Storybook Skirt...

This week has been Quel Nightmare when relating to sewing. I've been poorly all week and thought it would be time to get on with my UFO's but that never happened. Then came the disaster with the Beignet...

I started working on my green Simplicity 2151. and its actually a lovely pattern! The fit is looking great so far and i've had very little trouble with it. I just need to do the buttonholes and hem. Hopefully I can do most of that before the end of the weekend and have a new shirt to wear! But talking of new garments whats that you see at the top of the screen?

Thanks to Piemaker's consistent playing of the new Gear of War game. I've had enough time this evening to finish a skirt for Colette Fall Palette! Hoorayy! (God knows I needed it after Beignet catastrophe.)

I think I'm in love with this skirt. I've called it the Storybook skirt and its made from New Look 6981. It was so easy to make and is from Anna Marie Horner Quilting cotton in two different colourways!

I have to give the inspiration credit to Patty from Snug Bug. She seems to have the ability to put the most beautiful patterns together and mix them. I'm not quite so brave. I tried a plain mustard band but it didn't have the pop that I wanted. The abstract trees make me think of fairytales and so thats where the name came from!

This means I've at got 6 of the Fall Challenge items either on the go or finished from the list. With 6 more to go!

Apologies for the night photos but I was just too exited! Hope your having a good sewing week!

Progress List...

Morning all. I am blogging early so I can drag my sorry self to the library. Something tells me I won't be getting much sewing done this week which is making me a bit tense.

So I figured a progress report will help so I know where I am with each project.

First up is my duck egg cotton. This has been cut for Simplicity 2601 in the end. I have some duck egg swiss dot I got at Goldhawk Rd. I could use for the Violet if I wanted a blue one.

This hasn't got past the cutting stage. But as I've made this before it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to construct.

My Violet shirt is started. I'm getting on really well with it. I'm into the collar stage so it shouldn't take much to finish.

I didn't really talk much about this one. Partly because its fast becoming a UFO. The fabric is beautiful and expensive but I rushed it for the Sew Weekly meetup and the sleeves are appalling. It needs the sleeves taken off and a few bits straightening out, the collar put on and the belt made. I have to get this done as it is a lovely cardigan that I would get a lot of wear out of!

My original plan for this fabric was a different pattern, but since i bought the minty green colourway I reserved it for that pattern instead and went for this in pink with a white collar. This is virtually finished but someone started to sew the collar the wrong way round (DOH)

I did all the finishings first though so no more fiddly bits left on this one.

My Jeans are cut and marked but I had a bit of a freakout about how complex they looked. I have had a look at Peter's Jeans Sewalong posts and a few other bits and bobs but I think I have to be 100% focused to be able to get around to these.

My Lisette Traveller is cut and ready. I'm doing the tunic version with the small collar but making it longer so that I can wear it with leggings.

I know I was trying to resist cutting the Beignet but I couldn't I did it yesterday whilst waiting for an email from my tutor. I just need the interfacing piece cut and this is ready to sew. I was surprised at how difficult the needlecord was to cut. I ironed beforehand but it just kept wrinkling, hopefully this won't affect the pieces too much.

I've prewashed my fabric ready for the Market Sewalong. Just a plain dark purple. I have some cute buttons lined up for the placket too! I personally will be doing Version E but if you want to do a different version be my guest! I might squeeze in the tunic version but I am already pretty swamped!

This is the Jersey for the simple 6874. This is pre washed and drying before its cut out but I think this could be done in an afternoon no problem.

It doesn't look like that much on my rail. Gosh. Here's hoping I get some free time soon!

The Pippa (?) Set...

Do we think Pippa is a good name for this? I figure that I wore my other Red White and Blue dress for the wedding so I could see how this dress could be that dresses sister?

Anyhoo!!!

