Making the Wedding Dress Toile

After looking at all the dress inspirations my DD was relying on for the final dress shape, and having purchased the Butterick pattern as the basis to create it, I was confident that I could get the dress made within a week. I calculated that it would take a full day's cutting and 3 days sewing and another day on final adjustments. With my own ability to cut and handle patterns I was keen to find out exactly how much fabric I'd really need. Patterns are usually on the generous side but it's been more than 20 years since I worked with someone else's patterns, and I wanted to know exactly how much fabric I could get away with. At $99 per metre, I had hoped I could save a few metres off of the pattern allowance of 7.8 metres. Only a toile would tell:

Straight away it was clear that the Butterick pattern skirt was exactly what she wanted, so there'd only be minor fitting adjustments. The only work was going to be in re-creating the bodice to better suit her frame (which I'll cover in an upcoming post). With the skirt on and swishing beautifully, the only considerations were lining up the pleats to match the bodice. However I knew I'd be changing the bodice so this alignment wouldn't happen until later.

After making this toile, I was so confident that I breathed a great big sigh of relief. In fact, I was suprised with how easily and quickly it was all coming together. IF ONLY I'D KNOWN that frustrated disaster was waiting for me just around the corner..

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In September 2016 I made my DD's wedding dress using the Butterick Pattern B5731 as a starting point. I then created my own variation of a semi corset with a built in bra as a replacement to the pattern bodice. I took the Craftsy online class 'Sewing Corsets' with Alison Smith which I can recommend as essential viewing for anyone interested in sewing corsets or formal wear bodices with corset elements. In fact I even received personal advice from Alison and am happy to recommend this class to anyone who's interested.

WOW: Digging Out The Green Stash

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

It feels like every time I turn around, it's somehow Wednesday again. How does that keep happening? This past week I've been going through my stash, digging out greens for my DD's wedding quilt. I've spent a lot of time looking at new ranges to match a selection of reds and pinks I have in mind, but the tones have all been too blue based and I've been struggling. Today, it's all about finding the right fabrics - and you know how I am about fabrics - totally indecisive. Oh, decisions, decisions, how will I ever make them with a stash as big as mine? I don't know. These are just the latest contenders, when I actually get this quilt started I'll show you my pallette. Wish me luck!

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

WOW: My Final Background?!

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Sweet 2016 has just three months left before it's finished. It feels like I started this tempting wall quilt just yesterday..and now it's time to start thinking about how to quilt it. But first, I have to choose a background. My problem? I love each of the backgrounds I've auditioned - the light ones, the dark ones, the printed ones, the floral ones, the plain ones. They all seem to pull the quilt into a different direction in terms of mood and style - the problem is that each direction is just so pretty, I simply can't decide!

Yesterday I was looking for pinks to make my DD's wedding quilt - and look what I found! This is a fabric I've been hanging onto for ...7 years? Possibly 10. I have always loved this fabric - but could never find a project suitable enough to use it in. You see, I really never wanted to cut into the fabulous plates, I wanted to show them off. At the moment I'm thinking I have found my background, but I will do a final test and pin all my finished trays on top and decide for sure before cutting into this precious stash item. Fingers crossed!

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

Sweet 2016, Part 9: Rosette Cake

This month is a whole lot of fun, we’re making a Rosette Cake—a gorgeous decoration style that uses piped swirls to resemble lines of roses. Our rose swirls are made from yo-yo’s and are topped with tiny ribbon roses for that finishing touch. My ribbon skills aren't quite up to making these little finishing roses, so I purchased mine. They can be purchased inexpensively at any craft store. I actually bought mine off ebay for $2

When making your yo-yo’s be mindful of the 4 sizes used throughout the cake. There are three large yo-yo sizes and 12 mini yo-yo’s that slot in-between. Trace the cake background as a plain, simple shape. Then, make your yo-yo’s. When completed, add them on top of the cake background base. The mini yo-yo’s will be tucked in between the larger ones, so don’t worry about overlapping, it’s fine. I’ve indicated an X where 3 ribbon roses belong on top of yo-yo’s that can’t otherwise be seen.

Will you opt for lovely pink like I have? Or perhaps two shades of chocolate? Creamy white or lemon? I can’t wait to see!

Here's how I made mine:

First I cut out my cake background, then I set about making all the yo-yo's according to the sizes listed in the pattern. 

Once all my yo-yo's were complete, I popped them into place. You can see that my yo-yo's all fit nicely into the cake: if you keep to the yo-yo sizes listed, yours will too. The only yo-yo's you need to squeeze in are the mini yo-yo's in light pink. They get slotted in between the larger yo-yo's and the ones surrounding the centre yo-yo are almost invisible - but each one will still get it's finishing rose.

Now it's time for the finishing touch - ribbon roses. You can buy these in several sizes at many craft and haberdashery shops. Of course, if you're handy with ribbon work, you can always make your ribbon roses ;) As for me, I'm not so handy with ribbon and I found these on Ebay for an inexpensive $2

too cute !

I sewed these all in. You know how much I love gluing things in place to save time when I can, but there's a limit to glue and these ribbons need to be stitched down. 

