Dresses

I’m still working on perfecting the fit of my new bodice block. I’ve been working on this dress on and off for a few weeks now, finally finishing it last week only to put it on and realise despite all my tinkering it still doesn’t quite fit right! I re drafted the front into a princess seam, which I think works well on a larger bust, but kept the back bodice darted, which hasn’t worked well at all! My upper back is rounded and wider than might be expected, while my rib cage is actually very narrow, so fitting my back is often more of a challenge than fitting my bust….the problem with learning about fit is the more you know, the more you find there is to learn….actually that’s how it is with sewing anyway, and why I love it so much! ...

One day last week while feeling rather sorry for myself I nipped in to the local furnishing fabric shop. They have a room full of remnants that I like to browse just in case they have anything interesting. Before I even made it to the remnants however, I noticed the shop was now stocking some rather lovely printed canvas fabrics, including this Paris scene with little black cats. I couldn’t resist and buying just 3 metres cheered me up no end. ...

I don’t always blog everything I make, but I do usually share most things on Instagram With February almost here…how did that happen? I thought I’d just do a quick and dirty blog post of my January makes, the good, the bad and the downright disastrous! Firstly the Doris Sweater above. I love this version so much. The fabric is a super soft loosley woven wool blend, and it is so cosy. I feel the cold even in this mild winter we are having, so any excuse to cosy up is most welcome. It’s been a bit of a Doris’y month actually because I also ran up this quick Doris Dress from some vintage fabric I found in a charity shop while visiting my Mum who lives in Somerset. ...

The children all went back to school and college today, India is still home from University, but she was out today and I made the very most of the peace, and most importantly lack of demands to be fed, (children do need feeding so often! ) and spent a very happy morning in my shed running up this Weekend Doris Dress with a twist…or two! It is a basic Weekend Doris, made with a retro style wool blend. (I sized up to accomodate the woven fabric.) I added in seam pockets*, a wider neck band to form a 60’s style “cowl” neck, and hem band. The dress and sleeves are lined. I’m really quite pleased with it, the lining has made it a substantial winter dress, so I’m ready for the coldest most miserable winter months of January and February, even if it is so mild at the moment that the daffodils are popping up at the park! ...

Happy New Year! I only got one little piece of stitching done between Christmas and the New Year, and that was this grey Nora Dress for Eden. I’d cut it out back in September, she’d been waiting so long for it, she had forgotten all about it! I’ve another cut out at the same time for India that she can’t remember either! I’m not one for making resolutions really, but maybe I should at least make one about making things up as soon as I cut them out…anyone else have a pile of garments cut out, but not yet sewn? ...

Last week I was a parent helper on Sid’s year 6 school trip to the air raid shelters in Stockport. I have been wanting to help out on this school trip for several years, but always had a small child or two at home to take care of. This year I didn’t and jumped with joy at the opportunity to help out. I do love local history, but mostly I just really wanted to dress up! ...

Starting this post with a silly but happy photo of me. After my last post full of doom and gloom I decided this place needs a bit of silliness and some smiles. Summer is tough around here, and it’s hard not to let that affect everything. Thank you so much for all the lovely comments and messages of support after my last post, I appreciate every one, you are all wonderful! This photo was taken last week in my mother in law’s garden in Anglesey North Wales. We stayed there for five days, and it really was a lovely break from routine. Eden and I had a lot of fun taking photos in the garden of one of my new designs. Yes, despite my low mood I’ve still been working over the summer, planning classes (see my learn to sew page for more details on those.) and designing three new dresses. Nora, Nell and Nancy are not only the names of two of my friend’s children that I have always loved, but the names of the three new dress patterns I plan to launch this month…..yeah I know I should probably keep quiet for now, have a big launch when they are ready, but come on, you should know me well enough by now to realise that’s not really my style. ...

It seems a few of my friends are turning 40 this year, and of course any excuse for a new dress. I’m still refining this self drafted princess seamed bodice, and am now I think finally happy with it. The fabric I’ve used for this dress was bought in three small remnants from a local soft furnishing fabric shop for 50p!! I do love the challenge of making a whole dress out of a few pieces of fabric. These pieces were fun to work with because the right and wrong sides of the fabrics are equally beautiful. Not being able to decide which sides I liked best combined with such small pieces to work with meant that I used all sides in a kind of (hopefully) successful way! ...

I sew a lot, a heck of a lot and for lots of reasons; I love clothes, I don’t often like clothes available on the high street and if I do I can’t afford them or they don’t fit. I have a compulsion to create and make, sewing is my preferred method. Sewing eases my heart and my soul. I can’t explain it, but something about the process brings peace. It’s my job! I love designing patterns, and I love teaching at Ministry of Craft or one to one classes in my home. Although I sew lots, not everything works out. I rarely am 100% satisfied with anything I make, I am always striving for a better finish, but sometimes things just really don’t work, like this skirt. The beautiful fabric was picked for me by my fabric dealer friend, Mary. She knows my taste so well and often picks things she knows I’ll love. ...

There is an acre of woodland in Wigan that is dedicated to our youngest daughter Florence, we always take a walk there on her birthday, and as often as we can throughout the year. While we were there yesterday India took some photos of me in my latest creation, another self drafted summer dress. The weather was showery, though not cold. India and I found a lovely clearing in the wood to take photos, tiptoeing carefully in peep toe sandals ( I wore wellies for the rest of our walk! ) through the long wet grass I spotted the cutest little field mouse! He was just there at my feet, we both looked at each other with mild surprise, I said “Hello little mouse”, and he scurried away before I could take a photo. He really was the sweetest little creature, and it made my day to have seen him. ...