Funky Finds... Sunglasses and Silk Scarf

So this Bank Holiday weekend, I have been sewing and *slightly* shopping- I'm trying to be good. So, in Galway (I'm a English lass, living with and marrying a Dutchman and living in West Ireland) there is a Sunday market not too far away, it's in the most ugliest settings- a half built, half abandoned business park (yes, grey) and businesses and average folk sell stuff.

Apart from excitingly adding to my herb windowsill.... with Applemint, a Baby Basil and Chives.... Fresh herbs rock. Fact.

Have a look at these from GANT for SS12:

I think I hit jackpot, without spending a fortune...

 

Scarf: 50c (yes, half a euro)

Sunglasses: €3





The silk scarf is also a pleasure, going back to my colour default of navy and my new love, hints of red. I don't know ladies and gentlemen... I love buying vintage/cheap/quality and I am persistently becoming averse to spending money on naff quality from VERY iffy sources. Just look at the turmoil that Roobeedoo goes through trying to find the ethical policies of the bigger clothes companies. Basically it's like having a chat with a politician regarding a boo-boo in the cabinet. It is becoming more and more apparent that the clothes that I have bought before from seemingly 'good-will' companies have just been a mass of words with absolutely no meaning.

You can't polish a turd, but you can get glitter to stick to it*

On that note, I am going to complete Lesson 12 of 15 of the Bombshell Dress- 'Adding the Zipper'. I'll keep you posted.

Bundana

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*Phrase of the week. I have also mustered up...

"Not all that shimmers is gold, but dogs eat tinsel"

Hmmmm, I see a very unsettling pattern of my sayings here. No more. Promise.

The Bombshell Sessions #5 - The Sarong Song

More progress made! To recap, here are the 15 lessons on the Craftsy course are:

1. The course introduction
2. Using the downloadable pattern
3. Cutting the muslin
4. Fitting the muslin
5. Modifications for larger busts
6. Making pattern adjustments
7. Underlining: What, Why and How? 
8. Starting the outer bodice
9. Finishing the outer bodice      
10. Cutting the sarong skirt         This blog!
11. Making the skirt                    This blog!
12. Adding the zipper
13. Adding boning
14. Finishing details
15. Finishing with hem and vent

This is my Mondays work of cutting and making the skirt. I only have white and yellow dressmaking carbon paper... the red and the blue carbon paper that I have found is OK for tracing darts, size being 28x30cm squares, but for tracing pattern pieces- nay. Does anyone know where I can find a large piece (or even better, pieces) of large blue or red or anything DARK carbon paper? Let me know. 

So I forcefully traced the pieces out, you can see my problem with only having a white or yellow dressmaking sheet available in this shot, there is a lot of white and yellow going on on the wrong side of the fashion fabric. So brute force and the '3 S's' were implemented... to moderate success, enough to cut out with 70/30 optimism.

There is the yellow, just there... on the right ear of the giraffe and the left of the butterfly. See what I mean?

I only added a 4cm hem allowance to the dress as I am a 'Cat A short-arse' and doubt that I will even use that. As Gertie suggested, I totally omitted the piece #9, which goes underneath the sarongy bit, as I would like the more fitted, accentuated look. I think I will make my other 'Bombshell' with a Full Circle piece and be proper girlie for wedding number 2 in July. Remember the fabric....

Yummy. But let us go back to 'The Rumble in the Jungle' dress....

As predicted, the sewing of the gathered sarong skirt onto the bodice was predictably a test for me, but I got there in the end. A lovely honesty comes with the videos that Gertie has made- she totally hacks up a seam allowance, but that's OK... unpick and go again. I am a generally a bit more feisty than Gertie, I am a firm believer in the '3 S's' (swearing and screaming and smoking) and then breathe... and return to project. Over the gathered piece is a small pivot that got swallowed up in my first attempt at sewing the bodice to the skirt, I wasn't that foul about it actually, I unpuckered and then make exactly the same mistake again. LIVID. Third time lucky... I nailed it! 

I then graded and then sniped and then ironed the waist seam upwards into the bodice... phew!

