High Low Wrap Skirt!

When I started blogging I swore I would blog the good the bad and the ugly. And to be honest I'm still not 100% which category this falls into.

Okay so its another wrap skirt, I'm becoming a huge fan of the wrap skirt. Mainly because I find them so flattering. And the idea of this was to create a sexy sort of tulip silhouette, and to be honest I'm not quite sure if I've achieved that? I do look nipped in at the waist but I think maybe there's a bit too much gathering around the whole thing? And maybe that parts not overly flattering? 

Especially from the back the whole thing looks a bit meh? The fabric is the same artificial poly silky stuff that I used for this. On this picture you can see that I haven't even finished the ties ! I'm waiting to see what you guys think! [See I keep you lot in very high regard!!!] 

I drafted it myself straight onto the fabric because I like the sew dangerously! I didn't even measure I just free handed GASP! 

Okay so good things, I like that I can switch up where the split is, at thew moment I like it central or to one side [which always reminds me of Catherine zeta Jones?]

And I'm pretty proud of the hem I've done, its not a rolled hem but its pretty tiny and very neat!!

And I like that its a wrap skirt because well, I heart wrap skirts!!!!

The more I look at these pictures the more I realise I kind of love the front view but hate the side and back views? I guess its lucky I don't have a permanent view of my own derriere huh!

So what do you think?

Is it worth finishing or shall I just sack it off now?

Much Love 

Frankie 

xxx

Outfit Along 2016

When I saw the outfit along being announced on Lladybirds blog I was like "yeah like I'm gonna try that? do I look stupid?"

Then I started to think about it and thought, hmmm it might be nice to knit and sew something that corresponds, and I did say I'd do more blogging community things this year..... even if they do push me out of my comfort zone.

So I'm going to give it a whirl....

But its me so I'm only going to give it a whirl if I can play by my rules! [and according to their rules as long as you knit one item and sew another and it makes an outfit you can pretty much do what you want!]

1. I'm not using the official skirt pattern. They are using the Hollyburn by sewaholic patterns, I'm using a self drafted pattern that's a pretty similar style to the Hollyburn. I'm using the two fabrics pinned in the picture below, one is a suede and the other is a floral which I'm going to use for the pockets.  

2. I'm not using the official knit pattern either the zinone by Andi Satterlund, As much as I love Andi's patterns I just don't see myself wearing this one. Which made me think about buying some wool and maybe making another miette. But then I was like "oooh that's a bit extravagant" and we are still on a spending ban due to the whole buying dinner for 60 people in October thing [wedding!]

 So then I thought, well lets take a look at what's in the old wool drawer

lot and lots of small balls...... So I'm going for a ww2 make do and mend stripy, ombre jumper....thing. [or at least that's what I hope I'm going for, to be honest I'm flying by the seat of my pants]

I took my inspiration from these images 

But I'm using the smokey earl grey pattern from raverly because I like its style and as a bonus its free. [I'm coming across as someone who doesn't really like parting with money aren't I? well its true.......]

I've actually made a pretty good start, I cranked about 5 inches out whilst watching soccer aid, and the euro cup starts soon which is always prime knitting time for me!

So yeah that's my plan for this years OAL2016 Hopefully I can get it finished! is anyone else taking part!?

Much Love

Frankie

A throw everything in it Duffel bag!

We love taking little man swimming, and after much trial and error we've found a place where the water is warm, it doesn't cot the earth and that has family changing rooms! Family changing rooms are a complete game changer as far as I'm concerned. Some of the pools we've been previously only had men's and women's and seen as the men's never seem to have a play pen, or well anything I always ended up trying to sort out the baby, then sort myself whilst making sure said baby didn't soak himself all over again!

Now I take lil man into the changing room and start to get him dried off, whilst Rikki has his shower [My hair is far too long for the piddly trickle that swimming pool showers offer so I have a bath when I get home] then once both the boys are ready they go and sit in the cafe and have a drink [£2.10 for a pint!] and I get all the time I want to get ready! [I think the beer helps with the waiting]

I've gotta say I love having the time to myself to dry off properly , apply moisturiser [The chlorine is a killer for my skin] do my hair and apply some make up so I don't look like a troll as we are leaving!

