Denim skirt

I'd been wanting a denim skirt for ages and tbh if I'd been able to find one in a shop that ticked all the right boxes (not stretch denim, longer length - I was flexible about style - and that actually fitted) I'd have bought one.  I find now that I don't enjoy clothes shopping in shops if I have a particular purchase in mind.  If I look at my few shop bought purchases over the last few years (other than things like tights) they have tended to be things I've either seen online that other people have bought, or that I've walked past in a shop and thought WOW (coats mainly...)

So, anyway, back to this skirt.  Since I already had the fabric to hand (I had won 2m of denim in the SewBrum raffle three years ago) I decided to make one using a vintage pattern which had a skirt option

and actually cut the fabric out in May last year.  I don't remember now why I didn't get it finished at that point - possibly because it's quite heavy denim and I thought I probably wouldn't wear it during warm weather.

However, with denim-skirt-wearing weather approaching this year I decided it was high time to sew it up.  It came together easily, I've worn it a lot and since made another one.

Right, that's quite enough blogging for one weekend!  I've caught up all my projects up until the end of August, so three months done, three more to go...

Summer Sunflowers dress

This dress is the last of the Bettys for this year, with a New Look 6824 pleated skirt.  When I first made up this pattern I cut about 4" off the skirt pattern pieces, and for this dress I reattached them.  Whilst I still like knee-length dresses, quite a few of the ones I've made recently have been this mid-calf length - possibly influenced by the vintage patterns I have, most of which have very long skirts (although also usually with a generous hem allowance).

The fabric is quilting cotton which I bought from The Cotton Patch in Birmingham four years ago en-route to the SewBrum meet up that year.  Not really much else to say about this other than I added Emery pockets, it took 2.5m of fabric, and I'm really pleased with it!

Teal Daisy dress

Well, summer has well and truly gone now and it's high time I caught up on here!

We actually had a proper, hot, summer this year which was wonderful.  As I write this it's grey and raining outside, but given that it's late November I guess that's to be expected.  Doesn't make it any easier to bear though.  I hate grey, damp, dark days.  Anyway, I don't want to dwell on that now - I have too many posts to catch up on to go off on a rant at the moment.

Firstly, some sewing - this dress I finished in early June.

I decided to use the bodice of SewOverIt Betty.  However, the first time I made this pattern (here) I found the bodice wasn't a great fit, and that, combined with the fact that I've decided that circle skirts aren't really great for my lifestyle, means that dress has now gone to the charity shop, which is a shame, becaused I loved the fabric.

So for this one the alterations I made were to lower the armholes by half an inch and redraw the shoulder straps to bring them further in to the centre back, also by half an inch.  It now fits much better, but is still not quite right.

The skirt is from a vintage pattern, Simplicity 3749 - I had to adjust the centre back and side front skirt pleats to fit the bodice waistline, but this is not a difficult change to make.

I used all of the 2.2m I had of this fabric which I bought in Barry's in Birmingham during the 2015 SewBrum meet up and I'm really pleased with how it turned out - I love this colour.

SewBrum 2017

I had a lovely day in Birmingham yesterday at the #sewbrum meet up.  This is an annual get together organised by the lovely Charlotte.  It was a long day though so I was very glad of the extra hour in bed this morning because the clocks have now gone back for the winter (I think I've reset all the ones that don't reset themselves automatically...).

The day started in the John Lewis cafe and it was lovely to catch up with people who I hadn't seen since the 2015 event (I didn't go last year unfortunately), and to meet new people.  And admire the handmade dresses, jackets and coats that were being worn.  Thank you to everyone who made lovely remarks about my dress, it's one of my favourites and there are more details here.

After some much needed tea and a pastry (well it was nearly 'elevenses' time, and I'd had a very early start) I wandered across to the haberdashery department.  There were some lovely fabrics for sale and I almost bought a pair of knitting needles, but in the end my determination to not buy any fabric unless it was of the "Oh wow, I have to have that!" variety won out.  And I decided that it would be sensible to check through my needles and see whether I actually need any more of a particular size rather than just buy because they were available.  So far so strong minded.

