Christmas Time!!!

Check out my Present tutorial on Crafty Christmas Club! I have to be illusive due to Family who read my blog. No Peeking You Lot!!! Most of my sewing will be Christmas related for a while but I will show you other Christmassy goings on! We put our tree up in Brighton and I had a go at some Scandinavian style paper chains to put up!

Artsy Blurry shot... That's my excuse and i'm sticking too it!

What my life currently consists of

A whole lot of the big bad Woolf and a very dull presentation on Monday on her book The Years and how it is helpful as a novel in the study of dress history.

And frankly after reading all 8 of these books, plus the text, plus a great amount of Journals

I have concluded it is not.

However I will not let it beat me, It's the last piece of work before Christmas and as my NASA

mug puts it...

Mrs Henderson Presents...

After doing not a lot today, I revisited the fab film that is Mrs. Henderson Presents, Set in the forties it tells the story of Laura Henderson and her Theatre the Windmill and its refusal to close during the London Blitz.

It has various sweet songs and some fab costumes, the underwear and knitwear particularly

Silky and beautiful lingerie as well as lovely robes too!
This Red Dress the Girls are wearing reminds me of Colette Patterns Ceylon Dress!
Judi Dench in all her glamourous lovliness! I really admire Judi Dench, she is a truly great actress and really engages with her roles so well!
Will Young is also cast as a young musical star and choreographer. Its really worth a watch if you love forties fashion or just fancy a nice afternoon with a cup of tea!

Holidays are Comin'

After a hellish journey back to Brighton last night I am home and raring to go on Christmas presents, I need some PVC patterned fabric for some bits and printed cottons for others. I am trying to be economical and spend literally no money on Christmas this year so my little stash box should hopefully be the basis for most of my creations.

I can't explain what these will manifest into on here but I'm on the Crafty Christmas Club Blog blabbing about what exactly im making, but I have another hour long presentation at the end of November, so I need to kick up my game on sooo many things at the moment!

I have a million projects going on so I need to concentrate on presents before clothes for me :(

I'm off for hot chocolate, more Uni reading and a snuggle in my crochet blanket from Great Nanny Churchill!

Bless her, Colour theory was not her thing I'm pretty sure ALL of these squares clash in one way or another!

But thats why I love it holes and all!

Grandma Elsie's Treasure

Everyone has to do the sad job of clearing a home out once in a while. We have sold Albie's house and now we have to clear it.

I used to spend hours playing in the attic as a kid and there was always what looked like a treasure chest in the corner that I never dared open. Recently (within the last year) I looked in it to find it was my Great Grandmothers belongings. I can vaguely remember Elsie. She died when I was 3 but we have video of her and I still remember her fondly.

It contained funky bottle lamps, birth and death certificates, a very suspect looking siamese cat from the 60's and... FABRIC!

Ok so most of it was curtains or net and they were pretty synthetic but theres lots!

These are by far my favorite ones of the lot! I love the embroidery on these and they need to be made into heirlooms I think!

Love the orange roses on this one! If i lined it i'm sure I could make a fifties style dress but it is a bit of a crunchy feeling sixties synthetic.

Thanks Elsie!

Love your Great Grandaughter xx

Outfit Post Time and NEW SKIRT

Hello all!!! I've been sooo busy I haven't posted for a few days, I'm currently on a visit to my parents so I didn't bring my camera Doh! Although I did bring my sewing machine without a powerlead... I know clever right?

I finished a 30 minute skirt before going out on saturday night in one of those... "I have NOTHING to wear moments." No pattern just punk attitude on some jersey with some scissors, pretend darts no fastening and voila!

Apologies for the goofy face and the state of my mirror! I'm wearing a Calvin Klein belt and M&S purple jumper with it.

It needs a few tweaks, In my rush I didn't use a stretch needle and pretty much overlocked the entire thing together but a few actual stitches are busting. I also want to take it in at the top where i made a waistband too big and nip in the bottom so its more a pencil skirt shape! But all I can say is I love it! This has been in my stash for literally years and I'm glad it actually has become such a versatile garment! Which I was able to wear out on the night I made it!

I think I might name it the Caron Skirt after Leslie Caron. I always see her in pencil skirts and am sooo jealous of her waist!

I'm off to do some sewing related stuff. Hopefully will have those two Burda Dress Patterns below cut out and the fabric cut by the end of the day, x

Garrr Burda Style!

Hello hello. Its getting Novembery yay! Bonfire night is amazing in Lewes and I was so ready to make a new warm cosy dress to wear tomorrow. Sadly this is not going to happen due to Burda magazine being such a pattern minefield! How is anyone supposed to see through 5 pattern pieces of the same colour and know there different! This always takes me hours! but I love burda patterns so much I put myself through it. This dress however is trying my patience

Pretty huh? Easy, Simple, Sophisticated, Comfortable

If I could copy the pattern off instead of being an incapable imbecile!

The top fabric is a yummy soft jersey that I intend to make it in If I EVER get there!

The Glitzy stuff is being made into a party season dress from this months Burda. I started to copy that pattern yesterday and gave up, due to lack of light and bruised knees.

here it is in a nice purple. I think it should be understated enough to go out clubbing in but still could be smart with the little bow bit.

I also need a bit more structure than the silky stuff hehe

Let me know what you think!

Back With Vengeance!

Hello my Stitchy lovlies! hope you had a fab halloween!

I'm afraid Uni took over this week but do not fear! I should hopefully be stitching again soon!

(Lady Grey is now reserved until christmas break when I can concentrate on her)

Now to Presents of the christmassy kind!

I'm stuck for the male constituent of my family any ideas?

I need to get some inspiration out there again so i'm afraid its on with the things i'd like to make but currently have no time to boo!:

A darling easy pinafore dress I can wear with long sleeved tops

love layering!

Christmas Party Dress! how cute would that be in a red wool!

A Travelling Dress for the Train as seen in The Seven Year Itch

and Matching capelet to keep me warm!