Miss Vintage UK entry

I just entered Miss Vintage UK. Honestly I haven't a hope in hell but this is my year of doing things I haven't done before (I'm 40 in a few months!) and one of the things that was on my list was to do a photoshoot. (Got me a Groupon deal for nineteen quid - it was really good fun and a bargain - totally recommend!)

This is a facebook competition, so if aren't on I don't expect you to start now! There are a lot of gorgeous ladies on there, but I'm going to do my damndest to get some more votes. I'm representing the fuller figured gals (I'm a size 18-20) of a <ahem> certain age.

Its just a bit of fun. I'm not trying to pretend to be someone I'm not - but of course this isn't a true representation of what I look like every day. There was good lighting involved. And lots of straining to get the best angle. And makeup.

Stuff like this helps the confidence though for sure, and whilst I don't want to be fat and forty (I'm in 'a diet place' right now) I want to make the most of what I have right this minute, rather than waiting till I'm 'thin'. After all, my body might be big, but its produced two gorgeous kids - so its doing pretty well!

My entry to the Miss Vintage UK contest. Feel free to enter yourself or if you'd like to vote for me, you can like my picture in this album:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151925997677657.1073741832.30797112656&type=1
and you must also like their page
https://www.facebook.com/twinwoodevents

thank you

p.s. The dress I'm wearing is the one I was trying to get done in time for the groupon photoshoot. I failed to finish it, but am wearing it anyway (Its bulldog clipped at the back and there's no hem!) Glad I got to wear it though!

I am vair, vair busy at the mo, so whilst I have stuff going on, I have nothing complete to show you at the mo.

This month we have been mostly buying fish (against my better judgement, but hubby insisted) 

killing fish (Goldy only lasted two weeks - has been replaced by Boo Boo who seems to be faring better)

We have been to the legoland hotel (thumbs up for that) for Joey's birthday.

We have had Joeys birthday (cake not made by me - I gave up the cake thing last year)

I have been raising dosh for the Ladies Driving Challenge

I went to the opening of a new fabric shop in Peterborough Fabritastic

I made a leetle bag as a practice run for a commission I've been asked to do.  I'm hoping to get that done by the end of this week.

 

I have also started to make a nautical dress using Vogue 8727. I was hoping to have this finished for the 50's photoshoot I'm doing next week. I have bought some backup dresses in case I don't manage it though. TBH its looking unlikely. I have 6 days to try to complete a bag and a dress and pretty much no spare time to do it in. Thats a challenge!

Plus Size Modelling, Fish Tails and driving big trucks...

So,the first news I have is that I was chosen as one of Voodoo Vixens  new plus size models (they needed a 2XL, a 3XL (Helen) and a 4XL (Sarah) This was kind of a surprise but great news! I headed into London to do some fittings on the last Wednesday of January. The day when it peed down constantly for the entire day. 

 I was half an hour late because I went to Commerical Street instead of Commerical Road (the lovely policeman pointed me in that particular wrong direction) but I got there in the end. We spent some time chatting to the staff and trying on the sample dresses. This is the only picture of me doing fittings, which is a lovely back view!

 

When they've had the samples modified, the collection will be created, and we'll go back for a photoshoot. Exciting no?!

This is Noah in his mermaid tailed. He nagged and nagged me to make one, but refused feet holes, so he shuffles about the house in it and has to be carried up for a bath!

  

I got a new phone - finally - one that works and everything, so made me a little case for it, which I promptly botched and had to cover up with lace ribbon to hide the mess...

And I finally finished the peacock fan dress (Vogue 2903), and matching (reversible) bag just in time for the Neon Moon Ball! My plan was to wear the corset, but I actually prefer the dress without and the corset was so uncomfortable I ditched it in the hotel room.

 

Noah would have loved Neon Moon. There were mermaids and everything.  Bit young though!

 

Finally, I have signed up for the ladies driving challenge in May. I'm trying to raise sponsorhip for the firefighters charity. Should be lots of fun!

