Showing posts with label make do and mend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label make do and mend. Show all posts

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

{Make do and Mend} Dressmaking for Dummies



There weren't many things on my wish list for 2012 , mastering victory rolls and another great 1940s hairdo was on there along with being able to swingdance properly.  

But the main goal on my list was to be able to sew my own clothes!!

Luckily on the same day I was trawling the internet for courses, a flyer came through from my local school offereing a dressmaking for dummies beginners class. I signed stratight up!

It was my first my first week last Thursday and I loved it, theres a good mix of people young and old, old hands(that are self taught) and others new to it all. We were offered a pattern to sew in class, but I didn't like it! I was really after something a little more vintage inspired....

Unfortunately vintage patterns are on the small size for me, so I was  hoping to find retro  inspired patterns instead. I found loads I loved, but set with instructions to buy a skirt pattern with a zip and to bring it to class next week, that discounted quite a few.

In the end I've bought  this pattern....


Not retro at all, but simple! I've bought material to make E (top right) but I'll be adding straps and turning it into a suspender skirt which should be perfect for swing class! I'll also be able to reuse the pattern to make some 40s style pencil skirts!

I've already bought 2 more 40s patterns off eBay!!!!

How about you? Can you sew? I know lots of you that read this do, so, any advice for a beginner? What patterns are good?



Thursday, 15 December 2011

{Make do and mend} leaping deer brooch


 

 How do you get over the Wednesday midweek slump?
Recentely I've  been devoting my wednesdays to a bit of Make Do and Mend time!!

I began by signing up for a Bunting Workshop at Millie Moons in Frome. This was just to get me back into the swing of 'making stuff' amazingly I was treated to a one-on-one lesson with the instructor and was amazed to find I went home with something I was extremely proud of and could replicate at home using bits of material from my stash!



Since then I've stuck to the 'do something crafty' on a wednesday and I've been popping around to my mums for a coffee and a sewing lesson. We've taken up hems, fixed holes in school trousers etc, all jobs I've previously dropped off with nanny to fix and collected a week later!! We've even got ambitious and made a vintage style pettycoat for under my gingham dress.

 Look you can just see it under there!!


Yesterday, however, we were both busy so I stayed home. The creative urge still struck me though, so I made this leaping deer brooch in the afternoon! What do you think? I love it,! and I think I've found a new hobby, small, cute and transportable - sounds perfect!

Felt badges we very popular in the 1940s so I'll  have plenty of inspiration.....


Image




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