New Dresses

I made this dress for a cocktail party. Good Party, Great Dress, I love it, feels great on, fantastic to touch. beautiful colours.

Here is a close up of the fabric, it has chenille baubles.

This is the dress and the pattern I was going to make today, to wear tommorow, of course. The fabric, is a Mambo print 100% pure poly, and much to my horror, it just refused to sew, I mean the stitches just didn't happen, I changed needles, I even changed sewing machines, and absolutely no joy. I got stressed, because I am supposed to go to a Kids party at Handy's new office, in the city tomorrow, and I realy don't feel that I have anything suitable to wear, hence the dress. I dragged out some other fabric, also a Mambo print, and pretty wild, put the dress together, all the time thinking, this is just heading towards fashion disaster. Guess what, It is fashion disaster, probably o.k. at the beach (fortunatly thats where I live) but not o.k. for a fancy city office.

Handy likes the above dress, and thinks I should wear it, I'm not so sure. I think it will be another session at the sewing machine today, for a simple top, and my trusty black pants, (boring)

Why don't I just shop, you say. Well I'm a curvy size 18, and I struggle to find anything I really like. And being a Dress/Pattern maker, I am also cheap, and don't much want to buy myself stuff made in china.

Oh the delimas of a fat mother.

3 little dresses

A friend of mine asked me to make some dresses for a little girl, she knows. She gave me a bag of fabric, and asked for a "Fairy Dress" and some Christmas dresses. The pink fairy dress has a stretch top (my fabric) with just a gathered skirt. The Christmas sun dresses, are a simple pattern of mine, I have made many of these for my girls, and use the same pattern (but bigger) for nighties for myself.

Apron Swap

I'm involved in an Apron Swap, through the Down to Earth Blog. This is it, its going to JJ in Virginia, USA. It is made from 100% cotton, and is essentially upholstry fabric, its has a nice waffle weave texture on the cream stripes, i think it will wash down, like a soft teatowel. The pleats across the top give it some shape, and allow the big pockets to sit out a bit, ready to receive stuff. The stich work is done in back stitch, and stem stich, and i choose a wine theme, because thats what my swap partner and i discussed. I really enjoyed making this, as i enjoy making all gifts.

I posted it yesterday, along with a knitted dishcloth, and an op shop "Australian Wildflower" table cloth. I hope she likes it. J.