A dress for a book launch!

Hello November sewers!

I hope you are all well! I  am here to show a dress I made for the recent launch party for my comic book, Welcome to Oddleigh, published by the brilliant Bog Eyed Books! I haven't been sewing all that much lately - comics and work have been taking up all my time. But I knew I wanted to make something special for the launch, and that I'd feel good about myself in something handmade.

I had this white speckled cotton in my stash, and wanted to have another go at this button-down dress hack I've made up a few times now. I wear the most recent blue one a lot, and feel happy with the fit, so it was fairly simple to make up this white dress. The bodice started out, way back, as an Anna hack and the skirt is the Charlotte skirt - so it's a By Hand London Frankenpattern one way or another!

I can't now remember where the sleeves came from, or indeed if they are basically self-drafted. Anyway, the whole effect of this felt really pleasingly 80s to me, and I am seriously happy with it!

And I remembered to add one of the brilliant labels my friends Alice and Barney gave me for my 40th! I love them so much.

The buttons are from The Cloth House, where most of my buttons come from!

And here's a pic of the dress in action on the night! My wonderful friends from my studio bought me the police hat to top it off - I'm not sure many gifts have made me happier!

Photo by Mauricio Molizane 

Friends and balloons and comics and beer - who could ask for anything more?

Re-Reeta

Hello Autumnal sewers!

I'm back with my THIRD Named Reeta Dress! Why do I keep making this dress when I've had no success with it, I hear you ask! It's a good question... I just feel like I keep almost liking it, and there's so much to like! 80s feel, opportunity for lots of buttons, pleasingly baggy... 

This is a lovely rayon fabric from Like Sew Amazing - I snapped it up when I saw Sarah's beautiful Myosotis dress on her blog. And it is a much more successful match for the Reeta than the less drapey cotton khadi I made the first two with. And yet...

It's okay, I'm pleased with the construction and the changes I made, which were to forgo the integral tie waist, and make a long self-tie for it. I also extended the sleeves, tapered them at the end, then "stapled" them with cream buttons.

Check out that sexy side split, woot woot!

But I finished this dress a couple of months ago and have yet to wear it! So clearly I don't feel particularly jazzy in it... I think that much as I love the print, it doesn't suit me...

Oh lovely Reeta, three I've made... 

Maybe I'll get fourth time lucky!

Marilla Walker's Roberts Jumpsuit!

Hello fellow sewers!

I'm here to show a jumpsuit I first sewed about six months ago, but which has been through a few changes to get to this point. This is the jumpsuit from Marilla Walker's Roberts Collection! I've sewn up the dungarees before from this pattern collection, and a top made from the jumpsuit half. 

This jumpsuit was originally blue fabric from Fabworks. It was kind of insipid and I thought I might like it more in black. Which I do - but boy, dyeing is a real pain in the butt. Maybe I'm just lazy, but the hassle of it was something I'm NOT keen to repeat - and my sink is still stained a few weeks later.

I made changes by taking in a 2 1/4" wedge from the centre back seam, starting at the top and grading down. This makes the V a bit narrower, which I prefer. I also added shoulder pads, breast pockets and a long self-tie, all of which seem 100% invisible in photographs.

Except from the side - hark at you, self-tie!

I love Marilla Walker's pattern and aesthetic. And I love this jumspuit!

Denim Sapporo Coat

Hello spring sewers!

I'm here to show off my second Sapporo Coat by Papercut Patterns, this time in a lovely blue slubby denim from The Cloth House.

My last Sapporo gets tons of wear, and I really fancied one in denim. I'm pleased with this guy. I didn't make any alterations and sewed up a straight size S/XS like last time. It's still nice and big!

[EDIT] I just read my post about my last version in which I said I fancied a big tartan Sapporo - such a good idea, Past Me! Wish I'd listened, current me is an idiot! Next time...

It's lined in a linen I got online somewhere, and felt really underwhelmed by when it arrived. So it can hide in here, not annoying me too much, and thinking about what it's done! Bad boring linen!

