Strawberry dress - help needed

I'm making Simplicity 8372. Instead of a shirt though, I'm making it into a shirt dress. I took the skirt pattern and put it on the top section and then cut it out. Made a boo boo though as I have cut the front skirt about 2 cm shorter. I don't need it shorter but will piece a big band on the bottom to make it longer and only you and I will know it was a mistake!

Then I straightened it at the waist area to get a smooth edge. I decided that just cutting it longer wouldn't accommodate my hips so I made it a little A line. This is more stash fabric. This is a left over from when I was making kindergarten sheets. It was bought at Spotlight about 4 years ago and it's just a cotton.

I used Sherry's turn of cloth tutorial for the collar. It works out really nicely. because it's just a cotton I used just a small 2-3mm allowance and that was enough. I also used a lime green polka dot fabric for the under collar.(you see the collar here with my small Ikea ironing board on the kitchen cupboard with the iron my son brought home from the street - hey it's just about new and is perfect for pressing while I'm sewing - saves me turing on the big water tank iron.)

Now I'm needing some help with fitting. It feels big under the arms but it feels like it is big across the front upper bust area. That is my narrowest point. Should I just take it in at the raglan sleeve area and up the side of the top? It feels ok in the back.

When I sort the top fit out I'll put a casing and elastic in it too. I have 8 little buttons for the front in a soft blue-grey. I haven't made 8 button holes for a long time!

I added pockets to the side - easy!

You can see in this photo how I have somehow miss-measured and got a shorter length on the front. Measure twice, cut once springs to mind here. Is the fabric a bit 'young' for me?

I have these Simplicity 1918 Amazing Fit pants cut out in a black and colour stretch cotton to start on next. Actually these were cut out before I had the strawberry dress in my thoughts. They'll have to wait.

Island night... PNG cruise

Well hello again. I've just come back from a cruise to Papua New Guinea and I made a dress for Island night. Island night or any theme night is just a suggestion... there is no organised event, meals, activities; just a dress code suggestion. As soon as I read that, I searched for this vintage surfie fabric I bought years ago at an op shop. I was thrilled to use it. I needed an easy pattern that I could make 2 days before the cruise departure and one that I would wear again. I used this Style 2911 pattern that I only bought online a few months ago. Style are my favourite patterns. I cut out a size 16 but had to reduce it to the 12. It's a great simple but elegant pattern and it went together perfectly. My machines liked it too... they cooperate when they like what I'm making and it was a breeze. I cannot believe that we didn't get one photo of it on. I was thrilled with it and even tho there is some ink staining you can't really see it as it's so busy. I had ...

More things I've made - part 3.

Well part 3 is here. First up Style 1876. Did I ever say that Style are my favourite patterns? So this one was an op shop find a long time ago. It's a great pattern. I can't remember if the bodice is cut on the bias (but I think not) and the skirt is cut on the bias. I made it out of some synthetic crepe in the most fabulous colour. It has great pockets that you can see on the red dress.. The are sewn onto the back pieces, and then when you sew it up and leave the opening, you stitch the pocket onto the inside/front of the dress. That pocket isn't going anywhere. I used up all the fabric which was a gift from a friend's mother in law. It turned out to be a bit see though and I didn't wear it. It fits so nicely around the shoulders and arm holes. I decided I was going to wear it to Brisbane Spoolettes Frocktails this year as I didn't have time to make something else. I decided that it needed something else though as it was a little too see through for me. I had ...

Silk and undies, and old skirt, Korea

I found a photo of the silk I bought when I went to Seoul South Korea. It's so pretty. I can't remember how much it was but it was a good buy. Earlier that year, when I was at the fabric area in Paris, the silks although beautiful, were very expensive. The colour on my monitor is pretty accurate. I love it. There was huge markets with lots of crafty stuff and fabrics but it was overwhelming. The market we went to, Dongdaemun had lots of hand made jewellery too. I bought some capiz shells to make a mobile (I must find those). My friend bought some lovely big feathers. ** from here to the coffee is a repeat. For some reason I didn't remember already putting this up so apologies :) My friend gave me a big tub of really beautiful quality fabrics. These above were remnants pieces but I decided to make her something. I used the Kwik Sew 2028 pattern and made two sets. There is also a few metres of the brown top in a rayon twill which is such fantastic quality, unfortunately I d...

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