It’s been a super busy week this week as we jet off for 2 weeks holiday today to Cambodia (where my parents live).
I’ve been busy preparing for the next workshop as well as finishing a bespoke dress for a client and making myself some bits to wear on holiday.
Here’s a quick visual recap of my week…
The dress I made was for a School Reunion next week and is yet to be worn, so I can only show you a little sneaky peek!
It is finished with a bias binding edge giving a neat finish to the drapy crepe dress without adding any uneccessary bulk. This was the first time I have made my own bias binding and it proved much easier than expected with this nifty little tool. Although I did make the error of using the 6mm tool to start with and that was just too narrow and fiddly to work in this fabric. Some times even for experienced dressmakers it is a case of trial & error. I used 12mm bias binding tool, which worked out perfectly for this dress. I can’t wait to show you the pictures…
Making the bias binding
Ironing the bias binding
I had bought this amazing fabric, with ladybird & bunnys and double deckers buses and I knew I wanted to make a skirt with it and it worked out great, the only issue was that I didn’t have a top to match. I did however fing this t-shirt in my wardrobe that I never wore. The neck and sleeves were too tight and it was unflattering and uncomfortable, so I got my scissors out and cut off the sleeeves, cut a lovely wide boat neckline and found some blue fabric in my stash which matches the blue in the skirt and the stripe in the t-shirt and cut some angel sleeves. I finished the edges of the sleeves with the rolled hem setting on my overlocker in a beige cotton to match the skirt and attached the sleeves to the newly cut armholes with my overlocker.
Upcycled t-shirt with gathered skirt
I found a Cambodian scarf that had never been worn from a previous visit to Cambodia and I quicky ran up the simple t-shirt pattern from The Great British Sewing Bee book. This t-shirt uses a different bias binding technique to finsh the edges where the binding is pressed to the inside of the garment and the topstiched giving a concealed bias binding finish. My bias binding this time was ready made and is in black as a contrast to the fabric of the top.
Simple t-shirt from a Cambodian scarf
This morning I have been fabric shopping, to Sewcute Crafts on Doncaster Market, I found out about this business on Facebook as I have not been to Doncaster Market for years! This fabrics will be some of the choices for the Learn to Sew – Skirts -Workshop on 2nd April at Austerfield Study Centre.
Fabric Shopping for the Learn to Sew Skirts Workshop
Nearly time for our lift to the train station!
Adios
Alison xx
