Autumn/Winter wardrobe plan - completed items!

As promised, here are some pictures of the things I've already completed from my Autumn (and Winter) colour plan, which I designed to be a capsule wardrobe of things that match, which should also match stuff I already have and pull into regular use some pieces in my wardrobe that didn't really go with anything.


Pinafore skirt - made by me from a self-drafted pattern
Sweater - knitted by my mum from a 40s pattern
Shoes - Irregular Choice (gift from Aerospace Boyfriend)
Cherry Jewellery - Classic Hardware at Rockers England (gift from Aerospace Boyfriend)


Here's a better view of the skirt fabric and the buttons. It uses black, ruby and teal from my colour plan, along with a neutral brown.


I've now made three of these pinafore skirts - I really want to show you the yellow one I showed a sneak preview of in the post linked above, but the fabric is such a loose weave that I have now ripped the side seam twice, meaning I'm either going to have to wait until I drop a dress size to fix it, or make another one with a slightly larger hip measurement as it obviously can't cope with being pulled tight when I bend over. Curse you, ample derriere!


Everything as before, except boots from Alternative Footwear and skirt made in a black, ruby and white tartan.


Here is the jewellery I already have which fits in with the colour plan, and I can also include all my neutral diamanté and pearl pieces.


These are some lovely new bits which fit in with the scheme - two tropical hairclips made my Miss Tiki, who I met when we both had stalls at the Cheshire Go-Cats Rockabilly Meetup, which was great fun. You can find her trading on facebook here in the Ooh La La vintage swap and sell group, she doesn't have an online store yet but her things are definitely worth seeking out! We swapped for these, she took one of my teardrop shaped fascinators in teal with a cherry and cream orchid decoration.


My little octopus! His name is Osgood, I love him.


Clip - MissTiki
Sweater - Tesco, this is another A/W plan buy, I'll show it you properly when I've finished the skirt it's going to go with!
Red bandana - Rockers England
Navy swallows scarf - Primark, comes in a 2-pack with a cream and brown one with horses on it.


This is the fabric for the next pinafore skirt I'm making, teal with a tiny ticked cream stripe through it. It's more teal than in the picture, my camera/lighting gave it an orange cast for some reason. The butterscotch colour is the lining, another colour from my plan, and the buttons look like little waffles!

At last, I return!

Hello people of blogland, I am delighted to say that I finally have my computer back, after three weeks of stone-age living while my laptop spent time at some enormous Tesco corporate repair centre, presumably partaking in electronic enemas and resting its shattered nerves. Apparently they had to replace the motherboard, I'm just glad it is still under warranty, I can do without having to shell out hundreds of pounds on basically the most expensive replacement part a computer could ever need.

I've got plenty of news and completed sewing projects to show you, but unfortunately since the government banned all light bulbs over 40 watts and I am now lit by the dingiest, cheapest bulbs available, my house is no longer suitable for photography after dusk and you will have to wait until grim, frosty daylight slithers over us for me to capture images of the aforementioned sewing projects.

In the meantime here is a picture of the fabric I'm using to make this year's Christmas dress, and the vintage pattern I'm using.


I think Americans call this type of fabric doublekint, I'm not sure if we have another name for it here - it's not something you see commonly in fabric shops in the UK. The houndstooth side will make up the body of the dress, and I'm going to flip it and use the plain black side for the collar. I'm also modifying it to have three-quarter length sleeves as this will be a Winter dress.


If you fancy this design and happen to be a vintage size 20 1/2 (41-35-45) or are able to resize patterns, there is another copy of the pattern available on etsy here. Mine has the cute 50s envelope too!

Teal dress plan - the mock up.

After careful scrutiny of my knitted teal fabric and some unsatisfactory tummy-bulging when I recently tried on some knitted skirts in Primark, I have decided not to make a dress but to stick to the original pattern and have it as a top. I have a suspicion that there's not enough for a dress anyway, I have just over a metre and the pattern uses a lot of excess fabric to make the pleated sections and faux shrug section. It's also much more sensible with regard to my Autumn/Winter wardrobe plan to make a top which goes with many skirts rather than a dress which goes with nothing.



Here is the mock up of the top, cut from some crappy stretch t-shirt fabric. As you can see, I cut one piece out backwards due to the confusing nature of the pattern, and it makes me look really pear-shaped. This is because there are some serious bust issues going on - it's about four cup sizes too small, despite me adding inches to the pattern. It should be relatively easy to rectify now I've worked through the construction once.


The red line shows the underbust line of the top, the green line shows where it needs to be!


Also, I'm not convinced that a top made from a stretch fabric needs the four waist darts shown in the pattern, or that there is any need to cut the front of the top and the bust section as two sets of two mirror-image pieces and sew them together - it seems to me that it would be perfectly viable and much neater to cut each section as a single piece on the fold.

Giveaway winner!

As promised, but later than planned due to computer issues, here is the winner of my 100 followers giveaway!

I used the random.org number generator, and included everyone who commented on the original post.

The winner is (I don't know how to put the graphic in so I just copied the text, argh!)...

Min: 1
Max: 18
Result: 8
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Cheri Pinktrix! Congratulations Cheri, please drop me a line at your_zombie_sweetheart (at) hotmail.co.uk to let me know your address and choice of trim colour and I will send your fascinator off on its journey to Canada!

A spanner in the works.

Sorry to those waiting for the results of my giveaway, my laptop has died so unfortunately there will be a delay in drawing the winner! I'm writing this on my phone, hopefully all will be back to normal soon as the laptop is still under warranty. See you soon blog friends! x

Moustache Madness, and giveaway!

Just a reminder that if you've not done it already, or fancy a couple of extra entries, my 100 followers giveaway will end at midnight tonight (GMT)! I think that's 1am for my European ladies and about 7-8pm for my US readers, depending on your location! If you've already entered but fancy another chance you just need to blog or tweet about it and leave me a separate comment on the original post. You can win a gorgeous Kalandra Jane Designs leopard satin fascinator!


Also... please support my boyfriend as he grows a moustache for charity in support of Movember! This month-long event advocates the sporting of fine facial fuzz in order to raise funds for The Prostate Cancer Charity and the Institute of Cancer Research's testicular cancer initiative. They hold the event worldwide and support different men's health causes according to region.

He has started a very fine blog to document his follicular adventure, and unbeknown to me he appears to have some fine comedic writing skills going on. You too can follow the development of his upper lip from this...


...to this. (Source, copyright Paul Clarke Photography.)


You can donate to our Movember team here, every penny is appreciated!