An early surprise

As an early gift I got these earrings from my sister. They are gorgeous! And this being one of my favourite colours makes them even more desirable and will be a great detail with related clothes.

Quite by chance and coincidence I bought myself this beautiful scarf! What can one say to this. We were intuitively led by the same thought!

Another dress or two will certainly do!

Last week I sneaked (again!) to the fabric shop. What I had in mind was buying deep green velvet for yet another dress! After making the one in navy blue I yearned to make myself something romantic and feminine! One may think that I am overdoing it with the dresses but to tell you the truth my wardrobe is void of such garments. My winter wardrobe consists of corduroy trousers in several colours, the inevitable pairs of jeans and a ton of thick-fabric skirts. I have two or three winter dresses (not taking the formal ones in account) and they are so old I actually don't remember when I bought them. I consider myself a dress person and my summer dress collection is stunning while the winter one is deprived of them.
Thus I set on making quite a lot - five to be exact - (to compensate for all the years back) and I made sketches what I want with the green velvet and the red thin woolen fabrics.

This is what I came up with. I cannot decide on the red one. I love both variations and I still don't know which one is going to prevail.

While for the green one I want to make this:

Speaking from past experiences these may turn out quite differently because not once have my sketches been just a starting point. When I start working ideas rush down and I usually end up with something else. Nevertheless I have never been disappointed with what I've made so I hope this shall be the case this time.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Shamrock skirt

If you remember this dress then you know that when I got my scissors near it a large piece of fabric was left.

I played with it a little, pin it in various ways and the most favourable solution was this one with the two overlapping 'pleats'. Then I made two darts behind because it was still big and I added a zipper.

Since I haven't had any of the fabric left I couldn't finish it at the waist, so I used a black cotton fabric to make a belt which I sewed on the skirt and it ties at the back. I am quite satisfied with it and I feel I am going to wear it many times.
I also used the flower(pin) which I plan to make a necklace with, but used it as a brooch for the photo shoot.

My darling daughter took all the pictures and she did a great job! While we are here, my mother commented that I look like a Grumpy on my photos and that I could use a smile here and there. Of course I replied that my intentions are not be the blogsville's clown and that I am a "serious" woman (psst - don't take this for granted). However I am not Grumpy today - am I?
Are you happy now mom?

Let it snow, let it snow...

Well, after spreading away across the world - not surprisingly at all, and as a matter of fact being a bit delayed on the way (due to reasons unfathomable) Its Highness - The Snow - has finally arrived. The look on the faces of my children when they woke up in the room bathing in light from the whiteness outside was priceless.

Since Daddy was in charge of the snow day, they all spent the morning outside in play while Mum was stuck at home with orders! Not a very happy end of the week! Hopefully the snow will decide to reside in our city for a while so that I can enjoy it myself. I managed to make several photos later in the afternoon, but was not satisfied with most of them so I present only this chunk of freshness and beauty.

Cupcake dress

This is the second dress of the dress trilogy. I named it a Cupcake dress inspired by the lovely bibbed front which thanks to its appearance and the combination of colours and fabric reminded me of a delicious cupcake.

The dress is made of the softest woolen fabric. For the bib I used a contrasting piece of fabric left over from
this cotton beauty framed with ruffles of the same woolen fabric and adorned with a rose as a detail. I left the ruffles free to fray.

To complete the image of a cupcake I made a detachable pleated belt.

When I finished the dress I realzied that all the dresses I made this fall/winter are short-sleeved. But in retrospect I can't imagine the Bronte with long sleeves, as well as I can't this one. To be honest I wanted to make 3/4 sleeves for this one but that idea got lost o

n the way.

I had enough of this fabric to make Eva a pair of trousers which are also completely sewn but have to be photographed yet, and I guess that'll be a topic for another post.

Update: After posting it on Burdastyle it hit the front page again! Yay!

Snowflake, snowflake, where art thou?

We woke up today realizing disappointedly that the snow the forecast people promised to veil our town had failed to fulfill its duty.

The children had their noses pressed against the windows, watching the sky hopefully, wishing in vain for it to shed snowflakes. The trees stand barren without their bridal attire. There are no children out in the streets making snowmen, throwing snow balls, running with their sledges up and down the street. The cold has shut the people inside their warm homes.

Maybe tomorrow there will be snow to bring joy to the children and lift their spirits up a bit.....

I offer you a little colour to lift your spirits up. Hope you all have a great Sunday (somewhere with lots of snow!)

Birds of a feather...

