By Hand London - Elisalex Dress

2014 is the year of weddings - I have 3 friends getting married this year and I really can't afford that many new dresses and I find it very hard to get a good fitting dress, plus they are all friends from school so I can not wear the same dress twice as I have had to point out to my husband!!

So I decided that I was going to make a dress for the wedding, the theme was garden glamour.

I really wanted to make the Elisalex dress and already had the pattern so off I went to the Fabric Store in Sydney earlier this year when they have 50% off sale and purchase some beautiful cream and gold fabric! It had just the right weight to hold the tulip skirt shape.

I made a muslin, I had some fitting issues I cut out a size 14 and graded down to a 12 around the bust and shoulders.

I really didn't like the look of the sleeves once I put it on

So I decided to make it without sleeves, I lined it with a cotton Voile. It was lovely and soft.

I had to overlock all the edges and seams as this fabric frayed very badly

I made the tulip skirt in with the muslin and didnt like the shape it gave me at all so unpicked it and re-cut the Charlotte Skirt and just moved the darts so that they aligned with the princess seams

Sorry about the terrible photos but I was trying to get this all done for the Mad Men Challenge but got lazy with posting.

And Finally this is a photo my friend took for me in Berry all ready to go to the Wedding. I was so pleased with this dress that I have already cut another in a red wool for work. I got so many compliments!

If I had to make any changes they would be insert a kick pleat as it was very snug getting that skirt over my hips to go to the bathroom.. sorry too much detail :)

Louise

xx

Gabby Dress

Off for my Wedding Anniversary Dinner and pulled out my trusty Gabby Dress.

This is actually my second Gabby dress, I love that it can be dressed down for the beach or wear out for dinner and is perfect for our summer weather.

I cut out the medium for this one and it gave it a nicer fit around the chest than my last one.
Fabric is Rayon from Spotlight and they only had a small amount left and not enough to do the back so I colour blocked and I really like it.
Pattern matching the sleeves was a bit of luck - I wasn't even trying but very happy with the finish.

Trust me it gets a lot of wear!!

There will be more Gabby Dresses in my wardrobe before the summer is over that I'm sure

Another Lola and Anita Ponte pants

After a very successful trip to the remnant warehouse on Thursday i am cutting out another victory patterns Lola dress and Anita ponte pants from tessuti. I am squeezing this all out of 2.5m flame ponte purchased for $ 25

Pattern Review - Lola Dress Victory patterns

I have been sewing again... and quite a lot.

After having baby M I was keen to sew up all the baby clothes but after reading everyone blogs of there Me-Made-May creations I decided that I really needed to start sewing for myself... totally selfish I know.

Returning to work and the onset of winter has inspired my wardrobe funny how last year whilst pregnant I didn't feel the cold too much

After seeing Nikki-Shelll's version & Leisl version of the Lola I thought it would be perfect, we are off to the Hunter Valley in 3 weeks and its going to be cold up there.

I will make this pattern again - possibly lengthen the sleeves so they are more 3/4 or full length.

This would also look lovely in a nice ponti or merino

I cut out a straight 16 but should have probably graded it around the chest to a 14, best thing about this pattern is it looks good baggy too!! Win Win

More Pattern reviews and sewing I promise - my sewing machine has become a permanent fixture on the dining room table.

Cost:

Pattern: Victory Patterns Lola PDF $12.89

Fabric: 2.5m Husky Plain Fleece $32 approx (lost receipt)

Thread $2.68

Total: $47.57

Sewing for ME

That's right I finally got back my sewing mojo - well I have been sewing but not for me (and obviously not blogging about it either) and after some inspirational reading of other people's blogs and a quick fabric shopping trip I pulled out the Colette Patterns - Parfait

I wasn't sure how breastfeeding friendly it would be but it works a treat.

I'm not very good at fitting and I know I should have put together this first in calico and made some pattern adjustments but I feel I am time poor with a babe in arms... next time I will do the pattern adjustments
will probably save me time in the long run.

So I am very happy with this dress. Fabric purchased at the Sydney sewing social thanks for organising Little Betty Sews
Fabric is a heavy Linen, purchased at 50% off

I mostly had fitting issues with this dress due to my post baby belly.... how long can you claim post baby belly.... and due to taking it in at the sides a bit the straps need to be moved at the back - I think I will unpick and fix this up

As the fabric is quite thick I had a lot of bulk in my seams even after grading them
next time I would use a lighter fabric for the facings of the bodice.

As for the breastfeeding - it is great only small changes I would make for next time instead of putting in the button holes think I might just put in some press studs and a button for show that way it is easy to get on and off one handed

I am going to sew this again actually think it will be my next project as I bought a lovely blue cotton/rayon from the remnant warehouse on Monday which will look perfect and as it is lighter might be a bit cooler - think I might add some white piping and side pockets.

L

Breastfeeding Top

Yes I finally did it... I made something for me.

