that the gentle draping that makes the back look so delicate and elegant makes your front look enormous and absurd because your dog ate the bottom half of your jacket! Oddly, I don't think I would mind the drapey silhouette if it were waist-length in the front as well; but something about the uneven hem seems to make her breast look saggy and her tummy look prominent...(which doesn't even make sense because the jacket doesn't even approach her stomach! It's just not good.)<br />
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<a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1437.jpg" height="320" width="303" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1437-products-49519.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">Another jacket</a>, this one V1437 from Ralph Rucci. It looks like he's reprising some of the silhouette he used for <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1419-products-48740.php?page_id=265" target="_blank">my favorite coat</a>, with a lack of shoulder seams and interesting seam detailing. Unfortunately, this jacket is not nearly as flattering. Still, I think it's worth a look at the line drawing to appreciate the design. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvlvPnU1jo54yvsrTHAB-mCN05krilZNG-Cr5h1YmhkjQj3MuUeLDKTEGlR2-hZEPLhGLKiB97pVu1exgRyJqUrsyftGTHnOaCWtxnrXrkYKSdAtjBl7arAB0C81zaonvH5ZJLDgffbm-/s1600/line+drawing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvlvPnU1jo54yvsrTHAB-mCN05krilZNG-Cr5h1YmhkjQj3MuUeLDKTEGlR2-hZEPLhGLKiB97pVu1exgRyJqUrsyftGTHnOaCWtxnrXrkYKSdAtjBl7arAB0C81zaonvH5ZJLDgffbm-/s1600/line+drawing.JPG" /></a></div>
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At first, I really adored <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v9096-products-49545.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">this jacket</a> (blouse?), V9096: </div>
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<a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V9096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V9096.jpg" height="320" width="302" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHJi8gAEPZ4zEaTgt6pmiylqQJkffZrBOHG1FY1Z0xMBhkRioJLIFW5ekWrB79_qzzrJIAfUf2ScIm2brLuYRODtdobg2hG3Da2_TMojDmg1xfWC_xr-PbjvyIDb2bWpfBwIJNGJzeJTK/s1600/line+drawing+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHJi8gAEPZ4zEaTgt6pmiylqQJkffZrBOHG1FY1Z0xMBhkRioJLIFW5ekWrB79_qzzrJIAfUf2ScIm2brLuYRODtdobg2hG3Da2_TMojDmg1xfWC_xr-PbjvyIDb2bWpfBwIJNGJzeJTK/s1600/line+drawing+2.JPG" height="281" width="400" /></a></div>
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Don't you love that layering? Those aren't just seam lines: they are actually overlaid flaps of fabric. Unfortunately, the more I looked at this design, the more I realized I would never make it because of how completely unfitted it is, and how difficult it would be to tweak it. The side seams are entirely straight--it makes the model look like a box. Looks like interesting but unflattering jackets are a theme this season. :/</div>
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<a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Add_1_Full/V1440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Add_1_Full/V1440.jpg" height="320" width="303" /></a></div>
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Ok, the styling on <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1440-products-49522.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">this Donna Karan jacket</a> V1440 is absolutely unforgivable. The fraying on the edges make it look like a cheapy jacket you would get at Forever 21. But if you look at the line drawing</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQwWuzrvTS0m_NmkKS2BvfeeP27z9vECaZWHqDDov1-dQBKWTOMEe9xMB-uXlBHJkAxeQUPiw4CmssUjR8BOcBTSjSDOusAnr7yT2hyphenhyphenuCqFsrQrb7Z4FxNEfxfFmgGDS9sZZW-jIrDFyi/s1600/line+drawing+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQwWuzrvTS0m_NmkKS2BvfeeP27z9vECaZWHqDDov1-dQBKWTOMEe9xMB-uXlBHJkAxeQUPiw4CmssUjR8BOcBTSjSDOusAnr7yT2hyphenhyphenuCqFsrQrb7Z4FxNEfxfFmgGDS9sZZW-jIrDFyi/s1600/line+drawing+3.JPG" height="232" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's actually kind of cool. I think it might look pretty sharp if you ditched the fringe! Plus the pattern comes with a basic pair of leggings (which is actually something I've been looking for...)</div>
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<a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1441.jpg" height="320" width="303" /></a></div>
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Bear with me (and try not to look too hard at that coat; it should come with a seizure warning!). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73_yCdaaVt-xHUmC_Fu_mbIZ5gNRiFEZU3bRSfxnC45Ows0aTZb3eWiN_Zh3ifw7WFqRA2Bs27VFQyXQyGNjX4huz6MdnVoi1Uilwtedi6siuHPh-m9GCK-PiDAz7sAhX3HKTgo7iXoyp/s1600/line+drawing+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73_yCdaaVt-xHUmC_Fu_mbIZ5gNRiFEZU3bRSfxnC45Ows0aTZb3eWiN_Zh3ifw7WFqRA2Bs27VFQyXQyGNjX4huz6MdnVoi1Uilwtedi6siuHPh-m9GCK-PiDAz7sAhX3HKTgo7iXoyp/s1600/line+drawing+4.JPG" height="353" width="640" /></a></div>
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I took a complete double take when I saw the line drawing for <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1441-products-49523.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">this coat</a> (V1441)! Are those curlie-cues on the sides/back actually built into the pattern? Are those black lines the self-made "bias tape" mentioned in the description? Are those irregular roundish sections the "appliques" alluded to in the description, or are they pattern pieces that you pin down and cut out on the grainline and everything? In other words, are those wonky details just stitched and ironed on, or are they actually part of the construction of the coat? Even in the best case scenario, in which the construction of this coat is actually pieced together by sewing roller-coaster loops into the back of your coat, would I ever make this pattern? Probably not. It's a little too whimsical and much too loose-fitting...but at least I'm intrigued! </div>
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<a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V9082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V9082.jpg" height="320" width="303" /></a></div>
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I'm just including <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v9082-products-49532.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">this Vintage Vogue pattern</a>, V9082, because I'm almost viscerally drawn to vintage styling, and after so many unflattering and ill-fitting garments, this clean, snugly-fitting design provides a refreshing contrast.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAexDpTStGEluUfL33CvhAGBPWf4eBLsJficlarTTsVe-gjxphni407cacSIVSXAN8YDpp7_50x5PX9ro6rst1_qYb8hqwMlXi4QxXQ_wgYarxnveA5hSQzxQnWU3XFkIpMxiTnjZ6Ogro/s1600/line+drawing+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAexDpTStGEluUfL33CvhAGBPWf4eBLsJficlarTTsVe-gjxphni407cacSIVSXAN8YDpp7_50x5PX9ro6rst1_qYb8hqwMlXi4QxXQ_wgYarxnveA5hSQzxQnWU3XFkIpMxiTnjZ6Ogro/s1600/line+drawing+5.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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I actually kind of like the little jacket :D</div>
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Look at this cute one!!!!</div>
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<a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V9097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V9097.jpg" height="400" width="378" /></a></div>
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Oh, I was talking about the model, not <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v9097-products-49546.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">the pattern</a>...</div>
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(Though my brother might be excited about the prospect of a custom suit. Don't get any ideas, Max!) </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>And then some of the patterns are just plain misses...</u></b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1443.jpg" height="400" width="378" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1443-products-49525.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">Today's fit blouse</a>, V1443</td></tr>
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That's one way to ensure elbow room! (Maybe I should make myself one to wear in the cafeteria...)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V9078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V9078.jpg" height="400" width="378" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v9078-products-49529.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">Vogue Easy Options dress</a>, V9078</td></tr>
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I don't even know what to say except who would wear this? The fabric doesn't go together, the design isn't interesting, and what's with the half-prairie skirt tacked onto the bottom?</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V9076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V9076.jpg" height="400" width="378" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v9076-products-49527.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">Non-designer dress</a>, V9076</td></tr>
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This dress looks like an ugly nightgown. Or something that a barmaid in the Old West would wear. Or seafaring garb for a privateering wench. Seriously, if you made this in black and red and stripes with a big old brown belt, you could be a pirate for Halloween! </div>
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But mainly, overridingly, this batch of Vogue patterns is just <i>boring. </i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1434.jpg" height="400" width="378" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1434-products-49516.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">Isaac Mizrahi dress</a>, V1434</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1433.jpg" height="400" width="378" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1433-products-49515.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">Tracy Reese</a>, I'm disappointed in you! V1433</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/First_Full/V1436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/First_Full/V1436.jpg" height="400" width="378" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1436-products-49518.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">Basic blouse</a> in boring fabric. V1436</td></tr>
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There are more examples, none of which are worth linking to here. I mean, all of these are basic designs that everyone has seen a thousand times before. I can understand maybe putting out some Very Easy Vogue patterns to this tune--after all, everyone needs a simple block pattern once in a while--but from name designers? I expect better. </div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you want to browse further, here's the link to the <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/new-sewing-patterns-pages-174.php?list=1" target="_blank">new Vogue collection</a>.</span></u></b></div>
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<b>In sum:</b> Do I desperately need any of these patterns? Nope. Will I buy any of them? Probably not (with the possible exception of the first <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1432-products-49514.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">Kay Unger dress</a> I talked about). Am I disappointed? Yes. :( </div>
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I think I've ultimately come to the conclusion that it's time to diversify the patterns I draw from. That probably means splurging on some <a href="http://www.marfy.it/" target="_blank">Marfy</a> patterns, sampling some <a href="http://www.stylearc.com.au/stylearc/" target="_blank">Style Arc</a>, taking advantage of the sale Joanns is having this week on Burda, experimenting with printing and assembling PDF patterns, buying some vintage designs, and digging into my mom's stash :) </div>
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I'd love to hear what you think of the newest Vogue collection, and where you get your favorite patterns! What patterns are on your wish list? Comment and share!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-25472975413082208582015-01-13T22:45:00.000-08:002015-01-13T22:49:53.606-08:00Vogue 1419: My Winter-White Winter Break Coat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Je9_dmulmMOetXCoeWgg6KmrIyJ7mHRsefPWPr_3gez69FIsdTCpMfZ_zRs8U1Bykld-Buszuk3H2DrEnwWjxoJzpRS8rnbiBA4-f28ZxcYxt62c9Nzi5nqD-iSI3pi9IFOftij7dJWG/s1600/IMG_3069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Je9_dmulmMOetXCoeWgg6KmrIyJ7mHRsefPWPr_3gez69FIsdTCpMfZ_zRs8U1Bykld-Buszuk3H2DrEnwWjxoJzpRS8rnbiBA4-f28ZxcYxt62c9Nzi5nqD-iSI3pi9IFOftij7dJWG/s1600/IMG_3069.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-I-ePi-TTKNozf1foXvVStYcjuEchlbVJrSRScOzU3YgTiu17aip3qt1LvyFmyguzaVZDQdVILJra6GftHYASBqDA7anJ5E5ljYcMXta9hwS3vt9r15huOlPD11EQTbQDpJ_8WqJrcylT/s1600/IMG_3088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-I-ePi-TTKNozf1foXvVStYcjuEchlbVJrSRScOzU3YgTiu17aip3qt1LvyFmyguzaVZDQdVILJra6GftHYASBqDA7anJ5E5ljYcMXta9hwS3vt9r15huOlPD11EQTbQDpJ_8WqJrcylT/s1600/IMG_3088.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5hN8nix0Tof-ojdUHcDXmeS4p09lskg43RpYyw9G-zgw6YFK2McFn807qRhPk-a5rsnHXP9tGzXCVtEWvBMjFdOvdtH0duv-GqwAVXE97lUC9WmszC2Vt5gpRQTkzGpPv2RmMF8micVR/s1600/IMG_3074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5hN8nix0Tof-ojdUHcDXmeS4p09lskg43RpYyw9G-zgw6YFK2McFn807qRhPk-a5rsnHXP9tGzXCVtEWvBMjFdOvdtH0duv-GqwAVXE97lUC9WmszC2Vt5gpRQTkzGpPv2RmMF8micVR/s1600/IMG_3074.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's done! After over two weeks of working on this coat over my whole winter break, it's finally done!<br />
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I'm really proud of this coat. For one, it's the first <i>Advanced/Plus Difficile</i> Vogue Pattern I've made! More substantially, it really pushed the boundaries of my sewing knowledge. It's probably the most meticulously tailored garment I've made so far. I learned a lot of new sewing techniques, like bound buttonholes and welt pockets (see <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2015/01/bound-buttonholes-welt-pockets-and.html" target="_blank">my last blog post</a> for detailed pics/tutorials!) And I think, for all the work it entailed, it turned out really well!<br />
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<a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1419.jpg" height="400" width="378" /></a></div>
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Here's the pattern I used--the oft lauded and blogged <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1419-products-48740.php?page_id=265" target="_blank">Vogue 1419 Ralph Rucci coat</a>. I (like a lot of us), fell in love with it on first sight. Here's the line drawing so we can admire it more.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC2IdWoS5M6XwWPkwX0ld9Ueop_lD3ia3vX8FmJi9lT3mjWB-bouh0FRv7dM8zxGGVd1g6g4T_iIrpRNDc2woOsKXbuXFZuh1JWXCbuDIqufLzK9xncOf5vrUI75t7eS6_Ft03MYbIxiIS/s1600/line+drawing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC2IdWoS5M6XwWPkwX0ld9Ueop_lD3ia3vX8FmJi9lT3mjWB-bouh0FRv7dM8zxGGVd1g6g4T_iIrpRNDc2woOsKXbuXFZuh1JWXCbuDIqufLzK9xncOf5vrUI75t7eS6_Ft03MYbIxiIS/s1600/line+drawing.JPG" height="380" width="640" /></a></div>
Isn't it cool?!?! The coat has no shoulder seams! It has a front panel and a back panel, and then there's a piece that goes over the shoulder and a side panel/gusset that connect the front and back to form a sleeve. Aren't those some awesome style lines? And the silhouette--a flared skirt, flared sleeves, and nipped-in waist--is very flattering.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivM6odFOTpShSvcxSYT4n6RwEDpDpYsVu2GzgRodapkjUy69I30xSr1F45qbDPZXF45HRKhlJ-3_U3XbRst4_GVO7r1ympR4QIic5Ng-CxL5UdA-w66EQ1D2BBISy_dQM6mrGqGxxxKgro/s1600/IMG_3010+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivM6odFOTpShSvcxSYT4n6RwEDpDpYsVu2GzgRodapkjUy69I30xSr1F45qbDPZXF45HRKhlJ-3_U3XbRst4_GVO7r1ympR4QIic5Ng-CxL5UdA-w66EQ1D2BBISy_dQM6mrGqGxxxKgro/s1600/IMG_3010+edit.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUGeDtAqQ1I_mfzTIGl5hFw5DGyc2573O-fPA1mMVvhtJxNRkcGCzS7F9tX4ZbEcfHyqjgLOgkWsK85wgiihI23ni_XmidF6_0U6AN-vCTyMsq8pQ5M6Gf9OUneaP1y5pKHhvTvwQeKev/s1600/IMG_3009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUGeDtAqQ1I_mfzTIGl5hFw5DGyc2573O-fPA1mMVvhtJxNRkcGCzS7F9tX4ZbEcfHyqjgLOgkWsK85wgiihI23ni_XmidF6_0U6AN-vCTyMsq8pQ5M6Gf9OUneaP1y5pKHhvTvwQeKev/s1600/IMG_3009.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
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I knew pretty soon exactly what kind of fabric I wanted for this coat. I wanted a beautiful, soft winter-white wool, with just enough stiffness that it could support the flared silhouette of the skirt. When my mom and I went fabric shopping in New York, I looked all over for a suitable textile, and--shockingly--could not find anything I liked. Because I had a very clear idea of what I was looking for, and because it was pretty straightforward, I decided to try something unprecedented.<br />
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I ordered fabric online!<br />
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This is the first time I've ever tried online fabric shopping! In general I'm inclined against it, because <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2013/12/mood.html" target="_blank">real in-store browsing</a> is just so fun! plus, seeing a textile in person is really the only proper way to figure out if it's precisely the right shade and texture for your project.<br />
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But I was pleasantly delighted by the online process. I purchased my fabric from <a href="http://www.elliottbermantextiles.com/" target="_blank">Elliot Berman</a>. I selected a couple promising-looking textiles, punched in my address, and a couple weeks later received a manila envelope in the mail. Easy as that! I was able to figure out which one I wanted and then ordered it online.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxHp1mTIT_mUhkpspGBWuYbCY-y30BA0GxAkYMK5pNVoHrKhCo6sh5rkdW8JE8CUbEfLSxNxuHrdmSSdoRQ26ie_aFIUm2cQ2GpQo1y208XbSoWLkYT8BdmluZGa6Xk4gP6frORBkfZTL/s1600/IMG_1850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxHp1mTIT_mUhkpspGBWuYbCY-y30BA0GxAkYMK5pNVoHrKhCo6sh5rkdW8JE8CUbEfLSxNxuHrdmSSdoRQ26ie_aFIUm2cQ2GpQo1y208XbSoWLkYT8BdmluZGa6Xk4gP6frORBkfZTL/s1600/IMG_1850.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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My fabric arrived protected in a plastic bag. When I pulled it out, it was carefully folded into a square and wrapped up with a beautiful red ribbon! It felt like Christmas!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eOalt4lU7NkzKpxcaFRX8G_hplHG1r-Fvctg69PiTewh2ZNqg5yDeu4_-W-zdfinBhR43LoLeg2367O5NjLzEO6abhzBxuGzcPRZYjEc4mEaHHrBSoRsSphNVa2HmOrRZRTUG6H1rcC3/s1600/IMG_1851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eOalt4lU7NkzKpxcaFRX8G_hplHG1r-Fvctg69PiTewh2ZNqg5yDeu4_-W-zdfinBhR43LoLeg2367O5NjLzEO6abhzBxuGzcPRZYjEc4mEaHHrBSoRsSphNVa2HmOrRZRTUG6H1rcC3/s1600/IMG_1851.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2014/04/if-you-drop-your-cake-youre-going-to.html" target="_blank">Max</a> decides to put his face right next to my fabric while I'm taking a picture, then he's just going to show up on my blog! </td></tr>
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And a beautiful tag telling me what I had ordered:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XaxBTvYUTzY_IPpVufbBO6xB-gJ7vRJqxFLtsOkPxULxONTIJLxe_pEmiKEoA3wG7aRu2vEwTVsFePNnXddXboS84DARDmI37XsWIUEkMMdLcydRVrl8nbcCPuth-wJ5JhMKSXU81HUH/s1600/IMG_2985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XaxBTvYUTzY_IPpVufbBO6xB-gJ7vRJqxFLtsOkPxULxONTIJLxe_pEmiKEoA3wG7aRu2vEwTVsFePNnXddXboS84DARDmI37XsWIUEkMMdLcydRVrl8nbcCPuth-wJ5JhMKSXU81HUH/s1600/IMG_2985.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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This is a wool blend (I think it was primarily wool, with a little bit of cashmere and poly). It's pretty soft and supple--ideally, it's probably a little too soft for this project.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkakVNxPf7iVTh5dq4gMNiyESRns1bBiEnXwF1a_UJ_GCtkO76cJNBRScGmRBgqi2MMrakhOkKyIr1LOat18uDTKSAPsmHBQcOHuIdnqKYfWkxbUzTwDTvkFsAyIhUiDlTetoFdudADEYL/s1600/IMG_2980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkakVNxPf7iVTh5dq4gMNiyESRns1bBiEnXwF1a_UJ_GCtkO76cJNBRScGmRBgqi2MMrakhOkKyIr1LOat18uDTKSAPsmHBQcOHuIdnqKYfWkxbUzTwDTvkFsAyIhUiDlTetoFdudADEYL/s1600/IMG_2980.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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I decided that I wasn't going to make a muslin because I didn't want to bother and this is a coat so fit doesn't have to be as precise as, say, a dress.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> "The muslin – a very important part of coat construction...After all, you don’t want to spend all this time and money making a coat that doesn’t fit once it’s finished… do you?" -- <a href="http://lladybird.com/tag/v1419-sewalong/" target="_blank">Lladybird sewalong</a></span></blockquote>
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">"My sewalong co-host <a href="http://lladybird.com/" style="color: black; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Lauren</a> and I are as different as night and day</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">, but on this we completely agree: You need to make a </span><a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1419-products-48740.php?page_id=315&search_control=display&list=search" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">V1419</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> muslin before you cut into your fashion fabric." <b>-- <a href="http://blog.mccall.com/?p=713" target="_blank">McCall blog sewalong</a></b></span></blockquote>
