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?