Style & This Stay at Home Mom

Being a stay at home mom entails many challenges. Quite possibly the least of which is what to wear. I find myself more & more confused as how to dress lately. I'm 24, but while most 24 year olds are just finishing college & partying, I'm a mother of two. The fact that the garments in the juniors department typically fit me better than those in the women's department only complicates matters.

After having kids, my day to day activities shifted from those requiring slacks & blouses to garments that are more suited for, well, getting stained by various fluids. Which is ok. I love what I'm dong now. But I find myself in a wardrobe rut.

I've never felt compelled to follow fashion trends. I've always been more of a jeans & t-shirt type of gal. I mean, sure, I like to look nice, but I've never put an abundance of thought (or money) into my wardrobe. I wouldn't be caught in my pajama pants in public (unless it is an absolute crisis) but I don't go all out on a day to day basis.

Sewing & fashion trends seem to go hand in hand & I must admit, I do find it interesting. I'd like to have a style. To branch out from jeans & a t-shirt to maybe trousers & a blouse. And then there is always accessories. I appreciate a well accessorized outfit...I just don't know where to start.

So, I snatched up this book for $7 on half.com. From the preview on Amazon, it seems that the author points you to your own inspiration & what you are drawn to rather than touting his designs or what the current trends dictate. Should make for interesting reading at the very least.

How about you? Is fashion something you struggle with? Care about? Do you feel like you have your own style?

Fit for Real People

Hmm. So, I did a bad thing & bought a new copy at Barnes & Noble of Fit for Real People (at full price $25). And I gotta say: It is way over my head. I can see how it could very well be the fit book, but yikes. I'm just not there yet.
A body map seems like a lot of work, a wealth of information, yes, but a lot of work. Also, the pictures. Oh, the pictures. They could use some updating. But that is easy enough to look past. Fitting problems are the same today as they were then.
The book also talked a lot about shoulder pads. Yeah. There will be no shoulder pads in my garments. I don't care if I do have a sloping shoulder.
That said, I'm probably going to keep it around. Becuase one can never have too many books. And down the road, when I have a few projects & fitting problems under my belt, I'm sure it will come in handy.
So, all that being said, I'm still in the market for a down & dirty fitting book. Amy mentioned Fitting Finesse in a comment (thanks Amy!!), any other recommendations?

Good deal!

I've been dying to get another sewing book (what?! I only have 2!) and I've been having trouble deciding between Reader's Digest's Guide to Sewing (a book I was too intimidated to buy before I started my adventures in sewing) or Fit for Real People. I've been stalking half.com & found a copy of the 1995 edition of Reader's Digest Guide to Sewing for $3!!! With shipping it came to $7.44 & it was rated as a "good' copy. Heck, as long as the pages are intact & readable I'd say that's a steal! So, we'll see when it gets here, but I'm excited. There were a few of the more recent editions, but from reviews I've read the '95 edition has more information (but editions prior to that are even better)
So, I'll save Fit for Real People for next time. I have yet to sew an actual garment for myself (wait--I take that back. I sewed up the 'Wear anywhere yoga pants from the Sew Everything Workshop) and I think maybe it's because I'd like to get at least an idea of what fit issues I'll come across. Until next time...

"Self Taught"

What a great day in age to "self teach". I always hesitate to say that I'm teaching myself how to sew, because, well, it just feels like cheating. There are thousands of resources readily available now for any number of skills, and I'm trying to take full advantage of them.
In fact, it was projects I first saw on the internet that inspired me to get sewing. I had planned on keeping my sewing simple--projects for my soon arriving daughter, perhaps with a few boy friendly projects mixed in for my almost-toddler son. So that's how I started (which seems odd to say because I feel that I'm still very much in the "starting" stage of my sewing career) with pillowcase dresses (the first so small that I thought it would only ever fit a doll), a couple ties, a ruffle butt diaper cover & a reversible dress. Each project went better than the last. And just last night, I finished my very first 'for me' garment. The yoga pants featured in the book Sew Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp (another great resource in my "self taught" arsenal.) I'm wearing them as I type & I'm not sure that I've ever been more proud of myself.
So, this is me. On my journey to become a full blown seamstress. But for now, I'm very excited to take on the self proclaimed title of Seamstress in Training.