A new year, a new post.

A new year, a new post. Sewing took a back seat over the christmas period, but I'm back now. The business is still in business, although I have so many things I want to make for myself I don't know when I'm going to fit in making bags for other people!

Wouldn't it be nice to have a whole day to yourself? A special 8th day that only exists for you to get stuff done in and you don't have to worry about the day job, the children, the spouse, the house. Everyone else skips straight to the next week!

So anyway, back to the real world: this is my current project. For me.

I want to wear it on Saturday for my anniversary meal with hubby (its now Monday), but it probably won't be complete from a finishing point of view.
Its actually meant as an evening gown for a ball next month http://www.cherryandruby.co.uk/NeonMoon/ValentinesBall.html, but without the underbust corset and the petticoat and the gloves I have lined up for that event, I think its a perfectly wearable restaurant dress. Bit busy maybe!


I chose Vogue 2903 for my evening gown (a 1957 design) http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v2903-products-4894.php?page_id=850 - its as close to what I have in my mind as I could get. Its more calf/ankle/tea length than the illustration suggests - her thighs are disproportionately long!.

I went for the Katie Kandles black peacock fans fabric - first hurdle - ordered 8 metres but Fabricland rang me to tell me there was only 5 metres left! I ordered it anyway, and managed to squeeze it all in by also utilising the 3/4 metre I had left in my stash from bag-making. There is a mixture of pattern
directions (feathers up and feathers down) but I decided that its not that obvious because the pattern is so busy.

I do have issues with the sizing. I very carefully noted my measurements and adjusted the pattern accordingly (normally wear a 16, but measured as size 20 with 22 waist so cut the pattern as a 20 from the waist up and a 22 from the waist down) I'm both short and fat waisted. Unfortunately after my adjustments it was too big around the waist. Gah! I had to take it in, and have a large seam allowance at the shoulders for it to sit properly. (I'm shorter waisted than I thought!)

I also decided against sewing the full folds in as per the pattern. The nature of the print means that you don't really get the effect, and having tried to do a full fold (There are 6) - the skirt didn't sit how I wanted it to. So that was unpicked.

OMG this dress is seriously hard work!

Its finished as far as construction goes, but there's still a long way to go - removing the basting stitches, hemming, and seam binding which is going to take aaagges.

I had to re-do the sleeves twice (try on, sigh in dismay, unpick, snip a bit off, re-baste, try on and repeat) because they were just too puffy. I don't mind puffed sleeves, in fact I quite like them, but not with an off-the-shoulder dress, because the sleeve doesn't sit on the shoulder but below it, so too much puff just looks wierd, especially for someone with bigger arms. I've gone for two folds instead of gathering. I actually don't think they were ever meant to be gathered, just 'eased' but there was so much fabric I had no choice.

The yoke section is more complicated that anything i've done before, because there is an inner and outer section, and the sleeve is connected to both. I can't even begin to explain quite how that works, or why it's necessary frankly, but I just did what I was told! They didn't half make life difficult for
themselves in the 50's! There was a bit of hand sewing involved because it was too tricky to get the machine in all the corners.

Its shown with a two-layer net petticoat underneath for a small amount of flounce. It is 'bigger' when I wear it - but of course Kirstie (my dressmaking form) has no legs...The petticoat is from dreampetticoats - I ordered a 30" which is a length hard to get off-the-peg - but actually I'm starting to wish I'd bought a 32" with a satin trim (and an underskirt 'cos boy its itchy ) Too late now though.

I'm back! Briefly. Halloween dressmaking. Butterick 5209

I have been so busy its ridiculous. I decided to set up a business you see. Not a full-time-drop-everything-else-I-must-have-a-shop business. Simply an I-want-to-make-stuff-when-I-can-and-sell-it business. 

So I have.

