The Pink Handheld Steamer: Confusing Non-Sewists Everywhere.

It's pink, it's oddly shaped, it has one job, and it does it well. 

(But it also has a side hustle of freaking non-sewing people out. Something about it says "1950's vibratory relaxation." I know this, because I asked a friend of mine when I caught her side-eyeing it with a confused, furrowed brow. "I know it isn't what I think it is...but I don't know what it is.")

What it is is a fantastic companion to my iron. This little pink thing will steam your finished clothes into billowy goodness. You fill the roomy base with water, plug it in and let it heat up while you choose your outfit for the day, then steam away the wrinkles, sans ironing board. I like to hang whatever I'm steaming on our closet's drapery rod, to get it from all angles, but you could easily use your shower rod. 

Those great big steam holes never drip, they just produce beautiful steam! And the cord is nice and long-- about 97 inches. I suppose, if you had the space, you could even steam out yardage, but I like to do that with my Maytag iron on my ironing board. (Oh yeah...and I'm researching ironing boards next.)

I don't like to recommend any equipment to y'all before I've had it and loved it for several months, and I've actually had my Jiffy Pink E Steam for over two years now! I've just been a slowpoke in sharing it with you. It hovers around 60 bucks, and also comes in black (but really why would you get black when you can haz TECHNICOLOR). My Maytag Smartfill iron (which you can see in the corner edges of these photos, with the water tank removed) is also still going strong, over three years-- I just bought a backup as the price has dropped to 30 bucks. Because OBVIOUSLY I need an iron for civilians who think steamers are...well...not steamers. (Fun fact! The first pleasurable device was powered by... steam! And was electrified only behind the sewing machine, fan, and toaster! I found this out when googling other words for pleasurable devices. Because I'm really looking forward to the weird traffic which will certainly follow my lead-in paragraph.)

Links in this post are affiliated and will whisk you to Amazon! Please let your fingers do the googling if you're not into that. Any pennies earned will go towards the sewing & blogging habit...and the occasional treat for my photographer.

Vogue 1239 : Wrap me in Rucci

Welcome, Summer. So glad you're here. A little bummed that I can't wear this maxi wrap dress, made back in Spring, but really, who knows with our new fickle seasons? I keep my closet all temperature now. Like a bottle of Cheer. Do they still make Cheer?

I'm getting too deep.

You see how my brain flits about. Concentration doesn't come easily to me. To boot, there's very little space in there once something is done. I therefore remember only hints about the making of this pattern, Vogue 1239 by Ralph Rucci. I do recall it was LOADS of fun, super interesting seamwork, lots of topstitching and getting into precise corners...

Can you see those intersections where the sleeve meets the front & collar? No? It happens on the back too! Here, let me pull my hair up for you...

No? Still hidden? Bit of a busy print, you say? I KNOW!!! ISN'T IT AWESOME?!!! This was another find from the glorious AKN Fabrics (located both here in town and online). At the brick and mortar, this six yard cut of Ankara set me back 22 bucks. 

Ya heard me. Twenty two smackeroos. 

 CUE SOUND OF MUSIC POSING.

Even with six yards, I still did a bit of jigsawing with this pattern, especially since I decided to maxify it, lengthening the hem panels to sweep the floor. I gained a little bit of elbow room by reducing the width of the side gussets by 2". Speaking of elbows, I messed with the sleeves too. I think maybe I raised the waist by 1 1/4"? Oh yeah, and I only used one side of the front wrap! And threw a wide horsehair braid in the faced hem...

OH HELL. You don't come here for the explicit sewing details, right? You come here to maybe laugh and hopefully get inspired to hack into some fabric, yeah? LOOK MAN. THIS IS A FUN PATTERN. GO MAKE IT!

(I know. Sorry. I'll try and dig up my notes on this, if there's interest in that side of my brain. It's wild in there.)