Its been awhile but my wardrobe has been lacking in variety and colour recently. There is only so much you can do with a maternity singlet. Bring in the Anna Maria Horner Handmade Beginnings Four Corners Tops
I made this up in some bright coloured fabric from spotlight and the stash.
This was a great top to put together, very easy instructions to follow even if I had to read it a couple of times and got it all done in no time at all.
Would have been quicker if I didn't have to unpick the straps as they weren't straight and I knew it was going to annoy me but I highly recommend making this top.
Not sure why I didn't make this soon as I would have got some great use out of it

Look forward to seeing what my mothers group think of it tomorrow

L
x

First Christmas Present

So I finally finished my first ever jelly roll quilt. I used a Moda Jelly roll "A Walk in the woods" and followed a online tutorial here 

One Jelly roll was used and still has some left over to bind the edges - the perfect cot size

It was relatively easy - I still need to work on my exact cutting and sewing.
I backed the quilt with some minky which is lovely and soft, I read somewhere that it makes it a lot easier if you use some fabric spray then pin to quilt. It made the pinning process very easy as the fabric was not slipping around.
I used my walking foot to quilt but gave up with it half way through. Maybe it needs looking at but it stopped walking and was pulling on my fabric might need to read up to see what I did wrong or take it back to the sewing shop.

I machine bound the edges using this tutorial here

I think it looks great as long as you don't look too closely as my stitch in the ditch isn't too straight next time I might try free motion!!!

This has now been all wrapped up for my daughter for her first christmas.... I may have started a tradition

Now off to make the christmas pudding

Merry Christmas

The Dress

Here is an update on how the Baptism dress went, after following CINO Charlotte dress tutorial here I decided that it would look lovely as a simply Baptism dress.

So I went to Tessuti's and found some beautiful silk on the remnant table and very soft cotton also on the rememant table.

This dress took me longer than the previous dress probably because silk is so much harder to deal with.
Although I followed the pattern from CINO dress I did make slight changes. I changed the pattern slightly to fit my bub.

I lined the bodice with the silk and also used some iron on interfacing to give the silk some body. I also inserted some piping which I think really makes it look perfect.

I also altered the sleeves by putting in a pleat rather than gather.

The dress is lined with italian white cotton which is so lovely and soft, it gave the skirt some body. the skirt botton and sleeves are finished with some bias tape also from Tessuti's. Overall I am so happy with it.

Everyone thought it looked beautiful, her flower headpiece was purchased from etsy here when she was a newborn the so elastic had to be replaced for her bigger head. I just got out the hot glue gun and glued it on a new piece.

Mail Delivery

One of the best things I have found being a new mum is online shopping. Going shopping just isnt the same anymore, we try to fit in a bit of shopping between feeds and naps but we end up rushing around doing what needs to be done and getting out of there quick smart.

So instead of spending a couple of hours at the fabric store or down at the mall I have become an online shopper, I am just loving etsy and all the new online clothes shops not that I have bought any clothes yet still trying to loose my baby bulge.

I get so excited when a parcel arrives and my latest parcel was this Moda Jelly roll "A Walk in the woods" purchased from Etsy
I plan on making a quilt for Tilly using this tutorial

But I'm not going to start until I finish her jumper. I managed to get half the sleeve done yesterday at my first stitch n bitch thanks to retro mummy for posting on facebook. It was the first time I have been to one of those and it was lovely to see what the other ladies were knitting and talk all things crafty.

Baby Sewing

Boy do I just love playing dress ups with my little girl. Baby clothes are so quick and easy to sew.

I had seen a tutorial on Craftiness is not optional so decided to try it out, here was my first little dress.

 I realised it was a snug fit for my chunky monkey so make another one in the size up and just happened to have the same fabric as CINO

I love it so much, that I have used this pattern to make her dress for her baptism. Photos on that soon

Crafting Mo-jo

Now we are in the house I can finally unpack all my craft things.... I have found lots of UFP's.. oh dear.
I will TRY not to start another project until I finish a few of these unfinished ones.
But first on the agenda is curtains for the house... for some privacy and to keep the house a bit warmer on these cold autum nights.
My new machine is getting a work out!!

Lou

Sewing Machine Orientation

For Christmas my wonderful Husband bought me a sewing machine.

Husqvarna Emerald 203

All my sewing prior to this has been done on my mum's phaff. Great machine but the problem was actually getting it. Having to pack it up from her house and bring it over.
He told me now I don't have any excuses not to do his mending.

So tonight is my offical Sewing Machine Orientation lesson at the Chatswood Sewing Centre

Hope that I learn a few more tricks on my machine

Lou

New Pattern & New Fabric

Spending spree today.

My pattern arrived today and tessuti's just happened to be having a sale

Flower Stencil fabric for Dress A with no frills

 

Peach Cluster fabric for Dress A with frills

Now all I have to do is sew up a muslin to make sure it fits correctly.

Lots of sewing plans now I just need to find the time to fit it all in.

Lou

Sewing Rooms Ideas

Today my thoughts are on what to do with my spare room. We have 3 bedrooms in our new/old house. The main bedroom will obviously be mine and DH's bedroom and then the next size down room will be a guest bedroom.
The smaller of the three bedrooms is going to be a combined study/sewing room.

I really like this custom made table found here below

 or this storage solution found here

Lou
xx