My Work Wardrobe... suggestions?

My Work Wardrobe by snarkypants

My work is technical (read: messy), which means that my clothes have to be tough, easily laundered, with little ornamentation. Most of my (male) coworkers wear khakis/jeans and polo shirts. I'm also a plus-sized girl who wants to look feminine. I'm on my feet for 8+ hours a day, on concrete floors, hence the Dansko clogs (which are OMFG fabulous). If I'm in the lab (say 1/3 of my time) I have to wear steel-toes (Florsheim loafer-style) and remove all jewellery and/or scarves.

I never know from day to day whether I may be called in to the lab, regardless of the schedule, so skirts are kind of out of the picture; they look ridiculous with steel-toed loafers, if nothing else.

I've found that v-neck tops and 3/4 sleeves are most flattering to me; I've collected L.L. Bean v-neck 3/4 t-shirts (lovely heavy stuff) in a variety of neutral and pastel shades for work. I avoid front-pleat trousers like the plague. I don't wear black or navy trousers because of the practical issues with having a black & white dog and a black & white cat (there's no way to completely obliterate the hair; I've tried for years). Khaki and grey and tweeds work just fine.

In short, I think I'm making every choice I can think of to suit the exigencies of my lifestyle, my job, femininity and being plus-sized, but I'd welcome advice from others!

Firescreen, Day 4

I begin to deviate from my pattern today. The leaves at the top and sides will be covered by the frame, which wasn't the idea at all. So I'm going to rinse the soluble marker off and re-draw the leaves. Eh. Win some, lose some.

Firescreen, Day 3

It's coming together.

Mea culpa...

Mea culpa... I just realized that I got my "original" idea for this project from here, "Kitchen Calamities" by Kristin Mary. No disrespect intended; I loved the series when I first saw it, and even gushed over how cool it is. And then I woke up to a new world and thought my idea was mine alone.

Color me crushed. :'(

1:3 Scale 18th Century Firescreen

This is a step-by-step of an embroidered firescreen to be used as an accessory/photo prop for my Dollfies. The square in the picture is about 3" x 3". I based the design on some miniature crewel designs in this tragically out-of-print book, Miniature Embroidery for the Georgian Dolls' House by Pamela Warner. I bought an actual-Dollfie-scale (1:3 scale) 18th-century-style firescreen from eBay about a year ago, and it has no screen in it, so it is up to me to fix that. You know, eventually.

How much do I lurrve the water soluble pen? I need to make changes to the leaves, so I'll stitch to the need-to-be-changed part and then rinse and re-draw. Ba-da-bing!

The above 2 photos were Day 1.

After Day 2. I worked on it for about 30 minutes today, during breaks.

I'll post updates here, and when it's finished and assembled I'll be sure to share!

I've been trying to collect 1:3 scale 18th-century-looking pieces. I need to make a dress for my female doll, and an appropriate outfit for my male doll.

Tea Towel Murders: Part Deux

It's like a scene from Sunset Boulevard, isn't it? Poor little olive.

Perhaps it's his sour disposition that got him killed.


I'm hard at work (snrk) on my next installment in the series. I'm trying to make it grisly without using knives all the time.

Vintage Ornaments

I found these at my favorite antiques/junkshop. They're quite delicate; one of the Santas in the last picture lost a leg during the photoshoot!

He's propped inside of a tiny bud vase.

The middle Santa is rather pink in the face... like grog-blossomed pink. Santa needs to go to rehab.

Country Girl Clothespin Dolls

This was a fun project. I ordered the kit from Alicia Paulson, of Posie Gets Cozy.


The felt mushrooms came from a pattern by My Little Mochi. I love the manic expression in the redhead's eyes. She's a little hopped up on caffeine.

Truthiness by Subversive Cross Stitch

I totally need to get this framed for the office. I've only had it for 2 years. ::facepalm::

I've at least ironed out the hoop marks.

Some Sublime Stitching Projects

I loved stitching this Reform School Girl! She's very Rita Hayworth, I think.




Cute librarian!






This librarian was completely adorable until the Republican National Convention at which point it became kinda creepy. Until someone pointed out that the librarian is reading, which totally ends the similarity.


She's also reading "Hogwarts: A History," for a skoche more irony.

I customized the Sublime Stitching deer pattern as Snape's deer patronus.

Alabama Stitch Book project

Upcycling of a stained but otherwise sturdy t-shirt, based on the pattern from the totally awesome Alabama Stitch Book (and if you haven't looked at this book, you're totally missing out!)

Tea Towel Murder: Tomato

After seeing lovely and wonderful embroidery patterns with happy -- or at worst sneering -- fruits and veg, I wondered if perhaps some of those happy pieces of produce might be hiding a dark (and mushy) side.
Every one of you saying "Aw, poor tomato"... you don't know. Maybe, just maybe, he had it coming.
This idea presented itself fully-fleshed and dripping with tomato sauce, and it made me giggle. Three weeks later and I'm still giggling.
Clearly I am a sick, sick woman.
More Tea Towel Murders to come.
I sublimate my rage through needlework. ;-)
Mea culpa... I just realized that I got my "original" idea for this project from here, "Kitchen Calamities" by Kristin Mary. No disrespect intended; I loved the series when I first saw it, and even gushed over how cool it is. And then I woke up to a new world and thought my idea was mine alone.
Color me crushed. :'(

TARDIS Dishtowel

I designed and stitched this for an Internet Friend this summer. "Allons-y" references the Tenth Doctor, who tends to say this.

Yes, I know the windows are wonky.

First Quilt

I'm working on my very first quilt; "Brick Path" by Amy Butler.

It's going well; this is a very forgiving pattern, especially for me and my slipshod construction. This is the first 6 rows of a total 18, so I'm 1/3 done with the top.