Always on the look out for another novelty tree print fabric, this beauty called to me across the floor at Chichester's C&H Fabrics shop. It's a lightweight polycotton, not a fabric I'd usually chose as I've an aversion to the poly, however the print is simply stunning and the price was a steal at £4 a metre.
I modified the Esme dress pattern into a trapeze shape and made a simple sleeveless cotton slip petticoat to wear underneath. I decided to give the dress a rising/falling hem so that the petticoat is visible peeking out underneath.
Trial and error with a contrasting patch pocket resulted in my unpicking a bold first attempt before settling on this camouflaged diagonal pocket, matching the trees as closely as I could.
The dress goes perfectly with my new green tree brooch from Etsy's fab You Make Me Design shop, a present to celebrate my 47th birthday!
I'm getting ready to launch the Ivy Arch Etsy shop and am thrilled that my embroidered labels arrived today! So much still to do. I'm hand finishing the ukulele bags (and sewing on those labels), need to photograph the items, work out postage and packaging costs, and then hope to have everything set up so that I can officially open up the shop on Monday morning. As well as the gorgeous uke bags, I'll be selling a range of brooches and handmade toys.
This is the first time I've tried selling my handmade wares online and I'm really enjoying the process so far. I've had such a positive and encouraging response to the first prototype uke bag I blogged here last month, and am loving meeting so many inspirational people on Twitter and learning to use Etsy too. Stay tuned...
Have just finished sewing the buttons onto some citrus fruit appliqué brooches.
I've made the brooches from a few favourite pieces of material; a fruity printed tea towel, some polka dot dress fabric and pieces of coloured felt. All lovingly glued and stitched together with a button sewn on top.
