Handworks Crochet and then Some!

While in Panama I picked up some sewing/pattern magazines at the pharmacy!!! I had bought a Patrones off ebay before to see what all the hype was about.... but didn't see anything my body could pull off in it... I mean, fashion forward clothing is great... if you have the frame to carry them, and my curvy, 5'5 body can't carry alot of them... so back up on ebay it went. Plus Patrones patterns do tend to be more difficult. The dress above is cute, simple and I think I could pull it off.. maybe..... The dress above I could not pull off and I would have to hire someone with much experience to help me sew it... there's alot of patterns like that in Patrones .... but its soooo pretty! Love , love this dress!!! Style and the fabric choices! Ditto for this one!!! I think I could sew these 2.... The following pics are from the Moldes Magazine... which I love... cute s...

New Look pattern 6470.... great fit.. very comfortable. And made in one day.... Love the flounce on the skirt and the sleeves! I used a cheap mystery fabric from Wal -Mart to try this pattern out... but it makes for a nice wearable muslin. Now I know that I love it I can use so of my nicer fabric on this pattern. I also liked using a contrasting fabric... gives it more energy than just using all one color... I think so anyways!!

Before we left for Panama I made several new outfits... that I haven't worn yet! But last night we went to dinner with some friends at our favorite local nightspot so I decided to try wearing my 1st ever draped dress! The style is completely not me... I had to add the lace cape because I cut the neck way to low!!! I also never wear cotton unless its jeans... or stretch cotton! So I was a little uncomfortable in it. It felt all stiff and proper... As for the whole draping process... I have the book "The Art of Draping" that helped me through... I got a good fit! So I do consider the dress a success.. even if I don't like the fabric I used.... or this style on me! So all in all, not bad for a first draping project! I really enjoyed sewing up something that didn't require a pattern of any kind. Draping is fun and I want to try a knit dress or shirt using this technique soon! Now I'll probably cut up this dress for a purse! lol!

Its coming together!!! I added the crystals and did the hand beading on the bra last night... now I'm working on the details of the skirt.... so far I think it looks pretty wild and hot!! I normally wouldn't have done anything so attention getting to the drape/waist part of the costume but S has a long waist and she can get away with this drape I think. I really do love hand beading.. its just so time consuming!! But this print really called some hand beading... anything else wound't have worked near as well. One good thing about making a costume for S is I can't wear it because she is so tiny... so there's no danger of me telling S it was ruined and keeping it for myself... like I might do if it fit!! These colors are really going to go well on her. In Chinchilla world.... the baby Chin has been named... Machu! Also its a boy.... Check out how cute he is!!!!! In the video with Machu is his mom, Powder, and you can see one of my poodle babies outside the cage try...

Kissy (My Bald Man's cousin in Panama) took me to a fabric store in Panama.... and I spent all my fabric budget plus some of Bald Man's money!!! I couldn't help it.... just looking around the store I would have been safe... they didn't really have anything I would have wanted... Until they asked me what I was looking for.... I reply, stretch prints... unique stretch prints.... So they bring down from a room upstairs SOOOO much fabric. Not on bolts... these were left overs and cuts from designers!!! Beautiful good quality fabrics!!! Like the fabrics I bought in Miami at Rex's last year... but a fraction of the cost that I paid at Rex's!!! Why they didn't have these fabrics on display I don't know.... I guess thats good for me because if they were on display they probably would have been gone! Anyways... 23yds later.... I bought so many beautiful fabrics!!!! Here are just few (not even half!!lol!) of my fabric purchases.... They are lovely aren't...

Right away... back at costume designing/sewing. This Bellydance Costume is in the works for Sonja . It is no where near done... there will be many AB crystals, beaded fringe and sequins before its all said and done! Miss S doesn't like to show alot of leg... and there is a slit all the way up to the hip on this skirt... so I'm thinking I'll add a sheer drape and add small ab crystals to it later... So its sexy... but not revealing! I'm also taking a technique I see alot of clothing designers use. I'm going to be using braided trim on it... which will have tiny ab crystals applied later. You can never have to many crystals!!! Maybe to much fringe... but not crystals... that rule applies to any and all dance costumes I think! Well... thats whats in my head right now anyways! It may change!

Home again!!!!! Our trip to Boquete and Volcan were great... and our trip to Panama City was also!!! I have many pics ofcourse .... and I bought back 23 yds of fabrics!!!!! That I will take pics of later... because you really gotta see all the wonderful fabrics I found down there.... Thanks to Rico's Cousin and her family Panama City wasn't scary like I thought is was going to be!! But now I must talk about what we came home to yesterday evening..... A baby chinchilla!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Powder had a baby!!!! Look how cute and little he is!! Check out his tiny little face! They are the cutest things ever. Baby Chins are born with all their hair, teeth, eyes open and running within seconds after being born. And they make the cutest squeaky baby noises!!!! I can't tell yet if this baby is a boy or girl.... We have named it though... which isn't a good sign because that means we'll probably keep it and not sell it like I told Rico I would if they had babies.... oops...

Mist covered mountains... all the time... a.k.a. The Cloud Forest. We drove up to Volcan and Cerro Punta ... all I can say is... its breath taking!!! These 2 towns are on the other side of Volcano Baru . Cerro Punta is the highest inhabited town in Panama at 6,000 ft. The scenery was never ending beauty! Here is a very cute hotel between Volcan and Cerro Punta ..... In Volcan the land is very rocky but still rich volcanic soil. Lots of dairy farming going on here! You can barely see them in this pic but Cerro Punta is lush mountains covered in GARDENS!!! I'm talking lettuce, onions, cabbage, carrots, potatoes and on and on! On the side of mountains!!! How awesome to have such rich fertile soil, some rain everyday (which means no watering) perfect weather for growing... not to hot, not to cold... never freezing! And also I noticed chickens running around everywhere on most farms.. instant fertilizer ! And eggs!!! I wish I had chickens... So on one side of the volcano i...

Hello from Boquete, Panama!!!! This is such an amazing place... the scenery is like nothing I've ever seen... the place we're staying.. is wow!!! Check me and Brian out below having breakfast in this open air dinning area. Alot of places here are open air... there is no need for air conditioning or heating. There's a reason this place is called the city of eternal spring! I can't really say this is our view from our little round house.. its more like we're surrounded by these views! Here's our little round house! We are having a wonderful... beautiful time! This place is amazing.... below, one of the many streams running around town. There are also so many rivers here!!!! In this tiny little town they even have a fabric store, which carries mostly cottons. I have seen 2 of these sewing machines for sale here!! And I have bought 3 sewing magazines with patterns right off the shelf from a pharmacy.. more on them later.... The fruits here are unbelievable! Banan...

Well, it worked! My little vintage pattern worked for my poodle raincoat!!! yay!!! It was super easy! The pattern had this little belt thing that went around the body and buttoned.. I changed that. Which cut some bulk out of the front of the coat and made it easier to button!! Look at the cute.. easy pockets!!! I do plan to make this in another fabric because I love hooded coats!!! This should keep me dry during the rainy season of Panama! Since we're traveling this weekend we thought we should go out for a bit last night... check out my Bald Man 25 lbs lighter!! I'm so proud of him!! And check out my cute felted bolero to the right! One old Goodwill sweater+ some fancy yarns+ a felting machine=a very cute, unique accessory! I love felting stuff!!