THE GREAT NOVEMBER FABRIC EXCURSION

So it has been decided! 19th November I will be standing at Goldhawk Road Tube Station waiting like a teenager on a first date for all you lovely ladies to come join me for a fabric shopping extravaganza!

Bring your pocket money!

If you can leave your emails in the comment box so I know who is coming that would be fantastic! I will then email any further details!

Hope you can all make it!

Starting my Lady Grey...

A year later than planned! But It is getting cold. I asked what you guys thought and Kirsty and Freya both made excellent points for both my Cherry print dress/shirt and Lady Grey coat but the coat won out.

I am intending to overfit just a tiny bit. I want this coat to be worn in the snowy winters so it needs to have enough ease to fit a couple of jumpers underneath!

I started my wearable muslin this afternoon. I'm going to go back through Gertie's posts and do both muslin and final coat complete with padstitching etc. I'm doing this because if all goes well both will be useful coats!

I have to admit I bought a wool on sale to use as my muslin and I think I like it better than the fabric I bought a year ago.

This is my original fabric and lining. The Lining is Paul Smith shirting with little S' on so I figured S for Stevie!

I'm quite short (5ft3) so the coat is currently coming out at mid to knee length. I don't mind this so much as it will keep my legs warmer in the cold weather. Plus once its got the lining bagged in and its hemmed it should be a little shorter. I purposely cut a size larger than I normally do but I have ended up taking it in on each seam by about two sizes!

Before tweaking and taking in the back looked like this...

After it looked much better!

I fitted it to Adele and then tried it on pinned together. The fit is pretty good so far so I'm going to take it apart again and start with the interfacing etc.

This is what I'm thinking of lining my wearable muslin in. Its a japanese glazed cotton. I'm not sure though perhaps it is a bit too busy and bright? I'd love your opinions!

I have a final question for you all! Can you padstitch onto normal interlining? I can't find any hair canvas anywhere and I'm itching to get sewing!

Starting new Projects...

This has been playing on my mind. I've just finished some Christmas pressies and a pair of PJ bottoms for myself which I will post up about soon. I still have UFO's but I'm itching to start something new!

I have a few options:

My Bombshell dress - This I'm a bit apprehensive to properly start as I won't be able to wear it until summer and i'm hoping to have lost another stone at least by that point. It would be a shame to put all the work into something that will be too big. I could purposely make it a bit snug on purpose but I really don't know what my body will be like and as its so form fitting I don't really want to take the chance.

My Lady Grey Coat - This is a massive hangover from last year! I meant to make it then. I have some cheap wool to make a wearable muslin in but I spent quite a lot on 100% Jacquard wool in a lovely gold colour for the final thing. This could be a good place to start! I could learn a lot but I get massively impatient with finishing things.

Simplicity Shirt and Cynthia Rowley Dress. Both from this lovely Cherry print I have. View E of the shirt and View B in the dress.

What do you think I should start?

Bewitched Beignet!...

I think this is a fitting title for the nightmare beignet.

Its finally finished I'm pleased with it and I hope it will actually get some wear.

After the great rip I made in it I finally re-cut the front. The buttonholes aren't the best I've ever done but the buttons cover that anyway.

Its still a little snug at the waist but I did use more seam allowance than normal plus I'm thrilled that it fits at all considering it didn't 2 months ago!

The lining is my favorite bit! Its made from the leftover silk I had from my Every Cloud dress. Its a nice little surprise that makes me smile every time I put it on!

(This pic was taken in construction)

I've used it for my Sew Weekly Halloween challenge as I am wearing it to Piemakers sister's Birthday dinner which is on Halloween.

I think it looks a lot like the cape Endora wears in Bewitched!

I absolutely loved Bewitched as a kid. It was my treat when I was at home sick from school, I loved the costumes and Endora always make me giggle! So I felt it rather fitting this be called the Bewitched Beignet!

THE GREAT NOVEMBER FABRIC EXCURSION 19th NOVEMBER?

After there being lots of response for the meetup it seems that were gravitating towards the 19th of November. A week later than I proposed before.

This is fine with me! Please make sure you tell all your lovely blogging friends who don't follow this blog as the more people the merrier! I'd really appreciate it being re-blogged and re-tweeted!

Also I'm happy to do a vote on where people would like to go. At the moment Walthamstow Market or Goldhawk Road are the choices.

Who Fancies going on THE GREAT NOVEMBER FABRIC EXCURSION?

Morning all.

I've been thinking about Christmas this week (I can hear your gasps of horror!) But this year I am pushing myself and making lots of presents. (Hence why I am starting now.) So I am in need of supplies.

I thought about going to the posher London fabric streets but as I'm short on cash money this year.

I re- thought and decided to go to either Goldhawk Road or Walthamstow again in the footsteps of the lovely Karen and the Sew Weekly ladies.

I would love for people to join me!

Please spread the word to people who don't follow me too this is for everyone!!!

I was thinking about around the 12th of November but that can be changed if there is a better date. So what do you say? It would be great to have a big group!

If you would like to come on the Great Fabric Excursion please either leave a comment or email me on beebeesvintagedress@hotmail.co.uk and put the subject as "Fabric Excursion!"

