Instagram story viewer> @benjithewisecat> Tagged

Benji 🌴🔔🐾

@benjithewisecat

636

followers

173

following

Raised in Miami, enjoying retirement in Philadelphia. Loves long walks on the beach and cuddles. 🌴🤵‍♂️🖤🤍#benjithewisecat

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

0

0

0

0

104

4

I’ve never worn this combo before. I just wanted to wear some color today (but not a dress & no black), and I pulled these shoes from the attic a few days ago. The shoes match our azaleas, which are in high bloom right now. Love this color of red.

Only after I had this on did I realize that I’m kind of channeling what I think of as @hannahmcorey ‘s signature colors. 🤗

I like these jeans. I do have a few fit issues to fix in the back, but I’d love to make these again.

Top: @marimekko #putki by #carinasethandersson (2019), pattern shape inspired by an #elizabethsuzann top I have and the neck/arm facings I love from Marilla Walker’s #mayatop.
Jeans: @namedclothing #breakingthepatternbook #palojeans in @conedenim
Shoes: #jcrew

#memademaymarimekko
#memademay
#memademay2022
#marimekko
#namedpatterns
#conedenim

176

18

I was so excited recently when I found out that Aims of @indybindyfabrics was going to collaborate with @mannine.official to offer a short run of fabrics and small accessories. I already had a couple of Mannine prints from Aims, one of which is my very, very favorite piece of fabric.

What I love about the Mannine designs are the extreme detail, colors, and whimsy. All of the characters Manri creates have backstories, too!

When I saw this patchwork print, I knew right away what I wanted to make. I’ve been trying to focus on sewing garments that I know I will want to wear for a long time, regardless of trends. I think this desire feeds my passion for vintage patterns. I can spend hours just looking at old pattern designs online, wondering how they might fit in to modern life. By the way, “A History of the Paper Pattern Industry” by Joy Spanabel Emery is really fascinating, if you ever want to learn more about the pattern industry.

Anyway, I was thrilled when I saw this fabric in person - it’s such a lovely crisp/soft cotton twill, that’s a little lighter than midweight in feel.

Pattern: McCall’s #8454 (1966)
Fabric: #mannine “Cat Patchwork” cotton twill, hem facing in “Ice Cream Hunter” from @indybindyfabrics
Mods: The original pattern has a facing-type placket and collar. I changed this to a modern placket (inspired by the #kalleshirtdress pattern) and collar with collar stand from the #talmockshirt pattern (with added pointy collar). I worked everything out first in a toile, adding a little bit of room in the hips, too.

I often have trouble with uneven stitches when topstitching and turning a sharp corner, especially with the edgestitching foot. I tried something new this time by hand stitching a long thread at the collar point, and then using my forceps to hold back tension as I started the first few stitches after the turn. It worked great.

Make # 12/2022

Oh, and I got some new #shuronfreeway glasses! Pictures of women in these are rare, so for reference, these frames are size 48-22-140. They’re still made in 🇺🇸 - since 1865. Not this style, of course. 😉

#talpatternhacks
#talbyme
#wearwhatyoulove
#vintagemccallspattern

263

66

🌸Ahhhh… feels good to sew some spring color! This was my third test of the new #bogdress pattern! It’s such a quick sew.

The pattern is probably best suited for knits and lighter wovens with drape. I wanted to give it a try with some Marimekko cotton. This fabric is a little on the stiff side, but I think it worked out! The corner of the underarm seam gets a little tricky to sew (even with clipping) with a woven like this, but really, is anyone going to check my underarm seams?

Oh, and I made a cute little quilted belly bag and adjustable belt from my scraps! I might get tired of the added floof ball on the bag, but right now, it’s bringing me joy!

