Slip up

I made this slip from some gorgeous silk I bought in Melbourne, at Rathdowne Remnants. I used Simplicity 4352, a 1940s pattern, view 1.
It's not cut on the bias, but the instructions said a side opening was 'optional'. I was happy to find I could get it on without an opening. Unfortunately I had to unpick the side to get out of it, so I ended up having to put an invisible zip in. I can live with that.
The problem is, it's extremely unflattering on me. Perhaps due to not being cut on the bias, it clings rather than skims and is quite a horrible shape on. I persevered thinking that some stretch lace might make it prettier.
Ugh, all the lace did was make the sides gape horribly under the arms.
Sigh. It didn't take long to make, thankfully, and I have about 2.5 metres of the pretty green silk left, so if I can find a better slip pattern I will try again. Anybody have any tried and true bias cut slip patterns to recommend?

Schoolmarm sassy

I made the blouse yesterday, from Butterick 4985, in cotton with little apples on it from Spotlight. I changed the sleeves, as I always seem to do. I didn't want the fluttery sleeves or the big puff sleeves. Today I made another pull on knit skirt, this time in lovely schoolmarm grey. Is 'marm' a word on its own? Or does it only go with 'school'? Hmm, might have to look that one up.

LBD

When I was in Melbourne last week, my friend S showed me an adorable little black dress she has. We hatched a plot to copy it. This is what I came up with, and - yay for the first project for my new sewing machine.

I used this pattern, view A, using a french thierry, which is like a very thick cotton jersey, almost trakky daks material. I left the zip out as it is stretch fabric and didn't need it. I left the back darts in by accident, but it turned out I needed them to give the 60s shift a little shape. I had to take the dress in quite a lot to get the fit I wanted. I also added little sleeves from another pattern. I changed the neckline gathers to four pleats, as per the inspiration dress.

I made the collar as the pattern dictated, but the close up shows it pinned to make an approximation of the bow thingy which is on the inspiration frock. I'm still deciding whether to tack it down like that permanently.

Sewist!

Someone got a new sewing machine for Christmas!
It was delivered today yay!
Here is a little photo essay of her arrival and, first one-step buttonhole! (and look! I made a styrofoam stonehenge!)

Frockus interuptus - furnishingks

The furniture came out of storage today, hoorah! I am still waiting for the new sofa, and will have to make a decision on which rug - I've decided the pattern, but will it be the black or the grey, and how big? Luckily the nice man in the rug shop said I can take a couple home and see how they look.


















And, finally, the gargoyles are happily outside where they are meant to be - can't wait to get some foliage around them...

Housedress of Representatives

Here is is, my interpretation of the new gubbermint in the form of a frock (I wore it today for the fifth time, then realised it was time to blog her).

1. She is green, as this is the colour of the House of Representatives, the winning of which determines who governs (at least as far as I understand it).
2. She is bound in red, the colour representing Labor on election night.
3. Bunches of flowers represent the ecological / green vote, which helped Labor to power (Go, Go, Kyoto!)
4. The midriff band represents the Middle Classes, who apparently came to their senses at last.
5. 100% cotton and sleeveless, just in case global warming happens despite action taken by the New Gubbermint.

I was going to trim her with all manner of red rickrack. But like many a pre-election promise, it isn't going to happen.

Made from New Look 6699.

So nice I made it twice

I had a great Christmas in Melbourne. Lots of shopping; 4 pairs of shoes, many patterns, much fabric and some tracing fun in Moggy's new fab sewing stoodio! Woo hoo.





Moggy whipped up a potential tripfit skirt in about half an hour on Saturday, in the blasting heat, so I stole, I mean traced the pattern and have made two of these eeeeasy pull on knit skirts since I returned home.

I've been all about the saucy secretary wiggle skirt lately, so I thought I'd give the shorter skirt a bit of a go again. It's more 'jump straight on the boss's knee' than the longer 'I'm not that sort of girl, Mr Jones' one, but you've got to let your hair down sometimes.

And, new suede wedges!

My new sewing room, let me show you it

Sigh. I've sewn 3/4 of a dress and one small curtain so far, and it is ace! Now contemplating options for storage, and amazing myself at just how much fabric I have (it's been hiding in the front room for years, naughty fabric!).

Tripfits #2

I made a start on my tripfits already, and made the maggy london twist dress out of some cotton jersey. If it washes well, it may make it to the coveted status of tripfit. It is big enough to wear layers underneath if it gets cold. Not the most flattering photo of it, it looks kinda baggy and daggy. I think (hope) it looks better in person!?

Tripfits concepts

So, Kitty and I accidently booked a trip to Tokyo (whoops! how did that happen?) so y'all going to suffer tripfit concepts, muslins, failed muslin despair, the joy of the successful concept... prepare thyself!

My current thinking is:

*foldover waistband knit pencil skirt inspired by Mela Purdie (who rudely no longer have it on their site).
* doubleknit jacket from stretch & sew blazer 1025 or 1050 set in sleeve jacket
* maggie london twist dress
*shirtdress from some kinda thick knit

...and that's all at the moment.

Market vintage

Woo hoo, I love a vintage fabric find! I bought this piece today at Surry Hills Markets. It's polished cotton, just over 5 metres of it. Like a lot of vintage dress fabrics it's only 90cm wide, so I might need most of that yardage for a frock.

It shall stew in the stash until I think of the perfect frock for it to become. Any suggestions?

Leftovers

I had enough of the stretch cotton left over from the gubbermint frock (see yesterday's post) to make a very comfy A line skirt. I wore her Christmas shopping today, she is very festive.