The mock up - part two.

My friend was going to wear her dress to a Christening, as things usually go. The Christening turned out to be the day after her Son's wedding. I decided to dye the mock up to see if we could get her another dress.

And after dying it a Royal blue.

We were both happy how lucky we were in that the two duvet covers came out slightly different, creating this double shaded effect. However as we had not planed on dying the fabric earlier the cream thread I had used showed up really clearly and I could not let her use this dress. I would have been really embarrassed over it. So the make up will be taken apart at some time in the future to use as another mock up, because there is an awful lot of fabric there that can be re-used.

It is not much of a post on what I have done but I did want to share how the dress turned out and how two fabrics that look the same dye completely different colours even when dyed at the same time.

Next time I will be sharing some old projects that I have done while I begin my new study schedule.

Love to you all Sew Vala. x   

The black and white dress.

And now we arrive at the dress

The bodice band is hand sewn on to the outside of the bodice.

By adding my little label at this point I was easly able to see the front from the back, as the curved neckline is only ever so slight and the bust darts are hidden under the bodice band..

The front waiting for the skirt to be attached.

The front of the completed dress.

Dress and bolero,

And a little finishing touch, some pretty lace on the linning.

She will be wearing a large fully white underskirt, so as not to have a different shade of white I have used a very delicate shade of blue.


I hope to get a picture of my friend wearing the dress. But yes she loved it. And I am awfully proud of what I can do. So I have decided I needed this push to get way out of my comfort zone to do things with careful acuracy (apart from spelling. of course)

Sew Vala x 

Oh and by the way the pattern was Vogue 2902

Another direction? Time for a change ?

I have been wondering for a while that a change is required to update and refresh my blog.

I have seen some lovely blog designs out there, background, title designs etc.
I have asked my daughters to help me design and change mine, as any teenager does, they start get board then give up and walk away to do something much more intersting instead.

So I thought I would change slowly, while I figure out the tech stuff.

Firstly the name of my blog, (I know I have talked about this before, but it turns out I was not ready).
When I started blogging I was not ready to open myself up to the world, ok I know I do not have mega following like some, and I like that. but still I hid and since I won the blog award in which you give a little more of yourself to your readers I realise I am still hiding.

When I first started blogging it was under the psudo Sew Vala and the blog was titled 'make it sew... trial and tribulations of sewing'. This I chose as a trekker, trial and tribulations is a  DS9 episode and a pun on TNG make it so'. But graduly I thought this title made it sound as sewing was such hard work. Yes it is I am a slow learner, mainly because once I do something I like to repeat it over and over before I move on  (look at the amount of shirts and dresses I have made from the same pattern) perhaps I should move on more quickly, this way I would learn more to get out of my comfort zone. But sewing and making is also really enjoyable and what I live for. If I cannot create I get 'nouty', grumpy if you like.

So I changed the title to Vala Sews...  with the intention of adding a witty line but the witty line has never appeared, because I cannot think of one. Any way Vala was choosen from one of my favourite characters from SG1 another sci-fi show, My real name is Di. I am a very ltteral person, I once asked my friends to sum me up in one word, idiviualy, to see what they would say and they all said the same thing, unconventional. Which to be honest I was very pleased with, I thought and still think its cool.

I have a very small bussiness selling jewellery, lapquilts and handbags that I have made in the past at craft shows. But my goal is find a style and sell unqiue clothing, or made to order. I have had lots of inquries into the yellow hoodie and plan to make more in different designs of my own which is a start. I have discovered a great love of Japanese Gothic Lolita or Gosu Rori as it is known. It was my daughters who showed me these and have asked for me to make them these clothes as buying them from Japan can be very expensive. My eldest saved up and bought a fabulous outfit from Japan, when it arrived, she was rather taken aback. The outfit is lovely but made from such cheep material she was a little disappointed but loved the overall design, she payed almost £100 for this outfit. My skill will get there and when it does I will be able to create a similar outfit for less than half of that. For which I am sure she will be happy, and if this makes her happy I hope it will make other too.

So in the future there will be inspirational pictures and hopefully completed designs from Gosu Rori while I learn and then some of my own creations. I think my daughters may feel I myself am too old for the look but with some adapations I may 'get away with it' outfits. Along with the Steampunk I adore and of course many more loud shirtd for S.H. I am trying to get my son into them but with no success, jogging bottoms and hoodies for him, I am sad to say.

What does the future hold, well I hope a bright and new colourful blog, with a new name (please keep an eye out for the change and do not be surprised when it happens, wondering who is this.)

Wow what a long post with no pictures, therefore here are a few with visions of a bright new new future.

 

Until next time you lovely people Happy creating,

Di (Sew Vala). x

First steps into the refashion trend.

There's been no blogging from me for the past few days. I have been busy sorting out bussiness stuff, and general life. But I have also been keeping up with the blogs that I follow and I came across a new one the other day that I have found rather intriguing.

Refashion co-op that can be found here .

In case you are not familer with this site, the premise is to take items of clothing and refashion them into something new.

I have been watching and learning and have decided to have a go. With the hope that this will take me out of my comfort zone of bag making and after a few go's of refashioning clothes to start what has been my long term goal of actually making my own clothes.

So at the weekend I went on a charity shop hunt and came away with these items.

A top for £3.50, the botice fits great but the neck piece is far too snug and the zip goes all the way to the top of the collar. Thinking cap is on.

A strapless cotton dress with full underskirt for £8.50. I bought this with the intention of making it into a high waisted boned skirt by following House Of Marmarlade tutoral which can be found here

So far I have cut off the top of the dress and then I changed my mind. I am much more of a dress person, no need to match separates, so off I went pattern shopping for inspiration. I have decided to add a top to the dress/skirt/dress, to give the impression of separates but the simpleness of a dress.

It's a girl's 'thing' to change her mind constantly, thank goodness. I will keep you updated on the progress.

Happy Tuesday to you all.
Sew Vala.