Weekend Pretty: Royal Wedding Dress

Readers, I watched it.

Armed with a pot of tea and Fortnum & Mason stem ginger biscuits, I ogled and snarked my way through the wedding of Prince William and his Kate. It was lovely. There was pomp, circumstance, and - best of all - one historic dress.


Kittens, I adore this gown. Everything about it is divine: the pleated skirts, the deep-v of the overlay, the sweetheart bodice, the lace. We all know how I feel about lace. This design is flawless, resulting in a timeless silhouette fit for a princess (or royal duchess, if we must be technical). Sarah Burton truly outdid herself with this piece.

Fashion insiders predict this dress will set wedding trends for years to come. Selfishly, I hope they're correct. Not only do I abhor the generic strapless A-line dresses of modern weddings, but I've always wanted a gown similar to this one. Make it a tea-length with elbow sleeves and you've designed my dream dress!

So, did you watch the wedding? Did you swoon a bit when Prince William told Kate she looked beautiful? And - most important - how do you feel about the dress?

The Irksome Case of the Unfinished Objects

Friends, I was a strange child. This probably does not come as a shock to you. Among other things (a persistent belief that I was Nancy Drew, an affinity for dresses sporting cartoon animals, and a true talent for, let's call it, storytelling), I was a big believer in the anthropomorphic fallacy. In my daft little blond head, everything had feelings - stuffed animals, mashed potatoes, flowers. For years, I separated my M&Ms by color, eating the most populous first, until the poor, unloved tan ones were in equal numbers with the rest. It seemed like the fair thing to do. You know, so one color wouldn't feel slighted.

This ties in to sewing, I promise. Even though I now realize candy doesn't have feelings, inanimate objects still have the power to guilt trip me. Take unfinished sewing objects, for example. They drive me crazy. They sit in their little boxes, imploring me to finish them. (Example: I have time, don't it? I was able to make two of the same Lisette dress, for Heaven's sake! Can't I spare old friends a little attention too? Why don't I love them any more?!) For this reason alone, I tend to not accumulate many UFOs. Until now.

At present moment, there are two such projects on my sewing table. They're making me seize up with guilt, every time I even think about starting a new project. Also, they're just plain cute. They deserve to be completed, damn it! So, these are my next two items to conquer.

Unfinished Object #1: Colette Macaron
Raison d'Abandon: Last thing cut out, before deciding to move.

Poor, poor Macaron. There's nothing the matter with her, she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Late September was not a good time to be cut out in my household. In a matter of weeks, La Danielson Famile decided to buy a new house, sell the old homestead, and move. As the eldest daughter, I was enlisted to help with this venture...and did not touch my sewing machine for another four months. What's worse, in those months I lost not only Macaron's instruction booklet, but her back midriff piece, as well.

It was all too tempting to move on to other projects, rather than invent directions from scratch. Now that I have more months of sewing under my belt, I feel up to the task. Also, I just reordered the damn pattern. I'm going to trace the midriff piece, but at least I have directions!

Also, this shell fabric is just too wonderful to be cast off on the UFO pile, don't you think? The contrast is just a plain white pique from Hancock, but the shell is an amazing Italian designer pique I picked up from Satin Moon Fabrics in San Francisco. Everyone talks about Britex in SF, but Satin Moon is my absolute favorite fabric store in the city. Possibly in the world. It's a tight, tiny shop in the Richmond District run by two sisters who adore high quality apparel fabric. There are bolts and bolts of Liberty, Swiss cottons, and other wildly interesting fabrics. I actually ended up buying this pique in two different colorways - this bright mix of blues and corals, as well as a more autumnal palette of yellows, browns, and oranges. I have 4 yards of both, so this isn't the last time we'll be seeing this fabric!

Unfinished Object #2: Colette Crepe
Raison d'Abandon: Arrival of Lisette patterns in my mailbox.

Sigh. This one is more of a confessional. You recall that divine Crepe dress I had planned and started for my spring palette? Yeah, I never actually finished it. There's no good excuse for this. I had only the hemming and one or two other little things to do to the dress, but the day I'd planned to do them was the same day the Lisette patterns finally came in the mail.

Y'all know how I feel about the Lisette patterns. I couldn't not rip into them instantly and start sewing. My willpower isn't that strong. That left poor little Crepe shivering in a cardboard UFO box, unloved and unfinished. Which is silly, considering she really is pretty cute. I ended up using some white Swiss dot (the same I used on my Market Blouse, actually) for the bodice, instead of the planned pique. It was a great last minute change, especially considering that summer seems to have arrived early.

