Friday, April 24, 2015

Three dresses!

I'm back with three new dresses to show! I've been slightly hampered from blogging about them earlier - I haven't wanted to take photos outside my flat out of embarrassment! Lame - but here are some from inside, where the light isn't as good but gives the idea.

First was a Nettie hack. I copied Sallie's lovely idea, and used the bodice of the Nettie dress (with Washi Dress cap sleeves) down to my natural waist. Then I used the By Hand London circle skirt app to draft a half-circle skirt to attach from there. I still haven't hemmed it as I'm too filled with dread, but that is something I must do in front of the TV one evening soon.





It's made from a weird synthetic jersey from Goldhawk Road, but I love the colour and it's very comfortable, with good recovery too.

Emboldened by this, I had a go at another Nettie, with better quality fabric from The Organic Textile Company (I pretty much want everything they're selling.)


I was really happy with this, until I washed it and shrunk it... it feels seriously tight now, even though I'd gone up a size on the Nettie from my actual size. Also I'd lengthened the pattern by 2", and it's gotten shorter too. Still wearable, but maybe more of an evening-with-cardigan dress now! I added the sleeves and binding from Gertie's book - I'm really on a cap sleeve roll!

And last dress is another Darling Ranges, which makes three - my first TNT pattern! Exciting! But I'll stop there for now, as I want to get out of my teeny comfort zone and try some new challenges! Only changes I made were lengthening the dress by 2" and using the Washi Dress cap sleeves again.

The fabric is Nani Iro double gauze from Ray Stitch... It's beautiful fabric, and takes the shape of the dress really nicely, although it does bunch itself up a bit (as evidenced by back photo...) It's also another lesson to me in the fact that just because I find a fabric pretty, doesn't mean it does anything for me. Cream fabric with red spots pretty much nails this aspect of dressmaking for me... so much to learn.

Pretty on its own!

Paley paleo lady.


Bunchy back.

Pockets make this dress brill.

Thanks for reading, have a great weekend!

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

March Sew Over It Show Off competition!

Hurrah! I won the March So Over It competition - 2 metres from their beautiful fabric shop! I loved the course at Sew Over It with Julie, and can't wait to make something new!

Thank you Alex!