There’s nothing quite like a challenge to get the sewing and blogging juices flowing. More so when it’s raising money for a very worthy charity.
This year for the BIG Vintage Sewalong there’s 20 patterns from Retro Butterick, McCall’s and Vogue to choose from.
A donation from every sale will be made to The Eve Appeal – a charity rising awareness and funding research in the 5 gynaecological cancers. Last year over £8000 was raised for the same charity through sales of the Walkaway Dress!
I drooled over almost every pattern, but my final choice was influenced by an invititaiton to my niece’s wedding in September. As I usually have to make 2 or 3 muslins I wanted this dress to be something special, rather than something to be just worn once then stuck at the back of the wardrobe.
I love the tea dress look and the nipped waist, but short of wearing a ridiulously tight corset a nipped in waist is out of the question.
Vogue 9082 grabbed me the most, and as it was slim fitting it wouldn’t require oodles of fabric. Meaning I could splash out on the price per metre!
Here’s how it’s descibed on the vogue website……
Lined jacket has collar, slightly, shaped front hemline, elbow-length dolman sleeves and front bound-button closure. Top has notched front hemline, short dolman sleeves and scoop neckline. A, B: Semi-fitted. Dress has shoulder straps, fitted bodice and lined, front pleated skirt. A, B, C: French darts. B, C: Side zipper.
I was sold!
I loved how the notched top gave the shoulders a little modesty which would be needed during the ceremony. And the jacket – how the sleeves finished level with the waist.
The wedding isn’t until the beginning of September, but last Saturday we were invited to Ripon Races where a new frock was in order. So I decided to make up the dress and see if I felt comfortable in it before I made it up for the BIG day.
Felt comfortable!!??
Understatement of the year!!
I felt a million dollars!!
After 3 muslins of the bodice I’d gotten the fit fairly spot on, which made me look like I’d lost another 7 pounds! It’s amazing what a well fitted dress can do!
I’ll cut the fitting process and save that for later, I’m too excited and need to show you my favourite new frock!
Don’t you just love the shoes!? These are my sister’s and went perfectly with the dress!
Yay for Pattern matching!!!
(ignore the escess fabric – just when you think you’ve fot the fit spot on!)
Still smiling despite only choosing one winner out of 7 races!
What a car! Shame it wasn’t a Vintage Rolls Royce for the photo.
An embaressing moment for the hubby when i asked a complete stranger to take a photo!
I’ll save the fitting process for another post, don’t want to bombard you too much! But before I go, in case you’re wondering where I found this gem of a fabric here’s how it started off………….
I’d nipped down to Dewsbury to collect a parcel for Del from Fabworks (it’s on it way soon I promise – I’ve been adding to it!) and to look for some fabric for THE dress. (I’d already done the muslins at this point.) Then I got a lovely surpise (thankyou Del!) and had a reduction in my bill when I got to the til :-0!
I wasn’t sure which was the right side of the fabric……….
But thought I’d decide which I preffered when I came to cutting out.
By chance I snipped away at some of the netting which was appliqued onto the fabric….
And then this – the front bodice piece
Turned in to this…..
WOWZA!!!!
I then had to painstakingly snip away at every flower, every leaf and every stem.
My arms were aching more than after a Body Pump class! The fabric went everywhere with me for a week, and finally the day before the Races I was ready to sew it together!
Like most of us who sew, it usually down to the last minute. I was still sewing the hem in the last hour before we left!
Fancy joining in??
There’s even a tea party near you where you can wear your new frock.
Check out the Big Vintage Sewalong Event Calender to see what’s happening near you! I’m hoping to make it to the Afternoon Tea at the Knitting and Stitching show in Harrogate in Novemeber. Fingers crossed I might even see you there! I won’t be turning up in a Rolls Royce though!
