I’m quite amazed at how excited the girls get when I make something for them (probably because I was such an ungrateful little monster to my mother – I now realise that – sorry Mum!). Miss 9 has told me that the best clothes are homemade. Yes, she’s quite brilliant.

One afternoon Miss 7 requested a skirt. So we used a pretty little cotton which we had found on the $3 clearance table at Spotlight – but we had no pattern. Gertie’s New Blog for Better Sewing came to the rescue, her Gathered Skirt Tutorial is just brilliant.

The only stumbling block was we had no zipper. So instead I just extended the waistband at both ends and it ties up at her waist in a little bow. It’s not very fancy but it works!

Unfortunately I measured her tummy after lunch – so by late afternoon it was a little droopy. I’ve since made up another skirt in the same fabric (it’s so pretty!) – using zipper and a button. I should have put the zipper closer to the waistband but it’s just an experiment – and fortunately the lab rat is oblivious to the minor flaws and wears it with pride.

She’s given them quite a workout in the twirling and whirling department – and I’m thinking that I might try making up a circle skirt. It’s great having girls, I can make up mini-version of things and experiment!

The end result of the Happy Twirly Whirly Skirt is happiness. And surely that’s what sewing should be all about? Purely unadulterated joy?

All the Twirly Whirly Roadtest images are here.

In the meantime. Still no Colette Patterns or pattern sheets. 😦 My poor little mailbox.

Lisette Itinerary Dress – the fabric

However I have stopped moping about and cut out not one but two projects! Hooray! After some advice from MyStitchnBitch about sizing on the Lisette Itinerary (thank you CJ!) I’ve finally taken to the lovely linen with some scissors. I’m using a Japanese cotton for the contrasting yoke and obi belt – which seemed like an appropriate choice. I’m going to be interested to see how this turns out!Being a former patchworker I am very happy to have a large cutting mat and a rotary cutter. I don’t use it often for cutting out my patterns but the Lisette Itinerary Dress has lots of long straight edges and I cut it out in no time!I’ve also cut out another version of the Vogue Tardis Skirt. I picked up a black and silver upholstery fabric for $6. I’m picturing it with black leggings and boots this winter… it could be a complete disaster though!!

Off to get a new haircut and colour – it takes a lot of work to cover blonde let me tell you!

Vogue 1247: Tardis Take 2

Meet Vogue 1236 a DKNY design described as ‘loose-fitting dress’ but I call it my Definitely Not a Sack of Potatoes… a Frolicking Frock.

The pattern envelope did not promise great exciting things as the fabric chosen by Vogue was a little ‘beige/dull’ for me – especially on a beige background. I might not be as sophisticated as these Vogue peeps, but I’m with Lladybird, the Vogue styling department’s choices are just ‘blah’ sometimes (and this image always makes me giggle – great dress but does she need to wee!?).

I believed there lurked a Frolicking Frock within that beige envelope. I also found some appealing reviews on Pattern review, like this one and this one…  which made me think I was not completely delusional. It also helps when you stumble across a fabric which screams from the bolt ‘buy me buy me‘! Is it just me that fabric talks to??

It’s rated as ‘very easy’ and that’s an understatement. I personally think my friends who claim they cannot sew on a button could cope with this… then again perhaps I’m being generous…. the only vague tricky bit was marking the pleats using tailor’s tacks, pins etc (since I had no tailor’s chalk at hand – a problem since rectified). However if you can transfer pattern marks, fold fabric so lines meet and baste… well what’s about as tricky as this dress gets. It’s Dressmaking for Dummies 101. There were no DOH! moments for me.

There are no zips, no buttons, no fasteners (I omitted the lingerie straps as I am a complete hussy – and Vogue/DKNY, the shoulder straps are just not that skinny to warrant them!). There is also no back skirt split.

I’ve read patterns reviews and blogs where about people complain about Vogue instructions but I have not needed a degree in rocket science to complete my last two projects. Perhaps I have been lucky?? Is something sinister waiting just around the corner??

I forgot to mention! There are pockets. Lovely pockets. TWO lovely pockets.

I was very very naughty and did not make a muslin despite my passionate love of this fabric. Risky I know – but I like livin’ on the edge. Crazy stuff. I did hold my breath the first time I slipped it over my head – I think it fits OK over the booty department?

Nothing fancy in the finishing department, I made this before the Tardis Skirt  revealed the beauty of Hong Kong finishes. However I’m quite happy with the machine neatening as the fabric is not a frantic frayer and, while the dress is delightful, it doesn’t really merit much more. It’s a Frolicking Frock.

I did cheat a bit and just cut a piece out for the belt on the fly with no pattern piece. Hello? Tie belts are not that tricky. It was long enough to tie in a simple knot which I prefer to a bow. I wanted to preserve as much of this fabric as possible for a Sorbetto as it’s just scrumptious (if fact I purchased it in black as well for Vogue 1220 but that’s another post (once I make it of course)! I got it at Spotlight, yes shock horror, but it’s lovely quality. The pattern could be described as finely cross-hatched blue lines with very subtle floral design elements. So subtle I did not realise until I got the fabric home!

We took some photos on the back deck in the morning but the light was bad (and I cannot ever claim to be a ‘morning person’) or we could need a new camera… there was also some debate with Miss 9 as to whether the fabric belt or the big brown leather one looked best. The jury is still out… which belt do you think works best?

Later in the day I took the little hound (Banjo our wicked little whippet) and little people to the ‘dog beach’. Miss 9 took some pictures for me – on the phone as we arrived at the beach to find the camera battery was flat. Perhaps that was my DOH! moment of the pattern.

It’s just over 4 weeks to winter here and clearly the weather is terrible… LOL not. The kids spent an hour in the water.

This is a great dress for me. I love dresses I can cinch in at the waist and create a little bit more shape. What I don’t like is baggy dresses that turn me into a short sack of potatoes or a plank hidden in an empty potato sack – there is a fine line between potato sacks and ‘loose-fitting dresses’ in my wardrobe world.

I’ve also worn it to work with a jacket and heels – and got lots of ‘where did you buy that dress? Cute!’ which left me rather chuffed! Happy hand clapping noises.

FROLICKING FROCK Vogue 1236 – big tick of approval.

I have a very cute bird print voile – which I am tempted to make into this dress but I’m concerned it might be too lightweight… and it’s far too cute to waste…

BIG NEWS – I purchased an invisible zipper foot for my Bernina. V.exciting… and it’s the weekend tomorrow…

Next, I think I might share my Lisette Passport dress. I woke up on ANZAC Day and decided I could not live with the lapped zipper job I had done – awful! So I ripped it out for the third time and sewed it back in as a centred one. Still not fabulous but it is better. This is unheard-of behaviour, in a former life I would have binned it!