sun and sewing

Thanks for your suggestions about my dress.  What a lovely weekend!  Lots of sunshine .... tick ..... good lie-in ..... tick ...... happy reading ......tick and a whole Saturday spent sewing!  Yes, on Saturday I went to my first workshop at Unique Fabrics in Ulverston.  I had a lovely day all for the cost of £24.  There were about 10 of us and we were working on our own projects with help from the lovely Jan.  I had already started on my Vogue cocktail dress.  I nervously traced the vintage pattern (I have to say I have found using a real vintage pattern a bit nerve-wracking in case I spoil it).

Look at the fantastic condition for tissue which is 60+ years old!  Then I made an initial muslin - bigger than the first pattern.  The original is size 34" bust so I thought it was going to be far too small but it wasn't and I only had to increase the centre seam by about 1".  A second muslin was made (I'm pretty rough and ready in making muslins!).

I like the shape!  Although you felt the taffeta was the best choice apparently it would be too stiff for the gathers ... so I've had a go in the crepe.  Even that seems too thick for the bust gathers and you can see below its a bit blousy there. 

Hopefully it will look better with some more done.  I have discovered I'm not the shape of my model at all because my underbust measurement, shoulder and back are much smaller than I can make the model.    I tried a bound button-hole which Jan taught me at the workshop and though I really liked it it was going to make it too lumpy on this top.

I also had my first go on  an overlocker ...... I want one!!  It's great so much faster than trying to neaten on my machine! 

I took my flamingo dress as well and neatened all the awful fraying lining edges.  Apart from the heat and discovering how difficult it is to use tissue patterns when you are all hot and sweaty I had a great day.  Although as you can see not much progress for 6 hours work!  Because I may need help at my next workshop in August progress on this dress may be a little slow.

Believe it or not I am still weaving ends in on my fair-isle and I am just so bored with it!!!  There are over 1000 ends so this isn't an experience I will be repeating any time new.

I also watched a great Italian film "A Beautiful Life" over the weekend.  Well worth a watch if you can.  It started as a comedy, but I think you know a film about a Jewish person in Italy in 1944 is going to have a down side and it certainly did.  The main character is just wonderful and the sense of historic styling and filming excellent.

For some reason I'm struggling to upload any more photos ... I hope this isn't another problem like last time!!  So I will stop for now and try later.  Have a great weekend.