Christina Siriana Fall Collection

I think sewing has become my new thing. Funny thing is I wouldn't even consider myself that great at it. I am mainly attracted to fabrics, and then get cool ideas on what to do with them. These days I've been really getting into it, and pushing myself to do more that just circle skirts. I'm not a professional seamstress so I definitely have a ways to go and a lot to learn when making things that I am actually going to wear out in the streets. I learned a lot from doing my last collection, and have been practicing and watching lots of videos trying to learn techniques, tips, and tricks to get better. Fall is here and you know that's the time that we all start editing and changing out our wardrobes. This collection will be known as the Christina Siriana Fall Collection. When I did the spring Micheala Korina Collection, I got a bit carried away with the number of pieces. I definitely wanted to reel myself in and dwindle it down this go round. 

First up I started with a dress. I got this fabric surprisingly from Forsyth Fabrics which is an interior decor place. They were having a serious sale on remnants. In the haul I bought a piece of denim (which the sales guy was mad that I snapped it up) and a thin blue and white striped fabric. The striped fabric was thick so I knew it would pair well with the denim. 

 The design I was going for was a denim dress with 3/4 length sleeves, and the striped fabric would go as an accent at the bottom. I quickly realized once I started lining up my pattern that I didn't have nearly as much fabric as I thought, so I couldn't cut anything wrong. I cut out the denim fabric, sewed the striped fabric to the bottom, and then sewed the 2 main pieces together. After that I added sleeves. Due to there not being enough fabric, I compensated by adding the blue and white stripes to the end of the sleeves as well.

As you can see there is a split up the middle. That is because I have lots of dresses and wanted a more versatile piece. So I'm going to add a zipper to the front and create more of a hybrid dress/coat. That way I can wear it closed as a dress or leave it open and wear it as a long coat. To finish it up I added a collar, and hemmed the sleeves and the bottom. I also had to do some surgery around the arms. The armholes were a bit snug so I cut into them to add room. This was a difficult piece to sew. The fabric was so thick it put a working on my sewing machine. At the last minute I had extra fabric and opened up the sides to add pockets.

First project done.

 I wasn't sure how I would feel about this piece when it was done. The weight of the fabric and the stiffness, made me unsure how it would wear in real life. However I wore it to work last week, and it looked and wore great. I strutted those halls like no other. 

Next was a hoodie sweatshirt. I saw this fabric in Jo-Ann's and about died. I totally fell in love with it at first sight. Problem was I had no clue what to do with it. My first thought was a massive circle skirt, but I have so many of those and wanted to think outside the box. Also the fabric was part mesh so a skirt would require the additional step of adding a lining. I left it in the store that day, but I went back a couple of weeks later and it was on sale. That basically was the fabric gods saying "BYE ME". So I picked up two yards. The print was really girly, but I wanted something a little more universal. In the end I decided on a hoodie. The hope is that I can wear it with sneakers or put it with heels for a more unexpected chic uptown look. 

I've never made a sweatshirt or anything with a hood before, so I had to start by making a pattern. I made a template using a sweatshirt I already had. 

I cut out all of the pieces. 

Then sewed them together

To add the hood I measured the length around the collar.

Then cut out a hood shaped piece that matched that length. 

I definitely over estimated the size. The hood turned out a little large and in charge. However, I think that kind of adds to the appeal of it. Makes it feel a little more of a statement piece.

I have to say I kind of love it. The busy fabric mixed with the casual item really created a cool contrast. 

This next project might be my favorite piece of the collection. I saw this fabric in the spring and loved it then. I knew I wanted to make a dress with it, but figured I would wait until the weather cooled down a bit. I really liked that the print looked a lot like painted brush strokes. It makes me feel like a walking art piece. I'm going to use the fabric to make a Circle Dress.

I combined my circle skirt pattern and the top of my sheath dress pattern. I cut out a giant circle for the bottom, the back and front top pieces, and 2 sleeves. I had barely just enough fabric. I sewed the top pieces together, and then added the sleeves. This only took me a little less than 2 hours. 

Next I sewed the top and bottom pieces together. To get in the dress, I carefully cut the back open and put it a zipper. 

I was pretty impressed that it was actually a nice fit. I finished it off by hemming all of the seams and edges and adding a clasp to the back....and VOILA!

I wore this dress to work last week. I got lots of compliments on it. The fabric really makes a statement. 

The colder months are coming (you wouldn't know it as we're clearly still in the 80's around here), and I am all about staying snug. I decided to make some sweatshirts. I have had these ideas for awhile, but just now getting around to making them. I am going to start with the gray one.

So let me clarify when I say make, I did not actually sew these from scratch. I bought 2 sweatshirts and embellished. For the first one I'm going to use Heat-n-Bond. It is supposed to be a permanent adhesive. However, I have used their strip adhesive before, and it peels over time with washing. I saw a video of this on YouTube and figured I would give it a go. I did a test run on some scrap fabric just to make sure it worked. 