Dress Pattern: Bodice A #fullbog by @the_sew_sew, size 1-2-ish, largest neck size with sewn down facing, elastic sleeve cuff
Bag: @sarkirsten #fennelfannypack, made from my pieced and quilted Marimekko scraps, including lining. Cotton batting is from @fancytigercrafts . Hardware, clear zips, cotton webbing, and floof are from @pacifictrimming
Fabric: Cotton OEKO-TEX @marimekko #lokkipergola (2020) by #maijaisola
Mods: When laying the pattern out, I offset the dress to one side of my fabric for larger scraps and also decided to place the center seam (+ selvage) in back. This dress was cut somewhere between a size 1 and 2 in the body, keeping the sleeve width according to size 1, cut to a short sleeve. I made a one piece neck facing out of my scraps. (The pattern originally allowed for a jersey neck finish only. Now there are instructions for a bias finish, too.)

#mybogmake
#myfinnstyle
#marimekko
#marimekkohandmade

Here’s more about my fabric, which is printed in 🇫🇮: “The Lokki Pergola pattern combines two rhythmic Maija Isola designs from the 1960s. The idea for the Lokki (seagull) pattern came to Maija Isola when she was looking at a window with a curtain drawn across it. The sun was shining, and the wide folds of the curtain formed wavy shadows on the fabric. Maija had a sudden inspiration: if a fabric is printed with waves, even a small piece of such fabric appears abundant, richly folded.”

Make #7/2022 (dress/belt)
Make #8/2022 (bag)

233

27

HI 👋 I’M BENJI👋… Raised in Miami, enjoying retirement in Philadelphia 🌴and loves long walks on beach 😻

_____✨Congratulations✨ ____ @benjithewisecat You are Today’s Tuxedo Feature 💕

✨Chosen by: @millie_the_cat_adventures
Don’t forget to tag #tuxedofeatures for chance to be featured 💕

✨Also, please take a moment and pop in and check out cuties gallery and show your love 💕

______________________________
#cutetuxedocats #tuxedokitty #tuxedokitten #tuxedocatfriday #tuxedocatsarethebest #catsinscarves #xmascat #festivecat #kitycat #coolcatsfeature #xmasfashion

1k

40

Thank you everyone for your support and voting for Brooklyn. He has made it to the semi-finals. The Crazy Cat Lady would love for you to show your pawsome support and vote for him again, head over to @tabbyfeatures story to vote for him

32

3

Bras are something I never really had an interest to make, mostly because I didn’t think I could get the fit or style that I (thought I) wanted. It’s so good to be wrong!

Last weekend, I attended my second #campworkroomsocial retreat at a YMCA camp in the middle of the Catskills. 🏕 It’s literally camp for grown-ups where we choose a focused sewing-related class, and also have other activities such as craft night, a gala night, candle making, cidering, paper quilling, hiking, yoga, and zip lining, among other things.

My group focus was bra making and my only goals for the weekend were to give bras a shot and have fun. I think I could gush on and on about all of the wonderful people I met/saw again, and how camp renewed my spirit. What I didn’t expect was to tap in to my “boob soul” (à la @allysondykhuizen a.k.a. 🎃Pumpkin Ti*s 😂) and make a 🐸Kermit bra that fits perfectly on my first try. I never want to purchase a ready-made bra again.

Details:
🔵 @clothhabit #watsonbra in hand dyed blue lace over black mesh (my second and favorite bra)
🟢 @clothhabit #harrietbra underwire in a green hand dyed kit (my first bra)
🎃 @clothhabit #watsonbra (made at home with leftover orange lace scraps from camp and black mesh I happened to have at home - trims from @biasbespoke)

Thanks to Jennifer and everyone behind the scenes for making it a safe and fun weekend. I’m already looking forward to next year!🍂

