Vogue 8974 in Blue Brocade

 Right let me start of by saying that the bodice on this dress doesn't look brilliant because I forgot to take a bra to my mums so had to sort of go without.......

I've also lost a bit of weight since I made it so it doesn't fit quite as nicely as when I first made it.

Here's me wearing it when I first made it but you can't see much because I have a jacket on. I did think you might appreciate my concentration face though........ It took me ages to get that plate spinning though. 

I made this ages ago for a christening. In reality I have about forty million dresses that would have done but I wanted something new and I had the time and the fabric so........

I have made this dress previously in a red waffle fabric and I love it!

The blue brocade fabric is from the abakhans fill a bag sale. I'm not 100% if its from the first one I went to or the second one?????? I could look at my youtube haul video but what can I say I'm lazy!!!!

Fit wise I had to make a few alterations! This pattern is a bit of a brute as far as fitting goes. Mainly because of the bodice darts and the cross over straps. Plus the fact that you have to be wearing the PERFECT bra to make it look nice. 

Changes wise:

 I had to shorten the straps by about 3 inches.

I swapped out the side zip for a back zip because I hate side zips! 

I cut a size 12 but had to take the side seams in by about 2cm on each side.

And I added a circle skirt because I prefer the look of a full circle skirt compared to a half circle skirt. 

I also added pockets because well POCKETS!!! Got to have somewhere to keep the essentials! 

The neckline is faced but I think next time I'd be tempted to put in a lining instead. I did encase the waist seam in bias binding just to make it tidier and give it a bit of stability. However, because I wore the dress belted I found that the area around the zip started rubbing my skin after a while.

The only issue with this dress is you can't finish it right away. I had to leave the skirt to hang for 2 days before I could hem the dammed thing and even after that hemming a circle skirt is no joke. It just goes on and on and on and on. 

But all in all I really love the dress and I can't wait until it fits properly again!

In other news!!!! 

I've been busy at work and spending time with lil man.

I sewn up a baby quilt top!

I've sewn myself a new skirt!

I've cut out another baby quilt and started knitting some booties! 

I feel like I'm really getting into the swing of things recently and I've got a lot of exciting things coming up!

Much Love 

Frankie 

xxx

Finally Finished V8974 - In Red Waffle

I have finally defeated the v8974 pattern by Vogue. I'm not gonna say what I nicknamed this dress but it starts with "B" and ends in "itch". I made my first toile a little while ago and that one was huge, so I sized down the pattern and well it was still too bloody big. Now it could be my fault I used the last of my red waffle from FCfabricstudios. Now its not an overly stretchy fabric but it does have a certain "bounce?" shall we say?

Anyway long story short I took a grand total of four inches out of the back and now it fits exactly like it should! #winning.

But the reason I persevered is because that bodice is the bomb diggity. I love the v neckline, the centre front seam and the those slanted darts are so beautiful. But as I said its a [Insert naughty word] to fit.

So details!

- I swapped out their Aline skirt for a circle skirt, I liked the a-line on everyone else but on me it just looked meh.

-I added a centre back seam because I hate side zips, and thank god I did because otherwise I have no idea how I would of made it fit me!

- Took loads of length off the straps. In fact the straps are meant to be inserted in between the bodice and the facing but mine are just stitched to the inside because I had to alter them so many times.

- Went down to a size 12. My first toile was in a 14 and it was too big so I sized down. I'm going to make this again in a 12 and see if I still have the same issues. If I don't I'll size down again to a 10.

Fabric wise I've already said I used this red waffle from FCfabricstudios. I love this fabric so much it just looks expensive! In fact I like it so much this dress is now the main contender for the wedding I;m going to in September.

The zip was from one of the £1 grab bags from abakhans. Its sewn in pretty well but would benefit from a good press.

I hemmed the whole thing by hand after letting it hang for a week. And then I celebrated finally finishing ti with a big ol glass of wine.  

All in all I love it. It was definitely a challenge for me. Whilst the construction wasn't too difficult the fitting was an absolute brute and made me want to sob hysterically on more than one occasion. Anyway if you want to have your own fitting nightmare and possible crying fit you can find the pattern here for £15.00.

In other news:

- I've got a new iron! My old one just decided not to turn on one day so I went out and brought another. I'm actually pretty pleased because I HATED that iron and it stupid non stick plate that stuck to bloody everything! So YAY!

Much Love

Frankie 

xxx

V8974 - Toile

Eurgh , just ERUGH! 

Okay so here's my issue, I love this pattern. Its a vintage vogue reproduction of a pattern from the 1949 design and I won it for free! And its beautiful!

I mean look at it! All that vintage sass, those interesting darts, a cross over back! What is not to love! But I do have a major issue with this pattern and lots more patterns in fact!

Don't ask me to measure myself and then have it NOT fit me at all!

I am getting sick and tired of measuring myself [which I do accurately! And ever few months I have my mum re measure me to check I'm being accurate] Look and see where my size corresponds, cut that size and then have it turn out HUGE! I'm having to faff around with measuring pattern pieces now and making toiles and its making a very grumpy Frankie! Anyway rant over!

Okay so down to the make, I cut a size 14 because LOL those were my actual measurements. I sewed it up and tried it on to get the perfect length on the straps and then I pinned the back and oh hello! My boobs are going to fall out! So I took in an inch either side of the centre back because, you can't take anything out of the side seams or it throws the sloped back out of proportion! [I also had to take some out of the waist as well because that was big! 

After I took some out of the back it fits better but I'm definitely cutting a size 12 next time! [FYI I just made one in a size 12 and I'm still having issues but that might be the fabric!]

But I guess this is why we toile! My fabric is from abakhans BTW its a really cheap and cheerful poly-cotton. And the instructions for the pattern are actually really clear! The only thing I did differently was to add a centre back zip instead of a side zip. I hate side zips, Side zips are evil!

Here's a nice picture of me demonstrating the boob gape! You can fit two hands down there....[Which may or may not be your thing!!!]

Okay so here's a list of alterations I made to the pattern:

 - Put in a centre back zip instead of a side one

- took a good 2 inches out of the centre back.

-took about 15 cm off the length of the skirt. [personal preference, longer skirts do not suit my stumpy legs]

things I liked about the pattern:

- Clear instructions

- each bodice size is printed separately [not nested] so it makes it really easy to toile different sizes.

-The way the bodice is constructed

Thing to change next time:

- Try a smaller size in bodice.

- Make the skirt fuller, I'm not keen on the aline style of the skirt. I think it might look fuller in the pattern illustration? 

- Omit centre front seam on skirt unless I'm using a striped fabric. [Because then you get a cool chevron effect!]

But I still love to pattern and I'm really looking forward to challenging myself with trying to get it to fit! This is the first time I;ve ever had any really major issues with trying a new pattern! I've even got plans to have my Nan [from my mums side] take a look at it when shes next down. Shes pretty good with a sewing machine so I;m hoping that if me her and my mum look we will be able to iron out any issues!

And if all else fails my Mum lives across the road from an ex seamstress so I can ask her!

In other news!

I hope you all had a wonderful mothers day and were spoiled rotten! I spent the morning at my mums. Then met Rikki's mum for lunch and we both took lil man to the park. Then I came home saw Rikki off to work put lil man to bad and got sewing!!! 

So all in all a wonderful day! 

Today however I feel a bit grotty, I'm pretty sure my lovely son has given me his cold germs.  

Much Love

and if you have made this pattern and have any tips please let me know!!!

Frankie

xxx