Blog Archive

Saturday, September 29, 2007

The first dress I ever made


Because of the previous post of mine showing the first GOWN I ever made, I remembered that I haven't posted the first DRESS I ever made!!! This little black dress is literally the first dress I ever made, and I'm proud to say that it fit like a glove, and I received rave reviews at the formal family lunch I wore it to. The detail at the hem and armhole are stringed glass beads, while the belt is a sequined tulle ribbon with glass beads buckle. I didn't think of this at the time, but it was QUITE A DRESS! For a beginner it was QUITE A DRESS INDEED!

The first gown I EVER made


I'm proud to post today the picture of the first gown I ever made. Above is my beloved aunt, for whom I created this column gown, with matching scarf-style poncho in the destination wedding's color motif. The attachment points for the front and back of the 'poncho' are accented very simply with biggish Swarovski crystals. The dress features a left leg slit, to which my beloved 'client' added dainty details. A cute personal touch from one of my first customers, hehehe : ) In the next week I shall be posting the first gown I ever made for myself. Finished it just today and I can't wait to show the world!! It's in a caramel rust color Indian woven silk, with crystal and semi-precious stone beaded halter detail. PLUS I'm currently making the matching jacket in the same fabric, so I can't wait to show THAT to everyone as well.

Monday, September 24, 2007

wedding dress?


I know I am years away from creating a gown as grand and flowy and perfect as this one from Reem Acra but dreaming is free, right? As a challenge to myself, I declare: I AM ONE YEAR AWAY FROM BEING ABLE TO CREATE A GOWN OF THIS CALIBRE.

puff sleeves in military green

The military green blouse at top right is what I LOVE about this collection of greats from Style Hive. I love the length of the puff sleeves and the neckline with biggish collar. But I have a minidress version in mind.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

custom stripes


This dress is another good example of how sewing together different fabrics can create a new 'fabric' for a truly custom project. In this case bands of four related colors, all from one's personal preference, create an effect no ONE FABRIC can achieve (and NO ONE else can own exactly the same piece). The buttons where the side zippers would be also lend a non-store-bought feel to this dress by Trina Turk.

'custom' fabric dress


This dress is a representation of one of my next projects -- patchwork in direct terms, but CUSTOM in COUTURE terms : ) The point in making it patchwork is uniqueness and custom-designed impact. This way the particular dress of mine could never be seen in exactly the same fabric as some random department store find. This is by Ashish Gupta from the London Fashion Week [picture, through Style Hive].

Friday, September 14, 2007

reem acra girly dress


This dress by Reem Acra is exactly what I wanted to make for myself (the skirt part only) in the form also of a dress. My interpretation of something like this resulted in the blue MONKEY CHEF dress I made (a pattern from the net... September 2007). Got this from Style Hive.


Where do I get eyelet lace lilke this?! It's been a long search and none have tickled my fancy. I've seen ready to wear stuff for sure, but fabric is a different story. Most of what's available are not as stylish as I'd like... Oh well, the search continues. The dress above is by Trina Turk.

Thursday, September 13, 2007


This is where I've been practicing my sewing machine operating skills on! Curtains, duvet covers, and bedskirts! I recently finished this labor of love, and it proved to be so rewarding! It's amazing how yards of affordable fabric, a little measuring, cutting, and sewing can transform a room into a cocoon into which one can retreat. This is my mom's room, and I think it couldn't have turned out better! She said she feels like she's in a soothing garden while in her newly coordinated suite!

PINk cushion


I came accross this thing of beauty while looking for an appropriate logo for my blog... Isn't it just perfectly literal?! It's pink; it's a cushion (a cushioned seat, alright!); and it's a PIN cushion. It's amazing how a little google-ing can find you a picture of almost anything you want to see (or don't want to see, for that matter)!

grecian blouse


I finished this blouse recently, and I love the way it draped on my torso. Draping is currently my dream thing to master, so I'm so glad this turned out so well. My husband got me the fabric knowing I'd love it, and I did! It's amazing how expensive something can look after a little effort from the heart : )

my husband Robert and his garden


This is my lovely husband Robert, displaying one of the fruits of HIS passion -- GARDENING!!! He loves how this garden turned out-- the simplicity of it, as well as its understated grandness. Isn't he a cutie!?!
I say this is one of his gardens because he has designed and executed several, for his family and mine. This pictured here is actually a second-floor-concrete-porch- turned-garden-oasis!!!

