The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pattern: Vintage Simplicity 7454

On Instagram there is a wonderful hashtag set up by Lisa from Tessuti Fabrics. It is #vintagepatternsearch. Basically you post a picture of the pattern you're trying to source, in the hope that someone out there in Internet-land will have the pattern and lend it/sell it/give it to you.

I desperately wanted to make this beauty, Simplicity 7454.

I could find the medium on Etsy, but I needed the size small. So I hashtagged away. Luckily, Colette from Tessuti had a copy she was willing to lend me. Even more luckily, Colette traced the pattern for me and sent it to me. Thank you Colette! I was so stoked to receive it.

This pattern has a bit more of a story since I received it. Since I got my mitts on Colette's pattern, I managed to get hold of another copy for Christy, who is now sending it to Jillian. Who knows where this pattern will go next!

For now though, my copy is staying with meeeeeee. Hehehe.

For this version, I made the midi-length, in a heavy-ish black linen from my stash.

Well, I love it!

Changes I made:

• Took it in at the sides by 1cm on each side. 
• Tucked the facing to the inside - the pattern calls for it to be on the outside.
• Omitted the buttons/ties. I can get it on over my head without any closure. 

Those ties were nearly the death of me though. I could not get them to sit flat. It took three goes of unpicking and repositioning. Lucky I like the dress so much.

Can you tell I'm pleased with it? I wore it for the first time in Melbourne two weekends ago, and it was a dream to wear. Very comfy and cool. I am definitely making more!

Vintage Vogue 7164: Dress #2 for the Sydney Sewing Social

Way back in December 2010 Lisa posted her Christmas Party Dress, Vintage Vogue 7164.

Well, I've been trying to source that pattern since then. I almost had it once but got out-bought on Etsy. So annoying. Finally I just buckled and emailed Lisa to borrow her copy. I should have done that in the first place. Colette also had a copy, so when she sent my pattern testing stuff, she sent me the pattern! Yay!

I mentioned earlier that I bought some beautiful Italian printed linen in Brisbane. I decided it would be perfect for this shift dress. So I made it specifically for the Sydney Sewing Social, knowing I'd want to be comfy, and that it would most likely be hot and humid.

What do you think? It is a bit different from my usual style I think. Or maybe not? Linen seems to make up the majority of my wardrobe.....

I originally had my on black wedges, new black dinosaur designs earrings and bangle, and a black bag, but I couldn't hack walking in those wedges anymore. Luckily I came prepared.

Leith took these photos en route from our hotel to the meet-up at Tessuti. I have to say at this stage we'd been on the go since 6.10am (I blame our early-rising children for this), and I was feeling a little bit peakish. But I came good after a salad for lunch and some Gin and Tonics a bit later that afternoon.

I really have to learn not to (a) slouch and (b) not stick my gut out when posing for side-on photos. 

I made two changes:

1. I lowered the armholes by 3cm and
2. I lowered the neckline by 3cm. 

I underlined this dress in a very light lawn from Spotlight. The pattern calls for this, and I was very undecided but Lisa told me she hadn't but thought it needed it as linen can be sheer. I'm really glad I did. 

This dress stood up to a breakfast out, a lot of walking, a lot of fabric and other shopping, drinks at the Clock Hotel and dinner at Bill Granger's restaurant. I think it performed well. It was really comfortable and I felt quite chic - I think because the shift dress shape is a chic one (and I was channelling those very cool line drawings on the pattern envelope) - what do you think? 

1st Birthday Party Dresses!

A year has passed since Little M arrived. I can't believe it has gone so quickly. Being a mother has been amazing.. it has been extremely challenging, and extremely rewarding. I can't imagine life without my little darling.

We had a birthday party for her this saturday just been. We had friends, family, and my mothers' group around. There were about 40 people, and it was so much fun. Little M was given a swing set and a slippery slide from my brother and sister and their partners, and all the kids just loved it.

I sewed both Little M and myself party dresses. I used New Look 6970 for Little M's dress:

And I used McCalls 6673 that I have sewn before for mine:

And I think we both looked a treat!

Little M wore a white long sleeved tee and white leggings under her dress, as while it was a beautiful warm day, I didn't want her getting too chilly. Little M's dress is made from beautiful linen and cotton I got from the lovely ladies at Tessuti as a gift when I had Little M (thanks Lisa and Colette!). I have more fabric they gave me which I am planning to sew into some pants and a shirt for Little M soon.

My dress is made from cotton sateen from Spotlight. I don't often fall in love with fabric from Spotlight, but I went there to buy some thread and saw this... and just wanted it badly. So I got enough to make a frock. I wore it with a red patent belt and matching red patent peep-toe flats. I made no alterations from the last time I made it.

I had so much fun preparing Little M's party. I made her a rocking horse cake out of the Vintage Edition Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake book. I love this book.

I was very lucky in that my Mum and Dad came down from Queensland for the party and were able to help out by playing with Little M while Michael and I baked and cooked. And Ruthy was there to help me as well - she did the horse's reins, eye, eyebrow and mouth. And blew up balloons (I'd forgotten how much breath blowing balloons up takes!).

The party was a wonderful marker to commemorate our special little girl. It was also a marker to end my time as a full-time stay-at-home-mum -- I started back at work yesterday. I'm doing 3 days a week, and today I'm exhausted!! At 3pm yesterday I started to yawn and yawn -- I'd forgotten how tiring it is to sit at a computer all day! And my feet hurt like hell from wearing heels all day.

I'm going to sew some work clothes soon - anyone got any suggestions? I have to wear relatively conservative corporate wear. What do you wear to work?