Thursday, June 28, 2012

Plus-Size Awareness Rant.

It's okay, they are plus-size models.



The plus-size fashion world is on the rise...finally.

Finally big-boned, curvy,plump, stout, round, hefty, everything that is not size 6 has an awareness with the public.
And this is one of the many pics that my one of my Facebook plus-size fashion groups post.
Oh (bleep)ing great!

Yes, people need to BE AWARE of plus-size fashion and women.
Yes, there are ALOT us.
Yes, we were left on the side lines for years due to clothing designers' simply not wanting to tackle the problems of plus-sized women.
This is all great and gravy but damn, what's up with the sex-sales crap.

Instead of glamous Vogue shots with beautiful couture clothing in fairyland settings, I get two curvy women holding each other, naked except for jeans. I would be utterly PISSED insha'allah I brought a plus-sized magazine with the intention of seeing some great designing and THIS is what I got.

I expect plus-size fashion designers to be a step above the skinny cut (PUN) due to the straight-up challenges plus-sized women have to deal with. More resources like cloth, more time altering patterns, more patience for fitting and most importantly more care of the plus-sized image. In my eyes, images like this hurt more than heal because alot of women see this all the time.

Thousand of women have to see their saddle bags, twinkle sides, jello arms, thunder thighs etc on a day to day basis. Then when they visit their so-called caring plus-sized fashion sites for inspiration or how to improve their own image, they get the great privilege of staring at another woman's half naked/sometimes naked body. Also the future plus-sized women are being fed the same objectified-female-sex-sales crap that they had to endure from the already established fashion canons. 




  
It's classy, beautiful and positive.
And no extra skin. I would buy it.



I seriously believe that the plus-sized fashions could stand on it's own WITHOUT the sex-sale-I'm-almost naked-so-racy factor. Plus size people are on the increase, we are quite common, we want nice, well-fitted, fashionable clothes and we all know that a beautiful positive body image is a helping factor in feel better about one's self. Flattering clothing do help. 
















Monday, June 25, 2012

Gamer Rant: Rappelz

My main: Garyon
Yep, I'm a gamer. When I'm not doing housework or sewing, I'm grinding like a porn-star without Viagra on Rappelz.
I have been playing Rappelz for almost a year now and the game is pretty good. It's my way of relaxing and refreshing my brain after sewing & working. And I enjoy RP games.
Rappelz's graphics are beautiful, there's variety of landscrapes and monsters.
I mean, I really like this game.
But...
I don't like to grind...HARD...like slaves building the pyramids-HARD.
I understand that you have to work some to get some but grinding just to die is not my thing. After level 50, the quests come to a pathetic stand-by and your character is forced to lvl-up by dungeon partying. Insha'allah, I was without a kid, I would be getting my DP on.
DPing is only as good as your party, so going by my humble judgement, it sucks now because everyone is getting high-leveled pets to help them out. Personally, I rather be alone than when other players due to lack of maturity, civility and communication (for real). I have been in some good DPs before however they are truly rare.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

The Steroids Made Me Attempt It

Well, folks. There has been a change in plans for this pattern:
Burda Bustle Dress

The changes are due to my lack of pattern experience, being sick and patience. Since I have been spending more time being feverish, achy and sleepy from pharyngitis, I don't have the mental concentration to alter a size 22 to a size 32. In addition, I came down from my three-day steroid high (it was a totally authorized legit injection in my buttock, courtesy of my neighborhood hospital).
She said I would think I'm Wonder Woman and she was so right.
I was really sad about this...the dress-making plans...and coming off my steroid high.
Until I found this pattern:



Don't let the happy little perfectly drawn women scare you.
It comes in 10 delicious plus size flavors.
And I found out about this nice little pattern from Sew Misunderstood's Personal Sloper Tutorial.
She even provides a nice video on how to use slopers.

Now my reason from stepping back to a sloper is that: I needed to deal with my size and size 22 is not my size. As beautiful and simply divine as the Burda Victorian Bustle Dress maybe, it was too much to alter. Too much readjusting, slashing, clear tape and effort.

I looked through my ever-growing stash of patterns to find my untouched Butterick 6092 pattern. Since I have this basic building block of patterns, I can use my little knowledge of dart manipulation and ten pattern style books to make my outfit.
And the great thing: it's all my size.
I'm still in the stages of wax paper patterning, where I found as many things that need altering as possible. You basically put on the tissue pattern (in my case, my wax paper copy) and see how it hangs on your figure.
You may want to get people such as hubbies, close friends, relatives etc, to help with things.
I got the idea from this book:


Insha'allah you sew and make your own shizzle, this book is the dezzle.





Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Let's Do This...

....PAAAAAAAAATTERN REEEEEEMIXXXX!!!!!
(With Islamic alterations, of course.)

Roll up, roll up.
Ladies and gentlemen.
While I'm feeling the wondrous effects of my pain-killer, I'm, insha'allah, going to show you my next project.  
Introducing my Burda 7880,



What sold me was the historical jacket/top. I like the cut of the pattern, since I have been a princess-seam-aholic for some time. And the peplum is so cute.
I have seen tons of good reviews on this pattern too. Most of them talk about how easy the pattern is easy to do and how it fits. So I'm to try it out.
I have to say that just from scanning over the instructions, this is an beginner~intermediate sewing project. So read over very carefully and do a MOCK-UP.

A month and a half to complete.
Plus sewing for family and friends.
Plus making up missed Ramadan days (yeah).
Plus having to look at myself in my dressing mirror without any type of intoxication.

Fyeahseamstresstiger - Challenge accepted Most vigorously


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

What Muslim Pattern?: Part Deux

Here are some more patterns that I have in my possession.


This was for my hubby. I still have to try it out. I was sold on the design of the sleeves and how "groovy" the example in stripes looked. The Islamic approach is to hem this garment above the ankles (an Islamic dress code for Muslim men).

 

You are now thinking: HOW!?!
Or "WTH!?!"
I have accepted challenge and done it.
Well, I saw this a year ago and thought Victorian-style. So I made a two-piece outfit. The example in purple reminded me of The Duchess. Instead of a coat, why not a nice top. Most jackets and coat pattern have built-in ease and long sleeves. The pattern can be lengthen to tunic or a dress.


This collection of patterns is great for plus sizes as far as pants and skirts fitting over the derriere. Most of the time, they don't need that much tweaking except for the length & leg width. For some of the tops, you will need to alter the style of the sleeves and width.

I know that altering patterns is alot of work however it is VERY rewarding when you can wear what you sew. I feel great when I altered a size 22 to a size 28 then made it suitable for the Islamic dress code.
Some people will probably think: Would it be easier to just buy the Islamic clothes?
Me: Yes, it would. However depending on where you live or what is being sold in the Islamic stores, you are  probably not going to get what you want. Sewing your own stuff is still less costly than driving all over the place, spending money on matching stuff, ordering offline (plus here is that you KNOW what you are getting).
That's just my humble opinion.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

What Muslim Patterns?

Today someone said they came to my site looking for Islamic clothing patterns and I remembered: tutorials. So I looked through my patterns and to my dismay, most of my patterns were not Islamic. To tweak them, I had to alter them to my liking.
Most Western patterns dealing with skirts, tunics, dresses and pants need some basic alterations like lengthening the hem or widening the waist or hip. And for busty, more deliciously curvy sisters, it get alittle more interesting.
Wait...who am I kidding?!
It gets even more fun.
Then there's the costume section of patterns. I'm sure some of you are very familiar with the Navitity/Passion costume pack:


I own this one too.

Or the ethnic section:



Ethnic clothes patterns are kind of hard for me to find and I have collected some from the 1970s, when the ethnic clothing was the height of fashion.

Historical patterns are my favorite.

Now a Muslimah who looks at this pattern might go:"Oh hell, no. That looks too hard, might take a long time, it's old-fashioned."
And she runs off to hunt for that perfect blazer to ruin her outfit.
To a Muslimah that sews and spends a vast amount of time with patterns, this pattern is the deal.
Yeah, this is one of my Un-Islamic patterns that I own. And it is a VERY versatile pattern inshallah you are willing to go beyond basic altering.
Now to make this dress Islamic, the skirt is nice and long. Simple A-line, perfect template for trims and deco. You focus on the bodice.
The bodice is nice and fitted so it will not be baggy plus the hijab can conceal it better. The sleeves can be lengthen with an undersleeve sewn onto the puff sleeve version (the lady holding the shell). The long sleeve can be widened to conceal the shape of wearer's arm. The neckline can be made higher and if you go here:
Easy Alterations for Regency Dress
The maker of this awesome pattern shows you how to make bodice alterations like sleeves and button-front (very helpful for sisters breast-feeding or who don't feel like unbuttoning the dress from behind).


Disqus for DIDY Islamic Clothing