Friday, April 27, 2012

Oranges are not the only fruit



Simplicity 5179 Dress

   
Remember my last post when I said I could make a whole pile of shirtdresses and wear them all the time? Well, this is number two. I used the same pattern as the last one but added the pleated skirt instead of the A-line one.


Vintage Simplicity 5179 Dress


The fabric is an apple print cotton from Spotlight. I always complain about Spotlight but they actually have some pretty good fabrics and at the moment there aren't many places to buy material here. 


Buttons


The buttons are from Unearthed in Wellington which is a really cool shop with lots of vintage and retro kitchenware and household stuff.

I think I love this one even more than the map one and you better believe I already have my next shirtdress planned. 


Saturday, April 21, 2012

Atlas

Thanks for all your comments on my last post. I appreciate every single one of them. Where I live most people just think I dress weirdly (which I do!) so it's nice to know that other people like the clothes I make.   

Simplicity 5179 from 1972


When I saw Georgia's map dress I added 'dress with map print' to my very long list of things to sew. I found some world map print quilting cotton that reminded me of the globe we had when I was a kid.


Simplicity 5179


I used a shirtdress (shirt dress?) pattern from 1972 which I found in an op shop for 20 cents. Speaking of op shopping, I haven't shared any of my finds lately because there haven't really been any. The op shopping here hasn't been very good in the last couple of months. All I seem to find are sewing notions which are useful but not very exciting. I did get the bag I'm holding the other day and some bias binding but that's about it.  


Simplicity 5179 dress


I made view 4, the blue spotty dress, but without the contrast cuffs and collar. It had this weird bit on the skirt where there was a little flap with two buttons. I cut the flap off and did buttons all down the front instead. The red buttons were from the Two Squirrels' Nest.  


Vintage Simplicity 5179


I look pretty grumpy in the photos because I was trying not to squint in the sun but I'm really happy with how this dress turned out. I think I could make a whole pile of these shirtdresses and live in them. 

  

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Put a bird on it

Vintage Simplicity 3269


A few years ago I bought some cotton sateen with flowers and birds on it. It was after going to a William Morris exhibition at the art gallery. I became a bit obsessed with bird prints after seeing all the amazing furnishings. I would have a whole room decked out in Strawberry Thief if I could.
The fabric sat patiently waiting in my stash until I bought this pattern from Madelaine's etsy shop. I thought they would go perfectly together.

Simplicity 3269


I only had two metres of the fabric so I had to shorten the sleeves a lot. I tried to cut the pieces out so there was the maximum number of whole birds (there are a few, however, that have sadly been beheaded).

Simplicity 3269 pattern


The bag is one I picked up in the Two Squirrels sale. It's such a good size. I use it all the time.

Vintage Simplicity 3269


I love this dress. It makes me think I need to make more slim skirted dresses rather than my usual full skirted ones.

Monday, April 2, 2012

OWOP Day Seven: Better late then never

OWOP Day Seven


This is my last day of OWOP, only three days late. This was actually day six but I posted day seven first so I could post about my Mad Men dress before the deadline. Thanks for your comments on my last post. It's nice to know other people feel the same way.

This is a pretty boring outfit. I find it really hard to think of exciting outfits with separates because I wear dresses most of the time. I wore my London blouse with a self-drafted skirt, op shopped cardigan and Golden Ponies t-bars.

I think my lesson from OWOP is that I need more plain skirts. I have lots with crazy and colourful prints but they don't go with all my printed blouses so I'm pretty much limited to my one grey skirt and one black skirt. I tend not to buy plain fabrics because I don't find them exciting, so I have a whole wardrobe of prints that all clash, and not in a good way.