I am no seamstress. I need a manual to know how to thread my sewing machine. In my defence it’s an old one I bought a few months ago in a charity shop and this is the first time I’ve used it. You don’t need to know any more about my sewing skills than that 🙂
However, I had a clear Sunday, good sunlight, Venus Dodge by my side and lots of potentially wonderful fabrics..
..and second hand baby clothes that I’ve been hoarding for years for the day when I would be overcome by the urge to sew something for Sasha.
Today was that day.
I chose a baby dress, all white embossed cotton with ready made pin-tucks at the bib. I only had a day, not a week 🙂
I struggled with lining the bodice. Knowing which bits to sew together and which bits to leave open….you don’t need to know that when you’re knitting, so it doesn’t come easy. After a few flicks of the ‘quick unpick’ or seam ripper, I more or less got it right and managed to put together a very simple, sleeveless dress. Then I couldn’t find my button-holer, which I know I have somewhere (!) so I went with press-studs.
And then when they were on and it looked like a real dress I got a bit pleased with myself and probably went a bit too far and added a bit of vintage cotton lace around the neck.
I don’t know why I did it, it’s not a style I’ve ever seen or wanted to wear, but I just had some lace, a needle and some white cotton and I was on a roll. I might well take the collar off, but here is the finished dress, well maybe I’ll also add a petticoat because Pintucks looks to be having a Princess Diana wardrobe malfunction silhouetted against the light. Now remember I’m a novice 🙂 ……
Unrealistically mad with power now  🙂  Next week dungarees !
Well done, it looks really good although i think I agree that the collar is not needed. Snaps are better than real buttonholes in Sasha sized clothes imo. 🙂
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Yes, the collar’s a step too far 🙂
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That is so beautiful and inspirational, I love the material you’ve kept and you’ve definitely transformed it into something to cherish. I admire anyone who can knit or sew as I can’t do either. I enjoy all your posts and your fresh vegetables remind me of the Rapunzel story!
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That’s very kind of you to say, thank you xx
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You’ve done a lot considering you’re still getting to know the sewing machine. Working out the assembly order for a garment is sometimes one of the hard things to master with sewing as it isn’t always obvious and making a mistake along the way can be disheartening. You’ve produced a really pretty dress with the vintage ready pin-tucked material – well done.
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Thanks Anna, I’d like to take lessons and do it properly. It was fun just having a go though 🙂
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The dress came out beautifully! The fabric is exquisite and I think the added collar gives the outfit a very elegant look. Well done!
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Well done Linda, that is a great use of that fabric and a lovely result, personally I would take off the collar….don’t guild the lily!
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Well done Linda very good for your first attempt, I particularly like the unusual way that you have joined the bodice to the skirt, I have not seen that type of stich used for that before and you have done very well on the pintucks. Looking forward to seeing the dungarees .
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How beautiful!
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Your dress looks amazing. Congratulations. Just love the material and those pintucks on the bodice.
I like it both with, and without, the cotton lace collar.
Well done on adding a sewing string to your knitting bow!
Look forward to seeing your take on the dungarees.
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What a great job – didn’t you do well!
I always think you need time and to be well organised to sew, while knitting is easier to pick up and put down. Clearly you are well organised!
I have to ask – what’s a buttonholer?
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I’m only organised sometimes Rosie. Yesterday was a fluke. A buttonholer is a buttonhole foot you can attach to your sewing machine.
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Great job! It looks really lovely.
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