Friday 3 June 2011

Sew It - A Bank Holiday Blogging Ban

I am painfully slow at this blogging lark. It takes me so long to type what I want to say that I tend to lose enthusiasm for it halfway through and give up. I always know what I want to say until the moment I actually have to say it then my mind goes blank. It doesn't help also that the minute I get online I get tend to get sucked into the time eating vortex that is the Internet and more over that evil temptress Google.

I don't really need to know the name of the very first single by The Who ('Zoot Suit' 1964 if you ever wanted to know, which I doubt) any more than I need to know why a Pirate is called a Pirate (I'll let you Google that one) or even the lyrics to 'It's Only a Paper Moon' (well that one was kind of necessary it was an ear worm and driving me crazy!). Yet I spend way too much time on these random searches, so much so I seldom achieve what I set out to when I turn my PC on. So I decide that this Bank Holiday weekend I was going to  devote my time purely to blog worthy pursuits namely sewing, meaning my PC was going to be out of bounds! So what did I spend my time on?

Well, after much prevaricating over what to do first, oh and a spot of charity and fabric shopping, I finally started and finished a very cute poncho-dress-top-beach cover up-dressing gown-Kimono-thingummy!! After spotting a fab free pattern for a Scallop waist skirt on Grosgrain. I went to the designers own blog Vivat Veritas and after having a nosey around I found a fab tutorial for a poncho top, it looked really simple to do and best of all it was quick - It's great when the pattern you suddenly become obsessed with only puts your current projects a teeny bit back!


I had seen on Etsy a while ago a beautiful flappers dressing gown made from chiffon almost the same way, so I decide this could be my own version of a dressing gown to flounce around the house in.



I managed to get 2 meters of the most lovely pink fabric from my local high street at £1 a meter. It's a medium weight polyester mix fabric (oh that almost sounds like I have a clue! It don't go crinkly when squashed up that's my way of telling!) It is a bit heavier weight than I would of liked but it was the only poly fabric which was in a pretty colour so it had to be!


The only change I made to the pattern was to make giant buttonholes in the sides rather than using elastic gathered at the waist. In truth, I did try the elastic route, but because the fabric was heavier or slightly wider than the example, it did not pull the waist in enough. Also, the elastic line rode up at the back and looked truly ridiculous! So to bring it all together neatly and to stop me look like I had been eaten by a giant pink marshmallow, I decide on holes for the belt to pass through and believe me it looks 100% better for it!




One thing that I will change a bit later on is the hem. I did a double hem to hide the raw edges but again as the fabric is a little heavy it feels a bit too chunky I will address this by sewing on some bias tape along the edge instead at some point - that's going to be a lot of bias tape!
 
I definitely want to make this again, If I can find a lighter weight fabric on the weekend I will make another one as I think It would be perfect for floating around the Isle of Wight Festival which I'm off to next week Oh, and another great thing about this pattern is, if you get bored with it, you still have a good sized piece of fabric to re-fashion, well that is if you don't stick two ruddy great Buttonholes in it like me!
Wendy x

9 comments:

  1. That is gorgeous Wendy and I love the colour too. I think the buttonholes are a good idea though instead of elastic.

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  2. It's gorgeous! I would make mine floor length and sweep around like Gloria Swanson with some delightful drink with an umbrella in it! Can't wait to see what you make next!

    Sarah xxx

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  3. beatiful, I love the collar detail, reminds of a Mexican dress. oooh Isle of Wight, I been wanting to go there.

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  4. That is absolutely stunning, I love it! You will look gorgeous at the Isle of Wight Festival. xxx

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  5. ...you look like a pink goddess...

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  6. Hi! Thanks so much for using my tutorial! Your dress looks great on u!
    Also great idea to make a button hole! I have to try that next time:)

    xo chie

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  7. That looks so comfortable and beautiful... Absolutely stunning!

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  8. Pretty in pink !! love the collar.

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  9. that dress is GORGEOUS! i can totally see the 1920's sillouette! i want one just like this! =)

    http://pinkchampagnefashion.blogspot.com/

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