Ok FINE I'll make one! You guys get a fun picture.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl__Ebq9BacRCM_nzZfnkohMZW088KX1VwcnIHHF76a2CtvMD1lzjUp5Qd3NhajC7klWFjNe6MVcRsUJZMoasqUFw0ZieHd-BZakCgdpGVuxz-eTJZiCVnHCjb8e6vlIPqOzBz4edI0ukg/s1600/muslin+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl__Ebq9BacRCM_nzZfnkohMZW088KX1VwcnIHHF76a2CtvMD1lzjUp5Qd3NhajC7klWFjNe6MVcRsUJZMoasqUFw0ZieHd-BZakCgdpGVuxz-eTJZiCVnHCjb8e6vlIPqOzBz4edI0ukg/s1600/muslin+picture.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2014/03/perks-of-sewing-perfect-outfit-for.html#muslin-joke-origin-exactline" target="_blank">Why do I have a lobster on my head?</a> </td></tr>
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My muslin fit pretty perfectly. It was slightly loose around the midsection (below the bust), so on the final garment I cut the sides down from a ten to an eight. I also added two inches to the bottom edge of the coat on my real garment so I could have some more flexibility with the length. .<br />
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On the real garment, I topstitched the seamlines on the sleeves and the sides. I really like how it emphasizes the interesting construction of the coat!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBLEx6-KMlA0EWY8r1FIC7EV6JcZ6zrarHQ-c1Ik3YjUuK4sUmXeeqFUMHWaYVyTGLzPB-vdwgTGOVmzWOuiHlJ68uArtstfj3RB2O8HcveFlbk9kJh0yM46RXZlmE25qyrOYS6ZldQr7/s1600/IMG_3046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBLEx6-KMlA0EWY8r1FIC7EV6JcZ6zrarHQ-c1Ik3YjUuK4sUmXeeqFUMHWaYVyTGLzPB-vdwgTGOVmzWOuiHlJ68uArtstfj3RB2O8HcveFlbk9kJh0yM46RXZlmE25qyrOYS6ZldQr7/s1600/IMG_3046.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a little hard to see in the photos, but the topstitching is slightly puffy and it looks really nice :) </td></tr>
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The coat actually was not hard to construct. The <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2015/01/bound-buttonholes-welt-pockets-and.html" target="_blank">details</a> on it at least doubled the time it took to make this garment.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTsatsWVCgG_Jkmi8mliowiHzS5nGINY1hyphenhyphen1cM5fKpo3uQUZq8hVaWg0bNUbMXawI2mvXp3PsrIqEbdlK2r0JzaeRCIN7nEkuDFrB_t_y-j19t4du718D83y7GHaHzaquERnwo-qVCbSl/s1600/pattern+buttons.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTsatsWVCgG_Jkmi8mliowiHzS5nGINY1hyphenhyphen1cM5fKpo3uQUZq8hVaWg0bNUbMXawI2mvXp3PsrIqEbdlK2r0JzaeRCIN7nEkuDFrB_t_y-j19t4du718D83y7GHaHzaquERnwo-qVCbSl/s1600/pattern+buttons.png" height="400" width="103" /></a><br />
The actual pattern calls for nontraditional buttonholes. Instead of making a slit or square hole in the front of your coat, you are supposed to cut a notch into the front of edge of <i>both sides</i> of the coat and then use bar tacks to keep the button in place (for a better idea of how it's supposed to work, check out <a href="http://lladybird.com/2014/11/10/v1419-sewalong-steps-64-86/" target="_blank">Lladybird's tutorial</a>.) That sounded like a lot of work for buttonholes that were not wildly cuter than the average kind, in my opinion. I decided to make traditional bound buttonholes instead (see <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2015/01/bound-buttonholes-welt-pockets-and.html" target="_blank">my last blog post</a>), because I wanted to learn how to make them anyway.<br />
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I actually ended up trimming down the front edges of the coat a little bit so that I could pull the coat far over enough to fit snugly but not have too much excess overhang beyond the buttons.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutKum7w2RiZM0uV3F60ZRFgdLOKhlihzZ3dHpo2mI8AL_Qkuk0Jn9dt2-lxqHR8a75d09ULdSyTPpCjpWxU1VdbTitEhrtvesp15EODqVdo9DU_OVBZ2vtAulNamkayQjSgzUrYGnkaIs/s1600/IMG_2963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutKum7w2RiZM0uV3F60ZRFgdLOKhlihzZ3dHpo2mI8AL_Qkuk0Jn9dt2-lxqHR8a75d09ULdSyTPpCjpWxU1VdbTitEhrtvesp15EODqVdo9DU_OVBZ2vtAulNamkayQjSgzUrYGnkaIs/s1600/IMG_2963.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><br />
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I got my buttons at <a href="http://www.baronsewfab.com/" target="_blank">Barron's</a>, a small sewing supply store near my house. They actually had quite a nice supply of buttons and were very friendly and helpful!<br />
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I also made welt pockets. Unfortunately, I noticed that they were gaping when I wore the coat. After some tacking and some ironing, they looked better, but I finally decided to slipstitch the left welt closed. One pocket is good enough for me! I should note that the pockets in the line drawing are completely horizontal, but on the actual pattern they're slightly slanted.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWi0b11Epn7a4pNwZbNAcmVvptXscosD_whyphenhyphene5of_NrQoEqPV_3N0e1hVGOZ1c-0ru4x5nZq5jALVMGOPTU07GTBg55BGb0CV3vNblSQ03md3fPwDL-e2E1o5t3DNdW4kefu6zk2fcyBGS/s1600/IMG_3036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWi0b11Epn7a4pNwZbNAcmVvptXscosD_whyphenhyphene5of_NrQoEqPV_3N0e1hVGOZ1c-0ru4x5nZq5jALVMGOPTU07GTBg55BGb0CV3vNblSQ03md3fPwDL-e2E1o5t3DNdW4kefu6zk2fcyBGS/s1600/IMG_3036.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I also diverged from the pattern in that I decided to fully line (not underline) my coat. The pattern calls for binding all the seams with a bias-cut contrast fabric, which sounded like a lot of work and not as neat as the alternative.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufsx1mE_5JnnmeSrvQdY9EyFxIW7iHgemXiMCDo2ZtuF1fhMg_c4VP2IjmoeDI5jB1696acFfTs5kDk6iZukBmQk6RxjISpSjJl6y4QWr1xZOgiziz29koqY6bCfIAzMGY2SLqNxyYn-A/s1600/IMG_2986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufsx1mE_5JnnmeSrvQdY9EyFxIW7iHgemXiMCDo2ZtuF1fhMg_c4VP2IjmoeDI5jB1696acFfTs5kDk6iZukBmQk6RxjISpSjJl6y4QWr1xZOgiziz29koqY6bCfIAzMGY2SLqNxyYn-A/s1600/IMG_2986.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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For the lining, I used this white silk dupioni that I bought at Joann's. (You can get it pretty cheap there on sale, and it makes a good lining for nice garments.) It's thin but pretty stiff, which ended up being good because it gave some extra body to my coat, helping the skirt stick out and the collar stand up. I literally just made another copy of the coat and sewed it in around the front edge of the coat, the neck, and the sleeves. I also tacked it in place around the seamlines at the neck and shoulders so that the collar wouldn't pull.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqINriAhk7NxMr0bqnc4zlFmzd8K8bvo9a1N0LHzzklz66x2Sz3idFQ8HJOmoJsLXZP5BIKZQ6CPzJKFwq1Zl1q1oZJhK9sdYT5WihxXcwzq4zv6giUD18lgWlVyCUCIlRGWI20IMnQmx/s1600/IMG_3144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqINriAhk7NxMr0bqnc4zlFmzd8K8bvo9a1N0LHzzklz66x2Sz3idFQ8HJOmoJsLXZP5BIKZQ6CPzJKFwq1Zl1q1oZJhK9sdYT5WihxXcwzq4zv6giUD18lgWlVyCUCIlRGWI20IMnQmx/s1600/IMG_3144.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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That's about it in terms of construction stuff!<br />
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But even for all that work, here's what really blows my mind about this coat.<br />
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The designer version--the brown coat shown on the pattern envelope--cost <b>ten thousand dollars. <a href="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php" title="Smiley"><img alt="Smiley" border="0" src="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-shocked003.gif" style="vertical-align: middle;" /></a> </b><br />
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I (a 17-year-old high-school student shuffling pieces in the middle of my dining room)--was able to complete an almost identically designed and tailored garment for <b>about $125. </b><br />
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<b>Plus</b>, my version is (unlike the designer one) perfectly tailored to me, fully lined, customized with the kind of buttonholes <i>I</i> like, with buttons that are <i>much</i> cooler than the basic four-hole ones shown on the envelope, out of a beautiful winter white wool that is so much more gorgeous than the brown stuff Ralph Rucci used. (My opinion, of course, but that's the nice thing about making your own clothes--everyone can have one!)<br />
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The point I'm making is that sewing lets you have access to a quality of clothing that would be utterly, ridiculously unattainable commercially. Putting in a little elbow grease on significant details means that you'll end up with beautifully-tailored, lovely garments that it would be impossible to purchase. So weighing in on the debate about whether sewing saves you money or not, I assert that <b>if you're considering high-quality, standout garments, sewing doesn't just save cash--it gives you access to clothing that cash can't even buy. </b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4h-BYneHPhpUNX9JGttcTAXIfJFy1sTc7HS9o63c1ASM33RVcA5cO5MvWi1ZVVIELodizkZhDyN75uTWorsLKkKfqUJGp_K7qDHSGe9ZtL0R8QRBGm2FIT4cMhPm17PcEeruf9COSTbkB/s1600/IMG_3150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4h-BYneHPhpUNX9JGttcTAXIfJFy1sTc7HS9o63c1ASM33RVcA5cO5MvWi1ZVVIELodizkZhDyN75uTWorsLKkKfqUJGp_K7qDHSGe9ZtL0R8QRBGm2FIT4cMhPm17PcEeruf9COSTbkB/s1600/IMG_3150.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It also works pretty well worn casually over jeans! </td></tr>
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On to the next project!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-4173255047327429862015-01-05T19:40:00.000-08:002015-02-09T09:05:04.288-08:00Bound Buttonholes, Welt Pockets, and Other Perilous DetailsI had a weird experience the other day.<br />
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I was at my grandmother's house and she had a department store catalog on her sofa, so I was flipping through it absentmindedly when a perturbing trend stood out to me.<br />
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<a href="http://www.neimanmarcus.com/ca/1/products/bk/NMT5DTK_bk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://www.neimanmarcus.com/ca/1/products/bk/NMT5DTK_bk.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a><br />
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Wrap Coat<br />
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Open Wrap Coat</div>
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...this looks like a glorified robe!<br />
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Oooooh look, it's a button!!!</div>
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Are we seriously at the point where even ridiculously-priced department stores are so cheap that they don't even want to put proper closures on outerwear?!?!<br />
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Hence, the very simple reason I have spent the last week sacrificing my time, my eyesight, and my fingertips to my latest sewing project: If I don't make myself a coat with respectable buttonholes and pockets, there's no way I'm ever going to find one in a store!<br />
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I'm currently working on <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1419-products-48740.php?page_id=174" target="_blank">Vogue 1419</a>, a Ralph Rucci coat pattern that features nearly every painstaking and exquisite detail available to a coat--particularly, mitered corners, bound buttonholes, welt pockets. All of which are a little tricky and nerveracking. In general, I think anything that requires a seamstress to cut into an already-assembled garment without being able to preview the final look is guaranteed to be tricky, not to mention nerveracking! (P.S. Take a look at the <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2015/01/vogue-1419-my-winter-white-coat.html" target="_blank">finished coat</a>!)<br />
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Now I've never done any of these techniques before, so I'm teaching myself as I go along and my coat isn't quite done yet. But I thought I'd post on the techniques I've been learning so you can see what I've been up to lately!<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mitered Corners</span></u></b><br />
First, I learned how to make mitered corners! This coat features a thin belt in the back (purely decorative, I assure you--I won't be slacking off on my buttons here!) As the fabric I'm using isn't super-thin, I knew that topstitching these corners would be difficult and messy unless I took out some of the fullness by mitering them.<br />
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Mitering is when you create a 45 degree angled seam between the perpendicular edges of a corner as an alternative to just folding one hem over the other. The effect is overall neater and less bulky.<br />
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Here's the <a href="http://www.coletterie.com/colette-patterns-news/how-to-sew-a-mitered-corner" target="_blank">mitered corners tutorial</a> I used. Thanks Coletterie patterns!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>Bound Buttonholes</u></b></span><br />
They take so long...but they look so pretty!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjja3DBOEzoJk9vcO1tn4oFdRO2sldHiZ5m7rAja5YkuNWucr7kx91iO4hZhdBq0Pifuc2hpw0KnzV2aKY8bc7_nPv3G_lLBodTARK8zvsAptfdqu-Iz3VWZiemyXi3lD-xOsWscQczrd41/s1600/IMG_2969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjja3DBOEzoJk9vcO1tn4oFdRO2sldHiZ5m7rAja5YkuNWucr7kx91iO4hZhdBq0Pifuc2hpw0KnzV2aKY8bc7_nPv3G_lLBodTARK8zvsAptfdqu-Iz3VWZiemyXi3lD-xOsWscQczrd41/s1600/IMG_2969.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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Bound buttonholes are where you have a rectangular-shaped opening in your fabric, then close it up with two "lips". The button fits through the central gap and is sort of held in place by the two lips. They're stronger than normal buttonholes, almost decorative in themselves, and no thread in sight!<br />
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When marking the positioning of my buttonholes, I used the "ladder" method.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRxzE4nin4fOJn1Z1zsymEL1EKRMP1zH2lXc1I8wur3D48Og5mmGMgVadCTygNNwaiCEPnqDa192CEe8o6UmhB8KgXXNklI3BKJoi8wvewwU-Z67ocyKhHPJGSky4Enr86Z27xMfZtVPO/s1600/IMG_2909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRxzE4nin4fOJn1Z1zsymEL1EKRMP1zH2lXc1I8wur3D48Og5mmGMgVadCTygNNwaiCEPnqDa192CEe8o6UmhB8KgXXNklI3BKJoi8wvewwU-Z67ocyKhHPJGSky4Enr86Z27xMfZtVPO/s1600/IMG_2909.JPG" height="640" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The base stitching on the edge of the coat is in the shape of a ladder...it's hard to see in this picture. </td></tr>
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I did one row of baste stitching closer to the edge of the fabric where I wanted the inner edge of the buttonhole to be. I then sewed a parallel line of baste stitching the desired buttonhole length away. I then baste-stitched horizontal lines to mark the buttonholes themselves. The result is a series of "boxes" marking the buttonhole placement on the garment.<br />
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I then pinned a scrap of fabric (about 2 x 2.5 inches), good side to good side, over each box I marked out on the coat. I then flipped the coat over to the bad side and, using a small, sturdy stitch, retraced the boxes, sewing the scrap to the garment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinL8OEmFDUYa_ULlT-M5Mig7vukf-_y5waayfDTqdlNCNPUxBz5lA2mzk2lHu0-WBUAahJk8srTw6hJl15t2l3qKMGfb1Wtex3UMDtnh9EB7_BaKPbcs__lzZfKQGO5IvjFIzDXum1la-z/s1600/IMG_2916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinL8OEmFDUYa_ULlT-M5Mig7vukf-_y5waayfDTqdlNCNPUxBz5lA2mzk2lHu0-WBUAahJk8srTw6hJl15t2l3qKMGfb1Wtex3UMDtnh9EB7_BaKPbcs__lzZfKQGO5IvjFIzDXum1la-z/s1600/IMG_2916.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good side of the coat</td></tr>
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This is the scary part. You need to cut a slit horizontally down the center of your stitched box, ending about 1/4 inch from the short ends of the box. Then, you snip diagonally to each corner, creating two v-shaped flaps at either end.<br />
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Pull the scrap of fabric through the slit hole to the wrong side of the coat. The result is a beautiful, neat square opening!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9_1AFlzY__rwO-oKhihjAup3rLkXDzZlIWGG-uEe8thHb4KhBAQfvIx6-sZqqgAIRwKIdr4QMdNL3CGmqzeHMCxbqdplWZnrz-Vs6qksYvVeiHuEBJdftidHXBo8IgBBQrDXF365i47i/s1600/IMG_2927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9_1AFlzY__rwO-oKhihjAup3rLkXDzZlIWGG-uEe8thHb4KhBAQfvIx6-sZqqgAIRwKIdr4QMdNL3CGmqzeHMCxbqdplWZnrz-Vs6qksYvVeiHuEBJdftidHXBo8IgBBQrDXF365i47i/s1600/IMG_2927.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrong side</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_aCoxN38bBlHS5WrzzaKO0BRPa8LXYJa_mWHOKgUzfRMuQc5oshUqwmAGT4pBqjTNumYMLaan47aXvPUsQ_G-4ZwqwTyPkTrpbCkncnfzj9Ccitgnjte3v6Qw3Lv0Tgah08spl2kQBpC/s1600/IMG_2934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_aCoxN38bBlHS5WrzzaKO0BRPa8LXYJa_mWHOKgUzfRMuQc5oshUqwmAGT4pBqjTNumYMLaan47aXvPUsQ_G-4ZwqwTyPkTrpbCkncnfzj9Ccitgnjte3v6Qw3Lv0Tgah08spl2kQBpC/s1600/IMG_2934.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right side</td></tr>
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From here, there are two different methods you can use to create the buttonhole lips!<br />
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The first is that you can take the scrap of fabric that is already sewn to your garment and fold the top down and the bottom up to create the lips. This excellent tutorial from <a href="http://www.sewalongs.com/anise/anise-tutorial-bound-buttonholes" target="_blank">Colette patterns sewalongs</a> does an amazing job of explaining this method, and it works great (I tried it out on a scrap). Personally, I think this method is neater, faster, and more straightforward, especially if you have a thin and easily-ironed contrast fabric for the lips.<br />
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However, I used the same wool blend I used for my entire coat for the lips, and the fabric was too bulky to want to fold and iron with facility. So instead, I used the second method. I used the <a href="http://www.lolitapatterns.com/easy-bound-buttonhole/" target="_blank">tutorial from Lolita patterns</a>.<br />
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First, you need to cut two extra scraps of fabric, about the same size as the first scrap, per buttonhole. Then you baste the two scraps together down the middle and iron the seam flat.<br />
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These two pieces will become your two "lips"! You need to center the seam vertically down the middle of your buttonhole and sew it into place by stitching the basted scraps to the flaps of fabric that were in the center of your "box" that you clipped.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIWvfpm8ZwlaveQxsefs2TGhwHFly5F4LIibJ2_Wp73xyZ5Xwtujv390zjruHkjHdD8Mx_60zXtk2LG8_P-qIWajnNL9JoA9Oy5GQKVBr83Cmrzysf3FcBKUSobhHK8-ffjwMus7nGwAs/s1600/IMG_2918+with++markings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIWvfpm8ZwlaveQxsefs2TGhwHFly5F4LIibJ2_Wp73xyZ5Xwtujv390zjruHkjHdD8Mx_60zXtk2LG8_P-qIWajnNL9JoA9Oy5GQKVBr83Cmrzysf3FcBKUSobhHK8-ffjwMus7nGwAs/s1600/IMG_2918+with++markings.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is actually the most frustrating part of making these buttonholes. Trying to position the basted seam and then sew it in place without it moving was difficult. Ultimately, it got done though. Here's what the inside looked like at that point.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqhK91UVA-NhhXoRpBxjFZA22BBViUh3EFOiwQeWz6wi4tVMDDwGngDNwDZTRR2ROCkrIdxZG9XhWuZJwgSHqWK_X9FoTs_ZgHJl30pBT5QyTcRdxS_U6uSiwjF3i2X-B20XYwkuN3mgx/s1600/IMG_2939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqhK91UVA-NhhXoRpBxjFZA22BBViUh3EFOiwQeWz6wi4tVMDDwGngDNwDZTRR2ROCkrIdxZG9XhWuZJwgSHqWK_X9FoTs_ZgHJl30pBT5QyTcRdxS_U6uSiwjF3i2X-B20XYwkuN3mgx/s1600/IMG_2939.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now you can pull out the baste stitching, trim those bulky buttonholes, and admire your work!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg20wzlLn4YuhYDA0TbvZfqayIArCuqvhr4lTI4qaLr4_p-OpanhAyryp2u6xkBzq9uJyUg7ixosIIG3QYKdNc2-FntGqXzio-KZ1np0Os5lrBaaad_2Md38zezYKXIQw0kVWWv2TMUc3M/s1600/IMG_2970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg20wzlLn4YuhYDA0TbvZfqayIArCuqvhr4lTI4qaLr4_p-OpanhAyryp2u6xkBzq9uJyUg7ixosIIG3QYKdNc2-FntGqXzio-KZ1np0Os5lrBaaad_2Md38zezYKXIQw0kVWWv2TMUc3M/s1600/IMG_2970.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<b>But wait...there's more. </b>If you're facing or lining your jacket, you need to create matching holes so you can actually get your button through the side of the jacket! This part isn't as involved as the first phase. I learned this neat trick from the <a href="http://www.lolitapatterns.com/easy-bound-buttonhole/" target="_blank">Lolita patterns tutorial</a>!<br />
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You mark where you want your buttonholes to be on your facing, making sure they match up the holes on your exterior fabric. This time, cut a scrap of fusible interfacing to use as your scrap and pin it, non-fusible side to good side of facing. Sew and clip your boxes the same way as before. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdnBQEJ4FahAsSUs50inp-4-nbMu_jlVIY3E0iLyGihCDvCDWxiPjw-Z1LAHpqluvvP9kAMsnTEUMwtrvGYY1LUKdeT8mUui9IXOTOnKiJAt0ziLGNANz7TNE_-1RbyG2r6pNm1OG6YaN/s1600/IMG_2956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdnBQEJ4FahAsSUs50inp-4-nbMu_jlVIY3E0iLyGihCDvCDWxiPjw-Z1LAHpqluvvP9kAMsnTEUMwtrvGYY1LUKdeT8mUui9IXOTOnKiJAt0ziLGNANz7TNE_-1RbyG2r6pNm1OG6YaN/s1600/IMG_2956.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now, all you have to do is pull the square of interfacing to the wrong side of the facing and iron it in place to create a neat window in your facing!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtu5QQ3f7i9Y4zsPrOVkIXHIq00fuk0GUBpEuBu8D1pYrdrYVQ-zMAjCwXFldm4YthvbW-O3tT18LwO20d8Cl4SBsTdckFkw8Ndbwbu6Y-8QR_kti986OIfMItSZ4ERKBCiCC4fWlTSY-/s1600/IMG_2958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtu5QQ3f7i9Y4zsPrOVkIXHIq00fuk0GUBpEuBu8D1pYrdrYVQ-zMAjCwXFldm4YthvbW-O3tT18LwO20d8Cl4SBsTdckFkw8Ndbwbu6Y-8QR_kti986OIfMItSZ4ERKBCiCC4fWlTSY-/s1600/IMG_2958.JPG" height="375" width="400" /></a></div>
