Valentine's Day dress

 Now, I certainly don't need an excuse to make a dress.

Oh, it's Wednesday! Better make a dress!

A blue car! Time to make a dress!

Etc.

However, having my first Valentine's Day date with my boyfriend is most definitely an excuse to make a new dress.

 

For this one, I used New Look 6587, view E. I've made this before, and I found it way easier and less fiddly to just insert a zip up the front, rather than time-consuming and more-difficult-to-undo (ahem) buttons.

I love the bodice style. It's almost corsety, and it's a good one for getting a really fitted, er, fit. The material has a slight stretch so it was quite comfy. 

It's not really easy to see but there are two large patch pockets on the skirt.

I think the camera or the light washed this out a bit. I had 10 different shades of red and pink on my nails. 

We went out for dinner, which was delicious, but I was just waiting for dessert... because I knew I was having salted caramel creme brulee *makes Homer Simpson drooling noise now*

I might have been spoiled a bit, too.

<3

Movie 'college' dresses

I wasn't supposed to buy any new fabric, having accumulated a lifetime's supply in my sewing room, but I couldn't let this beautiful stuff pass by. 

It was called Movie College print but I'm pretty sure they meant collage.

I thought I'd make one dress but ended up having enough for two! How terrible! Not!

First dress.

 

I used this New Look pattern for both bodices. For the first dress, I used the bodice from view D. I just used a long rectangle for the skirt and gathered it onto the bodice. It's a really easy, cheaty way to make a skirt.

 

I love how the print sits across the bust. I actually didn't plan that.

Then I used this gorgeous pattern I found in an op-shop to make a jacket to wear with it. 

 

 

The pattern of the jacket is boxy and hip-length, so I cropped it at the waist, and added a couple of wide darts at the back to make it more fitted. I also lowered the neckline by a couple of inches.

Dress number two.

For this I used the bodice from view B. I can't remember where I got the pencil skirt pattern from but it's pretty basic anyway.

I made the skirt in brown, as black was too harsh. The black in the 'college' print is actually faded to brown, so the brown skirt works better.

Oh, this? I'm just practicing my over-the-shoulder-and-over-the-glasses gaze. You know.

xx

Peonies dress

 I wouldn't have known these little flowers were peonies if it wasn't helpfully printed on the fabric for me.

I made this dress using Simplicity 1873, View A.

Absolutely no alterations required. I have never made a dress with this type of pleated skirt before. It was not terribly difficult and I think I may have found a gathered yet flattering skirt style I can finally wear without getting the old pregnant-stomach look.

I ran out of fabric for the lining but I figured leopard print would be acceptable!

I made this specifically to wear to the Love Vintage Fair in Melbourne this weekend! Very exciting... just need to remember to keep my wallet tucked firmly in my bag at all times....

The Helgastock2014 dress

I received this fabric from the lovely Helga von Trollop at Helgastock2014 a few weeks ago! It is just fabulous and exactly the right fabric for a new frock. Thank you Helga, I LOVE it!

As the fabric is so bright and busy I kept the pattern very simple. 

This is the slip dress from McCalls 6646.

I added in a second should strap as one on each side looked a bit insubstantial. No other alterations.

 

Here are some of my photos from Helgastock2014 - other installments from saucy wenches Sarah and Helga can be seen here and here

I have not been commenting on blogs for the last couple of weeks as I am still getting my bearings with my recently revamped life. I feel bad for this but I am still responding to comments at least! I start part-time work next week and have been industriously buying home wares in purple to decorate my house... when I'm not sitting on the couch watching all the Harry Potter films for the billionth time.

xx

1940's robe in satin and lace

Over the past 3 years I have regularly pulled this fabric out of a plastic bag, looked at it, despaired, and put it away again. It's an insanely slippery satin which feels like silk and I knew it would be a complete pain to cut out and sew.

Last weekend, inspiration finally hit.

 The pattern is Butterick 5152

 

The fabric is not exactly 1948-appropriate, but I think it works pretty well!1970's does 40's??

I didn't have quite enough fabric for the length, so I used some black lace for the yoke detail and for a band around the lower edge of the skirt. Apart from that I made no alterations.

These close up photos show the colour most accurately - it's quite a magenta/purple tone and not as pink as it looks in some of these photos.

I LOVE these sleeves. They're incredibly full and billow around like mad. They remind me of a wizard's cape/cloak.

 

The lace is stretchy and adds a lot of weight - perfect for twirling about and sweeping dramatically up and down the hallway (or anywhere really)

Oh! And my hair is purple! I spent two days bleaching the black out of it, dyeing it a permanent purple colour, banging my head against the wall because it didn't work, and then covering up the lot with Paintbox Purple Haze. Success! 

My hair is now quite fluffy because of the bleach but I like being fluffy.

 

The End.