On Boxing Day we found dozens of starfish washed up on the beach at Splashpoint, east of Worthing Pier. The bodies of beached dead sea creatures stretched all along the coast heading eastwards – reportedly all the way to Shoreham-by-Sea. These were casualties of stormy weather of recent days.
We found crabs, remains of large fish, many glutinous molluscs and scores of sea sponges all churned up and spread out along the beach on a carpet of purple sea weed, broken shells and blue-grey pepples. A colourful, sorry sight.
This onion fabric was purchased on a peri-menopausal whim. I spied it in Worthing's soon-to-be defunct Sewing Machine Shop, hidden away downstairs with the quilting fabrics. I love it! Called Eat Onions it's 100% cotton and is produced by Makower UK.
Makower's fabrics are intended for patchwork and quilting but they have such delicious designs I can only imagine them for clothing. Eat Onions is the same superb quality as the Tape Measure and Cotton Reels fabric I made this skirt from. It hangs well, washes and irons beautifully and returns to form.
The sewing pattern is an old favourite from Stylish Dress Book volume 1. It's letter T, the first dress I ever made from a Japanese sewing book and a design I have now made several times – always a winner!
Anna Maria Horner's Painted Portrait Dress is a garment as beautiful as it sounds. Sold as a make-it-yourself dress and blouse sewing pattern it has become one of those oft-pinned items that this seamstress couldn't stop thinking about. Last week I succumbed and ordered the pattern from Backstitch as a Christmas treat (ahem).
Only the best fabric would do, hence a trip to Worthing's Eclectic Maker. I was excited to find they had Eloise Renouf's organic cotton Bark and Branch range and though I would've liked to buy some of each design in the collection, the Autumn Wonderland tree-print was my favourite. For the contrast yoke I chose a grey printed cotton designed by Rebekah Ginda for Birch Organic. The two fabrics look and feel great together.
The Painted Portrait sewing pattern can be made up in several different variations. I decided to opt for a dress with solid yoke, sleeves and pockets this time. Before beginning I perused a few blogs for advice from expert makers. Fancy Tiger Crafts has blogged a parade of pleasing Painted Portraits, Lempo Bee gave good advice on the sizing (I adore her Melody Miller version) and on her recommendation I cut the dress out in a small size (I'm usually a medium but found this pattern rather roomy - if in doubt make a toile first). I followed Cookin' and Craftin's lead (see her superb blouses) in cutting the back yoke as one piece. I'll always choose a button-free dress if possible – easier to sew and more comfortable to wear.
The finished dress is much more lovely than these photos show as I took the pictures on one of the greyest days of the year and eventually resorted to using a flash outdoors in an attempt to capture the colours of Renouf's print. Here's to sunnier days and more Painted Portrait Dresses...
There's always room for one more corduroy dress in my wardrobe and I snapped up this blue floral needle cord fabric at Brighton's Fabricland in September as soon as I saw it (it quickly sold out). It was a few months before I decided what to make with it, then along came Happy Homemade Sew Chic, and tunic K seemed perfect for winter layering over long sleeved tops and jeans.
This dress pattern is super easy to sew. It has a shirring elastic detail at the shoulder (essentially just two lines of stitching) and this clever small detail nicely curves the wrap-over front neckline.
I made the sleeves and hem a couple of centimetres longer than the sewing pattern and added a patch pocket which I have sewn on just a bit too high. Haven't had the heart to unpick and re-stitch it yet though, so may just leave it where it is, it's pretty well camouflaged in the floral print! The finished garment is effortless to wear and feels lovely and soft.