I followed the directions. You're supposed to first iron the Heat-n-Bond to the fabric and then draw the design facing backwards. I am using words for this so I printed out some letters on the computer and traced them onto the adhesive. 

To adhere to the sweatshirt, you peel off the backing and iron down the cut outs. 

I placed them all first so I could test placement and where to iron them down. I had to be careful not to over iron the letters. I pressed everything down then turned it inside out and ironed from inside.

Here it is on.

The giant tulle skirt is not part of the outfit. It just happened to be on the mannequin. It is actually part of my Halloween costume.

The next sweatshirt was white. I got the idea from a shirt I saw in Forever 21. It was full on sequins, and while it was too much for everyday I did like the saying. It said Work Of Art (Of which I consider myself at times). I was going for a more fitted, cute look with this one and started by cutting the neck out. I also wanted it to be a little more fancy, so I'm using glitter ribbon and metallic transfers. 

I wanted the word ART to be taken up a notch. I used Metallic Iron-On transfer sheets. I was excited to see these in the store, and much to my surprise they were a lot easier to apply than I had anticipated. I wanted the font to be something cool and artsy, but I couldn't find anything online or in Photoshop. So I ended up free-handing my own. 

They applied pretty much the same as any other transfer paper. I placed the letters down, covered them with Parchment paper, and ironed them down. 

The final product. 

For the last piece in the collection I am going to attempt....wait for it...a jumpsuit. I saw this fabric and immediately wanted to make a bodycon dress. The material is a Scuba-Knit and has quite a bit of stretch to it. However, once I got the fabric home I realized that when the fabric stretches the pattern becomes distorted and faded. It wasn't a good look for that kind of dress. I pondered long and hard on an alternative, and decided to attempt the jumpsuit.

I started with the bottom piece. This will be my first time making full length pants, so I created a pattern. I used a combination of some sweatpants and my shorts pattern. I laid the piece down and cut it out. 

Since this is a fabric with a large pattern, I paid special attention to symmetry between the 2 sides. Nothing worst than a lopsided pattern. After cutting it out I loosely pinned the 2 pieces and tried them on. They fit, so I proceeded. Next I put in pockets. Usually I do the complete hidden pockets in the sides. This time I tried front facing pockets.

It wasn't as difficult as I thought. I looked at a couple of YouTube videos and then checked out my own pants for reference. 

I did make them too small though. I really misjudged how big they needed to be less the cutout. So though they look nice, they're not the utmost functional. It's okay though. All part of the learning process. All and all the bottoms came out great for a first attempt. I was pretty impressed with myself that it was going so well. 

Next I added a waistband. I am going to add elastic to the waist to help cinch it in at the end.

Now on to the top piece. I used a cap sleeve like shirt I already owned and cut out both a front and back piece. For the front I was going for a little sexy, and cut a very low deep v.

With both the separate bottom and top pieces complete, I pinned them together and tried it on. After a few nips, tucks, and adjustments I sewed everything together.  

I tried it on after I sewed it together and the front v was a little too low. So I brought it up about 2". I tried it on again and friggin' eureka, I LOVED IT. To finish it off, I added cuffs to the bottom of the legs and the elastic to the waist. One good thing with this Scuba-Knit material is that it doesn't fray, so you don't have to finish the edges. I mean it doesn't get much better than that. That meant just like that I was done.

I did realize once I put it and on and walked around for a while, that my larger than average size bosoms were causing the front to gap and pucker. It was not laying flat the way I wanted. Honestly, I don't know what I was expecting because that has never been my life. So, I am going to add a piece of string across the front to keep it closed and in place. All and all though I absolutely love it. I am also very proud of myself. When I started this or even thought of it the whole thing sounded crazy and daunting. However, it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought. I just had to take my time and really think everything through.

Oh, and for those of you that haven't already seen and/or were wondering what my Halloween costume was. That giant white ball of tulle was part of my creation for SIA.

Very fun costume. Not so easy to eat or have a real conversation with people.

So that's it, the Fall collection is done. What do you think? I am pretty proud of this one. I really love all of the pieces I made. I just need to get an uber fabulous life so I can have somewhere to wear them all to. I have already plotted a few winter projects. There won't be a full collection, but maybe a piece here and there. Also I have gotten quite a few requests from others. However, full disclosure is that I am truly a novice at sewing. I know it looks nice on your computer screens, but the insides are a little scary sometimes. I'm just starting to really learn and make real stuff. And for right now I've only ever made stuff for myself. So, when you ask me to make you something and I give an inconspicuous rebuttle, I'm not just being fully terrible. It's because I'm still learning and still a little self conscious about my skill level. I am truly flattered that you have that much faith in my work though. 

Until then....It's on to the next project.

Miami Carnival - A Fete In the Streets!!!

