New Dress!

I am actually sewing ... yes, you did read that correctly!  It isn't that I haven't been thinking about it ... oh, I've read all the blogs and magazines, have all the pattern giveaways and have watched the latest series of Sewing Bee.  I even took part in an international pattern swap at The Monthly Stitch.  I think that having a break has done me good though - seriously.  When I did Sew Weekly in 2012, although the experience was enjoyable to start with, I did start to feel a bit jaded towards the end of that year and 50 makes.  I was starting to 'throw things together'.  My sewing started to decrease gradually in the following years until I stopped completely for a while and concentrated my energies on other things.  I now find I am taking my time, making sure I do things properly and it's becoming fun again!  

As we are experiencing the rarity of a heatwave here in the UK at the moment, I've found that my wardrobe is lacking in some summer basics - dresses for work and home.  Actually, the dress currently on my sewing table is one for my honeymoon in October, though it might have an outing or two before then if it turns out OK.  I am using the 'Sew Over It' 1940's Tea Dress pattern that I received in the swap during Indie Pattern month at Monthly Stitch.

I found the cherry print fabric at Croft Mill.  I've always wanted some 'proper' cherry fabric after seeing all the retro dresses on various blogs and when I saw this in the current catalogue (they still have it! - sadly no longer, all sold out since end July) I ordered some straight away.  As you can see, I don't sew solo any more ... I have my little 'helper'.  Although Oscar has a whole house to wander around, there is nowhere quite like the area where I am working ...

  

I think I may have been influenced in my choice of dress style by a 1940's day I went to here in Norfolk about a week or so ago.  A gloriously sunny day where individuals wandered around King's Lynn in 1940's dress - I took loads of photos.

They all looked so smart and such a contrast to current day dress.  I hope to achieve something similar ... I have a whole week off work at home next week and sewing is high on my list of priorities.  More dresses I think!