Jazzing it up

I have really been quiet on the making front this month. I think i have been reading more - at the moment I am reading Never let me go by Kazuo Ishiguro. I am really enjoying it and sometimes feel like I want to pick it up more than my knitting if you can believe it!

I think also a reason I have not been so busy is because I am not sure where I stand with the seasons at the moment. This time of year is normally busy with summer dresses, but it's not quite been the weather to inspire me.

However, today I went for a little hunt for pillowcases and flowerpots in the charity shops, and also happened  upon this jazzy little bit of fabric:

It was just £1 but quite small. I was confident of getting a dress out of it after managing to make a dress from a scarf (briefly mentioned here) last year which I wear quite a lot. I used headless harriet and really just draped and pinned the fabric onto her until it looked like a dress and sewed it all up. I wonder if this is how the draping method of pattern cutting really works? I'm not sure. 

I was quite slapdash with my sewing this afternoon as am being a bit lazy today. But I am pleased with my finished result:

And there you can also see my new flowerpot too (trying to detract from the ill appearance of the plant!)

I think this will be a good addition to my summer wardrobe. I hear there is some summer weather approaching so perhaps this will be just in time! Let us have hope.

Lovely afternoon's work.

Yours jazzily,
Emilia. x. xxx

this journey's end

It has been a long time since an update from me. The main reason has been delays with my pattern cutting project, my blue fendi inspired shirt dress.

Much time has passed since my last update on this one. I am not really sure of why it has taken me so long to construct. There seemed t be a lot  of finishing off. And maybe i am not quite there as admit there there is still a little ruck in the side where i need to resew the lining hem. but i am pleased with the state of it and feel that i have reached the end of the road with it and can happily feel i am finished now (because i am just ignoring the ruck for a minute)

In fact I have been at this stage for over a week now, but another hold up has been my inability to take any good photos so I am sorry about these! a shame.

Here is a recap of my inspiration:

And here we are:

hahahahhah

ta da. you can see all different panels and pieces. Need some shoulder pads!

I'm pleased it fits

I have used a great long zip as the fastening to ensure no button popping (there was a question mark for a while over how well it was going to fit, but in the end is quite loose and comfortable) and although thought this might not be so comfortable to wear and that i would have to always sit up straight, it is actually very flexible. I am not sure if this will be a dress for me to wear often though as it does seem to be very heavy. I think that I will definitely be using my pattern pieces again though and perhaps use some lighter fabric, some buttons to fasten, and simplify the sleeves. I tried for the boxy panelled effect of the original, but didn't quite get them.

However, I am really very very pleased that I have been able to see a dream dress in the pages of Vogue, and created a version for myself. That is really a very pleasing skill for me to have learnt, and I think with a few more adjustments, I could really get it.

I only have one more class left now. I have been working on a much simpler dress for the last couple of weeks and still feel that there are loads of things I want to try to make. Unfortunately there isn't a continuation pattern cutting course, but I am keen to take another class next year. And in the meantime will add Winifred's book to my birthday list so I can keep working on my pattern skills.

Onwards and upwards,

Yours joyful to have reached this journey's end
Lagerfield. xxxx