my favourite

This is my favourite dress so far, I love the colour and the feel of the fabric. I made binding for around the neck and finished the sleeves by folding twice (which looks a lot nicer than seeing over locking.) Plus added a little bow on the neck which (in Isla's words) "looks adorable!"

pretty in blue

I think I'm all sewn out! Well at least for a few days, I definitely go through bursts of sewing, I have to be in the mood. I read this paragraph recently that made me laugh...

Advice from a singer sewing machine manual from 1949

Prepare yourself mentally for sewing. Think about what you are going to to... Never approach sewing with a sigh or lackadaisically. Good result are difficult when indifference predominates.

Never try to sew with a sink full on dirty dishes or beds unmade, when there are urgent housekeeping chores, do these first so your mind is free to enjoy your sewing. When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Put on a clean dress. Keep a little bad full of french chalk near your sewing machine to dust your fingers at intervals. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on. If you are constantly fearful a visitor will drop in or your husband will come home, and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing.

vintage florals

I have been busy making more dresses for Isla and Olive, now I have my base pattern I can start adding little extras (like the sleeves on orange dress.) I love the floral material, now bring on summer so they can be worn without merino's underneath!

trial & error

So I've been modifying a cute vintage dress pattern, I want a simple style dress that is quick and easy. The original pattern is gorgeous but time consuming, well not that time consuming, just over an hour (but I don't have much time to sew, so I have to find ways to save on time!) 

It was meant to be a dress, once I had finished it and tried it on Olive I realised it's more like a top! But over all it fits really well and it's still very cute. I'll make sure to add some length to the next one, but that's what sewing is all about, experimenting finding what works for you and having fun!

DIY girls summer dress

This is the second little dress I made for my older daughter, they are such easy dresses to make. It only takes about 30 minutes to make the dress, then add 15-25 minutes if you do the pockets. I can't wait to get all dressed up with them tomorrow, I love weddings!

The fabric was from a garage sale last week, I got two supermarket bags of material for $4 each! So this dress would have cost under $1 (NZ) to make! I added some little pockets to the pattern to make it extra special!

The pockets in progress, I added a little pieces of lace 

Over locked all edges apart from sides, then sewed up sides, then over locked. Pressed the underarm, neck and bottom hems. After stitching the hems I threaded some lace through the front and back to create the straps

 

So this is the second dress finished, bring on the wedding! Fingers crossed it's a lovely spring day!

For the pattern measurements copy the pattern on my last blog, just add 2cm to the top, side and arm opening, then about 10cm to the hem. (This is for a three year old)

Happy sewing!