Sunshine yellow skirt

I’ve waited months for a day like this – grey, drizzly, unwelcoming weather. And the best bit? I’m at home to enjoy it.

And, what’s even better, there’s *just* enough of this bright yellow fabric to make Marina a skirt that’s been on my mind for quite some months now.

So, the plan is…

• draft a rough pattern using a GAP skirt for overall dimensions
• find buttons for the pocket flaps
• pop a couple of buttonholes in some elastic in to make the waistband adjustable
• dig the sewing machine out
• and get sewing.

The big question is will she wear it? Drop by tomorrow next week for photographic evidence….

Update: sewing halted by life events… more soon.

Sailor trews – updated

Another essential update – I need a pair of trousers that I can wear to work, without letting it all hang out. These two-year old Boden sailor trousers already got a new lease of life courtesy of some Dylon Navy Blue (well khaki green wouldn’t have really gone with all that nautical styling, would it?) machine dye and some jauntier vintage buttons.

But how to make them fit for longer/bigger? The wide pocket facing can easily accommodate a bunch more belly by just moving the buttons over. Buddy Cat shows us how in case you missed the pink  arrows :)

I do this and wear trousers proudly for an afternoon. But they keep falling down. Nothing like hitching up your trousers every three steps to draw attention to the fact they don’t fit. Or wearing them in the rain, for a miserable, damp-ankled experience.

So, this morning, I… 

• put a couple of buttonholes into the back of the waistband
• sew in a button next to each button hole and
• run a strip of elastic through the waistband.
• Three buttonholes at each end of the elastic attach to the buttons, and can be let in/out as expansion/contraction takes place.

Voila!

It’s great practise for making buttonholes. And a quick look in my Bernina instruction booklet reminds me that you should thread your bobbin thread through the hole in the finger of the bobbin case. Apparently it increases the tension.

The positioning of the buttonholes def needs adjustment so they fit smoother, but as my future shape is not entirely certain, I’ll just stick with this for the time being. Who knows? They might fit perfectly in a week’s time!

RIP carnival coat

Dyeing of the carnival coat was not a success.

Using iDye for wool, I dyed it, according to instruction, in the washing machine. The dye took irregularly, in great splotches. And I don’t mean ‘great’ (or ‘splotches’ for that matter) in a good way.

It’s now being thoroughly washed, so when dry, I can take it apart and copy the pattern. In defiance of my wardrobe refashion+ pledge to buy no new fabric but to work from the stash, the search is  now on for some fab deep orange wool or jersey to recreate my beloved carnival coat.

The carnival coat is dead. Long live the new carnival coat.

Take it away Smokey.

Dyeing the carnival coat slowly – part 1

Deep breath: just gave the carnival coat a quick rinse.

Am now going to machine dye it with the iDye wool.

Oh frig. Husband has used last of vinegar and not replaced it. I must now go to shop and buy some as it is the fixative.

iDye, uDye, we allDye for iDye

The history: many moons ago, visiting South Devon, I took my niece, then aged 11-ish, on the rounds of the many local charity shops. She was a bit uncertain – I think she thought they were uncool eg not TopShop or Dorothy Perkins – but sort of warmed up as we went along.

Mid-rummage through an assorted pile of polyester and raggedy oddments, I found this wool/nylon mix 70s coat. And I loved it, immediately.

As I twirled around in the coat, an elderly shop assistant came over, and in the strongest Devonian burr boomed, “Ello me luvlies – ‘aving a rummage through the dressin’-up-for-carnival box, are you?”. Cue: niece goes deep shade of crimson. Oh the shame of a London-dwelling-Auntie buying carnival costumes to wear in real life. In the outside world.  She was as embarrassed as an 11 year old can be.

Anyway, I digress. The Carnival coat has adorned me in the outside world much over the years, complimented by many, and never once has anyone uttered the C-arnival word.

It’s now looking a little porridge-y, and the temperature’s dropping. I really fancy something bright this winter, so it’s time for a second lease of life by dyeing it - in homage to my blushing niece – deep orange.

The plan: big excitement - after a lot of squizzling about on the interwebs, I’ve finally found a dye for woolen fabrics that manufacturers recommend using in a washing machine. My days of guerilla-dyeing NOT following the instructions are over.

The future of my dyeing is manufactured by Jacquard, for the washing machine, and it’s very modernly-ly named ‘iDye’. Gosh, iAm really feeling the fuTure.

Next steps: await delivery of dye from www.FredAldous.co.uk - if it doesn’t get caught up in the effing post strike. Remove buttons. Dye coat. Bait breath. Think tentatively about lining and new buttons.

 Keep your fingers crossed for me. I’m nervous. Please don’t let me ruin this coat.