... flock together.
I have had this bird tutorial on my desktop what feels like ages waiting patiently to be tried and the final outcome to be enjoyed.

I got the pattern from these crafty people. The pattern is well drafted and easy to make.

The original idea was a bird mobile and now I am sorry my children didn't have such a cool thing when they were babies. However I plan to amend that. First I am going to use the birds as ornaments and put them on the Christmas tree, and when summer comes I am going to make a mobile and hang it on the balcony. What a sight that would be! And during the transitional period... well I know I'll think of something.

You surely didn't think I could stop myself and make only a pair?! The more, the merrier! (Thank God it was too late otherwise I would've come up with a flock!)

I used vintage scarves for my feathered friends.

It was a real pleasure watching my children play with them.

Bronte dress

Here it is. My Bronte dress.

I have had the idea of the design for long now, but couldn't decide on the fabric I was going to make it from. When I saw this woolen fabric I knew it will be perfect for this - and it really proved so.

I love the dress. It feels so comfortable yet it is feminine, desirable and romantic.

That's due to the open neckline and the lovely collar which is ruffled a bit.

At first I wanted to make long sleeves, but just couldn't imagine the dress with such and I left it with short sleeves. Like it better this way.

Just as an afterthought. Many of you may wonder why the "Bronte" dress.

I have this insatiable desire to name my projects no matter whether it concerns clothing, a piece of jewelery or a plain napkin. I believe it gives them character and creates special feeling about them - and in the end - it's just funnier and cute that way! I am sure you all know now why it is "Bronte".

A belt destined with an emboidery

A couple of posts ago I mentioned buying several fabrics and I am happy to announce that all three planned dresses are 'almost' finished. Almost referring to the velvet one, which although being the first to be completed got stuck with its belt, because on the spur of the moment I decided that the belt should be embroidered with nothing less but a silver floss yarn. I am doing a slow progress and I swear I am not procrastinating.

To support this here is a sneak peek of the embroidery.

I hope to finish this soon.

The Magic of Christmas Cards

The month of December is very exciting for us all. Especially the children. The most joyous event for my children is decorating the Christmas tree and the buying of Christmas decorations and Christmas cards. The latter are the reason for this post.

I remember myself as a child burning with excitement when opening the mailbox and finding loads of beautiful and colourful Christmas cards inside. The joy and the magic of the moment as well as the sincere and genuine wishes for good health, love and prosperity they conveyed had made me fall desperately in love with the essence of sending and receiving these cards.

Understandably, I started collecting them. I have a pretty large collection as you may assume.

I also tried to continue this tradition with my children and they've taken the bait. When Christmas time is over, we take out the box with all the cards and before filling it with the new ones we go through them all, one by one, admiring the pictures, reading them, enjoying the good vibes.

What magic shall they bring this year?

Rose bolero tutorial

I have had this sweater for a couple of years now, but with every wash it shrank bit by bit and it got so small I didn't want to wear it simply because I felt uncomfortable in it. On the other hand I didn't want to throw it away because it was pure wool. So I decided to refashion it by making a bolero with roses for decoration. This is how I did it.

Step 1: You need a sweater or a cardigan desperate for a refashioning. Start by cutting it down the centre.

Step 2: Next take the edge of it and start gathering it (roll it, twist it) to shape it into a flower. You should gather it up to the neckline (at least I did).

Step 3: When you acquire the desired look of the flower, pin it and try it before sewing it on.

Step 4: Sew it in place.

Optional: I thought it will look richer if I add other flowers. You could decorate it with ribbons, sequins, beads, the lot.

Well, now this is a different story. Much better than before.

Burgundy cape

After two weeks of strenuous and stressful load of translation I wanted an easy project that shan't require much deciphering patterns and counting stitches.
For the easy project I had in mind I decided on this ball of coarse wool yarn that I bought simply because I liked the colour and I knew that whatever I make it will look a bit raw. And it does, but little do I care. I feel nice with it on my shoulders.

Thus, I present the Burgundy cape. It was too easy and plain even for my taste so I embellished it with a braided neckline after deciding that making a lacey edge is too much work and that it will not turn out that glamorous with this type of wool.

Golden leaves

Induced by my last refashioning, I wanted to try and make a blouse with a stand-out collar. The quick visit to the fabric shop yesterday yielded in dark navy velvet, light pink cotton and mustard-yellow blend which I had noticed on my previous visit there but was not eager to buy it then.
As soon as I got home today I set to work and an hour later - this is what I made myself.

I love the way the sleeves turned out!

I like the design so much I now want to make this into a dress.