Week two in the books and it’s working, I’m definitely learning about what clothes I need to make next.  At the end of this, I’m scared I’m going to have a really long list.  This has been a tough week.  Most of the clothes I’ve made are sleeveless but this past week it’s been in the 50’s and rained for three days straight.

Monday, May 8th – A really chilly day!

Flora wrap scarf – I tried this scarf on when I was at the Factory and I loved it, but, at a thousand dollars there was no way I could afford it.  So, I bought the scarf unstitched during a sale (for about $70) and I have slowly been adding the chain stitching myself.  This exercise teaches you why Alabama Chanin collection pieces are priced the way they are.  I’ve already put a month’s worth of hours into the scarf and I haven’t even finished one side.

color: black scarf with dark gold metallic paint, natural thread

stencil: Flora

treatment: chain stitch

Tank from instructions and a pattern in Alabama Studio Style

color: a single layer of Natural medium weight fabric, Natural thread

treatment: Herringbone stitch on binding

I’m also wearing the Alabama Chanin crop cardigan.  I love this piece and I also have it in black.  I’m hoping it goes on sale again because I want it in every color!

Tuesday, May 9th – Another chilly day but a fun one.  A friend and I went to a local lavender farm to take a tour.  It’s hard to see my MeMade in this picture but it was so chilly I had to wear a long sleeve top over my corset.  So here’s what I’ve learned – I need to make a few long sleeve tops.

Corset – The corset is just the black bottom layer.  I had to wear an Alabama Chanin cropped pullover in Natural over the corset

color: single layer of black medium weight, black thread

treatment: herringbone chain stitch on the binding with bugle beads and bugle beads on the felled seaming on the front seams.

I’m also wearing an Alabama Chanin pencil skirt in small polka dot stencil fabric

Wednesday, May 10th – My son had a jazz band concert at his high school so all I had to do was throw on a jean jacket over this dress and I was good to go all day.

Tank Dress – This was from a DIY kit from #theschoolofmaking.  I added side pockets.

color: tone-on-tone Navy, Navy thread

stencil: facets

treatment: Negative reverse appliqué. Herringbone chain stitch on the binding.

Thursday, May 11th – The day the rain began.

Slim scarf – I got the inspiration for this scarf from Alabama Studio Style because it uses a lot of Angie’s Falls in the projects in this book, and it even lays out how to do relief appliqué where the piece that you sew on top is larger than the piece on the scarf to that the appliqué has texture.  This is also the very first piece I stenciled myself.  I used silver and white paint mixed.

color: Parchment, White appliques, White thread

stencil: Angie’s Falls

treatment: Relief appliqué sewed on with parallel whipstitch, chain stitch around the smaller shapes, plus a few bugle beads.

Friday, May 12th – Headed out in the rain to a friends graduation party.

T Shirt – This is the same T shirt I wore last week.  There are bound to start being quire a few repeats.  This time, since it’s so cold out, I wore it over an Alabama Chanin Fitted Long sleeve T.

Saturday, May 13th – Okay, I didn’t wear anything I made this day.  In fact, the weather was still cruddy and I had to spend the whole day printing, stuffing and sorting invitations for my son’s middle school dance.  I never made it out of my sweats, so here’s what I learned, I need to make some lounging at home clothes.  I can’t wait for the October “build a wardrobe” installment of drawstring pants.

Sunday, May 14th – Mother’s Day and the sun is finally shining (and it’s a little breezy).  It was a great day that I got to spend with my sons and my Mom.

Fitted Dress – To learn more about this project, read my post on A Bold Bolero Once I made the bolero and realized I liked the color combo and the techniques, I made the matching dress.

color: top layer is Ballet, bottom layer is Natural, gold paint from Hobby Lobby, Natural thread

stencil: Anna’s Garden

treatment: Reverse appliqué. Herringbone chain stitch on the binding.

My favorite part about this week is that I took some time to look at #MMM17 on instagram and see all the wonderful projects my “tribe” has made.  I’ve picked up a lot of tips on different modifications other’s have made to Alabama Chanin patterns, and a peak into other patterns I might like to try.  Most of all it’s just inspiring to see how much creativity is out there.