Malotke Sews

The MoPOP hosts an annual Fashionably Undead Halloween party. It's one night & has a costume contest, late night open exhibits, food & beverages, and DANCING. Also photo ops and other cool things like a scavenger hunt. This past year the theme was "The Goopening" and I was invited to be one of the Costume Contest Judges. It was a blast! First off, what a surreal experience. I loved seeing how creative the attendees were and everyone that entered the contest was excited to show off their work. We had a few items for judging criteria and there were a LOT of entrants. Overall, I loved seeing everyone embody their characters / costumes. The top five got to do a little runway walk to show the audience and then the winners were announced on stage as well. Since I love a good excuse to do a costume AND I was one of the costume judges I felt like I needed to make a fun goopy look for the evening. BUT it also had to be something that I could drive in, sit for a long period...

All three jackets. A few weeks ago I received an amazing gift from my husband's family - 3 vintage fur coats/jackets and 2 fur hats. I was over the moon excited about them. When his family offered them I was ecstatic at the chance to have some real fur options in my costume collection to use for future shows (when everything opens up again). At the moment I just have them in garment bags hanging in my office and the hats are in a hat box. We are in the process of redoing our garage and creating a better storage space for us, and once it's finished I will have the appropriate space for costume storage. Ideally I will have my own mini costume collection of basics and one of a kind pieces that I can use in shows.  Each jacket is different and it's really exciting to have these new fur options in my closet. One is a long white fur coat with an extra slip of fur (I assume for alterations). The tan colored brown one is shorter than the white fur coat and the two hats match the co...

Above is a close up on the neckline. I used a solid black knit for the neckline to really stand out against the red poppy pattern. After finishing the neckline I just needed to finish the hem! Since it was already serged, I decided to just roll the hemline up and zig-zag stitch it in place. The final look! The top is a little big overall, but I like the length of the short sleeves. If I made another top I would make the top a little more snug and I would move the peplum up the waistline about two inches to work better with my body shape.  For this top I used a test pattern I received a few years ago, the Parker Peplum, as a sloper in a way. After I had laid the two pattern pieces out on the fabric, I changed the underarm/side seam curve. I also did the sleeves and neckline differently than when I created this top the first time: Pattern Testing Part 2 .

After going through all of my fabric I decided to make a couple of simple styled tops to add to my work clothes closet. I have a pattern for a peplum top that has just 3 pattern pieces (cut two of each: front/back, sleeve cuff, and peplum). I chose a stretchy red, black, and white poppy print fabric from my stash and started working on the top. I laid the fabric out, pinned the pieces, and cut everything out. Then with everything cut out, I started to pin stuff together and run it through my serger. Pictured above is a snapshot of me pinning the front and back sides. After serging the side seams together I serged the sleeves and the cuff pattern. Then I rolled and pinned the cuffs and hand sewed them to the serged seams. I serged a black ribbed knit to the neckline and then, like the sleeves, rolled it and pinned it to the serged seams to then hand sew together. After this I just have the hemline to finish!  I'll post a picture of me wearing it once the hem is finished.

Since my fall and winter shows have been postponed to next year, I have a decent amount of time on my hands. So far I've been using that time to take online classes, tune in to various webinar seminars, and read for fun. I've decided to finally work my way though some commercial patterns I own. I am currently in the process of hunting down all of the necessary notions for each pattern.  I've chosen two patterns to focus on at the moment. First is a Simplicity pattern #8229 by Madalynne for a matching underwire bra and panty set. The other is a lined button front unisex jacket: McCall's pattern #M7818 "W Melissa Watson for Palmer/Pletsch". My plan is to use as much fabric from my current stash as possible and only buying what I am missing. Since I don't typically sew stretch lace and spandex, I will be buying most of the fabric for the matching bra and panty set. However, I have plenty of fabric to make multiple lined jackets, so I will be able to make a ...

If you read the first part of this blog post you would know that I had finished the Juniper Skirt, but it wasn't quite what I wanted out of a skirt. It was a little too short for my taste and I felt like it needed something extra. I decided to add a ruffle to the hem.  I sewed two long strips together and serged all four edges. I then finished one of the long ends that would be the bottom hem. Since I had serged it I simply turned it up and stitched it, you can see the finished hem in the picture above on the left side of the fabric. After this I sewed two gathering stitches along the other long side (as seen above). After sewing the gathering stitches I pinned the piece to the skirt's bottom. I sewed them right side to right side and then pressed the seams up. Pictured above is me sewing a top stitch, securing the seams to the skirt. Final look! I took the "Juniper Skirt" pattern from Mood Fabrics blog, and added a ruffle hem to it. I actually really love the end res...

