Crazy cat lady

I'm steadily knocking off items from modcloth like it's my job.  This is the third garment I've made in a few months that is almost identical to something on their site.  The quirky prints in classic silhouettes is just right up my alley, so it makes sense.  But when something is so simple to make (like a dirndl), I just can't resist.

So, apart from the spinster part, I am quickly approaching the definition of a crazy cat lady.  I'm obsessed with my cats.  These are my babies, and I love them so much.  I even have a tattoo of one of my cats (who we lost about a year ago and dude, still not even close to over it).

So, when I saw this skirt on modcloth, I knew it wasn't optional.  I had to have it.

But $60 for a novelty print skirt seemed... excessive.  And I am really trying hard not to make unnecessary clothing purchases right now.  But I wondered if I could find the fabric, and I suspected it was quilting cotton.

Low and behold, I found it.  I think I googled cat frame quilting cotton.  I found it at Hart's Fabric and bought two yards.  This all went down about midweek last week, and I got the fabric delivered to me on Friday or Saturday.  Super quick!

I washed it Sunday morning (along with some other cat themed fabric I'm psyched about) just so it would be ready when the mood struck.  And the mood struck that evening around 5, so I just went with it.

I'm actually in the middle of another project, a silk crepe Colette Zinnia.  I am really happy with how it's turning out, but I still have to attach the waistband (and hem!) and the instructions have me stumped.  I feel like the hard part should be over, even the zipper is done, but I'm just at a loss.  So Sunday afternoon I decided to put it aside and take my mind off it for a few days.  Googling tells me this is a problem for a lot of people.  I may just put the waistband in the way I usually do it and skip the confusing instructions.

ANYWAY.  After I gave up on that skirt I still wanted to make one, so I set about making something quick.  And what's the quickest, easiest garment to make?  A dirndl.

Three rectangles and just a few seams.  It's perfect and cute.  This fabric was even easier because I could use the cats as reference when cutting.

And dude, I LOVE how it turned out.  I think this skirt is the most "my style" thing I've made.

And an advantage mine has over the $60 version?  No partial cats.

No cat left behind (excepting the waistband).

I'm just butt crazy in love with this outfit.  I thought about wearing a bright red sweater but I thought that might be a little TOO Claudia Kishi.

Side note about this project.  After one too many replacements, I finally broke down and bought a legit invisible zipper foot.  Do it.  Do it now.  It is so much better than those little multi-machine plastic pieces of shit you can get at Joann's.  I've used it twice and marveled at how easy it was.

See also:  Clover marking tools.  Every Dritz thing I've bought (tracing paper, pencils, and markers) has been shit.  Just go with Clover and save yourself the money.

So, the details

Project:  Cat portrait skirt
Pattern:  None, just a n easy dirndl.
Fabric:   Cats in Frames from Hart Fabric
Notions:    thread, interfacing, invisible zipper (I just shortened one I already had, hence a black skirt with a lavender zipper!), hook and bar or a large-ish button.
Skills involved:  Geez, this one is so simple.  Almost none.  Gathering and putting in a zipper?  And if you were really worried about the zipper you could do an elastic waist.
Changes made:  N/A.  Actually I was planning to do a button closure but changed my mind at the last minute.
Fuckups: None!  The perks of not working with a pattern I guess

BRB, scouring modcloth for another piece to copy.

Sometimes...

You just have to make a cape for your cat.

I had planned to blog a simple little shirt I made a couple of weeks ago.  I used the Bess Top pattern from Imagine Gnats, the shortest length, and shortened it up a little more.  I also added a pleat at the front neckline because the neckline was super open on me (even cutting the higher neckline) and I wanted to tighten it up a bit.

I loved that shirt.  I've worn it so often since I made it.  I loved the fabric and it was comfy and it was the first garment I made that I was actually totally proud of.

The shirt in question, pre rip

I love the way the sleeves work with this pattern

The plan was to wear it today and take some pictures.  Until my washing machine ate it last night.  I was folding laundry and noticed something that felt off on the back of the shirt, and turned it over to see a hole the size of the palm of my hand.  There were also gross streaks all over the back.  I've identified the culprit (tub cover had some sharp pieces of plastic coming off) and my husband is fixing it this week.  But dude, I'm super bummed over this.

But what cheers me up when I'm sad?  Cats in clothes.  What's even better?  Cats in costumes.

I present to you:  Dimitri the super cat!

This was a result of many factors converging at once.  I was bored over Thanksgiving weekend with nothing to do.  I wanted a quick project I could handle quickly.  My husband came down and joked that I needed to make Dimitri something pretty to wear.

And so, my cat is a superhero.

Surprisingly, he doesn't hate it at all.  He just walks around like normal, except he can fly with the cape on (just kidding of course, but we totally pick him up and make him "fly" around.  Because we're jerks).

I just used leftovers.  Red quilting cotton as a base (just drew a general cape shape based on his length), navy jersey for the log and neck band.  I wanted the part around his neck to be as comfortable as possible.  It's elastic so it's easy to pull over his head, but super loose on his neck once it's on.  And the jersey is soft enough that it doesn't bother him.  I think it helps that we've had a collar on him since kitten-hood.

For the logo, I just drew out a couple of ideas onto cardstock and traced my favorite onto the jersey.  Then I topstitched it down onto the cape.

This was a super quick project, made with scraps, that has given us so much joy over the last couple of weeks.  I don't think there's anything more adorable than a kitten in a superhero cape.

You can also follow this general guide to make a super easy cape for kids (although I might stick with a velcro neckband for littles).  It's so much fun!

SUPERCAT!