#campworkroomsocial2021
#handmadewardrobe
#imakemyownclothes

191

37

Happy #tuxedothurday everypawdy. Webby here to share you another pawsome #tuxedofeatures supurrstar. I would like you to meet my new furriend Benji of @benjithewisecat. When I called on Cat Chat he was busy pawtrolling, so Meowmy told me his story.
.
"Benji showed up at the doorstep of @helpingkitties in Miami about three years ago and soon became a regular fixture at dinnertime. Benji was either smart or lucky, because these humans already had experience with feeding the local cat colonies at the park, TNR, rescue, and fostering. They started calling him #benjithewisecat, and it was soon clear that he wanted a home. He adjusted quickly to foster life with perfect indoor manners and a love for telenovelas. In early 2019, he said goodbye to the palm trees and flew to his forever home near Philadelphia. It was cold up north, so that first week was spent trying to keep warm near the heat vents in the house. His humans soon got him a heated pet mat, which has now grown to five mats throughout the house. (He deserves them.)"
.
"These days, Benji is a confident and trusting guy. We’ve rarely heard him meow, but he has a strong purr. His bedtime routine starts with a basement and garage perimeter check. Once that’s done, he can corral the humans to bed, where he’ll get his fur brushed. He’ll never refuse a brushing and feels he must make up for those lost years of grooming - plus interest."
.
"As far as meals go, Benji loves his Savory Centers food and isn’t shy about showing his disappointment toward other options. He’s skilled at indoor thread spool soccer and has recently started showing his prowess climbing trees. Other leisure activities include watching live birds and anime." I made a note to try Savory Centers.
.
Benji sounds like he is living his best #catlife in a purrfect furrever home. I hope that you will go check out his meowvelous account & welcome him to our #tuxiefamily!
.
Selected by Webby @webbyandmisty

1k

90

One of the fabrics from the Sääpäiväkirja (Weather Diary) collection, Kuuskajaskari sighs with autumn winds and takes its colour palette from the same season. The pattern was designed by Aino-Maija Metsola in 2012 and bears the name of a former military fortress island just off the coast of Finland. Originally printed in two colorways (blue or grey sky), only the grey is available these days. This fabric is linen and is super swishy to wear.

I’ve been holding on to this fabric since it first came out and finally decided to cut into it. Wanting to keep the full integrity of the design, I went with this vintage pattern, which is actually labeled as a beach cover-up. I omitted the seam and zipper in the front and found that there was plenty of ease to leave out the zipper completely. I barely fit the pattern on the two meters of fabric that I had, but made it work by piecing one of the sleeves.

Dress: Butterick #3978 (from 1965) in #marimekko #kuuskajaskari linen by #ainomaijametsola (2012)
Shoes: @cydwoqshoes Copy

🎉This month was so much fun! I want to thank @entropyalwayswins for coming up with the #memademaymarimekko idea and @finnstyle for being such a wonderful support for us! I’m a huge fan of @marimekko and am lucky to have a lot of RTW from the last twenty years or so in my closet. However, when I decided to sew most of my clothes a couple years ago, I always felt like some of the joy of getting dressed was missing. This past month taught me exactly what was missing and for that, I’m grateful. 🤍 I’ve enjoyed seeing new faces and gaining new inspiration here, so thank you! I think it’s going to feel weird not taking pictures tomorrow, but I know what I’ll be wearing! (My orange Unikko shirt! 🧡)

#memademay
#memademay2021
#myfinnstyle
#cydwoq
#cydwoqshoes

180

53

I wore the dress version of this pattern yesterday, but I feel like green today, so here we are!

This top ranks as one of my favorite Marimekko me-mades to wear. I love the whimsy of the intention behind the print design.

“Latvassa Korkealla (high at the top) is a Marimekko fabric designed by artist Teresa Moorhouse in 2005. The print is based on a vision of the world as seen through the eyes of a bird in the treetops – seeing clearly both near and far.”

Was my cat trying for latvassa korkealla in the tree yesterday? I’ve never seen him attempt a vertical climb like that before!

🎽: @lottajansdotter Everyday Style #kiomitop in @marimekko #latvassakorkealla by #teresamoorhouse (2005)
👖: RTW Marimekko
🥿: @rothys The Square

#memademay
#memademay2021
#memademaymarimekko
#memademarimekko
#marimekko
#myfinnstyle
#marimekkofabric
#lottajansdottereverydaystyle
#benjithewisecat

110

16