The Sewing Room

Bobbykins

Eddi -that dress is amazing, wow, you clever thing. I feel put to shame now .

Georgiabay - thanks, yes, the bodice is lined with the red fabric.

Annybananny - the fabric came from a place called "the Fent Shop" in Macclesfield - it's where I tend to get most of my bits and pieces.
They have a website http://www.fabricsatthefentshop.com but not sure if they do on-line sales or not.

pennib - you are so right, next time I get paid I'm off for some more fabric to make another version, this time trying to put right the bits I did wrong.:o

Thanks to eveyone else for your comments, it's very kind of you.

formaldehyde_perfume

Bobbykins wrote: »

OK, here goes. If it works, here is a picture of the raw materials and then one of the finished dress. I DID warn you that I'm not much of a model, didn't I?

here's the raw materials:_



and here's the dress




It's by no means perferct but I have to admit I am pleased with the fit after all the faffing and altering of patterns and trial runs!

(Running away to hide now)

Wow this is great! I love it. I wish I was the right shape to wear it, I'd totally make one for myself if I was.

eddi

Bobbykins wrote: »

Eddi -that dress is amazing, wow, you clever thing. I feel put to shame now .

Genuinely don't. I'm actually too chicken to commit to making a very nice little dress to wear more than once every 4 or 5 years I forced myself into making the blue beast as I wouldn't have had a costume and I did have that tutorial to help me along. I'm hoping now I've found this thread that I'll be inspired to stop being daft and have a go and reading about you making your lovely frock has started my little sewing fingers itching :beer:

pennib wrote: »

My goodness Bobbykins that dress is wonderful. The material is really, really nice. I bet you don't want to stop now do you :T

Eddi; That is some dress. I love it :j I can understand your pain in altering/adjusting/fiddling/stressing as I do a lot of it myself!!
But the end result is amazing. Love the little hidden pockets arn't they such a good idea. You shall go to the ball madam

Pocket hoops are the way forward. Much better than a handbag ... but visiting the erm, ladies is not an easy experience! I pilfered one of my nans old plain sheets to practice with to get the pattern of the dress altered and made at least two mock-ups of the bodice section and back pleats. I think its worrying about altering patterns that stops me from making things to be honest. Maybe I need to buy a job lot of cheap sheets :undecided

rufusdog52

Eddi and Bobbykins, I love both of your dresses, they are really fab xx

Savvy_sewing

Alas my laptop is not showing the pictures of the dresses that were made! just says image not available. Oh well!
No sewing done here yesterday, and I doubt any will get done for another week now its halfterm. DGD will not let me out of her sight to do anything.
But I will be keeping up.

LindseyandMatthew

I am so excited, bought some fabric today for my first project, a nice (hopefully simple!) shopping bag

Keiss_21

rufusd!!!2 wrote: »

Keiss, your post made me wonder, you said you made school!!!

Ah..it should have read school bag!!

Claire_Bear wrote: »

Hello all, I have a couple of big makes coming up so thought I'd join you all so I can pop in and vent my frustrations! Didn't realise quite how many projects I had backed up so here's my list:

Very Hungry caterpillar patchwork blanket and play cubes for OH's sister's baby's first birthday. Bought this material from eBay and am waiting for it to arrive: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390388431698?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 Deadline: 27th March

I was going to say that you could get those fabrics from Jackies Fabrics too..but you have got them from her fleabay shop!! Didn't know she was there too!!

Bobbykins wrote: »

Annybananny - the fabric came from a place called "the Fent Shop" in Macclesfield - it's where I tend to get most of my bits and pieces.
They have a website http://www.fabricsatthefentshop.com but not sure if they do on-line sales or not.

Love the dress Bobbykins, nice and bright.

Ooh I know the Fent Shop! I used to go there lots of times when we lived in Macc...moved away 16 years ago, but glad it is still going. Is it still up the stairs in the Mill? My DH worked in an IT company also in that building, but the company went bust, hence our departure!!


Wow lots of wonderful makes...no piccies from me yet, still not found the camera ...may try out my new phone instead...perhaps it'll be OK, will try in daylight tomorrow first. I have finished all 26 squares of free-motion quilting...gooig to choose the best for the bag, though I might include my first to show how well I improved! Need to to quilt the gussets and the handles yet, but will do that tomorrow.

Love your dress too Eddi, I made a mediaeval dress for a company Xmas do in a castle...seven or so years ago. I used gold velvet curtains (from a charity shop) and bought an upholstery remnant as the centre panels. I too ended up with a too-small pattern, so made my first attempt using the curtain linings...they ended up as the dress lining so worked well. Will root out the piccie...on the 'puter somewhere. Ah just remembered, all my piccies are on the hard drive attached to the pc - on my laptop atm. Looks like I wil be posting a few piccies once I get organized!

Wow, pennib, those birds are beautiful, well done you!! :T:T

Belated Birthday wishes Hart, welcome to the 6th decade!!

Can't remember who mentioned it, but I have that Quilting in no time book too...it's quite good. I used the log-cabin cushion cover instrucions to make a pot-holder last year...my first ever attempt at patchwork, turned out quite well! Going to make the pincushion in the next week. I knew I had a pattern, but couldn't remember where it was. Thanks for reminding me to look at the book!

I need to have a go at making something tonight for DH to give on Valentine's Day. he is out, so no chance of him sneaking in while I am working. Been doing some planning, so need to get sewing!

I'll pop back with some piccies in the next few days.

Have a good Sunday everyone x

Apologies for the long post...sorry!

Bobbykins

Hi Keiss - what a small world!

The Fent Shop is still in a mill building but it is on the ground floor now. I didn't know it when it was upstairs I'm afraid.

There used to be a couple of fabric places on the indoor market in Macc as well but they have gone now and for quite a long time there has only been the Fent shop. I have always got everything I needed there and they are very reasonably priced too.

I believe a new stall has just started up on the indoor market selling quilting/patchwork stuff but I think it is quite expensive, still I may just have to take a trip into Macc to check that out.

jennyjelly

The Fent Shop also has a fleabay shop here, don't know how the prices compare to the b&m shop though.

Georgiabay

Sewing machine help needed please........

My SIL has unearthed a sewing machine in her loft and brought it over for me to look at as she can't get it to work. It's an old Brother that someone gave her years ago.

It looks to be threaded up ok but it won't pick up the bobbin thread. When I put the bobbin in and turn the wheel by hand, instead of the top thread going round the case and bringing the bobbin thread back up to the top, the needle just goes down and back up again without doing anything.