Hello Dear Reader,
I am off to the Blog awards on the 28th of September and it’s a posh do in a hotel where I can’t wear wellies and I do have to wear a bra! I went to a few posh shops (including Fraser’s home) and found scratchy, nylony, cheap and nasty bits of scrap which anyone of you could have for about £150! I’m sure I can do better myself!
I must say, the staff in Fraser’s home were lovely and genuinely saw how frustrated I was. I tried on quite a few dresses and most didn’t cover my backside or boobs! Who wears these items? None of the dresses had sleeves, none were long enough and all were too expensive. If I found anything to fit me in the bust, then the waist was baggy. The waistlines were too high, and the arm holes were too shallow. None had hems you could alter to make any longer…………….oh for heaven’s sake I have turned into my mother!
It can’t be that hard! The last time I made a dress, I was fourteen and it was passable by the time I had finished it! I think it took me an entire school term! As I am not fourteen, not gazing out of the window at some young farmer playing rugby, this might not take so long. Dress making is kind of sewing by numbers as the patterns and instructions are well illustrated and so far, easy to follow.
I’m making a very simple dress from black polka dot cotton. If it’s totally rubbish, then I’ll have a lovely dress to wear in the garden and I’ll go to the awards in my work black trousers and a long sleeved black tee-shirt with a snazzy Yoosta-Bee scarf! I will be making a snazzy Yoosta-Bee scarf to go with this dress! I bought the three and a half yards of cotton fabric for £3.29 a yard in Trago. The pattern was expensive but I’ll use it again! Just like the wartime housewife, if I can’t buy what I need, then I have to be resourceful and make it!
I’ll also have a modest dress (harvest festival…………..all is safely gathered in!) which will be long enough, will fit me, will have sleeves (although short, I will not have bare shoulders) and it will be long enough. Even the dresses for tall ladies are not the 50″ long that I require to get a dress below my knees. Long legs get me places quickly but they are a job to find a skirt for!
I will keep you all updated of the progress of the blog awards dress. Let the dress making adventure begin!
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
So sorry I am not in a position to nip down and help you with the dressmaking. But confident that you will do a Fine Job. If all else fails it can be turned into a patchwork quilt later!
blessings xx
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hi Froogs…ah I wish I had long legs…I can only dream.:) I think you will do a very good job at making that dress. You are very logical which is what is needed when following instructions. Me I open a pack and start building then refer to the instructions. Well I am learning not to do that 🙂 I haven't made anything since secondary school but I know now I would have a lot more sense and hopefully patience than I did back then and you will too. Look forward to seeing your progress. Are you exited about the awards?
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You can do it!
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Well done you, I'm sure it will be lovely (as long as the other half doesn't dress as a young farmer or rugby player to distract you)Can't wait to see the results & good luck at the awards :0)
Love from Mrs T xx
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I bet it turns out just gorgeous x
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Oooh how exciting. What could be better than wearing something you've made to the blog awards. I do love it when people start to sew again. Can't wait to see how it turns out.
xx
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Good luck, with your sewing skills I'm sure it will be a triumph.
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Hi a friend recommended your blog and I am loving it.
I sew most of my own clothing so I know you can do a great job.
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Can't wait to see the dress Froogs. No doubt it will be lovely 🙂
x
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Oh I cant wait to see this dress Froogs. I bet you will do a great job as usual 🙂
xx
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Reminds me of the episode of 'The Good Life' where Felicity Kendal knocks something up out of some old curtains…with hilarious consequences!!
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I'll second you on the lack of wearable dresses. I need/want sleeves and a hem that hits the knees.
Oh, and not in a mind blowing swirly polyester either.
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If you can quilt up a storm, your dress will be brilliant!! I can't sew for peanuts. I've tried and tried and frustrated many a person who has tried to teach me.
I am sure with your beautiful hair and original dress, you will look gorgeous.
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The dress will look wonderful, and it will fit perfectly!
Me being short! (5 foot nothing) I have the same trouble in the opposite too long, so for my son's wedding couple of years ago I made a dress that fitted, and I shall for my second son getting married next year, but I did have to get a friend to help me make the pattern fit me so now I have a dress pattern that I like and that fits me perfectly!
Julie xxxxxxx
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Best of luck! I'm not the greatest sewist, a dress for an awards banquet would intimidate me. Keep us posted!
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I am visiting in the Seattle area and staying in a hotel. I thought of you this morning when a woman who was old enough to know better walked toward me with not enough on top and not enough on the bottom, either! Good luck with your dress! We can't wait to see it! PS I recently bought a pattern and want to start sewing clothes again. It's been about 40 years for me.
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I agree with you that you can't find a decent dress in the shops. As for the lack of sleeves, well, I'd better leave this one alone as I'm likely to go and on, ranting about it lol! I'm sure it's a cost cutting exercise from the suppliers!
I am sure you will do a great job of the dress (having seen pics of your other projects) but don't you have a really cheap piece of fabric to do a trial run? Then you won't risk ruining your lovely fabric. If you have time, of course!
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Good luck with the dress and if you get stuck with any fitting issues I would suggest http://www.thesewingforum.co.uk/ where there always seems to be somebody ready with some good advice.
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Oh I so agree with you! I can't find stuff in the shops to fit - generally if it fits at the bust it sags at the waist, I often buy stuff from Pepperberry as they make multiple bust sizes, but I am often not happy with their fabrics or quality. And also as you say, nothing is made in the UK! I have clothes from M&S from 15-20 years ago which were still made in the UK, but now no longer.
Unlike you I've never even used a sewing machine, so the thought of making my own is very daunting, but I am getting closer and closer to taking the plunge with every frustrating shopping outing.
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I completely agree with you about how hard it is to find a dress that fits, I'm tall and long bodies so dresses end mid-thigh which is far too short and shows off my lumpy legs! And I can't believe how many sleelevess dresses there are in the shops, don't they know women like to cover their arms? I'm also thinking about going back to dressmaking which I haven't done for 30 years. I've bought some patterns, have collected together some lengths of fabric (some given by a friend and some from boot sales)and just need to get stuck in. Looking forward to seeing your finished dress.
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I know just what you mean, I struggle to find dresses that reach the knee and have at least a cap sleeve, don't the shops know that's what women want? I'm also thinking about taking up dressmaking again, I have several lengths of fabric picked up at boots sales, and bought several patterns 1/2 price recently, so no excuse. Just got to get started,I haven't sewed for 30 years!
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