INDIA FASHION

Friday, December 23, 2011

How is it only 2 days til Christmas?

Hi everyone! Gillian here, in Canada... (I'm really hoping my sister doesn't follow this blog - but if she does: Hi Anne! Don't look to carefully!) I've been meaning to post for... oh, you know, months! Yet somehow I find myself here, 2 days before Christmas. I finished the last of my gifts today, and almost everything is wrapped.

I'm pretty broke this year, so I made a lot of gifts by hand. I've been blogging my progress at http://crafting-a-rainbow.tumblr.com/ Luckily I have a pretty huge stash of materials from 5 years of living in Japan. (Seriously, the one thing I miss about Tokyo is 7-story-tall craft stores!)

Here are some of the things I've made:

Lots of wreaths for friends and family

A reverse-applique felt pillow for my Mom

Felt Heart Ornaments for friends. These are a family tradition, and I make more almost every year! *Bonus Cat Picture!*

some Zippered Bags from Elizabeth Hartman's "Perfect Zippered Bag" pattern - and my goodness, it's addictive. Normally I fear patterns, but this one is so easy and clear that it's like a little miracle every time! (Sorry, no pictures yet!)

Finally, a whole bunch of felted ornaments, using sweaters and wool roving felted around styrofoam balls. *Follow the links to tutorials* (These are so easy, and they look much harder than they are! If you need to make a few last minute gifts, you can crank these out in no time!)

For the nerds in my life...

I'm a little sad that the Christmas crafting season is over! I've loved having an excuse to crank out heaps of crafts - Now what do I do? Keep everything? Wait for birthdays? Not as fun as Christmas!

I've really, really enjoyed watching everyone's creations here on the blog - It's been lovely to connect with other crafty people. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and see you again next year!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Pillows, Snoods & Table Decorations!

Hi everyone! It's been awhile since I posted here due to some unexpected travel, but here's what I've been up to in the crafty Christmas world:

Pillows
I made these pillows for my sister from fabric she bought on our trip to Hawaii last year (Kapaia Stitchery on the island of Kaua'i, great prices!). These were supposed to be for her birthday in February (oops), but better late than never! I bought pillows from the craft store and just sewed 2 fabric pieces together and flipped them right side out. I slipstitched them closed after inserting the pillow. I bought the blue fabric to make a dress, but borrowed some of it here since I thought it made for a more complete group!

Snood Fever Continues!
This is my version of the snood made world famous by Karen from Did You Make That? I made 3! This snood is made from Merino wool that I bought at the Brooklyn General Store in Brooklyn, New York and was my first knitting project in years. I started it in New York and finished it in Virginia! This one went to my friend who is heading back to France next month. Should keep her nice and toasty.

Table Runner/Napkins

And finally, I made a table runner and napkins for my mom, as she loves decorating for the holidays. I gave them to her a bit before Christmas so she could enjoy the festiveness! For the table runner, I used sew-in interfacing to weigh down the lighter weight reindeer cotton and found that slowly ironing out the bumps in the fabric helped keep the fabric flat. I also used my walking foot which helped keep the fabric layers from shifting.

The napkins were made using the rolled hem setting on my overlocker. It's the first time I've used this feature and I love how it turned out! It looks like the edges are bound with a narrow bias tape and it was so fast and easy to make.

Happy holidays, all!

~Amanda from Sewin' in the Rain

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Man Fashion Tips: Men Dress Shirts for Skinny and Short Man

If you are short and thin, dressing up can be quite the hassle. You are going to look like you are drowning in a shirt if it is not made to fit your figure. Despite having a small frame, there are a few ways on how to look great in a dress shirt.

Short height does best with slim, streamlined details. Pick narrow collars whose points aim downward over wide spread collars as broad collars make you look stouter than you really are.

It is important to have the length of the sleeve and the shirt adjusted to suit your body measurement. Nothing looks more awkward than having the sleeves that hang down too far or shirt that is too wide at the waist. A trim fitted dress shirt with the pocket and collar in the right size will stop you from looking like a flying squirrel.

