Lady Skater Seagull dress

This is my second Lady Skater dress from Kitchy Coo.  Its a very straightforward pattern.  I cut a size 4 which is pretty much identical to my measurements, and this is pretty much straight out of the packet.

The fit is pretty good, although it's only when I see the photos that I think the style makes me look pretty busty!

 
I got the fabric from the Village Haberdashery, who have some funky knits (though this one is sold out now).  When I bought it I did think it was more of a duck egg colour, and it isn't a true grey.  What I don't like about it is that when stretched the white backing shows through.  You can probably see this from the neckband in the photo, where it is clearly lighter in colour.  It also isn't as stretchy as the other pontes I have used and the neckband could have done with being a little longer.

I also think I should have been a little more careful about seagull placement!!  I didn't really intend to have a flock placed just on my left-boob!

I made the short sleeve version because I wanted to wear it with a cardie in winter and I thought the short sleeves would be more comfortable, and this is indeed a comfy dress.  I would definitely recommend this as an easy to make, easy to wear pattern.

I've got lots of sewing planned; another tailored Gertie Jacket, another McCall's shirtwaister, a Camas jersey blouse, a crepe colour-blocked dress, a Deer and Doe Sureau dress, Ginger Jeans, to list a few.  I have all this fabric waiting and so I am desperately trying not to buy any more fabric or patterns until I've made at least 12 garments from my fabric/pattern stash!

What I also want to do is to try some new skills in 2015;

a lapped zip

boning

more tailoring including pad stitching and using horsehair

welt pockets

making covered buttons

flat felled seams

attaching belt loops

piping

adding horsehair braid to a hem

inserting a double ended zip

lining a skirt vent

making a waist stay

sewing a bias-cut garment

get more confident sewing with silk

Make a pair of jeans

Make a bra and pants

Make some really well-fitting trousers

I really want to improve the fit of my garments.  There are too many in my wardrobe where the fit isn't great, especially too tight in the bust.  I have got to crack the full-bust adjustment rather than just trying to put a little more fabric in the seam.

So I'm joining in The Little Tailoress' Fun with Fit series.  We are going to make a sloper using Butterick 5627, so I'm hoping I'll learn a lot!     Do you have any crafting plans?

Teal madness!

Firstly thanks so much for the lovely comments about my dress and the wedding and welcome to any new readers who have come over from We Sew Retro!  Just a reminder the give-along is still open until 15th September.

 

Well it is rather the calm after the storm at my house.  After the wedding and a week of Dan and Gemma preparing to go to Malawi, they are gone for 5 weeks where they will be working as medical volunteers, what a fantastic thing to do on your honeymoon!  So it is quiet here with just me, the various pets and the Great British Bakeoff to keep me company.

I had hoped to be able to reveal another finished project but a bit of a disaster has halted this until next week when all will be explained, so I thought I would talk about my plans for an autumn wardrobe.

It started with a shoe .......... now I am not a shoe-lover.   I hate buying shoes, I have long, thin feet, difficult to find shoes which fit ..... so it was strange that when passing Kay Shoes I looked in the window and saw ......

... and I had to have them ... it was the colour.  Now I don't actually have any clothes in this colour so that needed some action.  First I remembered I had some teal crepe in my stash from here

and I thought that this would make a six gored skirt to match a jacket from a maroon plaid with a teal stripe.  I am planning to make this New Look suit from Gertie's New Book of Better Sewing.

 

That led me to purchase some lovely teal silk charmeuse for only £18 for 3 metres from a Vietnamese seller on Ebay.  Can you see the lovely bronzy sheen?  This will be a bow tied blouse for under the suit.

... and then I saw some Debbie Bliss teal 4 ply rialto which led to ....

... a fourties inspired cardigan.

And then I found this wool, which although a completely different colour has a tiny teal fleck

 

It's teal obsession!  Well at least it addresses the problem of just sewing ad hoc items and having nothing to wear!

On top of all these plans I have decided to join Rochelle's Fall for Cotton challenge and I will be sewing this

Deco inspired cotton from my stash with a genuine 1930s pattern and buckle.

I have joined the Hetty Knit along


... and finally I loved Lauren's silk Anna Dress so much

 


.....that I am joining the By Hand London Sew-along.  I'm only making the shorter version (certainly not brave enough to go for the split).  I have purchased 3 yards of grape silk crepe de chine for only £14.95 (ebay again), not the best quality but good enough for me to have a bash!

I also need a cosy scarf, some more handwarmers (wore my first pair today!) and a warm hat.

So there we are, phew, course I may be guilty of planning much more than I actually achieve, it's a good job I've signed up to an evening class and monthly Saturday of sewing.  The first finished project should be ready next weekend!  Have you any autumn crafting plans!