Prettying up The Chores

I loved reading your comments on my last post. I do agree with you all wholeheartedly about the housework thingy you know. It's just that when none gets done on the day off then it gets really stinky by the weekend, but that's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes isn't it. I completely agree that blogging should just be about the fun of it, however, the odd comment is wonderful to let me know I'm not talking to myself, but then that always leaves me feeling guilty for the times when I fail to get back to say hello. So for now I need to banish all that catholic guilt and get on with the process of just being creative.

I'm massaging my pooter gently and thinking I may be a bit nearer a new one. I played the wheeler dealer today and sold two cars handsomely for cash. One I had dumped on our drive and the other I'd dumped at my mum's (in case you think I'm up to naughty stuff). 

At the beginning of the week, before all of this profitable dealing began I parted with a fair few pennies.

Off we went to a vintage fair in a fabulous Italianate garden. We went twice in fact as I got the date wrong, luckily one early, not late as that wouldn't have been good at all and I'd have missed all the goodies. Bundles of fabulous fabric and buttons along with an ironing board that I just fell in love with. If I have to iron then I want it to be pretty (and low, I forgot how these ones aren't made for 6 footers).

One bit of fabric was used for a tablecloth, so I collected that off the dealers friend on the market later in the week.

The Bun's bought hairbands and pretty earrings. Mr Bun settled for tea and cake in the sun.

Now isn't that a wee, but hard to resist ironing board no less? Plus a hint of bag making, more of another day. I have a bit of a backlog as I can't get this machine working often enough for me.

After a mornings perusing old treasure, it was home for lunch and time to keep the sewing itch scratched. I decided to brave dressmakers paper and see if I could transfer the designs from the Sewing Bee book onto paper. It was nowhere near as hard as I thought it would be. The squares translate as the same just bigger. I made marks where the line would cross and then joined them all up. As it looked like it should I went ahead and used the pattern I'd made to see what would happen.

I chose a simple dress and then made a few cock-ups. Not sure if mine or the patterns. Mine probably as I should know better having made clothes since my teens. Basically I made the bodice too short so it ended up in the middle of my bust. I should have measured it from shoulder to waist, but I forgot that dresses are never long enough here for me. I loved the pale pink spot I'd lined it with, but I'd used it all up in the first try so I had to go with what I had as you know what it's like once you're in the middle of something.

I measured and added another 4 inches to the length, cut the green spot and off I went. So confident was I that I added a label that I'd made too. Mistake number two.

The bodice wouldn't fit properly along the side then so there was no way a zip would have fitted in. All I could think of doing was adding a panel at the side. I left the dress alone in utter annoyance and waited for a solution. Then a dressmaker friend suggested I open the back seam and add a panel in there otherwise the front would have been wonky with more fabric on one side. 

Panel in and the bodice fits like a dream. I now need to add the zip and hem it to and see how it all looks. If I'm pleased I'll definately do a spin in it for you as it's been a blood sweat and tears kind of a dress. With my lovely new red sandals on and this sunny egg dress I think I'll soon forgot how hard it was to make you know.