Travel Wallet and Luggage Tag

It was my friend Lucy's 21st last week and so I made her a little something I've had pinned for a while. I want to make one for myself because they are awesome and it was fairly easy and quick. The tutorial can be found here.

I did two holders instead of the three in the tutorial as I think that I would only use one for a passport and one for a ticket - I didn't think what else could be put in there as most things would be in a wallet.

  

I would have liked to put on a different colour button but this was all I had.

For the luggage tag I just used some plastic cut from a plastic folder, simple!

Jubilee Shirt

I realise this is a little late but I did start on this shirt on the Jubilee weekend - better late than never! I used Simplicity Pattern 2599 (C). 

It was much harder than anticipated and I have since decided I think I prefer creating from online tutorials than patterns, although I will try again. The Jubilee theme is obviously reflected in the colour scheme. Initally this was going to be a mock up before I made a shirt with my good fabric but I do quite like the colour scheme and the way it turned out so will probably wear it after all. I did of course make a few mistakes, mainly due to my haste to get it finished, the biggest of which is that the flounces are not very straight and a little off centre. You can't tell so much but it has to be quite strictly ironed for them to stay in place as a consequence so I may stitch them down. Other than that, (apart from the various "help me" emails and skype chats with Wendy - thank you!), I managed fine. I did have to undo a few things and redo them but nothing major. I did shortcut a step in that instead of hemming the flounces, something incredibly difficult on a curve, I just left it as the material wasn't particularly fray-ey and it was only really a mock up. It worked fine as you can see below.

First unassisted dress!

I apologise for the lack of posting. Exams are now over and I did think I'd have a few things up by now but all the other things I'd been putting off until after exams got in the way. I did spend a lot of time circling fabric shops and looking at patterns and ended up buying my first pattern - a summer shirt with flounces from Simplicity. I picked it because it looked easy. What did I know.. I started it last week and am still working hard on it, having emailed and skyped Faron's mum Wendy may times about things I don't understand. I was quite eager to get something up on the blog as it has been too long now so I gave the shirt a rest for now and started a dress I have been saving for a while now on Pinterest. It's a super easy tutorial for "the most flattering shirt dress" from Prudent Baby. If you have never made clothes before this is a great place to start (as I did!). A lot of the dresses I have and love are this shape so I wanted to make it in this lovely fabric I got in Spain last summer.

I did have a few problems, which were to be expected. I cut the neck far too low and obviously couldn't go back so ended up sewing the V neck together at the bottom. It was also very puffy under the arms and above the waistline and not really flattering so like in the tutorial I sewed a diagonal line from the waistband to the bottom of the armhole.. many lines.. to fit! I think my armholes also were too big but I know for next time. I really liked using the bias tape for the armhole and neckhole finishing, something new for me.

It's very light material so great for summer. I am looking forward to wearing it.

Hopefully my shirt will be up soon and another dress I have been working on/finished, but did wrong and have to unpick.. a lot!