The Elisalex curtain dress

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Everybody's doing it.......

...making the Elisalex dress that is.

This one was popping up all over my blog feed but it was seeing Dixie's version and Heather's version that I finally decided to jump on the bandwagon. Earlier this year I found some old Liberty of London curtains at the local op-shop. Just $12 for both pieces! It had just the right amount of stiffness that I knew it had to be a dress with a bit of structure.

I made a muslin of just the top but didn't end up making any adjustments.Although after finishing I wish I had taken in the back a bit more, it gapes just a tiny bit and the shoulders seem to want to fall off. As it is, I haven't actually worn it out yet, I'm worried of being at work and having the shoulders continually slip off. I might try undo the lining and add some small darts at the back neckline. For adjusting the pattern I presume I need to remove width from the back shoulder area and front neckline. Has anyone done/seen something similar?

 

The only change I made to the pattern was at the hips. The pattern's designed for women with larger hips, which just isn't me (I tend to be straight up and down). I took about 1.5 inches off each hip side which means it doesn't stick out as much but it's also more likely to be worn this way. I also took off some of the length to have it sit just on the knees.

The back of this pattern is my favourite, I love the way it just scoops down. I might try fix up the bodice a bit and team it with a different skirt pattern, perhaps Colette Macaron as that skirt is pretty much perfect for my shape. I'm also keen to make a sleeveless one when summer finally rolls back around!

Put a bird on it

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What's this? I finally finished a dress?! About bloody time.

I've been in such a sewing funk lately and finally got my sewing mojo back. These past two weekends have I've gone sew crazy.

I'd seen a few versions on Simplicity 2444 floating around the blogsphere that I really liked so I ordered the pattern a few months back. This fabric is actually an old bed sheet I picked up at an op-shop during our Walcha trip, for about $2. I really loved the patterns on it and although generally white and brown colours don't look these best on me, I just couldn't walk past it.

It's finally spring! I was actually warm in this dress and sandals today. Hurrah for warm weather!

To try break up the print a bit I put some leather bias piping in the waistband (picked it up from fabric cave months and months back and finally had a chance to use it!). I also purposely centred the bird on my chest, it was just my favourite part of the print.

For this pattern I made a muslin and ended up having to take about 1.5 inch out of the centre front and another 2 inches from the back, sloping down to nothing at the waist. I'm still working out this fitting thing but I think I have a small chest and potentially rounded back? Either way I'm really chuffed with this fit, it's a tiny bit tight (particularly in the armhole), I think because I chose to put an invisible zipper in but decided to handpick it, to try that technique and because I just wasn't feeling up to the invisible zipper sewing challenge.

Inside the dress (unironed and straight outa the wash) and the picked zipper.

My favourite thing about this dress? The insides! So neat and tidy. I decided to line the whole thing with some left over fabric I had and boy oh boy and I glad I did. The bedsheet had that slightly see-through thing happening so it's great to know it's not at all see-through now!

My boss at work has this thing about hipsters putting birds on things. He always says to make something hip just 'Put a bird on it'.

Voilà!

Up Walcha Way

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Last weekend Benj and I took off in a van and headed up north a bit. It's school holidays round these parts so Benj has a fair bit of time off.

Leaving Thursday night we made our way up past Newcastle. Stopping at Myall Lake National Park we slept in the van and woke up to a delicious breakfast of pancakes (yep, I'm spoiled). Om nom nom. We kept driving up towards Crowdy Bay National Park, stopping at Taree so I could look at the op shops and Benj could buy a fishing rod (all about priorities folks). Unfortunately nothing much in the op-shop there but never mind. After we finally made  it to Crowdy Bay (narrowly dodging many a pot hole and Benj having to suss out the probability of getting bogged) we set up camp. And then the rain set in! So while Benj stood in the ocean and fished I sat in the van and read 'In Cold Blood.' If you haven't read it, do so. It's fantastic. Slightly creepy to read while camping but never mind.

A giant kanga watching us as I made a cuppa, pancakes for breakfast! Benj testing the water levels, will we get bogged?

On wards and upwards! Moving towards Wauchope we stopped at lots of great little op-shops where I got some of these delights...

Cute doona cover with birds on it, thinking about using it for a dress. The red fabric is kinda like linen and I'm still not sure what inspired my to pick up the holey fabric.

We ended up driving along the the Oxley highway which is a gorgeous drive, along winding roads and ducking in and out of forest and rainforests until you reach the highlands. Staying overnight at Tia Falls we did a lovely walk, lit a campfire and watched the stars. Gosh I love camping sometimes!

The next night we stayed in Walcha in a little B &B and headed out for dinner. We came across the only place in town that was open the 'Chinese Restaurant' (actually called Chinese Restaurant). As soon as we walked in the music playing sounded really familiar but I couldn't quite place why. Then I realised! Ah a pan pipe version of the wind beneath my wings. That's not all! They had the Beatles panpipe style, songs from the Bodyguard, it was never ending! I love places like that.

Benj enjoying a left over meat rissole. He's looking at that with pure joy. Building a campfire, sitting next to campfire, cows on the way.

Now we're home! A lovely little break away. I managed to get lots of knitting done and am already ready to share something with you!