Finding the time...

It seems like I just don't get much time to post at the moment. Although I only work part time, it's taking up more and more of my non- work time as I try to get resources, plan the next stage of lessons  - oh and write reports!

I've been spending a lot of my free time working on bridesmaid dresses - which I don't want to show for fear of spoiling the big day for my friend (will share later though). I've also been researching interesting portraiture for inspiration for my Y10's.

I've found some lovely stuff - some that's new to me and some that's not - so  I thought I'd share.

I Found a lot of this stuff on Colossal - an amazing art blog - Check it out here
 

Takahiro Kamura via colossal

Mark Powell via Colossal

Florian Nicolle via Colossal

Lou Ross Via madeinslant

Yi Chen via Chrissystyles.com

Martin Maloney via artnet

Bias dress fail!

So I shared yesterday how the refashion was going. all was going well, I'd stabilised all the seams, neck and arms. Bit of a faff, but it did the job; I made a successful keyhole at the back neck, made up the dress...
It just didn't quite work. I can't quite put my finger on whats not right. I just don't like it!

Could it be that it was bias cut to begin with?
It was a hideous fabric to work with - polyester Georgette outer and slippy fine knit lining.
One learns from one's experiences I suppose.

So after hours of unpicking, and resewing it's back in the stash. (for now anyway)

Look out for me attempting re-upholstery in the near future!

So far...

I got this long dress from a charity shop last week. £2. Thought I'd attempt a refashion.

Trying to make a Peter pan collar tunic.

Problem - dress cut on the bias. Only ever used bias for a skirt so we shall have to see how it turns out.

These are images (rather poor as I'm using my iPhone and the light is bad) of progress so far. Will post more details when it's finished.

         

The Movie Project 2012 No 1 - Audrey Refashion.

I've had this fabric sitting in my stash for a couple of months. It was a table cloth! I loved the pattern, but felt it too sheer, so I've teamed it with a lemon cotton for a lining.

After the debacle that was my first pattern magic attempt I decided to go for something simpler and more classic. As I've set myself the challenge of creating outfits inspired by the movies I thought it was about time I made something for that.

In Sabrina Fair

I just love Audrey Hepburn's style (and I know I'm not the only one). She is the queen of the boat neck, and I drew inspiration from these pieces.

The beautiful boat neck wedding dress.

The style is so flattering - as long as you're not too top heavy and is classy and elegant to boot.

Audrey's Oscar dress - even the fabric looks similar!

I used a self drafted bodice. I used Aldrich's Metric Pattern Cutting, but having made up pieces to my exact measurement as directed I found that there was too much ease for this style and adapted a smaller size which would give me about 6cm ease on the bust rather than 10cm. It gave a much closed fit and suited the style better. I added waist darts and rotated the bust dart into the armscye.

I used the edge of the front neckline as the lowest point on the neck edge and made a slight curve to make the shoulders about 4cm wide. The back neck is a gentle V shape, which eliminated the need for the back dart.

The skirt was a simple gathered rectangle and a lapped zipper at centre back.

I even got to use my new overlocker - Woo Hoo.

Costs:
Fabric - gifted table cloth £0
Zip - £1.10
Thread - from my stash
Pattern - self drafted.
= very cheap dress :)

And it all went wrong

`muslin 1 - not a bad start.

I sorted the vanishing lapel... Well I thought I had.
I made the block and checked the fit.
I drafted the bodice and checked all my measurements.
I made the tricky bits in paper just to make sure I understood the construction.
I made 2 muslins to check the fit and the style.

BUT

It still didn't look right!

The style gave the appearance of narrowing the bust (which I don't need) and there was some odd gaping at the front.

Which would have been solved when a lining was added. I decided to leave this style for now. I need to think on how I can make it work for me.

Instead I settled for a 50's style self drafted dress. I'm using an old table cloth. Hopefully it will look good when I'm done.

Refashions, Pattern Magic and wedding dresses

I've been so slack this last week! please forgive me.
It's just been so busy here I haven't had time to compose blog posts, let alone make anything.
This week I'm trying to get back into it.
I'm looking for two armchairs for my computer room and I want to reupholster them myself - so I've been scouring Ebay and freecycle for something suitable - no joy yet!

I decided to attempt something out of the pattern magic book and have settled on the vanishing lapel.

Figuring out the instructions was a little challenging, but I think I've got the gist of it. need to complete the muslin tomorrow. watch out for the final piece later this week.

I also popped into Morpeth today to meet a friend, on the way in I called at the charity shop and picked up a floor length dress - ripe for refashioning, look out for that one too.

I also met up with a friend, whose wedding dress I'm going to make to discuss design ideas with her. can't wait to get started on that one!!!!!

Last day of the holidays

Well its the last day of the holidays and I've done very little creatively over the last couple of weeks.
Today however, Bethan went off to the Panto with a friend, Cai went out to play and mum and I painted.

I've got three paintings started - A long way to go on each of them, but hey its a start! I must make sure I balance the painting and sewing work this year - I kind of got obsessed with sewing last year and didn't do anywhere near as much painting as I'd have liked. need to integrate them. A friend suggests that integrating Painting and sewing should be called Spewing!