Not getting very far at finishing things but I am inspired ... thank you Tilly and 70s icon Julie Christie

I love Tilly and the Buttons's new dress:

the whole 70s feel reminded me of one of my favourite style crushes - Julie Christie.

I particularly like her style in 'Dont Look Now' which has an autumnal,wintery feel to it - a-line skirts, boots, skinny jumpers:

It's misty here in London this morning so my mind is flitting to clothes for a cooler season.  What about a dark denim version of Tilly's dress with a shirt under it, boots and big, floppy Julie Christie hat?  Something to work on....another new project

 

 A final wonderful Julie Christie fashion moment - wow could I ever make a coat like this it is just sooooo glamorous?  I love it!!

                       

Developing the discipline to actually FINISH things or put more positively time to get sewing (again)

Summer again and my Dorset rose is finally happy and blooming, it smells so good.  I can't believe it is almost a year since I have posted anything.  

Well I really want to get sewing again.  I haven't stopped reading blogs and dreaming about what I will make but other parts of my life have somehow got in my way.  I have a pile of unfinished items so my first thing is to finish them off - it's a bit of character weakness but I love, love, love starting things and I am not so good at completing them.

My UFOs (UnFinished Objects) include:

1. Iris shorts from Colette Patterns in neon check - all cut out and just need sewing up - have been on the pile of shame since last summer

2. Rooibos Dress - another project from the amazing Colette Patterns  - almost complete and includes my first attempt at french seams - just need to attach the zip:

3. My beautiful denim wraparound skirt which is all sewn up and I just need to finish the waistband.  I hit a block because I didn't have enough of the fabulous reversible denim/star fabric:

 which I bought in Tokoyo (more of that later) so I have come up with another solution but I haven't finished it yet:

 this skirt was based on a pattern my lovely daughter Kitty bought  at a car boot sale in Devon last summer:

and I was inspired to make it when I saw Tilly and the Button's wonderful Miette pattern:

which you can download here.  I couldn't justify buying the Miette when I had such a similar pattern in my collection but I really want to support her pattern making as I am a big fan.  I love Tilly's patterns and I bought her Mathilde blouse which I can't wait to make once I have cleared the UFO pile. 

4. Need to finish my Sencha blouse Collette Patterns (again) think I'm a bit obsessed I just love the clothes and the patterns are super easy to follow - heming and attaching a collar:

Finally I haven't been wearing my denim ginger I made last year and there was a flaw in the front seam so I decided to refashion it and make it a straight/pencil skirt.  This is my worst offender in the unfinished category - it is all sew up and I just need to tie up the loose thread - I mean really giving up so close to the finish line -where is my willpower!!  

These UFOs could be my  entire summer wardrobe but I do need to complete them before summer is over and  I am dying to start a number of new projects: Bombshell swimming costume, Mathilde blouse, Kelly skirt    and the list goes on ....

Pretty pockets and more ...

Thinking about details and decoration - I  bought this sundress from Camden Passage and I love the embroidered pockets with piping:

My summer dress getting some real sun in Venice:

I love the daisies and forget-me-knots embroidered on this table cloth I bought at a car boot sale - I would like to copy them and add them as a detail on a navy dress collar.  Or on the accent o rthe pockets of a  Roobois dress:

There are some inspiring ideas here on the Coletterie Blog.  I love this collar tutorial on Elegant Musings - cant wait to have a go myself.

The neverending LBD refashion

I think I have made this refashion overly-complicated and too ambitious for my sewing skills - oh well.  So the question is when will I ever finish my attempt to turn an M&S skirt (see this post:) from this (excuse the terrible photo):

To this (I like a challenge) or something vaguely inspired by the beautiful Audrey:

Progress so far.  Firstly I used the bodice and neckline of Colette Patterns Chantilly for the top as the circular neckline reminds me of the Hepburn dress:



I made an effort to be a proper seamstress and made a muslin:

I learnt to underline ( thanks to Julia Bobbin) here:

It is almost finished but (even with the muslin) there are some fitting issues I need to address on the bodice and the improvised scallop hem of the underpinning needs sewing. 

Next time I attempt a scallop hem I will use this technique (which I discovered on Hettersonjournal Pinterest ).  I only discovered it after I had cut my cloth (oops).  Almost finished ... just need to remove some of the excess around the bust - I really will feel a sense of achievement when I get to wear this out!

Bout de Souffle

I love Jean Seaberg in Jean Luc Goddard's 'Bout de Souffle' and whilst googling my style crushes I found this picture:

Now I REALLY want to make this dress - so I am on a mission to find the fabric and a pattern - rummaging through my vintage patterns - maybe I can adapt one of these? 

Not sure where to find the thick fabric though .. I love Rolls & Rems on 21 Seven Sisters Road, Islington

London, N7 6AN (telephone: 020 7263 3272) it's a bit chaotic but piled high with fabric and bargains:



(Slightly bodged) beautiful Beignet skirt

After messing up the sizing/fitting I have finally finished my Beignet (I skipped the belt hoops and belt as I like the cleaner lines and if I'm honest I had run out of steam on this). I really love the end result even if it is a little bodged - the red linen remnant only cost £2 so it is a bargain.  I have to admit the colour inspiration came from Tilly & the Buttons - I love her red one and the whole 60s movie star thing she has going on in this picture:

It got my mind wandering off and google-imaging all my 60s style crushes - Audrey, Bridget:

And of course the gorgeous Jean Seaberg - I really want to make this dress for our non-existent summer - need to find a good pattern:

So now thanks to Tilly and some google wandering - there will always be something about my bodged Beignet which will transport me out of rainy, grey summer-less London to sunny Rome in a black and white 1960s movie - all I need now is a head scarf, stripey breton top and cats eye sunglasses...

Sewing block?

I seem to have hit a wall in the creation of my gorgeous red Colette Beignet skirt - I cut all the pieces out too big.  I got confused about seam allowances and US sizing.  So it all been a bit messy.  The skirt is a bit lumpy and misshapen - not very inspiring.

Do you ever get to the point where you feel fed up with something you are making?  It's not how you thought it would be? 

Like my attempt to re-fashion an old M & S skirt into a Breakfast at Tiffanys Dress - yes an overly ambitious idea but if you have seen this amazing clip on You Tube - Breakfast at Tiffanys Dress by Zephyr Graham Paris Custom Made  - she just makes it look so easy.  You can see her in action here: 

So I've decided to just post a few unrelated inspiring things to take my mind off my inability to finish the Beignet and the Audrey re-fashion.

One of my best friend's - Lucy Miller's gorgeous knitwear (you can find her at Cockpit Studio - Holborn)

The full moon taken through my generous colleague Thalis's telescope for my daughter's homework - I had to stay up until 2am to get this shot but I think it's an amazing full moon.

Roses and geraniums

This is a wall made from old computer keys at the James Hotel in New York - it's wierdly beautiful and a great example of recycling as art.

Yes I know that none of these relate to sewing but I just needed to take my mind off the things that aren't working.  Any suggestions on how to get going on a project that has hit a wall? ,