The Hatian Hunny of Washington DC loves her locs.

Natacha (pronounced Natasha) was born in the United States but lives in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Her family is from Haiti.





















When did you go natural and why?
I went natural 10yrs ago, but was still texturizing from time to time. I did the big chop because I was tired of having to style my hair and although I had long hair, I hated dealing with it, so I decided to chop it all off. I started locking 3yrs ago and have been completely chemical free since.

When and why did you decide to lock your hair?

I decided to lock my hair in 2005 because I finally saw examples of well kept locks and realized that if I could keep them neat and professional, locking was for me.

What method do you use to lock your hair?

I started my locks with TST's (two strand twists). I maintain them by palm-rolling and the occasional interlock every few months.

What have you loved most about being locked?

The freedom!!! This was why I did the big chop so many years ago.

What have you liked least?

The beginning stages and the few bad hair days I had during that stage.

What's your best advice for people transitioning to natural or locks?
Patience.. It will come and if you exercise patience, there is beauty on the other side. I promise!

What is your favorite natural hair care website or forum?
I don't have a favorite natural hair care website actually. I was inspired by sisters I saw on Fotki.com that were chronicling their locking journey, so I did the same when I started, but it isn't a natural hair care site.


Inspirations and blessings,
Nat






Special thanks to Natalie and www.photosbyvicki.com for the wonderful words and images. See more of her images at http://members.fotki.com/HaitianHunny/about/ .

Boston Area PR Gathering

Pattern Review is holding a gathering at the American Textile History Museum in Lowell, MA, on Saturday March 13.  Lowell was a center of textile production in the nineteenth century, employing thousands of workers, primarily women.  In addition to collections about mill life, machinery, and early fabric production, the museum has textiles and clothing displays.  And - bonus - an apron exhibit! 

I believe we are meeting in Lowell around 11am, having lunch, and will spend the afternoon at the museum.  Let me know if you plan to attend too!

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I saw "An Education" this weekend; the movie was quite good, but the costumes were amazing!

Loved Olivia Williams' prim style!

Rosamund Pike's accessories were especially envy-inducing:

Has anyone else seen this movie and had an overwhelming desire to race home and sew a wiggle dress?

Vogue 1170: Rachel Comey blouse

This is the blouse in Vogue 1170 by new Vogue pattern contributor Rachel Comey.

I wasn't really aware of Rachel Comey until I saw her apartment featured in Domino (RIP) a few years ago.  Rachel Comey began at Theory, and has been designing since the early 2000's.  I am especially enamored with her Spring 2008 RTW collection - grown-up, intelligent warm-weather duds (or maybe I just love the chunky glasses). 

I made the blouse in an oyster-colored crepe-backed satin from fabrics.com.  It was very soft, but did not slip at all and was easy to work with, to my surprise.  It was one of my $1.95/yard fabric purchases.  I love how a sewer can have a designer blouse for under $10!  

This pattern has the features of a Vogue designer pattern, and I learned new skills in making it. 

The inside is completely finished with French seams.  I've never done French seams before - they look amazing, and are so easy!  However, this obviously made for a lengthier construction because the seams are sewn twice.  (And while overall easy, it is a bit of work to do French seams on a curve [here, on the back yoke].)

The blouse is secured with a back placket, which is another first for me.  Plackets have intimidated me.  Now I feel that I can attempt a button-up shirt.  I used oyster-shell buttons, which match the fabric almost exactly.

The sleeve knots and keyhole opening are finished by trimming the seam allowance and double-folding the fabric to hem the edges, which took quite some time. 

The knot was fun to do!  I'd recommend tying it from the inside out so that the seams are on the inside, and the pretty part of the knot is on the outside.  I had to play around with the knot before I got it to look the way I wanted it to. 

The negative of this pattern: it is described as a "very-loose fitting top", and it is truly that.  I made this in a size 12, my usual size.  I know this is the right size for the top because it fits accurately in the bust.  But as you can see, the back is incredibly blousy.  On the hanger, the shirt is very boxy; there is no definition at the waist.  However, I was given fair warning on the pattern envelope and pic. 

I wore this to work, so please excuse the extreme back wrinkles. 

I thought it added a lot to my standard-issue Ann Taylor triacetate suit.

I don't know if I will make this again.  I think it would look amazing in an emerald green or peacock blue tafetta, or even in a casual cotton for summer wear.  But I just don't know if I need two of these.  It does have a lot going on - the large knot, the arm ties, the blousiness.  Still, it's a fun pattern overall that I'd recommend... at least once.  I would love to see your version of this!

Nursing Hider Kwik Sew 3734

I made a hooter hider for Megan. I used Michael Miller fabrics from fabric.com and from some ebay shop becasue fabric.com was out of the owl fabric. For those who don't know what that is, it's a cover to hide yourself while nursing the baby. At the top you put boning so it will pull away from the body and you can see the baby but no one else can see anything else. They are great. I wish I would have thought of it when I was nursing my five kids. It beats recieving blankets, that's for sure. Excuse the fuzz on the hotter hidder it was packed with a fuzzy blanket and didn't have and thing to get it off with.

