Monday, December 24, 2012

A Blatant Rip Off


I truly didn't mean to come up with a line for line knockoff of the V8795 envelope picture - specifically view C.

Vogue 8795 view C
 Honest! Look, i even made a mock-up of this cotton French terry fabric in a completely different pattern entirely (V8620 by Marcy Tilton).

auditioning 'all animal' vs. 'half animal - half stripes'
However, when the fabric arrived it had such sumptuous drape (enhanced by the lycra, no doubt) that i nixed it for 8620. Marcy Tilton describes 8620 as an 'updated version of the jean jacket', and we all know jean jackets use a sturdy denim. But, my experience with 8795 showed me that this pattern is perfect married with a very drapey fabric as it softens the shape of the boxier cut. edit: Shams reminded me i should post a link to the fabric on Marcy Tilton's site - here it is!

I'd bee itching to use this hook and eye tape for something since just about ever. Almost a year ago, i spied this outrageously oversized hook and eye tape on offer at Stone Mountain and Daughters. Wow!!! I had no idea what to do with it, but man was i jonesin'.

everything lines up so neatly at center hem - yay!

When 8795 hit the catalog a few months later, i thought Ms. Tilton's use of the self same hook and eyes was perfection.  To sweeten matters, in the interim Stone Mountain had knocked the tape off by 50%. I purchased enough for at least two jackets. I can't tell you how tough this tape looks, i love it on and am very happy to have more! Even better, it's plenty sturdy so when this piece wears out i'll be able to use the hook and eye again. Oh yeah.



Well, in truth my new piece has discernible differences from the 'view C' iteration. "View C" uses a zipper, for one, and i chose to fully line my jacket with black cotton jersey while Ms. Tilton's example is unlined. She even uses the selvedge edges as design features. But I like the feel of a jersey lining, it adds some warmth, and makes the piece look so nice and cleanly finished inside and out. Plus, the back of the animal print terry is stark white, which really clashed with the whole 'vibe' that the piece was developing. So i omitted the little facings and lined the whole thing.

black jersey lining and nicely draping edges
In my twenties, thirties, and on into my forties i held myself to a curious rule when sewing from patterns. The idea of copying any of the views shown on the envelope scandalized me, and i couldn't bring myself to do it.  I even shied away from making a piece up in a similar color to any of the versions in the illustrations, whether or not this color would be the most flattering or useful in my closet. The reasons behind this 'block' of mine? Who knows! I don't even know what changed my views on the matter. Whatever the root of block or release, nowadays, i just want clothes i like.  Creative origins be damned!


And now for a couple of seasonal treats. True to the 'E' in my blog title, i'm not a traditionalist here, either. But i love winding up little kids (and adults), so i enjoy the spirit of the season. Here's a couple of eccentric holiday offerings for you - But Beware! They are not for the faint of heart!

My latest resident ear worm is this Original Aboriginal Christmas song, sung by Shoshoni Elder Oldhands.  Five hundred years on, contact is still a fraught business. Still, Santa stays true to his shamanistic roots and provides bounty for everyone in the family, even in the most difficult - nay, dire - of circumstances.

Lon Stickler's blog Phantoms and Monsters is THE place to go for the weirdest of the weird. Seven foot tall mantis men, First Nations families battling the stray leftover interdimensional pterodactyl, reptilian special forces spotted during training exercises in abandoned mines - Lon has it all and more. Last year he posted a particularly creepy and disturbing story involving a young boy in the snowy, deserted north; the local teller of tall tales; and the possible deceased body of Santa..........i have remembered it ever since and present it here for those who love a dark and spooky tale. Definitely not for everyone.

Whatever you do or don't celebrate this time of year, we all respond to the return of the light. Welcome Sun, giver of all good things - light, warmth, food. If past experience is any guide, i'll stop feeling the strong urge to hibernate pretty soon, too. Happy Holidays! All My Relations, Ho!

