Butterick B5920.....

....my new favourite dress!  For the past few years I have made myself a dress in late November to wear to an end of year function.  My previous favourite was the rose pinafore that I made a couple of years ago.  However, I think it could have just been eclipsed by my latest creation.  I was short on time and even shorter on motivation when I started making it but it went together like a dream and fitted wonderfully.  I didn't take any construction images (too much of a hurry) but have some completed images.

 Instead of fussing about with a sheer and probably difficult material (and then having to make a slip as well) I went for a sensible cotton printed quilting material.  It happened to be on clearance when we bought it, fortunately given the price!  I made the belt from a scrap of red poplin I had over and used pretty bright red shank buttons, although you can't see them in the picture.

From the front

From the side. I'm in love with those shoes btw!

Collar detail before buttons added

I used my Singer 66 (not yet posted about here) for the general construction, set into the 206's table so I could use the clutch motor.  However, my 66 is one of the earlier ones and has the earlier presser bar which requires special feet.  As a consequence I did the buttonholes on my industrial buttonholer, the 71-30.

Finally, today is Loretta Young's birthday and I cannot resist a few lovely photographs....

Those sleeves.....

Blue Jumper

I've been very busy with study at the moment but I do have two machines I keep meaning to write about.  Anyhow, I started knitting this jumper about 2 years ago, then I got RSI and didn't touch it for over a year.  Recently I picked it up again and have finally completed.  It is an old Patons pattern from about the '50's I think and knitted in 4ply.  Below are pictures.

Right, back to the books!

Twas the night before Christmas.....

.....and I was running hopelessly late, as usual!  I only started Grandma's nightdress on Christmas Eve and finished it at about 9.30 that night, with a break from 1.30 - 6.30 for work.  I worked from KWIK SEW's Lingerie book, making a basic gathered night gown with a lined yoke.  Lined yokes are slightly more work than single yokes but they look much nicer!  Here are some pictures.

My sister received this lovely cameo that she spotted when she came into work last Saturday.  It's on a sterling silver chain.

Her one desire has been an Elvis Presley pencil case.  I used the 306, I gave it a break after that, any more and it could have found its way out the window!  I'm using the Necchi now.

I wore my Rose pinafore with the old tap shoes at Christmas.

I received a lot of dress patterns for Christmas.  I've already started making one.
Here is the pattern, I'm making view C in a size 8

Sorry about the angle of the photo!

Here is the material

Unfortunately there are a lot of faults in the dyeing of this material and one of them has found its way to almost centre front.  It's not hugely noticeable but it is annoying!

I'm sewing the dress on the Necchi Supernova Ultra Mark 2, a beautiful, Italian made machine.  Sadly we don't have any cams for it but it makes a lovely stitch.

Rose Pinafore Dress

The completed rose pinafore.  From the front.

The dress has 4 darts in the front and a centre front seam.  There are gathers just under the bust.

From the back.

I tried to match the print across the zip and I hand-stitched the zip in place so that the focus is entirely on the print.

The bodice is lined but the skirt isn't.

I've also made my poor long-suffering overlocker a cover.

And I've washed some material.

I'm intending to make a  skirt out of the tartan.

My friend B wants a shirt out of this for Christmas.  As B is approximately a size 14-16 and all my patterns are in sizes 8-12 this is going to be interesting!

Outings

This week I have spent out more than anything I think.  Work Monday, today, tomorrow and Saturday, college Tuesday and tomorrow and I'm going out with a friend on Friday.  The rose pinafore dress is now finished, along with the spotty skirt.  The patterns are shown below.

I'm wearing the pinafore tomorrow and needed some suitable shoes.  I found these tap shoes at an op-shop and have taken the taps off.  Tap shoes are lovely!!

On the weekend we went to see the sand sculptures at the beach. 

There should be some more interesting posts soon!

Makings

I apologise for my absence but I'm on holidays and I've been sewing.  When I sew, I only sew, I tend to get totally lost in it and forget everything else.  This week I have started a pinafore dress and a skirt and finished two aprons.  The dress is a 1950's retro Simplicity pattern.

 

 

And in a beautiful rose print.  I will post entire pictures when it is finished but at the moment I will only post parts.  There are gathers under the bust.

 

 

And I tried to match the roses across the centre seams.  Not too badly, even if I say it myself.

 

 

The skirt is a Burda pattern.  I have never sewn with a Burda pattern before, they are very confusing!  It was my first attempt at welt pockets.

 

 

 

The aprons are made from fabric with edibles printed on it.

 



 

I have found pinking shears to be brilliant recently and have been madly pinking everything!

 

 

To top off my pleasure I have been using what has to be one of the loveliest machines ever made, an adorably cute 99K knee control.  I love the control with a knee control and this machine does a lovely stitch.

 

 

 

I'm listening to Queen tonight.  It's World AIDS Day today. 

 

Freddie Mercury