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 Dress That Started it All...

While looking on some old photo hosting sites I used to be on, I came across this! The dress that sparked my interest in sewing! Its a Suzie Creamcheese dress from the 70's.

Ironically looking at it now most of the colours are reminiscent of those that inspire me!

This is everything that was good and theatrically dramatic about the 70's. I love it so much!

Maybe one day I'll make a replica... Anyway in other news,

I started to assemble my bombshell dress pattern for Gertie's thing. I'm not sure how large the sizing was so I measured the widest part of my hips and checked the measurements on the pattern. To be safe I'm adding half an inch to each sized seam as I can always take in what I don't need but it would be gutting to put in all the work on something that was too small!

Here we have my silk dress, my green beignet with the same silk as lining, I did finish off the lining today but don't want to change thread until i've finished the dress. Not to mention I have no interfacing for the shell of the skirt. So that is my mission tomorrow.

This combination made me smile, knowing how awesome my Liberty Beignet will be eventually...

I also have this mustard jersey which has been cut ready to sew up version B of this Mccalls top plus a Mccalls cardigan in a matching twinset style. I intend to make a few of these so I can mix and match them in the colder months.

Today has Been a Good Day...

Today I've been sewing all blissful day and its been lovely. I was feeling a little stale this morning and my plans were thrown aside as I searched for something new and fast to make to get my SewJo going again.

I came across Butterick 5211 and a beautiful silk that I won in a giveaway from Liz at Zilredloh.

There was 2.30 odd there and I didn't want to waste any! But I knew this would be a perfect pairing of a simple pattern done in exquisite fabric. Something I am rarely good at doing.

This time I feel I have pulled it off. Its not quite finished as I need to get the mental strength up to thread my overlocker.

I think it looks like something I would certainly swoon over in a store and it was about £2 to make! I was very concious of waste on this project and so have decided to do yet another Beignet.

So before I cut the precious bunting liberty, I'm going to use this silk as the lining to the apple green sateen I had planned for a different project.

I was going to use this on the Marie skirt but thats another story for another day!

Heres what I wasted in total after cutting the dress and lining.

Not bad huh? I'm feeling good about the progress and I think that I should get my green beignet cut and sewn up in a couple of days or so as I've done it once before. I just want to check the sizing as I went down two sizes as my needlecord one is pretty huge on me. But if its not right I don't want to waste my Liberty on something that is going to be too small.

I'm starting to wind down into Autumn/Fall sewing at the moment I'm finding that my choices are starting to go towards browns and greens and more autumnal colours. I am going to make myself work through my list of cardigans and tops in jersey too though as layering is always a good thing. But sadly the topsiturviness of the great British weather has put me into a state of wanting my tights and big scarves with boots again!

Now i'm off the sew the buttons on my Colette Violet shirt!

Never compose anything unless the not composing of it becomes a positive nuisance to you... Gustav Holst

I really liked that quote as it totally applies to sewing as well as music!
Today has been a Uni day and my tutor was really positive about my dissertation proposal woo!

I popped into town after to pick up some vintage buttons, I found a nice pattern and some new espadrilles yay!

The last lot are what i'm using for my beignet. The photo makes them lighter but they actually fit my lining perfectly!

Heres MMJ Day 3's outfit. My jersey top I made last week is super comfy!

I'm off to sit in the sunshine for a bit with my Burda magazine

Onwards!

Today has been a day of meh-ness. I got all exited that I had fully lined my beignet with no problems. But alas! Twas not true, I've either lost a piece in translation or I have sewn it to another piece and it is therefore trapped in the lining. Doh.

Look there is even a Butt pocket! In the wrong damned seam.

Anyway that was thrown on the floor in a fit of rage...

Heres my MMJ Day 2 outfit. This is my market blouse that I will be doing the Sewalong for on the 20th of June! (Me and Piemaker have been working on the button and stuff for this!) This is paired with cheap RTW sailor trousers from Dorothy Perkins or something that I cut into shorts. Bit boring but I've only been sewing today and it required comfort!

