A New Year of Sewing and a Vintage Dress

 Happy new year to you all, I hope you all got to celebrate in some way with your nearest families. For us it was an evening watching Vikings then off to bed before midnight with the youngest of the dogs going with us as the fireworks drive him crazy!  This has become worse as I am sure the fireworks keep getting louder, he never used to bother a few years ago, so taking him up with us for comfort was the best option.

My afternoon was spent making a vintage style dress for my son's girlfriend out of the Burda vintage anniversary edition.  It was not an easy make, it kept referring to markings that could not be seen on the pieces as the pattern sheet was so busy and despite straining my eyes I am certain they are not there!  Usually this is not a problem as I try on and sort things my way but as it is not for me and she is not here I could not do this. Also the fabric was so slinky it reminded me of the microfibre we used to use when I used to make sportwear for a company, it slides al over the place so lots of cursing ;)  I eventually got it made up and it is hanging on my mannequin but not before having to completely redo a front facing as the interfacing was showing through.  Yes not the most relaxing make, I really need her to try it now so I can finish it properly but to be honest I want to see the back of it, have you ever made anything like that? It really was such a contrast to the lovely relaxing day of sewing I had  making the hare dress a few days ago.  It just goes to show not all projects are equal and I would imagine if you were just starting out that could be the kind of thing to put you right off. 

So here it needs adjusting at the waist but we are different sizes so I need her to try it so I can do this properly.

She also didn't want the overskirt so it is just the image on the right but in the deep red fabric.

  So if you are out there and your new year resolution is to start making your own clothes do not be put off if you have an experience like this.  It just happens sometimes so just move on and make something else, I have been sewing years and this was just a combination of bad pattern markings, making for someone not here to fit to and the fabric.  So I will just accept this and move on, the plus side is that it looks nice, I have actually made the shoulder gathers into little pleats as I thought they looked neater.

Do you have any special plans for 2021? Our main one was to get in ten trips away in the new van, alas we have had it moths now and not been able to, we actually lost the deposit on the last site we booked but not  to be deterred as soon as we can travel anywhere we will be off for a weekend.  My husband was busy yesterday rubbing down a table  we bought for it second hand, it did come with a very heavy one but we wanted a light weight one we can take down easily and store in the awning when not in use so we are revamping this one.  We have even bought a glitzy topper to glue to the top as this table is a bit beige and boring.  My husband even went and sat in the van for a bit yesterday, he is keen to get using it. 

I have bought myself a book on coding, it is aimed at children but I find books aimed at children to be very clear and I have to say that this is definitely a new area for me so this is just what I need.  It had lots of good reviews from adults in the same position who had bought it for themselves so hopefully it will be useful.  So that is something I want to learn a little bit about this year.

One thing I am going to use less of this year is Facebook, I thought I never used to check it very much but I think this has increased and this is not a good thing.  Quite often it is a big time waster and my main reason for it was that sometimes people I don't see much of anymore might get in touch and need some sewing doing so they would message me that way.  This may only happen a couple of times a year so going it for twenty minutes a day is not necessary is it?? Yes I think it may be that long sometimes as I fall down the rabbit hole of reading everyone's posts, so that has to stop and I will do something more productive with that time.

A trip to the charity shop last week resulted in a couple of new books a few for mum, one for my husband and this one for me...

I have never read this though I know it was made into a film and I haven't seen that either so it is all new to me and a bargain at 99p!

Well enjoy your new start to the year everyone and here's to a good one. 

Slow Pace

 How is it going where you are?  I hope everyone is enjoying the rest and not feeling too cut off from everything.  My husband popped down to the shop earlier and he said he has never seen it so quiet in our little town, I know it is Christmas but  there are usually people pottering about in the streets.  The little bit of snow here this morning may have put them off, but it did look pretty for about an hour before it all melted. 

I have been making a dress today using a magazine pattern that I have had for some time, the fabric is from Happy Hare in Chapeltown and the colours are lovely. I made a few adjustments as ever and also had to add a couple of tucks to the front as it hung on me in a non flattering way, I also took the side and back seams in a little.  I decided against full darts to shape it as I didn't want to interfere with the pattern, the tucks I added at the front bring it in a little without cutting through the pattern too much.

So I have had an enjoyable afternoon making this, it is actually finished now but the light went pretty quick so I will photograph it on over the next few days in daylight.  I did get one on the mannequin while I was still at the fitting stage.  There is a small opening at the back of the neck with a loop and button to fasten.  I faced the hem with a binding before hemming to make it a bit neater, other than the dress being a bit baggy for my liking it is a nice shape I think the fitting issue is just my preference because it fits really well on the arms, upper body and shoulders so it is clearly meant to be baggy.  has anyone else made this pattern and if so how did you find it?  

There are pins in the front there where I made my little tucks, the frill on the sleeves are also a bit shorter than the ones on the pattern piece as I felt they may get in the way if they were  any bigger.  It is a gorgeous quality fabric by Dee Hardwick who usually does knitting patterns I believe.  I used some of her fabric a while ago in the dragonfly handbag I made and that was really colourful too. 

Here is a look at a gift I made for a friend, it is a multi purpose scarf/wrap.  I thought it could be worn now as a scarf or later as a bikini wrap if we ever get to travel again! Then my friend could wear it on holiday.  I paired this with some posh soap I bought when we went to Chatsworth a couple of weeks ago for the lights. 

I have been nibbling on some lovely vegan chocolates that I received for Christmas, this will not become a habit as they are quite expensive for what they are but nice to have as a holiday treat.

Something tells me I am probably not the only one eating chocolate at the moment while watching the Worlds Strongest Man!  Right I am off now to do some Pilates and work it off, back soon. Have a good new year everyone. 

Days Indoors

 Hi, I just thought I would do a bit of a catch up while we have the extra time. I am keeping busy around the house and also I had time to get my car booked in and checked out this morning first thing, this is always easier when we don't have work to get to.  The way back was very wet and cold but I took advantage of the uphill walk through a farmers field by dashing up it and then I can count that as part of my daily exercise. I was a little breathless when I got to the top and the cold seams to add to that (or is that just me?)

When I got back I thought I would do my Pilates for the day and of course the dogs have to try and join in, this usually involves the little one trying to climb on my legs and then looking offended when I make him get off because he is so used to sitting on laps.

Yes I had to get off the mat to take the photo and they always look a bit alarmed when I point the phone at them!

There has been a bit of sewing today, I had in mind a pattern from one of my Burda magazines but I have changed it quite a bit, it was 114A from November issue but the neck was not for me and the bagginess a bit big so it has been changed.

There is some gathering into  straight band that you can't see, the printed fabric hides it too, if I had more fabric the bottom band would have had the stripe going vertical but I didn't have enough for that.

This afternoon I did some experimental baking and made mince pie buns, gf pastry is not great to make so I made my own with gram flour for the pie bases, then baked and filled them and then I made banana cake batter for the tops.  So they are a bit of a hybrid, but they do taste good and my husband who is not a fan of actual mince pies ate one and enjoyed it.

Just a bit of what I am up to at the moment, I am now off to make something else but it is my final gift to make so I won't say what it is I will share after the big day.  

That is all for now, back soon.