Newlook 6070 dress

The lace version was my new year eve dress....The fit is pretty good isn't it? I lengthened the top and the skirt by 2" each and that is it. Fitted dress with no fitting. I recommend!
The fabric is a jersey with lace bonded to it, so no stretch by nice and smooth. It is from Fabworks in Dewsbury.
I pinked the seams with my Merchant Mills pinking scissors. First time for a pinked seam. Easy! and soooo quick.
The quickness however made me rush, rush for no reason other than being over excited for making stuff. The result of the rushing was this:


Mmmmmm first zip for some time. it would be the last if I thought that this was the best I could do. I should have ripped it out and done it better. Shoulda. Sometimes though I don't think it is a bad thing to leave yourself reminders around the place, this dress will always remind me that I like hand picked lapped zippers better than horribly topstitched ones like this. I will never do a horrid one again. till next time.

Anyway you can barely see the horror when worn, I don't know many other seamstresses to pick fault with me.

I made another one this week in a cheap ponte type thick jersey, no zip. Goes on over my head, I used a zig zag stitch on the waist and a piece of elastic to help it shrink back. It is too big really on the waist, possibly because of the stretch...next time I will maybe shave a inch from the waist to fit it with less ease. I think despite it looking a bit big that I will wear it a lot, it is comfy enough for working in and looks smartish too.

I didn't interface the waist of either dress, I didn't cut out the waist lining piece either. I didn't see the need, in retrospect interfacing the waist would have reduced the stretch so made it fit smaller on the waist, it would have also emphasised the waist band more which might look nice. I will maybe use some silk organza in the next one. I feel like making it in a wool suiting type for work.

 

 

 

Burda Tunic Dress 124 11/13

This is a simple Tunic style dress from Burda. I buy the magazine each month. Not sure why but I don't tend to actually do anything with it, I just leave them all over the house. I like it when someone picks one up for a browse and makes 2 pages before realising that it isn't quite Tatler.

Anyway I have been thinking about buying the Laurel pattern, but why when here is something similar for free. (it was free if I found it under the sofa, right?).
The pattern is super easy, most difficult thing is tracing the bits onto oven paper.

It is rather shapeless. not sure why I am surprised by that because it looks shapeless in the picture and the line drawing. never the less I am surprised as ever that shapeless doesn't look good on me (maybe I am too broad in the shoulders for it?)..... I always like the concept more than the execution on these shift dresses. Actually in the latest copy of Burda there is another shift which I want to trace....I just like the simplicity of the shape, and mild self torture.

The benefit of a shapeless dress is that you can eat as much food as you like and still not feel the groan of a seam. Which is what I did on Christmas day in this very dress.

The fabric is a stretch denim with gold lame running through it. I think it is lovely and I will buy more when I go back to fabworks in Dewsbury if indeed they have any left. I should have really used its stretch to make something more form fitting. In fact this tunic could maybe have benefited from a fabric with less drape to help hold that square shape.

The seams are just finished with a zig zag - still no overlocker in my Christmas stocking, worse luck. They are still quite tatty, I would have preferred to use seam binding I think but I didn't have any and wanted the dress NOW.

 

The neckline is nice, I left off the hook because I like how low it is, you need a bit of a flash when no one can see your waist.

I enjoyed making it and the facing made sense even with Burda instructions.

The chickens are a recent addition to the garden. They love me. They maybe also like the bread I give them for a treat....The one I am cuddling is called Red, she likes worms and pecking at the drain.
They have a very dry coop, hence the crap pictures, taken out of the rain, in poor light!