In a frenzy, after two days of trying to do only Uni work and no sewing. I relented in a massive cutting madness (Seriously if you saw the Crimson Petal and the White, It was exactly like Agnes cutting her dress into birds,)

The New Look pattern went up to a 16. Which is normally fine however I've recently got into the habit of cutting a size up from what I am and taking in (by about two sizes.) But I had no pattern paper anywhere and I was kinda in a rush as the guilt kicked in for sewing and not doing Uni stuff.

So my friends, I added 3cm to each side seam of every piece. 3!!! I am mad... Not only did I do that because I was terrified of ruining the fabric if it didn't fit. I did it in red pen. RED PEN.

I can hear you all weeping with despair!!!

However, it is a frixion. which disappears when heat is applied (gotcha!) I've been using these instead of tailors chalk recently so I figure its acceptable.

I bought 3.5 meters and to my suprise I pretty much got through that with hardly any waste, I'm glad to be honest, I hate having fabric I already made into something lolling about.

I cut the top and the skirt at the same time. But started to pin the skirt together and my fears became apparent. I'm going to have to take in. There is no shape!

Granted it is over jeans and pinned but as I said before better to take in then be too small!

So this is how I have left it, ready cut for assembly AFTER my work is finished!

How's everyone else getting on with their outfits?

Red White Blue, Mark 2...

I have bought the fabric I was intending to use for the Blogger meetup from Ditto. I went for a red white and blue print.

But I have been thinking of ways to shake it up a little. I want a complete outfit. But I bought plenty of fabric so that I could make two matching seperates. They will look like a dress when worn together but then I can wear them separately for Me Made June!

So here is what I came up with New Look 6808 for the skirt and New Look 6900 for the top.

What does everyone think?

Me Made June 11

'I, Stevie of Beebeesvintagedress.blogspot.com,

sign up as a participant of Me-Made-June '11.
I endeavour to wear one handmade item each day for the duration of June 2011'

Phew. I had better get cracking then! Otherwise June could be a very boring month!

I have finished (bar the zip, hem and armholes) My red white and blue dress. A few sneaky pictures later but i'm keeping it mainly under wraps until the London Blogger Meet.

After my little moodboards I immediately panicked when I made this pledge. 30 days!? How the hell am I going to do that!?

Out of everything I have made and everything I have planned to make so far I've worked out that it gives me... 7 dresses 4 skirts 3 tops 1 cardigan and 1 pair of trousers. When I wrote that, it seems quite a lot but I am a fussy one when it comes to my clothes, I have to be honest I'm more of a jeans and cardi girl. (Unless its winter and I can have wooly tights) I feel somewhat exposed in a dress even though I love them!

I am thinking the antidote could be knit tops and quick make ones at that! That way I can pair it with jeans most days without pushing my comfort zone too much this time around.

Heres all the top pattern contenders I own. I'm also thinking a fre cardi's like this New Look pattern,

Hopefully most of these can be made in multi versions like this one which would diversify my wardrobe and quickly! So I could bulk cut and make in batches.


I've never done a cowl neck but it was one of the pieces i'd really like to own, they are comfy and effortlessly stylish?

What are you planning for Me Made June?

Post 100!

I wish I had an exiting garment to show you all for my 100th post. But Alas due to uni I do not.

I hope to get some sewing done when I finish this presentation. Hopefully by this afternoon.
But my procrastinating skills have been at work yet again and I am blogging not working!

I decided on a look but not touch policy on patterns until after I have been to Barcelona. So I thought I would give you a few pics of what I have been looking at
Today they are relating to New Look Patterns.
I've never been that much of a New Look fan. My first pattern was New Look and although it turned out ok. It wasn't the most stylish thing I have ever made. They seemed to have turned a corner since then and I love looking at their grouped seperates patterns.

As we all know I have a problem in that I love dresses and pattern and what my wardrobe needs is separates and plain ones! Their little tops are lovely for spring and summer.

And look! Cardigans! I think this could help me hone in my non existent skills with jersey knits... What do you think?