So, those are the two projects I plan on reviving from the dead. Do you have any UFOs laying about? Do you feel guilty about them or are you able to put them behind you and move on to brighter projects?

Easter Weekend Pretty: 4.24.11

Happy Easter, chickadees! Did you have a day filled with brightly colored eggs, chocolate rabbits, and - most important - floral dresses? I certainly hope so. In the spirit of the season, I've collected some of my favorite flowery dresses from around the web.

[Boden]

[Trashy Diva]

[Kate Spade]

[Laura Ashley]

Hope you had a lovely peep-filled weekend, friends!

Miss Josie at the Market: Simplicity 2211

In news from the sewing table, I've finished my first Lisette Market Blouse (Simplicity 2211). Like the Lisette Passport Dress, this is another fantastic pattern. It's the perfect pattern for cute, but airy, summer blouses - basic necessities in Texas. I even already have a few different cotton lawns (One of them Liberty! Holy moly!) that are ideal.

Making up this pattern was a total breeze. Start to finish, it took me about four hours - including cutting on my fancy new rotary mat! There are two horizontal darts, one on each side of the bodice front, as well as gathering on both edges of the sleeves. Honestly, the most laborious part was spacing out and sewing on the buttons, as there aren't pattern markings for them. It's up to you to decide how many buttons you want and where to place them. Being my slightly OCD-self, I spent a ridiculous amount of time with my ruler, making sure they lined up perfectly. It turned out well, though! I love how the buttons look, even if they are only a faux-closure.

I also added a bit of my own difficulty to the pattern. I've recently come to the realization that I hate fusible interfacing. It's bulky and itchy, tends to come off in the wash, and is too heavy for a light blouse like this. To that end, I replaced the interfaced pieces (all the black trim) with linings. The finish was neater, plus there's no pesky steaming! Being a rogue sewist paid off!

As far as fit alterations go, I didn't make any this time around. I tissue fitted the blouse to myself and decided that any adjustments would be small enough to make on the fly. I was right - kind of. The blouse fits, but not quite how I imagined it. It's a bit on the short and boxy side for my tastes. Because there aren't any closures, it does need to be a bit boxy, so you can pull it over your head. However, when it's not tucked in, it completely loses my waist, while not being long enough to belt. Since I plan on changing the faux-button placket to a real closure next time, I'm also going to nip in the waist and add a bit of length to the bodice pieces. That should fix the major fit issues, while also addressing my compulsive desire for proper closures!

Overall, this is a fantastic pattern. There aren't many blouse patterns that I love among the Big Four pattern companies - they tend to skew toward an older audience, in my opinion. Simplicity 2215, like the other Lisette patterns, is a very ready-to-wear design. My sister mentioned that this is a top she could easily imagine inside of J. Crew or Ann Taylor Loft - cute and classic, but still youthful. I completely agree with her...which is why those cotton lawns are going to be put to work soon!

Things I Changed:

• Opted out of interfacing. Instead, I cut an extra pattern piece (for the neckbands, arm bands, and neck placket) and used it like a lining. I stitched an outside seam with the two wrong sides together, then turned it to the inside, pressed, and treated them as one piece. It gives the fabric more structure, but has none of the discomfort of interfacing.
• Didn't 1/4 turn under the trim pieces, due to the new lining pieces I added. This made for a much cleaner finish than the shirt would as instructed.

Things I Will Change Next Time:

• Add 3 inches of length to the bodice.
• Add 1 inch to the armband length, they're just a hair too snug for my liking.
• Turn the placket from decorative to usable. Now that I've sewn this shirt up once, I have a good idea of how to make the buttons usable, instead of just for show. It shouldn't be that difficult, just a few pattern alterations to the neckline and placket. If I'm successful, I'll detail how it's done!

Tricky Steps & Suggestions:

• This really is an easy pattern - quick and painless to both cut out and sew! The only thing I found truly tricky was the fit itself. The armbands seem to run a bit small for both me and other sewists, so give yourself a little wiggle room, if you don't plan to make a muslin.

