Finally- after a year of selfless sewing bar one Pavlova Cardi, I am getting stuck into some wardrobe building. It is so hot here, my only comfortable wears are lightweight, natural fibre maxi dresses. I have three live ones. Or had. One was sacrificed on the altar of being made into a pattern, so new ones could be born.
The aforementioned dress I bought at the now defunct (SOB!!!) Anne Harvey in Oxford St, London. I have loved me this dress so much - it is the perfect proportions for me, which has NEVER happened on any RTW maxi I've tried on. But it is very worn out, faded and generally ready to retire, and I was convinced to suck it up and unpick it for the pattern. So I have.
Of course I failed to get a photo of it before the dismantling process, but it features an interesting twist in the centre of the bodice, making it pretty darned tricky to copy without unpicking.
Here are all my beautiful pattern pieces. May I say how much I love this pattern fabric? It is so soft, so easy to fold up into an envelope. Its only flaw is being quite hard to write on in ball point pen. The writing shows up just fine when it is laid flat but hard to read when holding the piece in mid air, as you do.
And here is my chosen fabric - all cut out and ready to sew, hopefully today. I was so tempted to cut out another one, but I want to test my pattern first. I've cut it out of a fabric I just bought, so if I muck something up I can go get more. All the other bits are from stash so I can't be at home to Mr Cockup with them.
Top fabric - a fine textured and overprinted cotton. those boteh are the size of my hand. I LOVE IT. The others are a stretch lace and a silk cotton for lining.
Bonus pic - the stretch lace before and after dyeing it with iDye Crimson for natural fibres. The content is nylon and viscose - excellent news for wearing as I assumed it was polyester! Still my beating red and black obsessed heart!
So, peoples, I am off to sew. Expect to be overshared with in the extreme about my Summer Sewing in the next couple of weeks!!
This dress is going to be beautiful.. I love the fabric.. and I really love the lace after you dyed it.. so pretty!!
ReplyDeleteI am so envious of your warm weather, I am in the USA [Mississippi].. and it is cold here. We had snow flurries all day.. ha
Happy New Years.
Oh but Judy how I wish we had Christmas in winter! It would make so much more sense :)
DeleteOh that lace! Just beautiful. So looking forward to seeing that whipped up! Like Judy, I'm getting little shivers thinking summer dresses but being thankful for small mercies, at least there's no snow in the UK... yet! Happy New Year Mrs C xxx
ReplyDeleteI thought snow was romantic? hehehe. Happy New Year to you too xoxo
DeleteI was wondering how it went together, but now that it's dyed, I can see how it's going to be fabulous!
ReplyDeleteWell I am not sure the lace shrug I am planning will go with the dress, but probably in a not matchy-matchy way. I prefer that. However, I have bought some gorgeous red eyelet cotton that does go with it perfectly, to make a little bolero or shrug. I just need these little shoulder/arm covering tops to go with all the sleeveless dresses for times when it's a bit cooler, and for more versatility :)
DeleteYou so deserve to do some selfish sewing for yourself. I'm really looking forward to seeing all that wonderful fabric sewn up and worn.
ReplyDeleteOne down! :) Thank you, I love seeing your new makes, always so stylish - it's an inspiration to me to get sewing myself :)
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