"Resign yourself, Catherine! Shops must be visited! Money must be spent! Do you think you could bear it?" - Northanger Abbey

Friday, September 30, 2011

1950's dress pattern (update 1)

The pattern arrived yesterday. As usual read through instructions and got all angry and fustrated that I couldn't understand what the jargon was going on about. (Why when it explains jargon it just uses more bemuses me). And the black and white pictures I find hard to interpret. I might throw the instructions away and just work with the pattern and make educated guesses or else there will be tantrums and another pattern going in the bin.
Mum says its coz I don't like being told what to do. lol! But its not that its just I don't think in 'patten-ish' language.

Also I have a problem. My measurements don't fit entirely into any of the sizes. And I'm not sure which to picture. This is always my problem. It seems I'm not to scale/in proportions of the average person.

I think a toile will definitely be needed.

Bunting

On my successful sewing projects list is bunting.  Managed about 2.5metres in two Saturdays of sewing. At least it got me used to the sewing machine...I think I would have taken a year if I'd done it all by hand.

Bunting
And here it is in situ at the EATMT Traditional Music Day 2011
EATMT TMD 2011 - beer and bunting

Which was a fab day out as usual. Got lots of tunes I'm planning to learn after hearing them at the session.

EATMT TMD 2011 - Kirkgate Hornpipe/Bodmin Riding March/Radstock Jig by Ladydetemps

And I got a chance to watch the stepdancing this year.

Here is the video I did of my playing one of the tunes I learned after heard it at Stowmarket.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Horrible Histories

I have a confession to make...despite being an adult I love the Horrible Histories series. As a kid I always loved the books...but put off watching the TV series as I thought it might be childish and patronizing (kids TV in the 90's was soo much better) but having seen the 'remixed' version on BBC1 I was hooked. Its not only informative but funny and not patronizing at all. And as a fan of classic comedies I do find myself spotting nods to shows like monty python. I've got series 1 & 2 on DVD and waiting for series 3 to be released hope they do a series 4.
Some of my fave sketches are those from Regency and the Roman ones.
Regency:
Roman:

I also love the pastiche/parody songs that earworm you...The Kings & Queens song came in handy when watching some documentaries lately and me thinking so who came after George 4th?
But my fave pistache of a song has to be the Dick Turpin Highwayman one.
More please....

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Fabric...

Regency
I've always wanted to go to the Jane Austen Festival. Its always 'next year I'll go' then something spoils it. This time I really do home to go. I have the sense & Sensibility pattern.
http://sensibility.com/category/patterns/regency-era/
This is the fabric I have for the regency dress I eventually plan to make.
I have the bonnet, shoes already....and I think I could make a reticule quite quickly.


1950's

I have some lovely gingham fabric.... and some burgandy lining fabric.
Will probably use the burgandy for making the crinoline.

Misc
I couldn't resist this lovely trim....
I have some green fabric left from my disastrous first attempt at making a dress with no help.
wondering what I can make with it...


1950's dress sew-a-long



I hope to take part belatedly in this. Have some of the material already just waiting for pattern to arrive so I can purchase more material and start.
Can't decide on A)



















Or B)

And of course then there's the notions. Bias binding....What colour?

First Post

This is my first post.
I'm hoping to use this blog for any sewing related stuff plus reviews for stuff.