If you live in the UK, you will know what I'm talking about, I'm so ready for Spring! We had one day last week which was lovely and teased us into thinking this was it, and now what, it's going to snow today and tomorrow, I usually love the snow but I'm so sad, I want spring!
I'm not necessarily a pretty cotton frocks type, but I do like spring/summer clothes more than winter, and I want to wear them now!
I had a taster of this recently as I went to Spain at the beginning of February for the Rockin Race Jamboree. The weather was lovely, nice enough for capri pants, nice blouses and a light jacket, I need to do this again now. Look how happy the sun make British people, we see it so rarely, it's makes us totally happy and smiley!!
I didn't get a pic of me in one of my favourite summer blouses I made but I have one of it, I do love this blouse and just don't get the opportunity to wear it enough!
I also dragged this out of my closet as it's now too big but I want to take it in and wear it again, so it's now in my alteration sewing pile, mmmm maybe I should just sell it on and buy something else, my alteration pile is stupidly big, but I LOVE this print, so summery!
I also want to wear this again, the little number that I ran up last year, although again may need taking in now, I love it cos it looks like a dress but it's a top and skirt so I can mix things up.
Instead this week it looks like I'll be wearing something closer to this
If you've been reading this blog for a while, then you know that I love shoes! I would say what girls doesn't but I'm sure there are some who don't. I however am addicted to shoes, my budget means I can't buy like I used to but I still look a lot. I am lucky to have small feet so have always been able to buy vintage shoes pretty easily, however I know many of you struggle to find vintage shoes, but don't fear there are some amazing repro brands out there, one of them is Miss L Fire. I LOVE Miss L Fire.
They have just launched there Spring/Summer 13 collection and oh my there are some fabulous shoes in there, I think I need to do some big time saving!! You can find Miss L Fire's online store here in the meantime here are some of my personal favourites.
I think if I get anything from this collection this may be the pair for me, just stunning!
Now these are stunning!! Now only are they an amazing design but the very talented Miss L Fire has incorporated a vintage technology that you never seem to see any more in mule shoes, despite it being the cleverest piece of shoe design, the springolator!!! Yay well done Miss L Fire, so nice to see someone finally re-using this marvellous bit of shoe technology
I LOVE turquoise, I love a raffia style wedge and I love a tropical flower, there really isn't anything to not love about these, ok maybe I NEED these too ha ha!
I'm not normally a fan of polka dots but only because they seem to have been hijacked by current trend for 'vintage' without knowing what vintage is *climbing off my soapbox* but I do love these, they are fabulous, happy, cheerful and summery!
Despite loving wedges and heels, in reality what I wear most are flats, I have flat feet and heels hurt me for any length of time, plus I have a disabled husband who I need to be steady on my feet for in case he needs help with walking, sooooo I love and wear flats a lot. These are just fabulous and probably are the most likely pair I will buy even though I want most of the range. These are not only stylish and pretty but fabulously flat and practical, my favourite combination, flat is certainly not ugly!
Well I'd like to say I've been busy whilst I've been off after my knee op but it's taken until the end of last week to feel normal again, I was awfully tired most of the week. My knee is really getting better amazingly quick, it was a keyhole op so I know it would be fairly quick but it's been a lot quicker than I thought, it's still swollen so I'm not back to normal and I'm certainly not as flexible as normal but I'm getting there. Back to work Tuesday, shame, just as the weather in the UK is set to get gorgeous!!
Anyway I had an idea what I wanted to sew but actually only got one thing done, however I'm super proud of it.
Do you remember this fabric I bought from a vintage fair? It's a beautiful vintage polish cotton, I couldn't have worked with a nicer fabric!
I've been wanting to make this pattern for a while, it's so summery and versatile as I knew with this fabric it would look like a dress when worn together but I can wear it apart with different blouse or trousers/skirt. Obviously I didn't want to add the ric rac as it's too patterned and I also didn't add the pockets for the same reason, although I'm so happy with the outcome I may buy some solid colour cotton and do another set with ric rac and pockets!
And the final result! I'm really happy with it. It's so summery, just in time for our week of summer in the UK!!
I would definitely make this pattern again although as with any sewing I learnt a few lessons as I went along which I'll share as I always think it's useful for other people who sew. I'm short and really I need to alter all patterns accordingly, this means altering the length of the blouse and the skirt, I didn't do this as I cut the pattern out and I wish I had as this would have been an even better fit than it is if I had!
