A swap is not just a swap?

So after my last post, I got waylaid as I normally do. I was supposed to have started working on my Kim dress. I made my toiles and successfully adjusted the bodice so that I was (finally) happy with the fit. And then I visited a new fabric outlet I discovered... Well you know how sometimes a fabrics just calls to you? I had one of those moments and this particular fabric was begging to become an Eliaslex dress! It was an upholstery weight fabric with a beautiful pattern. It did look like something someone might use to cover a chair. So naturally I thought... "dress!"

It came together beautifully too and I wore it to a friend's birthday party. 

Sorry about the bad selfie! 

Now, having finished that dress, you would think I would return my attention to my Kim dress plan. But no because I stumbled upon a hard copy of By Hand London's flora dress. I was very disappointed when I found out that all of BHL patterns were now only PDFs because their hard copy patterns are beautiful! And I had my eye on Flora for a while and was hunting a hard copy of it so when I happened upon one I grabbed it with both hands and didn't let go! 

Now I've started making a Flora dress. I'm nearly finished too. I think it will be pretty. I'm fully lining it and since you can see the lining of the skirt (with the dipped hem) I'm using a pretty fabric for the lining. That way you don't just see the back of the main fabric. 

Finally, I joined something called a SWAP, which at first I thought literally involved swapping (patterns, fabrics etc?) but actually just stands for Sewing With A Plan. This one is hosted by Artisans Square. I'm thinking it's time to bring out... The Reversalex! That is if o don't get distracted and actually stick to my plan... Hahahahaha

Details to come. 

You can do both, like Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean". While you're dancing you're thinking, like, "Darn it, whose baby is it?"

All glory to the hive queen!

I've been watching season 9 of the Big Bang Theory and have been loving it! How do they keep making it funnier? So excuse my random quotes. But I digress. I have been working on a new dress which is finished - a Deer and Doe Belladone dress in a polk a dot denim.

I didn't make any adjustments and cut a straight size 42 as my measurements fit perfectly into that size. Since their patterns are made for C-D cup, there's no need for a full bust adjustment!

Speaking of...

I'm working on the next dress, which is going to be a By Hand London Kim Dress. I find with BHL patterns that I do need the dreaded FBA as they design for a B cup. Sometimes I can get away with just using a larger sized bodice and grading down to at the waist, like I did with the previous Anna dress, but to be honest, it's not the best fit. It's a bit too large around the shoulder area. Some bodices, like the Anna bodice, you can kind of get away with it because having a bit of a 'relaxed' look suits it, but with the Kim dress bodice, it DOES NOT work (as my first muslin clearly showed).

So I have now cut a size 10 and FBAed that mo-fo

The ladies at BHL have excellent tutorials for each of their patterns in their sew a longs. The FBA for the Kim Dress is detailed here.

I also lengthened the bodice, because I thought it was a bit short. We'll see how it comes together with the skirt - I may not need all that extra length but it's easier to gauge exactly how long I want the bodice when I have extra length to work with than when I don't have enough.

I'm planning on doing variation 1 but with the sweetheart neckline in one of my new Tahitian fabrics, which I ordered from Hawaii.

I'm thinking the red for this dress. I'm not sure what I will do with the pink yet. I love Tahiti - it's my favourite place on earth!

So I'm off to do muslin number 2, this time with the skirt. Fingers crossed...

Ode to the dress

As the title of this post suggests, I love dresses. I have always been a dress girl, ever since I can remember. Oh sure, there was a time in the early naughties when jeans were the new dress, and I played along for a while, but that was a phase that has come and gone. I still have an impressive collection of jeans, which I keep because they're too nice to get rid of, but really they don't get worn often. These days, the dress (and maybe the occasional skirt) is the hero of my wardrobe.

Since I've started learning to sew (I've actually known how to sew for a long time, but never properly put the skill into practice. It was actually something I learned as a ballerina a lifetime and about 20kg ago. Long story but basically there is sewing involved from attaching ribbons and elastics to point shoes, to repairing or adjusting costumes, and even making quirky alterations to your dance wear. But I digress...) naturally I have gravitated to dressmaking. 

It started with Gertie's New Book for better Sewing. I loved the vintage style patterns included and the techniques were very handy. I soon started discovering other independent pattern companies and I've been hooked. I'm still learning and with every dress I learn something new and get a little better. 

Recently a made a dress I'm super in love with. It's a mash up of By Hand London's Anna dress with Deer and Doe's Chardon skirt 

It's made in a Japanese lawn which is super light and soft and was really a joy to sew. It's a casual, pretty, easy to wear dress. I love the Anna dress bodice and can see myself using it in many more dresses. 

Because a girl can never have too many dresses.