Something Borrowed

Something Borrowed Spring 2012

Today I am revealing why my blog was so quiet last week and why my Banana Carousel dress is still on my dress form.   I have been contributing to the lovely Dorset wedding magazine above!  How did this come about?  Well my sister is a very talented graphic designer and she was working on the launch of the magazine at the company she works at.  They were looking for someone to write up some wedding dresses and she passed my blog on to the relevant people and they asked me!  I was really surprised and very happy to do it.

Something Borrowed Spring 2012

There are my words in print!  I wrote up 6 wedding dresses which was really fun.  My favourite was the 1950's style one above.  They must have been pleased with them as I have just done some more on different styles for different body shapes.  Plus they asked if I wanted to take over the DIY tutorial section!  Do I heck!  So here is a sneak peak of my Summer issue bunting.

Bunting!

Bunting!

They are not the best photos but I am hoping to get a new camera for my birthday next month, fingers crossed!  The magazine is free and given out at wedding fairs and other events so if you live in Dorset be sure to pick one up!

The Banana Carousel Dress - WIP 1

This dress seems to be taking an age, not because it is difficult, just that I have only worked on it for two days since my last post about it due to something else with a deadline coming up.  (All will be revealed soon!) 

Doesn't look as bright here as it is

I started by cutting my pattern pieces then reading the instructions and writing out my own extra steps such as 'add piping' and 'draft tabs' as otherwise I was worried I would follow the steps and miss out the bits I wanted to add.  I chucked the bodice and neck band on Anne Boleyn as I needed to work out the size and shape of the tabs. 

Tab pattern and tabs

I drew out the tab on paper then added the seam allowance and cut 10 shapes from my fabric.  The piping I pinned around the edge and had to snip on the corners to get it to turn.  I don't know how people get such neat corners on tight turns like this, most of mine as passable but they are not amazing.  I then made the tabs into a sandwich, stitched again and turned them inside out.  This is where I realised I had made them too big!

TOO BIG!

Originally I was going to put all 5 tabs on the front but I made them larger than I really wanted.  I think at some point my seam allowance measurements went a bit crazy.  I put all 5 on the model and they just looked far too costumey, if I was making a clown costume then great but I want this to be a day dress.  I have compromised and put 3 on the front and 2 on the back now.  I added the piping when I sewed the band to the dress.

You can tell I took these in the evening!

I read the instructions for attaching the neckband and facing and couldn't make head or tail of them.  It seemed like the instructions told you one thing and the illustrations another!  If anyone else has made this and understands them then please let me know!  In the end I just did it how I thought it would work best.  I tacked the tabs to the seam allowance then machine sewed the facing to the neck edge.   I should have used the interfacing on the outside of the band though as the fabric band had stretched a little I found but I was able to manipulate it without too many creases.  I then hand sewed the bottom edge of the facing to the piping all the way round and I did a pretty good job too!

Back view

I actually like the tabs here, it gives more detail to the back as there was not a lot going on back there before.  I think I will need to take some of the fabric off the centre seam as it is a little big on me so I made sure the tabs sat towards the arm holes.

That is as far as I have got!  

Happy Easter Everyone!

Burda Style April 2012

What a turn around!  The April issue is a corker!  If you like retro then this is one for you, a whole retro/vintage style section.  Yay!

Blouse 126 A

There is not a chance that I would wear this see through blouse just over my bra but I love how it looks on the model and over a vest top or strapless dress it would be gorgeous.

Skirt 118 B

I believe this is the skirt in the first photo and it is so sexy!  What a slinky high-waisted look, Burda really does these skirts well.

Trousers 125

How much do I love these trousers?  Wide legged trousers suit me best even if skinny-minnie ones are in fashion now and the buttons on the pockets are a really nice look.

Bolero 123

I love this too!  The little capped sleeves are sweet and the bolero is always good over a party dress to keep out the chill.  This one stays open which would show off your dress too rather than covering it up.

Top 115 A

Now this is one I can't decide on.  The main cover is the dress version and this is the shorter one.  I think the sleeves look better on the top than the dress but I can't really decide if they are just too much or if they are cute.

Dress 106

The construction of this dress looks really confusing.  From the picture it looks like a wrap dress tying on the models left but then it has a flap on the bodice which comes across the opposite way?  Slightly odd.  I love the white dress though, you could do without the bib/flappy bit and just wear a top under it and it would be very Jane Austeny.  (Is that a word? haha!)

Dress 147

It is a real shame there is not a better picture of this dress.  It is by the designer Alberta Ferretti which I found exciting and it is something I would defiantly wear.  It is actually quite demure but I love the draped feel and the special brooch or buckle look great.

DIY Belt Loops

I really like this style of top where the belt loops through the top to cinch it in and there is a great 'how to' for adapting floaty loose tops so you can thread your belt through.  I may have to try this as I don't like loose tops with no definition but I love this!

My least favourite garment was this, purely because the saggy wrinkled waist does nothing for this girl and completely eliminates her lady lumps!

Burda Style March 2012

I'm a little late with this one as I have had a bit of a time restricted project going on but more about that in another post!  The March issue was not that inspiring to me but I have picked out my favourites.  I have realised doing this each month really helps me when I want to find a pattern that I remember seeing in a previous magazine as I can just look of my blog posts.  It really helped when I was looking for a particular shorts pattern the other day.

Blouse 138, Shorts 139

I love these little waste paper bag-style shorts, I would wear them if they weren't a kids pattern!

Blouse 113 B, Shorts 114 A

I totally love these shorts!  The print is so pretty and the tie belt is sweet, they would  look great in silk or satin.

