NIKKI-SHELL

Ruffle vest

Details

Fabric- 45cm of Fancy Frills Black. I  have enough fabric left over to maybe make another. 

Pattern- Loosely based on a pattern from Burda Style magazine 04/10.  I used the basic shape but made the pattern 2 pieces instead of 3 with a princess seam.  I also needed to adjust the shape under the arm in the side seam due to the alterations.  I left the edges raw.   

It was incredibly easy and very quick to make (whipped it up when we had a quiet 5 minutes at work one afternoon).

I'd like to make more of these in different fabrics, maybe reversible?  A linen one would be nice!

Yes, my hair is super short this time!

Received

The gift i sent last week was gratefully received by this little fella.  Well, i'm not sure he took much notice but his parents liked it :)

A little gift for a little arrival

There was an arrival while i was away

This past week i've been busy making a little gift

I'll share more with you when it has been received later this week.

Crafting a town

Mia's town

Esme's town

Heidi's town (hopefully green in more ways than just colour!)

We printed templates from this blog (found via Sew, Mama, Sew!)

Sewing up the pile of UFO's-pink cami

This top has been sitting in my UFO pile for (ahem) about 10 months.  I think i cut out a bunch of things all at once and somehow this one just never made it to the sewing machine.

I bought the fabric from work before Christmas last year and i don't remember what it was.  Doing a burn test tells me it's a natural fibre, maybe silk? or a blend of some kind.  It's very slinky, maybe this is the reason i didn't sew it up straight away.

Clearing up my messy desk unearthed it the other night and i decided to finally make it up so i could wear it to work the next day.  It took me all of a few hours, what took me so long?!

Details

Pattern- No.12 from this book

I used french seams and made a self bias binding using my favourite tool the clover bias tape maker.

I like this pattern, it's nice and simple and easy to sew, the most difficult part being the attachment of the binding.  I'd like to make it again in a something really soft, maybe a linen.  Also i wouldn't make the neckline so low, i keep flashing a bit of cleavage! 

Thanks for the compliments about my 60's dress in my last post :)

Vintage Butterick 9959

Details

Pattern:

Fabric- 'French Passion' from Tessuti Fabrics (no longer available?)
Buttons- from Tessuti Fabrics
Alterations- I made it as it is (a vintage size 12).  The only alteration i made was to shorten the skirt of the dress, the original pattern pieces came to mid calf on me.  I Also tapered the hem in slightly to give it a more fitted look.

I'm very pleased with the result!  I think it would look great made up in a cotton/elastane too.

 

If you follow Wardrobe Refashion you will know that i have decided to bring it to and end.  After almost 5 years it has grown into something i never expected it to become.  It has taken up so much of my personal time and money and has been worth everything i have put into it.  I have enjoyed all the opportunities it has brought me, but for it to grow more i would need to treat it as a full time job (which it essentially has already become) and being unable to monetise it in any way i just can't dedicate that time to it.

Now is the time to move on, to concentrate on life and pursue new ideas.

UK-week one

Yeah so i've been back on Australian soil for well over a week now and straight back into the routine that is daily life.  Last week was spent trying to get over the flight home while working at the same time.  I'd get home with all the intentions of sewing or whatever then zonk out on the sofa or head to bed, then we'd be up at stupid o'clock in the morning.  Having my first days off after returning to work seemed to put us all back into sorts and back on track.

Our visit to the UK to see family was a whirlwind.  It was so lovely to see people we haven't seen in such a long time.  We've lived in Australia for 6 years and this was our first visit back. I'd like to say it was a restful holiday but it was far from it, we spent our days visiting people and places and didn't manage to fit everyone into the 3 and a half weeks we were there.  It was busy, tiring and emotional but we enjoyed it.

The main reason for our visit was for my brother Thomas' wedding party.  He and Amy had eloped to Italy in September inviting some family and friends to join them and they then organised a big party for their return home.  I'd like to tell you all about how wonderful it was and how i danced my feet off way into the early hours of the morning but the reality is we have 3 small girls and they were still suffering from the flight over a few days before.  We managed to hear the speeches before having to take them (and ourselves) home to bed.  A little disappointing but unfortunately it couldn't be helped.  My new sister-in-law looked stunning in her dress and my brother was of course very handsome too!  And look at how cute my girls look in their pretty dresses which they wore for all of 3 hours!  I wore a dress i made too but didn't get any photos on the night, i will soon though.

I'm pleased to say that the Liberty quilt i made for Thomas and Amy was well received (phew).  After spending so much time and energy (and money!) on it it was a huge relief.

I caught up with some old school friends one night and we talked about different people and things we did at school.  Is it really 16 years since we left?  

We visited Houghton Feast, an ancient festival which dates back to the 1100's. Today it's mostly about the fairground rides, fireworks and ox roasting.

oh and hook a duck!

And this was all in the first week!  More to come.....