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Thursday, 13 March 2014


Afternoon all! I have been at the sewing machine again. Don't all fall off your chairs with shock.


I've been meaning to get back into it a bit more but time and energy have both been issues. That fabric stash was a-calling my name though and then I saw the #sewdollyclackett challenge. Time to get my foot back on the pedal and join in! It's such a fab idea and I flipping loved Roisin when I met her in Warwick last year. If I could sew as well as her I would be a very happy lady.


I know people will be making far superior, more colourful and jaunty creations than my humble monochrome toile print dress but I was working within certain limits here.

a) I am shit at sewing.
b) I can only make one pattern.
c) I am poor and can't afford to buy any amazing funky fabric. This was the best thing in my fabric stash.
d) Did I mention I'm shit at sewing? My most used phrase whilst making this dress was "Arghhh you t****y t*****y t**t!!" (aimed at the sewing machine).


I'm hoping that the fact it's a Simplicity 2444 will score me some Brownie points. Plus Roisin is all about encouraging people to improve their sewing skills and she was mega helpful when I had my first solo crack at dressmaking with the polka dot frock. This is only the second dress I've made by myself and I think I've got a bit less shit at the whole sewing malarkey whilst attempting it, so that's all good too.

I actually felt confident enough to work in a few tweaks and v. minor alterations. As always, I hacked a chunk off the skirt length (I am a midget) but I also decided to go with a contrast waist bow rather than making it from the same fabric as the frock. Et voila, some beautiful black satin ribbon:



LOOK, I DID BIAS BINDING TOO AND EVERYTHING!



It was nowhere near as difficult as I expected and I really love the contrast it gives to the neckline and armholes on this frock. Pretty! Bless Char for texting me a helpful diagram of how to apply it to the fabric.

Hopefully some extra bonus points will be won for wearing one of my fave pairs of Irregular Choice shoes with it. These Bowtiful heels are so surprisingly easy to wear all day. Love 'em.



D'you want closeups? It was an awkward day to photograph it and some of the colouring is a bit off here - the fabric is very black and white, not washed out. But we have a horse and a pump:



A chateau!



And an eavesdropping bovine.



In true Dolly Clackett spirit, all handmade dresses should be given a name. I hereby christen this The Lurking Cow frock.

25 comments:

  1. Love the name! It's really lovely fabric.

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  2. Not as colourful as some of Roisin's more extravagant fabric choices, but still really pretty! I'm liking the big bow belt -- and the name, classic Dolly Clackett, that is :)

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  3. Lovely dress, especially the bias contrast on the neck and arm holes an extra lovely fininshing touch!

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  4. Pretty hand-made aka feelgood frock!

    Love the print;-)

    X

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  5. This dress is bloody amazing, I need you, Char and Sarah to have a weekend where you teach me how to do this xx

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  6. Gorgeous, and you are so not shit at sewing, erm you just made this awesome dress!!

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  7. What a beautiful dress, adore the fabric. For someone supposedly shit at sewing I think you've done bloody marvellous job :)

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  8. You and your dress are so pretty.

    And you MADE it. Regardless of what you said yourself, I think that's bloody amazing. I'm in awe.

    xx

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  9. It is fab. Love the contrast of the binding and sash too.

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  10. Dude. You are fucking awesome. I love this and I'm so happy you got through the dress of making it. The bias binding looks FAB!

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  11. Um that should have said the STRESS of making! My autocorrect knows me well!

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  12. wow I wish I was this s**t at sewing. The dress looks amazing!

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  13. You CANNOT be as S***T as me!!!! I am the S***test of the S***T! Seriously, when I made my Dalek dress, my family friend whose sewing machine I used, ripped the bodice out of my hand and unpicked the mess I'd made of the poppers with the comment , "I can't BEAR to watch this anymore, just give it here! It's easier for me to sew them myself!
    Great dress though! Really great!!! Wishing I was entering- I want a sewing machine!!!!
    x

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  14. to echo; I wish I was this shit at sewing.
    Brilliant job Alex and such great fabric too :) x

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  15. Its tremendous you clever thing you! I think the fabric is great and the bow is better than it would have been in the same fabric. You have given me a little push I must make myself a dress this year. I love this creation, I imagine this is going to be the start of a little obsession for you with how beautiful this has turned out xx

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  16. This is awesome! V impressed with your bias binding, I always get in a faff with it :)

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  17. This is awesome! V impressed with your bias binding, I always get in a faff with it :)

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  18. This is awesome! V impressed with your bias binding, I always get in a faff with it :)

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  19. You are amazing! I LOVE this fantastic frock and the shoes are awesome!!! Make sure to upload this lovely frock into the Sew Dolly Clackett Flickr group.

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  20. This is amazing! You can't say you're shit at sewing if you can conjure up things like this, I would never have thought it was homemade!

    Love Tweet xx

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  21. This is an AMAZING dress and I am super impressed by your sewing skills, not rubbish at all! The Lurking Cow sounds like the sinister relative of the laughing cow...

    Maria xxx

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  22. Alex you did amazingly well, it looks perfect. Shop brought intact.

    And the fabric is stunning.

    x x

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  23. The print on this dress is fabulous! So good :)
    Becky x
    Vintage Clothing UK

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  24. I'm working on a 2444 also with bias binding on the sleeves and neckline. Love it! It's perfect for your fabric.

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