Dress 106 C

This is not a very flattering pattern, a belt would look better but I am in love with pink eyelet at the moment after seeing Amy Adams in a gorgeous eyelet dress here.

Dress 104

This is Burda's take on Pippa Middleton's bridesmaid dress but I just like the back button detail.

I am loving peplums at the moment but I think I need some courage to wear one.  This one may be a little big but I think it could be adapted.

Tunic 131

My least favourite is this blouse. I like lace but this is just a bit too much for me! 

Me-Made-May 2012

'I, Sarah of Sorbet Surprise Gets Sew Crafty, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '12. I endeavour to wear one self made garment or accessory and not repeat a complete outfit to try and think up new and exciting ways to wear my hand made garments each day for the duration of May 2012'

I have done it, I have signed up for Me Made May 2012 and made my pledge above.  I have not done one before as I didn't really think I had enough self made clothing for it not to get boring but I am going for it now!  I am hoping that this will spur me on to get some project finished too so you may see some new garments along the way.

I am also really bad at just wearing the same whole outfit over again so I am pledging to try and come up with different ways of wearing my various dresses, skirts and tops.  Come to think of it, I don't  have many me made tops so that is a gap I need to fill!

My First Blog Award!

I have been away for a week and a little holiday-bobs and I come back to find I have been awarded this!  I am very grateful!  It is my first award and I know they tend to flash around the interwebs but I have never had one and I appreciate that the lovely Crissy Baker from Adventures in Adventuring for choosing me.  I love her blog, you have to check it out, she makes the cutest dresses, my favourites being the unicorn dress and the fabtastic poodle dress!  How much do I want that dress?!

The Rules

• add the badge to the winning blog page
• thank the blogger who gave it
• list the rules
• list seven (7) random facts about yourself
• pass on the award to five (5) deserving and conscientious bloggers who are nominated for their diligence, demonstration skill, and achievements in the world of blogging and specifically in the sewing related category.
• contact the nominated bloggers and let them know they are recipients

 The 7 Random Facts
1) Last week I went on a little holiday to Cambridgeshire house sitting for my boyfriends parents.  I had a lovely time and got to visit these pretty places:

Peterborough Cathedral

Cambridge Punts

2) I absolutely HATE baked beans.  I don't like the texture of any beans and last time I ate baked beans I was sick.  I don't even like the smell.

3) I am an assistant guide leader and have been gradually taking a more and more active role in the unit and district.  I am helping out with the division Jubilee tea party soon so expect more cup cakes and cake related goodies in the future.  Last week we made these for the teddy bear challenge, based on my previous cake pop post.  (Mine were neater than the girls, bless them!)

Teddy Bear Cake Pops

Pre-decoration

4) I read A LOT.  I always have a book on the go and carry one around with me most of the time as you never know when you might have a spare 5 minutes or a sunny spot to sit in.

5) I have wedding fever!  Two of my friends got married in February and one of my very close friends is getting hitched in September and then my boyfriends sister next March!  Gees a lot of weddings, I guess I am that age now!  All these weddings can't help but make me start thinking about it too heehee! 

Fabric Garlands

6) I have an extra bone in each of my feet.

7) I am desperate to get a cat.  I love cats and haven't had one since I was little.  Luckily my boyfriend is a cat person too though we cannot agree on the cat we want.  I would like to adopt any old thing whereas he wants one of these!

Maine Coon Cat

Yes they really are that big!

My Nominations
A Sewing Odyssey
Adventures in Dressmaking 
All things quilty and sewy
Beebee's Vintage Dress
Handmade Jane

If you have been awarded it before, you don't have to do it again, it just shows how awesome you are!

The Banana Carousel Dress - Planning

I have had the idea in my head fr this dress for a while now.  In fact since I saw this wonderful dress on Modcloth I have wanted to make my own.

Modcloth

I am not sure it is even on the site any more but I saved the picture and continually looked at it.  I love the red piping, the tabs and the carousel print.  I found a pattern pretty easily which I thought would work really well and snapped it up along with red piping and a big metal zipper as I thought about doing an exposed zipper right down the back.

New Look 6864

 The black dress and the floral one on the far right are perfect for the circle neckline and waistband I want.  Then I started to look for carousel print material.  Here I hit a massive snag.  I just could not find anything anywhere that was both carousel, or as my family call them, golden gallopers AND had the same red/yellow/beige tones as the original dress.  I knew I wouldn't find an exact match but I did want to keep the original tones of the dress. 

The nearest I could find was this on Spoonflower but it was just too costly to pay for it, pay for postage and pay customs too.  (I looked at A LOT of websites!)  I started widening my search to circus themed and found some cute Cath Kidston fabric but it was still expensive.  I then set up an ebay search to alert me if anything with 'carousel fabric' came up and up popped just under a metre of this very cute boarder print.

My lovely border print and Kona Banana

It was the right colour and had actual horses on it rather than just circus but it was a border rather than full fabric but I decided this could work and snapped it up for a couple of quid.  Then the second search began fr a main fabric which would match the border and my bright red piping.  I looked at a lot of beige and cream fabrics and considered some dobby gauze but I wasn't sure I would wear a cream dress that much as it is not a very practical colour.  I then spotted some 'apricot' fabric on ebay which I thought matched the border but when it arrived I didn't like it.  (This then got dyed purple and became my Amazing 8 Hour Christmas Dress.) 

After seeing the apricot I decided I would rather have a pale yellow main dress and browsed the Kona cottons which I had seen recommended on the blogosphere.  I found Kona Banana, fell in love and that was it!  I rarely have to put so much time and effort into finding materials for a dress so this was all quite new to me.

Now on to the sewing!