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At this point, line up the window in your facing with the window in your exterior fabric and slipstitch them in place. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0iX3tAypobuQa5HcvtdYVQyCMoFZd63pbFYTj77H41NxUhVStIHtXlo9ZPXwHy3EV6atwLI0Sq1JB-9DyP58WYb-t8yz1ZXxihUCpy357EV6p6gh06ys9WNDokwYHvmnNLVFVQdhK5GNT/s1600/IMG_2971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0iX3tAypobuQa5HcvtdYVQyCMoFZd63pbFYTj77H41NxUhVStIHtXlo9ZPXwHy3EV6atwLI0Sq1JB-9DyP58WYb-t8yz1ZXxihUCpy357EV6p6gh06ys9WNDokwYHvmnNLVFVQdhK5GNT/s1600/IMG_2971.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Don't forget to sew in your buttons..and enjoy your beautiful and functional buttonholes!<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Welt Pockets</span></u></b><br />
Finally, the last set of scissor-entailing detailing that I've added to my coat is welt pockets. This type of pocket does not need to be sewn into a seam. It can be placed anywhere on a garment and is typically horizontal. The opening to the pocket is covered by a "welt"--essentially a pretty flap. <br />
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The actual pocket opening is created in the same way as a bound buttonhole opening: by sewing a tidy box over the proper location.<br />
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Except this time, instead of sewing a scrap of fabric to the right side of the coat, you sew the pocket bag. On the lower side of the box, you position the welt.<br />
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Then you pull the pocket lining to the inside, creating a nice square-shaped opening. Then you sew on the second half of the pocket bag.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEo8e-qDShuw9PM451VhhW0ylwTabpy_JPJO-m6fKEgUeipR1aR80G6RPvlmJXU6q5oeOKhkSMHBIK1yn67HFTSf6ORChb8BgqOfhuyZLKVq0w30pz12HPflVO6vwY-iRVh7xMJwjto1A3/s1600/IMG_2951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEo8e-qDShuw9PM451VhhW0ylwTabpy_JPJO-m6fKEgUeipR1aR80G6RPvlmJXU6q5oeOKhkSMHBIK1yn67HFTSf6ORChb8BgqOfhuyZLKVq0w30pz12HPflVO6vwY-iRVh7xMJwjto1A3/s1600/IMG_2951.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJdTE23D0MthzMpOktGei0Jxg3DFlO-YvCLRjZHvzk04YTBV3S-btrJLRlf8Ob8-xDp81jGehg-mwiB7frgYGZxaxUPCo_NlXQjphupfGrBVhqCehugD00fUN5FJMTp_QuFJM6l_cjkVW9/s1600/IMG_2953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJdTE23D0MthzMpOktGei0Jxg3DFlO-YvCLRjZHvzk04YTBV3S-btrJLRlf8Ob8-xDp81jGehg-mwiB7frgYGZxaxUPCo_NlXQjphupfGrBVhqCehugD00fUN5FJMTp_QuFJM6l_cjkVW9/s1600/IMG_2953.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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Back on the outside of the coat, you iron the welt upward to cover the opening and slipstitch the ends in place. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuzAIdwCK643XNv88fTdgozSoO9f2EJ-W0Rvl300hy3HrVjz5OYSmhpw_Fi0ySe9ldH9YxAdkN2h7XeJP3DG5EzSMlY3JT-Nz53KfctbU_h1MVaHBxBx8BmcMwHQR_xgPD_eEDIIVnj_0/s1600/IMG_2974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuzAIdwCK643XNv88fTdgozSoO9f2EJ-W0Rvl300hy3HrVjz5OYSmhpw_Fi0ySe9ldH9YxAdkN2h7XeJP3DG5EzSMlY3JT-Nz53KfctbU_h1MVaHBxBx8BmcMwHQR_xgPD_eEDIIVnj_0/s1600/IMG_2974.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjxzlv6HG6OhTnmkOOINaYnhVQf5vh683vziJcH2gxBqJ3VMWtLEFQGfhxUNqbZgsHiAv3qAG37Sqxe4Q8fMtTfsH05e5d09Bwu_noaUXizHAJdMRiADLW2KsTecHSvsod8bKkSoNsxX_/s1600/IMG_2976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjxzlv6HG6OhTnmkOOINaYnhVQf5vh683vziJcH2gxBqJ3VMWtLEFQGfhxUNqbZgsHiAv3qAG37Sqxe4Q8fMtTfsH05e5d09Bwu_noaUXizHAJdMRiADLW2KsTecHSvsod8bKkSoNsxX_/s1600/IMG_2976.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's to prove there's actually a pocket under there! ;) </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmoWxjGK2HhDD5-rgnJSrcD4gywgAH-S4t32SFh83BZkb2dH2JKWg0WBGpbEwSNgM_ZHDO-DqkBS5Blm1qv_MBmhvj-w-sVpNt00dxC03umETsZYOPHowcX1uJJOsGIf-BNqrVpb5Rlbb/s1600/IMG_2978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmoWxjGK2HhDD5-rgnJSrcD4gywgAH-S4t32SFh83BZkb2dH2JKWg0WBGpbEwSNgM_ZHDO-DqkBS5Blm1qv_MBmhvj-w-sVpNt00dxC03umETsZYOPHowcX1uJJOsGIf-BNqrVpb5Rlbb/s1600/IMG_2978.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The inside of the pocket</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>That's it!</u></b></span></div>
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(Finally...believe me, I'm quite glad to finally be done with all the details!) </div>
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I'll post again once I've put the finishing touches on the coat, which shouldn't be too long! </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-26252047002894181212014-12-24T07:30:00.001-08:002014-12-24T07:30:33.149-08:00DIY Cake Stencil Out of Stuff You Have Sitting around Your House! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnKJ_UpdkAeiQoV4siQBGVpTfZdxBN5PwkZgTRVv2GUAqCfw37sEcG56Lxw6hTtSEW3u3ZyFHpq1q2x-mKjAgQ9mA-dypsrZTf74a7_LUHd-x1uA6pJ-AeXF-OjHTkdSC9JKEiM5mPTf_/s1600/IMG_2886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnKJ_UpdkAeiQoV4siQBGVpTfZdxBN5PwkZgTRVv2GUAqCfw37sEcG56Lxw6hTtSEW3u3ZyFHpq1q2x-mKjAgQ9mA-dypsrZTf74a7_LUHd-x1uA6pJ-AeXF-OjHTkdSC9JKEiM5mPTf_/s1600/IMG_2886.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Cake stencils are a really intricate, professional-looking way to decorate your confections quickly and simply. This tutorial is going to teach you how to design and make homemade cake stencils out of stuff you have lying around your house! Getting rid of junk AND beautiful dessert? Win-win ;)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>What is a cake stencil? </u></b></span><br />
They're a perforated piece of plastic that you use as a template to paint/sprinkle a design onto your cake. They can get super intricate!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bakingpleasures.com.au/Content/ProductImages/natures-vignette-side-cake-stencil_2_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://bakingpleasures.com.au/Content/ProductImages/natures-vignette-side-cake-stencil_2_lg.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture courtesy of <a href="http://bakingpleasures.com.au/p19312/natures-vignette-side-cake-stencil" target="_blank">Baking Pleasures</a></td></tr>
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I usually put mine on top of the cake and then sprinkle some sort of powder--like sugar or chocolate--over it, leaving a really beautiful design on the cake!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViiB1XmZdYt07Gd84NFrgYSZ-Ek6AyAo7d7wWyc4Fn4ShcZvoqZSRwqP_coMLgeAEPC8R_MWB426n83i-qShu9hkE8w1w0Eog3HeJ_Mt9-O7ioN2-fU_n1HHpC3Hb2o9VVIlcDcr73V7G/s1600/IMG_2859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViiB1XmZdYt07Gd84NFrgYSZ-Ek6AyAo7d7wWyc4Fn4ShcZvoqZSRwqP_coMLgeAEPC8R_MWB426n83i-qShu9hkE8w1w0Eog3HeJ_Mt9-O7ioN2-fU_n1HHpC3Hb2o9VVIlcDcr73V7G/s1600/IMG_2859.JPG" height="352" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Design in powdered sugar</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQUnVvEm3i62lV672C7HGH3_-VYWR8js0rK4x1lFk9Oz8ZTfdSaWZy24riFdIIJvE82m3csSpKEBpDVRyetv9TAwmZNHmkK3g41GkVbvF3kjx5glovqcHJv-Wcc4LT_WJLzuCosGKTCC3/s1600/photo+(14).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQUnVvEm3i62lV672C7HGH3_-VYWR8js0rK4x1lFk9Oz8ZTfdSaWZy24riFdIIJvE82m3csSpKEBpDVRyetv9TAwmZNHmkK3g41GkVbvF3kjx5glovqcHJv-Wcc4LT_WJLzuCosGKTCC3/s1600/photo+(14).JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Design in Cinnamon</td></tr>
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Here's how you do it!<br />
<a name='more'></a><b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></b>
<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Find a design. </span></u></b><br />
There are lots of ways you can find a great design for your stencil!<br />
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<b>1. You can find one on the Internet!</b> Look, I even did the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=cake+stencil+design&espv=2&biw=1242&bih=606&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=i8GVVL-wD8WuogTWk4C4DQ&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=abstract+stencil+design" target="_blank">preliminary Google search</a> for you!<br />
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<b>2. You can make your own! </b>An amazing tool if you're looking to make a circular stencil (like for the top of a round cake) is this <a href="http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/symmetry-artist.html" target="_blank">Symmetry Artist</a>. It lets you create really cool, circularly symmetrical designs with very little effort. You would be surprised how easy it is to make a cool-looking design with this tool!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyZwLWKvtu_mlhqBysbkPJ70qAbpTngAfNMgYGFMOEQFuLu3CVSeUYVJjPHaJDCD9rptZ26Goc4OE0L0K_e1Gvhqu9xfEm0PLahudjqY_UK9b4FIPXo5Kl_0KQJiGpUP2xt8_Jny7SEEj/s1600/symmetry+artist.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyZwLWKvtu_mlhqBysbkPJ70qAbpTngAfNMgYGFMOEQFuLu3CVSeUYVJjPHaJDCD9rptZ26Goc4OE0L0K_e1Gvhqu9xfEm0PLahudjqY_UK9b4FIPXo5Kl_0KQJiGpUP2xt8_Jny7SEEj/s1600/symmetry+artist.JPG" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>3. You can use my design!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj385eikCWEBQZxMwCyNZ5eAjoa7LDHQKdRE_RHVnWwb7MIGRGqrjI7bUFoFR7yv7PfrxQQH6lWVzjSMBXp_mHMBqo1GA0KprhBlSmCTbYQnEzms-grV3vO3lOTpMkPGjgZ-Oy-IYeyqVaW/s1600/Stencil+design.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj385eikCWEBQZxMwCyNZ5eAjoa7LDHQKdRE_RHVnWwb7MIGRGqrjI7bUFoFR7yv7PfrxQQH6lWVzjSMBXp_mHMBqo1GA0KprhBlSmCTbYQnEzms-grV3vO3lOTpMkPGjgZ-Oy-IYeyqVaW/s1600/Stencil+design.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 420px;">
<a href="https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B6mM4OZ10YrpTkZHYXJtRDMtTDQ">
<button style="background-color: #33cccc; border-color: #33cccc; border-style: outset; border-width: 3px; text-shadow: 1px 1px #FFFFFF, 1px -1px #FFFFFF, -1px 1px #FFFFFF, -1px -1px #FFFFFF; width: 200px;">
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Microsoft_Publisher-Logo.png" height="70 px" /></td>
<td>Download Design in Microsoft Publisher</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</button></a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0B6mM4OZ10YrpRDFMM3doclRPUEE">
<button style="background-color: #3399ff; border-color: #3399ff; border-style: outset; border-width: 3px; text-shadow: 1px 1px #FFFFFF, 1px -1px #FFFFFF, -1px 1px #FFFFFF, -1px -1px #FFFFFF; width: 200px;" type="button">
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Microsoft_Word_logo.png" height="70 px" /></td>
<td>Download Design in Microsoft Word</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</button></a>
</div>
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My stencil is designed for a 9-inch round cake, so if you're using 8.5 x 11 paper, you'll need to print it off in two sheets and then tape them together. (The big circle in the middle of the design is to help you line up the pages; it is NOT part of the actual pattern!)<br />
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The easiest way to print the stencil is using Publisher, which will automatically break up the design for you. If you don't have publisher, it's also available in Word (or, of course, you can just copy the image above and size it appropriately yourself).
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<b>Once you have your picture</b>, you're going to need to print it out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLasHvwXByl2yQCdzFOBidnnIs2vdWKY0-kHkHZqWJAffn6K9gxkYLhAzo2tUYTdLywa8NM9zAz2D6mXU2WAxb3ygOZtg4JuWIWnyMTsVcL4Ir2j5afxmrC8xwzCPioqHbfjsHXNC7VGp/s1600/IMG_2788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLasHvwXByl2yQCdzFOBidnnIs2vdWKY0-kHkHZqWJAffn6K9gxkYLhAzo2tUYTdLywa8NM9zAz2D6mXU2WAxb3ygOZtg4JuWIWnyMTsVcL4Ir2j5afxmrC8xwzCPioqHbfjsHXNC7VGp/s1600/IMG_2788.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>2. Find some clear plastic.</u></b><br />
Here's where the office supplies come in!<br />
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When going to make my stencil, I stumbled across the idea on <a href="http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/2010/03/tutorial-making-stencil.html" target="_blank">All Things Thrifty</a> to use binder dividers for your stencil!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/products/better-binders/images/dividers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/products/better-binders/images/dividers.jpg" height="194" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/products/better-binders/" target="_blank">Staples</a></td></tr>
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I ended up finding a clear folder in my closet that I thought would be perfect.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvgGJ4ylDrh-DBVYwJeaMTpvEKcgoWG99wIYaRIeheS4eejbPOhbx5UpFU5149SYOcY6Lc0T2wVA8QzBpjxuuAUdOuewhUuLkciEDy3BtSGGepu6AY5HXipgf7mAzoimoGyd21kBPGjCF/s1600/IMG_2794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvgGJ4ylDrh-DBVYwJeaMTpvEKcgoWG99wIYaRIeheS4eejbPOhbx5UpFU5149SYOcY6Lc0T2wVA8QzBpjxuuAUdOuewhUuLkciEDy3BtSGGepu6AY5HXipgf7mAzoimoGyd21kBPGjCF/s1600/IMG_2794.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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A fused laminating folder would probably work too. Any somewhat clear piece of plastic that you can cut with scissors or an x-acto knife and that is fairly sturdy should do the trick!<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Tape and Trace</span></u></b><br />
Using scotch tape, attach your printed design to the back of your plastic. Using a Sharpie, trace the design. Don't forget (like I did) to trace around the edge of the circle too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRG1O6wtfHHp-GVMmPJ6lzPQoNJmHsATbYhgjVHo7gJMXOSlSPmGiiMTq6JkakTdRtJm8EzMVhEE9kIB_1s-yBrlIdstR1Q2Lxoo8vTt6-2IAS8qyr084PFnLYb8druXDnf_6SeG53WLE/s1600/IMG_2797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRG1O6wtfHHp-GVMmPJ6lzPQoNJmHsATbYhgjVHo7gJMXOSlSPmGiiMTq6JkakTdRtJm8EzMVhEE9kIB_1s-yBrlIdstR1Q2Lxoo8vTt6-2IAS8qyr084PFnLYb8druXDnf_6SeG53WLE/s1600/IMG_2797.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. Cut out your design</span></u></b></div>
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Using scissors or an x-acto knife, cut out the design. I found that the easiest, most precise way of doing this was by puncturing the cutouts with a knife so that I could get my scissors through and then cutting from there (that avoids having to pinch and potentially crack the plastic). I'm not going to lie; this part is tedious. But when you're done you'll have a beautiful decoration that you'll be able to use over and over again!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsof63k8RFjUyZAaaPKrvBLPd5b06eNHrpWYGl2DgW3lyqlFgKZGmBSQtPaz_E8vRMVoDWXyCpkZy6uJQouQPzjF5DySHrCKYE6fELXkqsDJbCZIUCelZWRQ3rqLztJeE02qGM1r-YjqH/s1600/IMG_2806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsof63k8RFjUyZAaaPKrvBLPd5b06eNHrpWYGl2DgW3lyqlFgKZGmBSQtPaz_E8vRMVoDWXyCpkZy6uJQouQPzjF5DySHrCKYE6fELXkqsDJbCZIUCelZWRQ3rqLztJeE02qGM1r-YjqH/s1600/IMG_2806.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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(Don't worry too much about the cutting being too clean; small imperfections won't show!)</div>
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. Bake beautiful food!</span></b></u> </div>
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Sift some fluffy powder over your stencil to leave a beautiful design! Some potential ideas are:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Powdered sugar</li>
<li>Flour</li>
<li>Cocoa powder</li>
<li>Espresso powder</li>
<li>Cinnamon</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVtHhAc79U3Xm-C-ZL8FNJ5NQM1TlW_lnhlrlDN2NXNdKoRf0aQ8ikfrLc7KZWngna0_Tz_vFweRWnoJoLdlpo8BCLF1G3pxvWHXSntaTZ-Brx2pkVaahtz9zG6jXhI42PSSXggW4PQzkU/s1600/IMG_2811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVtHhAc79U3Xm-C-ZL8FNJ5NQM1TlW_lnhlrlDN2NXNdKoRf0aQ8ikfrLc7KZWngna0_Tz_vFweRWnoJoLdlpo8BCLF1G3pxvWHXSntaTZ-Brx2pkVaahtz9zG6jXhI42PSSXggW4PQzkU/s1600/IMG_2811.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Have fun using your stencil over and over again!</div>
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If you have any tips to add, leave a comment! Or leave us a link to your own gorgeous stenciled creation! </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-23610655353841747652014-12-20T10:18:00.002-08:002014-12-20T11:37:17.835-08:00Celebration time! Chocolate Hazelnut Torte, here I come!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjlwZTLMOEiNiUB1680aI5vrsFfwBUoFpNmspJNfkC5bpVgA4tqN7yg9uBvXI5qDM-2tFHV3sBJOcWTl2fg-WElXopH4fA8Yw6u8tiRxUmXjrZCE-V6VZBfSEjNoqe6FvjzgmWCCU2n9g/s1600/IMG_2873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjlwZTLMOEiNiUB1680aI5vrsFfwBUoFpNmspJNfkC5bpVgA4tqN7yg9uBvXI5qDM-2tFHV3sBJOcWTl2fg-WElXopH4fA8Yw6u8tiRxUmXjrZCE-V6VZBfSEjNoqe6FvjzgmWCCU2n9g/s1600/IMG_2873.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjlwZTLMOEiNiUB1680aI5vrsFfwBUoFpNmspJNfkC5bpVgA4tqN7yg9uBvXI5qDM-2tFHV3sBJOcWTl2fg-WElXopH4fA8Yw6u8tiRxUmXjrZCE-V6VZBfSEjNoqe6FvjzgmWCCU2n9g/s1600/IMG_2873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViiB1XmZdYt07Gd84NFrgYSZ-Ek6AyAo7d7wWyc4Fn4ShcZvoqZSRwqP_coMLgeAEPC8R_MWB426n83i-qShu9hkE8w1w0Eog3HeJ_Mt9-O7ioN2-fU_n1HHpC3Hb2o9VVIlcDcr73V7G/s1600/IMG_2859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViiB1XmZdYt07Gd84NFrgYSZ-Ek6AyAo7d7wWyc4Fn4ShcZvoqZSRwqP_coMLgeAEPC8R_MWB426n83i-qShu9hkE8w1w0Eog3HeJ_Mt9-O7ioN2-fU_n1HHpC3Hb2o9VVIlcDcr73V7G/s1600/IMG_2859.JPG" height="563" width="640" /></a></div>
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I took my last final two days ago...I finished my last college app yesterday...it's winter break and I have no more essays to write...</div>
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I am now OFFICIALLY a second-semester senior!!!</div>
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YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY (and PHEW!!!)<br />
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Time to cook and sew to my heart's content!!!<br />
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Yesterday I was so intoxicated by my newfound freedom to do whatever I wanted (as opposed to studying and writing essays bleagh) that when Serious Eats emailed me a recipe for a <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/12/how-to-make-holiday-flourless-chocolate-chestnut-torte-recipe.html" target="_blank">chocolate-chestnut torte</a>, I was like LET'S GO FOR IT!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5-1QNSAIFEuKt0gfHYaJI_DxSbeAqoRbYHRiDLroYievevM07jYQk5Oro6Lhqit6VvZ-IJTxXfZvCF3wedSCW4d2JTS8ByIMGY3MjXc0aMELeuKXBeB7McfstSWXCO_o74Qh6itdcKvK/s1600/IMG_2877.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5-1QNSAIFEuKt0gfHYaJI_DxSbeAqoRbYHRiDLroYievevM07jYQk5Oro6Lhqit6VvZ-IJTxXfZvCF3wedSCW4d2JTS8ByIMGY3MjXc0aMELeuKXBeB7McfstSWXCO_o74Qh6itdcKvK/s1600/IMG_2877.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I actually ended up adapting a <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/04/chocolate-hazelnut-torte-cake-recipe.html" target="_blank">hazelnut-chocolate torte recipe</a> instead, because I like hazelnuts better and I didn't have any chestnuts. Unfortunately, I didn't have any eggs either, which I was so excited to get started that I didn't realize until halfway through making the confection, which led to me running down the street in my slippers to borrow eggs from my angelic neighbor. Thank you Edye!!! I also accidentally added double the sugar I was supposed to at the beginning, so I had to make a batch of cookies instead and start the cake over (you can't let butter and sugar go to waste!). Not my smoothest dessert, clearly. Cut me a break. I'm still getting back in the groove ;)<br />
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But eventually all the right ingredients ended up in the mixer together. I think the cake came together quite nicely, don't you?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxkvg9-LHFcFM7u0LNagR1gtV1hz4f6SpFVWyvrkWrSu6QvKeAwgPj2KqyebgMdYlTkzKItfHoiVNlly3PxqMgdM7Oc36MjpmlF0q-GU45pgWc6PUmTUeG-Ae8v88KFpsWwiJNgvbzEoP/s1600/IMG_2834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxkvg9-LHFcFM7u0LNagR1gtV1hz4f6SpFVWyvrkWrSu6QvKeAwgPj2KqyebgMdYlTkzKItfHoiVNlly3PxqMgdM7Oc36MjpmlF0q-GU45pgWc6PUmTUeG-Ae8v88KFpsWwiJNgvbzEoP/s1600/IMG_2834.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I decorated the top with powdered sugar using a homemade cake stencil. Within a few days I'll post a tutorial about how to make your own reusable cake stencil from stuff you probably have lying around your house! If you're reading this thinking, "Less art, more eating!", a liberal dusting of powdered sugar would, I'm sure, look just as inviting plus have the added advantage of covering in all the bald spots. Or you could just cut to the chase and slather the thing with Nutella ;)<br />
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The cake turned out to be pretty good! It was moist and fudgy and tasted like Nutella. Here's the recipe!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGt3Ia2NZNl4iXHgLlqja6v_KKxf1pG6In92vIwP0cnZNDomOjcQQ7jZhG82hyphenhyphenbiYMNZRSFV8oqZgwVNevbYe6yOWhLv8XLPdvF7TyBH7T8Q5xx1eNb3v-Ux6tXan819J_bzCdwTBH4gY/s1600/IMG_2865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGt3Ia2NZNl4iXHgLlqja6v_KKxf1pG6In92vIwP0cnZNDomOjcQQ7jZhG82hyphenhyphenbiYMNZRSFV8oqZgwVNevbYe6yOWhLv8XLPdvF7TyBH7T8Q5xx1eNb3v-Ux6tXan819J_bzCdwTBH4gY/s1600/IMG_2865.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>Chocolate Hazelnut Torte</u></b></span><br />