My Elphaba Blouse...

Pretty much anyone who knows me knows my obsession with Wicked! the musical. Its such an uplifting and inspirational one!( I also have tried to convince Piemaker to call a future child Elphaba just because its so damn awesome! ) So this week I was pleased to see Sew Weekly's theme was Musicals and Broadway. It gave me a perfect opportunity to finish this UFO. Simplicity 2151. It started being inspired by South Riding but the colour kept screaming to me Elphaba! I like it both with the collar and top button done up but I also like it down and more relaxed!

Just to prove my obsession to you... Here is my "Defying Gravity" Tattoo I got in 2008.

Its one of the songs that keeps me going through life!

Seriously go listen to it!

BeeBees Sewing School...

I have decided after much deliberation that I am going to start up some private sewing classes!

I have a lovely sewing room all to myself and it would be nice to share it and teach!

This is a very new idea at the moment but I'm thinking of running 4 kinds of classes up until Christmas at my home in Worthing, Sussex.

All Classes are 3 day courses of around 3 to 4 hours per day. Each course includes your dress pattern and notions. So all you need to bring is your fabric and thread!

I can teach one on one lessons or in groups of three maximum. (The cost will be slightly more for one on one)

The Beginner Classes are: Make your own PJ Bottoms

Make your own Pleated Skirt

The Intermediate Classes are: Make your own Tunic top or

The Fabulous Christmas Party Dress.

Piemaker is making me a website over the weekend and the price is £110 for the 3 day course.

I am also available to help students who are doing GCSE or A Level projects but that will be a price per hour.

( I have a Btech Diploma in Fashion and Clothing and an A Level Textiles as well as being a home dressmaker and doing my degree in Fashion and Dress History. )

I am currently in the process of choosing patterns to use but as soon as I know I will post them up!

Sewjo Where Did You Go?...

Its true I've been having somewhat of a shocker when it comes to sewing at present. But thats not to say I haven't been doing any.

I made a muslin for a pair of Pj bottoms from New Look 6900.

I made them from some Olive Linen I have 6metres of, from a Charity shop. I was really disappointed with how small they came out! I have a much bigger butt than I thought!

I threw them into a corner in a huff but I should've known it wouldn't be quite so easy.

Ready to Wear trousers are my Nemesis. How did I expect patterns to fit any different? Plus I didn't check my current measurements with the pattern.

Overall the shape of the trousers isn't Wholly unfixable. Its just going to take some pattern drafting and more muslining.

The second not quite so dramatic disaster was my Vogue 1169 Rebecca Taylor Skirt. I am so happy with the making and the overall design of the skirt.

It fit Adele the mannequin like a glove. A bit too much it seems. When I attached the lining there was not enough stretch for it to accommodate most of my body and I managed to rip into the back seam of the lining.

Although this is disappointing it was a wearable muslin and when I've lost a bit more weight I will be able to wear it. Its just a case of waiting. Unfortunately I seem to be doing more waiting than wearing at the moment and its affecting how I feel about my sewing. I haven't finished something since my Storybook skirt and its getting me down. I think I need a refresher project to re-invigorate my sewjo.

I have also got a lot of Uni work on at the moment so my sewing time is important to use as a wind down and not wind up!

Sucky Week of Sewing...

For some reason this week I can't get anything to work!

I made a wearable muslin of Vogue 1169. Not a cheap one either. In wool with a silk lining... I wanted to use it for Sew Weekly Spanish Harlem because of the skirt frill.

Sadly the skirt fit fine but when I put the lining in it didn't and I managed to rip the lining.

I'm really annoyed. However I actually like the pattern and I'm glad I didn't waste my pink wool. I'll just cut a size bigger for now.

My Fall challenges also aren't going to plan. My second cape and my check skirt are both still in pretty much pieces. I still haven't started the two pairs of trousers or 3 of the tops. Plus University has started again which means I have less time than I did before. Damn it.

How do you cope when you have lots of UFO's? I'm tempted to start something new yet again!

SSS How I did...

The answer in short is not very well!

I managed 25 out of 30 days. Not the best ever.

The only excuse I have is that since I started losing weight most of my me mades are either too big or not massively flattering.

Nevertheless I still enjoyed it and it has encouraged me to keep wearing me mades and has shown me what is most useful in my wardrobe! Plus I found some good combinations and outfits.

Here is Day 20 onwards

This is my new Storybook skirt which I wore for 3 days running I love it so damn much!

This is a key example of something that was too tight and now is too roomy! Plus the wrong bra oops! Well at least I didn't leave the house!

My Etta Cardigan got a lot of wear. Is a shame its bobbling like crazy. I think I may have to make another. The fuchsia colour just goes with everything! Overall most of my outfits were fairly imaginative and interesting which is what I was going for, its just a shame thats hard to sustain that for 30 days! I'm slowly building the wardrobe and am feeling a bit more prepared for the rumoured colder weather. (Snow in Oct apparently.) I'd really like my Lady Gray made soon so I can make the most of its warmth!

How did you do with Self Stitch Sept?