17 comments:

  1. I like how the trim, hooks and eyes. hooked you into creating a great jacket. My mother used to say imitation is the highest form of flattery so you're just a flatterer rather than a copier... Have a great holiday and happy creating can't wait to see what you make in the new year.

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  2. It looks great, Stephanie! Did you buy the fabric from Marcy? Your whole outfit is very sharp. Merry Christmas!

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  3. It's a fab look, Steph and like Adrienne said, you're flattering, not copying! Happiest holiday wishes to you, and keep creating beautiful things : >

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  4. I love all the hooks and eyes - so dramatic! As always, I'm in awe of your creativity!

    Have a very happy holidays, Steph!

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  5. Happy Day All!!!

    Hi Adrienne! oh, that is a fun metaphor - and oh so true! Thank you, and i am very excited to see what you make as well!

    Hello Sharon! thank you :) you know i did get the fabric from Marcy, i'll put a link in the post as well but here's the link:
    http://www.marcytilton.com/item.php?pid=6474&cid=905

    it's very nice quality. I've found i like Marcy's site for the way she photos the fabrics draped over teh dress forms - it gives you a goo d feel for how they will look on the body. In fact, i printed out her pic and used it to make my mock-up on the post - the scale isn't completely out of whack like it would be on some sites with closer pic (for those who haven't been there, Marcy gives close ups farther way pix on many of her offerings). Thank you, and Merry Christmas to you too! And your two lucky lucky girls ;)

    Thank you Patti! heehee, Adrienne put it well didn't she! aw, i figure if you put in the effort to make the durn thing it's all cool.

    Happy Holidays to you too Sheila! i have to say these hooks and eyes aren't to everyone's taste but i can really see you rockin' 'em :) Give V and L my best!!

    Have a Happy Day!! steph

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  6. What a fantastic outfit, and your new jacket looks wonderful. Yay for simply going full steam ahead with what the fabric told you it wanted to become, rather than letting "rules" stand in the way of inspiration. That hook and eye tape is fabulous, I shall have to keep my eyes open to see if I can find anything like that up here. Stone Mountain is a store that I have enjoyed visiting on my rare visits to the Bay Area

    I am sending you this link to a whimsical holiday story that you might enjoy, about "fierce candy cane eating girls"
    http://www.sfsite.com/charlesdelint/crow/crowgirl.htm

    wishing you a holiday full of light laughter and creativity

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  7. So glad you're back around to post pictures for us of those great outfits of yours! Love the look of the hook and eye tape but my first thought is, Boy, does she ever have patience! :D

    I've been thinking about your last post and the duster idea. I have a few I don't wear even though I think they make sense. I think part of it that 2 out of 3 are suede (I don't want to waterproof them) and I realize that so many of the things I have don't cotton well to rainy weather. I have a horror of getting faux fur wet - once washed a glorious faux fur hat thereby turning into something the cat dragged in. I usually bravely wash everything with lots of success, even suede!

    Anyway, I have been realizing that my preferred default look is always a fitted knit/stretch/sweatery top of some kind that shows off the front curves and the relatively slim area of the midriff beneath. Without that, I tend to feel rather compact and dumpy. So I've been experimenting with boxier overpieces - what I think of as The Flasher Look.

    I'm still trying to figure out blouses/shirts: if I like closely fitted stretchy tops with a semi-scooped neck, then what am I doing with blouses and shirts that are... blousey.. and usually have collars? Does this silhouette I prefer mean I am forever stuck in the 70's ? I didn't even think I liked the 70's at all. I thought I had skipped them. Must be like the quote about whoever cannot remember history is doomed to repeat it, eh.

    Here's a fabric question for you: I once had a favorite cotton-like jacket that I outgrew. So old it might have been from ... the 70's.
    I always want another. It was the fabric I liked especially. It was paper bag colored and a diagonal weave. On the wrong side it looked like corduroy but not the stretch corduroy that is everywhere now.
    The diagonal wales were not exactly corduroy. Not plush so much as
    slightly raggedy. And spaced somewhat farther apart than corduroy wales.
    Somehow this fabric was both stiff and unyielding and yet molded nicely to the body. It isn't corduroy, twill, bedford cord. Wonder what the heck it is.