Fabric Used:

• White Stretch Cotton Swiss Dot Voile - Gorgeous Fabrics ($14/yard now, $10/yard when I bought it on sale)
• Black Cotton Swiss Dot - Hancock Fabrics ($6.99/yard)

Outfit Details:

• Skirt: Simplicity 2215 made by me!
• Shoes: Change of Venue heels by Seychelles

Additional Pictures:

• Full View
• Button Close-Up
• Sleeve Close-Up
• Back Close-up

Sew Obsessed With: Lace

Confession time, lovelies: I'm an enthusiast. When I get a new hobby or interest, I have a brief, violently passionate love affair with it. The new, shiny whatever is all I want to focus on. After awhile, the ardor cools a bit and I can behave rationally once more, but those first throes of love can be rather ridiculous. This is how it is with any new book I write. This is also, surprise surprise, how I am with sewing.

When I learn a new technique or fall in love with a new fabric, all I want to do is play around with it. Right now, I'm obsessed with lace. All I want to buy is daisy lace, eyelet, and Chantilly. If it's even remotely lacy, I'm loving it.

I'm placing the blame for this on the utterly fabulous Gertie of Gertie's New Blog For Better Sewing. (It should be said that I have something of blog crush on Gertie. Not only does she sew the loveliest vintage-inspired clothing, but her real life job is as an editor in my genre. If I ever meet her at a publishing conference, I'll no doubt start fangirl blabbering about her taffeta gingham circle skirt. She's just so cool. ) Back in December, she sewed a red lace dress that was so pretty it made my heart flutter. I've been on the hunt for red lace ever since.

To make matters worse, there is that floral lace skirt I'm lusting over from Talbots. I gave in to temptation this weekend and tried it on in-store. It's perfect. The pencil design made my waist look tiny and the lace overlay was even prettier in person. My credit card was in jeopardy of coming out, but I restrained myself. After all, isn't that what sewing is for? I shall make one of my own!

This isn't a surprising obsession for me. Lace combines the two elements I value most in my clothing - classic details and unabashed femininity. Even better, its very nature (delicate, airy, totally femme-tastic) is inherently opposite to the casualty of modern fashion. This casualty is a societal pet peeve of mine. I hate that jeans and clean t-shirts are deemed acceptable date attire. It may not be as bad in other cities, but my dear Austin is not only the Live Music Capital of the World, but also the Wear Grungy T-Shirts To Fancy Dinners Capital of the World. But that's a post for another day. Suffice to say: lace is pretty and I adore it.

To that end, I've made a few recent fabric purchases which I'm so excited about. Since I'm just beginning my lace adventures, I'm starting with the easy-to-sew side of lace - eyelets and large geometric woven laces. Basically, anything with more surface area to sew on! Unlike other fabric buys, I have something definite in mind for all of the laces I've bought. Here's a sneak peak...

Fabric: Gorgeous Fabrics
Pattern: Etsy

Fabric: Mood Fabrics (lace) and Hancock (poplin)
Pattern: Colette Patterns

Fabric: Gorgeous Fabrics
Pattern: Simplicity

Do you have any sewing obsessions at the moment? Are you perhaps mad for Liberty lawns or going gaga over 1940's dress patterns?

Pattern Musings: Simplicity 2211

This is a bit belated on the musings front, seeing as I'm almost finished with the project already, but on my sewing table right now is the Market Blouse from Simplicity Lisette 2211. This is one of those patterns that's been begging for me to make it, ever since I saw the envelope. I live for delicate little shirts, perfect for dressing up under a cardigan or just throwing on with a denim skirt. The puffed sleeves and button placket of this shirt fit that bill perfectly. I could immediately imagine it in pretty floral lawns and silk blends.

For my first iteration, I'm going basic: the main bodice made up in white cotton Swiss dot (from Gorgeous Fabrics), with the sleeve bands, collar, and placket made from a black cotton Swiss dot (from Hancock Fabrics). Black & white combinations are a big favorite of mine, stemming from a Rear Window viewing at too impressionable an age. Grace Kelly's divine B&W dress from that role stuck with me - it's one of my favorite color schemes for garments, party planning, and outrageously expensive shoes I cannot afford.

As for pattern changes, I did an FBA, which was incredibly easy due to the lack of extra design frills. That's it for changes this time around, but I am contemplating turning the placket from faux-button down to real closures next time. It's a very cute effect as it is right now, but I'm not much for fake details. If it looks like a button-down, it should actually button! The pattern pieces would be relatively easy to convert, so there's no point not giving in to my fashion neuroses and trying it out.

Weekend Pretty: 4.17.11

Water For Elephants is one of my favorite books, which though I have many is still saying something. It's one of my comfort reads, a jewel of novel that enthralls me every time I open its pages. So, when I first heard it was being made into a movie, I was ecstatic. When casting announcements were made, however, I became increasingly trepidatious. Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon, though I love her, were not whom I would have picked were they the last two actors on Earth.