T H I M B E R L I N A 
Looks amazing, your pattern matching is well impressive 🙂
Thanks Margaret! My only regret is not saving this amazing fabric for the actual wedding! I’d no idea it would turn out so well! 🙂
Wow that dress is stunning, I’d have never have thought to cut round each motif like that but your patience & tenacity has paid off and I think it fits great. I’d be tempted to wear it to the wedding too it would be a shame not to wear it again. Is the background silk? Going to have a good look at the other patterns now and see if any tickle my fancy!
Aw Thankyou! I am tempted, but it’s been all over my Facebook now so all the family has seen it! And it would be a night mare to pattern match the jacket or top to the dress. I think it’s some man made fabric, likely to be polyester. It was a dream to see though and pressed better than i expected. I’m sure you’ll find something you like!b😃
The dress is fabulous. You look a million dollars Ali.
Thanks Margaret, I did feel pretty special wearing it 😀
Can’t believe you spent all that time cutting out the flowers in the lace. So totally worth it. It’s just amazing xx
I don’t think I’d have bought it knowing I was going to be doing all that extra work, but so glad I did. It’s a bit like having a baby, Ive forgotten the pain now I have something beautiful, lol 😂
Lovely work!
Thankyou, it’s definitely my favourite dress I’ve ever made! 😀
You look fabulous. A truly unique dress as no one could do the same fabric again. Love that you are walking around with a liberty bag!! KxXx
To thanks Karen xx The bag had my flat shoes in – we were walking back to the car. I’d had too much rosé and pimms to be bothered to change them tho! 😂😂 I’m surpised it doesn’t show how tipsy I was on the photos! 🍸 hick!
Wowsa! I nevah woulda guessed it was the same fabric from that piccie you sent, which made me think of a strange python pattern! Your patience with all that cutting sure paid off in a truly unique fabric. And I feel honoured to have had a part in bringing it to you. But now I want my fabric!!! xxx 😘
I can’t find a grovelling emoji but I am really sorry Del, it’s in the post today 😘 (with a couple of surprises, one I’ve been waiting for in the post, but I admit it came on Monday so I should’ve posted it then) xx
Lovely One, with all you have going on there, you shouldn’t be groveling to a soul, let alone moi! 😳 (Very embarrassed)
I was worried about you & your men folk-everyone okay? Work ok? YOU OK? Plus some books just went missing in mail, which happens to a lot of folk these days… horrible thought….
Nevah would have wanted you to feel like that! 😢 sniffle-snuffle…..
Can we hug & share cuppas & chocky bickeys? (I’ll bring me packet so’s we don’t worry over who gets the last.)
Lovely to hear from you and we’re still besties! 😘😘😘😘😘😘
Y-E-A-H ! ! ! ! !
😘😘😘😘😘😘
You look stunning. Dress looks very classy. Well done.
Thanks Manju, I love an excuse to wear a nice frock and heals, just wish I had more! 😀
Absolutely fabulous and unique. Sounds like an opportunity for a Yorkshire spoolettes meet up at the knitting and stitching show!
What a fab idea!! Will put the feelers out and see who wants to make one in! 😀
Looking good! Well done especially for seeing the potential in that fabric – I don’t think I could have imagined it made up into a dress.
I like the fact you took a ‘posh’ carrier bag to carry your spare shoes in. You didn’t want to be wandering around in your posh frock with an Asda bag for life 😉
Thankyou! How the fabric ended up was a stroke a luck – I was thinking I’d have the rows of net initially, so was really chuffed when I discovered what happened when i started snipping away. We were in a ‘box’ with a 3 course meal and free bar so luckily didn’t have to carry my fancy bag around all day! 😀
Beautiful dress! You look fabulous!!
Aw, Thankyou Robyn, I felt fabulous too! 😃
What a lovely dress! I love the lacy floral design, and wow, what a task to get that all matched up. Good job, too, raiding sister’s shoe closet. You look mahvelous!!
