Winging it

I had a bit of a challenge inadvertently thrown my way last week, to make a dress just like the one someone gave me to 'copy'.

I think that people who don't sew imagine this to be far easier than it actually is - especially when you will have nothing more than the dress and the measurements of the person to work with, not an actual model to try on a muslin or toile.

The finished result and the sample I worked from

So measurements and dress in hand I set out to make a replica of the dress on the right using the fabric in the finished dress shown on the left.

It's for a promotional gathering so all the staff involved will be wearing garments made in the same fabric.

On looking at the yellow dress I noticed that it was quite shaped - with darts at the bust and in the back and so not knowing how to recreate these on my own I flicked through a few books before deciding to use the bodice of the Truffle dress from the Colette Sewing Handbook.

Very happy with the position of the logo on the bodice

I traced off the bodice in the appropriate size and then lay the pattern over the sample dress and cut the pattern pieces to fit the shape of the neckline that I wanted, preserving the darts.

I did this for both the front and back.

Then I created a skirt for the dress by extending the back bodice pieces (and darts) down to make the back two pieces, while I chose to make a skirt in the front that attached to the bodice as I felt this was the easiest way to manage the shaping.

Exposed zipper in blue for fun.

For visual interest I decided to add, you guessed it, an exposed zipper.

In hindsight I am not sure this was the best option as it was a bit bulky for the fairly soft material, but you live and learn!

The whole thing was lined in lightweight cotton to keep it cool and comfortable.
The zip was hand-stitched to the lining.

I haven't heard how the fit was but I am hoping it has been a success.

This was a great lesson for me in making up things to suit - in creating a pattern from an existing item, and not being afraid to 'wing it'.

What do you 'fear' when sewing?? Zips, buttonholes, following a pattern or making one up for yourself??
Name your phobia!

Cracking good

On Saturday I was lucky enough to be one of eight crafty-types who got together with Kirsty for her HAC (Have A Crack) craft session.

The aim was to make, as she says, "something from nothing" with her.

The very handy something is a multi-tasker that Kirsty designed, and which uses a large number of recycled/reclaimed items in the construction.

Most used vintage or op shopped fabric but this piece of Aunty Cookie fabric took my eye immediately, mmmm lovely!

So we traced, cut, sprayed, measured, glued and pegged our multi-taskers into shape over the course of the afternoon.

It wasn't all hard work and no play of course, there was champagne, cheese and biscuits to sustain us through the afternoon! And there was chatting and getting to know each other too of course.

This fabulous tool can be used for all manner of things such as tracing onto fabric (the sandpaper surface), it has a cutting mat, a leatherette surface which can be used to assist in piecing fabric and when you open it out and turn it over it's an irnoning board.

It had it's first run on Saturday night and proved perfect for ironing and cutting interfacing for the smallest's birthday shirt and is on the kitchen bench as I write this waiting for the iron to heat up for some bias binding to be ironed.

Check out all the gals here.

Thanks for a fab afternoon Kirsty.