A running start

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Happy new year!

I know, I know, we're almost halfway through it! Sorry I may have a been a bit distracted melting, watching new/old tv shows, and thanks to this creature:

May I introduce you to Neika. Neika, my blog readers. Neika is Ben's dog that he bought as a puppy and has been living out his folks, next door to a dairy farm where she would sneak off to and drink/eat the cream, hence the slight chubbiness.

She LOVES pats and will roll over onto her back anytime anyone comes near with a look in her eyes 'pat me pat me pat me pat me'.

I'm not one for new year resolutions but reflecting on my sewing from last year, some of my most worn pieces were the least expected. I discovered a real love of all things stretch and knit my first jumper (and discovered just how warm real wool is!). For 2013, I'd like to sew a few more plain colour pieces that I can mix and match. Perhaps some knit tops and some skirts.

On another note a small confession - I may or may not have gone on a small online shopping spree. It was 2nd Jan, I was back at work, life was tough, y'know?

So many delightful goodies. I'm currently working on 3 (!) dresses, so eventually I'll get one finished to share. I also have Lonsdale dress pics which are in Canberra and I'll try to get and post soon. Picture a tropical fruit lady.

In other quick photo updates, we had a crafternoon with a bunch of friends. Look bunting!

We also grew a bunchload a basil, made jars and jars of pesto. I fit in a quick sewing project makin a Colette Meringue out of fabric my ma got me a while back. Hope you all had a swinging start to 2013!

The Green Hornet dress

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Photo time!
Excuse my recent absence, I recently finished up a TAFE course so I've spent all my free time knitting, sewing and sitting on the couch. Ah to be free again!

Today we went to the dog park (read about the awesome dog park over here) with Megan and Ben x 2. They have a small dog called Poppy. I'm not quite sure what breed she is, I think a mixture, but I do know she's fluffy and very very cute!

I owe you about 3 posts on various dresses (count 'em, 3!) and finally got around to taking some happy snaps today.

First up, the Green Hornet dress. I've had a recent attraction towards colour and love the colour of this fabric. It's this grassy green and a kind of stretch jersey, originally meant to be made into something else for my winter sewing plans.

Ok, this dress turned out nothing like the pattern.  It was meant to be Vogue V1257, faux wrap type dress. Now there was only about 1.3m of this fabric, I bought it on a sale roll at the Remnant Warehouse. 

I just managed to squeeze out enough pieces to make this dress and was all 'hurrah, what a success!' until I started the tricky skirt part and realised I had cut the one skirt piece on the fabric on the wrong side instead of right, meaning the wrap bit at the bottom linked to a non-wrap bit at the top. You with me? 

Anywho, I scrapped that plan and decided to just add some pleats on the other side so that it would all match up. This was working fine till I stuck in on my mannequin (still yet to be name, any ideas?) pinned it and place and sewed top to skirt. Uh oh. Now I don't have a tiny bust but I have a pretty flat one. So it was all 'hello ladies' when I tried it on. That really wouldn't work. Not even with a singlet underneath. So I painstakingly unpicked it (how much of a pain is unpicking zigzag stitch?!) and then re-adjusted. To make it work I had to not only pull the wrap over bits across but also down a bit. Basically I winged it. 

The improv-wrap.

 Despite all the difficulties and a bit of frustration (I may have flung it onto the floor at one stage), I actually really like this dress. It's comfy, a great colour and a nice style. I'd like to make another but perhaps in a slightly more organised fashion.

It covers the boobs! Success!

 

An obligatory  photo with Alexander the beetle for @Perfect Nose.

Here's some cute photos of Poppy, isn't she just a gorgeous fluffball?

Snuggle snuggle!

cutie wootie wootie, She really was loving these cuddles. Maybe not so much....