Thanks Jen! It was no mean feat, but worth the effort in the end. I’ve still got the shoes, hope she forgets!! 😃
Haha! Maybe……
Fantastic dress! Such a flattering style on you. And well done for persevering with that fabric – it looks amazing! X
Thanks Corrine, it’s definitely one I’ll make again. The bodice reminds me a lot of the gold bridesmaid dress that you wore and that was really flattering too 😃 ps my parents are enjoying the sunshine this week in Scarborough 🌞🌞🌞
They picked a great week for it! I don’t think Scarborough has been this warm since the year we got married – 2003!
Great idea about the flowers – although I suspect half way through you didn’t think it so great. Fab pattern matching and wonderful dress. Makes you look like a proper grown up 🙂
Haha, yes, not like I am normally! It’s amazing what a frock, heals and lippy can do!! 😂😂
Glad you took that the right way 🙂 You always look fab, but I think like me, you’re not often in a dress and lippy.
Amazeballs! You look fab. Lovely dress, and fantabulous pattern matching skillz.
Thanks Fiona! I’m over your way tomorrow (not in my frock!!) I’m going to a quilt as you go sewing class at the Fabbadashery! 😀
Oh wow, you look amazing in it and it fits so well – you’re right about a good fit making you look even slimmer. I love the way you cut around the motifs – did you ever find out which was the right side? Strangers are usually more than happy to take a snap for you, I find, and husbands are always embarrassed by us having the tenacity to ask in the first place:)
I think maybe the fabric was destined to be like how I did it, and was left over from something very lovely, and the left overs ended up at Fabworks. 2 assistants in the shop thought the opposite as to which was the right side. So I’m still no wiser. I would’ve been happy with the bold net stripe. I need to get back on the healthy eating, I’ve been very indulgent this week and I bet the 7 pound optical illusion won’t be working now! 😀
Fabric gorgeous, I’ve said that before, dress gorgeous. Suits you beautifully.
Thanks Linda! Isn’t it great when a plan comes together?! 😀😀
Beautiful! So clever of you to do all that snipping!
Thanks Linda! I did question my sanity half way through, and thought I might end up hating the dress because of all the snipping, but thankfully I didn’t! 😀
Stunning Ali! Gorgeous fabric and so flattering on you! Great fit too 😊
Thanks Bekki, I can’t wait to wear it again, i did feel fab in it 😀😀😀
Beautiful dress and suits you so well!!
Thanks Trisha, I’m looking forward to my next one, it should be a doddle after this, so long as I choose a less challenging fabric 😀
Absolutely fabulous, dahling. All your work was worth it for the terrific result.
I like the sound of a Harrogate meet-up. I’d better think of a dress to make! I’ll have a look through. I’m going anyway.
Thank Anne! For the Harrogate meet up after noon tea thingy it isn’t compulsory to wear a dress from the BVSEWALONG patterns so no worries if you don’t have time. I’ve checked out the website and tickets go on sale in September. 😀
You look stunning, the dress is fantastic. Definitely worth all your time snipping. Can’t wait to see the next version your making for the wedding.
Thanks Nicky! I was a bit worried that all the hours spent on this might make me sick of the sight of it, but it hasn’t! And I’ll be wearing it again today! 😀
Wowsers! You do indeed look a million dollars! Very impressed!
Thankyou so much! 😃
Wow – what a dress! The fabric is amazing and you must have the patience of a saint to cut out all those flowers and stems! Well done on the fit – you look fabulous!
Thankyou! I did question after the first small piece was cut out if I should persevere. So glad I did!! 😃
What an amazing outfit! You look fabulous, it fits you so well! Flattering pattern, exquisite fabric and perfect craftmanship. Thank you for the info about this charity too. I’ll be feeling less selfish making myself a new outfit.
Thanks for the lovely comments! And yes, you must buy a new pattern if it’s for charity! 😉
That dress looks wonderful – time well spent on trimming that fabric 😃
Thankyou! I don’t know if I’d have bought it if I new what I was in for, but glad I did! 😀
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Wow that is so pretty!
Thankyou! 😀
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