Colorful Zippers for Sewing Dresses and Skirts

  I have been sewing a lot these days and when you are sewing you need zippers. In the store zippers are expensive ($3 to $5 a piece) and I don't have the money to spend that kind of cash. So, I looked on line and found some great zippers at a lesser price. It is great saving money. I took a few pics of the colorful zippers that I scooped up. They are kind of pretty when you see them all together.

These are all the zippers I picked up. I ordered several specific colors and quantities but then I had the seller choose 8 colors of their own choosing. They gave me those bright yellow zippers (which are so bright, I love it) and several other colors I am sure will be used. The black, light pink, and light blue are the ones that I think will get used fastest. 

Ah! So pretty! I can just picture the dresses and skirts that will include these zippers.

Sailor Moon Lolita Dress

  About 3 or 4 weeks ago I started designing a Sailor Moon inspired Lolita dress and now I have finally gotten around to inking, scanning, and posting it.  I wanted it to be a dress inspired by Sailor Moon and not a costume.  I think I walked that fine line pretty well.  Sometimes it is hard to judge what is too much and what is just right and sometimes I have to reign myself in a little bit.  It is fun and easy to go over the top.

I want to color it but I have to wait till my lappy comes back home to me from the lappy hospital.  That should be this week with a little luck.  I am thinking the main color will be a navy blue with white trims perhaps.  This is what is in my head right now but I am sure it will change when i am playing around with the colors in Photo-shop. (You can click on the picture to embiggen it)

The main elements that I took from Sailor Moon and added to the dress are the pleats (even though her skirt does not have box pleats), the lace just off the shoulders mimicking the sailor collar, and the princess seam lines and seam just under the bust.  I looked at all of Sailor Moons fuku's for inspiration.  Ones from the anime, manga, original designs, and all of her different transformations.  

I really love the embellishment on the front.  My husband has just gotten into screen printing so I thought I would  utilize it in this dress.  A simple silhouette of Sailor Moon sitting on a moon with clouds and surrounded by tiny stars reminds me of the Vampire Requiem print with what looks like Tuxedo Mask flying through the air.  (I really would kill to have a dress or JSK in that print.  It is just so darn expensive.)

Anyway, I will be posting more of the dress when I am coloring it and sewing it.

Gabe Dress in Progress

  Well, it has been quite some time since I have posted about my sewing so I am gonna give you a little peek at what has been going on  in my sewing room.
  My husband and I are going to the Penny Arcade Expo at the end of this month and I am making 2 dresses to wear for the weekend.  Both of them are interpretations of the 2 main characters outfits and made into Lolita dresses.  I am making the Gabe dress first because my huband said he would like to see that one first.  I was equally excited to make both of them so I could not decide. 
  I draped the bodice on my form (I hate to draft patterns.  My mind does not work well when making clothes and wrting it down on paper.)  and cut out the bodice fabric. I bodice is mostly done.  I have to sew cute little buttons down the middle, put in the zipper, and a few tiny details.  I have the skirt pannels draped so all I have to do is cute them out, drape the lining, and them sew, sew, sew.  I am also making an apron to go over the JSK.  The Gabe dress is an underbust JSK and I will wear a black blouse under it.  I have never made an underbust and I think it is coming along pretty well.
   I am soooo excited for them to be done.  I really hope they come out just like I picture them.  If they do then they will come out adorable.  Here are a few pics of what I have so far.

   I just love the way the straps hug the side of the bust and curve around on top of the shoulders.  It is very attractive and gives a very nice fit.  Oooo, I almost can't contain my excitment!