This cake is dense, nearly-flourless, incredibly moist, and almost fudgy in its texture. A dash of amaretto provides a subtle, underlying flavor. It's easy to throw together and great for Christmas!<br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
6 oz dark chocolate (the darker the better...I like the <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/images/20110213-tjs-belgian-chocolate-500.jpg" target="_blank">72% dark chocolate from Trader Joe's</a>)<br />
5 oz (1 heaping cup) toasted hazelnuts<br />
1 stick butter<br />
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar<br />
4 large eggs<br />
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract<br />
1/2--1 tbsp amaretto or other liqueur (I used 1 tbsp and thought it was kind of strong)<br />
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp flour<br />
3/4 tsp salt<br />
Powdered sugar, hazelnuts to decorate<br />
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<u>Directions</u><br />
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<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for a dark pan). For your pan, you have options. You can use an 8-inch springform pan, buttered liberally. Or you can use a 9-inch normal cake pan, buttered or lined with aluminum foil (that's what I did).</li>
<li>Melt your dark chocolate in a double-boiler.</li>
<li>In a food processor, grind your nuts finely. You want to chop them into very small pieces, about the size of grains of sand--but don't chop so much that they begin to form a mushy, oily butter!</li>
<li>Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add your eggs, vanilla, and amaretto and continue to beat until fluffy. Add the flour and salt. Add the hazelnuts and chocolate and stir just to incorporate.</li>
<li>Pour your batter into your prepared pan. Bake for thirty minutes. When done, the sides of the cake should look fairly firm with air pockets on the surface, but the middle should still look slightly underdone. If you stick a toothpick in the center, there should still be streaks of chocolate left on it. Be careful not to overbake it!</li>
<li>Let the cake cool. Invert it onto a serving plate and decorate. You have more options!You can dust the cake with powdered sugar, sprinkle it with crushed hazelnuts, cover in chocolate shavings, slather with Nutella...the possibilities are endless! I sprinkled the cake with powdered sugar using a cake stencil to produce the design, then garnished with hazelnut halves adhered with chocolate syrup. (Stay tuned; in a couple days I'm going to post on how to make your own cake stencils!)</li>
<li>Enjoy!!!</li>
</ol>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUJTdhN2KjfAC6R9sSnWiAtFhBo7eaAZnRneMe8mJIomheYiAN0dtmNRFNncylyf7bGam7Rrq1cpvoBVm7-bXmRQYuEFBo6CKXH_BKOc_fQcR5EfTtM28Id2SCu1wR10jB0AxczguozAw/s1600/IMG_2781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUJTdhN2KjfAC6R9sSnWiAtFhBo7eaAZnRneMe8mJIomheYiAN0dtmNRFNncylyf7bGam7Rrq1cpvoBVm7-bXmRQYuEFBo6CKXH_BKOc_fQcR5EfTtM28Id2SCu1wR10jB0AxczguozAw/s1600/IMG_2781.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chopped hazelnuts. I could probably have made them a little finer.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGaIzv8-BDDvF0ZurzjDUNz4nvIty7Eselh82IyM-agNdoaxjZ1J6Ig3qn_Ab8A5dOfAb0Ekjy9E-RLJtkKA7ZSnku_SxLCJgnTxx7zt1o1kVT5e8_IhTf6S3V5RTx17nBEQV7C1nbypi/s1600/IMG_2784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGaIzv8-BDDvF0ZurzjDUNz4nvIty7Eselh82IyM-agNdoaxjZ1J6Ig3qn_Ab8A5dOfAb0Ekjy9E-RLJtkKA7ZSnku_SxLCJgnTxx7zt1o1kVT5e8_IhTf6S3V5RTx17nBEQV7C1nbypi/s1600/IMG_2784.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished batter</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8rzkwFJN28zI8p4DJCcI1UmsPwFaSSUdn7GObiD5rKledk6xYsUWGbsjYuAUgr5_gJ8CRaKyYvbkc6gx9vzcdwIaqfw9Beeh8DmVPeBCpRWFnKNAhSg64Rk-mNVeQIcjq273vVX8iv8S/s1600/IMG_2785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8rzkwFJN28zI8p4DJCcI1UmsPwFaSSUdn7GObiD5rKledk6xYsUWGbsjYuAUgr5_gJ8CRaKyYvbkc6gx9vzcdwIaqfw9Beeh8DmVPeBCpRWFnKNAhSg64Rk-mNVeQIcjq273vVX8iv8S/s1600/IMG_2785.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baked cake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl_yJc8lMwmlE5K8zSUfZR9Dq5xmEtscr3QbF8GW3biXaTZpaR3ASAW0Hm7uGKjqmRGMV6qbm81sWRXvZvGqAYOQLUpUu8-8QpKR3mpO0a14goPqvulSaYCv6EXcttwjOjO1HR28duzP8/s1600/IMG_2809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl_yJc8lMwmlE5K8zSUfZR9Dq5xmEtscr3QbF8GW3biXaTZpaR3ASAW0Hm7uGKjqmRGMV6qbm81sWRXvZvGqAYOQLUpUu8-8QpKR3mpO0a14goPqvulSaYCv6EXcttwjOjO1HR28duzP8/s1600/IMG_2809.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I flipped the cake over before decorating. This is the underside. Isn't it pretty?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9BMTyKThYbA4RA21q39yoAUZQDMpGShryEg5brcv7OTIsOQC15ikNuyYgNC81sQC_kEIXeYDRq0L0nGWX24x6uJ-YQieCzcLJ4WOAauKhUcMwCIz3dgNa3mDZb5eti1mRIfuN8Yya40V/s1600/IMG_2813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9BMTyKThYbA4RA21q39yoAUZQDMpGShryEg5brcv7OTIsOQC15ikNuyYgNC81sQC_kEIXeYDRq0L0nGWX24x6uJ-YQieCzcLJ4WOAauKhUcMwCIz3dgNa3mDZb5eti1mRIfuN8Yya40V/s1600/IMG_2813.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cake stenciling at work!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPLpWZlEhsGsWpiWpQIrF8WlpkP-JdlXF5HOIQJgiyhMw4dRgl_NeGdneGXKbKjsIjGIIP9_MjiPCofd7kc3RI_UGm7aAIiDfq_MqsLDxycFTHHuwA8IxrasyLagsSNN1xRzjPrpxiKsH/s1600/IMG_2819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPLpWZlEhsGsWpiWpQIrF8WlpkP-JdlXF5HOIQJgiyhMw4dRgl_NeGdneGXKbKjsIjGIIP9_MjiPCofd7kc3RI_UGm7aAIiDfq_MqsLDxycFTHHuwA8IxrasyLagsSNN1xRzjPrpxiKsH/s1600/IMG_2819.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZOoi8u3uVoLijdf_evj7JJyzBrL5KtAE333oho4Wy12cl1eBERocUcha4oEK8lWcwQosJY9Mu1pueFET6PrkIADabGYPldmDxDq1BiEXnjM6qHwXw_LWscQoSCZniEYUJ1QsFndvgBdY/s1600/IMG_2881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZOoi8u3uVoLijdf_evj7JJyzBrL5KtAE333oho4Wy12cl1eBERocUcha4oEK8lWcwQosJY9Mu1pueFET6PrkIADabGYPldmDxDq1BiEXnjM6qHwXw_LWscQoSCZniEYUJ1QsFndvgBdY/s1600/IMG_2881.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now excuse me...I've got a sewing project to dig into!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-24380312391487044272014-12-01T15:23:00.000-08:002014-12-01T15:23:45.882-08:00Fuzzy Red Fur (aka my Sesame Street coat)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99U9uLO9qqqNeczSWVCokJCSHjVfUDk9khk0VIZiUF-TK7B2eYMWBP8LIZX4MNwiwuD-gw_e0yMion7_r1H5m80nidBdUe3rJQr_iHF7xSHHkABUE1PktzAPFj80AcEK0fp9T_Ho0MSHC/s1600/IMG_2647+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99U9uLO9qqqNeczSWVCokJCSHjVfUDk9khk0VIZiUF-TK7B2eYMWBP8LIZX4MNwiwuD-gw_e0yMion7_r1H5m80nidBdUe3rJQr_iHF7xSHHkABUE1PktzAPFj80AcEK0fp9T_Ho0MSHC/s1600/IMG_2647+edit.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmqjLZmG1LxLvd05n8R5HAYQcRkDV87eAyomZnwHxYUtJBCxICz9L75sA-lDUJ9uaTQyKpg11AzuwIerg7PG4yVJj8WMIPcAYBhk0mbSip9p0dkvc1upnZQFbUZwrA1eJXv3p0O97e0Md/s1600/IMG_2676+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmqjLZmG1LxLvd05n8R5HAYQcRkDV87eAyomZnwHxYUtJBCxICz9L75sA-lDUJ9uaTQyKpg11AzuwIerg7PG4yVJj8WMIPcAYBhk0mbSip9p0dkvc1upnZQFbUZwrA1eJXv3p0O97e0Md/s1600/IMG_2676+edit.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hi everyone! </div>
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I feel like a salutation is needed because (to my shame) I've fallen behind on my posting! (Though I did make <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2013/12/more-pumpkin-and-more-pie.html" target="_blank">pumpkin pie</a> and <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2013/12/pecan-pie-without-gelatin-of-course.html" target="_blank">pecan pie</a> for Thanksgiving, which I've already blogged about so you can check out those awesome recipes!)</div>
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As soon as Thanksgiving is over, it's Christmastime in the Newman household. It really felt like Christmas yesterday when I was headed outside to go take pictures for my blog, and found that it was <i>raining</i>! In <i>Southern California</i>! Who, if you're not aware, is in the middle of a <i>really serious drought</i>! As luck had it, it kept raining nearly all day...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27O0s46EWOROCLUbkGEyEfE4alc8FErC5b1j17XbqZaP1Nw871PIDx8fC2e8KCmPPfYyXrt9cxm2ykgX2ynABS7z1b-6s3OffkgKSdpjZDdVhTfZZ-RGCsQAQyFTmAwD_1UedmzJ-Pn-l/s1600/IMG_2688+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27O0s46EWOROCLUbkGEyEfE4alc8FErC5b1j17XbqZaP1Nw871PIDx8fC2e8KCmPPfYyXrt9cxm2ykgX2ynABS7z1b-6s3OffkgKSdpjZDdVhTfZZ-RGCsQAQyFTmAwD_1UedmzJ-Pn-l/s1600/IMG_2688+edit.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So I just stayed inside and took pictures next to my Christmas Tree!</td></tr>
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I've been so busy lately with school and college apps and Mock Trial that I have had no time to sew. But I am acutely aware of abandoning, forsaking, and washing up my readers, so I decided to do a retrospective post on a coat I made a couple years back. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8TZOYZSGwQYP6pwd4thCDBAIN3JW1PTGjmFnUu9PjkAoCuRAfe-wPKqDO2qOJE65OlI4N7fXOJX5y2pEaWkX1Es5EOvb6X_LbLzczo_Dk1FcgA9TL2xnlBgQzj-7MKp1WllNqh7JY6zI/s1600/IMG_2635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8TZOYZSGwQYP6pwd4thCDBAIN3JW1PTGjmFnUu9PjkAoCuRAfe-wPKqDO2qOJE65OlI4N7fXOJX5y2pEaWkX1Es5EOvb6X_LbLzczo_Dk1FcgA9TL2xnlBgQzj-7MKp1WllNqh7JY6zI/s1600/IMG_2635.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I like to say that this coat makes me look like a red marshmallow!</td></tr>
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This coat is actually one of my very first sewing projects!!! This is the second real garment I created. As a fully-lined fur coat with a lapel and everything, it was quite a learning curve.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtt2sW2eftUMHnTd5sCufptycCoAW4DDxBzpG9q5Q3x2pB4u6sMOJHdQ9mFUhbyl9bSiNVBNVa8FeosXQEUL6mshUf_uZdiOGCRfVQHf1so5pVeqsSQ1dEzPoXV6RsFODkK0hgt39TluDn/s1600/IMG_2636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtt2sW2eftUMHnTd5sCufptycCoAW4DDxBzpG9q5Q3x2pB4u6sMOJHdQ9mFUhbyl9bSiNVBNVa8FeosXQEUL6mshUf_uZdiOGCRfVQHf1so5pVeqsSQ1dEzPoXV6RsFODkK0hgt39TluDn/s1600/IMG_2636.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Thankfully, I had my mom to help me with the construction of the garment and even the reading of the pattern (reading patterns can be confusing until you get the hang of it!). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTe1tyIfghwcOwjC8t3aN2_FTEX0SbsY080EjiGk-pd3d4NdU3a-0rAgIAULCsXV4veuY53bG8u7iMp8oie6C3rzeto5nB2bei154CEhYvFv4Gx69DtkDO29U_vLme5VQkk0EztjHBkX_/s1600/IMG_2738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTe1tyIfghwcOwjC8t3aN2_FTEX0SbsY080EjiGk-pd3d4NdU3a-0rAgIAULCsXV4veuY53bG8u7iMp8oie6C3rzeto5nB2bei154CEhYvFv4Gx69DtkDO29U_vLme5VQkk0EztjHBkX_/s1600/IMG_2738.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I knew I had to make a coat as soon as I saw this fabric. I bought it from <a href="https://plus.google.com/110606657318228549765/about?gl=us&hl=en" target="_blank">Chic Fabrics</a> in <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2014/09/shopping-in-new-yorkfor-fabric-of-course.html" target="_blank">New York</a>. A huge roll of it was hidden in the back of the store, jammed in among a bunch of not-quite-as-fantastic textiles. It looked like it could have fit right in on Sesame Street. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110917000614/muppet/images/5/5a/Elmo-elmo-elmo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110917000614/muppet/images/5/5a/Elmo-elmo-elmo.jpg" height="200" width="162" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of Muppet.wikia.com</td></tr>
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It's bright red alpaca fur that I got for--get this--<b>$10/yard. For 60-inch fabric. :O </b>I bought 3 yards to make a coat! </div>
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I rifled through my mom's quite extensive pattern stash looking for an appropriate design. Ultimately I was caught between two options: View C of Vogue V8465, and View C of McCall's M5766. I guess I was subconsciously attracted to art that matched my bright red fabric! </div>
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<img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYtMKXDrSSlRwoG6a7amaQsiwz010PSojPOCreTbDoHSNBykPQEtr_UMll77bWdmfr1I09CslhLNCTitMgqxS2CQa9XD1ZJIyw6amdXOv65HC-T7N18KkUsMtiJau9wCsP-tMqPZqXnnY/s320/IMG_8578.JPG" width="212" /> <a href="http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/M5766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/M5766.jpg" height="320" width="303" /></a></div>
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I ended up (I have no idea why) choosing the McCall's pattern. Which ended up being a good choice, because I used the Vogue pattern minus the sleeves to <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2014/02/v8465-coat-without-sleeves.html" target="_blank">make myself a dress</a>! </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNf_EC8_BHZ24O2fPz7B_6ugSLmen1YrHt4nxd0Pkwx77tWQ5gggM5GffSOCoLJ97y0unTM76v1gev6SY5pXlnv2bA485WnQZ1NBRA-UPOffvyklsNDwSxUF-Fg8MfZ3aj1m7H894bxCuh/s1600/M5766+line+drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNf_EC8_BHZ24O2fPz7B_6ugSLmen1YrHt4nxd0Pkwx77tWQ5gggM5GffSOCoLJ97y0unTM76v1gev6SY5pXlnv2bA485WnQZ1NBRA-UPOffvyklsNDwSxUF-Fg8MfZ3aj1m7H894bxCuh/s1600/M5766+line+drawing.jpg" height="320" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m5766-products-7952.php?page_id=515" target="_blank">Here's the link</a> to the pattern!</td></tr>
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This pattern has a lapel, and is closed by a single button and loop on the left breast. It has lots of pleats in the skirt to create some volume. The version that I chose also has some really unique, awesome sleeves that are divided into two parts--a normal, straight segment above the elbow, and then a second balloon-like part from the elbow down, with large pleats at the elbow and the fullness gathered into a tight armband at the wrist. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJXvaTU1XUbVwdERzgafEq7fvsmRcBU2kNkw1D6SmF40ZeU4Qv3G7vRGKppRcEHKdXplbzOoKbeLLm8qowjZr6gKMP4rPPhX4S4AIEISLxfwtn2xd7XFpVdo8zzRnCPis0_ohTglXcmo4/s1600/IMG_2719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJXvaTU1XUbVwdERzgafEq7fvsmRcBU2kNkw1D6SmF40ZeU4Qv3G7vRGKppRcEHKdXplbzOoKbeLLm8qowjZr6gKMP4rPPhX4S4AIEISLxfwtn2xd7XFpVdo8zzRnCPis0_ohTglXcmo4/s1600/IMG_2719.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't you love those sleeves? </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10hL5VkRX6IJF7vRQl1nxge7TvG9-E8OgYYtfcu6UGf2n8LYcZEroezaSTcC_M6jmltU1X9ALIrcPM8HD41WgVdUyWMmmfRSJn84ctZGYr1h6JtWk7jWLNoAUoETRe_xHy4vN8E1lDtKL/s1600/IMG_2746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10hL5VkRX6IJF7vRQl1nxge7TvG9-E8OgYYtfcu6UGf2n8LYcZEroezaSTcC_M6jmltU1X9ALIrcPM8HD41WgVdUyWMmmfRSJn84ctZGYr1h6JtWk7jWLNoAUoETRe_xHy4vN8E1lDtKL/s1600/IMG_2746.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovaZdct8NxYsyl68mDMS-_YVEcJAVwJmlDemQK02Nso9a90km4VMeFaEqdkYuNKoSVc36bgRgNM_XmdQN-aKkP-sAnAULlru5_c6s3vuaYpeETb2V6xRbtnh3fOc54BJtEyoZqHM7IKPv/s1600/IMG_2707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovaZdct8NxYsyl68mDMS-_YVEcJAVwJmlDemQK02Nso9a90km4VMeFaEqdkYuNKoSVc36bgRgNM_XmdQN-aKkP-sAnAULlru5_c6s3vuaYpeETb2V6xRbtnh3fOc54BJtEyoZqHM7IKPv/s1600/IMG_2707.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcjWFyRLpgKKc0V58QDfQAVCrFQ0lJMi5SV8wVUDg1YOIMNlKv2P-czpk8H1yS9KNuwTRdIU6lTLxm8XUHtnYHIKLwHNhvIW7UlJpMPB0Ln5fV8eATVqrUG_-cRMwY3fnhzUX4ExBh4cG/s1600/IMG_2744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcjWFyRLpgKKc0V58QDfQAVCrFQ0lJMi5SV8wVUDg1YOIMNlKv2P-czpk8H1yS9KNuwTRdIU6lTLxm8XUHtnYHIKLwHNhvIW7UlJpMPB0Ln5fV8eATVqrUG_-cRMwY3fnhzUX4ExBh4cG/s1600/IMG_2744.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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I lined the coat with some horrible, ugly, plastic-y, polyester black lining that was sitting around my mom's stash. If I had to make the coat again, I would definitely find some better-quality lining. It's not worth spending all the time and materials making a really nice coat and then use poor lining for the inside! </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXs6MIiLfsUsV7J28MRde-VfrSBfR9E_KbBezhsU_JCL7JXRzDStKeW8TAvvMGw9aGUzHO9uCVD37pxnaX_leuD_wqMGXBI1aELeQvdqfMcGkRdODpyB0ako1VS1lQp3cKbunl1mZDpCw/s1600/IMG_2749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXs6MIiLfsUsV7J28MRde-VfrSBfR9E_KbBezhsU_JCL7JXRzDStKeW8TAvvMGw9aGUzHO9uCVD37pxnaX_leuD_wqMGXBI1aELeQvdqfMcGkRdODpyB0ako1VS1lQp3cKbunl1mZDpCw/s1600/IMG_2749.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the (one) button I used! </td></tr>
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Finally, later on in the day, I snatched a few seconds when the rain subsided to a slight drizzle to go outside and take some more pictures in better light. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoIAaFnOX5PV0Ow_f9au3gfLpe0FrGgNrdQ-mD-oqYDm3R_ubuQQhDRl7BToR8pIaSymp9LxYtrvSzmKcgQuMHPQnLBiQrSmVE-d6Zq2_-W_9f8k5NX5N71fCifV_HURL-0ct0GVEJ36T/s1600/IMG_2722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoIAaFnOX5PV0Ow_f9au3gfLpe0FrGgNrdQ-mD-oqYDm3R_ubuQQhDRl7BToR8pIaSymp9LxYtrvSzmKcgQuMHPQnLBiQrSmVE-d6Zq2_-W_9f8k5NX5N71fCifV_HURL-0ct0GVEJ36T/s1600/IMG_2722.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZdmluS_lQswKOmi71vAxj98BiKeXuRN8jbfQX4fxYZkA5LF0-oeDkKpZ6YWg5Trs3ZU-MUKaGpvo5DA9NYef4OmDTN56ZPZ8iqnsHzSVKNTeDfSj-tdLYY8-GfLWCmEiZ63cjDZ2Ucwk/s1600/IMG_2723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZdmluS_lQswKOmi71vAxj98BiKeXuRN8jbfQX4fxYZkA5LF0-oeDkKpZ6YWg5Trs3ZU-MUKaGpvo5DA9NYef4OmDTN56ZPZ8iqnsHzSVKNTeDfSj-tdLYY8-GfLWCmEiZ63cjDZ2Ucwk/s1600/IMG_2723.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaR-aIqo_Fd2s6x0Ij45vXerIUA0Yxu-3uNQAWeJ3xph9geW8AbImE0lG5nEFfpyK1qQZ3onmBDN-t6-3T3cidtIkgoYkwgLrLVVrz7vjFWtQ1uARP8AqUfoe_vf0MKUWLSLYF1tEhIA0H/s1600/IMG_2724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaR-aIqo_Fd2s6x0Ij45vXerIUA0Yxu-3uNQAWeJ3xph9geW8AbImE0lG5nEFfpyK1qQZ3onmBDN-t6-3T3cidtIkgoYkwgLrLVVrz7vjFWtQ1uARP8AqUfoe_vf0MKUWLSLYF1tEhIA0H/s1600/IMG_2724.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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So, in consideration of the fact that there's a debate going on regarding if sewing actually saves you money, I'm going to observe that this coat--including fabric, lining, buttons, thread, the pattern etc--cost me <b>no more than $50. </b></div>
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Try to find a custom-fit bright red fully-lined awesomely-buttoned alpaca-fur coat like this anywhere in a department store for less than 50 bucks! </div>
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Plus, after three years with this coat, I can sincerely say that I love wearing it! It's fluffy and fun and excellently made. I intend to wear it all winter! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7uYkOJD3fZv6yThnAS7wE8czMFol2FSy2gqfCy-G9mP4kv864etzPyAlYwC8LlW_ozHnPJ6RC8JVvX0-jH60rApH8vHcKWtr6DUCT6e5K4y_Nv_HTd6EZjdzj8p92vSf7PyVoSh104ss/s1600/IMG_2639+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7uYkOJD3fZv6yThnAS7wE8czMFol2FSy2gqfCy-G9mP4kv864etzPyAlYwC8LlW_ozHnPJ6RC8JVvX0-jH60rApH8vHcKWtr6DUCT6e5K4y_Nv_HTd6EZjdzj8p92vSf7PyVoSh104ss/s1600/IMG_2639+edit.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6frzePJ2QXujFCqgcDvdqCUCyfG5jwO9U8WAD7rhXXDnDAeMiqzia4J15DMWNmE9gJGy0-0mbYs4Z-5-r3O9r1w0l5oj0QkXc3NOfiV7qF1opS3Jp5qN29ar-jjBTESUwTfRYAA79lgg/s1600/IMG_2643+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6frzePJ2QXujFCqgcDvdqCUCyfG5jwO9U8WAD7rhXXDnDAeMiqzia4J15DMWNmE9gJGy0-0mbYs4Z-5-r3O9r1w0l5oj0QkXc3NOfiV7qF1opS3Jp5qN29ar-jjBTESUwTfRYAA79lgg/s1600/IMG_2643+edit.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-2482213157913574282014-10-30T19:24:00.000-07:002014-10-30T21:00:30.810-07:00Trick or Treat? Well, peanut butter chocolates, to be specific<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS27DtjyTNaT46YZbidbEo1H91CqN7q6z4ABWETONtys2wtzU5r1lxIstol1GyH8Zq41afz-ZLUt1Gciiw9cjggs6vbC39y6m0kTfR3Y_1HN5F8Jssd6PueBNHm_hFbE8NYOl7AfC9IS0j/s1600/IMG_2546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS27DtjyTNaT46YZbidbEo1H91CqN7q6z4ABWETONtys2wtzU5r1lxIstol1GyH8Zq41afz-ZLUt1Gciiw9cjggs6vbC39y6m0kTfR3Y_1HN5F8Jssd6PueBNHm_hFbE8NYOl7AfC9IS0j/s1600/IMG_2546.JPG" height="198" width="640" /></a></div>
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BOOOO!!!!<br />
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It's the day before Halloween, and I am preparing accordingly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKo-cd9AYJt60_C_IyYi4FmYsQ9Xak3Pxot98xD_EEXBA9Vdf_6OwoXUla01soGY66EtZkvhIpoRIVOygCQb-EmewwpmfVQfMAZgnh5x1ngZAoa2HvVTf5wL20Roe3FCgj-7HnolPvccqV/s1600/IMG_2541+v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKo-cd9AYJt60_C_IyYi4FmYsQ9Xak3Pxot98xD_EEXBA9Vdf_6OwoXUla01soGY66EtZkvhIpoRIVOygCQb-EmewwpmfVQfMAZgnh5x1ngZAoa2HvVTf5wL20Roe3FCgj-7HnolPvccqV/s1600/IMG_2541+v2.jpg" height="78" width="640" /></a></div>
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Usually, holidays mean dessert. Halloween is a slight exception; Halloween means candy. Which means, I'm off the hook!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://drinks.seriouseats.com/images/2012/10/20121023beercandycorn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://drinks.seriouseats.com/images/2012/10/20121023beercandycorn.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have never seen a more excited jack-o'-lantern in my life!<br />
picture courtesy of drinks.seriouseats.com</td></tr>
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I confess: I am a sucker for Reese's peanut butter cups.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/Reese's-PB-Cups-Wrapper-Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/Reese's-PB-Cups-Wrapper-Small.jpg" height="149" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of Wikipedia</td></tr>
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But around Halloween, you start seeing a deviation from your traditional round, notched peanut-filled candies. The Reese's marketing team starts doing backflips trying to give you even more reasons to buy candy on Halloween. They start producing things like </div>