As I have gone along, I have pinked my seams, this is going fabulously well with this cotton lawn, the finished seams that Gertie uses for the Shantung is lovely (sewing the smallest of seams on the seams, to neaten) but no required for my fabric, a pink here and there is sufficient.

So here is my dress from the inside:

Here is a look at the beauty, from the lovely outside:

A brief guide to what you can see here... 

Bottom left: Clive's temporary rest spot, until I finish this dress and sewing him a nice 'sewing room' suitable one (i.e. funky, colourful and made by me)

Above rest spot: Artwork made by Sick Bookies (one of my bestest friends since schoolio) and Kitty Finegan (she is amazing too, pop art and beautiful. I won a print from her... lucky me!... I am also making a dress inspired by the colours and the style, watch this space...)

Mannequin: My amazing pressie from my in-laws, yayayayayay! 

Tripod: Set up to take time-lapsed pics of my tomatoes and cucumbers growing on my window-sill.  I know, I know... but I am happy... so that's all that matters. Ahem. Toms and Cucs can be seen on the pics above, massive!

Man pointing a gun at you: No silly, that's another bit of art I picked up. 'Tis Samuel Jackson from 'Pulp Fiction' and behind him is old Johnny T. 

Oh yeah....

Dress: Wahoo! Coming along great, isn't it?! I just love it. It has it's glitches, but all the seams are matched up, the bodice looks great and the sarong is singing!

PS. My landlord gave me a dress, here it is (yes, she rocks)... 

She came to have a look how I am getting on with the 'Bombshell' and quickly realised that I am a tad eccentric with my clothing and promptly brought around this to have as she had bought it off the net and not liked it. Any suggestions on how I can add a bit of couture? It's lovely, but a simple sheering around the waist (which is not tight enough) and a lacklustre halter-neck makes this in a need of renovation, but I LOVE the fabric! It's mighty funky!

Do let me know any thoughts and musings, about this or in general- I am open ears (well, eyes... but you know what I mean)

Bundana

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Bombshell Sessions #4 The Outer Bodice

This was a hell of a days work, actually my job is easier! I have got the outer bodice finished now.

Tunes of these session #4 days: Alabama Shakes, Bombay Bicycle Club, Belle and Sebastian and RATM (when I was v v mad)

Only 5  more videos to watch and I have the whole of the weekend to do a massive chunk of the piece as I am oncall for my job, so no no NO red wine and all this sober Caffy means that I can sew my heart away!

.... nicely!


No puckers now after a massive seam ripping (and swearing and screaming and smoking... let us call them the 3 S's) session. In the tutorial video for placement of accurate bust pieces, Gertie gives a gem of advice... sew the seams together and you will KNOW that they are always in place. Genius. I did thus and was a happy camper.

BTW, I realised that when I was making this final edition of the dress, I had made all my muslins with the left and right bust pieces on the wrong way... Gawd knows how I managed to make them fit and look passable! I think maybe because I had focused on the body of the bodice and as usual, ignored and tried to pretend that my small bust area doesn't exist! So now, I am left with a final dress coming together and everything in the right place... The bust is too big now. ACK! I have according gone through the 3 S's (see above paragraph in the brackets) and then decided to use a thicker cotton batting on each bust piece.

So now, just the two bust pieces to go in and then we are hot to trot with finishing the outer bodice section. Twill tape, smill tape.. I used some ribbon that I had lying around. What a dapper trick, twill tape easing, that's a keeper!

I highly recommend, if you are making this dress or are thinking about making this dress- insert the batting cups with the bodice away from you as this gets a better fit. I thought that I had nicely slotted in the cups on my first attempt, but no... I had cut and basted by this point so I had to make them again. Unpick wicky!

I then used a catch-stitch to secure the cups in from the bottom. Nice visual from Gertie on how to do a catch-stitch, so clear that I realised that I have not quite been doing it right for quite a long time, oh well. Now I know.


Here are two shots of the completed bodice on my NEW DRESSMAKING DUMMY! Yes, I now have one... my lovely in-laws bought me one AND I have a new laptop too from my lovely fiancee... Lucky ginger bird that I am!

I cannot wait to get this dress done, it is growing up into a strapping dress and I am going to be so delighted to sing that 'I made this'.

