My Giveaway Winnings!

I was lucky enough to win a giveaway recently from the lovely Liz of Zilredloh and since the package was so nice I thought I’d share it with you all:

Everything neatly wrapped in tissue and a very sweet note from Liz

Let’s see what was inside….

I was lucky enough to win:

• Vintage buttons and matching buckle in a gorgeous butter yellow
• A length of grosgrain ribbon in baby pink
• A packet of vintage seam binding (which I’ve always been curious about as I haven’t seen it in the shops over here) in cornflower blue
• A beautiful vintage Simplicity pattern (4782). It’s a bust size 32, which might be a little snug on me but hopefully I’ll be able to adapt it because I really love the dress, and the cute bolero jacket that goes with it!

And I got a little surprise with my package as well – Liz had slipped in a gorgeous vintage hankie too!

I’m not sure what I shall use this for…but to be honest, It’s so cute I’m tempted to frame it and put it on the wall in my sewing room!
Thanks again Liz for the wonderful gifts!!!

P.S. I photographed these items using fabric from Ikea as the background. I’m planning on making pillow covers with this for my ‘new’ bedroom. I’ll post pics when it’s done (may be awhile…we still have to plaster the room, wallpaper, paint the walls, paint the furniture and make curtains…I’m tired just thinking about it – but excited!).

Vintage "Layouts and Cutting Out" Guide

I was sifting through my vintage dressmaking patterns the other day (for something very fun and exciting which I will share with you all later in the week - so keep watching this space!) and I came across this interesting document folded up in with one of the patterns:

You'll probably need to double click on the image to be able to read it properly, but it's a simple guide to layouts and cutting out patterns. I'm not an expert in vintage patterns at all, so perhaps this used to be something that came with patterns - but since it's printed very differently than the instructions I was wondering if maybe a previous owner popped it into the pattern envelope for reference! Has anyone seen this before and might be able to shed some light on this guide?

Either way, I thought it was fun, and could be a useful guide for a beginner seamstress to refer to - so feel free to copy the image and print it out if you like!

Do let me know if it is easy enough to read - if not, I can type it out in a blog post if anyone asks.

Fabric Friday - Vintage Finds

It's Friday again - whoop! I'm off work today for my honey's (40th!) birthday - double whoop!!

And since it's Friday I thought I would share with you two gorgeous vintage fabrics which I found online:

I am absolutely in love with both. Looking at these photo's I realise I should have some sort of scale on them - but both motifs are large scale - the first flowers are probably about 20cms across and the second more like 30cm at the most. They are both very fine cotton which will both need lined whenever I make them up. I'm still deciding what to make from them, but I'm leaning towards a light summer maxi or kaftan for the first and perhaps a 50's prom-style dress from the second. I'm still contemplating if I should line or underline them.

Watch the Birdie....

I'm back! Sorry for my silence. I had well and truly lost my sewing mojo for a while there...it was a sad, sad time*. But The whirring (and occasional swearing) is once again being heard from our top room as I get back into the swing of things.

I've actually had this little top finished for a while now, but I just haven't managed to get some snaps of it. I showed you my muslin trial here, where I deduced that, although it's a tight fitting top, no refitting would be required...I just needed to change my bra! The top is made from a vintage Butterick pattern (3286):

This was my first time using a vintage pattern and I purposefully chose a simple one to start off with. Nothing difficult here and the instructions were easy enough to follow. So I think I will try a more complex one soon. Anyway, on to the finished top:

I used a cheap Ikea cotton fabric which I had left over and needed used up. So because it is cotton, it wrinkles in front of your very eyes, but it is a fun print. Although it's a basic sewing pattern, if you use an interesting print it takes it to another level. I was very pleased to have compliments on the top the very first day I wore it into work!

(you may notice the little companion I had come visit me during my fashion shoot - it's our neighbours cat. I would love a cat of my own, but for now I must settle with sharing my neighbours!!)

Close up shot - wrinkles galore..and I had only ironed it 10 mins ago!!

I don't wear a lot of green but I just happened to have this cardi from Zara which is the exact shade as the fabric so here's the top styled with the cardi (more appropriate for this time of year!!!).

My attempt to wear a skinny belt over the cardi - I love to be able to rock this look, but I'm not enough of an hour-glass shape and I always feel a bit bottom heavy and flat chested when I wear this look!

*It wasn't really a sad, sad time - please don't be worrying!!