Graduation... ekk

So. I should explain, that I live about 3 months behind the rest of the world. I find it terribly difficult to keep up. I attribute this to my Auntie, who is exactly the same (Now it would just be weird to have my birthday present on the day - Its like having two birthdays!). Anyway, my friends and family are used to it now (everyone seems to like having Christmas on a rainy Tuesday in March!), but this is late… even for me.

My graduation dress. A wopping 10 months after the event. Its from Burda magazine issue 12/08, Dress 130 (the extra pattern one). I used no imagination whatsoever and copied the colours directly from the magazine. I made no actual changes to the design either. The only thing I did do was fiddle about with the back fastening, so that I didn’t have a patch of back on show – I lengthened the bottom of the under flap(?) and put a hook and eye on there too. I still have terrible trouble with the top flap(!?) gaping (more so than you can see in the picture), but really I don’t know what to do about that! Perhaps the button needs shifting over a few cm. Not sure.

Anyway, its very form fitting – I can’t help but wiggle when I wear it! And while tight, it’s not particularly constricting to wear. The top is white georgette (chiffon was too see through) and the skirt is sort of heavy weight almost waffle-ish material (i.e. it’s not smooth), although you could definitely make it more classy and decadent by using silk for the bodice. I lined it too, can’t remember if it told me to or not, but I did, as I do with most things. It’s a good staple dress if I have smart affairs to go to, such as graduating! And so, here’s one of me in a silly hat to prove I did it.

Sewbox competition

Basically Sewbox is a totally brilliant idea to help out the starter sewer! For my first sewing project I had to go to the sewing shop 3 times as I kept missing things I needed (zip, hook and eye, interfacing etc). I could have been saved the 3 lots of parking I had to pay for if I been given a Sewbox kit… because they do it all for you! You pick your nice fabric and your nice pattern and they do all the boring bits of finding zips that match. How ace!

In fact, my mum put together a similar thing for me for Christmas – a make your own pyjama kit. It was totally awesome, so I can completely recommend this sort of thing if you are wanting a sewing related gift!

AND they do Colette patterns in the UK! I have been swooning over Colette patterns for months now, but they aren’t so readily available over here. I’m still biding my time though on my purchase. I think the beignet skirt might be the one for me, or maybe Macaron. Or the coat! That coat is ace. Hmmm.

Anyway – there’s a competition on to win one of the kits! The Sencha blouse kit is deffo my first choice! Fingers crossed eh?

MORE Winter wear

Yes, more ski wear! Although this time, regrettably I cannot lay claim to it. Yes I chose it, yes I love it, but no I did not make it. This is all down to the spectacular handiwork of my Mum. I requested, nay, demanded a red and white snowflake jumper, just weeks before Christmas. I had scoured the shops and the internet for what I was after and to no avail, so Mum stepped into the breach.
She located a totally awesome pattern at our local sewing shop, picked up the wool and went for it. Now it wasn't meant to be a christmas present, it was just my selfish wish to have it for the Christmas period, so Mum gunned it on the sticks and only missed the event by 2 days! So although it wasn't waiting for me under the tree, two days later I was cozied up in it in front of the fire. Superb for our flat with no central heating (and it was a long, cold winter this year. Cold. Very cold.) and my skiing holiday.

So here is my post to say thank you to Mum for my MARVELOUS jumper (obviously quite belatedly, but that won't be a surprise).

But now spring has sprung, and with temperature no longer below zero my warm jumpers will have to be put away until next winter. But that means there's lots more room for summer dresses! Ace!

Ski Tuesday

Well, its been a while... same old excuses though, moving house and switching jobs! I'm now based full time in the capital and all is going well.

I have been sewing though, even if my reporting of it leaves a lot to be desired! First off the blocks, and in the spirit of the season, is some ski wear!

The occasion of my first ever skiing trip, was most definitely an opportunity for some new snuggly jumpers. Now its been a looong time since I wore fleece (my school uniform was made of a particularly hideous fleece and the scars are still healing) but as someone who is naturally chilly anyway, I knew I would be thankful for it when I was halfway up a French mountain. As I knew I wasn't going to be wearing them a huge amount, I bought some fairly cheap navy and cream polar fleeces and used the Burdastyle Lydia pattern that I already had.

I was able to cut them out and pin them pretty darn quickly due to the fleece's fluffy friction and near indistinguishable grain. But then, when I put needle to syntheic fluff, my moment of enlightenment came... It was marvelous. The fleece was bliss to sew, it sewed up quickly and neatly and you didn't have to faff about finishing any of the seams, because it doesn't fray. It stays where you put it and its sooo lovely and soft. In no time at all (well actually several hours, but comparative to other projects, pretty swift) I had two snuggly jumpers. I added a little flower to one and a discrete bow to the other. The only modification was on the neckline which I chopped down, and the use of fleecey binding rather than facing on the neckline.

Now I'm not saying I'm a convert, and I am certainly not planning to add any more fleece to my wardrobe in the near future, but I am almost ready to admit that I don't totally hate it! Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the skiing, but at least I've got plenty of lovely warm clothes now!

Step back in time...

Well of late, pretty much all of my spare seconds have been spent preparing for a 1940s murder mystery which happened last night. I have been waiting for an excuse for ages to wop out my home made rollers and make up a '40s outfit and I finally had a reason!


I duly slept in my rollers, with my super glamourous blue old-lady-hairnet on, in order to have a bevy of beautiful curls to brush out for the event. I sewed up a dress and got some smashing seamed tights! Although I didn't guess the murderer I had so much fun. Now I just need to find another opportunity to go retro again!

Clickety Click!

I have been busy! Honest! Not just lazy!

I spent last weekend down in windy Dorset, jumping around on rocks and eating lots and lots of very nice cakes. I've been hankering for some new mittens for a while and now the weather is starting to turn chilly here, I thought a weekend away may be the perfect chance to start them off!

Unfortunately despite turning the house upside down I was unable to track down a set of 4 needles! Luckily the charity shops of Bridport came to the rescue! 4 sets of needles later (ranging in price from £1 to 10p a set!) I got a matching set the right size! Then it was just a case of making a test mitten before going for it with some lovely wool I picked up in Oxfam a couple of weeks back.

I thought 'how hard can it be? Its just the same but with extra needles!'. No. It is not. They are slippery and clunky and get in the way! Anyway, the knit one purl one wasn't going so well, and
so I am now attempting... a tube!!!


Currently its more of a ring... but it will grow! And once the tube is sufficiently tubular, hopefully I can move on to things with thumbs!!!

This week I have been mostly...

Bathing.

After another half move, I am now spliting my life between Hampshire and London, which means a fair amount of train travel and quite a lot of stressful limbo. To soothe my aches and stresses, I have taken to the bath.

I used to live in a house with a beautiful roll top bath and no shower (shock!). I thought it would be a massive inconvenience, but I actually quite enjoyed my nightly bath. It gave me quarter of an hour each day to just RELAX. It's quite amazing how much good it does my sanity to sit in some hot water for a half hour or so.

One day I hope to have a bathroom with contents as sweeeeet as this...

I already have the mirror... I'm on my way.