2:39 PM

Mask with a message - I miss you all!

Hi loves,

I hope this message finds you and your family in good health.  It is a crazy time we are living in and I would not wish these times on anyone.  Many of you are doing the same as I am, making masks huh?  I don't think I've sewn this much in all of 2019.

I have been in the house since returning from India on March 14th... I don't think I have cabin fever anymore, and what we are having to do now has become much of my norm.  I was already heavily working from home, but taking that option away isn't fun at all.  Doing this on top of homeschooling is well... UGH.

All in all, I am in high spirits.  I have donated over 300 masks from NY to GA, and have began selling VOTE masks to encourage everyone to put their vote where is counts this coming election.

I hope you all stay safe out there!  You can find the link to my VOTE mask below. I am also doing custom masks for sale and donation, but they're not listed as the fabric options are literally changing daily.

Love and air hugs to you all!

https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/NeedesandFashion/tools/listings/789648784


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8:02 AM

Bubble Skirts in Milan




Happy New Year folks, long time no hear huh?  To be honest, 2018 was quite a year for me personally and professionally.  So much so, the absolute last thing I had time was for blogging.  While I still took clients, did some pop-ups, made myself pieces here and there, I was otherwise completely uninspired. 

There comes a time when you have to be honest with yourself and either step away from something, or take a break.  This was my realization over the past 2 years.  And while I am still not at 100%, I am making it my 2019 goal to get back to creating unique content and share more of that with you all. 

Over my time off from blogging, my career got really hectic (it still is) and demanded more of my free thinking and creative space.  In concert with this uptick, I chose to take my free time to travel more which was a requirement for me to reset.  Without those resets, I'd probably be in a mental institution somewhere lol.  Because of  my global career and my personal travel, I was hardly ever home. 


Just before Christmas, I took 2 weeks to travel to Milan, then over to Tanzania (Zanzibar to be exact).  While in Milan, I was able to use Airbnb's experiences for the first time and used the coupon they sent me to book a photographer.  Now.... I figured that would propel me into creating something really unique but really turned into, "let me create something quick and easy" because... well... lazy (hey, I said I'm still not at 100%). 


So I made a full circle skirt, self lined with this beautiful Ankara a friend got me from Ghana.  I paired it with an ever-sized striped shirt from H&M, thigh high Pour Le Victoire boots, a wool fedora, and a leather motorcycle jacket. 

Something about this look I was really digging.  Since I have other over-sized button ups, I plan on recreating this look with other skirts I have in my stash.




Enjoy some of the pics from my shoot MUAH!

Until  next time... 
- J


































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11:17 AM

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN??? Summer Denim Jumpsuit a mashup of NL6493, M6930, and Imagination



What's good sew fam?  I know, I know, I haven't posted anything in like 5 months, but believe me, your sis needed a break.  Here's what I've been up to:

In late February, I spent a week in Guadeloupe for my birthday.  What an amazing place!  I had never been before but definitely have plans to go back!




Anywho, as soon as I got back, LITERALLY... I raced home, dumped my luggage, packed my pre-arranged clothing for 23 days in Paris.  This was a work trip that was scheduled 3 weeks before I went to Guadeloupe.  

Now here's were the problem comes in..... 23 days of the most glorious food, work dinners, all day work sessions with pastries, all the wine.... ALL THE WINE!!!!

Again, beautiful place, I even took one of the weekends to go to Venice.  



But YALL.................I legit gained 15 lbs while there AND blew a sewing machine (yes I shipped mines there).  When I returned it really took me those same 30 days I spent from home to get my life together.  I began my workout regimen and slowly worked the lbs off.   

In that time though, I really lost my desire to sew.  I didn't go into my space for weeks.  I did client work, and that was about it.  I was uninspired, and flat out tired of what was available in both the form of patterns, and textiles.  So I decided to take a break.  





Fast forward to today, I finally put the pieces together to start blogging again.  I in better shape physically and mentally, but still uninspired most of the time.  I'm going to work through it though!

So about this jumpsuit.  I started on it in June as a solicited ideas from my FB group (Needles and Fashion).  I opted to alter patterns as opposed to draping so that others can be able to make the same. 

Inspiration: 

Would wear it higher up on the chest - tighten the straps a bit to keep it sexy but classy (Ally Denim Jumpsuit)

It wasn't easy finding a pattern to work with this top.  Thanks to my sew sis Shari Belle, I was about to get NL6493.  The fabric came from Fabric Mart Fabrics, but is no longer available.  Try these alternatives (HERE) & (HERE)

New Look Pattern 6493 Misses' Jumpsuit and Dress in Two Lengths with Bralette



First thing you will realize with this pattern is 1) The bust seam is not centered, 2) this is pattern has an overlap at the center front, and 3) The top of the bodice was a lot taller than I wanted for this jumpsuit. 

UGH, If it was easy, it wouldn't be right!

The first thing I did was cut 2 inches from the top of the center front piece. 



Next up, from the top right corner, I cut a diagonal piece off of the pattern that is a total of 8 inches long (this is important).  






Next you want to true up this piece with the side front pattern piece.  To do this, you want to connect to top corners with seam allowance and pin.  Repeat this down to attach the pattern pieces.  


This will leave you with excess paper in your seam which you will need to cut off.  


After that is done, you want to line your back piece.  This is so you can draft the slope of the back.





As you can see, I started my draft line on the front piece and progressed to the back in order to have a seamless line. from front to back rather than doing it at the side seam.  Once you have your draft line figured out, you can cut the pattern pattern along the line. 




As last, you will need to cut off the overlap portion of the pattern piece along the vertical dashed line. 


You then want to take your pattern pieces for the front and back and create facing.  I created 2 inch facing.  and a 60 x 4 inch piece for the belt. (the pockets are also pictured here).

I then created (2) 1 x 30 inch ties made from folding the fabric in on both sides and then enclosed it using a straight stitch.  



Next up, we draft the pants.  I used M6930 which I have used many times in the past and opted for this fit rather than the pattern shorts.  You can do the same with either to extend them into pants.  You can check my YT for tuts that include drafting this shorts into pants, but the gist is below. 



Form a slight diagonal line from the top of the crotch down 10 inches and mark.  From there, you draft a straight line stopping at the your desired length.  


Once all of these pieces were drafted, I created the top attaching the facing and the neck ties.  




The pants were simple pockets, front and back.  Once put together, I attached the top to the bottom. 


THAT'S IT!!!!

It would have been easier to drape this on my dress form, but hopefully this works for some of you that haven't progressed to that yet.  Pattern hacking ain't no punk tho!  Be sure to tag me if you make this!  
















































Until Next time... SMOOCHES!


EDIT:  For those that wanted to know, I am putting a post together next week to give you the deets on my work out routine and new diet!












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