After six weeks of dressmaking...

After a six week dressmaking course I have finished my dress. The day after the course I went to work in it and was really chuffed when staff and students told me how nice it was and asked me where I got it! The look on the kids faces when I told them I made it was priceless. Unlike most pieces of clothing I make, I think I will actually wear this on a regular basis. So here are the pictures of my new dress on my manikin, one by itself and one styled up.

Cxxx

Bring me... my glasses.

I need a new glasses case. I made one a few years ago and to be honest it is just a bit too girly for me now. So after watching my Morecambe and Wise boxset I drew inspiration from my comedy heroes (I would put my dad in the comedy hero bracket, but as he stole all his jokes from Morecambe and Wise I don't think I can!). So here is my glasses case:

1. First embroider your fabric with what you want. I wrote 'glasses' on one side and stitched Morecambe's glasses on the other side.
   
2. Now, cut the fabric into your required size, mine ended up being 5"x8". Cut out 2 pieces of inside fabric the same size in a similar colour and some wadding. 
   
3. Now it is time to start stitching. Piece the inner fabric and wadding together, right sides facing out and stitch four lines down them to keep the wadding in place. 
   
4. With right sides together of the inner fabric, line them up and stitch round three sides leaving one open so you can turn it out.Turn it out. 
   
5. Line up the outer fabric and with right sides together again, sew round the same three sides.
6. Cut away excess fabric (I lost about an inch) and carefully place the inner fabric inside the outer fabric so you have a rough glasses case.
   
   
7. Fold over the top of the outer fabric so you have a clean seam and hand stitch it to the inner fabrics. 
8. Finally add a popper (or your glasses will fall out)!

 

Cxxx

Winnie the Pooh

I love Winnie the Pooh. I grew up a stones throw (or a pooh stick!) away from the Ashdown Forrest - where Winnie the Pooh was set. My childhood was spent on the forest looking for heffalump and woozle tracks, playing Pooh sticks and having picnics near the enchanted place.Anyway, I have decided to create lots of Winnie the Pooh embroidery so I can decorate one wall in my apartment with them. Here is my latest, I especially love it as it also reflects my dyslexia!

Cxxx

Stitching along...

So my dress making course is coming along really well. I have cut out the pattern, stitched the main elements together, made darts, learnt how to make french seams and put my sleeves in. All I have to do now is put in the consealed zip, make the alterations and hem it. So I thought I would put up a picture of my progress up on my blog. It was especially exciting this week (as it was my birthday) I received in the post a dress makers manakin. Here is my dress (pinned into place as the back is still not sewn together).

And here are some pictures of the details:

Only a few more weeks and it will be finished! Now I have a manikin I am onto thinking about what I will make next...

Cxxx