Am I blue?

There is a lot of blue frockness coming out of the Kittyhaus lately. Finished this today (excuse the bumpy hemmage, I'm hoping that will improve if I press with a damp cloth. This dang bengaline fabric doesn't let go of its creases easily, so I recommend unfolding and rolling it up if you are storing it)

This was the inspiration dress.

I found some braid that looks just like piping at Remnants Warehouse in Marrickville, but you sew it on flat. I wasn't confident about piping a curvy peterpan collar in super stretchy fabric, so I was happy to handsew the braid on the edges of the collar, and I machine sewed it on the belt.

I piped the armholes, well, it's really just the bias binding facing which I left poking out a bit, on purpose, but still! Matchy!

If you don't like this...

then I don't think we can be friends. Sorry.

I don't know what frock this is going to be, but I know for sure what will be trimming it.

But wait, there's more!

I accidentally bought more patterns on ebay. Whoops, how did that happen?

Rickrack Attaaaaack

This is from another one of those Mail Order Patterns (so far, so good; somewhat unfamiliar methods on bits of them, but they work, mate!).

This is out of the jumbo Italian pink linen gingham and green rickrack from the Remnant Warehouse in Marrackville - from the Sydney jaunt - and the pattern from ebay as posted some weeks ago (see top pattern).

This is a true housedress pattern - no zips or fastenings apart from a couple of self-ties to cinch the back waist in. There are three pieces for the front (one bodice cut on the fold and two skirt pieces) and two for the back (right and left sides).

Oh, and let's not forget the pockets. Placed at juuuust the right height for hand insertion, hoorah!


In hindsight, Kitty and I realised that yes, there WAS a use for that giant rickrack at Remnant Warehouse... maybe next time I'm in Sydney!

Seeya sucker!

Today's frock, a gathered neck 60s sheath in floral seersucker - pattern and fabric purchased at the 50s fair! I shall wear her tonight, as seen in the pic. I will fix my hair first though, check out the frizzarama in that pic!

More more more, how do you like it, how do you like it

Here are the six patterns that arrived yesterday, all ebay purchases. The slip is for Moggy, the rest are mine, all mine.

Kitty haul part two - patterns

I cannot guarantee that this is now all that I bought this past weekend, I think we all know why.
Also, I arrived home tonight to 6 patterns in the mail. I'll save them for a later post.
Someone call Vintage Patterns Anonymous, immediately!

Kitty haul part one - fabric

Oh yes, there was a lot of SEX* this weekend!

The top one is some blue cherry print (from Spotlight) which I need to make in to a summer frock with pockets and rick rack, oh yes I do!
Next is some claret 100% wool jersey on a roll holding 10m of sew-in interfacing, both from Remnants Warehouse in Marrickville. Under that - from left: a very thick black stretch cotton; black stretch sateen (both from Cabramatta); red stretch cotton with a blossom print (from Remnants Warehouse); linen-y floral print; grey and black graphic rose stretch sateen (both from Cabramatta). I really should have organised this photo shoot more logically. Oh who am I kidding. Never gonna happen. Also, notice that Moggy and I obviously share very similar taste in fabric?

Below that is fifties fair fabric: black floral seersucker (oh yeah, pleated neckline sheath is calling this one) and Moggy kindly shared the rosebud stuff with me yay! I'm seeing a sassy wiggle something with that one.
The last pic is some stretchy bengaline stuff from Pitt trading in a fab steely blue, along with some 70s patterns I found there.
I'll attempt to post the rest of the patterns tomorrow, but no promises!


(*SEX = stash enhancement expeditions)


(Sheepishly edited to add photo of fabric I had totally forgotten I'd bought)

Phew! What a corker!

This weekend could only be described as highly successful in the pattern and fabric acquisition stakes (and the mexican food eating stakes, if we want to be truthful).

Friday was Cabramatta: Lovely stretch sateen poplin with a grey and black graphic rose print, and some green tinged linen-like sorta art deco stuff.

Then to remnant warehouse for pink and white linen gingham, green rickrack for trim, plain white linen (for tea towels), and 4.5m of pink satin for slips and lining.

The next day was Pitt Trading for some wedgewood blue stretch bengaline and some 1950s home journals with 36B patterns in them (see slideshow on right). Then to Spotlight where I finally bought the stretch poplin with the big scribbley green and blue roses I have thought about for ages (it finally went down to $5/m).

Next day: fifties fair. More patterns (now on slidehow), some green spotted rayon, brown and black rose stripe, and this heavenly white and green stuff with rosebuds (we think they are rosebuds). Here is me pretending I'm going to actually think twice about buying it.

Accessory day at Chez Kitty

It's been pouring rain all day, so what to do? Well, there was the little problem of not having a bag to go with my blue spottie frock. I made a flat bottom bag from the Jordy bag tutorial on craftster. It's lined with grey/black denim, because that's all I had. I put two little blue spottie pockets inside and used a magnetic clasp. Should do nicely.
Then, the belt. Because of the back centre seams of the frock being somewhat awry (that's what I get for Frankenstein-ing), hopefully this belt will distract the eye of people peering at my back. Because people do, you know.

Robe 'n' Roll

So, when you come home from a hard day's slog at the coalmine, you face the eternal question: do I get straight on to making that cheese 'n' bacon toasted sandwich, or do I sew that dressing gown I cut out eons ago while staying at mum's house?

Tonight's answer: make the robe, then grill the bacon, then melt the cheese, then enjoy.

Pattern: New Look 6443 - I went looking for the simplest dressing gown pattern I could find, and New Look were 1/2 price at Spottie so there you go. And so easy too!

We have a winner