My marbles are full of mouth today

Things are going well, post number 3 in the blog revival project and still going strong...

Today I'm bringing you a vintage/ GBSB pattern mash-up.

An a-line skirt combined with the pinafore bib/strap adaption shown in the book that went with the second series of the Great British Sewing Bee (I'm so excited for the new season and there's not even an airing date yet).
The skirt pattern is a 1994 McCall's 7316 which has four variations. I used the standard A-line version.

 
This pinafore has taken FOREVER because 1) I am lazy 2) It's like I have a specific brand of sewing ADHD, I can never focus on just one project especially if there is maths involved and 3) I am really lazy. When I say forever, I mean like over half a year. It got to the point when I needed to stitch the waistband down and I ended up leaving it there because I needed to move the straps just a smidge. Well in half term - I moved them! And then I finished the pinafore and it fit me like a dream(ish) - I gained half a stone since starting making this.
My main motivation for getting this finished, believe it or not, was a conversation with a 6th former at the school I work at. The product design students know I sew in my spare time and the girl was asking me what I'd been working on lately and she said she wanted to see the pinafore skirt when I'd finished it.  

So here it is, I used a plain black cotton drill because I've finally realised that bright prints probably won't get worn by me. I am a goth through and through so dark colours are definitely my jam. That and this could be worn with something bright and patterned should the feeling ever take me. 
I also used two plastic wood coloured buttons from my stash - I have zero clues where they came from. 

  
I was so nervous making these buttonholes! I did manage to cock up the cutting of one of them but fixed that with some extra stitches.
The hem has a one inch turn up to match the one inch turn at the top of the bib.
I did consider doing some grey/silver top stitching in places but then realised, again, that I am far too lazy for that shit.  

Although the skirt section of this make is essentially classed as vintage, I am not counting this towards my vintage pledge as I started it last year and half of it isn't vintage! Therefore my pledge count still stands at 0/4 and 1 in progress.   
I still have these boxes to dig through to find my next vintage make though:

See you soon!

 

 

"My anxiety has kept me up for over 50 hours"

I genuinely woke up at 4:30 this morning worrying because I forgot to cut two of a pattern piece yesterday and I don't have enough of the fabric to cut another.
Do you guys do this too or am I a mad woman? 
Apparently I relate a little more than I thought to Chris Traeger...

Thought I'd make a start on my vintage pledge update today, cutting the Blackmore blouse in the silk.
This is as far as I've got:
 

 
The green thread is where there were circles cut in the un-printed pattern pieces which I marked just in case and by the looks of things - they mean nothing. The next step on the instructions said "make small pleats from waist to lower edge". This confused the crap out of me, I spoke to a friend who lives in the village and she said "basically, you make it up" so I've pinned where I think some mash-up of a release pleats/fisheye darts might go and then not dared to actually sew them in yet. I'm ignoring this step until I've gotten further on and can fit it on me.

I decided to move on to choosing buttons and I found these pearlescent blue vintage ones in my stash:

 

 

There are five of them, one of them is pinned to the shirt. I got these when I picked up three carrier bags full of "stuff" from a Freecycle local ad along with a tonne of other buttons and some hook type things and about 30 vintage metal zips.

Also, check out that collar - mega chuffed with that considering the only other collars I have done are on the ten jackets me and my boss had to make for this years Grease production.

 
I was trying to make a dent in my original plans for sewing this week as I'm on half term - I think I was being a little optimistic when I wrote my original list considering my parents are redoing the kitchen and the porch atm and there's little I can do than sit on the sofa, drink tea and think warm under a layer of dust. 
This means it's now Friday and I've only got a fraction done and didn't finish anything. 
Now I'm going to finish packing my bag and go and pester Joe for the weekend.

Progress on Vintage Pledge: 0/4 complete, 1 in progress  

Back once again with the ill behaviour.

Well that return to blogging fell on it's arse pretty quick, huh?

I'm going to try again. With the beginning of the Vintage Pledge 2016, I'm using it as a jumping off board. Late to the party on this one, I know, but I'm on half term and waiting for the floor to dry.
Now, as per usual, my posting will not be regular. No pressure on my self as I sew VERY slowly but as my vintage pattern stash has grown considerably after hitting a gold mine in a local charity shop (including FOUR Vogue Paris Originals!), I figured it's time I actually made some of them. 

So here goes, 

I pledge to make AND FINISH at least four vintage patterns in 2016. For every pattern I sew after that four, I will reward myself with a giant-face-sized muffin from the muffin shop in town. 

I think that's a pretty good incentive to sew more than four patterns.... don't you?

I thought I'd share some of my vintage sewing plans with you guys as well as I'm in love with these patterns and these are in my "projects" box - the box I put my next plans in separate from the rest of my pattern hoard. 

 

These are the nine vintage patterns currently in the box and waiting for fabric. The top right I am using for the jacket which I am going to make from a pink and green tartan with a black collar. The pattern in the middle I will be making from a burgundy cotton using view 1 with the keyhole back. The rest I want to make but don't have a definite idea on fabric yet.