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  8. I am, btw, *still* benefiting from our outfit analysis checklist as I try to work my way out of confusion over my clothing choices. Example: how come I don't like this skirt that is in colors I like, has a luxurious feel, goes with tops I like to wear... Ohhh, the other skirts are, if patterned, repetitive low contrast patterns, usually contain some black, or are all over graphics. This one is a medium large wallpaperish tapestry. No wonder I feel like I'm wearing a slipcover. I like some energy somewhere in my clothes and what do a slipcover or drapes do?
    They're stay-at-homes. :)

    http://dashingeccentric.blogspot.com/2011/04/intro-to-my-outfit-analysis-checklist.html

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  9. sorry, that was YOUR outfit analysis checklist - was blinded by the cursor position :(

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  10. oh, Alison, thank you :) Stone Mountain is lots of fun - next time you're headed thisaway let me know and we can meetup! there's lots of sewing bloggers here in the Bay, we could have lots of fun!!

    oh, that is a fun story. apropros as well as i have a ginormous sweet tooth!! yum, nothing like sugar as far as i'm concerned.....thank you for stopping by and a wonderful holiday to you too!!!!

    Hi Vildy! thank you! heehee, well those hooks are a lot better at 'hooking' themselves than they look. actually, that was the first thing my mom said too ;)

    ha, your thoughts about trying to figure out what works with your figure, what's actually in style, what you can find in the stores, how can i look like i'm not stuck in some past decade i couldn't wait to end while i was living thru it.......all i can say is 'yep, sounds familiar!' My philosophy is that if you're thinking hard about this type of stuff, chances are excellent you're not coming across as stuck in a time warp. At least i sure hope so ;)

    I have no idea what that fabric might have been, but it sounds just fantastic. hmmm. next time i'm in Stn Mtn, Britex or what have you i'll run your description past them and see if they have any ideas. You've got me quite curious!

    Happy Holidays!! steph

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  11. Whee, Vildy, we're cross-posting!!! I am very happy that you (& even a couple of others) benefited from my checklist. Yay! Your 'stay at home slipcover' example is very good, i like how you include the emotional association in there too. Perfect!

    "our" sounds good to me - blogging is a group effort.

    As it happens, i just got a sweet little HD webcam, which is a lot easier to video record from - i've been wanting to make more videos about various style ideas for a while and this should help me move forward on that......i always have more ideas than time!

    But i'm getting in a better blogging habit recently, and determined to keep on. Have a great day!! steph

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  12. I have been looking and looking for something leopard I like but have yet to find anything. I must be the only woman on earth who doesn't own anything in a leopard print. That will have to be my New Year's resolution. You look wonderful.

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  13. FABulous fabric choice for that jacket! And I agree with others - your whole outfit looks great on you!

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  14. Hi Marla! That is so funny about the leopard - it's been a signature print of mine, for........about 30 years now? i even have a leopard print broom, a parental christmas gift. I think you'l look great in leopard - it's totally worth it to hold out for the right print, tho, there's a fair amount that are 'meh' at best. and Thank You!

    Thank you Jilly! i am very happy with the way this one turned out. I took in those Katherine Tilton pants since i saw you, and i'm plannint to make more - it's a great pattern.

    Happy Last Day of 2012!!!!! steph

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  15. For last year's words belong to last year's language
    And next year's words await another voice.
    And to make an end is to make a beginning.
    ~T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"

    Wishing you joy, love, laughter and magical moments in 2013.

    Happy New Year.

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  16. Thank you Wendy! what a wise and wonderful poem, even nicer it's new to me :) Best Wishes to you too - magical moments especially! steph

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