Christmas promise

Dear Lone Reader,

I'm coming back, I promise.

It turns out that I'm not a very good blogger but whilst I haven't been posting, I have been making! As the holiday season is upon us I'm planning to spend some time photographing my me made projects and preparing to share.

I've got posts planned about my two sencha tops, half circle skirt, first ever quilt, quit a few aprons and most recently my christmas party Elisalex dress!

In the meantime, check out my army of sugarpaste penguins!


Back soon!

Pin-crastination

I've washed my duvet cover (fresh sheets are the best things in the world!), folded my washing, made some soup and pre-ordered Gertie's New Book for Better for Sewing. What am I doing? You got it, procrastinating. Whilst I should be writing a CPD plan for work instead I thought it would be the prefect time to do a quick post about my new pin cushion kilner jar.

Here's one I made earlier

I think I must have first seen this on Pinterest but I can't remember exactly where. Since then I've found tons of tutorial's online. I made this as a gift for a friend who sadly just left work (no more tea breaks talking about sewing) and filled-ish it with sewing goodies, although admittedly some of was my seconds. Sorry.

Anyway, I made one for myself at the same time and I love it! It's so handy sitting right next to my machine. The pin cushion is much softer than my others so the pins go in really easily and it can't roll around anywhere. Perfect for keeping all my bits and bobs in too.

PS. I had a very productive sewing weekend last week and will blog the fruits of my labour this weekend!

So many projects, so little time...

This post is just to point out how rubbish I am at blogging, and also to draw your attention to the new page I've created which lists all the things I am dreaming of making at the moment.

I've just traced out the pattern for the Pastille dress in the Colette Sewing Handbook and I also have V1190 cut out in some horrible black poly jersey waiting to be finished.

However, I'm really waiting for my Sencha pattern to arrive tomorrow so I can get stuck in to that!

What's on your wish list?

Red Belle Dress

Finally. My first proper post! I finished this dress last weekend but I have not had a second to take any photos and post about it. So after just finishing work I decided I would put it on and get some snaps. The dress is inspired by/copied from Julia Bobbin's take on Butterick B5603. As soon as I saw it on her on blog I had to have a go myself. It was probably a bit ambitious for my first foray back into sewing after a couple of years but here it is.

I followed in Julia's footsteps by using the bodice from the pattern but altering the skirt to a pencil skirt that I had to draft. It was a bloody nightmare! But three toiles later and I had a skirt that fit. I think it was worth it in the end though and I love the fit of this dress.

I moved the zipper from the side to the back but I couldn't find an invisible zipper so it looks a bit rubbish. I'll probably leave it at the side next time (and there will definitely be a next time).

I really like the V shape in the back of the dress. Because I moved the zip the collar isn't joined like it is in the original pattern which made it a bit trickier. I had an absolute nightmare with the collar, I just couldn't get my head around the instructions so in the end I bodged it and kind of regretted it. It's a bit unfinished and has all kinds of loose ends and fraying on it.

I made the dress out of 100% wool crepe from Linton Tweeds in Carlise and it is as bright as the pictures look.

A couple of things I will change next time:

• Figure out how to do the collar properly!
• Adjust the bodice slightly (the skirt fits amazingly but I can't actually breathe).
• I would keep the zip in the side seam.
• The darts in the back don't match up so I'll have do some adjustments somewhere.
• And finally, line the whole dress rather than just the bodice. Yes, you can see my tights through it but it's not too bad in daylight. Honest!

I'm here!

Here goes it, my first blog post. I’ve recently stumbled across the sewing blogosphere and I can’t believe what I’ve been missing out on so I thought I should join in!

I can’t confess to be a newbie to the sewing world, I’ve been sewing in some form on and off for as long as I can remember. I think my mum must have taught me how to use patterns when I was a teenager and one of the first things I made were four red skirts we danced in at a school variety show (we danced to Fame!). I know I still have the skirt I wore so I might even post a photo soon.

So I’ve been sewing for a while but I’ve come to realise that I’ve never really refined my skills and I tend to rush things and bodge it a bit rather than taking my time and getting it right. I’m hoping that this blog will force me to sew more, challenge myself and improve my sewing technique. Fingers crossed!