Autumn fashion....Yes Please!

I seem to be having a skirt fest at the moment!. Despite the fact that as a hands on nanny I spend most of my time grovelling on the floor, or leaping about like some mad woman playing on the wii and therefore am more likely to be in my jeans, I do like to wear skirts and dresses.
Over time my taste has gone from the tailored smart to the comfy casual, preferably with thick tights and boots!
My pattern of choice at the moment is the pencil skirt from Angela Kane. After downloading a couple of her free patterns, which I quite liked, I decided to sign up. Now for just £25 joining fee I can download as many patterns as I like. Since there are about 28 ( and new ones being added) I think, that's not bad value at all. One of the best things though is the you tube tutorials. Even as a fairly prolific sewer, I have learned some excellent tips and short cuts.

My first attempt....1991 curtain fabric! I love it and am tempted to make a coat too. I have enough material!!

 You only got the bottom of this photo 'cos I was pulling the most stupid face!

A lined wool tweed, and a close up of the back pleat which I much prefer for Autumn/Winter skirts, much less drafty!

I also made an unlined brushed moleskin with patch pockets, but I loved it so much its been worn and is now in the wash.

I have made another Ponti dress.....

I wouldn't have thought of wearing the mustard with orange, but couldn't be bothered to change. However since the scarf does have both colours in I might be tempted. At least its very Autumnul!

In between busily sewing cushions, bunting and Christmas decorations for our next Olive & Edna pop up shop, I have also downloaded a 1940s dungaree pattern which I hope to wear on the day.......

Saturday 15th November 2014

 Liberty Roses Tea Rooms

I'd better get a move on or I could be wearing them with the pins in still...not a good look and somewhat dangerous!

If you are in the area do pop in if only to say hello and taste the wonderful cakes!

TTFN

Jenny xx

VOGUE PATTERN 2659 and other stuff.......

There are times when I hate being a Libran (zodiac sign) not some strange cult! Not the creative aspects, for that read passion for messing about with fabric and scissors, but the imbalance, the indecisiveness that is apparently one of our traits.
Having spent the last two weeks with family and particularly the lovely grandsons and little time to spend in my sewing room, I suddenly find myself with actual time on my hands.  So ignoring the towering Pisa of ironing (there are only two of us living here now, I'm sure someones sneaking theirs in) I shut myself away to enjoy a few hours of sewing.......
So what do I do; sit there for more than half an hour not knowing what to start with first or in fact what I really felt like doing at all.
Do I finish taking in those trousers for my holiday, hem DH's new jeans, do a bit of the patchwork quilt or try to finish any of the WIPs in my basket.
Well you can guess what I ended up doing, coming on here to show you what I completed before my sewers block...

VOGUE PATTERN 2659....remember this

Well having made the dress I showed you the fabric I had in mind for the skirt, but hadn't found anything for the top. A quick root through my stash though revealed some more jersey , again in brown but this time with a self coloured embroidered design . And this is how they turned out.....

You'll note that I altered the neckline on the top, because I was using the same colour as the dress I made, I wanted the top to look a little different. I found instructions on tinternet to alter any neckline to a cowl so had a go. In all honesty it didn't work quite as well with this fabric which is a little firm, but I think with a softer jersey it would work very well.
The skirt is shorter than I would normally wear but I thought more of wearing it with tights and boots so I think I can get away with it.
I am still toying with the idea of the jacket, but have a few things I must definitely finish first!

Following this I was on a roll so I revisited a very old pattern NEW LOOK 6040......

certainly looking a bit dog eared now, well used.....
I bought some lovely rose patterned jersey, quite fine, from either the Harrogate knitting and stitching show, or the one at the NEC and needless to say it had just been waiting for me to decide what to do with it. Well once  I came across this pattern again my mind was made up. ( I do occasionally make a quick decision!)
And this is the result.......

 A better length for me I think. The 'underskirt' is a completely separate dress from the same pattern which works perfectly as a lining and at my age a 'modesty panel'!!. I did french seams on the dress as it is quite sheer and I don't possess a serger.

And finally after procrastinating....there I've been eating dictionaries as well!......I decided to play around with an idea for a few additions to my folksy and etsy shops to go with the needle cases I make.....Alice inspired pin cushions......

Love the design but feel the shape is a bit bulky looking. I have one I made as a wrist pin cushion, shaped more like a small pillow which I think I prefer....I have also created some numbers and letters which look like old typewriter keys which I might attach as the numbers for a clock face and make the cushions round instead.......but that's another decision I have to battle with ....wish me luck..

