Couldnt resist !!!

I am just loving this year, becoming 40 is not as dull as I thought it might be and I still have a while to go yet !!!!

A couple of weeks ago I went to London for the weekend. I have family there and it was a pre-Milan shopping trip. I cant possibly turn up to one of the fashion capitals looking rubbish now, could I ???

Went to Westfield shopping centre and found some irresistible shoes, which 3 people commented on and I had not even left the shop !! They look sooo sexy on, but the picture only shows you how they look off. I think I will get a picture done with them when I am in Milan so that you can see where they get to.

I have even been getting them out of the box just to look at them. Who said shopping does not make you happy !!! I know they are lying xx

I also bought myself a Jasper Conran handbag. I do like it, but somehow it does not have the same effect as the shoes !!

I very rarely go shopping, and even more rarely , enjoy it. Me and my son had a lovely time with my Auntie and Uncle and I should really do it more often, but I am not sure if the purse strings can handle it !!!! Westfield shopping centre has soooooo much stuff.

Back View

Hi, hope everyone who reads this is well. Just thought I would show the back of the wedding dress sash from a previous blog showing the front of it.

I like to do my bows in seperate pieces, because I like them to stay in place exactly as I make them, I do not think a sash that you tie into a bow looks as nice on a wedding dress.

First I made the pieces that hang down the back. I used chiffon and bound the top edge with some satin because its firmer, and I was stitching this to the dress on one side of the zip. Then I put a popper on the dress and the bound edge. This means it will not hang off anywhere.

Then I made my bow pieces in chiffon, with a satin in the middle bit. I did start to bead this but found that because of the design on the front being wavy, it did not look right with similar beads on the bow. I had to unpick all my hard work !!!!!!

Being a perfectionist is a blessing and a curse xxx

(he he he )

So I opted for the gorgeous sew on Swarovski and used the philosophy , less is more.

The dress is gone now, I am working on other projects at the moment . I hope you have enjoyed looking at my creation x

Is it just me ???

Well, is is just me or does anyone else do this?

When I get flowers, on that rare occasion, I like to keep them for longer than most people would.

They are dying in fact. I still think they look beautiful, even in this state.

This is my last flowers I got and they were beatiful when I first got them.

But they are still beatiful when they look like this, dont you agree ????

Wedding Dress Sash

Amongst other things, I have been working on creating a new sash for a wedding dress.

The dress started off fairly plain and my customer wanted something with a bit of sparkle.

This is what I started off with.

I had a bit of muslim, cut in a strip, so that she could give me the correct width of what she wanted. She also wanted a bow at the back.

I started off with a piece of organza that was the correct width ( + small top seam) and used some chiffon behind and over the top of it and pinned it into place (as picture).

There was a small strip of fabric on the dress and a bow that needed removing so I had to undo the stitching that held this in place, cut and remove it. I had to undo an area along the zip edge and open up the sides to put the sash into it!!!!

I find it difficult to 'create' beaded areas, purely on a design level. What one person would like is not necessarily the same as you might create and because it takes a long time to hand sew beads into place, I must admit to being a little nervous !! I showed her some beads that I was going to consider and she liked them, Swarovski crystals, whats not to like, truly my favourites, plus a few others. Bit too extravagant a budget would have been needed for it all to be Swarovski .

I also got sew on ones (because I like them and did not want to risk burning the chiffon with some hotfix ones) which I got from http://www.cheapfabrics.co.uk/

She came around the other day to check out the beading, just to make sure she was happy before I continued with the back and the bow, and she was really pleased.

So, thought I would show you it so far.

Re-styling a dress

One project I have just done is a little unusual, and not at all easy.

A young lady comes to me every now and then with unusual requests, and this was no different, she brought me a dress

The problem was, she did not like the top of the dress, wanted it taken off and a new one put on.

I told you it was unusual.

Problem one; she wanted a top with floaty sleeves.

Problem two; dress has a side zip . A top with sleeves can not have a side zip !!!!

Oh yes, and there was no centre back seam on the skirt.!!!

I love problem solving and a challenge, just as well in my job.

I made a muslin top with floaty sleeves with a centre back seam. I found the centre back of the skirt, marked it and stitched a V shape around it because it was made of chiffon and would have frayed !!!

We had a fitting, just to make sure everything was to her liking and it was fine.

There was no way to find a matching colour, so we picked a contrasting one for the top.

Made the top and attached it to the skirt.

For the centre back I used the sash that had been around the waist, to surround the raw edges before inserting the zip.

I made a little flower, using a technique I found on a blog, to bring both colours together. Unfortunately I can't remember the blog, otherwise I would happily tell you where I got it from. I changed the technique because I could not find the blog again and repeat it !!!!! I was quite happy with the result though. Here is the finished dress

Christening Gown

The date for the Christening has passed , so I feel that it is ok to show you my picture.
As usual, my photography is below par and does not show the detail of the skirt or bodice.
The lace was taken from a wedding dress, it was then placed onto the skirt and bodice (as shown in a previous post) and then re-beaded. The flowers were also taken off the dress.
It is the first one that I have ever made and, although it took longer than anticipated, it was a pleasure to do. She is a beautiful little girl.

I WON , yay !!!!

I won a prize !!!!! I have never won anything before !.

Spratsie, one of the people on http://www.misi.co.uk/ had posted a thread to win one of her sculptures. you just had to pick your favourite one and say why.

I picked the one called Blowing Kisses Your Way . I really liked it, and as I am a wedding dressmaker, amongst other things, if it wasn't for love I would have no job !!!!! What a lovely name for a sculpture.

I am not giving it away either, its beside my TV , blowing kisses my way !!

Well, you can't possibly expect me to give away the only prize I have ever won, can you !

here, could you give this away x

She has other ones, and they are very reasonably priced, so if you are looking for a gift thats a bit special go to www.misi.co.uk and check out Spratsie store - The Seven Seas

Happy Valentines xx