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<a href="http://www.candywarehouse.com/assets/item/regular/reeses-peanut-butter-pumpkins-im2-131362.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://www.candywarehouse.com/assets/item/regular/reeses-peanut-butter-pumpkins-im2-131362.jpg" /></a></div>
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This pumpkin-shaped Reese's! --Or: </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://whatimdoin.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/screen-shot-2011-12-19-at-8-54-36-am.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://whatimdoin.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/screen-shot-2011-12-19-at-8-54-36-am.png" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">picture courtesy of whatimdoin.wordpress.com</td></tr>
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A Reese's with a pumpkin on it! </div>
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My response? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxD3onSku1C8EWLp3MLlm4z44FNRQ2lCrmlbr6ceUZMISy1eYiu29oZ5sGCQpwOKoQRFTi5u84dqU_HZZlPTBhyD5OzzfzKMbK8vDLzOqTR223NxUmxjUjLB0Dp9KUjaLF7PhSLfogAYbI/s1600/IMG_2582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxD3onSku1C8EWLp3MLlm4z44FNRQ2lCrmlbr6ceUZMISy1eYiu29oZ5sGCQpwOKoQRFTi5u84dqU_HZZlPTBhyD5OzzfzKMbK8vDLzOqTR223NxUmxjUjLB0Dp9KUjaLF7PhSLfogAYbI/s1600/IMG_2582.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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BRING IT ON!!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBlieQ5mpknJiWaDVdubYrKizPAKL2KPzrD7voO-9BN8pgnTAJJ8KqREnJmpilQKbq70NNbbkQ3qMZiePgSqOhr9Vc4TOdhDO-33j9MJoSo6GwKMXrbEYpwkZnhoH7D_AyjMFPXgVqRQk/s1600/IMG_2550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBlieQ5mpknJiWaDVdubYrKizPAKL2KPzrD7voO-9BN8pgnTAJJ8KqREnJmpilQKbq70NNbbkQ3qMZiePgSqOhr9Vc4TOdhDO-33j9MJoSo6GwKMXrbEYpwkZnhoH7D_AyjMFPXgVqRQk/s1600/IMG_2550.JPG" height="214" width="640" /></a></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Peanut Butter Bites </b>(which currently happen to be shaped like ghosts and pumpkins)</span></u></div>
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These chocolate-coated, peanut-butter filled candies are like bigger, tastier, less artificial versions of traditional Reese's peanut butter cups. I chose to decorate mine in the spirit of Halloween--but you can decorate them however you want to honor the occasion, or leave them plain to savor the irresistible taste. Here's the recipe, as well as pics of how I decorated them!</div>
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Side note: this is actually my grandmother's recipe. I actually called her the other day for this recipe. Now you know it's good. </div>
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Makes about a dozen candies!</div>
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<u>Ingredients</u></div>
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1/4 cup butter</div>
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1/4 cup brown sugar</div>
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3/4 cup powdered sugar</div>
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1/2 cup smooth peanut butter</div>
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1 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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10-12 oz chocolate chips. Whatever kind you like!</div>
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2 tbsp shortening (optional: it supposedly makes the outer chocolate coating shinier and stiffer, but I hate shortening so I abstained)</div>
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Sprinkles, colored buttercream, or other decorating materials! </div>
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<u>Instructions</u></div>
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<ol>
<li>Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan on the stove. Take it off the heat. Stir in the powdered sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla. </li>
<li>Prepare a cookie sheet with foil on it. Form the peanut butter mixture into your desired shape, using about 1 tablespoon per candy. Put the balls on a cookie sheet and put the tray in the freezer for about an hour to let the balls harden up. </li>
<li>Prepare another cookie sheet with foil on it. Melt your chocolate (and the shortening) in a double-boiler. Using a fork, drop the balls of dough into the melted chocolate and move around until they are evenly coated, then deposit on the cookie sheet. </li>
<li>If you intend to decorate your candies with buttercream, put them back in the freezer; otherwise, put them in the fridge to harden up and they are ready to eat! I recommend storing them in the refrigerator so they don't melt.</li>
<li><b>For pumpkins: </b>Form your peanut butter filling into short, squat disk-like shapes. Immediately after covering them with chocolate, cover with orange sprinkles. After freezing, use green buttercream to pipe a stem and leaf onto the top of the pumpkin and yellow buttercream to draw the features.</li>
<li><b>For ghosts: </b>Form your peanut butter filling into taller, cylindrical shapes with a round top. Cover with white chocolate. After freezing, draw on features with purple buttercream. </li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJ3lkggObW7JM_Pg627lLmPSUcexan_3azCAHaUpwxBb8x6lrfpwZSqs9AjL5fV7q77fnZU0-MIYv0G_BravZ81WYZx30Dn1riKMdV_hZLi3496yk5QCeVCGL-ZfuYEA6a0KYev2hc3_j/s1600/IMG_2512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJ3lkggObW7JM_Pg627lLmPSUcexan_3azCAHaUpwxBb8x6lrfpwZSqs9AjL5fV7q77fnZU0-MIYv0G_BravZ81WYZx30Dn1riKMdV_hZLi3496yk5QCeVCGL-ZfuYEA6a0KYev2hc3_j/s1600/IMG_2512.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The filling. It should be pretty thick and malleable, even while warm. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vYkuinsvYw6sA62o4yoRQ0dEH1Vyfqw0xVGIWILgxpMQ-e3FOn2dxNXlAO792pDsEe7ETgDBkRJvGUenfYoqe94CZ0dr5uJG656wl6BZz4DUSS4VgixJOl5r3OguX6MMeAtf9XLw8sJg/s1600/IMG_2516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vYkuinsvYw6sA62o4yoRQ0dEH1Vyfqw0xVGIWILgxpMQ-e3FOn2dxNXlAO792pDsEe7ETgDBkRJvGUenfYoqe94CZ0dr5uJG656wl6BZz4DUSS4VgixJOl5r3OguX6MMeAtf9XLw8sJg/s1600/IMG_2516.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHM-npiQ6kSH0x_zPI1_HdmkykcmanWzAuwpVSuKyUIUELtUOnyt4gnvsKUMa76975D3DRLNr0PEgiDPr32gibgZhDfBSvolky_u4O9trKgvFBZaAlbwP-YhvQjgyNwXBenbJfIZ7lBO3/s1600/IMG_2517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHM-npiQ6kSH0x_zPI1_HdmkykcmanWzAuwpVSuKyUIUELtUOnyt4gnvsKUMa76975D3DRLNr0PEgiDPr32gibgZhDfBSvolky_u4O9trKgvFBZaAlbwP-YhvQjgyNwXBenbJfIZ7lBO3/s1600/IMG_2517.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Left: pumpkin fillings. Right: ghost fillings.</span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0NwMfdD5_TkAQdR34TYwhb2gq1VzOnPkiruMViVXv3oCiMUq_Yht3CuVv2f7IONe29nE722cRxCRyP_PDQXzFJC39dEI-9LL-hrhwl9norbNOScMED2oVbusty-J2D_2yZjwnyT7QmGQC/s1600/IMG_2518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0NwMfdD5_TkAQdR34TYwhb2gq1VzOnPkiruMViVXv3oCiMUq_Yht3CuVv2f7IONe29nE722cRxCRyP_PDQXzFJC39dEI-9LL-hrhwl9norbNOScMED2oVbusty-J2D_2yZjwnyT7QmGQC/s1600/IMG_2518.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My pumpkins after being covered and sprinkled</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR7DkutEBx5VaOaDwAbYsCX_FQ35tXMkvi9UJhdEWVsfBfZBpG7m8JLLRPc7GFZ5u8-iwcndOJijYfhq0tMS4qGAKcQSuhpfp1JDFBDuGzQio2pXkPb6kvTp-l4cyJCp2yVnLeDM7QYGw/s1600/IMG_2523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR7DkutEBx5VaOaDwAbYsCX_FQ35tXMkvi9UJhdEWVsfBfZBpG7m8JLLRPc7GFZ5u8-iwcndOJijYfhq0tMS4qGAKcQSuhpfp1JDFBDuGzQio2pXkPb6kvTp-l4cyJCp2yVnLeDM7QYGw/s1600/IMG_2523.JPG" height="187" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My buttercream! I made way too much; I ended up using less than half this amount. Your frosting should be pretty thick to make sure your designs will stay.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2E2UiFULr4NtXUczpPyGDQm4lfxSQiSHnxVNDoijvUCV51tzESxEgex7ekKuz3qepCpRHiYbW97_AxvhIirOhwhtK_scUaKQCn9Gc89EA3vUhus_Gtu5-3BcxBUmv2dQDQcY-5NmLmWhr/s1600/IMG_2538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2E2UiFULr4NtXUczpPyGDQm4lfxSQiSHnxVNDoijvUCV51tzESxEgex7ekKuz3qepCpRHiYbW97_AxvhIirOhwhtK_scUaKQCn9Gc89EA3vUhus_Gtu5-3BcxBUmv2dQDQcY-5NmLmWhr/s1600/IMG_2538.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used the large tip on the left to pipe the stems for the pumpkins, and the small one on the right to form the features. </td></tr>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='480' height='399' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/nrLEGU69yK4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> I didn't use a tip for the pumpkin leaves; I used this technique that simply involves snipping the pastry bag. Pretty neat! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3E295pcChtwf3HZ-du0UTpnnZBxfYydy_KmSxcGI0sCYyX8S0_tK5v6M1blwqAb23nlRlr5CcFn_3Gopi80xb-I1KHpxySRssGf5ukTeP2VbR09cUcX5J-tpnoLRYFLfPmoQNjtLh6Qf/s1600/IMG_2531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3E295pcChtwf3HZ-du0UTpnnZBxfYydy_KmSxcGI0sCYyX8S0_tK5v6M1blwqAb23nlRlr5CcFn_3Gopi80xb-I1KHpxySRssGf5ukTeP2VbR09cUcX5J-tpnoLRYFLfPmoQNjtLh6Qf/s1600/IMG_2531.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINI2FOciMdo_ZkRP3pwp44GJQdsXW6OdDoa0kch4ughxDz5ZsgrqeCjEWDrKDYqWe7Whu6GU6z0cdOrDPyTuK48NdIUF3_uVC-GLZ3_57Iz60vfKg24uNBfhDMRg6wbmz1vkI-PtFQaFV/s1600/IMG_2537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINI2FOciMdo_ZkRP3pwp44GJQdsXW6OdDoa0kch4ughxDz5ZsgrqeCjEWDrKDYqWe7Whu6GU6z0cdOrDPyTuK48NdIUF3_uVC-GLZ3_57Iz60vfKg24uNBfhDMRg6wbmz1vkI-PtFQaFV/s1600/IMG_2537.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiix0iHbmocf_EUPlKWlNss-Xqw_fzB8f5tE-zXxrqlYE_s2CYkcxEVe4fmOh7kJMqb1mXrBHQnDh9poZdNzoellCugHE-lbv5NbODbJESVouDVH55Y7Z1_fOZ-Z-ZoxDIy-M8ngPzdUq1t/s1600/IMG_2552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiix0iHbmocf_EUPlKWlNss-Xqw_fzB8f5tE-zXxrqlYE_s2CYkcxEVe4fmOh7kJMqb1mXrBHQnDh9poZdNzoellCugHE-lbv5NbODbJESVouDVH55Y7Z1_fOZ-Z-ZoxDIy-M8ngPzdUq1t/s1600/IMG_2552.JPG" height="76" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's for those of you who prefer slightly demonic-looking ghosts...</td></tr>
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The only problem is...how am I going to bring myself to eat these guys? </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-46433141837028094572014-10-24T15:05:00.000-07:002014-10-24T15:05:49.363-07:003 Reasons I Bake Bran Muffins!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMNf-YfpQWwr9bV8O4AqVvSmRzj8min1koX7eZVSlTdREbPVvlnB4aqAxMFh9RXw71PHVBOhR1_uEgiaqt6dkokr38PUbrtKDxZXKas71ig4x7j_1k0WbAgdq1ACziqJlCjAbVWjs2wlP/s1600/IMG_2432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMNf-YfpQWwr9bV8O4AqVvSmRzj8min1koX7eZVSlTdREbPVvlnB4aqAxMFh9RXw71PHVBOhR1_uEgiaqt6dkokr38PUbrtKDxZXKas71ig4x7j_1k0WbAgdq1ACziqJlCjAbVWjs2wlP/s1600/IMG_2432.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Three Reasons Bran Muffins are Healthy</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>1. Apparently flaxseed is so good for you, that had my muffins existed approximately 600 years ago, it would have been illegal <i>not </i>to eat them!</b><br />
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Haha I'm not even kidding! I found this on like three different sites! And they're not even all flaxseed vendors!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynEb_0f_ghD6tPS7rM6ovJuWwFCiXA1ZrCOa7wLJqYFvbOrIBTo3VQBqca6x3Fbypo8h-ePIkgCrMjU829kPZmO0qZh_gqc0zwNJ389hHGi0bKiucZBvpcdaqkeqWc__ridXl6ki0Ioce/s1600/flaxseed+charlemagne+google+search.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynEb_0f_ghD6tPS7rM6ovJuWwFCiXA1ZrCOa7wLJqYFvbOrIBTo3VQBqca6x3Fbypo8h-ePIkgCrMjU829kPZmO0qZh_gqc0zwNJ389hHGi0bKiucZBvpcdaqkeqWc__ridXl6ki0Ioce/s1600/flaxseed+charlemagne+google+search.JPG" height="377" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is like the opposite of banning large drinks in New York...</td></tr>
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Apparently, as if by divine inspiration, Frankish emperor Charlemagne predicted the health benefits of flaxseed and required it consumed by all his subjects!. If you don't believe Charlie, <a href="http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed" target="_blank">WebMD</a> also agrees.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhIeWwPrh_rZbhyYTG7rQ9zTMke6pHIndOQ2wFIU6a1tVzWikLV6rF6xrf8gRIvqejngqD2kKhrK9OO0mmcoP-o_mIS_B-_HLMANoW4T5-hW6yX0UWx5WTm4tBGRVaGu1iEz8ki83FDmP/s1600/charlemagne+bran+muffin+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhIeWwPrh_rZbhyYTG7rQ9zTMke6pHIndOQ2wFIU6a1tVzWikLV6rF6xrf8gRIvqejngqD2kKhrK9OO0mmcoP-o_mIS_B-_HLMANoW4T5-hW6yX0UWx5WTm4tBGRVaGu1iEz8ki83FDmP/s1600/charlemagne+bran+muffin+2.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(original) image courtesy of thehistoryprofessor.us</td></tr>
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<b>2. They're NOT cookies!</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYju-0gD6yZE7FHyJ1ByJ-I6hF0wMtnUMotMJuxR9-zGykZ0gDWBNMucuP31SkuYbzhLgQdOGiCPEuQbEu1QKJSv8LJSi90eNx7iZH83A71zhlWNj0F-4gJVxxz7RyMJF-7HLuADEv7PW/s1600/cookie+monster+muffin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYju-0gD6yZE7FHyJ1ByJ-I6hF0wMtnUMotMJuxR9-zGykZ0gDWBNMucuP31SkuYbzhLgQdOGiCPEuQbEu1QKJSv8LJSi90eNx7iZH83A71zhlWNj0F-4gJVxxz7RyMJF-7HLuADEv7PW/s1600/cookie+monster+muffin.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of okmagazine.com</td></tr>
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You'll have to decide for yourself if that's a plus or a minus.<br />
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<b>3. Bran muffins = sleep. </b><br />
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Portable bran muffins --> I can eat breakfast in the car or at school instead of at home --> I can wake up later --> MORE SLEEP!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXr0TnU-C1urhNX7HUAICtxVRlajspo5KIJpTistgfrMwtbER-pa7mU2lhPf5ujMxmBluD6nWdHhBJLiZjH_EwpFKLRPCU0rtv6hcEWTvbD_g_nam61-enlU-eT-a3NXbJd7pVvfnB2aa4/s1600/sleeping+student+photoshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXr0TnU-C1urhNX7HUAICtxVRlajspo5KIJpTistgfrMwtbER-pa7mU2lhPf5ujMxmBluD6nWdHhBJLiZjH_EwpFKLRPCU0rtv6hcEWTvbD_g_nam61-enlU-eT-a3NXbJd7pVvfnB2aa4/s1600/sleeping+student+photoshop.jpg" height="320" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of clipartpal.com</td></tr>
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Those reasons sound good enough for me! </div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Healthy Bran Muffins</u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">These muffins are sweet, dense, and hearty, but the tartness of the cranberries adds a little zing. They're perfect for a quick and tasty breakfast with lots of fiber. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Ingredients</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3 cups whole wheat flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 cups toasted bran flake cereal / oat bran </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup ground flaxseed*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup packed brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 1/2 tsp baking soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 cups buttermilk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup orange juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 large eggs, beaten</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup vegetable oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup honey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 cup molasses</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 cups dried cranberries**</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">*You can also use whole flaxseeds (for a different texture), or toasted wheat germ. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">**These muffins are so sturdy you have a lot of liberty with the type of fruit you use. I've even dumped cups of apple sauce and other pulverized fruit into my batter before, with no adverse affects on the texture!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Instructions: </u></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl: wheat flour, bran, flaxseed, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Combine the wet ingredients in a medium bowl: buttermilk, orange juice, eggs, vegetable oil, honey, and molasses. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add the dried fruit.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cover your dough with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for about four hours (I typically leave it overnight) to give it a chance to cool down. (If the dough is cold, the muffins rise in a much more beautiful, uniform shape. You <i>can </i>make muffins without refrigerating the batter first, but I won't guarantee the results!) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Scoop the batter into paper-lined muffin tins. It doesn't matter if you have really irregularly sized lumps of batter; they will smooth out while baking.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Enjoy fresh from the oven or as a quick and healthy snack for your busy week! </span></li>
</ol>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQx88H-ygrpjFZFvz9V45ypIg4ozN5xTYg4qOrIUiW7rTfBDTPnC70kmdOIIdiK-sTijWDad3eJIkEZAVN9pydBtNSni9Mw3l38AJPjdU7-VQLR1abvJE4R9Xc5IUfrT6kTDpCfKYJw3uQ/s1600/IMG_2396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQx88H-ygrpjFZFvz9V45ypIg4ozN5xTYg4qOrIUiW7rTfBDTPnC70kmdOIIdiK-sTijWDad3eJIkEZAVN9pydBtNSni9Mw3l38AJPjdU7-VQLR1abvJE4R9Xc5IUfrT6kTDpCfKYJw3uQ/s1600/IMG_2396.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's what flaxseed power looks like! It pretty much looks like sand. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguEro_K2wEKHer6xqrHKQcqzYgtBwNyHXP74Bm_2uyeNa6ylSWI1VEEhUa6XFJSFk0cNeyd9TIGfqUq6Hh6Qm39wZAeDCJc2lCFRFs80fLwq0pp1y7LdN5sW13cdvVbhzjP3D3pM_Ow0Y8/s1600/IMG_2403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguEro_K2wEKHer6xqrHKQcqzYgtBwNyHXP74Bm_2uyeNa6ylSWI1VEEhUa6XFJSFk0cNeyd9TIGfqUq6Hh6Qm39wZAeDCJc2lCFRFs80fLwq0pp1y7LdN5sW13cdvVbhzjP3D3pM_Ow0Y8/s1600/IMG_2403.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And oat bran pretty much looks like oatmeal!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3_HGg1DPWJXjZiVGpzTVNKVHOpJwC4COkQ3Nre1BkBQUqHXR5l_htXKLWuxXqGR2DcPpNBZaULPjCtdpaiR8ZsTC1njfkM1M0wRaaEpIauLKI20P3xWd1AwujDVSR3mATtItun6D7ZOc/s1600/IMG_2406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3_HGg1DPWJXjZiVGpzTVNKVHOpJwC4COkQ3Nre1BkBQUqHXR5l_htXKLWuxXqGR2DcPpNBZaULPjCtdpaiR8ZsTC1njfkM1M0wRaaEpIauLKI20P3xWd1AwujDVSR3mATtItun6D7ZOc/s1600/IMG_2406.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the dry ingredients</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUH_2AiAepSpXK-Kb00M2GYfSE38NvwX89hzMHO-3-pBdKLFkCo6nWUGeNjDWBbxMtuvBI6yhXHwiQzy5kwlGjDGApdDUTtuJRYeEMjYjIeZDyGRACyAep3tqFjaN3TEhe6PZF7Hf192V/s1600/IMG_2400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUH_2AiAepSpXK-Kb00M2GYfSE38NvwX89hzMHO-3-pBdKLFkCo6nWUGeNjDWBbxMtuvBI6yhXHwiQzy5kwlGjDGApdDUTtuJRYeEMjYjIeZDyGRACyAep3tqFjaN3TEhe6PZF7Hf192V/s1600/IMG_2400.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the wet ingredients</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1oVkC2PdkGjRSDz2qdGOll5i9KT6IXZgg8-GzJdqtTJS5_jafoAAiSLpQkDpP3PGSzNW8unonTtaVFwfjdQS8zBU1xkOKEzPi5CqF7sZIH6JiM_6b7mloeCayBIst64FYRZRW8VG9RU9S/s1600/IMG_2408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1oVkC2PdkGjRSDz2qdGOll5i9KT6IXZgg8-GzJdqtTJS5_jafoAAiSLpQkDpP3PGSzNW8unonTtaVFwfjdQS8zBU1xkOKEzPi5CqF7sZIH6JiM_6b7mloeCayBIst64FYRZRW8VG9RU9S/s1600/IMG_2408.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's what the batter should look like (before you add the dried fruit)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarTSClU7hKdKRzufuE6U0DXakHsmPafXI58J_z_kXSZXgetRV1pK6f5CDpAeoa1xYHmoFGee_9-09y_i8Mh2fhUZDLhO1y7Y2ixetmMuUy9JfcVLPEAj0JP-5gf6AFxR7I1bTbTzWKwHM/s1600/IMG_2412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarTSClU7hKdKRzufuE6U0DXakHsmPafXI58J_z_kXSZXgetRV1pK6f5CDpAeoa1xYHmoFGee_9-09y_i8Mh2fhUZDLhO1y7Y2ixetmMuUy9JfcVLPEAj0JP-5gf6AFxR7I1bTbTzWKwHM/s1600/IMG_2412.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's what the batter should look like after it's been cooled. It will probably be very thick and lumpy; that's ok!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvaMl-inCa9IbJfts_GqQk105gSkdO8FaaT3pUtp6D5snrBJx0YuLXeMN_6pzlJyckJZSAcfcvv1qgeVPYZxPYZrtPsqJoL3hoT715nalItby27jmeBThe9iq-RywsOBJ0XtjMUqvfrBx/s1600/IMG_2413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvaMl-inCa9IbJfts_GqQk105gSkdO8FaaT3pUtp6D5snrBJx0YuLXeMN_6pzlJyckJZSAcfcvv1qgeVPYZxPYZrtPsqJoL3hoT715nalItby27jmeBThe9iq-RywsOBJ0XtjMUqvfrBx/s1600/IMG_2413.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv6NY-b3SvSHFEANNuluMei4Q6yvtoFkVQ8qnSvkBmmy2KId-cok3fftKm9ShSsyKs4V_y5IGTG1qCV_bMyOSzwhA32BaukDID1mgFaKv8pCtJpZXni3YeMjjMWWtbs4PGgE9ijXmXD3ck/s1600/IMG_2416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv6NY-b3SvSHFEANNuluMei4Q6yvtoFkVQ8qnSvkBmmy2KId-cok3fftKm9ShSsyKs4V_y5IGTG1qCV_bMyOSzwhA32BaukDID1mgFaKv8pCtJpZXni3YeMjjMWWtbs4PGgE9ijXmXD3ck/s1600/IMG_2416.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAT9x1DR8cjfASMFKZXMfT6qDdyuXHGv16daxGhJvt7dwrK7UROHXyMTEwACQzHbMq9P46BQbp-HDiChV3gZ2K1B6fHV5AmNJTJQQPjqnnZAEVd1FiqtviJ6zvOR75LJ9kk9maFgz1qXw9/s1600/IMG_2418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAT9x1DR8cjfASMFKZXMfT6qDdyuXHGv16daxGhJvt7dwrK7UROHXyMTEwACQzHbMq9P46BQbp-HDiChV3gZ2K1B6fHV5AmNJTJQQPjqnnZAEVd1FiqtviJ6zvOR75LJ9kk9maFgz1qXw9/s1600/IMG_2418.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkoO5K4n0sbJK418Bo11yKr6NwoXbx2lwAovTm7xHYpqWdZ5Xhj7NvMVzB9VPJumQ84TgHpS32z_fj8ZDfdBUQORiTP4K1avw6_Ic-OSuKFu1oZvWO5PtmKzRv-VoxyAip6XvRcy1G7Ub/s1600/IMG_2428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkoO5K4n0sbJK418Bo11yKr6NwoXbx2lwAovTm7xHYpqWdZ5Xhj7NvMVzB9VPJumQ84TgHpS32z_fj8ZDfdBUQORiTP4K1avw6_Ic-OSuKFu1oZvWO5PtmKzRv-VoxyAip6XvRcy1G7Ub/s1600/IMG_2428.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">P.S. Let us know in the comments if you prefer a cookie or a bran muffin!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-83847192981557071432014-10-20T17:17:00.000-07:002014-10-20T18:14:48.108-07:00Maybe actually my favorite dress so far...no seriously.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3o4XavqwvFH2Kfa-hxzBcQS-PwvhcdMFhyphenhyphenFnQRRQXRRZY-Cz4I6KTl8bqJoZFce5ARvMQMuaOIJUaJpgR8hBQOGB7QKcK87lKYJuoTg1BiTlNZ-noYygycGhprbz9maG3-_hlldOXuFpt/s1600/IMG_2060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3o4XavqwvFH2Kfa-hxzBcQS-PwvhcdMFhyphenhyphenFnQRRQXRRZY-Cz4I6KTl8bqJoZFce5ARvMQMuaOIJUaJpgR8hBQOGB7QKcK87lKYJuoTg1BiTlNZ-noYygycGhprbz9maG3-_hlldOXuFpt/s1600/IMG_2060.JPG" height="556" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1D8anmYy4Y00MQP8zGJukFcaLYeIkpCKAkJJ4XvHyUycgfnL05Os2mvooZ3eRzCR5EPJjPqz52SuAhIHcwNVPNXzDIVZIaIHkJhjcXmvIPTRe2hteOh86s3HS5OdYU3fNyjixezhwQY4y/s1600/IMG_2045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1D8anmYy4Y00MQP8zGJukFcaLYeIkpCKAkJJ4XvHyUycgfnL05Os2mvooZ3eRzCR5EPJjPqz52SuAhIHcwNVPNXzDIVZIaIHkJhjcXmvIPTRe2hteOh86s3HS5OdYU3fNyjixezhwQY4y/s1600/IMG_2045.JPG" height="568" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have to admit, every year I look forward to Homecoming: not because I'm a football fanatic, nor because I like wearing silly hats to school during Spirit Week (though I do)--but because it's the perfect excuse to make the most beautiful, exquisite, fancy, outstanding dress that it is within my capabilities to pull together. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn0gflqKlUJsw4zk9q0_rxSo0PGfWzQgv1PqZUlWpMj1x0LNCY_omKW3-WOi7rxSNJhjxaQKyUN3ndi4yfXM_Q6UJ7nrwT7FGIhG5WBd_UrjozFspgGzYt4XuCepDO1Bh5gCQUMhrS88Et/s1600/IMG_2129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn0gflqKlUJsw4zk9q0_rxSo0PGfWzQgv1PqZUlWpMj1x0LNCY_omKW3-WOi7rxSNJhjxaQKyUN3ndi4yfXM_Q6UJ7nrwT7FGIhG5WBd_UrjozFspgGzYt4XuCepDO1Bh5gCQUMhrS88Et/s1600/IMG_2129.JPG" height="434" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Whee!!!)</td></tr>
