My latest makings - 60's Shift dress!

Whilst in my local vintage shop the other week, I found a lovely 'psychedelic' print dress-top,
which I then tried on, and noticed a rather large hole in the side! It was a bit too short, so I took it it to the lady who owned the shop to let her know, and she ended up giving it to me for free as a little sewing project!

This = Happy Sophie :)

This is what it looked like to start off with:



...and this was one of the many holes that was in it (although they were all mendable!)



After mending those, I went out and bought half a meter of dark brown fabric, and 3 of what I call Grandad buttons
(cause they're the weaved leather ones that you get on Grandad cardigans!)




So, to start off with, I cut into the roll neck to create a base for the peter pan collar that I was going to add.



I then pinned some calico around the collar and cut it to shape whilst it was on the mannequin - I always find it easier to do it this way,
because it can be taken off and used as a pattern piece, and it gets the collar to be the exact shape you want!



I then used this as a pattern piece and cut out 4 of the collar shapes,
front and back for each side, pinned together and leaving 1cm seam allowance:



I did the same for the cuffs, to make them longer, and also made a 10cm band to go at the bottom of the dress to lengthen it!

I then sewed on the collar, and added the 3 Grandad buttons down the center front of the dress:



... and here is the final outcome!



Here's a close-up of the bottom and cuffs:



From the back:





I'm quite pleased with it!

:)



I'm very happy, because it only cost me the £2.25 for the fabric and 30p or so for the buttons!


I hope you had a lovely Christmas!

:)

More of my makings are on the way...

Christmas Excitement!

I've been excitedly preparing for christmas!
As a little coming-home-from-university celebration, I got to decorate the tree myself :)

I love doing this, because all the old decorations come out, and everyone can get all nostalgic about all the old decorations that you've had for years, and also finding the decorations you made when you were about 3, from paper mache and glitter!

After watching Kirsty's Homemade Home on channel 4 the other week, it really made me want to try out some of the things she got to do (If you want to watch it, go to 4od here)

Here's my handy work...
(I'm not sure if these pictures show how wonderfully warming the tree makes the room feel!)







I tied lots of little gold wired bows onto the tree!



...and also put on all our old handmade christmas decorations, which haven't been used since I was very little!

It makes the room all cosy :)

So, whilst on the subject of christmas, here are my specially wrapped up presents...



I wanted to do 'Brown paper packages tied up with string'
but I thought red wool was a little more festive :)

One more thing,
IT IS SNOWING!! RIGHT NOWW!!
Ah this makes everything feel so much more christmassy :)
It started about 2 days ago, but I really hope we get a white christmas!



Night time snow...



The magical view in the daytime :)



Oh! So excited...
Also, the advent calender tells me it's 6 sleeps until christmas day!



:)

Terexov by Alexander Terekhov

I came across Terexov the other day, a collection by a Russian designer from Moscow,
called Alexander Terekhov...

Definitely like his collections :)

Fall/Winter 2009/10 New York Collection









Lovelylovely day & night dresses :)
Although the first one is my definite favourite...


These are from his Spring/Summer 2010 Collection:





Mmm, bow ties...






(All images from www.terexhov.com)

CSL Vintage Finds :)

These are my lovely little finds that I got at the Clothes Show :)

(as modelled by suze my falling-apart mannequin!)

Dress #1:



I had to shorten this one a bit, but it only cost me £5!
It feels so nice to wear, all airy and floaty! It is very well made as well, as were all the clothes that were made a while ago (compared to stuff in primark these days!)

Dress #2:





This one is equally lovely, and cost me £10!
I also had to shorten this one, and hand sew it, due to it being made from a stretchy fabric!

Dress #3:
(not one of the vintage ones, but it was so pretty I couldn't not buy it...)





This is my planned new years dress, and I am verrryy excited to wear it!
I'm thinking of attempting to use the pattern of this dress to make myself another similar in a nice fabric!

:)


I break up for christmas soon, so there will be more making projects on the way...

My next knitting project...

I found these a while ago on www.lostateminor.com, and I instantly wanted to make some!

...SMITTENS!
Perfect for the winter, mittens to hold hands in! ♥




You can find the knitting pattern for them here :)

Just one problem... I cannot understand knitting patterns!
Does anyone have any idea?



It's my aim to have made one by the new year...
Now, all I need is to understand all this knitting language!


:)

Inspiration... for something or other :)

Warning
A poem Jenny Joseph

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple,

With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along the public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

And pick flowers in other people's gardens

And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go

Or only bread and pickle for a week

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

And pay our rent and not swear in the street

And set a good example for the children.

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.


I found this in a poem book I used to read in primary school and it made me smile.
So thought I would keep it here in case I need some random inspiration for something crazy one day...


:)

Clothes Show Live, 07-12-2009!

So I spent Monday at the Birmingham NEC at the Clothes Show Live 2009!
Most of the day was spent doing what I do best... spending my money on pretty things :)

In the morning, we saw the main catwalk show, which was rather good, despite our seats being quite far back!

Here are a few pictures from the show...
(Please do excuse the dreadful quality, sophie's rubbish camera zoom + fast moving models and dancer = pooooooorr pictures!)










The above picture features some rather fancy fringed leotards, quite similar to flapper dresses. They looked really fun to dance in :)







...and then a lovely nutcracker-esque part with dancing dollies and soldiers!






It wasn't your typical 'catwalk' fashion show, it mainly included upcoming high street trends from various shops and companies.

So...
after watching the show, we went and did some serious shopping :)
My absolute favourite part was foraging through the MASSIVE vintage section!









Ahh! :)
I got a few little bargains, which I will soon put up, as they need a few adaptations!

I also purchased, a Luella for EJF t-shirt (Environmental Justice Foundation)
and a wonnnnnnderful dress, for a self-bought christmas present.

Yayyy!
Now, must.stop.spending.my.student.loan.

♥

Hello December

...this advert is so lovely :)

Aah, the drawing project is all given in, so now I can relaxxx and spend my time getting excited for Christmas!

I have a few makings on the way, they'll be posted soon!


:)

Some of my recent university work!

Busybusybusy!
I've been given so much work recently, and i'm nearly done! (ish...)

For my drawing unit of my course, the brief was to produce a sketchbook of ideas that could inspire clothing and/or silouettes,
based on a colour of my choice. I chose red :)

I used loads of different mediums; paint, pastel, ink, melted candle wax, tracing paper, thread and spray paint!

Here's a few pages of what I have done so far!
(You could call it experimenting, or you could call it mess...)











Still a lot more to do!
More to come when its finished...


:)