I belong to Glasgow in Simplicity 1803

Last week Dan, Gemma and I had a day out in Glasgow.

There was a vintage fair...

 

.... and of course it was the Commonwealth Games, so the city was buzzing!

 



 
We booked afternoon tea at the famous Willow Tea Rooms, designed by MacIntosh

It was a real treat ...

Glasgow is a great place and there was lots to see that we just hadn't time for, so another visit is definitely called for.

On to the dress I was wearing. I've been taking part in Lauren and Andi's Outfit-a-long (OAL) and I have just made it as it finished on the end date, even had to blow dry my cardigan as I blocked it !  The idea was to make a dress and matching cardi.

The dress is Simplicity 1803 and it was quite a different style for me to make as the bodice is a little quirky.

I love the bodice, a really flattering fit and cute capped sleeves which just cover my arms a bit (don't like exposing my arms too much).  The pattern has a gathered skirt, but Lauren demonstrated how to make a pleated skirt and I thought that would be more flattering.  The inside isn't lined but it still looks nice, and with this thicker quilting cotton I thought a lining would be too much. 

 

 I used Lauren's excellent tutorials to help with the slightly complicated bodice construction.   The shoulders and facings are attached in quite an unusal manner (you may get the idea from the inside shot).

 
I was really pleased with how the facing went on, the understitching worked and the resultant neck shape is really neat.

Overall I like the dress, though I'm going to need to make bra strap holders (or use a safety pin) and the waist could do definitely do with about one inch taking out.  Generally the dress went together well until I got to the zip!  Then I managed to melt the first one, and had to unpick the next one 3 times!

The sleeve has a little pleat which is cute.

 
Just a word about this fabric.  I love it!  It's Amy Butler Tumble Roses which I bought at my local quilting shop.  It has a slight stretch and sews like a dream.  Unfortunately I don't think you can get it in this country any more or I would by some more for a wiggle style dress.  I do worry sometimes though that I am dressing too young for my age!  Hopefully someone would tell me, as you get older the "mutton dressed as lamb" label becomes a real worry.

The cardie is my third Andi Satterlund  pattern, Myrna.  I love the shape she designs with a tight little waist.  I love the duck egg blue colour.  Unfortunately I'm not in love with the wool which is  Rowan worsted in duck egg blue. It is really itchy and so I'm just not sure I'm going to get any real wear from it.  Also I think it does look homemade.  The stitches are pretty uneven, and there is a lot of picking up stitches (for the sleeves and button bands) which I'm not great at.  You can also see the button band pulling when its buttoned up.

Well all for now.  I don't know about you but I have also thoroughly enjoyed watching the Commonwealth Games and the Home Countries were superb!  The first time England has beaten Australia to lead the medal table in ages.  There were too many highlights to mention!  I'm enjoying a 2 week holiday at home at the moment, a fair bit of painting is going on in anticipation of a new carpet in a couple of weeks.  Shame the sun seems to have disappeared at the moment.