Remember that all the yo-yo's need a mini ribbon rose - even the yo-yo's you can barely see around the centre large yo-yo (below). The centre top rose is a bit squashed but it still works and looks better than if it wasn't there.

This is where we are up to, quilt wise:

Just 3 more blocks to go!

'Sweet 2016' is my current Mystery Applique BOM

It's just $3.95 per month

Delivered digitally, to your email inbox each month

And don't forget to join my Sweet 2016 BOM Group over on Facebook too!

Understanding the pattern release schedule: anyone can join Sweet 2016 at any time and when they do, they will receive a new block each month from that point onward. The day they receive each new block will depend on the date they signed up and made their first payment. Everyone who starts Sweet 2016, starts at the beginning, Part 1. Specific blocks cannot be purchased out of turn. 

Whenever you choose to start this BOM, be sure to keep us updated on your progress by sharing your work over in our Sweet 2016 BOM Facebook Group, see you there!

Sweet 2016, Part 8: Linzer Torte

September's cake dome, Part 8,  is a celebration of home baked beauties. Starting with the lovely Linzer torte (a raspberry filled pie which could just as easily be a cherry or apple variation), we also have a mini chocolate lined pie crust filled with plums or berries, a strawberry shortcake biscuit peeking out from behind and an almond cake for one drizzled with chocolate, topped with an irresistible strawberry.

Here's how I made mine:

As always, it's a matter of preparation and prepping of each individual piece based on the pattern. Even though it's my pattern, I still mark out all the shapes to keep in control of what's going on. The image you see below is a reversed copy of the pattern which allows me to use fusible directly instead of creating templates and flipping them over. 

After I've selected my fabrics and ironed down my fusible which acts as the template, I line up all the fabric shapes in groups for placement over the pattern accurately. 

Pinning everything in place over the pattern to make sure my pieces don't 'grow'

Gluing the layers down

with the pie filling added, looks like this

 As it happens, I made two pies and this is the first one I made, the fabric I used matches the Raspberry Charlotte fabric from the earlier block which I really liked, but I decided to donate this applique motif for a cushion for a friend who simply loves Linzer Torte! I made the final one you see in the finished images from slightly darker fabrics, which I prefer on my wall hanging.

This was originally a plum tart, but when I found a scrap of fabric printed with berries, I couldn't resist and changed my tart to a custard and berry one. And, why not? Make and change each delicacy to suit you ..and your stash!

The biscuit peeking through is a strawberry shortcake biscuit. These were everywhere when my DD was a little girl, over 30 years ago now, and I popped one in just for fun :)

And this is where we are up to, quilt wise.

'Sweet 2016' is my current Mystery Applique BOM

It's just $3.95 per month

Delivered digitally, to your email inbox each month

And don't forget to join my Sweet 2016 BOM Group over on Facebook too!

Understanding the pattern release schedule: anyone can join Sweet 2016 at any time and when they do, they will receive a new block each month from that point onward. The day they receive each new block will depend on the date they signed up and made their first payment. Everyone who starts Sweet 2016, starts at the beginning, Part 1. Specific blocks cannot be purchased out of turn.

Whenever you choose to start this BOM, be sure to keep us updated on your progress by sharing your work over in our Sweet 2016 BOM Facebook Group, see you there!

WOW: Mid October..Already?!

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

One of these mornings I'm going to wake up to find out it's Christmas Day, just like that. Well, that's how days feel to me right now. I'm in a complete fog and my feet have barely touched the ground I've been so busy. It's just been one of those years I think.

So, because I don't have anything better to do, I decided to make a tablecloth. Because, why not? Of course I have many other things I should be doing, but we have a tradition of making a new tablecloths every birthday (I don't know how this started) and I was all out of ideas. Then I found this fabric in my stash and it's far too lovely to just be sitting on a shelf. As you can see from the above pic which has flowers on the table, Lily Rose on the wall and these roses spread out for us to enjoy - the women of this house are somewhat flower crazy! 

I stitching two halves together to cover my enormous table and then over locked the hems and voila - a new tablecloth. We all love it. Over the top? Of course!

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

Love Entwined, by Bunny

I was over the moon when I found out that Bunny had completed her LE.. but that was nothing compared to how I felt when I actually saw her finished quilt - WOW! Bunny has created a wonderful Love Entwined Quilt - made in harmonious fabric tones that shine. I am head over heels with this beauty and besotted with all the lovely details you'll be able to see for yourself in the close up images. Of course, we all know and love Bunny as the talented quilter that she is whilst also being known to many of us as one of our tireless Moderators over in the BOM Group. How she finds the time to continue creating beautiful quilts in such quick succession I don't know, but I'm sure glad she does!

Head over to the Love Entwined Gallery to see gorgeous images of Bunny's beautiful quilt for yourself. The images are far too large for blogger to handle, so see them in style over in the gallery by clicking here now 

Bunny, I'm in love with your Love Entwined and your progress reminds me to get on with finishing my own masterpiece! Thank you for sharing your incredible work for all of us to enjoy.