Christmas sewing - all for me!!!

I need want a new party dress for Christmas.  I've been a very good girl this year and deserve it - honestly I have.....

I'm thinking of keeping it simple.  The last few years I have dressed up and felt overdressed, and out of place.  So this year, "simple" is my way forward.

So, this is what I will be making:  McCalls M6460.  Simple and elegant!

I will make view D.  I like the fact it will cover my knees, and cover the top of my arms.  I'm thinking black, I'm thinking satin, I'm thinking lace - I'm thinking it will be what ever bloomin' colour I find for the lace will be a starting point.  It's just so difficult to get nice fabrics locally.

I particularly like the fact that this pattern comes in  a multi-cup size too.  I have just made two shirts (yes, two!) which I will blog about later.  It was a McCalls pattern I used and I went for a D cup and then I tried a C cup.  Both fit well, one just a tad closer than the other.

Anyone else tried this pattern yet?  What are your party wear plans?

And the winner is....

Oh my goodness, I have been wracked with guilt - crap broadband issues technical difficulties have ment no posting.  However I am delighted to announce the winner of the fitting book is....

House of Pinherio

Yay, congrats!!  drop me a note with your postal address at rutheveleigh at btinternet dot com and your book will be on it's way to you.

My sewing mojo's back after disappearing for, what feels like, months.....  I've made a skirt and top for work, and am currently working on a shirt, following my visit to Gill Arnold last Saturday.

More on those later.  In the meantime, have a lovely weekend all.

PS Fabricland came up trumps.  They replaced the lengths of double knit, and didn't want the flawed lengths back, so I'm sure I will be able to squeeze something out of them - I feel a simple cardi coming on....

McCalls M5913

Due to the lack of sewing around here sewing lately, I thought I would share something I made last year, which kept me beautifully warm during the very cold winter we had.

McCalls 5913

I think it's the first time I've ever been "fashion forward", no one really passed comment on it last year, but this year everyone wants to know where I bought it. (Honestly, when will people get it - I SEW!)

I made the red one pictured above, with the belt holes and belt.  I got the fabric from Fabulous Fabrics in Ashby de la Zouch around 18 months ago, including the lining, which is a Paul Smith cotton.  To make it really warm and cosy I added a flannel interlining.

The pattern isn't lined, but I didn't like the thought of that so cut lining and interlining to the same pattern pieces and omitted the facings.  I put the interlining to the main fabric and treated as one.  As that made the fabric heavy and quite thick, I didn't want to worry about turn of cloth so so rather than sew everything together and turn through (like bagging the lining) I hemmed the bottom with self made bias binding.

I love this pattern so much I made view A for my sister 2 Christmases ago, and because she loves it so much made her another longer one last Christmas - no she won't be getting another one this year!

This is one pattern that I will be keeping - I  L O V E  capes and have just bought another pattern from the 1970's on Etsy - watch this space (but don't hold your breath because I have SO much I want to do first...)

Foundations of Fit - roll on Saturday and a Giveaway

Why is it I can fit my customers but really, really struggle to fit myself?  Is it because I can't see, hold, pin and measure myself? is it because I just don't know why or where it doesn't fit? is it pulling across the back because the armholes are too tight, too low, or not high enought?  No wonder it's a complete struggle!

On Friday I hope to de mystify some of these niggles as I am attending another Gill Arnold class "Foundations to Fit" on Saturday.  It's a day class aimed at blouses / jackets and covers the basic principals of fit.  I get how to alter for a FBA or SBA, I get how to alter sleeves for my buxom larger upper arms - I just need a hand getting it right for me.  It's one of the reasons I've been reluctant to put the Speed Tailoring class into practice because I'm always dissatisfied with the final fit.

To celebrate I'm giving away a copy of by favorite books "Fast Fit" by Sandra Betzina - or aunty Sandy in my house, because I always turn to her!  During my sort out I noticed that I had two copies.  So if you'd like my spare copy, drop me a line before midnight on Saturday 12th November; tell me about your fit issues and how you overcame them - I might learn something!  The Giveaway is open to all.

Also on a happy note, I bought this book at a sale a couple of weeks ago and was inspired to do some sewing yesterday - can't tell you what because they are Christmas presents.  It's a really great book, nothing particularly new or exciting, cushions, door stops, wash bags and pinnies etc but it's beautifully written and photographed and of course, full of wonderful Liberty prints.  I'd say buy this book!

Enjoy the remainder of your evening and look forward to hearing from you with your fit tips!

PS still no resolution to the fabric delivery issues, fingers crossed it will be sorted out tomorrow....

Doomed not to sew...

Where do I begin - at the beginning I suppose?!

Okay, McCalls pattern arrived in a timely fashion, pattern pieces are cut, pressed and ready to go.  Fabric ordered last Friday on next day delivery (so should have arrived Monday).  It finally arrived yesterday.  As we all do when we know there's a fabric delivery screaming to be opened, I got excited - and then it happened.  Where are the 3 zips?  I'll drop them and email, no biggie it will sort itself out.  Then I opened up the fabrics.

1m blue daisy cotton (for aprons) - tick
1m black "leather look" (for Stella McCartney inspired dress) - tick
2.5m pale blue suede (for Vogue wrap dress) - tick
1.5m of lining for above - tick
2.5m red ponte knit - erm no.  1.5m with a great big (and I mean HUGE) fault through it - tick
2m grey ponte knit - erm no again!  1.2m with an other great big fault through it - with big loops of cream stuff stcuk to it to point out the fault - tick

To say I saw red was an understatement.  I was so looking forward to this weekend.  We have "nothing" planned so I wanted to lock myself away to sew the red ponte McCalls dress - an now this.

To add insult to injury they want me to email pictures, which I will have to do this evening (on the crappy i-pad camera), so that will delay any replacement until the middle of next week - and then our weekends are booked with pre-christmas visits etc.  Excuse me a moment.....AArrgghhh

The company I used are Fabricland.  I know they're a bit "cheap and cheerful" but I've used them for years and never had any issue in the past - not even a forgotten thread, or small button.  What's got into them I wonder?

I suppose I should crackon with some Xmas gifts, at least the fabric came for the aprons - but you know how it is when you have something in your mind, you just want to get on with it.

Oh, and incase you were wondering, the zips were posted to me this morning - great, 3 zips, no fabric.....

Onward and upward ladies......