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<div>
I am at the point where I have so many self-sewn dresses that if I was going to spend time making another semi-formal dress, I wanted it to be, not only stunning, but notably different.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHbOzL5xPxTO5lRkx_v3DuHMAwrCC-wphUMaczyJoMYs7rEaBW6iKeeMlj9jTirI2QeMudf8XmubHMOkDbaisvJxpYk-7aFD8nS-Ul36w_SzlKySPHCIBKWtqmcfOrpf7u5eQkbk1zEsz/s1600/IMG_2050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHbOzL5xPxTO5lRkx_v3DuHMAwrCC-wphUMaczyJoMYs7rEaBW6iKeeMlj9jTirI2QeMudf8XmubHMOkDbaisvJxpYk-7aFD8nS-Ul36w_SzlKySPHCIBKWtqmcfOrpf7u5eQkbk1zEsz/s1600/IMG_2050.JPG" height="622" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cutouts on this dress are perfectly positioned so you can see my really flattering bikini tan from the summer. Haha ;)</td></tr>
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I was almost giving up hope of finding an exceptionally flooring pattern when I came across this</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.marfy.it/images/watermarked/detailed/0/2323_01.jpg" height="400" width="286" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marfy.it/mod.-2323-en.html" target="_blank">Marfy 2323</a></td></tr>
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I'm not sure what makes this design so arresting. I think it's the contrast of the geometric tightness of the top, with the angular straps, eye-catching diamonds, and central gathering, with the ethereal looseness of the skirt. I think it's gorgeous. </div>
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Furthermore, there's little doubting that this is a unique design. Have you ever seen a neckline like that before? Or a slit that's not actually a slit? </div>
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For those of you that are unfamiliar with Marfy, their patterns are expert-level, which basically means they come without seam allowances, or lining pieces, or, oh, <i>instructions</i>. When you order a Marfy pattern, you are pretty much ordering the geometric pattern pieces, and it's up to you to put them together. </div>
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And I had never put together a Marfy pattern before.</div>
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Guess what that means? </div>
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MUSLIN!!!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoS7tCgJkE5WQ-t5PwIaHCbqktkmGf3Y0YiYlwPrCa4anaOIEhUbKHJu2DsRkJPtjPk5AQkswsFrKGwOf6uJUCKQ9VrSg42z-g3Zp0AElwpA3710tMI5a6uWg9hyphenhyphen-IXUiTo9LK7WGzERzR/s1600/IMG_2497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoS7tCgJkE5WQ-t5PwIaHCbqktkmGf3Y0YiYlwPrCa4anaOIEhUbKHJu2DsRkJPtjPk5AQkswsFrKGwOf6uJUCKQ9VrSg42z-g3Zp0AElwpA3710tMI5a6uWg9hyphenhyphen-IXUiTo9LK7WGzERzR/s1600/IMG_2497.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wondering why I'm wearing a tablecloth and a Roman soldier mohawk? There's actually a (pretty) <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2014/03/perks-of-sewing-perfect-outfit-for.html#muslin-joke-origin-exactline" target="_blank">good reason</a>!</td></tr>
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Making a muslin was really helpful in putting together this pattern, especially since I didn't have instructions. I was able to copy all the markings from the pattern piece to the garment using Sharpie (no tears over ruining that horrible gingham) and then use the completed muslin as a 3-D map of what to do when I made the final dress. </div>
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The dress was actually not that complicated. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbC5LSFKzG0HYqhOeA0dsgQY5n_WsQhQ8YSlO5ifUPhSp-R3eLw5igULWrGWeM_iNxd_PCR8v4_hDPq43L9mte5Gr9hgPGNFb87F3njc30GcrMrvCEusszji9M_iT05Ips3ewsjo2NgG7g/s1600/IMG_2472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbC5LSFKzG0HYqhOeA0dsgQY5n_WsQhQ8YSlO5ifUPhSp-R3eLw5igULWrGWeM_iNxd_PCR8v4_hDPq43L9mte5Gr9hgPGNFb87F3njc30GcrMrvCEusszji9M_iT05Ips3ewsjo2NgG7g/s1600/IMG_2472.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's what the front bodice piece looks like. The two squares are the two "diamonds" in the pattern, located at the base of the neck and just below the breast; you gather the bodice between E and D and between B and C and then sew those edges onto the diamonds. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PGutqxYrdHCuu9cQZaMyK_baYp8u3JYkAoe_1eEXQIa5NJK3L-HDZKz58ura60IUH5iyDSHSlVr5sP1-S44UkDym0qTZ-p9AW8Xl25NVv3_tJIKE_aLmziYgnAc0QSIlBJmTIjV7oirq/s1600/IMG_2471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PGutqxYrdHCuu9cQZaMyK_baYp8u3JYkAoe_1eEXQIa5NJK3L-HDZKz58ura60IUH5iyDSHSlVr5sP1-S44UkDym0qTZ-p9AW8Xl25NVv3_tJIKE_aLmziYgnAc0QSIlBJmTIjV7oirq/s1600/IMG_2471.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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The back of the dress and the two diagonal straps that come over the shoulders and join the top diamond are one piece. </div>
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The skirt was pretty straightforward. There is a two-pieced, A-line bottom layer and then a slightly fuller overlay that is open at the front. </div>
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Making the muslin also helped me figure out where I need to put openings and closures (something else Marfy doesn't advise on). I put a zipper in the side seam that extends for the length of the bodice and part of the skirt, and I added an opening, secured by a hook and eye, at the top of the center back seam so I could get my head through.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRW6BWQ5KQOwDXD7z5HhSh1Pv7i6CxtRgjaEzHmYSqdFcpDQBDssr1xEZOj_zJiPZAzg6ZaoE4YLE-972dOw-02sZyk3HBQntei5HgvTN8bOmpl0TlFRosesHbodJhbsYMfcE4pIDwdSBc/s1600/IMG_2473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRW6BWQ5KQOwDXD7z5HhSh1Pv7i6CxtRgjaEzHmYSqdFcpDQBDssr1xEZOj_zJiPZAzg6ZaoE4YLE-972dOw-02sZyk3HBQntei5HgvTN8bOmpl0TlFRosesHbodJhbsYMfcE4pIDwdSBc/s1600/IMG_2473.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Center back hole and hook</td></tr>
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After I made my hideous muslin and was pretty confident in my ability to assemble the garment, I found my fabric.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsF-iABbsF36BbFjMGXYu6z191YNVj8093LswjcMioCURfeJXEc3uEQeMQy75xPE-0iOvm-Jf_tftkbjW7nIbB5OaVSp6emz1rhwJblLPtQeF3jl2be7QNgXszFs7PLwilC7PDp814K-nx/s1600/IMG_2456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsF-iABbsF36BbFjMGXYu6z191YNVj8093LswjcMioCURfeJXEc3uEQeMQy75xPE-0iOvm-Jf_tftkbjW7nIbB5OaVSp6emz1rhwJblLPtQeF3jl2be7QNgXszFs7PLwilC7PDp814K-nx/s1600/IMG_2456.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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It might be sort of hard to tell from the picture, but this is some of the prettiest chiffon you've ever seen in your life.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBhFXoiWkNNIMQkSgFuLVdfCB71KjQbSnl-0Cm0disYu0ixVk9E92uKF5rH06h_iqS5gjn9V3dtimwJkZj2_ueFFxJ7ONVxNzgoJn5QIyNivTxAuVvtvf-FuoaPfyO_VmeEpzy8bsxZ3V/s1600/IMG_2459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBhFXoiWkNNIMQkSgFuLVdfCB71KjQbSnl-0Cm0disYu0ixVk9E92uKF5rH06h_iqS5gjn9V3dtimwJkZj2_ueFFxJ7ONVxNzgoJn5QIyNivTxAuVvtvf-FuoaPfyO_VmeEpzy8bsxZ3V/s1600/IMG_2459.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's an incredibly rich magenta and purple with just a hint of a sheen, and it drapes like heaven. I found it at <a href="http://www.lowpricefabric.com/" target="_blank">Michael Levine</a> in downtown LA. I went fabric shopping thinking I wanted something a little more intricate, with some beading or a pattern, but this fabric was so gorgeous and the color was so deep that I thought it spoke for itself.</div>
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For the underskirt and bodice lining, I bought some silk charmeuse in a complimentary plum color. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutJWRfwgE_1oEDfA4Vn6xfQ8SACjEQ4aMQmZJzEdlk2zfZmzi_VthHMnczIicwuch7zB8_SUZGbgOUMhAw0yiIAIQHKag8JUP2Ri4mdF1UW8TfKdWi6ffvqP5Q03qwHfgMXANjrDwlWs5/s1600/IMG_2461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutJWRfwgE_1oEDfA4Vn6xfQ8SACjEQ4aMQmZJzEdlk2zfZmzi_VthHMnczIicwuch7zB8_SUZGbgOUMhAw0yiIAIQHKag8JUP2Ri4mdF1UW8TfKdWi6ffvqP5Q03qwHfgMXANjrDwlWs5/s1600/IMG_2461.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah it sort of needs an ironing job...</td></tr>
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Instead of lining the top in the normal way, which would have meant sewing the charmeuse to the chiffon right-side to right-side and leaving a seam that would be visible under the chiffon, I lined it by cutting out each of the bodice pieces in both fabric, laying them on top of each other, and treating them like one piece. I finished off the neck edges and armholes in a 5/8 inch (remember, I had to add the seam allowances myself because Marfy doesn't do it for you!) narrow hem. Which I sewed by hand, being careful only to catch the charmeuse and not the chiffon. Because topstitching is not acceptable on a chiffon Marfy homecoming dress.</div>
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You guys, there was <i>so much handstitching </i>on this project. (Which was, just to be clear, totally worth it.) </div>
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I sewed in the zipper by hand.</div>
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Do you see any stitching around the outside of the zipper? I don't see any stitching around the zipper ;) </div>
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I added the appliques by hand. </div>
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No, I did not actually bead this myself. I bought a swatch of beaded lace from downtown to adorn the diamonds on the neck and chest sections of the dress. I cut out a square from the beaded fabric, hemmed it, and sewed it on top after I was done with the structural part of the dress. I suppose it would be possible to add the lace in as you're putting the garment together, which would secure it in the seam allowances between the straps and the squares, but I was afraid that if I put it in while I was still assembling the dress the chiffon might snag on the beading, so I saved it until the end. Also, adding the lace on top of the other fabric pieces gives you an opportunity to sort of cover up any imperfections in your sewing where the corners don't intersect perfectly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsqAYAfwKakPEFXdirv2v0sd00Mch1eTdVN6w4XBAhj9P8ae7Otcsqh-HvfXtt6HY33VZJzMCZpjAP9FkRZ8BHJBZQUsAP1Z4s9RMsvQgF7-UenLwqYJSEb0subsAxYKxDVacjL9sjzkP/s1600/IMG_2481.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsqAYAfwKakPEFXdirv2v0sd00Mch1eTdVN6w4XBAhj9P8ae7Otcsqh-HvfXtt6HY33VZJzMCZpjAP9FkRZ8BHJBZQUsAP1Z4s9RMsvQgF7-UenLwqYJSEb0subsAxYKxDVacjL9sjzkP/s1600/IMG_2481.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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I did the same on the inside with a normal piece of charmeuse to cover up the crazy-looking thread-strewn seams that resulted from sewing four different edges of fabric to four different sides of the same square.<br />
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I also hemmed by hand. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdTONuvxTW961mtlyfcz1uKsBqYNWBAsJijST_ZfCr7PQyRLEXH9ldch1X7V3WZhmUFD5k1ga-TAC2Ej6T-WQCljX94sGIdNK8A7nO_SxbJp8fKdwz_PgPhGjU9YZmEvyOOOHXisOEAGm/s1600/IMG_2467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdTONuvxTW961mtlyfcz1uKsBqYNWBAsJijST_ZfCr7PQyRLEXH9ldch1X7V3WZhmUFD5k1ga-TAC2Ej6T-WQCljX94sGIdNK8A7nO_SxbJp8fKdwz_PgPhGjU9YZmEvyOOOHXisOEAGm/s1600/IMG_2467.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The charmeuse--a normal 5/8 inch narrow hem.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdiFZwquWCCyx2atXzrLba5cRdI2W3IVEy8Jh5waZgX4rt1Pm8HEIkswncR2XqRAfC10B2RZCCjthgpwQPo82mRYjZZf-0jLkcMSoAuLneGvjGo22mmj85wTbWEoCLpFiwdZnUBxVWbNS/s1600/IMG_2464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdiFZwquWCCyx2atXzrLba5cRdI2W3IVEy8Jh5waZgX4rt1Pm8HEIkswncR2XqRAfC10B2RZCCjthgpwQPo82mRYjZZf-0jLkcMSoAuLneGvjGo22mmj85wTbWEoCLpFiwdZnUBxVWbNS/s1600/IMG_2464.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chiffon</td></tr>
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I wanted the hem on the chiffon to be really subtle--no thread showing, and as thin as possible. After scouring YouTube for a while, I found about THE MOST AMAZING HEM TECHNIQUE EVER.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1e-YBQpEn7-ihD8NQBgFbHkhupkC6SL37TvraNVL6kXGoir0gh6_vmTHfAQlFe9rOq4nXeJLlc1HJWW8pE5EVl9PhGeGZV8G09JwtywcVXN4DlagXMUqSC0mSs-EwJLrR5wcCv8kNeK8/s1600/IMG_2463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1e-YBQpEn7-ihD8NQBgFbHkhupkC6SL37TvraNVL6kXGoir0gh6_vmTHfAQlFe9rOq4nXeJLlc1HJWW8pE5EVl9PhGeGZV8G09JwtywcVXN4DlagXMUqSC0mSs-EwJLrR5wcCv8kNeK8/s1600/IMG_2463.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside close-up</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4MPSLmajbi8IhaecU1sSCyLDCoo5788H8UFZSdc2nzCk8QRwfll73Be7cS-0IH0Kshx3IZ3e2BdzeYL_yRUrrx0Bxjcjwc5rReZVtITK_RgQwf2hqwrcFADJUMqa0LDRlNstbokGmntz/s1600/IMG_2465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4MPSLmajbi8IhaecU1sSCyLDCoo5788H8UFZSdc2nzCk8QRwfll73Be7cS-0IH0Kshx3IZ3e2BdzeYL_yRUrrx0Bxjcjwc5rReZVtITK_RgQwf2hqwrcFADJUMqa0LDRlNstbokGmntz/s1600/IMG_2465.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside</td></tr>
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This is called a rolled hem. It's a super thin, almost invisible hem that shows up as barely a darkened line at the bottom of the dress. You don't even see the thread. The technique is hard to explain, so I'll let you watch the great tutorial below, but it works like magic!</div>
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If you're wondering why I also left you with a link to the first episode of <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> with Colin Firth, that is because that's what I recommend watching while you complete this hem because it takes <i>forever</i>. It's very worth it though, because the subtle effect it creates without interrupting the drape of the dress is essential for an elegant, couture look.<br />
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One last note: I used <a href="http://www.sewneau.com/how.to/french.seam.html" target="_blank">French seams</a> on both the underskirt and the overlay for a clean, finished look.<br />
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Ta da! Marfy 2323!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilF2_JycgpPEtXyGtlVSoG9HqtvXnXzvXf-GIVfrbCgFVLsuZwiUsQ3pzpM1Zpctdsx6ZWjJACvUChSJV_4GCTEsE_9rdVtuXfaGV3JVmk6agzlXI4sUfwaxg7iaqRRPTvc3JanxJZNmO8/s1600/IMG_2120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilF2_JycgpPEtXyGtlVSoG9HqtvXnXzvXf-GIVfrbCgFVLsuZwiUsQ3pzpM1Zpctdsx6ZWjJACvUChSJV_4GCTEsE_9rdVtuXfaGV3JVmk6agzlXI4sUfwaxg7iaqRRPTvc3JanxJZNmO8/s1600/IMG_2120.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you've got any questions or comments or other observations, please feel free to comment and let me know what you think! </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-11021261110938641792014-10-13T19:13:00.000-07:002014-10-13T19:13:25.097-07:00Starbucks Frosted Lemon Cake (without flavedo!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLzyKdWXpYM6CgsnNBqfmU-Twpbn1Bx1qBNw-qXnJaHweCB_gnN7JYoaIrRiD8o47Sv23nn_8MLa9AnupQurNj0NbT9zgw5d_wZlYJiPp-2KwyaW_uU8fEwdxinJi1mghgpZ6s19-jBes/s1600/IMG_2366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLzyKdWXpYM6CgsnNBqfmU-Twpbn1Bx1qBNw-qXnJaHweCB_gnN7JYoaIrRiD8o47Sv23nn_8MLa9AnupQurNj0NbT9zgw5d_wZlYJiPp-2KwyaW_uU8fEwdxinJi1mghgpZ6s19-jBes/s1600/IMG_2366.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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The other day I was besieged by a raging craving for dense, moist, sugar-gilded lemon cake.<br />
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As I saw it, I had two options.<br />
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The first was transporting my hungry self to the closest Starbucks (I still can't get over the perks of driving myself!) and passing some money to the person across the table for a pre-cut slice of their own lemon-flavored breakfast cake.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLuc2DbdqkmW4_53GDxKTS8fgx-LKofVcRK1epxx1fAlB1AZ_w8mWxJCCToab7c3PKIwMEOBwfkYdlEbFOTWrhbIIRvXwaedPRIqfy_wRgKsC5Tfh1x0QD4t0BzJmH1bS0Bjns7N5y8w/s1600/Starbucks+-+Iced+Lemon+Pound+Cake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLuc2DbdqkmW4_53GDxKTS8fgx-LKofVcRK1epxx1fAlB1AZ_w8mWxJCCToab7c3PKIwMEOBwfkYdlEbFOTWrhbIIRvXwaedPRIqfy_wRgKsC5Tfh1x0QD4t0BzJmH1bS0Bjns7N5y8w/s1600/Starbucks+-+Iced+Lemon+Pound+Cake.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.starbucks.com/menu/food/bakery/iced-lemon-pound-cake-lb" target="_blank">Starbucks' lemon cake</a></td></tr>
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Hm, tempting. I mean, the convenience of the option. Compared to the alternative, which is making it myself...and as a first-semester senior facing the considerable challenge of summarizing my life in an immaculately structured 600-word essay, I barely have time to produce cookies for the nourishment of my poor ailing family, much less indulge every junk food hankering that interrupts my English homework. </div>
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I mean, iced lemon cake is iced lemon cake, right? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9KBiNAEc_0_QJ37osSN2mhLP6AYXonbjbOkVzDtcDSs0ZYH0k-kPF5ZF9og6YD-1zVhPQAW-yie-a2ovXPW_8HIw0IKkKNqfhmdJRWavr8aInucjRGFZekIqusOH5MuuXGCJGW4W12Z1/s1600/Starbucks+ingredients.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9KBiNAEc_0_QJ37osSN2mhLP6AYXonbjbOkVzDtcDSs0ZYH0k-kPF5ZF9og6YD-1zVhPQAW-yie-a2ovXPW_8HIw0IKkKNqfhmdJRWavr8aInucjRGFZekIqusOH5MuuXGCJGW4W12Z1/s1600/Starbucks+ingredients.JPG" height="156" width="640" /></a></div>
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<img alt="Smiley" src="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-shocked009.gif" height="20" style="border-style: none; box-shadow: none; vertical-align: middle;" width="20" />
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That yellow highlighting means that I don't know what Starbucks is talking about. Therefore that scares me. (Also, I'm sort of concerned that they feel the need to call lemon zest "lemon flavedo" <img src="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-sick009.gif" style="border-style: none; box-shadow: none; vertical-align: middle;" />)</div>
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Ok, maybe if I bake really fast, making lemon cake won't take that much longer than detouring to Starbucks...<br />
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(Besides, we all know that all baked goods are not created equal, right? That's why I have a blog ;) )<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUoEGhJH7kYeSdlMaCkSBNn6IDE1Seo9jZtt4kAGfA8Q1NZ7qC5gyXno_ej4QkDprtMcNsToO1yTuDievv5EySbZxakHZylbeSB2Gr_d9ppy2Gxr8J86XYn59pFIiesMczPF7SibVk96B2/s1600/IMG_2367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUoEGhJH7kYeSdlMaCkSBNn6IDE1Seo9jZtt4kAGfA8Q1NZ7qC5gyXno_ej4QkDprtMcNsToO1yTuDievv5EySbZxakHZylbeSB2Gr_d9ppy2Gxr8J86XYn59pFIiesMczPF7SibVk96B2/s1600/IMG_2367.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Iced Lemon Cake</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This breakfast loaf is dense and </span>satisfying<span style="font-family: inherit;"> in texture, but light and playful in taste. It's both sweet and packed with lemon flavor. (Just try waiting for the loaves to cool to frost them. I dare you.)</span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></u><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cake</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 1/2 cups flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp baking soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3 eggs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 tbsp butter, melted</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 tsp vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 tsp lemon extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/3 cup lemon juice </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup vegetable oil </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 tbsp lemon zest</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lemon Icing</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup powdered sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2-3 tbsp lemon juice</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Instructions</u></span><br />
