Etsuko Furuya, will you design exclusively for me??

birds and berries outfit, originally uploaded by littlegirlPearl.

Only half joking there with my title. If I could afford to hire this woman, I would do it. And she doesn't even have to learn English because I speak some Japanese.

I'm in awe, I'm in love, I'm in lust with her designs. This is only the most recent fabric I've acquired of hers. There have been others that I wish I could get my hands on again. Most specifically this one.




It's the first fabric I encountered of hers and I was smitten from the start. There's just something about its funky vibe, retro feel, and color choices that I find irresistible. And judging by how many of these dresses I made, you all felt the same way.

The stripe that went along with that collection was amazing too. My daughter still uses the jumper as a top with a pair of jeans. The colors were so beautiful.

I loved the whole ladybug series, and all the colorways of the bird fabric. Unbelieveable.





Next to come was the vespa overalls which I think are great for boys.






My most recent obsession is this gorgeous double gauze fabric that has the most amazing hand.



I love the softness of the fabric coupled with those gorgeous colors. I've already tried three different patterns with this fabric, but am happiest with the little tunic design from Farbenmix, and the peasant dress with empire styling. Both have just the right amount of gathering, but not too much that you can't see the pattern. Perfection. And it fits the P.'s desire for as much blue clothing as possible. Oh, and she informed me that she likes purple too!

From Nashville,
~Melissa

SOWA and more...

SOWA (The South End Open Market to you) was great! Sorry, no pics at all, but you didn't really want to see me sweat buckets did you? I'm not even joking. At the end of the day I couldn't figure out what this grit-like substance on my face was until I splashed off and tasted the salt. It was that hot. And did I mention humid? But it was still great, and I met lots of people and had tons of fun. My daughter made a cameo appearance, and luckily just that because she's a bit of a whirlwind, and hates for me to sell "her" dresses. Too funny.

The more part is that I have a new line of BIG GIRL SKIRTS! They are made from Amy Butler's Nigella fabric, mainly in the wood fern and passion vine prints. They are fun, flirty, and oh so comfortable. Yet you still look great either going to work or going out in the evening. I have even made myself a couple, and am basically wearing them everyday in the heat. I promise to give you some sneak peeks in the next few days. In my lapsed weight watcher form, I refuse to have a pic of myself, but hopefully one of my thin friends will oblige soon. They will be listed in my etsy shop soon.

I've also been working on some new fall outfits, and I can't wait to show them off. OK, that's enough writing without illustrative pictures.

Coming to you from Minneapolis,
~Melissa

Crazy Revisited

sneak peek, originally uploaded by littlegirlPearl.

Not really crazy, but you know, "what are you thinking?" crazy. You'll see what I mean in a sec.

I have been toying with this design for over a year now. I actually attempted it some time last Spring, but set it aside as needing to be reworked. I never did get back to it. Let me explain.

I am inspired in lots of different ways. Like most people who have a fabric addiction, it starts there. But what to do with all of those colors and textures?? In my flight attendant job, I see lots of fashion, good, bad, and ugly. And really, let's face it, most of it is ugly. Occasionally you see the gorgeously put together woman, but most of the time it's pajama bottoms and crocs. Seriously. In public.

But one day this gal had on a white top that was made up of lots of bias tubes (I think) set on the diagonal. It was a simple shirt really, but the detail made it interesting. So this sets off the percolating in my brain, and I think to myself, what if I did that on a smaller scale?? Vertical bias tubes of different coordinating fabrics? The easiest way to accomplish that, or so I thought, would be to make single fold bias tape.

The problem, of course is that when I stitched them down to the bodice, I didn't catch all of the fabric, and when washed, it would've basically come apart. I was pretty distressed because I had spent virtually the entire day creating three of these dresses in different sizes for a show in New York. They still sit on my pile of half-finished enterprises.



Fast forward about a year, and this idea had not gone away. The truth is that I really liked the way it looked. It was totally different from anything else I'd seen, and I knew it could be done. So...for fall I decided to do a pink and brown combination with a soft pink corduroy for the skirt. I chose 5 different fabrics, and gave my rotary cutter a workout cutting bias strips. I sewed the right sides together, turned and pressed. Then, starting in the center of one side of the bodice, I stitched them in the center, so that there is sort of a "flap" look to them.



I'm pretty darn pleased with the result, and I'd love to make more in different colors. I quite like the all pink version from before, and it would be cool to do one in red. Any other color suggestions?? Because, you know, I have all sorts of time on my hands...