DIY - Kimono Jacket Update

A few years ago a dear friend gifted me a kimono that had been made for her mum and given to her but never worn. It hung in my room for a while so I could stare at the amazing colours and details. After I moved house I decided to alter this amazing kimono so that hopefully I be able to wear it out! This picture sadly doesn't show its amazing colour off but you can see I have taken it up enough to fit my 5"4 height and carefully pressed each centimitre of silk and hand stitched a new hem. Inspired by these awesome examples from the 1900's I cannot wait to style it out as an evening jacket with my favourite clogs. A very happy upcycle!

Inspire - Me Made Yellow Cotton Summer Dress

A few months back I posted about getting back into dress making starting with a summer frock pattern from a great book I purchased as an inspirational birthday treat. Well I finished this lemony dream about 4 weeks ago and finally have a few pictures to share! With hindsight next time I will cut the pattern a size smaller as I am not 100% happy with the bodice fit as its a bit loose but am very happy at the overall make. I took lots of time to finish the details well including painstakingly hand stitching the bodice lining down onto the skirt seam... one of my finest sewing moments to date.

Next up I am planning on making a wrap over circle skirt with matching sleeveless blouse... watch this space. Happy stitching!

Craft - Summer Dress Making

Its been a few years since I last got my teeth stuck into an exciting dress making project and I have really missed sewing on a larger scale. Don't get me wrong I love a good craft project and blogging the DIY tutorials for M>A>P and with S+S but dress making is exactly where i'm at right nowbut am definately feeling a little out of the loop. I have a lovely selection of retro and vintage patterns that I have drafted in the past and get my me made favorites out each year but have struggled finding a new pattern to fill the gaps in my wardrobe and my confidence in my own sewing skills is beginning to dwindle!

This year on my mission to wear only second hand, hand me downs or hand made going through summer into autumn I have finally found a couple of modern patterns that I am champing at the bit to get cutting out! Having scoured the modern dress market followed others suggestions and searched blogs my ideal dress just wasn't jumping out at me... until I popped into the craft dept of Waterstones the other day and found a book by Tilly Walnes, of Tilly and the Buttons fame, which totally hits the spot. Its simple, the books' aesthetic is right up my street and the 2 dress patterns are bang on the type of thing I'd had in mind.... and they will also and most importantly suite my pear shaped figure. These hips will not lie! Since it was a birthday purchase I thought hell why not buy that pretty looking dress book, go on its practical. Then I ran to Brighton based fabric shop Ditto and spent the rest of my birthday cash on these three amazing retro inspired cottons!

The blue print - Megan dress. Yellow print - A version of the Lilou dress. And the 70's floral a skirt and blouse two piece from my vintage pattern stash. There is also a lovely blouse in the book and two skirt patterns which I will save and make for A/W. So having just pre washed the fabrics I need to plan some time out for cutting and pinning...Wish me luck!

Did you take part in this years MMM14? Do you only wear second hand clothes? I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts on thrifting and also any tips you have about where to buy any great patterns or fabrics.
Amy x

sneeky peeks

Prepping for an up and coming stitchery project.

x