Twins

Seersucker is one of my least favourite fabrics. The texture is just weird, like it's constantly in need of an ironing. The print of these fabrics won me over the weird bobbliness. 

This is the same pattern as my Christmas dress. I didn't want to make the two dresses completely identical though. The red reminds me of a vintage table cloth, so I decided not to use it for the skirt. Nothing says sexy like a dress resembling a table cloth.

The skirt is cotton drill, which is one of my favourite fabrics to sew with. No stretch, nice and firm and it holds a structured shape very well.

The blue version is my favourite of the two. I don't wear bright red a lot as I don't think it's terribly flattering on me. The cooler blue is lovely. This one is actually lined, because the skirt is very sheer.

The neckline of this pattern is cut straight across, but I altered it for this one into a slight sweetheart neckline.

I do like my new posing couch.

If you're wondering where my new tattoo went, I made these dresses a little while ago.... this is a catch-up post from my blogging break last year.

 

Black, white, beads, stripes

 

 The pattern: McCalls 6646 (bodice only. The skirt was improvised by me)

 The fabric: Striped polished cotton - 40's? 50's? Who can tell me?

The location - My new kitchen!

 I op-shopped this polished cotton years ago and have been holding on to it wondering what to do with it. I wanted to use it for something special because it is just so wonderful. Finally I got sick of it wasting away in my fabric stash and decided to just use it. Surely anything I made with it would end up looking fabulous?

 It has a lovely little floral print which I wanted to bring out with perhaps some red shoulder straps or blue bows at the front. I couldn't decide so I went with the red ribbon sash.

It's removable and and it works. I'm pretty sure some red, or blue, shoes would look nice too.

Here it is without the ribbon.

Hey look! Matching nails. That works, too.

I feel like I look uncomfortable in these pictures (I was actually having fun!). 

Or maybe I look heavier. Do I have more of a chin?

I don't know. Maybe it's just these photos. *bangs head on desk*

The backdrop here is a bead curtain hanging in my new kitchen, in the doorway which leads to the laundry. I have always wanted a bead curtain.

Oh, oh! And I FIXED MY HAIR. Ding dong, the green hair is GONE. I really didn't want to try purple again and have the green come back to haunt me, so I just went with good old black.

The shaved side is still pink. It's a bit brighter now. I'm going to grow it out, but I'll keep dyeing it pink as it grows.

But back to my dress. I should mention how I made the skirt.

I cut the cotton into several 22" lengths, which I then stitched together to make one long piece. I gathered one long edge and stitched this to the waist of the bodice. This makes a skirt which is quite full but not floaty like a circle skirt (ie more wind-resistant). I'm starting to really love skirts like this because they can be made as gathered (or not) as one prefers.

Twirl, twirl.

The end.

Good night, shirt

Cold days and some very chilly nights are starting to hunker down in Melbourne at last. My pj/nightie drawer is rather depleted at present so I've decided to make some winter woolies. I found this soft brushed cotton in Spotlight and it just screamed "Night shirt!" at me.

A night shirt is not exactly feminine but they're comfortable and roomy, and I enjoy wearing them with bootie style slippers and imagining I look hot.

Here is the pattern I used, from 1980. I think I made view A, but I added about 10 inches to the hem.

 

I even made the proper sleeves and all, but I left the buttons off them. I like to push my sleeves up and feel trapped if they won't go higher than my wrists. And if they get wet it's very annoying.

I placed the bust pocket lower down at the hip for easy tissue storage and wot not. I forgot to cut the button tab as long as the shirt, so instead I sewed the shirt closed at the bottom of the tab. This worked out well as now I won't have to worry about it flapping open at inopportune moments.

And where do I sleep, anyway?

Why, right here.

This is my little sleeping friend. He is a bit bigger than a cat and fits nicely into my arm. He was a present from Jay not long after we met.

Here is my bedside table, with its slightly dusty Tiffany-style lamp and various odds and ends.

Wall art, special post cards and birthday cards, and my entire flower brooch collection.

Hankies on top of books to stop them getting dusty.

Note my artistic photographing techniques too.

Jewellery dish overflowing with pendants, rings, brooches, chains and miscellaneous bits and pieces

My not tested-on-animals skin care range, neatly hidden behind a home made birthday card for my 30th last year from Jay.

(And my fringe... see that red hair piece? That's what I wear every day because my old little short fringe is STILL growing out)

 The ever growing to-be-read pile of books

And some fragrance choices (which are probably tested on animals...hrmm...)

Night night.

x

 

My week

Monday

Yellow camisole - opshopped

Cardi - retail

Polka dot skirt - seen here

 Sandals - old

Tuesday

Ceramic kitty cat measuring cups - ModCloth

Cross-stitch - made just for me by my cousin for a birthday:

"The more men I meet the more I like my cat!"

 Wednesday

 

 

Cardi - retail

Dress-  ModCloth (now sold out)

 Thursday

 

 

 

 Red flowers - for me

Purple flowers - for Jay

Friday

 

 

 

Sew Iconic

Belated Christmas present

 Includes patterns for 10 iconic dress from 10 classic films

(click the cover image for ABE books link)

It's a day off today... after a week of 30 degree days with NO END IN SIGHT of the heat, I think I'm due some couch time.

Happy weekend

x