The Winter is Coming dress

No, this dress does not have anything to do with Game of Thrones. But it is the last summery dress I'll be making this year.

 

 I usually make at least one coat every winter. Last year I got carried away with summery dresses and made nothing else (almost) all year. By the time we got through winter and summer came around again, I was kind of annoyed at myself.

So here is the last summer dress of the year.

I absolutely love the fabric I've used for the bodice. The print is just beautiful. I have a feeling it would also look amazing with a skirt in a rusty red colour. I don't completely love it with the blue skirt of this dress, but it will do.

For some reason the skirt came out really tight. It fitted really well at the waist but there was a lot of seam allowance along the zip, which I had to let out. I haven't tried sitting in it yet so I'm going to assume it will not actually split open when I do.

I have crazy cat lady hair in these photos. I started with my hair in a bun, decided it was boring, so I took it out and it just fluffed up everywhere. I still have one short side from when I shaved half my head a while ago; at the rate it's growing it should be shoulder length by the end of the year.

And just to prove I really am going to make wintery stuff for winter, here is a little sneak peek of a coat I've started on.

F*ck off summer. There is velvet and fur and silk in my future and I must wear them.

The winter sewing project | Part one

 

  

My winter sewing project is the re-creation of two coats worn by Miss Fisher in the Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries series. This coat was worn in the episode Raisins & Almonds.

I had no hope of 

A) actually replicating the coat, or

B) making anything in a 1920's style that would be flattering to wear. I'm not suited to the era, body-shape-wise.

My version of this coat has a faux-fox fur collar, is fitted about the waist with no belt, and does not come with a matching skirt. The length is about the same as the original but with a flared skirt.  The fabric is wool and it's very warm.

Pattern is Vogue 8346.

 

It's lined in steel grey-blue silk, used from a silk sari.

 

 

 

After being absent for a few weeks I'll be catching up on blogs, responding to comments and repaying the compliment to new followers over the next few days.

Parts two and three of the winter sewing project coming soon!

xx

Winter woollies

With a wool coat and a wool-blend skirt flapping around my legs, I certainly kept warm in this outfit. I did get a bit tangled up in my skirts a few times, though.

Studiously looking down to combat early morning eyes.

 Green coat - opshop

Red skirt - made by me and previously seen here

Cardi - Dangerfield outlet

Cameo and glass bead bracelet - gifts from Jay

Crucifix necklace - borrowed from Jay

Boots - Dr Martens

Pink and black velveteen coat

The original purpose of this post was to show off my pink and pearly outfit.

Exhibit A:

  

 (Gaaaaah must remember to wear sunglasses for early morning photo shoots)

 

Then I realised I had not yet displayed this coat on my blog. Shocking! So here it is.

Exhibit B:

Black velveteen coat with pink fur trim, lined in pink satin.

The outdoor pictures show off the colour better, but I am running out of daylight hours when I come home in the evenings these days.

I Was Good and sewed on all the fur around the hood and cuffs (no glue). The tufts are actually all individual little squares of fur, like a grid, so it was easier than it looks to get between the squares to sew it all on.

The hood is far too big for practical purposes and flops right down to my nose if I try wearing it. I usually try and scrunch it around my neck like a scarf.



Mr Horse Head wears it well (he was the only thing in the house that it fitted and that didn't fall off Doris the Dummy while I took a photo).

Thinking about it, I realised I actually made this coat about 8 years ago. I was very proud of it at the time, and although I can now see several things that I could have done better or differently, I still consider it one of my favourite creations. I don't know what pattern I used but I'm sure after all this time it's no longer available anyway.

Here is a close up of all my jewellery. I just love pearls. Not in a 1950's-neat-little-one-strand-about-the-neck way, clearly. When it comes to pearls, more definitely is more. I'm also wearing a little swallow pendant but he went sideways at the wrong moment here. 

It's next to the knot of pearls and chains.

Pink cardigan - opshopped

Pearl necklaces & pink stone ring - Diva

Swallow pendant - ASOS

Pearl ring - some hippy dippy stall at a market years ago

Boots - Dr Martens

dress & leggings - retail
Mr Horse Head - Dangerfield outlet

Mr Horse Head's contribution to the post:

Neigh. Bleh. Get me off this thing, I've got pins in me. Where are my pearls?

A Very Grande Week

Monday

Freezing cold and feelin' fresh for the start of the week

dress - opshop

cardi & cherry necklace - retail

boots- Modcloth

coat - made by me

bag - ASOS

Tuesday 

Stupid rain ruining my photo shoot. And yes, it was still cold.

top - opshop
skirt - made by me
tights, amethyst pendant & umbrella - retail
boots - ASOS

Wednesday

Midweek and I'm over it already. I will not smile.

dress - made by me (before I began blogging and the dress which started my love of
fitted bodice / full skirted dresses - the first I ever made in this style)
jacket and tights - retail
men's shoes - outlet sale
pendant - 70's from my mum

Interesting that the dress with which I began to fully realise my femininity I now decided to wear with men's shoes. Before I made this dress, my idea of dressing up was to wear my 'good'  black jeans.

Thursday

 Feeling so damn special being a woman.

cardi, tights, boots - retail

dress - opshop

brooch - Christmas gift

tired expression - Mother Nature

Friday

Lounging around....

....before hitting Helgastock 2013! (where I forgot to take any photos. Very clever). I met Sister Sarah, Helga! and Carli and a couple of other lovely lasses whose names and websites have completely slipped my mind! I'm sorry! Please remind me. I had so much fun and dinner was lovely. I wore this dress and this coat. No doubt someone will have photos up on their blog or Facebook sooner or later.

dressing gown - opshop

purple booties - Target

Saturday

An overdue photo shoot of opshop finds

Boob-squash dress

Also experimenting with hair extensions...

(further evidence of boob squash below)

....and camera focus... (grrr)

Hair extensions are good for hiding one's bra straps...

...until one forgets to fling one's hair over them.

 

The lace dress is what I'm showing off here. It didn't come with a slip but clearly requires one.

Sunday

I am attempting to photograph milk as it billows up through a cup of tea.

It is one of my favourite sights and I think I will continue to try and capture it accurately. Prepare for many tea and milk photos.

(How many effing photos have I used in this post??)

There will be more filler posts of work wear and opshop finds while I continue work on my winter sewing project. Sewing posts will be scarce for the next month or so.