The dress is finished

Hi everyone,
It's February already! Where on earth did the last few months go?
Well life has been hectic as always, but I have finished THE DRESS!!!!!

I have a new respect for dress makers since attempting this project.

I realized this would be a huge challenge for me, but I didn't appreciate the all consuming passion, energy and enthusiasm that completely engulfed me.

Sitting at my sewing machine, stitching merrily away, I found myself looking at my watch only to find several hours had passed by, sometimes the whole day.
Unfortunately my life and work got in the way of this project, hence the time between my posts.
I'm sure if you look to close you would find some mistakes, but on the whole I'm really pleased with my effort.

This has been an amazing experience for me!


So on to the next project.
I thought I would use the same pattern again, it suits me, but this time I will attach small sleeves.
A picture of the fabric coming up in the next post.

Hi, what a busy week, thought I would show you how to make the needle case.
A few people have asked me how to make them and they would make nice little Xmas presents. So here goes.

Firstly get yourself a piece of tracing paper or grease proof paper or similar. Draw a pattern
Similar to the picture below measuring in length 23cm ,7cm wide. Measure from the top 7cm down and make a Mark, then measure 7.5 cm from the bottom and make a Mark, next draw a Mark between these two marks about 4cm extra width each side to make the side wings to the pattern, make sure you round off the edges.

1. Next make the second pattern, measuring 14cm in length, and 6cm wide. As picture below.
   

Next select the material for the outside of the case, pin pattern with the wings to the material and cut to shape. Next cut a piece of iron on interfacing to the same size, then using the same pattern cut out the lining which should be in a contrasting material.

Then using the smaller pattern , double over your lining material and cut the pattern on the fold so that the piece measures 28cm long, do this twice, so you have two pieces.


Next iron on the interfacing to the wrong side of the covering material. Then place the lining material right side facing the interfacing and stitch all the way around leaving a small gap  for reversing.

Next turn the fabric inside out through the small hole you have left open, hand stitch the gap then iron the piece.

Next stitch around the smaller contrasting fabric again leaving a small gap for reversing. 

Repeat on the second piece of fabric, then reverse both sections, iron them, then hand stitch the gap on both pieces.

Place the two pieces together and stitch down the centre so you now have four piece's. Next iron the sides so they fold inwards on the main piece, then hand stitch the smaller straight pieces inside the cover, then stitch in a popper on the top for the clasp.

T

There you have it your very own needle case!

needle case

Hello again,

I have a few things to show you. I have been working on the dress today, but I have done as much as l can before I start the next phase, but it doesn't look any different at the moment , not enough to post pictures for you any how. So will show you when it looks a bit better.

• But I have made a needle case this evening which I thought I might share with you. I haven't made one of these before so I was pretty pleased with my self.

        The inside of the case is in a contrasting pattern and colour ,which looks quite affective.

Good morning everybody, it's 5.28am and I can't sleep, so I thought I would update you all on my week.(very sad I know)
There has been a few things this week that have made me laugh out loud so I thought I would share a couple with you.

The first one is a bit disgusting, so very sorry if you are eating.

Our dog Reggie is eight months old, still a puppy, even thou he is beginning to resemble Godzilla in size .(bless him). He has been quite poorly this week, he has caught a cold, yep I  didn't know they could catch colds either! Who knew. Anyway Mark my other half is besotted with him, and has been very worried about him, l have to say it has not been a pretty site(lots of very snoty noses and drawl)lovely! Anyhow Mark was giving Reggie a lot of attention but the dog didn't want to know, so Mark lifted Reggie's head in his hands and stared lovingly into his eyes while asking him how he could make it better, when suddenly the dog gave an almighty sneeze and got Mark clean in the face. Absolutely priceless!
I'm still smiling three days later.

The second one concerns my mum and dad.

They were getting ready for there annual holiday at the beginning of the week. My mum running around like a headless chicken , while dad sits and watches the football or golf or rugby or tiddleywinks or whatever else is on the box.
To know my dad is to love him, but he retired a few years ago and has taken this to a new level, mum will try very hard to get him motivated and will leave him doing a job only to come back five Min's later to find him sitting in front of the telly or making himself a cup of tea. He does drive her a bit mad, but as he is always telling us he is nearly eighty . Anyhow on the morning they were leaving my husband was taking them to the station, he got there a bit earlier than was expected ,only to find mum running around like normal and dad just hovering nowhere in particular, mum shouting at dad because the pump to the fish pond had pack up that very morning and she had asked him countless times to sort it out. Dad only had two jobs to do that morning one was to get up out of bed, the other was to get dressed , mum would do the rest. After all this my husband got them to the station with mum on the verge of a heart attack. He waved them of smiling to himself,when he got home he received a text from my mum  telling him that dad had forgotten his teeth!!
Poor mum sitting in a lovely restaurant in Austria looking over at dad all romantically, only to see that lovely smiling face minus his teeth. Wonderful.

I will be attempting to make a little progress on the dress this weekend, so will post the achievement on Sunday night.

Probably will have more to tell you on Sunday. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend.

The big day

Well today was the big day! I went to Tonbridge wells, poped into Bromley sewing world.

This is the fabric I have chosen for my dress. What do you think? It is a gorgeous rose pink colour.

After some thought on the matter of the collar, I decided to go for a contrasting colour.
I chose this very nice green, which picks out the green in the pattern.

After reading all the instructions, I cut out the pattern to the desired size. I then pinned

the pattern to the fabric.( now I know I am a novice, but I have to say without a little help I would have found this part quite confusing.)

So many things to remember, where the selvidge edges are, follow the grain of the fabric.

Cut on the fold, oh and then the favourite  Cut on the bias! (What!). Well you would be very proud of me, I think I have done it alright.

I think someone that know's what they are doing would have had a great laugh at my expense, but I have tried, and you can't knock a tryer!

Next I cut out the fabric. I have to say I was really bricking it at this point, one wrong snip

then back to the blooming shop again! So with slightly shaky hands I got it done.

Then I cut out the interfacing for the collar.

This is as far as I have got, hopefully get the next stage done by next week.

Oh I couldn't resist this next bit of fabric . What do you think of it? I love it! I have a small craft project that is crying out for this fabric.

When I have created some marvellous , wonderful, beautiful, creation, I will share it with you.


On a slightly different note , I thought I would include a photograph which was taken at my nieces wedding.

I'm the one with the drink in my hand. (Tipicle ) .That's my mum to my left, next to me on the right is my nephew's girlfriend Dulcy, and last but not least is my little girl Stacey.

I'm wearing the dress I showed you.  

H

Hi, thought I would show you all the dress I am wearing tomorrow for my nieces wedding . It is a copy of a 1950s tea dress and I love it! To go with it I purchased a bright red net petticoat.
I brought this dress a while ago two sizes to small. WHAT!! I hear you all cry, I know it was a ridiculous thing to do, but it gave me the determination to keep going with the dreaded diet , and guess what , it only blooming worked. I tried it on a couple of days ago and the side zip just slid straight up, no pinching or holding the breath ,or turning purple with the strain of it all. No it fitted perfectly! I can tell you that no one was more surprised than me.

By the way if anyone is interested I lost another 2lbs again yesterday!!!

I have been on this diet for what seems like forever, but really it has been seven weeks, with a grand total of 19lbs  lost!! Woo hoo .