Stone(d) Love... For Fabric!

This week we went to my favorite place in Devon with my Mum and Dad, Totnes! If your in the area I totally recommend it! Its such a cute little place and the best thing about it? Stone Fabrics.

I was so exited on Sunday, we drove the 2 hours from Bristol and got there... To my horror the shop was shut along with most of the high street. So Mum and I took a second venture down today in the glorious sunshine and had a wander around.

Most of you probably know of Stone Fabrics from their excellent online reputation. When I re-picked up sewing after college the first dress I blogged about (The Joan Dress) was made from a Linen/poly mix from there. I went in today and it is like a sweetshop for fabricaholics. Luckily true to my word, I have cut 3 pieces of fabric into garments so I was allowed one fabric treat.

I'm not going to lie here it is UBER expensive. However they have the most beautiful and good quality fabric as well as kind and helpful staff.

I wanted something for my bombshell dress and didn't want to skimp as I intend to spend a lot of time and effort getting this looking perfect! Its an investment and I chose a hot pink cotton sateen at £12 per metre!

I liked the tiki feel of the red version Gertie made so I went with that style

They even wrapped it so it felt like a present to myself!

This of course helped with the decision!

Me-Made Meetup!

(Just a few of us! Thanks to Suzie for the photo)

Ok so this is an interval in sewalong posts. Yesterday I met some lovely friends old an new, for the me made meetup in Brighton.

We had a fantastic time and did a bit of light fabric retail therapy followed by a fabric swap.

I'm happy to say the fabric I took to swap went to a new home where it was wanted, and the fabric I received in return was fabulous!

Heres my purchases for the first part of the day. All were from Ditto.

This is a firm cotton twill? Its a bit softer but not silky enough to be a sateen. This is going to be a burda Marie Skirt I think.

Some polkadot Jersey. I always love the remnant table and almost never buy their jersey unless its on the table.
The red bamboo jersey was also a remnant. Its normally a tenner a metre so I was pleased to pick this up!
The next lot is a Paul Smith shirting with little S' on!
Now onto the swap stuff. This is a lovely cotton sateen style fabric.

This is a slightly silky jersey, perhaps a slub?

Then there is a cotton jersey in yummy ice cream colours!

Finally I got a floral with a slight needlecord feel and stretch.

You would think that would have been more than enough right? But the day before some lovely quilting cottons came that I ordered from the U.S. about a month ago!

Jeanine Morrison's Atlas in Butter,

The next is Dena Tea garden in Oolong! (love the tea reference and the pink is amazing.)

The final one is a Joel Dewberry Deer in Barnwood. Delicious right? Looks like a 1930s feedsack print.

Now to plan all the lovely clothes to make!

Lyra...DONE!

Finally this stinky project is finished.
I am quite pleased at how it turned out. Sewing wise... Looks cute on the hanger no?
Sadly am not so pleased at how it looks on me. ( My mum got cross with me for saying it was horrible on.) Apologies again for the messy hair and no makeup shots but Its been a staying in day. But back to the dress.
Its just not fitted enough for me and bust-wise the ruffles elaborate something that doesn't need more elaboration (if you get my drift.)

The high neckline and the shapeless skirt make me look pearshaped, wide on the bust but flat and SOOOO wide on the hips.

It looks slightly better with a belt but it is hardly Dress of the year.I would possibly make this dress again with shaping in, lower neckline and a zip, But I would never use slipper sateen on it EVER again. The ruffles just don't make it worth the effort.

Plus I still stand by my grumbles about the pattern being crap.

This dress has been named Lyra because of a Kate Bush song. It represents a similarity with this dress. Its one of those songs I'll listen to but don't really like...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rei_OOUxaBE

Frustration...

Sorry for the negative titles the last few posts!

But as predicted this dress is not going the way I want it to... Here is as much as I can show you of it on...

Depressing isn't it. Let me explain... Project Runway patterns have a design element to them in which you choose what dress you want and you can interchange embellishments.

This is all well and good and when I cut this out for version A the one with the short sleeves I had the savvy to cut out the ruffles I wanted for the front and back. It seemed odd that there was a back piece on the fold but not a front. I puzzled then decided to cut out and pin to see if there was some clever trick I was missing...

Nope It definitely needed a bodice front... Why is it not on the cutting layout (1 is front bodice 2 is back bodice)

I was puzzled still further by the first instruction... Front Bodice? You didn't tell me to cut one!!!

In the end the only clue you were given is a tiny A by the side of the pattern rundown. So I went with what would normally be my sewing instinct, ( I was trying not to rush and to do things by instructions for once.) Was correct all along and I had wasted an hour working it out.

What an Idiot.

I'm afraid thats not the only grumble I have about this pattern... Narrow hemming a ruffle? That sounds like way too much hard work to me! Especially in this fabric. So. What I intend to do tomorrow when I start up again is cut another 2 of each ruffle and put them together so the edge is enclosed. I think it would look super messy otherwise!

On a positive note. The skirt pieces are together, ruffles mostly assembled and I know exactly how to put the bodice together plus there are no fastenings... Hurrah! oh and I love the design and it fits with my fabric perfect... Ohhh look ruffly....

Deadlines...

Does anyone else freak out when they have an event or something come up where making something is in your mind totally required with not much time to do it in?

I am going to a sewing related thing in just under a week and I am freaking out about making a dress for it.

I thought of the Macaron pattern. Its quick and easy but God damnit the fabric I wanted to use was only 1.55m and I needed 2.

I relayed this to the Piemaker bf and he told me off for even contemplating buying more fabric.

So after a mini sulk I had a light bulb.

I would use Project Runway Simplicity 2360! I went through a few pattern reviews as I was frantically cutting the pattern pieces out and everyone seems to say its easy. Heres hoping that means fast too. I took inspiration from the pattern envelope and picked out a very slinky liquid sateen I got on the internet for dirt cheap.

Not the end of the world if I ruin it although I would be upset. But stashbusting is stashbusting!

In a way I'm a bit annoyed I hadn't thought to put this into my Easter break plan. Thankfully Piemaker is away Tuesday and Thursday which gives me much needed evening sewing times to finish some stuff off.

I've cut a size up yet again so I am expecting taking in to be one of the main features of the construction as I'm not making a muslin.

Now Lets try and turn that Freak out Face into a manically happy one...