My house is being renovated at the moment - everything is either covered in dust or a dustsheet. Me and the cats are spending all day hiding in the kitchen while walls and ceilings are being pulled down everywhere else. This means, horrors of horrors - NO SEWING! This sorry state of affairs is likely to carry on for about 8 weeks :-(
However, I've got to look for the positive - I am spending a lot of time in front of the computer so I can finally get around to posting things I've made already. So here's an oldie - but goodie. Not just the blouse which I made about 2 years ago - but also the photos of me wearing it which are from last summer. My hair is currently about 2 inches longer and my stomach a little bit rounder (thank you Christmas!).
It's from the Japanese pattern book Simple Chic by Machiko Kayaki. A book full of lovely things - which I really need to get around to making.
I've only made this blouse and one of the dresses - but I have made each of them at least twice which must be a good sign. I rarely remake anything - always having my head turned by something new.
I've made this a few times in different fabrics - but it especially lent itself to this wax print which has a great border print. I got it from Roya textiles on Rye Lane, Peckham - one of my favourite shops in the world. I would take Roya even over Liberties haberdashery I think.
The fabric came as the usual 6 yard piece which cost £20. I hope you can see that it has a shine to the gold in the pattern. I was worried that it would fare terribly when washed but it has really held up. (If you've never used wax prints before - especially the cheapies I use - always wash them before sewing - the shrinkage on first wash is significant!).
I'm even including a rare shot of the inside to show off the bias binding facings - I tend not to be the neatest of finishers - but look at that hand stitching. I must have been a patient the day I did that.
The instructions are in Japanese of course but are all pictorial and so are fairly straightforward to follow as long as you've made a few things before. Here's how they explain adding the bias facings .
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