Finishing the waistband. This past weekend I wanted to make a simple skirt to add to my closet. With the temperature getting warmer and warmer every day I decided I needed some other options for my work attire besides my go to ankle cropped dress pants. I went through my pattern stash and discovered I didn't have a simple skirt pattern in my size. I went onto Mood Fabrics blog - Mood Sewciety - and searched their free patterns for a simple skirt option. I landed on their short A-line skirt option called the " Juniper Skirt ."  I printed out the patterns and then based on their size measurements chart I selected my size and cut out the pattern pieces and tapped them together. I was hesitant on the over skirt flap that was shown with the pattern and actually ended up not adding it to the skirt. I decided that instead of following the directions, I would treat this as a mock up skirt for my personal body type and fashion tastes. I used a black/brown/gold cotton fabric with ...

The Final Look: A while back I finished this lovely dress but it when it was finished it was way too big for me. I had managed to drop a few sizes while I had been making the dress. Ever since it's completion it has sat in a pile of almost finished personal projects. I finally decided to make the necessary alterations so I could add this fun dress to my closet. I needed to basically take the dress apart and redo it. I took the skirt off, removed the zipper, and undid the side seams. I then added a front seam and took in the side seams. I redid the hem on the skirt and moved the waistline up a few inches to a more flattering place for my waist. When I sewed the top and skirt together I chose to do a couple of pleats instead of gathering stitches. With the geometric print of the fabric I thought it would add a little more visual interest. After this I  redid the zipper, choosing a shorter than the original.  Now it not only fits, but it is flattering on me and I am exci...

My Pie Run costume is comprised of cherry pie workout leggings, a faux suede lattice crust vest/shirt, and a whipped cream hat with a cherry on top. Once I have pictures from the costume in action during the Pie Run I will post them! It was really fun to make something so different for a change. I look forward to other fun challenging pieces in the future.

Sewing panels together I really enjoyed making these workout pants. Shout out to the Simplicity Pattern 8212, the Up For Anything: Your Ultimate, Go-To Pair of Leggings. It was a pretty straight forward pattern to follow. After cutting all of the pieces out I decided I would zig zag stich them together instead of serging. Why I did this I don't know. It wasted a lot of my time. I had to be extra careful of the fabric snagging in my machine. Then I top stitched several of the pieces just for the extra touch, it wasn't a part of the pattern. Once I had sewn the panels together I decided to switch to using my serger to finish sewing the pants. So much faster! Time to sew the crotch seam I managed to finish them fairly quickly and after trying them on I needed to take them in a little bit to get a better fit for myself. Once I had them fitting the way I wanted I attached the waistband and hemmed them just a little bit shorter than suggested.  While I used a commercia...

Cherry Pie and Lattice Crust Fabric The cherry pie fabric I ordered from Spoonflower arrived!  It is a sports Lycra and since it's from Spoonflower it is a white fabric and the design is printed on it. With that process in mind, I was slightly worried about it potentially being see-through, but when I got it I was pleasantly surprised. It has a nice feel and despite it being very stretchy, I'm not worried about it being see-through when I wear the garments made from it. Cutting Time! After washing and drying the fabric I decided to get cracking on my pie costume for the upcoming Pie Run. Because of my time limitations with work I am unable to create a pattern for my workout outfit from scratch and I have chosen to use a commercial pattern from Simplicity for my workout pants. After remeasuring myself (my size has gotten a lot smaller since I took measurements last year), I cut out the pattern and laid out the pieces on the fabric. I am insanely thankful for my cutt...

Next project is a pie costume for a pie themed 5k in mid August! Because of my time commitments I am unable to make a custom pattern for myself so I will be using a commercial pattern for my workout attire.  My costume will consist of cherry pie workout pants (haven't decided on length yet), a red top, a lattice looking vest made from tan felt, and then a whipped cream hat with a big red cherry. Big goals but I am very excited about the finished look for the 5k. I have about 2 weekends to complete the costume. I don't usually sew sportswear so this will be a fun adventure. I ordered a few yards of sport lycra on Spoonflower that is a cherry pie print. I'm hoping to incorporate the leftover fabric either in a top for the race or a sports bra. 

Finally adding more colors. While my style is somewhere between geometric print goth and forest witch, I have been in the process of trying to add a little more color into my closet. I wear a LOT of black and white patterns. While I absolutely adore my black and white section of my closet, I have been trying to introduce more colors into my wardrobe. Stripes for days. Pictured left is a small portion of my dresses & blazers section of my closet. While there is some classic black and white stripes and houndstooth happening, I have added some solid fun blazers to mix with all the patterns & prints. I've also managed to add some variety in colors to this portion. Slowly but surely I am figuring out my style and if after all of this my style is still very heavily geometric print goth, then it is what it is and I will rock it.  A lot of my closet comes from second hand stores. Sometimes I'll find something that I would want to tweak just a tiny bit, so it gives...