Bundana 

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The Bombshell Sessions #3: 15 lessons, 3 weeks, 'Bombshell Sessions' : The Itinerary

Muslin done... looking good and ready to rock 'n' roll.

After studying the Sew Retro: Bombshell Dress course itinerary a bit more closely- I have realised that it isn't as bad as I thought.

The plan:

9th of June - 'Rumble in the Jungle Dress' must be completed

14th of July - 'Blue Bouquet Dress' must be completed

The 15 lessons on the Craftsy course are:

1. The course introduction
2. Using the downloadable pattern
3. Cutting the muslin
4. Fitting the muslin
5. Modifications for largers busts
6. Making pattern adjustments
7. Underlining: What, Why and How? Completed over this weekend :D (20.5.12)
8. Starting the outer bodice
9. Finishing the outer bodice
10. Cutting the sarong skirt
11. Making the skirt
12. Adding the zipper
13. Adding boning
14. Finishing details
15. Finishing with hem and vent

Underlining is a doddle and a self-satisfying step in the right direction. The outer-bodice video is really helpful. I know what people mean when they say that if you follow Gertie to the letter, you can't go wrong... it's true!

Then I'll be finished and rocking these weddings!!

Up to press, I have completed 6 of the 15 stages. Not bad. 

Today is the 25th of May. I, Caffy Bundy, will get this first dress done by the 8th of June... working relentlessly to get it done. Lets get this Sew Retro: Perfect Bombshell Dress DONE!

I have 7 full days of sewing, no work and no drink (oncall for theatres) so I will get this finished pretty darn fast.

7 classes... 1 and a bit days per class... lots of blogs for you to read.... Bombshell Sessions just cranked up a gear....

Bundana

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The Bombshell Sessions #2 Finished Muslin

Thanks for all comments about the last muslin. I think that I have made all the changes needed.


Here is, what I think, my finished muslin...

Any comments or suggestions.... Please get involved and leave me a comment!


Changes:

• I have increased the top of the cup (Piece #1 from a size 4 to size 6) as it was borderline 'flasher'
• I have removed 1/4" from Pieces 4, 5 and 7. I left the whole of the #6 alone as it sat well on my back.
• I have left the waistline where it is on this muslin, but I think I might have to raise it a bit.
• Now I have seen these pics I have added 0.5cm back to piece #7 as there are some horizontal lines

Not long left to complete this badboy now, but I have 3 full weekends to get it done and not a lot else to do, either... so expect BBC Radio 6, Diet Cokes and blogs a-plenty about how my progress goes!I played a blinder with making 3 Colette dresses at the same time as this dress, my interest has been restored and I am tinkering about with 4 projects at the same time is giving me an enormous amount to do- but that's the way that I like it!

I've even got a schedule to get the 'Rumble in the Jungle' Dress done by the 9th of June... I am a machine at the moment, so motivated!


I have got 2 weeks off from the 4th of June, so some serious 'Bombshell Sessions' are available... yipee!


Here are the supplies.... 

This is going to make one funky dress! I can't wait :D


I wish that I could wear all these dresses shoeless, then I would not have a problem wearing them at any opportunity. I like quirk. Quite often, the quirkier the better. After some soul searching with my tastes again (I found the choice available of fabric out there hard to decipher what my taste was anymore... I liked it all!) and have decided that I like a little bit of most styles. Some days I feel like whacking on a beret, some brown shoes and a mac and being a little bit twee and a lot pretentious (honesty is the best policy) and other days I feel like wearing a Cherry print dress with 5 inch red Mary Jane stilettos. After organising my existing clothes and accessories... I have come to the conclusion that I need some more.


eBay!


I have the following as saved searched over here in Ireland:

1. Dresses Ireland (Sz 8)
2. Shoes Ireland (Sz 5)
3. Silk Scarves Ireland
4. Vintage Ireland
5. Sewing Ireland
6. Fabric Ireland
7. Curling Tongs Ireland
8. Irregular Choice Ireland
9. Poetic Justic Ireland
10. Beads Ireland

Muhahahaha, it is working a treat!

Until next time!

Bundana

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