How time flys...

When you're not having fun! My it has been a long time since I posted about anything, but there is a good reason for that, you see I've not really felt like doing much sewing over the past few months because I've been feeling generally rubbish and spending a lot of time either asleep or in the bathroom.  But hopefully I'm getting to that stage where everything is peachy again and I'm also itching to get back to the sewing room.  Now rather than continuing to be cryptic I had better cut to the chase and tell you what has been going on - I'm pregnant!

Yep the reason I've not felt like doing anything is the crazy morning sickness, which has still not decided to disappear but it is getting slightly better, also we had decided to move house this year so the times I have been feeling like doing anything have been spent slowly boxing up our possessions

Now that the bombshell is over with I'll catch you up on a couple of makes

Jersey Top

I started this just after I found out about Monklett (That's what we've called him for now) but have failed to finish it off, all that needs doing to it is the armholes need to be finished but I've never found the energy to finish although this would be a good top to finish because it is stretchy.

Flight bag

I made this for my Mother-in-Law before our wedding to take with her for her hand luggage and she was so pleased with it, her sister also fell in love with it and requested one for her daughter for Christmas, I managed to get it done before I lost the sewjo although I forgot to take pictures of it before sending it down to her.

That's all for now, hopefully Monklett will give me a break soon so I can get back to doing what I love the most.

Glitzarama

My work Christmas party is in  few weeks time and in true sewist style I'm going to make my dress for the party.  The dress I'm making is actually quite a simple dress - New Look 6068 - View B

Source

As the dress itself has quite simple lines I've tried to find a fabric that would give it the WOW! factor. I had originally tried to find an awesome border print, without any success. So on Saturday in my hungover state I ventured to a fabric shop, and found this

 Brain says "Oooohh Shiny!" I wasn't actually going to buy this one because I got a little scared by the glitz of the lace but when I was at the cutting table it was sitting there shining in the florescent lights screaming "BUY ME!!"  I snapped up 2 meters of the spangly lace and some black satin to act as a lining.

I started cutting last night and in an attempt to make sure that the lines were all straight it took me about two hours to just cut the two main dress pieces because I pinned each line in place

Is that a bit OCD? Or is it actually ok? Because after another couple of hours work this it what it looks like

I'm actually ignoring the pattern instructions and am winging the construction because I've decided the change the key hole opening to the back instead of the front, the lace is acting like the facing, pockets are being contemplated and I'm attempting to French Seam the whole thing. I must be mad.

Feeling Brave

I'm not entirely sure what has come over me, maybe it has something to with the fact that the trousers that I purchased from a shop a few weeks ago were to big, picture pulling out the waistband and having space, but at the same time too small, picture same damn waistband feeling like its cutting you in half.  I have no idea how the heck these trousers manage to do both things but they do.  But you may already have an idea of what I'm about to say here but just incase you're not getting my drift.

I'm making trousers! Eeekk...

The crappy fitting trousers were the starting point but when I found this pattern on sale, it seemed inevitable

It's Butterick 5682 and I've started to make view E for some work trousers, that won't cut me in half while I'm at my desk all day.  I'm not doing to bad with them so far, I've even made a muslin (Shock!!), but when I was tracing the pattern there was one thing that really make me laugh.

This is the waistband piece and the writing on it says "This finished edge is 1 1/2" below the base of the neck" Errr... Butterick really?? Trousers?? 1 1/2" below the base of the neck?? I think not!


Anyway back to the trousers, the muslin fitted ok and just needed a small tweak to the waist since it was too small and would defeat the point of me making the trousers in the first place...

Moving onto the trousers, I've made the front of the legs

i.e put the pockets on, which may I add are awesome!  Remember my bird skirt? Welcome bird pockets!! (there is also going to be bird facing too!)

Hopefully the rest of the trousers will go together as well and I'll be winning.

Peer Review - In progress

Last weeks challenge over at Sew Weekly was to make an outfit inspired by one of the weekly contributors.  For this challenge I decided it was a good time to use the raspberry fabric I brought a few weeks ago

Mainly because it reminds me of one of Debi's dresses, The Raspberry Sorbet dress (oh and if you haven't already seen it you need to head on over to Debi's blog for her Mrs Peacock Pencil skirt, Lush!).  I started off really well with this challenge as I traced and cut the pattern I was going to use two Sunday's ago, and then dagnabit life got in the way* and this is how I came to it last night

 Still folded and waiting to be sewn...  So I took a few hours and cut out a lining and started to put it together.  It's not finished yet as I was getting rather tired last night so instead of soldiering on a ruining the dress I left it at this point.

Hopefully I can steal another couple of hours later in the week and finish it off. 

Now then it is probably time I shared something with you that I have been keeping a little quiet about - I'm getting married in 5 weeks time, eeekk! Jesh when did it get so close! It's not seemed quite real until recently especially now it is dawning on me exactly how close it is. There are a few things left to organise for it but I'm not going to break my calm nature about all of it, I refuse to be one of these stressed out brides!! Whatever will be will be what's the point in worrying about it?

Busy Busy

Wow, I just can't believe how busy I've been over the past week, its been crazy!  So what have I been up to?

I've started my Sorbetto, not sure about it at the moment but I'll reserve judgement until it is finished, here is is so far

Also my soon to be Sister-in-Law has asked me to make some bags for her wedding so quite a lot of my time this past week or so has been dedicated to that. She's asked me for 4 clutch bags, 1 for her and 3 for her adult bridesmaids and also 2 drawstring bags for her young daughters.  The clutch bags are very nearly done , just a few finishing touches to go but I'll treat you all with some sneak peeks.  They are my own design based on the lines of the bridesmaids dresses and incorporating the butterfly theme for the wedding.  The butterfly embroidery on the ivory bag mimics the butterflies on the girls dresses.

I'm really pleased with how they have turned out so far, hopefully I'll be able to get some action shots on the day :)