Outfit 33 | Sewing Project | Senna & Jane

At some point in my decade of blogging (yes, I've been rambling on the internet for over ten years, let's please ignore some of the earlier angsty teen musings, okay?) I have most likely mentioned my love for all things Jane Austen. I am a fan of both the literature and the numerous film adaptations. This of course includes Clueless, duh. I finally got around to watching the 2020 Emma this weekend, and, admitting my aforementioned biased love, loved it. I always find myself inspired to create and sew after watching Austen films, because they have a tendency of looking like moving paintings. However none of this relates to the sewing project I'm writing about today, but the earrings I wore with it. I told you, I'm prejudiced and ardently a fan. 

This is the Senna Dress by Schultz apparel, which I pattern-tested earlier this month. A wonderful novice sewing project, the most challenging steps of this pattern are the pleats (if you have never tackled pleating before) and turning the dang ties. I loathe turning skinny tubes of fabric. Not even my seam-ripper can help me there. My hatred for turning aside, this is a wonderful and quick weekend project, and at the end of it you have a classic and comfortable day dress. The waist tie lets you decide just how cinched in you want to be, which I always appreciate in day dresses (you can loosen the ties a bit after a large lunch, for example). 

Once again, I have used a thrifted fabric for this project, and this is the first time I can really tell. I absolutely love the color, and it was great to sew with, but this fabric just feels a little different when worn. It's a smidge heavier and not quite as soft as some of the more brushed cotton sheets I've worked with before. Lesson learned to be a bit more picky with my fabric choices in the future. 

Back to Austen and these earrings, because I can't stop thinking of them, these are the Barely Tolerable earrings by Lassoed Moon, and I really have to resist wearing them every day. They are the perfect combination of bookish, sassy, and pretty, and they are iridescent. After watching Emma this weekend, the gingham and ruffle-y wheels are turning in my mind for a couple of projects inspired by some of the costumes. I may even try some more major pattern alterations and play with drafting some pieces. Wish me loads of patience & luck!