Then I saw the previews and thought, "Hmm, maybe this won't be so bad, after all." Then I saw Reese Witherspoon's Vogue spread and thought, "Oh, dear Lord, I am so excited about this movie now!" I love everything about these pictures: the circus setting, the gowns, the elephants! They make me want to read the book all over again - and buy midnight tickets for the movie.

Miss Posy's Literary Salon: Colette 1002

I love Colette Patterns. Was there ever any doubt? The Chantilly dress was an absolute delight to sew. It's exactly what I hoped for: a light, ethereal dress with super flattering lines.

The construction of this dress was, admittedly, a bit involved. The front bodice is gathered where is meets the waistband and the yoke, while the skirt is gathered all the way around. Such extensive gathering produces the kind of neurotic second guessing typically only seen in bomb-defusing movie scenes. Is this even? Is the back too poofy? One actually has to go through this twice, as the lining is a full replica of the dress, rather than a simpler draft. In the end, it's hard to even care about the extra hours spent on the Chantilly, because it's just so darn cute!

Part of the more-involved process of this dress was due to my own additions, namely overcasting the seams and using flexi-lace hem facing. Up until now, I've alternated between finishing seams with bias tape or - embarrassingly - pinking them. It's a sad side-effect of my sergerless state. However, a light bulb went off in my head, after reading Gertie's post on overcasting. I have an overcasting foot & stitch on my machine, so why wasn't I using them? I decided to fix that with the Chantilly. Even though I went through double the amount of thread as usual, it was worth it. My seams look amazing! I will never pink anything again. For that matter, I no longer get envious pangs passing sergers. Overcasting may not be quite the same, but it's a rather wonderful substitute. The other addition I made was the lace hem facing, which is one of my favorite methods of hemming a dress. Not only does it give an invisible hem, when the lace is catch-stitched to the dress, but it's a lovely detail, if you have a Marilyn moment.

As far as the pattern itself goes, it was a dream to sew up, no matter how long it took. Colette's instructions are one of my favorite aspects of their company - clear, concise, and exceedingly helpful. Every step was clear and easy, just needing a little patience to get it right. Oddly enough, however, despite the instructions being awesome, the diagrams were not. The instructions on joining front & back were at odds with the diagrams - the former insisted you leave the left side open for the invisible zipper, while the diagrams made it seem as if you left the right side. A bit confusing, but easy to get around. I live for a proper diagram, so I inserted my zipper on the right side and followed the diagrams. It worked out well, even if it is on the non-traditional side. I also enjoyed stretching my invisible zipper skills again - the Chantilly is another pattern with the invisible zip/pocket combination. It's a skill I'm quickly becoming an expert at!

In the end, it's the details that really make this dress. The fabric is a favorite of mine, a lovely floral shirting littered with blue petals, and was perfect for the delicate nature of the dress. With the curved yoke and shaped midriff, the Chantilly has visual interest to spare. This is definitely a dress which I'll be making again, especially as it only requires 3 yards of fabric. A cute dress with reasonable requirements? It doesn't get better than that!


Things I Changed:

• Added flexi-lace hem facing in white.
  
• Nothing else! Colette uses standard ready-to-wear sizing drafted for larger bust cups. Since my measurements line up precisely to their size guidelines, no alterations were needed for a sublime fit. I love when that happens!
  

Things I Would Change, If I Made It Again:

• I'm contemplating cutting out the skirt lining, the next time around, in order to cut bulk. I love this as a summer dress, but my theory in that season is the less layers, the better. Though the lining does allow the skirt to move beautifully, it's optional unless your fashion fabric is sheer.
  

Tricky Steps & Suggestions:

• The invisible zipper/pocket construction, once again. This pattern is classified as "intermediate" and I think it's this step that really pushes it there. Luckily, the Colette guidelines are crystal clear. As long as you remember to sew the zipper to the long side of the pocket (something that seems elementary, but I've made that mistake before!), then you should be good.
  
• Keeping the skirt front & back pieces is a little tricky. The skirt is a six-gore full skirt and the pieces are just slightly different sizes, enough to matter but not enough to be glaringly obvious. Once again, this is a pattern where over-marking your pieces really pays off.
• Make sure your gathering is even, whatever you do! The bodice is especially dependent on the gathering staying even. If it's not even, the girls don't look even either. That's not a good look for anybody.
  

Fabric Used:

• White & blue floral shirting from Gorgeous Fabrics.
• Cotton blend batiste from Fabric.com - very lightweight, amazing lining fabric.
  

