Corset top and tulip skirt!

Do you remember the silky sheets I was given by my MIL? Well I have already cut a blouse , but couldn't find the motivation to sew it, then I found myself cutting out another project last night! 

It's a bit of a mash up! First I've cut cut out a corset type top part using the gbsb corset pattern (short version) and the bottom scrap from when I had the bridesmaid dress from my sisters wedding shortened. Yerp after her wedding my sister was nice enough to suggest that I shorten my dress so I could wear it again, and the lady who did the alterations was kind enough to give me the bottom scrap (it went from floor length to knee length so it's a pretty hefty scrap) and she was nice enough to do the alterations in about two days so I could wear it to a party! 

But anyway the material for the dress was a thickish, dark blue with one silky side and one Matt side. 

(Blue fabric on a blue carpet, brilliant idea!) 

Excuse my me made pjs! This is all my corset pieces lined up, I think I'm going to do flat felled seams (or the other ones which are like flat felled seams just a bit different) the plan is the have a very structured top with a draped skirt. 

Speaking of the skirt I decided to use some of the leftover purple silky stuff from the bed sheet. I'm trying something new here the plan is to do a gathered high low type skirt. 

So I cut the fabric into a triangle and then free handed a curve! 

I'm hoping it's going to look all sophisticated and expensive and stuff. But there's a few things I'm unsure on, for starters the bottom is very floaty so how the hell am I suppose to hem it? Part of me thinks I should get my rolled hem foot out but the other part of me knows how crap I am with it? I could do a tiny double hem? But I'm not sure I'm dainty enough? Hmmmm it's a conundrum! 

But anyway that's what I spent last night doing, that and continuing to binge watch pretty little liars. I'm three seasons in and still have no idea who "A" is..... And sometimes when I've been watching for three hours straight and I'm tired I think it's me! (If you don't watch pretty little liars you won't get this joke, so just take my word that it's hilarious and we'll leave it there) 

Other than that the only seeing I've really done is putting backing into little knitwit said curtains to stop the sun. 

Could NOT have been more dull if I'd tried! 

So yeah that's everything with me! 

I've pinned my project to my mannequin and hopefully I'll get some seeing done tonight, and solve my hem problem! 

Much love

Frankie

X

Too Late . . .

Do you ever make some thing and just wish you had finished it a little tiny bit sooner? I knitted this owl ages ago and only finished it yesterday, four days to late. When I picked out the colours I didn't think it would look like this in the end, I'm really glad he does but if I'd have known I'd have worked faster, Much faster.

 

Without further ado I'd like the introduce you to..... "Mr I would have been perfect for a 4th of July post, owl"

 

 

Here he is Mr Red White and Blue!

 

 

Isn't he sweet? He's going to be up in my Etsy shop very soon! If you haven't been over for a visit in my Etsy shop please do pop over and take a peek (you can find a link on the right hand side of this page). there's lots of lovely handmade completely unique owls in there, all looking for new homes!

 

 

I sign all my owls with my initials, I think it gives them a personal touch. Reminds people that this object was made by an actual human person not just a machine! (Although sometimes I do feel like a machine, not the cool Terminator kind. More the plodding along Wall-E kind)

 

 

I had to add a bow tie to make him look festive!

 

 

And multi coloured pompoms!

 

And as its WIP (Work in Progress) Wednesday, I better tell you what else is being stitched together in my house at the moment.

• I'm finishing off another owl this one is larger much like my black, white and red one.
• I've started a dress in a really nice linen, I'm using a old pattern I worked with a few times and that I love (more on that later) so I can take part in the OWOP (One Week One Pattern) That Handmade Jane is hosting! I'm so excited!
• But right this second, my work in progress is my scatter cushions, lovely future mother in law was getting rid of some dark brown fabric, so I'm using it to cover 8 cushions! I know right 8 but trust me they all need doing my old cover were so grotty!

What have you been up to this week?

 

Frankie

 

xxx

Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste.....

It's not very often my dad asks something of me. In fact I can't really think of many times he's asked me to do something crafty for him. Most of his repairs are usually done by my mum, so I was quite surprised when he asked me to do this project for him.

 

because I tell you about the project, let me tell you a few things about my dad.

• He's incredibly hardworking, and always made sure me and my siblings had everything we wanted or needed (and bearing in mind one of us is musical, one of us is engineery and one of us is crafty. that must have been quite a lot of wants and needs)
• He loves music, I've you tubed music videos for him, and watched him listen to music on his HUGE headphones many times.
• he is the sole reason I know all the words to perfect day (its originally by Lou Reed, but he used to play a charity version with lots of different artists)
• he's very sentimental, but probably wouldn't admit it. he still has things I've made for him, and I think that why he asked me to do this project for him.

When I was very young, my Dad and Sister went to see the Rolling Stones with some of their friends. And my dad came back with a t-shirt. 15 years later It's finally give up the ghost, it was stained and stretched from years of wear. But Dad wasn't ready to give up on Mick and the boys just yet.

 

 

So he brought a new t-shirt and asked me to sew the design of the old t-shirt onto the new one so he could keep it! T o be honest it probably reminds him of a lovely day with my sister, but he wouldn't admit that. He'll probably just say its because he really loves that top.

 

Now there's very few things I don't like doing, but one of them is repairs and the other is sewing stretch fabrics! But after years of him giving me everything I wanted how could I refuse this little favour.

 

I used more pins than I have ever done in my life and actually tested my stitch length before I started sewing which I hardly ever do. I basically appliqued the entire panel and then stitched around each box to give it some stability. And I'm pleased with the results, its fairly flats and their are not any huge puckers or pleats! Even though I had to cut and re stitch the side seams to get the panel flat. 

 

 

Here's me with mick and the boys but it definitely looks better on Daddy! I wonder if I'll be reapplying it in another 15 years?

 

On the plus side its also provided me with some more t-shirt yarn!

 

Much Love

 

Frankie

 

xxx