I've been sewing like a lunatic. In fact I feel like I've made so many things for myself that I've started to feel guilty about it, like I've got too many clothes and really don't need another dress (which along with the odd top is what I nearly always seem to make, no inspiration for skirts or trousers??). So selfish sewing has given way to a short burst of sewing for others. Well my mum and my daughter. My Ma is pretty much the same size as me but a bit shorter so before I made her dress I (obviously) had to make a sample one for me just to see where it could be made better. Not so selfless after all.
Despite all this muslin talk that goes on everywhere I have to say that I've never actually done one before. So mine was a wearable muslin. Very wearable as it turns out. A simple sunny beach dress with a kangaroo pocket. I was inspired (as always) by Bec at
Naughty Shorts and her
new design dress although the welt pockets made my head boggle, someday when I have more time...
I found quite a few things to change, even on such a simple dress.
- First off that I need my head looking at as I cut out a size 42 instead of a 40, no wonder it looked a bit better when I took in about 1cm on each side!
- Second that my boobs hang low. Is breastfeeding an excuse? Working on the assumption that my ma will have similar issues (she also had 2 children, has a few years on me and is genetically similar) I lowered the dart.
- 3rd that turning the sleeves hems under as the pattern says really doesn't work as they are not straight and so it won't lie flat. Faced it with a bias strip on my mums.
- I like my kangaroo pocket but it was added after I felt a bit empty without the side pockets. Side pockets are just good for slouching around with. On the other hand the kanga is good for cameras, keys and David says tennis balls as he thinks it looks like a tennis dress.
- I thought I would need to change the facing around the neck, I'm never sure about facing and would normally bias bind but it sits really well so I've left it the same in my Ma's.
So here are the 2 dresses. Both made of lovely old sheets that I got in the op shop.
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| My dress and my big 'tennis' knickers! |
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| My Ma's dress (and her new knickers too!) |
The tennis thing got me thinking as did the fact that I have 2 large bags of knicker elastic that I got for $5 at the auctions. Random I know, the local sewing shop closed down, shame but it was very granny. I also bid on some bags of threads and more obviously useful things but not enough and so I ended up with the knicker elastic, about which I was actually really pleased.
So it had to be big matching tennis knickers. Helpfully the very same copy of Burda (05/11) had a pattern for some big knickers in it. They are a bit like the ones I used to have to wear at school for gym and athletics which put off sport until I was old enough to choose what I wore. They are not bottle green though, that wouldn't be matching would it? I am also stupidly pleased with these too and have been wearing them today with my dress and have managed to resist the temptation to bend over just so everyone can see my matching knickers. And I don't really want to be hit by a bus either should I be, I would be proud to be found in my own hand made knickers! I'll see what I can do for a photo of these, don't worry I'll wash them 1st. Just about to make a pair to match my Ma's dress, just for fun.
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| Cheeky knicker shot! |
I totally failed to get a picture of me in either of the dresses. It wasn't for lack of trying but I can't find a good place to stick my camera to do a self portrait. Sometime soon I'll get David to get me out and about in my dress.
I also made a little on for the bigger small person in the same fabric she loves. A wanted to put it on before it was finished and kept saying dress, dress...the first time she has said these words. Sweet. I adapted it from the sew liberated blossom blouse pattern... lengthened it and shortened the sleeves and gathered it.... a super simple raglan dress. Here's it and a top I made with the original pattern.