Outfit Details:

• Shoes: Seychelles In With The New pump in navy. (Which I now realize you cannot see!)
  

Additional Pictures:

• Fabric Close-Up
• Alternate Full Views: A, B, C
  
• Front Inside Lining
• Back Inside Lining
• Midriff Lining

Review on Pattern Review

Summer Palette, Anyone?

Despite spring just now arriving in most areas of the U.S., the Colette Spring Palette Challenge has come to an end. By the end of this weekend, I should be finished with my planned garments, as well. My Chantilly dress is waiting to be hemmed and photographed, while my final piece - a white Swiss dot blouse - is all cut out and ready to be sewn up. After that? Well, I live in Texas. It's time for summer.

Okay. That's perhaps a bit of an exaggeration. April and May are still rather mild in Austin, but when mild means mid-80's, the sun dresses come out pretty early. I tend to cut off my seasons around Mother's Day. Before, I can still revel in flowery pastels and coordinating cardigans, but after we eat our traditional fluffy white cake, I start wondering if my arms are too pale for sleeveless styles. (To which the answer is normally a resounding yes, as I'm a sunscreen zealot. Despite having inherited easily tanned skin from my Swedish grandfather, I live in fear of sun damage and remain a nice deathly pale most of the year.) My current sewing plan takes this into account. I have fabulous springy florals that didn't fit into my palette, some of which will turn into dresses over the next few weeks. But once May 9th hits? It's game on, summertime.

As for spring, the Colette challenge was a godsend. My fabric tastes tend to be all over the map, so my normal sewing reflects that. There are a ton of prints happening in the stash, but not many basics. Coming up with a cohesive theme for this season was great in that respect. It made me examine what I really wanted to add to my wardrobe, rather than my usual "Oh, I love this fabric! Let me make a random dress out of it!" modus operandi. To that end, I've decided to carry it over another season.

Like my last palette, I'm drawing inspiration from the screen. During my first year of graduate school, my roommate and I were completely addicted to the adventures of a certain mystery-solving, dead-reviving pie-maker. The show, of course, was Pushing Daisies. Beyond the whimsical storyline and the omniscient narration (one of my great loves), the show was just plan gorgeous. The colorful, imaginative sets and amazing costumes were total eye-candy, most especially, the vintage-inspired wardrobe of Charlotte "Chuck" Charles. In 2007, Chuck's clothes made me wish I knew how to sew. Now that I do? They're inspiring my summer palette!

Thanks to the magic of Netflix, I've been streaming the two seasons of Pushing Daisies. Beyond the wonderful vintage silhouettes of Chuck's wardrobe, I'm increasingly drawn to her palette of bold primary colors. These colors scream summertime to me: sun-drenched picnics in Zilker Park, beach ball volleyball in neighborhood pools, and 4th of July fireworks with my family in Santa Barbara. Summer in the South is an insistent, relentless sort of season, just made for red sundresses and yellow skirts. So, that's what I'll be making! It will be a wardrobe of primary colors, with some green, white, and black thrown in for accents.

(click the palette to enlarge)

If you participated in Colette's challenge, how did you fare? Do you plan to try it out for another season? If so, I would love to see your own summer (or winter, for those in the Southern Hemisphere) palette!

Why, What A Stylish Award!

I'm feeling a little Sally Field-esque today, friends. You see, we've been awarded. Since Idle Fancy's debut in January, a few of my own favorite bloggers have gifted Idle Fancy with the Stylish Blogger Award. The idea is to share seven interesting/random/unexpected facts about yourself, then tag seven other bloggers you want to award and learn more about.

Not going to lie, I'm still a bit giddy that people even read this blog, much less would think of me for this! So, a huge thank you to Mia of Snuggly Porcupine, Katherine of Something in the Way She Sews, Lola of Girl on the Contrary, and Alana of Lazy Stitching! If you don't yet read their blogs, add them to your list. They are all wonderful reads!

Now onto the facts...

1. I'm a Supertaster. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean I'm a poison-detecting super-heroine, as the name would suggest. I just have a heightened sense of taste. It comes from, essentially, having an abnormally high number of taste buds. It also means I'm overly sensitive to bitter and salty foods. While it makes me a rather picky eater, it does give me a good excuse not to eat anything I dislike! The list of foods I avoid is rather classic for Supertasters: green tea, spinach, kale, soy products, tonic water, cilantro, alcohol (except for certain champagnes, I can't stand most alcoholic drinks, woeful as that made my college self), grapefruits, and olives to name a few.
   