 

 

I recently dragged my unwilling boyfriend to Barry's as well and bought some new additions to my fabric stash boxes (now totalling three 48 litre boxes). The top right is destined for a By Hand London Anna dress and the two on the left have been earmarked for shirt dresses although I haven't set my heart on any patterns yet. The middle and bottom ones on the right I have decided will make lovely blouses which I am still looking for the perfect vintage pattern for.

 
 I've also found a use for some free (!!!!) Armani silk that I was given by Stuart on Leicester Market - he is my very favourite person to go to for fabric and I would recommend him in a heart beat to anyone, I'm also willing to meet up with anyone and go there for fabric shopping. I'm not an addict, I swear. 
I figured with such a small amount of fabric (theres around a metre there) I should be able to eek out this Blackmore vintage blouse pattern - there's only the front, back, collar and pocket. There's also a front facing but I figured that could be cut from something else as it won't be seen.  

 I'm also desperate to make a start on this Vogue pattern I got in a bundle I found on Ebay although part of me is very nervous due to the fact that I have a habit of making things that don't fit and I don't want to waste some black linen on it. 

So! There's a nosey into my most recent stash decisions/additions. I'm looking forward to actually fulfilling this pledge. I'm also looking forward to beating the initial pledge number and the cakes I'll get to eat for doing it.
I'll try to keep you all updated but I can't promise anything.  
Ta ta for now :) 

I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.

So I've been having some issues re: motivation/inspiration/any form of get up and go recently and it turns out thanks to a forced visit to the doctors that I may have some form of "anxiety/depression" going on. Thanks to this diagnosis and the future treatment that I'm going back to discuss this Friday I hope that I can turn this around, start drawing, painting, sewing and generally moving about with a bit more purpose soon.
This blog kind of fell by the wayside while I prepared for the onslaught of Christmas but now that's all done and dusted as well hopefully I can pick it up again and tell you all about what I've been up to.
I have two skirts to blog and an absolute disaster to show you all as well but before I settle back into it properly I thought I'd do this instead (read: this is a section of a post I had in draft that isn't really relevant any more but I thought I'd show you anyway) :

In effort to share some more stuff about me and (hopefully) encourage you guys to talk to me more (I'm so needy, I know) I thought I would show you guys some of the stuff I've been mooning over online this past week or so:

Anatomical Heart print from QuantumPrints

Tula Pink Moon Shine Fabric in Strawberry found with chitchatfabrics

Death's-Head Hawk Moth over in my friends' shop at Stoned Affection

(she doesn't just do entomology and taxidermy, she also has an amazing collection of jewellery that I regularly lust after)

Black Butterfly watch from Olivia Burton

It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations

OR: "Stuff I plan to make in 2015 but will probably not get round to because I never stick to my lists, I just enjoy writing them"

The Closet Case Files Nettie Body Suit in some grey and black striped jersey from my stash

The Grainline Linden Sweatshirt and an Archer

A By Hand London Anna // Love Sewing Ruby mash-up

A Colette Mabel skirt in mustard coloured Ponte. (I'm waiting for the January sales to buy this fabric because I am a skinflint and love a good bargain.) and then maybe another in a black and white hounds tooth.

A Deer and Doe Plantain. Can't wait for those librarian style elbow patches!

A Tilly and the Buttons Coco

At least one of my vintage dress patterns

and last but not least, a pair of shorts. 

He also said "oh my furry whiskers, I'm late I'm late I'm late"

It's been at least 12 days since my last post.
I don't know, three posts in and I'm already running behind. If it's any comfort I have had a draft of a post in my list for a week at least. I'm just waiting for a spare minute to fit in some photographing of previous stuff. I thought I would do a little history of stuff I've made before I show you what I'm working on now but, well, I just cannot be bothered to get off my behind in the rare times I get to sit down and breathe.
The post will surface eventually, I promise.

In the meantime, let me share some plans with you as - DUN DUN DUUUUUUN -

MY JOHN LEWIS VOUCHERS ARRIVED YESTERDAY AND I CAN BUY MY NEW MACHINE THIS WEEKEND! 

You beauty, come to mama!

So, the first thing I'm making is a Ruby dress from the free pattern in issue 4 of Love Sewing magazine. I have it planned in a lovely piece of medium weight cotton with a black and gold floral pattern that I picked up on a brief visit to Goldhawk Road. (PLEASE someone take me back! That place is amazing and I think if I could drag someone who knows what they're doing in a fabric shop I could find even more awesome stuff!)

And then I will be adventuring into knits in combining the Colette Mabel skirt with a cheapy-cheap-cheap piece of Black Watch tartan stretch that I got from Birmingham Outdoor Market. Just as an experiment to see how it goes. If I come out with a wearable garment, that will be a bonus!

After that I fancy doing something with buttons because YAY FIVE BUTTON HOLE FUNCTIONS! What the hell do I need five for?! but I'm gonna use them anyway! So suggestions on a postcard* for (relatively easy) garments with buttons please?!

*by postcard I mean comment...

That's all folks!
(for now anyway, I will find time to take photos I promise!)