Sunday, December 9, 2012

Sewing-Genetics

My grandmother was a seamstress and worked for actors like Clark Gable, made clothing for the actors on Hawaii 5-0 and worked for Lee Jeans for several years. My aunt made wedding dresses and could hand bead the most intricate designs. My mother has always made my Halloween costumes, my doll clothes, and has a knack for making complexly designed quilts. I can make pillows, really really janky pillows.  I truly wish my family's sewing-gene was passed on to me. In a way it was but I was never really good with geometry and measuring. I like to "eyeball" things, so needless to say everything I make is a little wonky.

But I am thinking with the guidance of my mom, I might be able to make a blanket coat. Basically you take a blanket and add sleeves. (No, not a Snuggie, how dare you.) I have even seen some where the sleeves are made of another material like suede or something which I think I would like, it would help break up the pattern.


I've found these beautiful "Mexican blankets" that are $16 at a Native American shop in Kansas but I'm afraid it'll just look like a poncho or like the baja hoodies stoner-kids wear in highschool.

For Example:

Not quite the right look I am going for.













Some might be able to pull these looks off, I am not that someone. I would look like I was trying too much. Or like I was wearing a costume.

I will be visiting home for the holidays by the end of this weekend, so perhaps during my stay I can work on making one of these jackets with my momma.

Here is a sneak peak to a picture post coming soon...

We set up a photobooth at our Christmas party this weekend.

























Ps. I get my pesky tooth extracted tomorrow morning. O_O

2 comments:

jori said...

This made me think of our sewing night, when we were going to watch Amelie and make our own clothes... I don't know if you remember... I can only speak for myself, but I just remember grand illusions of coming out of the evening with a closetful of Amelie-style handmade clothing. Instead I came out with one simple skirt. That my mom ending up making, completely.

The fact that your shirt turned out just fine that night, years ago, speaks well to the hope of your current project, I think.

Rachelle Hamilton said...

I literally laughed out loud when I read your comment, because I completely remember that sewing night. And how my shirt immediately became a "sleeping-shirt." I also remember when we had plans of learning how to knit hardcore and how we wanted to knit full on ensembles. I believe we even talked about knitting a full on suit with yellow yarn.

When I say I would be sewing this blanket-coat what I really mean is supervise my mom for when I might make future blanket coats haha. Seems like much hasn't changed. haha