After this the group split up to go and visit the various fabric buying opportunities that lay ahead.  I went down to Barry's but again, there wasn't anything that jumped off the shelves saying "buy me".  The only thing I was tempted by was some dark green corduroy, but it was a bit too much of a bluey green.  What I'd actually like, and would have bought if I'd managed to find any, is some heavyweight mustard corduroy to make a skirt.  I have an rtw one which I bought in H&M years ago and have worn loads.  Consequently it is now beginning to wear out and I would happily make a replacement if only I could find the right fabric.

There were some lovely fabrics in Barry's, but buying a dress length of cotton just because I like it and 'can make a dress with it', or because I've seen someone else's dress online and thought 'ooh, that's nice I could make one of those' isn't really what I want to be doing anymore.  I am resolved not to buy anything without knowing exactly what I'm going to do with it.  And I have enough fabric in my stash to make plenty of cotton dresses.

After that I ambled back up towards the bullring and had a quick wander round the rag market and then got a bus out to Moseley for the next part of the day.  This was a welcome bit of breathing space in the day as the city centre was getting crowded and traffic-y and it was nice to wander round the farmers' market and then walk up the hill to Guthrie & Ghani.  Or maybe I just needed a cup of tea!  There were already a few folk in the shop when I arrived, but the upstairs studio room was light, spacious, and with a cup of tea and a chair, just the right thing.  I even managed a couple of rows of my train knitting during the course of the afternoon!

Pram set for granddaughter - need to knit this quickly!

 I added the patterns which I'd brought with me for swapping to the pattern-swap table and had a look at what was already there.  I was determined not to come away with more than I'd brought with me (nine), and more or less managed that.  During the course of the afternoon as people arrived so did more patterns and by the end of the afternoon I'd picked up five patterns for me (win)

and five girls' dress patterns as I now have a granddaughter (these don't count as they're not for me - I know, denial).

I also bought two new patterns - a Sewaholic Cambie - I don't usually bother with tracing patterns and my copy of it has become very fragile - I've hummed and ha-ed about replacing it for a while now and yesterday was the day.   Although I've already made a few I still really like this pattern and actually have a mash-up of a Cambie skirt and Emery bodice partially made at the moment.  There will be more.  Especially now I've bought another copy.  The second pattern I bought was the Rue dress by Colette.  Sewvee was wearing one she'd made and it looked fab.  I love the fabric she used, but also was pretty sure that I didn't already have a pattern with similar style details.  I remember liking it when it first came out, last year?? but thinking 'no, you don't need any more patterns'.  Seems actually I do, now that I've seen it made up.

My final acquisition was a 2m length of furnishing fabric from the fabric-swap table.  I didn't bring any fabric to swap this year for two reasons (1) I had culled my stash earlier in the year and haven't gone through it again since and (2) I travelled to Birmingham by train and didn't want to be lugging a heavy bag of fabric around with me.  Also see (1).

When I saw this fabric I thought it would make a great straight-skirted fitted dress along the lines of this one, but now I wonder whether I like it because the colours are so similar and whether it will look chic, or like I've cut up a deckchair and turned it into a dress.  Time will tell, I won't be doing anything with it until the weather warms up next Spring.  And as there's 2m of it and it's 56" wide there'll be enough to make something of the non-clothing variety if it doesn't work out as a dress.

Well, I seem to have written rather a lot!  Maybe my blogging mojo is returning...  I didn't take any photos on the day, but fortunately other people did and there are already several on Instagram with the #sewbrum hashtag.  All in all a great day out!

