Fits like a glove!

There were some highs and lows at my sewing machine this week: first, I made with great care a dress to wear for my daughter's wedding, and I love it - the fabric is a linen mix which hangs beautifully, I adjusted the pattern so the waist is in the right place, studiously pressed all my seams as I went along and did a couple of final alterations to get it just right. My primary school sewing teacher (Mrs Diaz - no shortcuts under her beady eye!) would be proud of me I think.

Flushed with success, I was keen to make a start on one of the many projects in my 'make do and mend' stash.  With my only pair of oven gloves in dire need of a wash, and spurred on by recently having resisted a pretty and very cheap pair in the local dollar store (on the basis that, cheap as they were, I really should use up some fabric and make them for free), I made a start.  Aiming to keep it simple, I thought I'd just wiggle a bit of quilting on each layer of lining / padding / outer, then stitch together the 2 layers with a snazzy zigsag stitch and neatly trim around the edge - it looked great in my head but turned out - well, see below left! I resisted the urge to throw it in the bin, remembered Mrs Diaz, thought it through carefully, and had another go.  Seems the trick is to cut the padding smaller than the liner /outer, leaving space to neatly stitch and turn - much better!  So now I have a slightly odd pair of oven gloves, which will serve to remind me that mistakes really are ok if I just stop and ask myself what I learned along the way.  Only taken me 60 or so years to really get that into my head!

Stitchin' up a storm

Well what a lovely long summer it has been - sunshine, holidays and high-days (not literally, but that natural high I get from the fabulous Standon Calling), and to top it all off, the shiniest sugariest cheeky cherry of all time.... the man (or woman, I know not) from Canadian immigration s/he say YES!!!!  So our Nova Scotian holiday-dreaming-home-away-from-home home will pretty soon become our homestead-crafting-glamping-gorgeous-gorgeous-permanent home, and the UK will be our holiday destination to spend quality time with family and friends.  So, so happy. Cue much writing of lists, and a little scratching of head when I discovered how expensive it is to ship goods - what to do with my humungous fabric stash?!  Mental switch from bargain-buyer to e-bay-seller as a hobby, and a determination to stay home and stich instead of go out and spend.  Starting with some fabric purchased several months ago for 1. glamorous fifties trousers from this pattern ....

 

.... which I am rather pleased with and planning to wear to the next Lindy Hop social, and 2. homesteading dungarees, from this pattern.  I have a bit of an obsession with dungarees, a result of spending far too much time in the perfect world of Pinterest  and deliberately ignoring the knowledge that I always end up covered in muck even doing a bit of ladylike potting.  I was a  bit worried about the outcome being more 70s throwback than vintage lady gardener, but I like them enough to maybe try another pair in a more suitable shade of mud-brown.  But with a few flowery touches here and there of course.

 

 And I couldn't resist stitching my little label where no-one can see it - if the next pair turn out well, maybe I'll be brave and stick it on the outside.

 

Linen and lace

So here's my swishy 1957 vintage Vogue dress...

.. and here's the petticoat I made out of an assortment of leftovers (including an old linen tablecloth) and a bit of chunky lace from my fabric store.  I forgot what a chore frills are - endless stiching and pulling and pinning and faffing, but I'm pleased with the end result, and even more pleased I made it from scraps and didn't go and buy acres of net.  I've decided I want to wear cotton dresses every day of my life - ha, I'd love to see my colleagues faces if I turned up to work in this :)