Hope your day is as sunny and cheerful, though very windy, as ours is...Have a great week....

TTFN

Jenny xx

FASHION OR FOLLY....!

A few days ago the new Boden catalogue dropped through my letterbox and as you do I settled down a bit later with a coffee (honest it was just coffee!) to have a browse through. I mentally ticked one or two things, particularly dresses, which caught my fancy, but when I totted up what they would cost me I nearly fell off my chair!!

I do love their style and especially the prints they often use, but can I really justify paying out between £69 and £89 for a simple jersey wrap or cotton dress....

Well as you've probably guessed the answer is a resounding no!...so what does a girl do but raid her fabric stash and set to........

The fabric I selected was I think very bodenesque (sorry about that) and the pattern one of my all time favourites which I have made a few times......

the one at the back, although I have also made the front one.....

This one was in a grey devore fabric and I think I wore it till it almost fell apart it was so comfortable.  The only thing I found was I didn't like the bodice unlined and so now I line it with the main fabric which helps to keep the neck shape as well.

 ....and the finished article made the same day at a cost of about £7....no competition really and I am only an average dressmaker, so think what we all could save with a little time and patience....!

Of course having bit the bullet I was on a roll so next a variation for my 5 month pregnamt DD. This is to be a top not a dress and is awaiting fitting.....

 

 

The fabric is a very fine jersey with almost a devore look and has the finest gold thread through it which doesn't really show in the picture...


Before I continue though, take a look at the lovely little pin cushion I am using.  If there is one thing which makes my sewing really great it's having lovely notions and accessories.
I bought this....

and this little phone cover..............

From a very talented young lady at.....

www.dinkydaisy.co.uk

Go take a look, her things are so pretty and so well made...

and so........having well and truly got the dressmaking bug I am now making a slight variation of the dress in this....

so I think that may be my spring wardrobe sorted and my wallet saved..........

..........and to celebrate even the sky decided to give a wonderful display just to round off the day.....

Hope you are all finding your creative side now that 2011 has truly started...

TTFN

Jenny xx

THE DEVIL MAKES WORK............

Well believe me when I say he didn't get a look in this weekend!!......

My plan was to make the green tomato chutney and start on some slipper orders.....Well thats what I did but somehow I seem to have got a bit carried away...not that I'm complaining as next week I will probably achieve nothing....

First of all the chutney, 9 one pound jars stored away for Christmas. The recipe from this book....

was so easy and the instructions very clear. It smells lovely and I cant wait to see how it matures.

Then I decided to do a bit of sewing for myself. I purchased these patterns the other week,

I started with this......

with the intention of  using up some of my stash of fabric. As I havn't made any of them before I didn't want to use my best fabric, but as two of them are knits making a muslin first was not an option. Any way for the top I found a remnant of a boucle type knit I once made DD a top out of and as is usual I am rather pleased with the result, but no doubt when I use a fabric that's a bit more pricey it won't go as well
I did make a few adjustments though.  I made the top 4 inches shorter and the neck band only half the width it was supposed to be.My fabric was quite bulky and I thought any more would have been too much.
I bet on some of you younger folk the original length worn over a top, with a belt and some contrasting tights would look pretty good and certainly keep you snug when the weather really turns.

I then started on the cashmere coat I mentioned in a previous post, but not the style I had intended at all.  I found this, unlined coat pattern which I really like...

Much less formal and a perfect solution for weekends away.  I will line mine as I am not keen on unlined coats. It is all cut out now so I'll show you my progress soon.
The dress pattern will have to wait until I find some knit fabric that inspires me as believe it or not there was nothing suitable in my stash...mind you most of it is linen and cotton so it's not so surprising.

Finally I made some of these....

for Emma at Land of Emma for her Christmas stall to raise money for 'Help for Heros'.  If you have any thing hand made that you would care to donate and get to her by November 10th, I am sure she will be more than grateful.

Well thats about it really, apart from having a rant about blogger!!!!! what is going on????
I have been trying on and off to do this post and upload photos since 4pm.  I have never had this problem before they changed things.  I always make my photos smaller in photoshop so that they do upload quicker, but it's taking so long now I seriously considered packing it in today and just reading everyone elses!!!!

Anyone else having this problem or is it just me and my machine!

Off to have a very stiff drink....or two now....

TTFN

Jenny xx ( Oh those extra grey hairs!!!)