Carolina Herrera gowns


Carolina Herrera's runway shows always fascinate and entertain me. Her designs seem so simple and wearable
that they actually run the risk of being nothing new (in my humble, novice opinion)! But upon closer inspection her choice of fabrics, cuts, detailing, and combinations thereof, are indeed genius, and new : )

Tuesday, September 11, 2007


The picture of this dress has been on my inspiration board for the last two months. I haven't gotten around to turning it into a project but as soon as I do, I'll be sure to post it here : )

a pattern from the net is a gift from God


This pattern is truly a gift! I've been trying to form in my head how to make a balloon skirt like all the lady-like women are wearing. And one day I struck gold with a free pattern from a website. I printed all 35 pages, taped them together, and started making this one in size SMALL. However, I have to take pure credit for the mini-box-pleats detailing at the sleeves. It took me 6 hours to make all of those by hand! Plus, I love how big sleeves mean smaller looking arms, hahaha! The pattern, however, gave me a few problems, since the chest portion did not fit me at all. I guess their small size is not small enough. But after a few minor alterations, and addition of another dart from chest to shoulder, it finally fit perfectly! I love how this print always gives people a reason to smile. Who doesn't love monkeys -- monkey chefs for that matter?!?

Puff-sleeves eyelet dress with buttons and collar


This dress I am particularly proud of, because it turned out beautifully, in my humble opinion! The fit (on me) was superb, and my application of newly-learned collar and puff sleeves techniques was a success. My husband and I agreed on the perfect buttons for this project, after a lengthy consideration of choices of our ten finalist would-be buttons. I guess my obsessive compulsive attention to detail and to overall look, paid off in this case, as I received many compliments while shopping at the mall. It's a bit dressy, I know, but I was feeling like a million bucks that day, so I wanted to dress like a million bucks as well, hahaha : )









eyelet bubble hem dress














This (third picture from the top) is my first and only attempt at a bubble hem dress, so it took a lot of trial and error on my part, to get this to turn into something close to what I originally wanted. The original inspiration was by Sass & Bide (shown above in stripe black and white), but the lacey black (eyelet) fabric was inspired by a Monique Lhuillier number of similar shape (shown second from the top). It doesn't show in the picture too clearly but this is lined in shocking orange, matching the glass beads ring buckle. I wanted to keep it young and fun, as black lace is too serious and safe on its own. The bow at the back was removable with the belt for versatility.





Monday, September 10, 2007

standing collar summer dress



Again a first attempt. This time at a 60's style standing collar! I love this fabric-- the color, the pattern, and the texture. For this project, the most noteworthy thing I think is my braided belt. I think it brings a sense of handmade-ness to the rather straightforward dress.

scarf blouses




This yellow scarf blouse is one of my earliest projects while this blue one is one of my latest. The yellow one was finished without an overlocking edger, and without me having any skills at properly forming gathers (I used a garter to gather the sides, instead!). But I love this blouse, and I don't think anyone notices the very simple techniques I applied as a beginner : ) The Swarovski baguette-shaped crystals I sewed to four points really gave it a finished haute couture look! I have since learned the techniques necessary for making professional looking gathered fabric blouses. So, this time, for the blue one, I used this lovely pattern, also in sheer drape-y fabric. I love it when animal prints are mixed with flowers, especially roses! The electric blue certainly makes it less mother-ly, and more pop divalicious!






'Barbie' dress with pockets and Swarovski belt





This pattern is a hit for kids and adults alike! And the pockets always get me compliments from friends and strangers. The crystal detail and great fit don't hurt me either. But bragging aside, this dress is really a good representation of my sense of style-- not too safe and not too playful. For a party I was to attend, I beaded the top front portion with Swarovski beads (silver, rainbow, and yellow, in different sizes), thereby upping its wow factor (back to bragging, hahaha).

floral cocktail dress


This is one of my early projects, and I made it for a graduation ceremony I was invited to. The fabric was stretch-y and shiny, so it was perfect material for a pencil cut at the hem. To not make it too body-conscious, I designed it to hang away from the body from below the breast. For that purpose, I had to experiment with ruching for the first time. The ruched portion was to be body-hugging, while the rest of the top was more relaxed and flattering to my petite frame. The result: a pencil cut empire dress that was very me!

dress with pockets, RELOADED







I loved the result of the dress with pockets ('Barbie' dress) that I decided to make another one using the exact same pattern. Prints are my passion rightnow, so I used this flora and fauna patchwork print, which is a lot of fun. It's actually just up close that one can see that elephants and giraffes mingle with flowers and trees in this great pattern. The colors also make it a dress that can brighten up the darkest of days. Again I used a crystal buckle (The dress comes with a custom belt in an exactly matching green) to up the wow factor and downplay the kindergarten-y theme in the material.