On fashion, 80s and Life in the USSR

We interrupt our regularly scheduled shows to bring the 80s back! It is the 1980s theme at Project Sewn , and I decided to play along! I was born during 1970s. Late 1980s was when I came of age and began to experiment with fashion. Except, I was living in the USSR where fashion and anything related to it was strictly forbidden. Soviet women were supposed to study hard and become doctors and engineers, fly into space and build new cities in Siberia and not to stuff our heads with such silliness as fashion. That was for the "rotting West" we were told. By the time I was a preteen, the Soviet propaganda machine was cracking and sputtering and not functioning that well and fashion seeped in. It came through magazine pictures, glossy catalogues picked up on rare trips abroad, and Soviet celebrities and party officials parading their expensive outfits. By the late 1980s Gorbachev was in power and everybody was talking about "perestroika" and "glasnost" and the arrival of Burda Style magazine. That's when my sewing adventures began and the start of the dress I am about to present.

Two years ago I was visiting home and my mother begged me to go through her fabric stash and take some home. Among rolls of vintage cotton, flannel and lace I spotted something that was shiny and sort of looked like snake skin. I promptly pulled it out and lo and behold it was a cut out dress.  I wanted to make it for a school dance in 1988. The pattern was traced, the fabric was cut, the darts marked and that's when I ran out of steam and it stayed there for  almost 25 years. I brought it home and again it was buried in my stash until a week ago.

And now it is all done and ready to take on the world in all it's shiny glory! A tribute to the awesome 1988. The fabric is stretchy, but kind of stiff at the same time. It's really a weird combo.

 

 

Will I ever wear it again? Of course! It is sparkly and who wouldn't want to have bat wings for sleeves!

 



 Also, it kind of tickles me that 25 years and four kids later it still fits me, well sort of. I still have a few pounds to lose after the last baby, and I am pretty sure it would have been too loose on me in 1988. But still, it brings good memories. And there you go! 80s rule!

 

 

 

From Pants to Shorts - an Easy Refashion

My favorite pair of white pants got a black stain in the back. No worries, I thought as I promptly pulled out my trusted Clorox pen. But the stain was stubborn and wouldn't budge. So I applied a little more, and then some more. It faded quite a bit but was still there. No worries, I thought, I'll just leave it on for a little longer. And then there was a hole, smacked in between two back pockets. Since flashing your underpants through a hole is generally frowned upon by the public, the pants were declared officially ruined. Any other person would have tossed them in the garbage can. Not here. Here, the oldest child gets a new pair of shorts.

 

Seriously, how can I let such awesome pockets go to waste! What I like about refashions is that they are usually quick and you can keep original features. I used the shorts pattern that fit Eli well. I placed the front pattern piece on top of the pants in a way that I could reuse the front pockets, traced it. Did the same in the back, then cut them out. The trick I use to line everything perfectly is to use the already cut pieces as my new  pattern pieces. That way you can match the pocket placement perfectly and everything will be symmetrical.

 

 

Check out the coolest pockets in the back, and no holes! For a waistband I used ribbed knit. The shorts also have a functional drawstring.

 

I am happy with the shorts and the fact that I sort of saved the pants from going to the dump. The photo shoot was a different story. The boy never stops moving. Ever.

 

 

See what I mean. I am happy he likes them and they are comfortable to play around.

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Winners!

The winner of women's patterns is Hillary, who said, " These are gorgeous! One of my daughters is a little bit older and I would love to make one of these dresses for her. Thanks." Congratulations! I already sent you an email.

The winner of kids' patterns is Dee, who said, "I follow you with Bloglovin." Congratulations. I also sent you an email.

Thank you so much everybody who entered. I enjoyed reading your sewing adventures!

Giveaway #2

 

 It's a Giveaway Week at Sew Mama Sew. Check it out!

 

For my second giveaway I have three patterns for women. All sizes 6-12

 

 

You have three chances to win:

 

1. Leave a comment. Any comment will do.

2. Follow me with Bloglovin and leave a comment

3. Follow me through Facebook and leave a comment.

 

I will ship internationally. Good luck!

 

 

Giveaway #1

It the Giveaway Day, or rather a Giveaway Week! Hop over to Sew Mama Sew and check out awesome prizes. Hundreds of opportunities to win!

I have three children patterns for you. The pjs patterns go through size 3, the rest go through size 4.

You have three chances to win:

1. Leave a comment. Tell me about your most frustrating sewing experiences. Perhaps something that made you flustered at the time, but you laugh about it now.

2.  Follow me through Bloglovin and leave a comment.

3. Follow me on Facebook and leave a comment.


I will ship internationally. Good luck!

KCW - More Jackets

This is the second project I completed during KCW. I realized that my two year old needs a spring jacket. Even though, we went from winter into summer here and skipped spring all together (not complaining, at least the snow is gone), I thought he might still be able to use it. I didn't feel like dragging the kids to the fabric store and decided to use what I have. A while ago I bought a remnant of heavier weight fabric from my favorite local fabric store. I think I paid $3 for it.  A piece of it was used to make pants for my daughter.

 The lining came from two baby blankets that are very soft. They are almost identical in texture and color. The pattern is IZZY by Farbenmix. The same pattern I used to make this jacket. I love that the pattern is unisex. 

Real men wear flowery sparkly tattoos with rainbows

Look, Mom, the Martians are coming!