I found a great zombie pinup girl fabric at Joann Fabrics. It was too unique to pass up on! Using a pattern I already own I decided to make a very basic sleeveless dress.  It pairs two of my loves: a tailored look and a quirky fabric.  Because I purchased the fabric without a project in mind I didn't have enough to make the entire dress out of the zombie fabric. I chose a plain black cotton fabric for the lining pieces as well as the front two side panels and the back two side panels (so basically the sides of the dress are black). I also chose a black zipper for the dress. I really enjoying just making something simple and fun for myself. While it isn't necessarily something I can wear to work, it will definitely get worn! After I finished sewing it all together I tried it on to mark the hem and it was way too big! Apparently my measurements I took a few months ago are no longer the same. Instead if just altering it then and there I elected to wait until Septe...

As promised, here are my progress images from pattern testing the Parker Peplum by Seen & Sewn Patterns ! First things first, I had to cut and piece together all of the pattern pieces. Then I figured out my fabric choices and started pinning down the pieces. Next step was cutting out each piece. After that I did what I usually do for sewing projects, I serged all of my cut pieces. This wasn't really a step in the pattern instructions, but I tend to do this for everything I sew. Since it's knitwear I could have serged the pieces together, but I wanted to sew them together and then decide if I wanted to press seams open (little difficult with zig zag stitches) or serge them together. Next was the sewing part. The instructions were easy to follow and I liked that it had accompanying images to check what you're doing at each step. The pattern is pretty straight forward. You sew one shoulder seam, put the neck binding in, sew the other shoulder seam, and finish th...

Parker Peplum This week I got to test another pattern for Seen & Sewn Patterns  called the Parker Peplum! This past summer I tested out a pattern named the  Aspen Tank . It went really well and because of my fabric choice and the top's silhouette I am able to dress it up for work or wear casually out and about. For this top it was suggested to use a knit fabric. Without looking deep in my fabric stash I decided I didn't have a fun knit fabric and needed to go shopping...but I had some issues with there not being enough fabric of the ones I selected at the store. I found a basic black textured knit and got 2 yards and about 5 inches (it was all that was on the bolt). I found a fun printed remnant to use for the peplum if I didn't have enough black. Well, when I got home I cut out the pattern pieces and started to lay them out on my fabric. I ended up not having enough of my black and white gingham remnant to use for the peplum pieces. I could have made th...

Project #1 is to make covers for some pillows I have for reading in bed comfortably. I found a really soft polyester grey velour at Joann Fabrics. It was a remnant, so I have just under a yard. Project #2 is another one of those Dress Express dresses in a light grey. They still had a few but none in my size (Medium) so I chose a Large and will just make the seam allowances larger to make it more of a medium fit. Also, I'm thinking about using a black knit for the neckline and armholes instead of the grey it comes with in the package.  The first dress I made like this one was so cozy I had to grab another pre-cut kit to have a second comfy dress.  Upcoming Projects: I will be pattern testing a lovely peplum top for a pattern company and also starting to design costumes for a show. More to come on both of these when I start working on them.  I will be posting the progress and final images for my current two projects when they're finished. As usual, some things ...

On Saturday I purchased a pre cut dress express kit to help me get out of my sewing rut. I've been uninspired and just not feeling it with sewing lately. It's a soft knit in a black and white tie dye pattern. The instructions were pretty straight forward and simple. They have you stitch one shoulder seam and then do all of the bindings (neck & 2 SH seams). After that it's side seams and hemming it. I chose to serge all my sides and the hem. For now I have left the hem alone. I'm considering finding a trim that would add a little bit of funkiness to the bottom of the dress. But if not, I will just hem it an inch or two and it'll be great. Pictured Right is the completed dress on my male mannequin. My female mannequin is currently broken so I've been using my male one for everything. Once I get a better picture of me wearing the dress I will post it!  Right now I don't have my next project lined up, but I will probably start something this co...

I've been in a really bad design rut lately. I haven't wanted to sketch or sew anything since I finished costuming "Servant of Two Masters." It's been a rough couple of months. I finally finished reorganizing my desk area and have been trying to figure out what to work on project wise.  I have been hard at work finalizing my business plan and other related things, so I just haven't been in a creative sort of mood.  I figured I should snag a couple of zippers from JoAnns and while I was there I ended up with  few extras, as usual. One of the things I got from their clearance section is a pre cut dress kit. It's a soft knit with a fun black, grey, and white pattern. Plus, it's a great addition to my closet for just $8. Since it's pre cut it'll be a quick project and hopefully help me get out of my rut. Fingers crossed it works!

My geometric print dress is finally finished! However, it does NOT fit very well. I thought I had adjusted the pattern to fit me better. This finished dress is very unflattering to my figure. I have been in the process of loosing weight and I guess since I had cut out my pattern pieces I have managed to loose a bit in my measurements. I really love this print and the colors are so different than what I typically use in my closet.  My plans of now are to: take in the shoulder seams (they're currently pinned in place for these pictures), remove the zipper, take in the back and side seams, and redo the hem. It needs to be about a whole size smaller, which is why I will be taking a little bit out of all three seams (back and both sides).  In addition to taking in those 3 seams I plan on adjusting the princess seams just a smidge. Think more dart like than actual seam line. Essentially I am making a whole new dress, or at least that is what it feels like I'm planning on doin...