Hey! I finally mustered up the energy to do this whole primp-iron-pose-edit-ramble-blog thing again. It seems I still can't tuck my shirt in like a proper lady, though.
Can I admit my deepest darkest secret to you, Internet friends I've never met? I've kinda... spent the past few weeks sucked into a self-inflicted... Dawson's Creek marathon session. Yes, Dawson's Creek, that teen soapy drippy TV rom-com (without the -com; those kiddos had cruel wit but were not funny) from the late 90s. I never watched DC when I should have as a thirteen year old, but I stumbled across it on Netflix recently and I lost self-control. What can I say? The writers are manipulative with my emotions, and all those 24-year-olds playing high schoolers are exceedingly attractive. Anyway, I finished it, thank God, so I can move back to my more reasonable addiction of making clothes, which we will all agree is a more appropriate hobby for a responsible and mature adult woman like myself. (Team Pacey!)
Moving on. Guess what I made with a sewing machine and my own two feeble hands? A Grainline Archer shirt and a Moss mini skirt. I mean, why ever stop, right? This is my fourth Archer but it's my favorite. As with my plain white one (here), I tapered in the side seams and brought in the shoulder seams for a sleeker silhouette. I've been dreaming about this exact shirt ever since I pinned this exact pin. I love gingham but I don't own anything else gingham, I don't think. It definitely conjures up images of plastic tablecloths and Dorothy costumes, but it's just such a classic pattern that will never (and should never) die. You really can't go wrong with gingham. 'Cuz literally, there's no wrong side or right side. It's ALL right. This fabric is 100% cotton from the "homespun" section of JoAnn's. Whose home you spinnin' in, girl?
Can't say much more about this shirt pattern. I can make it up in a hot minute (aka 4 hours?) and that's a great feeling, especially since I just spent a full week making a Colette Chantilly dress that is finished except for the hem but looks dreadful on me. The Archer pattern consoles me when other projects go wrong. It consoled me back when I tried the Colette Anise jacket pattern and ALSO had poor results. Do I sense a theme here...?
This red Moss mini skirt is my third but is actually too tight in the bum to wear in public comfortably (I'll spare you the photos), so it's clear I haven't mastered the fit of this pattern yet. As with my others, I lengthened it by four inches and left off the pockets. My black spotty one seemed too loose in the waist, so I guess I got overconfident with the serger this go-around. And all that Dawson-watching has led to a few more lbs. on the scale. Wah, wah. This fabric is red stretch cotton twill from fabric.com. Wrinkle town USA. Ever been there?
So. When it comes to gingham, friends, are you more a fan or big checks or little checks? I'll say with confidence that I could and would definitely wear a bigger check than this check. And when it comes to fictional TV love triangles, who's your favorite unrealistic and overly self-aware teen couple? Be honest. I shalt not judge.
