I've got the sewing bug...

Work on the kitchen has ground to a halt, the kitchen doors have been pushed aside on the dining table and I've got the sewing bug. I used to dressmake a lot before I had homes to fix.

Connies First Holy Communion is happening and as she didn't like any of the dresses readily available, I made her one...

 

It's very plain and straight which is just what we struggled to find.

It still needs hemming... I'll probably save that 'til the last minute. She might have a growth spurt between now and Sunday.

  

The dress is made from raw silk and despite ordering the pattern from America, it's worked out cheaper than buying a polyester dress from BHS. We'll accessorise it with a little rose covered head band and lace gloves. Her Grandad bought her some ivory satin shoes when we were up at his for half term. No veil. I'm not so keen on that idea.

Chatting with some of the mums, it dawned on me that I had to dress up too. I tried on all my clothes and hated them all apart from a collection of little black dresses I seem to have amassed. 

Then I realised I had some really lovely things that were living in the sewing basket. So while the sewing machine was out I finished a vintage dress I'd found a the flea market in it's half finished state...

It had a strangulatingly high neck which I lowered, I took the sleeves off to use more of the seam allowance as they were snug and I hemmed it. It's cotton and has a metal zipper. Would you say that's 60's?

Then I took in another vintage dress...

I look like I've slept funny on my neck!

I think this one is 70's as it's polyester with a nylon zip.
And I didn't stop there, oh no! I mended a pair of J's trousers and 2 pairs of my jeans...

A bit of car booted floral linen. I hope it doesn't look like a scabby white knee.

I think the flowers on this fabric might be too big and it might just look like a cellulitey arse falling out but hey, I tried.
My sewing basket is almost empty and I'm chuffed with my 'new' wardrobe.

And that background?

Is a vintage handmade rug I found at the Sue Ryder shop in York. (The one with the vintage section upstairs.)

I wanted a paler rug for Connies room as the blue one was so dark. I almost bought one from Dunelm. NEW! Heaven forbid. Well, as luck would have it I found this one. It's like an Aubusson rug but worked in fat cross stitch rather than needlepoint. And a quarter of the price of the Dunelm one!

She loves it! I washed it carefully in the bath with Woolite and cold water, rinsed it with the shower head and laid it on beach towels on the lawn on a hot day to dry flat.

I've also swapped her furniture around because we bought her a vintage dressing table but I'll have to share that another time as that side of the room is a terrible mess.

This week Connie and I received a parcel from a lovely lady called Kathleen who reads this blog and lives in America.

Thank you so much Kathleen! (St Theresa has been squirreled away somewhere and Connie's at school so I can't ask her where!)