Betty dress {Sew Over It}

AKA The perfect dress for a secret-ninja wedding party :)

 

I didn't want to start with a retrospective post but although I made this dress in December, it's still worth a mention.

This was my first go at making a Sew Over It pattern and it is a really lovely one. You end up with what it says on the packet, a beautiful vintage party frock with a huge circle skirt. It is difficult to photograph, especially in a narrow window of remaining daylight and 'assisted' by a cat who wanted to frolic on-camera if he could...but trust me, it's a lovely dress style. The one downside is it takes a lot of fabric- and this is from someone who gleefully squeezes every inch out of my fabric buys, layout plans be damned.

'Tis not that surprising as the massive hem alone gobbles fabric so I just waited until I had a larger stash of fabric, which turned out to be this thick print. I honestly have no idea now what kind of fabric this is to be honest, although I am guessing a rayon-y/viscose-y element...it is very heavy and looks kind of like upholstery material at first glance {!}, but I think makes a beautiful thick winter dress. It drapes very nicely and, though I did reinforce the waistband seams just in case, is holding up lovely.

Dress in full...

From memory, it was a straightforward pattern with lovely clear instructions with two queries. Well one, as my choice of fabric meant I wanted to strengthen the waist. However, I found the bodice neckline/ interfacing instructions pretty unwieldy. I think it tells you to pull through and sort when dress is assembled but I would definitely finish the bodice first, then attach to the skirt, next time. Mind you there is every chance I misread, and I was using the heaviest fabric possible, so will report back.

My hemming is also a disgrace on this dress but a circle skirt hides a multitude of hem sins...I hope!

All in all, I loved this pattern and I love this dress- which I made for a lovely friend's secret wedding so it holds great memories. I am definitely going to make a spring version soon.

Create

Back to it....this blog hasn't been that consistent but it is still a record of things made and lessons learned last year, so worth returning to- complete with some resolutions made so far in 2015.

1. Try new patterns and extend skills. The year started with lovely gifts of new patterns like Grainline 'Archer' and Sew Over It '1940's Tea Party Dress' to spur me on. I am also trying to go through patterns bought and not attempted- the first one being the By Hand London 'Victoria'. Some focused fabric sale-shopping means I am ready to start; shirts and blazers here I come! Which brings me neatly to...
2. Shop carefully. I love all things fabric. But this year I am making a conscious effort to buy fabric with a specific project in mind and sew with a plan. Or more of a plan.
3. Learn more about adapting and even drafting patterns...So far this week I have been able to dress handmade every day but I want to be able to plan and create a handmade wardrobe...
4. Make some pattern blocks... trace pattern pieces from things I have made and grade them to get fit right. 

Resolutions aside, I love sewing clothes more and more. Case in point, tonight's rather simple cooking endeavours resulted in an unbelievable amount of mess with little output, and me flapping the door open to de-steam the kitchen. But neatening some facing on a dress and tidying my sewing supplies in from of Wolf Hall? Calm in the storm.

Autumn in Paris Dress

(excuse the quality, this one is from my phone)

It goes without saying I am behind in both the making-of and the blogging-of projects, but I do have some more seasonally appropriate things to come! For now, this was another Laurel with a wider, faced neckline, a loose fit and bias-edged longer sleeves. I fell in love with this print and made it the day before I went on holiday to Paris at the end of October. The weather was glorious and mild and I was glad of a cotton dress to wear, believe it or not!

Moving House

Yeah it's another Laurel dress...but you don't need much fabric so I could make a whole dress from some Cath Kidston cotton duck and then call it a marvellous bargain. This counts as a September make but it's nice for autumn now too as the fabric is thicker and so feels nice with tights. Which is just as well as it's getting chillier....now for some wintry makes!

On The Buses

It's been a while.

My seamstress adventures have been curtailed by moving houses and cities- and not least by currently being without a sewing machine. I feel a bit bereft.

Just as well I made myself this cheery skirt one weekend then....thanks to a half-metre of Cath Kidston cotton duck. I think it's furnishing fabric but it sews up lovely. It lends itself to a simple elastic-waisted skirt as it hangs nicely....and it makes me feel happy, which is the main thing.

Bring Me Sunshine Dress

John Lewis have a whole range of products for their 150th anniversary, including the use of some special prints, and the anniversary fabric has been lovely. I got some on sale as well (and I still need to photograph the result) but fell in love with this summery floral cotton and decided to treat myself to a metre. As I wanted to keep costs down and not use any more than the 1m, a Laurel was my fail-safe option, with little cap sleeves, and lemon ribbon-bias rim for the neckline.

Since I made this dress, it has been a chilly and wet August (yay British summer!), so every chance I got to put it on I have- but finally photographed it after putting it on this morning. I know I have lots of Laurels and Laurel-related items, but I'm not too sorry :( There are some more different patterns coming up though...

A Feeling Genki Kimono

I enjoy making my own clothes so that I wear or style things exactly how I want, but it's also handy to copy something I've seen-and-liked in a shop. Cue trying on a lovely floaty kimono in *Popular British High-Street Shop*,  thinking it was so pretty and then double-taking at the near-£50 price-tag. I thought surely I can make that!

Pinterest throws up so many kimono tutorials- I used my own variation of this one. Then last week I found this market bargain fabric- Liberty cotton jersey! Dreamy in pattern and ease-of-sewing. I wish I had bought all of it.

£6 and cotton- vs a poly-mix £49.99? Winning!