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Blend eggs, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon juice in an electric mixture.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until you have a smooth, homogeneous mixture. Add oil and combine. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Line an approximately 9''x5'' pan with aluminum foil and fill with the batter.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top is solid and browned and a toothpick stuck into the cake comes out clean. Let cool COMPLETELY. (I know; you'll have to be strong ;) )</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make the icing by gradually adding fresh lemon juice to your powdered sugar until you get the right consistency. The icing should be viscous but able to flow on its own (see below for a picture).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pour the icing over the loaf (you may need to use a knife to spread it a little bit). Wait for the icing to set and harden. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Slice and enjoy!</span></li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjnUvIoKmd4eQTQQL1ldi5CfD-cwQwollMiQHMtjftmJN-4ucwV54V5lI4RrYREDXk8xpcMBcsyyXmdyHBrooZrkl7ouuUsc90AI0CSINvHyAChOxL4jac-B1fL_MJPUS-hZcMCJJB6c6d/s1600/IMG_2294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjnUvIoKmd4eQTQQL1ldi5CfD-cwQwollMiQHMtjftmJN-4ucwV54V5lI4RrYREDXk8xpcMBcsyyXmdyHBrooZrkl7ouuUsc90AI0CSINvHyAChOxL4jac-B1fL_MJPUS-hZcMCJJB6c6d/s1600/IMG_2294.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished batter is yellow and bubbly</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuWjzh-_iYHY4MJlQfRiTXPBMp0sRLQW_pYGqTDqksRa2E1at0i_v3x7btyCqUs55Rq_gEjbJjre2sWCS_ewDSzy0-rjQD7ClgAxa07Y4MJ_9Nlw59SHe5b_fT48lx7GHj8muqox_1_HF/s1600/IMG_2298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuWjzh-_iYHY4MJlQfRiTXPBMp0sRLQW_pYGqTDqksRa2E1at0i_v3x7btyCqUs55Rq_gEjbJjre2sWCS_ewDSzy0-rjQD7ClgAxa07Y4MJ_9Nlw59SHe5b_fT48lx7GHj8muqox_1_HF/s1600/IMG_2298.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-4Zs6fPeTfK7Kc8G2GwzfX-n7F2fLaCZg7PKFt0WxYFJMT5HtG9mUvXufib9M3OWoFYqHUyTE9OgocWYdOFoU58hI4rYer7wObN3qpjIVw5W66X-XLgyBzWPQkx0-WJt1sHGcvyLLIYJ/s1600/IMG_2313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-4Zs6fPeTfK7Kc8G2GwzfX-n7F2fLaCZg7PKFt0WxYFJMT5HtG9mUvXufib9M3OWoFYqHUyTE9OgocWYdOFoU58hI4rYer7wObN3qpjIVw5W66X-XLgyBzWPQkx0-WJt1sHGcvyLLIYJ/s1600/IMG_2313.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at how beautiful those are!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWltX3vPsjyAcbGJsTgJ3PGa-VNsjT8Qy0jB-x2In1qgRMCu1RFyv_P7FxZm1wi1wM6vvycNZ3pXb8E8HPGPrvQ93Q2jxHishzZoEpTkRnU7qiWhfii8xO9Y1c_RUifwkJtojPIenhdIR/s1600/IMG_2318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWltX3vPsjyAcbGJsTgJ3PGa-VNsjT8Qy0jB-x2In1qgRMCu1RFyv_P7FxZm1wi1wM6vvycNZ3pXb8E8HPGPrvQ93Q2jxHishzZoEpTkRnU7qiWhfii8xO9Y1c_RUifwkJtojPIenhdIR/s1600/IMG_2318.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7Lf81LhQJ5cmI-XANlghyphenhyphenA6MdM00esbeuCqF2dj0M1Lhs7XnLJzVAOv7RukSvmTnSM7RVJtrGvWZwNbg3lU3y1AI8JvR4n3H8BLY86KJEpCO3egB7byL9IubAGTCiWm1RA_15EaDYaMA/s1600/IMG_2308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7Lf81LhQJ5cmI-XANlghyphenhyphenA6MdM00esbeuCqF2dj0M1Lhs7XnLJzVAOv7RukSvmTnSM7RVJtrGvWZwNbg3lU3y1AI8JvR4n3H8BLY86KJEpCO3egB7byL9IubAGTCiWm1RA_15EaDYaMA/s1600/IMG_2308.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is about what the consistency of your icing should be</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYyo9I3oRwsMhQ9gwKjJ2CGbZKDGsmHdBYygOQwhwjxTdOKYtunzEXqMmBlt7YUiqmjJfWeFmwhcjRqv464DMD5kaDuH-bwicqBbBVNdOClk0c2oWTzEDf6k1BjnVfG_Olb95DW9fzGnl/s1600/IMG_2346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYyo9I3oRwsMhQ9gwKjJ2CGbZKDGsmHdBYygOQwhwjxTdOKYtunzEXqMmBlt7YUiqmjJfWeFmwhcjRqv464DMD5kaDuH-bwicqBbBVNdOClk0c2oWTzEDf6k1BjnVfG_Olb95DW9fzGnl/s1600/IMG_2346.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWcJapFdCADiMGrOaDlP-xf9hj9_5O3i27neiDrThyxcE3kK3Y-VHUP7k3gOVGJ8A5W2J0aMQS5LUrU3GTaHxiaBntzyw4cAC6niQ8CQ9_F1AVBfHvXUiVEXF7XszfJOWUNZcDYEQLmvx/s1600/IMG_2344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWcJapFdCADiMGrOaDlP-xf9hj9_5O3i27neiDrThyxcE3kK3Y-VHUP7k3gOVGJ8A5W2J0aMQS5LUrU3GTaHxiaBntzyw4cAC6niQ8CQ9_F1AVBfHvXUiVEXF7XszfJOWUNZcDYEQLmvx/s1600/IMG_2344.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuod3g2FBf3ajlmMRZdD92nHLB7c5I85gYE5k1IPvO5QDCD_RYiGAZWcqyDj7GAnTnLRSuEXj51Gg09CyvNp_q-k9fApvXy1gQtjPiBfZp4Kqjt9H0X-qSCxiDuVFBoaY4zYXJSlGBtHCu/s1600/IMG_2370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuod3g2FBf3ajlmMRZdD92nHLB7c5I85gYE5k1IPvO5QDCD_RYiGAZWcqyDj7GAnTnLRSuEXj51Gg09CyvNp_q-k9fApvXy1gQtjPiBfZp4Kqjt9H0X-qSCxiDuVFBoaY4zYXJSlGBtHCu/s1600/IMG_2370.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-75713889209909700422014-09-30T11:47:00.000-07:002015-01-14T20:44:19.395-08:00Shopping in New York...for fabric, of course!You guys, I'm a little disappointed in myself.<br />
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After spending nearly an entire day fabric shopping in New York (a pursuit fully worthy of an entire day, just to be clear) my mom and I bought, between us, <b>6 pieces of fabric</b>. Which might sound acceptable until you realize that half of those were 1-yard swatches from Spandex House.<br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTohhVM-YlBPxaJleJsnIpdTdKtY2LqB1qLnKrSEbRxeOAikcd4AA" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTohhVM-YlBPxaJleJsnIpdTdKtY2LqB1qLnKrSEbRxeOAikcd4AA" /></a></div>
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How, you might ask, did I permit such scantiness to come about? I am afraid (I'm ashamed to admit it) that I became so focused on finding certain textiles that I knew I wanted that I was not as open as I should have been to the wealth of options around me.<br />
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Which means I ended up with a very responsible heap of fabric. I have all the fabric I need for my prospective projects, without a lot of extra unallocated textiles to bloat The Stash. Moreover, I have a clearer idea of what sort of fabric I'm looking to match to some of the newer Vogue patterns (<a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2015/01/vogue-1419-my-winter-white-coat.html" target="_blank">V1419 Ralph Rucci coat</a>, anyone?). Unfortunately I found these items at the expense of those exquisite, unanticipated impulse purchases you hope to find while fabric shopping in New York. (Although I suppose tackling impulse buying is a good thing...)<br />
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Ok time for show-and-tell :D<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmEFLwVFTPWaM4_ufzKpVMVrQ1cmJ3ZxXlXRnpF2WcFHLRFcjHDkrslZ9Bmqcfawyukzoq5t75pcGoO69NeJ0uLpPtlmMIn4E3L-rmV_fQX7lEKrk1fFu7XsyMcI_rWpMytYCPtz00p14/s1600/IMG_2391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmEFLwVFTPWaM4_ufzKpVMVrQ1cmJ3ZxXlXRnpF2WcFHLRFcjHDkrslZ9Bmqcfawyukzoq5t75pcGoO69NeJ0uLpPtlmMIn4E3L-rmV_fQX7lEKrk1fFu7XsyMcI_rWpMytYCPtz00p14/s1600/IMG_2391.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I know you were curious about that Spandex I mentioned!<br />
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This summer I realized that a lot of seamstresses not only make their own clothing, but also their own bathing suits! This sounded pretty awesome because A) bathing suits are <i>expensive</i>! B) most bathing suits all look the same = <i>boring</i> and C) I'm pretty picky about the style of my bikinis, because I actually wear them in the ocean and like to focus on swimming instead of if my bathing suit is about to fall off.<br />
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I figured while I was in NYC and there was a store dedicated to Spandex I should pick some up. At Spandex House they only sell by the yard, which is sort of inconvenient because I could have gotten away with half that, but at $13/yard you can hardly complain. I'm thinking of making a one-piece out of the blue/purple fabric on the left and bikinis out of the turquoise snake print and crazy psychedelic polka dots on the right. But for the moment, these are going away to the Stash and I'll pull them out next summer!<br />
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This is actually my mother's purchase. It's a white cotton with an intricate, fleur-de-lis-reminiscent design painted on in dark gray and then embellished with copper-colored sequins. It's actually a really cool combination. I think she's planning on making some sort of jacket out of it.<br />
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This I have in mind for an upcoming project!<br />
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I was looking for some suiting that's sleek and professional and that would make a really awesome suit-dress, but also had a little bit of a funky twist. I love the purple pinstripe on this black wool suiting! And plus this fabric was only $6/yard....! Which means that I just paid $18 for this whole dress. Who says sewing isn't worthwhile!<br />
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<b>And finally...most dramatically...most importantly...</b><br />
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I can't actually show you a picture :[ I bought my prom dress fabric (or part of it), and it's a surprise!!!<br />
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But I can tell you that it's really awesome. I can show you some pictures of other fabrics in the store that I was considering, so at least you can drool over other beautiful textiles!<br />
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<b>Wishlist: </b>There were a couple of other things I hoped to find in New York that I couldn't manage to locate. One is the other half of my prom dress. The other is some winter white wool (or other coating) with a pretty thick, stiff drape. You wouldn't think something so apparently basic would be so hard to find, but it was really difficult trying to locate a fabric with the right color and weight and drape at a reasonable price.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLema0RjFXPpkIG7WXnhdAY-5dqGrc8cnPk66YgUkN4azeGROOQg9aimdbxxcQoFcTJk09wBmvkab8UA7eQQWNwBqTdq_rlPCnQOeUc7dtToW83M-KrdWwfk0aiJfptzk_Bsq7uWOGfgg/s1600/IMG_1387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLema0RjFXPpkIG7WXnhdAY-5dqGrc8cnPk66YgUkN4azeGROOQg9aimdbxxcQoFcTJk09wBmvkab8UA7eQQWNwBqTdq_rlPCnQOeUc7dtToW83M-KrdWwfk0aiJfptzk_Bsq7uWOGfgg/s1600/IMG_1387.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How beautiful would this look in winter-white wool?<br />
Note/Edit: Now <a href="http://anelisemadeit.blogspot.com/2015/01/vogue-1419-my-winter-white-coat.html" target="_blank">you don't have to imagine</a>!</td></tr>
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I think this is a good opportunity to try some online fabric stores. So far I've ordered some swatches from Elliott Berman and I'm still doing research. (By the way, if you happen to have any favorite online fabric sellers, it would be really awesome if you wanted to leave a recommendation in the comments!)<br />
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<b>THAT'S IT, FOLKS!</b> That's all I bought!<br />
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But in order to help <i>you</i> better organize <i>your</i>self and acclimate yourself to the diverse wardrobe-related options available to you in New York, I've created a brief list of fabric stores that my mom and I liked AND a Google map of the good ones in the area so you can start getting an idea of where to shop while you're in the Big Apple! (if you're looking for the Google map, scroll down to the bottom or <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zrtrHyuT-wZI.k4Lo_GXn1lC8" target="_blank">click here</a> ;) ).<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recommended Stores: </span></u></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/" target="_blank">Mood</a>: </b>Three stories tall, home of Project Runway, sister to my L.A. favorite! What's not to like?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plus there's Swatch :D</td></tr>
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<b><a href="http://paronfabrics.com/" target="_blank">Paron Fabrics</a>: </b>A relatively small little store, but they have some really nice fabric at reasonable prices. I got my purple-pinstripe suiting here! I was also really tempted by a gorgeous pinky-red wool...I was only deterred from the purchase by knowing that I would never have time to make and probably would never wear another red coat (yes, I have already made one).<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.nyelegant.com/" target="_blank">New York Elegant Fabrics</a>: </b>I've got a mixed review for this one. On one hand, the selection in this place was <i>awesome</i>. They have a huge ground floor and a whole other second level. Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to effectively browse this huge selection because the organization is atrocious. I counted suiting in four different places, and there were whole sections of new arrivals that were just heaped on top of each other so it was really hard to see what was there. On top of it, most everything is pretty expensive. But it might be worth a look.<br />
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<b><a href="https://plus.google.com/110606657318228549765/about?gl=us&hl=en" target="_blank">Chic Fabrics Inc</a>: </b>I've got a soft spot for this one. Last time my mom and I were in New York we wandered accidentally into this store and discovered (again, accidentally) this huge role of fuzzy red fur, which we later found out was alpaca fur. I bought a few yards at $10/yard and made the most awesome fuzzy red fur coat you have ever seen in your life. <b>Hint/hint: </b>Fuzzy red alpaca fur was <i>still there</i> when I walked in a couple weeks ago!<br />
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<b><a href="http://spandexworld.com/" target="_blank">Spandex World</a>: </b>Great for all your Spandex-related needs. Which I hope are pretty limited.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.pacifictrimming.com/" target="_blank">Pacific Trimming</a></b>: Not actually a fabric store, but still enough to make any seamstress nerd out. Their inventory was AMAZING. Every type of zipper, trim, or clasp you could feasibly imagine. Silver zippers, copper zippers, 6-inch separating zippers, zippers with rhinestone teeth, zippers with multicolored teeth, purple zippers with orange teeth, you name it! I only wish I had walked in with a project that required a really awesome zipper!<br />
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<b><a href="https://plus.google.com/111013403275642104130/about?gl=us&hl=en" target="_blank">Diana Fabrics</a>: </b>Tons of beaded lace! This is where I found the fabric for my prom dress!<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.butterflyfabrics.us/" target="_blank">Butterfly Fabrics</a>: </b>Right next to Diana Fabrics. You wouldn't know just by sticking your head in, but including their underground level, they had quite an extensive selection of fabrics. They had a lot of embroidered and beaded fabrics, as well as some nice printed silks. I would stop there again!<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.leatherimpact.com/" target="_blank">Leather Impact</a>: </b>Yes they had leather. Yes I was impacted. I have never seen so much leather together in one place before. I <i>really</i> wish I had showed up with a pattern for a leather jacket. Note: There's another leather place nearby that my mom and I did not get around to visiting called <a href="http://www.leathersuedeskins.com/index02.html" target="_blank">Leather-Suede-Skins</a> that's supposed to be good, thought I would mention it here!<br />
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Stores we wanted to visit but didn't have time: <a href="http://www.elliottbermantextiles.com/" target="_blank">Elliot Berman</a>, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mendel-goldberg-fabrics-new-york" target="_blank">Mendel Goldberg</a><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Google Map</span></u></b><br />
Before we went fabric shopping my mom and I did some research on good NY fabric stores according to other fashion bloggers and I made a Google Map with the points plotted so we could find our way around. Blue points are stores we were particularly interested in, the green point is where we had lunch (a cute little cafe near the garment district that serves good sandwiches). Click on the image below to take you to the interactive map!<br />
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<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zrtrHyuT-wZI.k4Lo_GXn1lC8" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibC6KRBURCjhgCluX6OQttrNI8c3it8Nh82xou3XW4aJsysz_FyUDXoVDVSZeND_NozyKFP734MQ9DD7YaG8ITiRYhKSBEa4vpRVTuK1NWfaXmu1RO1VTwTL7SqqgDZ98IYvNtiSLVSGIi/s1600/fabric+store+map.JPG" height="402" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you think I've missed any notable fabric stores, please comment below! I'll keep you posted on what I end up making with this fabric!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08854483657569403570noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740714768787568436.post-91017501690178861102014-09-24T17:52:00.000-07:002014-09-24T17:52:24.334-07:00Pasta for Days: Eating in Boston's North End<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Guess where I went last week???!!!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The State House</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found this <i>by accident</i> outside my hotel...I felt like I was meeting celebrities!!! (Yes, I am an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZfRaWAtBVg" target="_blank">American Revolution</a> nerd.)</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Hint: it’s in the title :D)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Last week my mom and I took a trip to the East Coast
to look at colleges, attend a conference, and just generally have a whole lot of fun in Boston!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjcryuE262TVG-SLgc-DwN2B7tcRmEMw3DEjj7E3XZfSIBkA3fFl5CTuVBh1W-Z846YZxbWIDBOJOM8PYbUnzwKPAiNnOaftPq_qumeFHGOhEorpK8NAcG6VI7RkxgZ-voGv4eI3p9r5x/s1600/IMG_1420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjcryuE262TVG-SLgc-DwN2B7tcRmEMw3DEjj7E3XZfSIBkA3fFl5CTuVBh1W-Z846YZxbWIDBOJOM8PYbUnzwKPAiNnOaftPq_qumeFHGOhEorpK8NAcG6VI7RkxgZ-voGv4eI3p9r5x/s1600/IMG_1420.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture in transit!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVzhsMvc1D9gVGXNmS1aunysYftCTL7FjgM-I0j2a-bCjDtLDXxlb6vFh0qGLTzdnFVJctgyddicAAOF4Fqgw7n8ToJTnxIulv3J0XPx3R8zea0u73RmiqnhHhvBzwQT966k-bfBupLqX/s1600/IMG_1509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVzhsMvc1D9gVGXNmS1aunysYftCTL7FjgM-I0j2a-bCjDtLDXxlb6vFh0qGLTzdnFVJctgyddicAAOF4Fqgw7n8ToJTnxIulv3J0XPx3R8zea0u73RmiqnhHhvBzwQT966k-bfBupLqX/s1600/IMG_1509.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice cream <i>and</i> Paul Revere...I was a pretty happy camper ;) </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">…Which </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">necessitates</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">, of course, enjoying some delicious Bostonian food!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cleangreenmobile.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/yelp-5-star.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.cleangreenmobile.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/yelp-5-star.png" height="142" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture courtesy of cleangreenmobile.com</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now if you have ever planned on eating in a foreign
location, you probably understand how difficult it is to identify an acceptable restaurant. Before leaving for the East Coast, I spent so much time wading
through recommendations, critical synopses, and Google images that I saw
red-boxed stars every time I closed my eyes. And yet, several restaurants that
my mom and I tried on the trip, accompanied by stellar Yelp reviews, I found pretty
