Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve

With Valentine's Day coming up in less than a month I thought I would do some pre-Valentine's wardrobe prep. Most of us girls look forward to this day with anticipation . This is one of those days that retailers take advantage of consumers selling the concept of love and romance. If I am like most girls, we look forward to dressing up and having a night on the town with our sweetie.

When I was in high school I was on an allowance that didn't always allow me extras for special occasions like Homecoming dances or white glove parties. I felt lucky I had learned how to sew at a very early age. I used my allowance to buy fabric and patterns to make the expensive fancy dresses for these special nights.

I made a few poor choices when combining pattern to fabric. I didn't always pay attention to the fabric recommendations on the label. I learned the hard way.

In the 70s and 80s Gunne Sax clothing was rather popular. 

1970's Original Gunne Sax Coton and Lace Dress

Typically, the Gunne Sax styled dresses were made of cottons and calicos and trimmed in thin satin ribbon and lace. The Gunne Sax pattern I chose was a very 80s styled dress, big billowy sleeves and all.

I picked out a pink taffeta fabric, similar to the fabrics of special occasion dresses I saw in the stores at the mall. I was very excited to embark on my sewing project.

The laying out of the pattern, cutting and preparing to sew was the easy part. Let me first say, that taking on a Gunne Sax dress is ambitious. The dress contains many pieces, many ruffles and many tiny buttons holes. Things were going pretty good at the start, but once I got to the bottom ruffle(which was approximately 2 yards all on its own) I began having difficulty. The taffeta fabric I thought would make me a Cinderella type gown was letting me down. The edges of the fabric began fraying and I had to double stitch seams, which were possibly going to open once I was wearing it. The double seams worked but they did not solve the overall problem. There was also a problem trying to create tiny little loops for buttons down the front of the bodice, ugh!

I spent hours and hours on the dress- perhaps a good week and half of hours at night (after all my homework was done of course) prior to the dance- I even remember doing last minute stitching on the dress just a few hours before wearing it.

Here is the end result and yours truly at 15

Valentine's Day Dance 1983

I strongly suggest to you my readers to match your project to the proper fabric- There is a reason for the suggested fabrics. As you see in the photo- the end result was lovely and I had a lovely evening with my date; but unfortunately it did not store well and fraying continued and eventually it was given away.

I learned a lot from this project and think it helped me become a better seamstress.

To Buy Or Not To Buy...Another Purse. That Is The Question!

June 14, 2010

I need another purse like I need a hole in my head. I can’t help it; it is one of my fashion weaknesses. I justify my purse shopping all of the time. My argument; purses are versatile, functional and people are always commenting on them; “Omigod! I LOVE your purse!” or asking, “Where did you get it? It’s F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!”

According to some quirky purse forum on the internet; the average woman owns six (6) handbags. I have that many just sitting on top of my dresser! So, let’s discuss purses. Sure, they are practical and serve a purpose. Some historians say men were the more common carriers of purses until the early 19th century. Society exchanged coin money back then and since men were the keepers of the money- well, they carried it…in purses…let’s move on. Now, don’t misunderstand; women carried “purses” too but they were not fashionable. Women’s purses were rather small and not very useful and the need for one was much less than the need of one by a man. During the 19th century it did become fashionable for a young lady to create her own purse; usually a drawstring type. These purses were handmade with intricate beading or needlepoint designs. Years later the beading and needlepoint designs of purses became more and more intricate and more and more popular. It was in the late 19th century that handbags were being designed and sold for women through retail establishments.

Purses come in all sizes, shapes, colors, designs, yada-yada-yada. A few years back, I was shuffling through a pile of junk items. They were of no particular value or consequence; and I picked up a cigar box. Without thinking, I opened the box and put something small into just like I would put something into a small purse or coin purse. Et voila! I was inspired! I had to create cigar box purses! I began collecting boxes of all shapes, sizes and materials from tobacconists and friends. Some of the more decorative cardboard boxes were pretty to look at but not very sturdy for everyday use. I fashioned handles out of wire and Murano beads, I tore apart old purses for the fasteners and findings, I was going to be the next Tom Ford in balsa wood purse history.

At first, I made a purse or two for myself. I considered them edgy; an extension of my personality and attire. And, as mentioned before, people began commenting on them and asking me “Where did you get that?” So, I had another inspiration; I will create OOAK cigar box purses to sell. I found a market for this type of purse and every purse I created I was able to sell. However, the same time that this new found venture was blossoming, I was working 50 hours a week in a demanding legal position and my need to pay homeowner’s insurance and buy groceries outweighed my need to create purses. My art was put on the back burner. Things are different today.

Transforming a cigar box into a purse is a creative way to show off your individuality. The design, though limited to a square box with a hinged lid, can be very artistic. My favorite cigar box purse is adorned with a vintage Bakelite handle, a photocopy of Andy Warhol’s “Marilyn” lacquered on one side of the box and tied to the handle is part of a hot pink feather boa I used to wear while hanging out in the French Quarter. I haven’t used that purse in years but it makes me happy just knowing that it is there- with the other umpteen number of purses I own!