Lovely cocoony back!

I've tried wearing this with a baggier look underneath but I think its oversize means leggings and skinny jeans look better... but I'd like to work a triple denim look (full Canadian tuxedo) with this, so will keep trying!

Yay Sapporo! To you I say: more-o!

Red n spotty

Hello fellow sewers! Long time, no sew!

Somehow I just haven't been getting much in the way of sewing done lately. I've had a few serious failures, which is always off-putting, and then felt a bit stuck for what to do next! But this dress had been sitting around, unfinished, for a few months - unfinished no longer!

The bodice is the Christine Haynes Emery Dress, with the centre fronts extended to make a button placket. Due to the fabric being stretch jersey though, I don't actually need the buttons so have just sewn them through.

The skirt is a big rectangle sewn with one seam down the back, with long ties into the back darts to cinch in the waist a bit.

I bought this fabric from A-One on Goldhawk Road - it's a shocker - not very stretchy, and so repellent to needles that my machine basically couldn't handle it at all. It was skipping stitches a depressing amount, and breaking the thread - so I ended up doing a bit of hand-sewing on this guy. 

But actually I kind of like it! It languished for months because halfway through it felt like the most horrible dress ever - a good lesson to push on through, as then even if it IS horrid, at least it's finished enough to be given away.

It has more of a 50s vibe than I was expecting - the ladybird spots I guess! Anyway, I like it, and it's been a good reminder of when sewing goes right, and makes me feel good!

Until soon!

A couple of Reetas!

Hello sewers! It's me, back with TWO Named Reeta Shirt Dresses!

I sewed both these dresses a couple of months ago, before falling into quite the slump, and not making anything since. I think this is due to the onset of winter, the clocks going back and general Novemberness. But taking these pics today has hopefully inspired me to get back to my machine...

I think part of the problem is that I don't particularly love either of the Reetas I made, despite being massively attracted to the pattern the moment I saw it. So they lay near my machine while I considered if there was a way I could make them more appealing to me... and eventually I've decided to move on - hence finally blogging them!

I think the problem may be that I don't love this long collar on me... which could explain why the Sew Over Vintage Shirt Dress, another pattern I made twice and love in concept, hardly gets any wear from me either. 

Anyway! This here version is in a lovely khadi cotton from The Cloth House, with some cactus/random animal embroidery round the top. I made up a straight size 38 for both dresses with no adjustments. I think the back bodice could have done with being a little shorter, but apart from that I think they're a good fit.

This second version is also khadi cotton, cream this time, with a denim collar and lapels. 

Looking at these again, I do suspect different fabric choices would have greatly helped - more drape and pattern if I do venture back this way again...

A little bird tattoo on the arm! Sailor-style.

Bye, Reeta! I gave you a good shot but don't think you're for me. Time for something new!

It's Button City, and I'm the mayor!

Hello fellow sewers!

This dress continues my pursuit of the perfect button-through! I just love what buttons add to the interest of a dress... This bodice began life as an Anna hack, but the only thing that remains of that design are the darts, and even those have been narrowed a bit. So does this count as self-drafting? Anyway, here it is. The skirt is a Charlotte, with the mods I made to fit me plus a button placket down the front and the rise extended to meet the bodice.

Except it didn't meet the bodice at all - I ended up adding a rectangular strip round the waist about 4" thick to marry the two. Which works fairly well I think! I added ties at the back to help cinch it in a bit too.

I was really inspired by this dress that Jess made. I love the pockets she added to hers, and will no doubt shamelessly rip off that idea in a future version! I prefer her straighter skirt too, and her fabric - but I'll keep going with mine till it's perfect!

The fabric is a cornflower blue shirting cotton from Fabworks Online - I think it's a little lightweight for this pattern and I'll use something heavier next time. Which there will be, soon!

This dress has already had a few outings, and fits well in my wardrobe. Hooray for all the buttons in the world, all panting for homes on home-sewn dresses!