All set up on Etsy, Facebook and have me a website too. Tbh I seem to have such a big list of commissions at the moment I'm not sure when I'll be able to make any stuff to pop on etsy, however thats fine. I'm just enjoying the creativity!

https://www.facebook.com/shewearsredfeathers

www.shewearsredfeathers.co.uk

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SheWearsRedFeathers

Here's a shot from yesterday at the Polka Dot Rock halloween tea and craft party - getting my hair vintaged by Dawn from Foxys Vintage Hair!

The dress in the pic is Butterick 5209 B.T.W. - made especially for this event. It wasn't too bad to sew up - in fact I may even do it again. If you look closely at the fabric its halloween themed!

1940's and beyond

Ramsey 1940's Weekend. We go every year, although this year the location changed from the airfield to the rural museum. This is a shame, because the airfield was perfect (apparently its been sold for housing) and whilst they did an amazing job at the rural museum site, it wasn't quite the same.

I'm hesitant to say 'as good' but the 'feel' didn't match. Also the big top tent was something I didn't love. The tea dances used to be held in an aircraft hangar, so they obviously did their best to replicate the size. The tent was difficult to access though unlike the hangar which had a large doorway and plenty of room to move, and they had the sides down, meaning it was very dark (you can't tell from my photo due to the flash, but only the floor area was lit) and very hot and stuffy. The dancers even requested that they would like the sides to be raised to lowever the temperature a bit, but it didn't happen (whilst we were there anyway) 

Otherwise, it was a lovely day. We werent there a long time (nearly long enough) because the boys got bored. I really really wanted to browse the stalls but didn't get the opportunity. Plus there was an amazing fabric stall and I wish I'd known or I'd have raided the piggy bank first (I asked him if he had a market stall - no apparently - he only opens his stall once a year at the Ramsey weekend?!)

 

I heart this dress from lindy bop. I could just buy it online as its only £30, but what I REALLY want is the pattern for a dress with that bustline. Plus I really want to stop buying clothes (and making them) until I've lost weight.

Noah gets to handle a rifle. 

Joey looks the part

 

Is he real mummy?!

I have started my diet again today. I'm very fed up of fat. I have a new motivation tool. I bought this italian charm bracelet on ebay. You can replace each link with patterned links if required. I have bought extra links with numbers: either '1' or '7' to signify lbs lost. Each week I shall update my bracelet with the appropriate numbers so in total my bracelet will display how many lbs I have lost. I'm hoping that this little visual reminder will do exactly that - remind me I cannot make/buy any new dresses until I've lost a decent amount!

Busy Busy

I've been so busy lately, I haven't bothered doing any updating. Bad me. So a little one now methinks. 

Its the summer holidays of course. That means slightly more time with children, and attempting to entertain those children. We've been on holiday to Weymouth (lovely) We've seen Dr Who monsters in Peterborough. We've banged drums at Wicksteed Park. We've gotten disgustingly sandy and wet at Stanwick lakes. We've been out on bikes, off to the park, beer gardens, paddling in Cambridge and Papworth and rampaging at Activity world. Lots to fit in.

I'm currently praying the rain will stop so we get to go to the 1940's even at Ramsey. Fingers Crossed.

Other important events - Joey (6) lost his first tooth yesterday. He proceeded to tell everyone that wasn't interested :)

 

I have been busy on my new machine, making bags. I'd like to say lots of bags, but #4 is below. I would love to knock them out at a faster rate than one per week, but with my schedule that simply doesn't happen. I'm loving it. I'm also going to be selling them at some point as I can't possibly just keep them all.

This is my favourite, even though its not yet finished, I know I'm going to make another one. Flamingos and red gingham with bamboo handles.

Part of the reason they take so long, is because I've been designing different patterns for each, until I come up with one I really like. I'm hoping its going to be this one!

 Cutting the pieces out and interfacing them: time consumer #1

Inserting a pocket: time consumer #2

Gathering the outer fabric and inserting piping. Time consumer #3

 

Bamboo Handles. Not particularly time consuming at all! Now I've just got to put it all together.