unimpressive. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Thankfully, my mom and I discovered an excellent alternative to browsing Yelp for a good dinner stop...</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.celebrateboston.com/freepostcards/images/bigdig001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.celebrateboston.com/freepostcards/images/bigdig001.jpg" height="394" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Taking a stroll around Boston's North End.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.affordablehousinginstitute.org/blogs/us/Boston_North_End_Today_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.affordablehousinginstitute.org/blogs/us/Boston_North_End_Today_small.jpg" height="262" width="400" /></a><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The North End is Boston's Italian </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">neighborhood. It's a cozy, old-fashioned area of the city chock-full of little family-owned businesses. Hanover Street, where my mom and I spent most of our time, is so packed with cute little storefronts that you can't even get a good-sized truck through the narrow street. The neighborhood has a charming, happening feel (I mean, it was thronging on a Tuesday night! It was fun just walking around passing people in the street!) .</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxhKvvstSf10cW804ZwTGh0mRbL8JYjgaQLf6BDQwI0H0dnsxHzTq2913aQwW1zvJIbbpPn3xr36V9FeN5lpOxTJ7c7keZZtCUSxKkw4e2O5HGA08Zb96gybLEceUtN9trBrEqjo3E8sY/s1600/hanover+st.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxhKvvstSf10cW804ZwTGh0mRbL8JYjgaQLf6BDQwI0H0dnsxHzTq2913aQwW1zvJIbbpPn3xr36V9FeN5lpOxTJ7c7keZZtCUSxKkw4e2O5HGA08Zb96gybLEceUtN9trBrEqjo3E8sY/s1600/hanover+st.png" height="362" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">Most importantly, the North End is a treasure trove of tiny, rustic, absolutely scrumptious Italian restaurants. Supposedly there are over ninety (</span><i style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">90...!!!</i><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">) restaurants within this one easily-navigable-by-foot area. I only actually got around to trying four, but they were all delicious and a really fun experience (...fun ranging in definition from pleasant and romantic to chaotic and decidedly entertaining). But seriously, you could walk down Hanover street and run into half-a-dozen adorable restaurants you want to try tonight. One of my last comments as I was leaving the area was "How did we miss <i>that</i> restaurant?"...not like there would have been room in my schedule ;) </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">So here are my breakdowns of the handful of restaurants I sampled in Boston. Also, go ahead and click on the map below to check out my Google Map with the locations of the restaurants I'm talking about. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zrtrHyuT-wZI.kfLBtzSJehE4" target="_blank"><img alt=" Map of North End" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfNRH4MzO-bEEoWhn3u7J62mrezD0x_oCmNyeYYxVIAxeylSux8vlDVVozCIM5dKeCzZwawZJgG1alwrY3DrcQL4KGHRq8i51B7LzOAAVwhd9ThKBFPRVreokwo5XcXJdbujux8Fs5zEd/s1600/map+boston.png" height="305" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.pellinos.com/" target="_blank">Pellino's Ristorante</a></span></u></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALbscqMNtFPbtu6mQYFziprm1UJVlvHvVFn9kqA2r8Qqj986T1aGkvL3q0oOnfuNI0KuVHqYxOazHb28_VO1PZnfUVDPXfImhbS55E6x78FXyOdimd7FG6u0UNpodfAmrp6b6IplXFzkE/s1600/IMG_1497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALbscqMNtFPbtu6mQYFziprm1UJVlvHvVFn9kqA2r8Qqj986T1aGkvL3q0oOnfuNI0KuVHqYxOazHb28_VO1PZnfUVDPXfImhbS55E6x78FXyOdimd7FG6u0UNpodfAmrp6b6IplXFzkE/s1600/IMG_1497.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqYSRAljon6fDBP0NxgR4tZNYV3kxTT66L7JT2x7xrvvzqzbjcLFsspvPBYQbj4wgMn_gzBe42oYvqxLK5C5Avs98E50359HgKRRQrI__LsBFePsOk-HmU011RWgaL-B4O6f95_-He8xm/s1600/IMG_1503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqYSRAljon6fDBP0NxgR4tZNYV3kxTT66L7JT2x7xrvvzqzbjcLFsspvPBYQbj4wgMn_gzBe42oYvqxLK5C5Avs98E50359HgKRRQrI__LsBFePsOk-HmU011RWgaL-B4O6f95_-He8xm/s1600/IMG_1503.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">This was the first place I tried. My mom and I went for lunch (yeah that's the back of my mom's head). As you can see it was really tiny (like, less than 10 tables!)--this is typical of restaurants in this area. They're all super adorable! The decor was pretty rustic--look at the brick walls!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-pjxrg16Rc6jzXGQ4IWAl_qqiX7i-m7Tjkjqew9uNTA-YgP1xbDTlwEZqUlYiPr-O3NuyJzKgcFZoq3Cx35vzqU1WsURi_cSVM3cWOeI8NS0saE0j74BAxE1Fl-4bs8g42w3yFWBhF9T/s1600/IMG_1499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-pjxrg16Rc6jzXGQ4IWAl_qqiX7i-m7Tjkjqew9uNTA-YgP1xbDTlwEZqUlYiPr-O3NuyJzKgcFZoq3Cx35vzqU1WsURi_cSVM3cWOeI8NS0saE0j74BAxE1Fl-4bs8g42w3yFWBhF9T/s1600/IMG_1499.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty picture on the wall!</td></tr>
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Most of these restaurants have large, open storefronts that are clear open to the street, so you can sit and look out at old-town Boston!</div>
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<br /><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">My mom and I ordered pasta because hey, we were in an Italian restaurant.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pvd9wN2VoSbmh0rvYuTZ3OLRxyJKVGgbqJB1jMKEOV5JR_pUSCJNM5vrzcf9QTAU5SHrU6ts986iq8oT745QkwTk-rP-pQsf52Ayh6Ie96UlDCHvJnKl9D-UeEsJRmiHxMEmHRf_tWE9/s1600/IMG_1504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pvd9wN2VoSbmh0rvYuTZ3OLRxyJKVGgbqJB1jMKEOV5JR_pUSCJNM5vrzcf9QTAU5SHrU6ts986iq8oT745QkwTk-rP-pQsf52Ayh6Ie96UlDCHvJnKl9D-UeEsJRmiHxMEmHRf_tWE9/s1600/IMG_1504.JPG" height="476" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gnocchi with tomato sauce...the sauce was so vivid and tart and was a perfect complement for the pasta!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq0OyPuSkesrjCdz5ybauqMUFzPvfbR4zXHJUQrgIlrwXKmkfXGu_HyPm3PdJivirBnHGNDwr9GJVlG7T1nsxsz5B6A5s15Y5kBl-qyhSUAF70h9a-4724qPZF_h9ZH69nLF4D8TWO25Ln/s1600/IMG_1505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq0OyPuSkesrjCdz5ybauqMUFzPvfbR4zXHJUQrgIlrwXKmkfXGu_HyPm3PdJivirBnHGNDwr9GJVlG7T1nsxsz5B6A5s15Y5kBl-qyhSUAF70h9a-4724qPZF_h9ZH69nLF4D8TWO25Ln/s1600/IMG_1505.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lobster ravioli with cream sauce. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuNbDzeZuE5T2WGmA-Pzz_OQobIkVgnla30pVVfeVpuGNycegE6O_kzPj9LZwoC8VyfF4cjF77dSU8IYWxPSXNrRaYlEUdsL41r2Ex8ASyHoMfEb4-7EPpi8mmawGjMXeriTpFjW0hgd7/s1600/IMG_1506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuNbDzeZuE5T2WGmA-Pzz_OQobIkVgnla30pVVfeVpuGNycegE6O_kzPj9LZwoC8VyfF4cjF77dSU8IYWxPSXNrRaYlEUdsL41r2Ex8ASyHoMfEb4-7EPpi8mmawGjMXeriTpFjW0hgd7/s1600/IMG_1506.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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In fact, our meal here was so good that we decided to come back to the neighborhood for dinner the very same day!<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://giacomosblog-boston.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Giacomo's</a></span></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLL3GOR-ZuPMnGZMpRgkvUekYTBBwhqh5Ol_stEd7I0jshsf1ZZc1pwO6HQIoV63L3wycfuJaZWyGmrSGCLi1qdWUDIVM7kQ6F0cFMGlfT9ZObiQlGmBOs_CFIqRH8O0i12fFa0MD_I1Q/s1600/IMG_1584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLL3GOR-ZuPMnGZMpRgkvUekYTBBwhqh5Ol_stEd7I0jshsf1ZZc1pwO6HQIoV63L3wycfuJaZWyGmrSGCLi1qdWUDIVM7kQ6F0cFMGlfT9ZObiQlGmBOs_CFIqRH8O0i12fFa0MD_I1Q/s1600/IMG_1584.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">Ok so this place does have something of a cult following <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/giacomos-ristorante-boston" target="_blank">on Yelp</a>. As in, right after explaining how this place <i>doesn't</i> take reservations and that to have any hope of getting in you'd better be ready to show up at 5:00 or wait in an hour-long line, the review explains that the place is entirely worth it.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYIxhAJ80ixFWcJU0e-NOxCVXIqmmtxhOff2xblfGB0Ggnk9E806cRDrmwsywZzwtprbkkITEWpQfcEiTJLz1SGT5hEIEvBsP1nsobHoKWgGnWTywf2DDNq1Ht9D1AkZMcaxkmO6kalyw/s1600/IMG_1599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYIxhAJ80ixFWcJU0e-NOxCVXIqmmtxhOff2xblfGB0Ggnk9E806cRDrmwsywZzwtprbkkITEWpQfcEiTJLz1SGT5hEIEvBsP1nsobHoKWgGnWTywf2DDNq1Ht9D1AkZMcaxkmO6kalyw/s1600/IMG_1599.JPG" height="476" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical line at Giacomo's </td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"> My mom and I found ourselves in the general vicinity around 5:30 and decided to give it a shot. We ended up standing in line for about half an hour and were seated at 6:00.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">I will say, that this was a very entertaining experience :D</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">The restaurant was small, crowded, and loud. It was sort of my idea of a typical Italian restaurant: brick walls, wooden chairs, menu on a blackboard on the wall,</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">visible kitchen with people scurrying all over and chefs screaming orders at each other and the din of pots and pans in the background.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">As soon as my mom and I sat down the owner of the restaurant, a small, squarish very Italian man, comes over to holler at us how the menu works. We</span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"> were left to contemplate the blackboard for about two minutes before he came back and demanded our orders. </span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">At which point I panicked and ordered the first thing that came to mind. We ordering the burrata appetizer, pumpkin tortellini, and I ordered mussels & clams pasta with a giacomo sauce (which I understand is a lobster tomato sauce with a little bechamel mixed in). </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">The burrata appetizer was a huge plate of buttery white cheese heaped with diced tomatoes, basil, and balsamic vinegar. As is to be expected of good-quality ingredients, it was delicious. My entree was pretty good but not anything to rave about. I enjoyed my mom's tortellini; it was rich and salty and had a slightly sweet taste that I enjoyed, and the tortellini were big and well-filled. </span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">I don't actually have any pictures of the food, because every time we tried to bring out our phones to, like, cancel our former reservation or make sure my brothers in California had not burnt down the house yet, we were chewed out by the owner (in a very good-natured way)! </span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">All in all, the food was pretty good. But let's be honest, you don't go to Giacomo's for the food. :D It's definitely an experience type of place. </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">My mom and I come from a Croatian family where food is very important and politeness is not a priority, so we were pretty comfortable with the atmosphere of the place. The best part of it was watching the poor befuddled people around us! The table to our right was occupied by two young men, complete strangers, who had walked in alone and were spontaneously seated together when a table became available. It was pretty amusing watching them stare at themselves and their food and try to make passable conversation. On our left was a young woman and her father who were pretty clearly tourists from out of the country. The poor woman was trying to order ravioli but didn't know the word, so was describing it to the owner/waiter as "square pasta". The owner had no idea what he was talking about and was instead explaining to her that they had linguine and what linguine was and at one point turned around and pointed to my plate and I became an object of scrutiny with my mouth full of noodles, and the woman was becoming more and more unsettled and there was a lot of situational humor. </span><br />
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We didn't finish our food, so he gave us containers to take home, labelled for convenience:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm Kid :D</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXFn50A30N39cOZcw1By7Vckr06GdGIO56KR7L6C_cqp5CHtl7MkrHiIA-pYp5BfOvJq78RqJqQJky1bx8Z7B0Hu1AZbqY7exm9KMSaK45PoZssIlyVKvqRULmyPPNkGowGM4ldn9nLux/s1600/IMG_1589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXFn50A30N39cOZcw1By7Vckr06GdGIO56KR7L6C_cqp5CHtl7MkrHiIA-pYp5BfOvJq78RqJqQJky1bx8Z7B0Hu1AZbqY7exm9KMSaK45PoZssIlyVKvqRULmyPPNkGowGM4ldn9nLux/s1600/IMG_1589.JPG" height="297" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I asked for a picture with the owner and he was so excited to take a picture with me! It was so cute!</td></tr>
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My overall review: I'm really glad we went--it was an extremely amusing experience and we had a lot of fun--but the overall dining experience was hectic and rushed and food wasn't to die for. I'd say if you're in Boston, give it a try!<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mike's Pastries</span></u></b><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">As we finished up our pasta at Giacomo's the owner/waiter came over and asked us where we were going to eat dessert. Because we had done our research (and because we had heard the correct answer impressed into the hapless foreign people next to use) we dutifully answered Mike's Pastries!</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">BEST. CANNOLIS. EVER.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmvqXCbffc3z_PdmQrWGmKlNdAsbKRTGLo5bSMt_J5JMnnurus5qWWup2fC_ro_Lyri6kzUaJYvXC8OBkXZl5CLEswmkkRHsx2ksyY5HmuAfs2Do4H5OcC-rAW8_hbcf3VsJAkhTtIBJc/s1600/IMG_1650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmvqXCbffc3z_PdmQrWGmKlNdAsbKRTGLo5bSMt_J5JMnnurus5qWWup2fC_ro_Lyri6kzUaJYvXC8OBkXZl5CLEswmkkRHsx2ksyY5HmuAfs2Do4H5OcC-rAW8_hbcf3VsJAkhTtIBJc/s1600/IMG_1650.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amaretto cannoli!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji6DICpJa2spzvUxXKCctPtz_vtDJ4gOQQVHR3sM6ffSfyhEE5ohu8eG5EroZtqecwThHdV66ghk388x8goSMs_jNKGnXiri4TWnDV5AWjpmGCXacdkv8ygKdmaUBbkMQVjmm68iehYw_8/s1600/IMG_1657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji6DICpJa2spzvUxXKCctPtz_vtDJ4gOQQVHR3sM6ffSfyhEE5ohu8eG5EroZtqecwThHdV66ghk388x8goSMs_jNKGnXiri4TWnDV5AWjpmGCXacdkv8ygKdmaUBbkMQVjmm68iehYw_8/s1600/IMG_1657.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
I'm just going to show you more cannoli pictures and restate that these are THE BEST. CANNOLIS. EVER.<br />
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I mean, they are so good that a week later I am still pining over them, and I don't even like cannolis. They're so good that not a single Italian restaurant in the neighborhood that I've visited offers dessert because everyone just walks down the street to Mike's after dinner. It's so good that the place looks like this<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRbRj5kDVMW0j28qvzqyceK2c-WsaSgniECaWvEwBl6qNVtP150ueSI7VFRBd_f8CynLtQlmu8PRasdVlpJAljlBA0gOVzCO2QfumfBgzUmuA8DD3F6LdJlrmNaAT2RlToUQAs9Ly8Of8K/s1600/IMG_1608.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRbRj5kDVMW0j28qvzqyceK2c-WsaSgniECaWvEwBl6qNVtP150ueSI7VFRBd_f8CynLtQlmu8PRasdVlpJAljlBA0gOVzCO2QfumfBgzUmuA8DD3F6LdJlrmNaAT2RlToUQAs9Ly8Of8K/s1600/IMG_1608.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
on <i>Wednesday night. </i>(Most people order some pastries and leave, so it's pretty easy to find a table if you want to sit down. And that big throng at the front is not actually a line, it's people trying to decide which cannoli they want).<br />
<i><br /></i>
These cannolis were so good that my mom and I tried them after dinner two nights in a row. Then at the end of our second meal we were so despondent at the very valid prospect of not seeing another cannoli this authentic and delicious for another ten years that we decided to buy one for lunch the next day. And then we couldn't decide which flavor to try so took two.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZ1lTN0LJGfFY32Gbre8OLKF5fKHoYhjnvvmanhgWRMkNC9-n41cAtD2beL_Ry8TgDRGvtgMYRTIt-3IiYIWkUTyIIoeb5M2FhYCS_2GliRf92wJogb93wcJZUSLLOqtEHZv6pVUIfZM2/s1600/IMG_1747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZ1lTN0LJGfFY32Gbre8OLKF5fKHoYhjnvvmanhgWRMkNC9-n41cAtD2beL_Ry8TgDRGvtgMYRTIt-3IiYIWkUTyIIoeb5M2FhYCS_2GliRf92wJogb93wcJZUSLLOqtEHZv6pVUIfZM2/s1600/IMG_1747.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate chip cannoli for lunch</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJ92qgmqTirrKYmPIDBcfpswNk8ggMGMCaHRD0B-eLHTrkkqAb4D8542MXca-Cnpdff8YDS1OsDeVkeU0uolZxCriSGu7BvW8wwZAYy6woTloMhpGnvO8MnqsPR7fg_54_iy35exVRW6K/s1600/IMG_1757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJ92qgmqTirrKYmPIDBcfpswNk8ggMGMCaHRD0B-eLHTrkkqAb4D8542MXca-Cnpdff8YDS1OsDeVkeU0uolZxCriSGu7BvW8wwZAYy6woTloMhpGnvO8MnqsPR7fg_54_iy35exVRW6K/s1600/IMG_1757.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Chocolate mousse cannoli on the train</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mike's Pastry box we shoved into my mom's purse...</td></tr>
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JUST GO BUY A CANNOLI.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Panza</span></u></b><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Another adorable little typical North End restaurant! </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: center;">The decor in this restaurant especially was very warm and inviting. The walls were painted brick in shades of off-white and gold. I felt like I was in a little restaurant on the Mediterranean Sea!</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: center;">My mom and I ate more pasta...the dishes we'd had so far were so good we couldn't help ourselves!</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: center;">I had the gnocchi with pork ragu and my mom and had spinach ravioli with cream sauce and sun-dried tomatoes...both were exquisite. My gnocchi was rich with tomatoes and meat and I loved the interplay between the spinach, cream, and tomatoes in my mom's food. Absolutely delicious!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJIsLHQU-8_I4wahJkG7qWb34dSyQt4ApdV7ApD5KznY-eEnFdaaewhAy5dcApj55NbvYu5mh0yDh8DNt-vpdQkhZs79QQ78FLH7eMVa5dS8WldAyaqsYzAtgBRmOWb76WsVZc5fM8SjP/s1600/IMG_1645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJIsLHQU-8_I4wahJkG7qWb34dSyQt4ApdV7ApD5KznY-eEnFdaaewhAy5dcApj55NbvYu5mh0yDh8DNt-vpdQkhZs79QQ78FLH7eMVa5dS8WldAyaqsYzAtgBRmOWb76WsVZc5fM8SjP/s1600/IMG_1645.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Nothing more to say here except to give my resounding recommendation for the North End.</span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sam La Grassa's</span></b></u></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfVSefsfgb7ZixthX2HGhj1iCcvfAL2MpPIgWTRZkvW9hHjFdCS3rrrCCNk9MGcsagETb-RGCApHH0TcF9xO77zbxa5UEA8IF3kl-YWEN2NsXQrQGTW9fg0QXys0ZfPJMCjfBUzCQBkxK/s1600/IMG_1742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfVSefsfgb7ZixthX2HGhj1iCcvfAL2MpPIgWTRZkvW9hHjFdCS3rrrCCNk9MGcsagETb-RGCApHH0TcF9xO77zbxa5UEA8IF3kl-YWEN2NsXQrQGTW9fg0QXys0ZfPJMCjfBUzCQBkxK/s1600/IMG_1742.JPG" height="400" width="297" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEkIwN3155MJVx6FO_hP3hOA5zHjnHuEsa6zXSztWX49VQ-socUKjSXxaFFcgKzlwf-ol6hRqbdCpGeKCU0hKXVQkMLhwE4nc_31ro-21yAkl5tQR43dLCL7dQAK8xkhTCu0AlNQC3vyy/s1600/IMG_1743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEkIwN3155MJVx6FO_hP3hOA5zHjnHuEsa6zXSztWX49VQ-socUKjSXxaFFcgKzlwf-ol6hRqbdCpGeKCU0hKXVQkMLhwE4nc_31ro-21yAkl5tQR43dLCL7dQAK8xkhTCu0AlNQC3vyy/s1600/IMG_1743.JPG" height="297" width="400" /></a></div>
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Ok so this isn't in the North End, but another spot you shouldn't miss! </div>
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It's a sandwich shop that's more-or-less famous around Boston for their heaping, delicious sandwiches. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YeK5BhQxJxcnX_dPa-xXrEsD8zupF4gZQI7-BopM-7YN5OqIQGFT8XCab-k9_sxnKSUr4-63atPFFCfh70VZf_3351ImVAWazBDaxAihVS5NqenVopEvLDrNMEumkX3XgYDUKcMKcadC/s1600/IMG_1745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YeK5BhQxJxcnX_dPa-xXrEsD8zupF4gZQI7-BopM-7YN5OqIQGFT8XCab-k9_sxnKSUr4-63atPFFCfh70VZf_3351ImVAWazBDaxAihVS5NqenVopEvLDrNMEumkX3XgYDUKcMKcadC/s1600/IMG_1745.JPG" height="476" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chipotle Pastrami Sandwich</td></tr>
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Yuuuuummmmmm--great lunch spot!</div>
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">Miscellaneous</span><span style="text-align: center;"> Boston-Related Foodie Points of Interest</span></span></b></u><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Guess who I saw speak at a conference in Boston?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHJBTim6dDIbMfZkI0XclZcx3HzW7rlmnImnMnXnU5VJS9l3MZAVdYExLkOaJ4oI6ipu1tm5nYkeOq77nODd39kVmeHx40HWQlbu_EdwLA50vhWlSmwZIjOt7FVjvIqaiYCOG_I0iPFJs/s1600/IMG_1738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHJBTim6dDIbMfZkI0XclZcx3HzW7rlmnImnMnXnU5VJS9l3MZAVdYExLkOaJ4oI6ipu1tm5nYkeOq77nODd39kVmeHx40HWQlbu_EdwLA50vhWlSmwZIjOt7FVjvIqaiYCOG_I0iPFJs/s1600/IMG_1738.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martha Stewart!</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Who I have often been compared to...hopefully without the jail time. ;)</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">I would give you an outline of what she said...but honestly she wasn't the most riveting speaker, and you'd probably get more benefit just from reading <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Stewart" target="_blank">her Wikipedia article</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">She did make veggie juice for the whole audience though! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbx_y9DV_zFr2KOOLGFMs1rGEYDhc0Dw0XWplSCaDmeVdC0kOUo4MQZBwY20DiWkaJgpYDFX22vwZSJlmuM4NUTImCtXPwsu1avzSudUlH_wzDieb3ZdwG5c2d396_GqYfUEqItFL2Nxs/s1600/IMG_1733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbx_y9DV_zFr2KOOLGFMs1rGEYDhc0Dw0XWplSCaDmeVdC0kOUo4MQZBwY20DiWkaJgpYDFX22vwZSJlmuM4NUTImCtXPwsu1avzSudUlH_wzDieb3ZdwG5c2d396_GqYfUEqItFL2Nxs/s1600/IMG_1733.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...Which was a good experience because now I don't have to go make it myself just to know what it tastes like. I think I prefer my celery on a plate. </td></tr>
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I also checked out a little market where supposedly Julia Child used to shop!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMP3hYEehPPLJG-dPw17kWRwxHWNiZH8xctyiRvHt_lKSNV3nSB7q9ufhZ7RMAiomfqImIpRQDp462PQDkqyE1YCKcY59Fg4XbUWLskQQxPnBYkT8MOPtgwEGPgxEpJkNUS6ofbC4vhj8N/s1600/IMG_1632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMP3hYEehPPLJG-dPw17kWRwxHWNiZH8xctyiRvHt_lKSNV3nSB7q9ufhZ7RMAiomfqImIpRQDp462PQDkqyE1YCKcY59Fg4XbUWLskQQxPnBYkT8MOPtgwEGPgxEpJkNUS6ofbC4vhj8N/s1600/IMG_1632.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a><br />
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And that's all my cuisine-related know-how regarding Boston! I had such a great time there!<br />
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After Boston, my mom and I took the train to New York...so expect soon a similar break-down of NYC fabric stores! Feel free to add your Boston-related wealth of knowledge in the comments!</div>
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