I missed the biggest snow in Dallas since the sixties. They got between 6" and 14" in the DFW area. Crazy and I'm missing it. My son sent this picture. I can't believe it.

Great sewing detail on Kate Spade's shirtdress

At first I thought this was just a pretty shirt dress:

Kate Spade Amelia Island Cassie Shirtdress, $355

Easily replicated with Butterick 5315:

But check out the bottom detail:

This definitely takes the dress from Old Navy to Kate Spade price tag territory.  They're bias cut strips of fabric, but how are they hemmed?  How are they sewn on?  I can't spot topstitching.  And how are edges where the "x's" meet finished so perfectly?

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What do you think of the magenta tights?  I totally love the look, but perhaps it's too much, too girly, for office work wear?  Unfortunately, I feel that wearing such a shocking color in a very untraditional way is not apropo for a corporate environment.  Sigh.

Sophie June

Well she's here. It was a little rough going for Megan but all's well that ends well. They took her C-section yesterday. She weighed 6 lbs 15 oz even at 36 weeks gestation. But since I had a nine pounder I guess Sophie might have been if she went to term. She had a little fluid in her lungs but they said she's fine and healthy. Megan is so ready to get out of the hospital and back home. Isn't she beautiful.

On the sewing front I traced off about 6 patterns while we hanging out at the hospital.

Finished: Vogue 1067 DKNY suit

This weekend I finished the DKNY suit jacket after weeks of work. 

And I must be honest (sigh): I just don't love it!  My main problem with the jacket is that the pattern does not seem to allow for "turn of the cloth" and the seams are very visbile on the collar and facing. This may be because, per the pattern instructions, the edges are supposed to be raw and have a fringe trim.  Also, the thickness of the boucle adds bulk, despite that I trimmed the seam allowances. I dunno, I think it looks homemade. 

This stinks because I so adore the fabric.  It's a wool boucle from Paron's in the Garment District that I purchased over the summer (3 yards at $14/yard).  I just love the flecks of primary colors: red, yellow, green, light blue, black.  It's such a distinct material.

I spent a lot of time making this: making sure that the princess-seamed lining eased in without wrinkles, covering the jumbo metals snaps with fabric, hand-stitching the pockets and sleeves. But I question whether I will end up wearing this much because of its "loving hands at home" feel.  I fear that I'm not at the point where I should be making jackets. I made one earlier in the fall, and I liked it, but I didn't end up wearing it. I feel so much better about the dresses I've made.

The one good thing about this project is the skirt, which I am obsessed with!

 I couldn't wait to wear it to work today!

The pattern is McCall's 3830, which Amber recently raved about.  I agree - it's a great pattern.  This is the view that hits right above the knee.

I ripped out the side seams a few times before I got a perfect fit: I had cut a size 12, but graded out to about a 14 at the hips, and tapered the skirt in 2 inches (an inch on each side). The wool seemed to stretch a bit today, so I may take it in, and perhaps taper it more, before I wear it next. The pattern itself is super easy, especially if you follow the instructions and don't line it (though I did).

I'm trying to look on the bright side here: I got experience making a jacket, including constructing a collar with a stand (shockingly easy!).

And I do rather like it styled casually!  Here with 7 for all Mankind Ginger high-waist jeans, a yellow knit shirt I from a store in Rome (a random foreign purchase, I know, but when do you see yellow shirts here?!) and Nine West flats.

  So all I wasted was a bit of money, and some time.  No big deal.

"But dost thou love life, then do not squander time, for
that is the stuff life is made of." - Benjamin Franklin

Oh, shut up Ben.

Judy in her new Top, Megan in Hospital

Here's Judy in her new top. Need to add more length to next one (not hemmed in picture yet) and maybe go up a size. Little snug for a work shirt and to say the least she'll need to wear a cami with it.

My middle daughter is in the hospital again with pre-eclampsia. Blood pressure was 170/110 this morning even on bedrest. She's 35 weeks now so Sophie should be fine but they are hoping they can get her blood pressure down so she can wait to induce her. So looks like grandbaby number nine will be coming a little early.

Jalie 2804 -Happy Birthday Judy Shirt

This is Jalie 2804 in a black and white poly/lycra knit from http://www.fabricmartfabrics.com/ . Today is Judy's 23rd Birthday so thought I'd make her a new shirt she could use for student teaching (with cami of course). She's student teaching kindergarten and needs a more grown up wardrobe. Her t-shirts and jeans college wardrobe just won't cut it for a school teacher. This is a quick and easy pattern. I made her size R but added length in bodice, arms and from waist to hem. I cut the neckband a little smaller so it would hug to her chest and not show anything. Will get a photo on her as soon as she has a chance. She's still working as cheerleading and tumbling coach so comes in at 5:05 from student teaching and leaves at 5:15 for work. Good thing she's young.

I traced off Kwik Sew 3758. Added length to arms, bodice & skirt. Also did a small correction to neckline. All the girls in my family have narrow shoulders and this alteration helps with positioning shoulder correctly. I use to just make a small tuck but know (per Connie Crawford tip) use a curved line (use french curve) and slice to seam line and lap over. You have to true the seamline slightly. Picture showing alterations with red lines.