2. My biggest fear is Australia. Yes, the continent. Apologies to my dear readers from Down Under, but your beautiful country scares the bejeezus out of me. Kittens, did you know that Australia has more venomous snakes and spiders than any country in the world? Or that they have crocodiles that live in salt water? Or that lurking in those lovely blue oceans are both sharks AND Irukandji jellyfish? You see where this is going. While I will hopefully travel to Australia one day, I plan on crossing some things off my life list first. You know, just in case. Because, sure, I may avoid the Funnel-Web spider, but what about the Marbled Cone snail?
3. Much like the middle-aged men most people make fun of, I'm a huge professional golf fan. This weekend, I will happily spend hours on my couch watching the Masters. I will argue with my father about who has the best chance to win and fanatically cheer on my personal favorites. The Ryder Cup is, in my book, the most exciting sports event out there. St. Andrews is one of the most sacred places on Earth. Graeme McDowell is my dream man. I am a golf nerd.
4. I've recently had a clothes-related epiphany. In the past few months, I've come to greatly prefer my handmade clothes over my RTW outfits. This, obviously, should be the goal of any home sewist, but it rather snuck up on me. After a mere six months of sewing, I've become one of those people who sees something in store and says "I could make that...only better!" While I still lust after Kate Spade and Anthropologie, I find myself browsing online fabric resources more often. Now if only I had all the time in the world to make these knock-offs come to life.
   
5. I love genre fiction. As a writer and an avid reader, my bookshelves are always at an overflow point. While I do have the requisite classics and great nonfiction picks, most of my space is taken up with mysteries and romances. I grew up reading genre fiction and, to this day, would rather read it than anything else. Good luck parting me from my Amelia Peabody set or my signed Julia Quinns. I live for the satisfaction of good whodunits and happily-ever-afters.
6. Eleanor of Aquitaine is my great-grandmother. Well, times a few greats anyway. Last year, my mother developed a genealogy obsession. We're a family of enthusiasts and can't do anything halfway, so naturally she over-zealously traced our roots back to the first century. Even better, she discovered some amazing things. In addition to Jamestown colonists and signers of the Declaration of Independence, our family tree is positively littered with Plantagenets, one of the English Royal Houses. So, one of my favorite women in history, Eleanor, is actually my great-grandmother at least five times over. Pretty neat for a history nerd like myself.
7. Last night, I made a summer palette inspiration collage. The Colette Spring Palette Challenge ended up being so much fun that I'm carrying it over another season. Having a certain color scheme to work with was much-needed practice in sewing discipline. It's also been nice having key spring pieces in my favorite colors. So, while I am going to take a few weeks to sew up some more springy fabrics from my stash, I've already envisioned a direction for my summer sewing. I'll post the collage later this week, but let's just say primary colors and I are going to become very close this season.

Now onto the really fun part! I'm tagging seven lovely bloggers whom I would love to know more about. There's absolutely no pressure to post yourself, however, as I know this doesn't suit everyone's fancy. Nonetheless, here are my stylish picks:

• Dixie of Dixie DIY
• Rebecca of Tales of a Wannabe Seamstress
• Garnet of Ruby Satin
• Sabrina of The Sewing Exploits of Sabrina Clementine
• Debi of My Happy Sewing Place
• Stevie of BeeBee's Vintage Dress
• Carolyn of Fake It While You Make It
• Alexandra of Crafts and Stuff

Yes, there are eight, not seven. Maybe one of my facts should have been that I'm a blog addict?

Weekend Pretty: 4.2.11

So, I have this dream, kittens. It goes like this: One day, I win the lottery. (Yes, I know, it's a very realistic dream.) With my winnings, I spend a year taking intensive couture sewing and design classes. When I'm an absolute expert at fancy dress construction, I then open up my own line of reasonably-priced, vintage-inspired wedding dresses. It's my ultimate fantasy career.

Kate Spade has just ruined it for me. She has opened up a bridal line and, naturally, the designs are adorable. Classic, retro-inspired, and perfect. Anyone have a suggestion for my new fantasy career? Also, anyone have a line on an attractive Irish pro-golfer who wants a ridiculous blonde writer fiancée? Because, yeah, I need one of these dresses.

[Wedding Belles Dyan Dress]

[Wedding Belles Elenore Dress]

[Wedding Belles Kaye Dress]

[Wedding Belles Naomi Dress]

[Wedding Belles Aubrey Wrap Dress]

[Wedding Belles Jillian Dress]