English Rose - Part 1

Well since Valentine’s Day I have been busy doing non-craft related things including sitting several painstakingly long exams.  Now though, it’s back to sewing and I have been busy today on my latest project, which is my very first handmade dress.

About a year ago whilst walking through Lancaster I came across a gorgeous little fabric shop and completely fell in love with the dress in the window.  Not being one to shy away from new things, I asked the shop owner to help me pick out the right amount of a gorgeous cream cotton with blue roses with the plan of making it for myself.  However, when I looked closely at the pattern I thought that it might be a little too complicated to ‘give it a go’ and so I enrolled on a dressmaking course near my home which I attend weekly...

...and thank god I did!  There is definitely a lot of skill in dressmaking and my tutor is a fantastically skilled and admirable woman (she makes all her own clothes and costumes for the Bolton Octagon Theatre).  I also make good use of the over locker which of course I would not have at home (although my birthday is coming up, so maybe something worth dropping a few hints over!)

So, onto my progress...I have just sewn the godets into place on the front piece.  This was quite tricky for a novice because I felt like I might accidentally sew the godet in half!  Despite my worrying they look quite good now they are in place and the next step is to get the zip into place on the back section.

I am going to update the blog from now on with the progress of the dress; for myself it will be a diary of my progress and I will offer all the little tips I learn along the way.  Hopefully it will be an interesting read!

The tip I picked up is to sew down one side first and then up the other side so that both lines of stitching meet at the tailors tack (red cross in my pic).

P.S. For anyone living in Manchester next to the Abakhan store is a shop let by dressmaker Danielle Ferguson.  Her work is lovely and her blog is worth checking out at t http://danielleferguson1986.blogspot.com/