So Once I had calmed down and ignored my Beignet I grabbed my Kona cotton (in Curry colour, plain yellow) Then stopped myself. Not wanting to waste a good quality plain fabric when I was mad. But I needed to make something new and craved something happy and yellow.
I grabbed my Amy Butler fabric I bought at Sewing For Pleasure Aeons ago and grabbed McCalls6011 (My Pearl dress was made from this) and chopped it into a top.

I literally LOVE the result. I was worried about wasting the fabric but I'm pleased I cut it! I just need to make some facings and finish off the seams. (To add to my distress my overlocker ran out of white thread!) Here's a sneaky peek. Pie maker is out galavanting so yet again I am forced to take my own damned photos.

Literally LOVE this fabric...

At Dawn We Dress Handmade...

Indeed I did.
Today I wore my red white and blue mark 1, (A Lisette pattern), and my Etta cardigan for little errands in The Laines, post office etc.

This definitely needed an FBA and the waist is a little tight for my liking.

I did my photos on photobooth as I was waiting for Piemaker to be my resident photographer. He's not yet in from work and its date night so were going straight out for dinner and then to see Pirates of the Caribbean 4! ( I think its the 4th right?)

Well anyways. I did errands today and spent the rest of the day sewing.
I got the collar and button placket onto my shirtdress and did a few odd sewing jobs, cutting some interfacing for my duck egg peplum shirt I had to use my pattern weights! I also started putting together my Beignet!

You didn't think I could walk past two fabric shops and not buy anything did you? I got some buttons for my duck egg blouse. Some Mustard Kona cotton (I really like the weight of this I was thinking it was going to be too thin!) some unknown floral fabric, like a very lightweight cotton linen texture and some Michael Miller Peony fabric. It was an expensive treat but I had some birthday money. (9.99 pm) I had also seen it online but it was too breathtaking in person to leave. One of these florals will be a Lisette tunic dress I think!

Hows your first day of Me Made June?

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!

When there is work to be done, go buy fabric...

So that you have an incentive to finish your work and get sewing? No? Alright then.

I had a bit of a meh morning and ended up in Ditto.

I knew I needed some Jersey for some knit tops. (I saw someone last night wearing a sky blue drapey cowl neck on telly last night and I wanted one.)

Sadly they were all out of blue jersey. But I came home with 2m of plain Chartreuse,

1.50 of an orangey pinky brown print jersey in the remnants for £3ish and a yummy cotton interlock white jersey with lime spots and blue and purple flowers. I couldn't leave it!

I have various plans that change pretty much every minute in my head. I have to say Jersey in not my favorite thing to sew with but it is my favorite thing to wear. Sooo comfy!

The Brown Viscose Jersey will be a little top as there isn't much fabric to play with. I might be able to squeeze a little ruffle or something in to add interest but lets hope it doesn't shrink in the Pre-Wash. I was thinking of making it in Simplicity 6874. Which only requires one meter. I got this on the London Sew Weekly Meetup Pattern Swap! I'm so pleased its come in handy so quickly.

I own a Ponte knit Chartreuse cardigan and it is my favorite thing ever! But Its getting holes in! I have tracked down some Ponte but Ditto didn't have it in. So I went for another Viscose Jersey. I think it might still end up a cardigan but I might squeeze a plain top in as well.

I quite literally have no plans for this. I think I'm lacking in comfy tunic/dresses to wear with leggings but im not sure about a suitable pattern for this. Good news is it matches some of the stuff I've got going on already so perhaps a seperates game could be good on this too? A comfy little skirt and cute top that when together make a comfy dress? I will have a think.

I didn't get up to much sewing on the weekend. Just cut out my Raspberry Gingham shirtdress.

I was hoping to get stuck into the Beignet this week but I have an exam on Friday. So I should probably get stuck into that first...

I think I need another roundup post with moodboards so I can keep on track of this mad sewing frenzy.