But that does mean I, in particular end up carrying a lot of stuff around!

Enter the duffel bag! 

Previously we've been using bags for life, but that only leaves you with one hang free, so I whipped this up using a certain remnant that I really love! And some scrap pieces of linen!

I top stitched all my straps and added a pocket to the front for chucking smaller bits like my phone and locker money in.

All in all it didn't take very long to sew up at all, In fact I'm thinking of making one for Rikki and one for lil man so we each have one for when we go and stay at families houses etc. I think it might be easier than our usual system of using bags for life and then watching everything spill out of said bag for life! 

I love the fabric combination on this though and the fact that its HUGE! I mean seriously pretty sure you could carry a child around in this! I didn't cut the fabric I used for the mainly body of the bag instead I just whipped out my maths gcse and worked out how big my circle needed to be based on the dimensions! 

I will do a full thing on working it out at some point but for now :

measure your main fabric width,

divide that measurement by 3.14 [pi] and then you have the diameter for your circle! [remember the diameter is from edge to edge of a circle.

I did button holes at the top to thread the straps through the channelling but I'm pretty sure I got one twisted.

And I used some D rings from an old handbag to give it more a store brought feel. Although I have miss judged slightly and made the straps too skinny for the rings!

I like my X top stitching though! Its pretty tidy!

I took these photos with a few towels stuffed in to give it more shape.

All in all I'm calling it a grand success.

In other news I'm still feeling icky, I'm not sure what's up apart from me getting the boys cold anyway I'm trying to combat it all by resting and eating right. In fact as we speak I've got my feet up and I'm watching star wars revenge of the sith. As much as I love the old movies the costumes in the first three are awesome! Particularly the queens! 

Anyway I'm off to rest and try and finish this blooming Miette cardigan!

Much Love

Frankie

Self Drafted Pinafore dress

A few weeks ago, My lovely mother in law gave me her old dining room curtains. Now she tends to change her decor every few years and is very clean and tidy in general so her curtains are always imaculate!

Anyway my first thought was omg, what am I going to do with brown suede curtains?

So I perused the Topshop website for a few minutes and finally decided to use this as my inspiration. The original is made from cord but I thought my suede fabric would give it a nice 70's vibe which is really on trend at the moment. I don't usually follow trends but I'm a massive fan of the boho chic kinda vibe that hippy's have.

Now because I didn't have a pattern for a pinafore dress, I had to draft my own. Basically i took measurements from my waist, hips, where I wanted the pinafore to flare out to and the space between my nipple area [too much info I know but if you look at pinafores that's typically where the top of the bib is] Then I worked out where I'd need some ease and drafted that in and then added seam allowances.

I also drafted some pockets, they are lined with some floral fabric but you cant see it at all. 

Its just the right size to put a hand or a phone in. Or sweets. or chocolate.

The front pocket is much larger although you can't put anything too heavy in it otherwise it pulls the front of the dress down too much and makes the back floof up!

I top stitched the centre seam line and the side seams and the godet seams, yeah I added some godets after realising I wanted it a bit more flared. I used the same thread throughout, it looks kinda green on the reel but here it looks more of a nice gold colour. 

The hem and top of the dress are finished with white bias binding, I probably should have made some in brown but I couldn't really be bothered. It doesn't really bother me though because I've mainly been wearing it with white tops so it kind of blends in.  

The straps and the buttons are stitched down, I was going to do buttonholes but my machine was not a fan of doing buttonholes in this fabric I think because of the nap of the suede.

I have to keep checking the front of the dress hasn't slipped down otherwise the hem looks uneven like this. Which makes me really grouchy. Also the straps keep slipping down so i might have the tighten them at some point. 

I'd say I'm pretty pleased with it even though it does have its problems. I've kept my drafted pattern pieces so if I ever choose to make another I can make some changes and make it perfect. I think it looks cute and it's pretty similar to the one on the Topshop website apart from the fact it didn't cost me £40. I feel pretty cute and I really like the seventies vibe. In fact it makes me want to spread the love and dance in a floaty style!

And as far as drafting something for myself goes, its not perfect but it fits my body so I'm counting that as a win as well!!

Much Love

Frankie

xxx  

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

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