I have a confession to make.

I'm a fraud.

I didn't mean to be, honest! And I truly started this series with the intention of completing it for the $50 limit I named it for.

But true the underlying theme of the series ("I don't know what I don't know [about sewing women's clothing]"), I couldn't have known all the different obstacles I'd hit that would ultimately make that goal so unattainable.

For every successful project you've seen this month, there's at least one a week that hasn't worked out.

What did I do wrong?

I bought the wrong fabrics. I picked up a lot of knit, and only one pattern designed for it. I have what I'm convinced is upholstery fabric buried under several pounds of more practical fabric on my dining room table. This weeks' discovery? I'd made a full dress out of apparel lining. See. Through. Seriously? Seriously.
I skipped the "muslin" step. Oh my gosh guys. If only you'd seen the stretchy fashion denim I got for SUCH.A.STEAL. This beautiful, colorful denim begging to become skinny jeans... reduced to scraps because I thought to myself "a practice pair?? what a waste of time." I won't be making THAT mistake again. ...Ok, maybe I will, but only because I'm the stubborn type. (Ahh, I can just hear my husband now echoing one of his favorite quotes: "If you don't have time to do it right, when will you find time to do it over?" You patient people and your "logic.")

Well, here we are at week 4. So far everything you've seen is original, 50% off Jo-Ann's RedTag. But with half my plunder spoiled by sewing mishaps, I was left with the choice to A. buy more fabric, or B. pose nude for the last two posts. And while I *AM* that stubborn, I can never turn down a chance to fabric shop!

So here's this week's project:

COLETTE LAUREL TOP & NAMED JAMIE JEANS (CUFFED SHORTS MODIFICATION). STYLED BY KRYSTLE CLARK, REP OF DESIGNER JEWELRY BY SARA BLAINE — COLETTE LAUREL TOP & NAMED JAMIE JEANS (CUFFED SHORTS MODIFICATION). STYLED BY KRYSTLE CLARK, REP OF DESIGNER JEWELRY BY SARA BLAINE

My "redemption" Laurel top (last week's didn't go so well..) went rather swimmingly! I had to take about an inch off each back piece for a proper fit, but once I'd seam-ripped all 22 inches of zipper free, that was a relatively simple fix. (Speaking of which: next time I have that many stitches to pull, I'm finding this puppy on Amazon Prime, and pouring myself a glass of wine instead. Even factoring 2-day shipping, Jodi's solution is bound to be faster than ripping it out by hand!)

Also notable: this pink polka dot fabric was my replacement for the see-through pink apparel lining I had sewn initially (razzle frazzle..). I was trying to go for a more "pastel" pink, but considering my deadline and limited selection, I'm really happy with how it turned out.

I did add to the length a bit! With all the child-juggling I do all day, I'm just more comfortable with longer tops to keep me modest. I used the same technique I covered in this week's tutorial to add length.

Ahhh, and then there are my Jamie shorts. I. Love. This. Pattern. And I loved being able to make shorts at a length I'm comfortable in! For my petite frame, my only real off-the-rack option are in the junior's section, and I just cannot get on board with the short-shorts.

Oh, and the coral peep-toe pumps? Definitely not my first choice for this outfit... the black knee-high boots I had in mind made me feel so very "piratey." Arrrg, matey! So I grabbed these from the trunk after last week's photos. In the wise words of Tim Gunn, I did what I had to to "make it work!"

..... And I made a dress. But you'll have to stay tuned to hear more about that