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

Ballerina dress

This is my blue ballerina Alannah Hill dress. I found it at an outlet, stupendously reduced in price, and pounced upon it.

This is how I wore it to work today. 

Vague attempts at spinning prettily (failing)

Purple textured tights, also on sale.

Cruddy sequin shoes, probably should not be worn in public any more.

Bluebird locket.

Time for more fluffing about dancing

*insert music box sounds*

twinkle, twinkle, twinkle...

...dee dee dee dee dee...

 

Are these photos a good size? I always though larger photos would be too in-yer-face. 

Let me know what you think?

The Christmas Pudding bag

This bag actually has nothing to do with Christmas, or puddings. I just think it looks like a fat little pudding.

Actually it looks more like a pizza when it's lying flat.

The fabric is leftover from a dress I made years ago, proof that it IS worth hanging onto bits of fabric "just in case" I need them.

The lining is a soft silky rayon.

This was made exactly the same way as the previous bag here, but it's smaller.

I added the lace around the opening to hide the rows of stitching for the ribbon casing. In order to keep the stitches invisible on the inside, I had to hand sew it. I loathe sewing anything by hand. It takes foreverrrrrrr. It gives me neck and back and head and eye aches. And half the stitches were visible anyway. But it looks nice from the outside.

 

To finish, I added two red buttons to the ribbon ends.

 

And there you have it. My little Christmas Pudding bag.