Dressmaking again

Back garden - bird feeders.

It is hard to keep focussed with the weather being fine outside and a dog wanting attention. We have got into quite a pleasant routine here. Each morning, Ella goes for a walk before the weather gets too warm. She goes out with either my husband or myself, or quite often both. We then all enjoy breakfast before Ella has a rest blocking a doorway. She loves to be close to us. Coco seems to have settled and developed a taste for dog food. It has proved rather difficult to take a photo of Ella watching her food being eaten by Coco who has pushed in front. Ella is very patient and lets Coco eat before claiming the rest of her meal.

In the evening, when it become much cooler outside, we all go out for another walk, returning to find Coco waiting for us by the front gate. Once back inside the house both animals have their meal and we all settle down for the evening. It is nice that Coco generally comes for a cuddle while Ella flops down and has another snooze.

Ella - having just woken up.

I've started making a new dress for myself. It is intended for a wedding I shall be going to at the beginning of August. There is a second pattern and fabric waiting just in case this dress doesn't quite seem right.

Quilters cotton fabric.

I couldn't resist this fabric when I saw it. It is really a quilters cotton fabric, but is once of those soft cottons which can also be used for dressmaking.  The pattern I am using is one I used some time back. I had intended to make the open neck version with short sleeves, but hadn't noticed that the design really only works in one direction. As a result I am making the version shown on the package once again. 

Using A as shown.

I've loved wearing the first dress I made, so will be happy to have the same design again.

I'm back!

Hello everyone. Sorry there has been a distinct lack of blog posts over the past month. I have been busy with the sewing for my daughters wedding on Saturday 13th August: my daughter's wedding dress, the flower girl's dress and my own dress and jacket.

I promise photos will follow. I just need permissions to share the wedding dress and flower girl's dresses with you. Then I need a kind person to supply me with photos of myself weearing the suit I made as well as the matching hat which I trimmed........... I was too busy at the time to take any photos...............

Now, having had a week to completely relax and catch up with some reading, I am raring to go. Yes, plans are beginning to gel for some of the projects I have on hand - the next few journal quilts, a challenge quilt, and a book making session I shall be leading. There are one or two other things that I have forgotten about for now, but then I can tell you all about these later.

Staying busy and sewing madly.

Hello there. Sorry, it is rather a while since I last posted anything here. I've been sewing madly, making clothes and working on two journal quilts at the same time.

Since the last post, I have completed the pair of trousers (Kwik Sew 3363) I had made such a mess of making, and finished a second blouse from the same Hot Patterns design shown in my last post.

The trousers turned out quite well, although the waistband is still a little looser than I would like. However, they are really nice to wear and I shall use the pattern again.

The dress (Simplicity 2174), was made quickly for a friend's 60th birthday party. He had asked for a Scottish theme and everyone had to wear something tartan. Luckily I had this tartan in my stash. It was a lucky find a couple of years ago in a local charity shop.

The party was huge fun with an English Ceilidh - and yes, I danced most of the dances. The food was superb and so were the fireworks. It was such fun to meet some old friends there whom we hadn't seen in years.

The wedding dress has been started. This is for my elder daughter and will be ready for her wedding next month. So far, I have made the toile for the fitted bodice, but got no further since I need to catch up with Liz and check that it fits. There will be no photos of the dress until after the wedding, which I hope you will understand.

Two Journal Quilts are currently under way, but photos of these will have to wait until they have been completed and photos posted on the Contemporary Quilt Yahoo site.

Apart from all this, I have started Gretchen Hirsch's "Sew Retro - perfect bombshell dresses" course with Craftsy.com. This may appear total madness, but Gertie goes through a lot of techniques which will be helpful to me in making the wedding dress.