Reflections... and a New Pattern: Butterick 5030

I consider this more of an online journal of my creativity and collected information that may be helpful to others than an endeavor to rack of page views and make tons of internet cash. To that effect, I'm pretty happy with my goal.

Within the past week, I've made a blog that is visually pleasing to me and written posts about the creative objects that I've crated and appreciate. My creativity is love expressed through my fingers and into the physical manipulation of objects, fabrics, patterns and crafts to create something beautiful.

The joy of finding a pattern, grading it to fit my body perfectly, cutting it out, sewing and wearing it is fun. Using a 50% off coupon at JoAnn's is like butter cream icing on a birthday cake.

Speaking of JoAnn's and coupons, I purchased a new pattern today - Butterick 5030.

Flared, wrapped dress, below mid-knee has semi-fitted bodice, front band or collar, sleeve variations.

Now, I already have Vogue 8379 and proudly wrote my very first Pattern Review.com review for it. However, that pattern is for moderate stretch knits only. Now, have you seen the stretch knit aisle at JoAnn's? There are the Sew Classics solids .. and then some pretty middle America boring fabrics. Yes, I know, if I want something awesome I should go to Mood Fabrics. But, I'm so used to using my 50% off coupons that I always like checking and seeing what's in stock.

So, while desiring something beyond the nice but boring knit solids, I wanted a wrap pattern that would be fit for the cotton, linen and light denim array of fabrics. Lo and behold, with a $1.99 per pattern sale at JoAnn's, I found Butterick 5030. 

After a five minute research session on Pattern Review.com (best resource for the sewer I have found online, hands down, period), I decided to go and check it out. Serendipitously, I also found a rather beautiful and very springy type cotton for (gasp) $12.99 per yard. Considering that I needed basically 4 yards of it, I was delighted that 1) it was not on a 30% off sale and 2) I had my 50% off coupon ready to go. So, a $50 cut of fabric came down to $25.

Some shots of it:

I love it! The dabs of color petals create the essence of flowers and springtime. I would love to wear this dress to an outdoor picnic or to a nice visit to LACMA on a sunny day. Of course, while looking at it, I got a second guessing of "Well, did I get the right choice for this pattern? Will it look silly?" The answer is no. I trust my intuition and my creativity. Plus, as a home sewer, not everything I need to make needs to be a solid color. It's okay for me to experiment with patterns and fabrics.

Because, if I rely on RTW garments anymore, they will all end up like this:

Forever 21 Fail.

Because, Forever 21 can't make dresses that fit over my ass. But, they can make this horrendous tribute to overpriced, drunken celebrity. SMH.

Oh! And an update on "Purple Haze." I've done the first row of light purple and have moved onto the slightly darker grade. The photo is in its' own post on the main page.

I hope to have the dress form done soon. When my dog first saw it, she started barking at it, confused. I thought it was hilarious. She has since, gotten used to it and ignores it.

Sometimes, it's the little things that bring a smile to my face.