This is a little optical illusion that you could use well to your advantage. Vertically-oriented patterns on dress shirts compliment short figures. Horizontal line going across will only make you look wider instead of taller. However if you are aiming to look broader, vertically striped patterns such as plaid or windowpane patterns make flattering choices. Do not go overboard with loud plaids and windowpane designs, choose more subtle tonal varieties. Dressing in dark colors from head to toe will only emphasize your skinny body frame. If you wish to avoid emphasis on your small body frame, add in a splash of white or light gray to break the whole one colored outfit. Avoid anything with over excessive stripes in varying colors and sizes as it can be a little overbearing to the eyes. Thin, simple stripes make you look elegant and taller than you actually are.

Another piece of advice for a man of short height is to remember that dress shirt is to always be kept tucked in. Shirttails that are let loose shorten your legs dramatically. Un-tucked dress shirts will cut your body in half and make you look particularly stumpy. Tucking in your dress shirt makes sure your leg line is maximized. Men with longer leg lines naturally give the illusion of being taller.

Regardless of what kind of body shape Mother Nature gave you, making the most of what you were given will make you look better and help you feel more confident.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Mens Fashion Jeans: Burberry Prorsum Dark Indigo Jean

We are sure slim fitting dark indigo jeans have a place in every man's wardrobe, more so for this pair from Burberry Prorsum, that has minimal detailing that makes them a go-to option for any stylish look. Made with raw denim and 100% cotton, these jeans will soften with use for a unique patina that will develop as you wear them.

Come with five pockets, button closure and fly and layered perspex plaque on the back engraved with the Burberry Prorsum logo, Burberry Prorsum Dark Indigo Slim Fit Jean is a "Must Have" item in your wardrobe. You can find one from www.burberry.com.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

5 Designer Watches for Your Girlfriend this Christmas

The mention of a perfect gift and while most men will think gold, most women will think of Swiss and diamonds. Those sparkling fashion gems are always a good gift idea but this year, why not buy your sweetheart something that is both quality and a fashion statement?

Rolex Datejust Special Edition

Rolex recently just released a new collection of their sensual, dazzling and enchanting watches. What better way to impress her with this special Everose gold model edition produced with brilliant-cut diamonds elegantly showcased in an 18 carat white gold setting?

TAG Heuer Women’s Aquaracer Diamond Pink Mother-of-Pearl Dial Watch

If your love one adores watches and diamonds, TAG Heuer may just be the right choice. This luxury timepiece is made up of jewel-encrusted stainless steel strap with a bezel full of diamonds surrounding the radiant complements to the pink mother-of-pearl dial. The design is feminine and elegant and has jewels as hourly markers.

Michele Tahitian Ceramic Watch

This luxury sporty watch will make her the envy of her friends. A ceramic bracelet with a hundred sparkling master diamonds that circle around the Tahitian Ceramic timepiece, this gorgeous trendy white watch is a gift that will definitely have her eating out of your hands.

Cartier Baignoire Watch

This simple yet elegant small Cartier timepiece is bound to please any women. Instead of the usual round dial, this timepiece was designed in an oval shape with roman numerals and is surrounded by round diamonds. The unique feature about this watch is the blue sword-shaped steel hands and it is water resistant to 100 ft! No need to worry about water ruining your precious gift.

OMEGA De Ville Ladymatic

Worn by Nicole Kidman, this unique red gold timepiece has a transparent case back making it possible for her to admire the movement inside of the watch. The diamonds on this OMEGA is the hardest, most luminous precious stone whose value is calculated according to the 4C criteria; cut, carat, clarity and color. It is class and beauty at the same time.

Designer watches are appropriate for many occasions and are not only beautiful but practical pieces of accessories as well. Believe it or not, women today are starting to pay attention to the technical and mechanical aspects of a watch. Just paying attention to the outlook of that wrist accessory can be a flaw. The most important thing is observing her fashion preference to make better gift choices. Good luck guys!