Been a newish blogger I’m always extemely late to the party.
The only Victoria I knew was a cake filled with buttercream, but you guys were all wearing yours as blazers!
But hell no! Not this time. I’m gonna be banging on the door and the wine won’t even have chilled!
I happened to sign up for an alert from Colette for their new pattern release. So when I received the email yesterday, with 20% off, how could a girl resist the stunning Dahlia Frock!?
Raglan sleeves.
Bias trim.
No facings.
Unlined (I can live with that)
Their description on their website obviously has a lot more adjectives, (HERE) but I need to move on.
Last night was spent printing and taping, I only printed out version 1 (above) but sooooo many pages!
I woke up at 6am. The wind was howling outside.
“Yipppeeee!”
I should have been playing golf (it’s Tuesday so that’s what I do if I’m not working), but not in this weather. After a couple of texts my days was set.
Chop chop
Snip Snip
Sew Sew
AND HERE WE HAVE MY NEARLY FINISHED, HOPEFULLY VERY WEARABLE, MUSLIN! (and a hungry family – sorry no pictures of them!)
The fabric is blue linen (1.5m remnant on ebay about £4) , and the contrast plaid is leftover from my niece’s 1/2 circle skirt I made last year. The linen creases like mad, looks worse in the photos, but presses beautifully.
Sorry the pix are a bit naff, but it’s dark, late, and I’m drinking wine. I promise when it’s finished i’ll have some amazing better ones.
The front gathers.
The bias trim on the sleeve. I thought I wouldn’t be able to use the plaid as it’s a wool mix and quite thick. But after a trial run I was happy with the result.
The Back. What else can I say except we all like to know what’s hiding round the back when making a garment. You try and find a picture of the back of one of these Dahlias and at the minute you’ll be lucky! I think the model’s bum must’ve looked big in her frock so they gave it a miss!
HELP!! Yes, I know it’s only a kick pleat, but how on earth am I supposed to hem it? There must be a tutorial out there somewhere, please enlighten me if you know of one.
Another look at the front. Please excuse Gertrude muslin/frock peeking thru. She won’t take it off! It looks very denim blue on the photos, but it’s really and electric blue.
Hopefully I’ll finish it tomorrow. But it’s my sister’s birthday Friday and I’ve promised her a Coco Top, and I’ve not bought the fabric yet. I’m going to Dewsbury tomorrow. Lucky Fabrics is only open on Market day which is Wednesday and Saturday. Dewsbury really is worth a visit. There’s a few places to visit, very reasonable cheap, and there’s a train station. Heard of Fabworks? HUGE shop (only open Mon-Fri, but sometimes Saturdays). Sells everything except stretch cotton sateen! Not got an online shop but worth a visit. They had a coach load of women there 2 weeks ago!! Can you imagine! Hey, it might’ve been you lot!!
Anyone fancy a day out!?
PS It’s nice to be back. I’ve not been anywhere in particular. Reading your goings ons, lots of sewing, but not had chance to blog. Tho I’m not apologising, cos you probably haven’t even missed me! x
T H I M B E R L I N A 
I’ve missed you! Glad you are back. Love the dahlia. I saw it and loved the pattern, reminded me of the Anna Dress. Good luck with fabric buying today!
Aw thanks Amanda!
It reminded me too of the Anna – I think it’s the gathers under the bust. Managed to come home with only 2 pieces of fabric today – a charcoal ponte knit for my sisters coco and more leggings fabric. I’m so addicted to making leggings!
Well done tho! Only two! I have been at a Sustainable Travel Award ceremony….to collect a gold award, naturally wearing a dress made for the occasion in bike fabric! Lol i am sooooo crazy!
Crazy’s good!
Can’t wait to see it! I’ve got some London bus fabric….could start a bit of a trend!