Heleniums dress

I picked up the pattern I used for this, Simplicity 2886, from the #Sewbrum pattern swap a couple of years ago.  I think the pattern envelope really doesn't do the dress justice, but the line drawings help and having seen a few versions pop up on my instagram feed I knew it would be worth the effort of making since I like the style of it.

Unfortunately, hot on the heels of Mortmain, this was another dress where the bodice didn't fit - although in this case it was too big.  I cut a size 12 and once I'd made it up had to do some unpicking and take the side seams in.

It was really quite disheartening to have two dresses in quick succession that needed this degree of intervention, however I really like this pattern and I think I probably will make it again, I'll just cut the bodice a size smaller.  And tbh I'd rather faff about like this than cut and sew endless toiles.  I'd do that for a special occasion dress using expensive fabric, but for an everyday cotton dress life's just too busy.

And that's me all caught up with my sewing output so far this year, just the knitting to catch up with now!

Yellow and grey Hemingway dress

This dress is made with a gorgeous quality Hemingway design fabric from a trip to Brighton three years ago, and I love the print.  It's another Ruby bodice / different skirt mash up - I used the skirt from a vintage pattern which I picked up in the pattern swap at #sewbrum a couple of years ago.

I had to fiddle about with the pleats a bit to get the two waistlines to match up (the skirt being bigger than the bodice), but pleats are really quite forgiving of a bit of adjustment here and there and other than that this was a straightforward make.

Shown here with a petticoat - this dress is one I'll probably wear in the winter with a wool cardigan and boots (and the petticoat for extra insulation).

Sew Brum meet up

Goodness, this was nearly a month ago - how time flies!  I had a great day out - I'd booked my train ticket months ago so got a very good deal on the price and knitting time on the train to boot.  I did get a bit confused by the very posh refurb of New Street station in Birmingham, but fortunately managed to find my way to the meet-up cafe - there were already lots of people there and it was lovely to meet other sewing peeps in person - some who I follow on instagram and some who I'd never come across before but now do.

We started off in the city, with some folk going to the rag market and others (including me) going to Barry's and then the Fancy Silk Store.  By the time I was done there it was time to head off to Moseley on the bus so I didn't go to the rag market at all - another time!

Fabric shopping in Barry's

My purchases from Barry's - pink/red tartan wool, graphic stretchy print and two florals

Several of us sat at the back of the bus and there was chatting and general admiring of each others clothing and purchases which was fun.  The two fabrics above on the left will become skirts, and the two floral prints are for dresses.

Once in Moseley we stopped off at the Farmers' Market and bought food to eat for lunch and then headed to Guthrie & Ghani.  This is a lovely shop and Lauren (the owner and finalist in the first series of GBSB) was delightful and remained calm and serene despite so many of us.

All the other things

I'm dipping my toe into the sewing with knits pool - one of the ladies in the shop was wearing a top which she'd made from some mustard coloured sweatshirt material and it looked fab.  So I bought some in the same colour, and also in turquoise and finally succumbed and bought the Coco pattern (all in picture above).  I've seen so many of these popping up on the internet and I think it will be a good introduction - I like its simple lines.  I've already pre-washed and dried the fabric and am very pleased that it didn't shrink much at all.  I also bought some buttons and got a gorgeous goody bag in the softest baby needlecord.

Some of the raffle prizes

Along with yummy refreshments, there was a pattern and fabric swap in the upstairs room of the shop - I took several pieces of fabric and came away with four patterns - two vintage and two current ones.

I also won some fabric in the raffle - 2m of denim which I think is going to end up being a skirt, or maybe two.  I don't have a denim skirt and I've half-heartedly looked for one on rare excursions to clothes shops over the past couple of years and haven't found one that I liked, so I think perhaps a Kelly or maybe a New Look 4-gore a-line one (in the separates section of my pattern stash page).  Or maybe both because it's 60" wide so there might be enough for two skirts.

All in all it was a great day, I really enjoyed it - thank you so much to Charlotte of English Girl at Home for organising it.