So it's that time again folks. I'm heading back to the sunny city of Miami to dance in the streets, draped in jewels and feathers for CARNIVAL! Carnival is some of the funnest times had all year. Nothing quite compares to partying in the streets with good people, good music, good vibes, and lots of libations. Last year was my first year attending Miami, and I knew then that I would definitely be back. Now Miami Carnival is bigger, longer, and has a lot more masqueraders than Atlanta. There also isn't an abundance of T-Shirt sections. That means you either wear a costume or nothing. Last year some folks bought costumes as part of a band, and the rest of us just attended the festivities inside the fairgrounds. This year the costumes were quite pricey. So rather than purchase, folks opted to storm the bands. Which basically means, bring your own costume and jump along side the trucks with everyone else. So same fun without the price tag. Some of the other ladies were wearing costumes from Toronto, of which I did not play Mas. That means I needed to make it work. I have quite a few old costumes that I could've worn, but in typical Tanaira fashion decided to take the plunge and make one. Now I have made a lot of things, but a full carnival costume has never made the list. 

My first instinct was to try and match the other costumes so I looked like part of the group. However after looking at them I felt that was going to be difficult. Instead I went with trying to compliment them. I decided to base my design and color scheme off of a collar that I made a couple of years ago. 

The ultimate goal was to make a beautiful costume, but not spend a ton of money. That meant making my best attempt to use things I already had or could get for the cheap. Being that I have never made a costume before I was at a complete loss on design. I started with lots of research and looking at costumes online to get some ideas of what I wanted it to look like. There were so many amazing pieces. I finally collected my thoughts and drew out a sketch.

 I headed to the craft mother-ship to see what I could find. Even though I had an idea in my head, I was clearly still undecided and ended up buying a ton of stuff. Personally I think I was over thinking it, but hey that's me.

I started with the bra since that was going to be the focal point. My color base is going to be black. I actually already had a bra in my drawer that I was willing to part with for the cause. For the bottoms I am going to wear one of my black bikini bottom. So right there already starting off for the FREE! *cha-ching*

For the bra I stuck to my drawing. I added the middle piece of gold trim and a blue stone. I got the blue rhinestone from an old costume, and gold trim I already had in my stash. For the cups I started with other gold trim. I got this from the furniture upholstery section at Hobby Lobby. It was originally silver, so I spray painted it gold. I glued it down to the top and bottom, then proceeded to fill in the rest.

It was looking like my drawing, but I was feeling a little eh. I didn't like where the trim stopped. So decided to keep going. I added more.

Now we're talking! I definitely liked it at this point. For some extra va va voom, I added smaller blue and yellow rhinestones in between the spaces. 

I repeated the process on the other bosom.

Oooh Wee! Check out the fancy on those tatas. I was kind of excited and very impressed by this point. Can you tell? Next I worked on the belt. I started with black foam as the base, and then covered it with gold faux leather.

 Then covered that with 2 types of black sequin trim. One about an inch wide, and the other a smaller one strand.

Then I added a center bedazzled piece. I used a combination of jewels from other costumes, stuff I purchased, and stuff I already had.

I liked it but thought it still needed something else to take it up a notch. So I went and bought some bling on a roll and added it to the negative space. Then I added the same gold trim I added to the cups to the bottom.

With the 2 main pieces done, all I had left were the last remaining accessories. I used left over leather, sequin trim, and bling on a roll to create 2 armbands. Since my collar was so big, I wanted to go more simple on the arms.

For legs I knew I was wearing boots. So, I just did something to wrap around them. Honestly I'm never a fan of big legs pieces. I can never seem to keep them on. Mine always spend the day either falling down, or one being fully determined to fall off completely. I started with more left over material and glitter ribbon from my craft stash. 

I created the base

Then added feathers to the top.

 Last but not least was the head piece. I'll admit I'm kind of in between about head pieces. While I think large, feathered, statement headpieces are beautiful, I don't like to wear them. They can be heavy and hard to keep on your head once the jumping starts. I lean towards smaller more tiara like pieces. So I got some wire, and found a pendant, then added some beads.

With that I was done, and with a week to spare. 

So before I continue let's talk about the obvious elephant in the room. I was ready to go and super excited. I'm going to Miami, ready to fete my LIFE away. Then this damn hurricane decides to happen. Matthew is a hater and just wouldn't let us be great. I couldn't believe he decided to come moving through right before such a big weekend. I mean when they close Disney, you know it's serious. So many positive vibes and prayers to all of those who were effected from the US to the Caribbean.

I was determined and was not going to let a hurricane ruin my fun. Despite a cancelled flight and lots of worrying, I made it. I had to be flexible with my plans, but I made it. Here is the final product when all was said and done

Here's a few more pictures of the fun day we had.

Oh and props to my friend Dawn on not only her first Carnival experience, but she too made her own costume. 

Carnival was amazing and "de road" was even better. The entire weekend was a ton of fun. From all of the land parties, to the boat ride that didn't leave the dock, to carnival itself, ending with much needed relaxing beach time that left me with a very sexy back sunburn. I feted and whined my life away. I'm already having withdrawal, and can't wait for the fun to begin next year. 

Until then...Its on to the next project.