Oooooooo! Is it Cath Kidston???? I wanted some of that to make a circle skirt and then buy the cardi they do to match. But i could only find furnishing fabric and wasnt sure if it would work? Apparently we are now in for Regional School and if we are rhe ceremony is in London……i would need one for sure! Haha
I think mine is furnishing fabric. When I was at Fabworks in Dewsbury a lady was buying some and there was just short of a metre left on the roll so I snaffled it up. I was planning to make a tea cosy to send to my tea mad sister in America. I’ve not washed it yet but I think it will soften up, otherwise it would make a VERY A-Line skirt!
Have a look on the Cath Kidston website and there is a grey cardi rpwith red buses on the pockets! Its fab! You wont want to be making a tea cosy when you see that! Haha
I missed you! Nice pattern but I have so much trouble getting Colette patterns to fit me it puts me off trying.
Thanks!
This is only the 2nd Colette pattern (not including the Sorbetto). My first was the Albion coat (for me) which wasn’t fitted so was ok.
My Dahlia’s nearly finished, so fingers crossed it will be ok!
Love the tartan trim, looks great 🙂
Thanks, it was a bit of a gamble with it being thickish wool fabric but so far so good!
Such an entertaining post. – we HAVE missed you:)
Thankyou!!
I think it was the glass of wine I had whilst writing it!
I love the dress! Great color and with the trim it kicks it up on a whole new level 🙂 I missed you too glad to read your post. Happy Sewing.
Thanks, I’m really pleased with it – I’ve never had anything tartan, well not since been a grown up, also the electric blue is a new colour for me. Now going to have a dilemma what colour shoes to wear!
Oh that’s a pretty pattern! Quite clever of you to put in the plaid. Looking forward to seeing the finished dress!
Thanks Linda, I’ve nearly finished – just the hemming to do but I’ve not hemmed anything with a kick pleat before so I’ve been lots of googling trying to work out the best way.
Clearly you will need to buy new shoes to go with the dress!
I like how it is looking – I’ve always been partial to a bit of tartan – I love the way you’re using it without it being overwhelming.
I’d be so up for a trip to Fabworks some time – it’s a good couple of years since I was there. However, as I was meant to be stash busting this year and have managed to buy literally four times the amount of fabric I have used, I might need to get my sew on before I can justify it!
Mmmmmm….yes, or maybe some long boots. Will know better when it’s finished.
I’ve got a couple of golfing buddies and we meet up for some sewing malarky (usually once a month depending on other stuff, but nothing set in stone) to swap patterns, share ideas, shopping and generally drool over what each of us have made. Something that can’t be done with non-sewing friends. If you want to make one in anytime that would be great!!
I’d love to. I don’t really know anyone irl with an interest in sewing – would be good to have a natter some time!
Fab, I’ll let you know when we sort something out. Are there any days which are good/bad? Every week’s different for me cos of my shifts, and Helen & Jeannie tend to juggle their work a bit.
Perhaps this will help with your hem?
http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/tricks-of-trade-how-to-hem-inverted.html
It’s for hemming an inverted pleat but could be adapted…
Sherry’s the most fantastic sewing resource no longer on the web!
Thanks Sam, I hemmed it yesterday morning, wish I’d have seen that tutorial before. It’s Fab! Thanks for the link, loads of other great tutorials there too! 😃
Indeed, Sherry is a wealth of information and so generous for sharing with us!
I hope your hem worked nicely, nonetheless.
Pingback: Dahlia – My Christmas Dress | Thimberlina
Nice blog! I found you when I Googled Lucky fabrics, which I discovered myself yesterday on a trip to Dewsbury with a couple of sewing friends – we bought loads, and will definitely be going again!
Thanks Fiona, yours is too – had a read earlier.
Also I had a look to see what happened when you googled lucky fabrics too as I didn’t know i’d pop up, and I found the sewing forum which looks really good so I’ve signed up for that!
Thanks for stopping by!
Excellent! The Sewing Forum is great, I’m glad you found it 🙂