What I did do this time that I rarely do is I did everything properly. I have sewn for more years than I care to remember but I'm a sloppy, I sew for me, I have never cared about technique or the finish, but I have decided I want to improve as people are starting to ask me to make for them, however I'm not happy with my finish yet, so I'm improving my finish on all my garments, then perhaps I'll start making for others.
Anyway things I did for this that I don't normally.
1. The pattern didn't have facings for the collar and armholes and I thought it needed them so I added them and I'm glad I did
2. I've always struggled with hemming fuller skirt so I found this tutorial
on Gerties Blog for Better Sewing and followed it, it was great and I'm so happy with the result, so much so I'm determined to make more full skirts.
3. I ironed seams at EVERY stage, not just when I had to, preparation and thoroughness in sewing leads to a better garment all round!
Ok so that's what I'm proud of, what am I extra proud of??
I fit back into one of my favourite vintage dresses, a 1950s gold lurex dress, I am chuffed beyond belief, I am overflowing with joy, now I need to go somewhere to wear it again!! It's a little tight still, it could do with being a little looser but I'm in it dammit and that is HUGE for me :o)
Apologies for the slightly blurred photos of my outfit shots, I have no idea why they did that, working with a timer confuses me, I must have pressed something else too!!
The weather was so gorgeous last week all I could think about was my Summer wardrobe. Of course now it's all changed but I can still think ahead!!
I purchased 3 different patterns last week 2 adding something new to my wardrobe, one not for me but maybe in the future, however I could not pass it up.
First up is this cute Marian Martin blouse pattern, I LOVE these patterns, they are my favourite patterns for blouses, in fact I have several of their blouse patterns. I really love all these, but the one that sold it to me was the middle one, I just love those tie shoulders!
And a really neat addition is the cutting from the paper that the original owner placed in the pattern, she's written the date on too, July 21, 1954, how cool is that?
Next up looks like a rather dreary old lady pattern, but when I saw the shape of it I thought yes I know what I would like to do with that!
I see this worn casually, not tucked in, over peddle pushers or jeans, with the 3/4 sleeve, can you see what I mean? It's also in a bigger bust size which is great for me!!
I have to say though I LOVE the back of this pattern, there are such fabulous nuggets of information like ' The price of the material is usually a safe indicator of it's worth' love it, so true as well, I never think you have to go crazy, but if you buy really cheap even today, it rarely lasts the distance. See if you can find any other gems....
And last but certainly not least this beauty!
I once had this exact bikini made by for me by a friend many moons ago (and many lbs ago too!). It was so complimentary and I've been looking for the pattern ever since. Obviously I won't be making it for me at the moment, but it could be a future project, either for me or as part of a project moving onwards eeek!!!
Do you like my finds? Do you have any plans for sewing for Summer?
It's true I love autumn and winter, but spring and summer is my shoe time. I think I must have lived in warmer climes in a previous life, nearly all my shoes are spring/summer shoes to the point where I struggle for autumn/winter wear - ok I say struggle, my husband and friends would disagree, but I certainly don't have as many options!
I should love to be modelling my spring/summer shoes for you today, but I have 2 enormous blisters on my insteps from extended walking without wearing sports socks with my trainers whoops. So all I can bear to wear on my feet right now are slippers, I have just bought special blister plasters so hopefully it will sort itself soon!
I have many shoes, I can't deny it, but when I thought about spring/summer this year, 3 pairs sprung to mind!!
First up, when I was doing some work for Miss L Fire I was lucky enough to pick these up, I love them. I did want some of the cream ones, but by the time I could afford them they were all sold out, but I'm pretty happy with these. They look kind of blue in the photos, but actually they are a mint green so I'm on the look out for some mint green fabric to make something nice in now!
Next are one of my go to pair of summer shoes, I love these! I bought them in LA many years ago, they remind me of sunshine. I also like that they are pretty inside where your foot goes, no one else knows but you do! They are obviously repro not vintage but they look fabulous with hawaiian shirts & pedal pushers, or a cute summer dress.
Last but not least my walk of shame. I bought these many years ago and they have never been worn, I just have not brought myself round to wearing them, but this is so ridiculous as I'm writing this I'm thinking am I actually crazy!! So this year for the first time since they were made - I'm thinking late 40's - I'm going to wear these wedge sandals. Aren't they just fabulous?!!
And to prove they've never been worn!
My craziness about shoes IS improving though, both last year and this year I've parted with shoes I never wear even if I loved them. In fact only yesterday I mailed a pair of shoes off that I sold on ebay, I wanted them to fit, they never did, and of course never would, so I sold them. What do addicts say, one step at a time.....
Right I'm off to sit in the sun and have a coffee for my break, hey when you live in the UK you have to take the sun when you get it!
