Sew for Victory: Final Dress

Sooooo..... it's not the dress I planned on making. HOWEVER, similar to Rochelle it really helped improve my sewing morale. 

I wanted to make a 40's farm girl/ land army dress since I love the soft 'farm-ish' patterns and relaxed but practical dresses. From that I figured a shirt dress was the perfect way to go! 

I ended up using a 50's shirt pattern for the bodice since it was the only one I had on hand that didn't take any altering. For the skirt I went with a 40's dirndl style but pleated it since I thought it would look a bit sleeker that way. The fabric is my favourite, a printed Japanese cotton lawn, which is currently on sale (wooo!).

I should mention, I haven't given up on my original dress. I just don't want to force myself to finish it in time for Sew for Victory.

Dress: Made by me

Gum Boots: Op Shop

Necklace: Target USA   

Liv's Adventures in Cloudehill Gardens

Easter Sunday, my parents and I went off to the Dandenongs for lunch and a wander around, the very wonderland looking, Cloudehill gardens. It was overcast and chilly with the leaves on the deciduous trees agreeing that autumn was arriving. 

Outfit:

Skirt: Made by me

Top: Friends of Couture via ClearIT

Belt and boots: Op Shop

Tights: Top Shop

Bunny Ears: ClearIT

Sew for Victory: Part 1

(source)

Sew for Victory has started! Yay!

While I haven't gotten very far in my project(s) I do have a pretty clear idea for what I want to do. 

I've been saving up some fabric for this very occasion the first being this really pretty, possibly vintage, pink fabric (possibly a crepe back satin...). 

It's got a lovely flower design on it and it's perfect for a little lounge ware looking wrap dress I'd like to make. 

To do this, I've decided to kind of mash two patterns together, both of which I've used before. The first is a 1940's dress pattern that I love from my September 1948 edition of the Australian Home Journal. I've used it twice thus far and love it. The second is the retro Butterick B5152 robe pattern again from 1948. This pattern will give me the basis to turn the first dress into a wrap dress.

Unlike both of the patterns listed, I'm going to give the dress 3/4 length sleeves since I need more dresses like that in my wardrobe. 

So far, I've cut out my pattern. Hopefully, by next week I should have it mostly put together....

Doctor Who Look

This is a little outfit post that's from... actually, the same day I finished my cardigan (just a bit late, haha). I think I threw this together to do a little shopping. I wanted to dress a little bit Captain Jack Harkness ;)

Cardigan: Made by Me
Jeans: Dejour Jeans
Shirt: Borrowed from James
Boots: Borrowed from my mother
Braces: Jay Jays
TARDIS Pin: Armageddon 2013

Gulf Station

Last Sunday, my family and I went to Gulf Station, which is a little National Trust Farm about an hours drive from Melbourne. I pushed myself to go having spent all of Saturday on my feet until about 3am. However, I knew it would be a lovely day since they were having volunteers give examples of work around the farm.

There were big Clydesdale horses and tiny Shetland ponies, sheep being sheered, and chickens running a muck... wonderfully farmish!

It was nice to be able to wander around and get to see a woman ironing with the old, heavy, black irons. First, putting wax on it and then wiping it off on a scrap so the clean linens don't get dirty. The old clothes on the line was a nice touch as well. 

Along with the many barns and covered areas, there was a quaint little farm house. The house was lightly furnished and purposefully left in mild disrepair in places so you could see the foundations. It was really cool seeing the beams and construction.

Just before we left we saw some blackberry bushes back in a ditch and picked some for blackberry apple pie. Yum!

While the trip was a wonderful experience, it was nice to get back home and take off my boots after walking all around the farm.