FINISHED! Laurel Fall

It's been a little while between sewing finishes, but today, I finished my Colette Laurel in the fabric (Liberty and pinwheel corduroy) I bought at La Droguerie in France just before coming home.  The pattern itself is easy and the instructions are superb.  Unfortunately this dress took way longer for me to complete than it should have.

I had a bit of stage fright with this.  Firstly I had been away from my machine for a little while and secondly during the construction I kept questioning my fabric choices, with Ben at one point stating that the dress looked like something from the middle ages - or worse.

I had a bit of trouble with the fitting as well.  I made up a size 4 but had to take in at least an inch from each side.  The bust darts.... well you can see from the photos that they aren't exactly right..... although strangely they were fine in my final fitting after I dropped the shoulder seams down to 1/4 inch.  Just goes to show that I wasn't careful enough to check all positions - or else I hold myself strangely in photos.  I think I've read elsewhere that the armscye is small and I agree with this.  I had to chop about 1/2 inch into it to make it bigger and possible for my arm to get in and move!  

My 'bib' is also a bit out - which is annoying but I'm hoping isn't too obvious when wearing it.

You'll notice also that I changed the sleeves as well.  I'm not a fan of a tight fitting sleeves so adopted the sleeve from Tilly's Mathilde blouse to fit.  

All in all, it's an odd sort of interpretation by me of the pattern, which one minute I like and the next not so much.  I had decided to make an autumn Laurel for the contest and so tried to make something that had a real Autumn feel about it.  I definitely think it has that, so feel I met my personal brief.  I hemmed it by an inch to make it really mini (I'm really short so beware if you aren't as it is short - and shorter in the back than the front).

I'm not sure how much wear I'll get out of it but it is fun and with the right attitude might be of  'a fashion' enough for me to wear to fashfest next week.   

End of April (post holiday) sewing plans

I have been feeling very sad today.  Many many things going on. I am  ready to be back home.. but I'm also sad for the family that we leave behind here in France. Many tears today and there is still two days to go...

So, Ben and I went to l'epicerie today for lunch (sans les enfants). It is hands down my favourite place in Strasbourg.  If in Strasbourg. GO!!

Afterwards, we snuck by la droguerie for one last shop before we leave on Friday. I had on my mind the need to find some fabric for the Laurel which is top of my list for April sewing next week (post jet lag recovery) when I'm still off work with the kids for the last week of school holidays.

I bought some (surprise!?) Liberty (Mawstons Meadow) with some corduroy and trim.  I love a bib in a dress (see the two sugar tees I've made) so I think that I might make the Laurel version with the bib and maybe this fabric as the feature. It doesn't look so much in the photo but the orange really stands out and is quite fluoro.

I also bought this horsey Hermes -esque trim, just because.  Don't worry, I have no plans for it yet......It won't be part of the Laurel, at least I don't think so...

My other plan for April is to make a pussy blow blouse to go with this jumper I bought earlier in our trip form Bensimon.  It has some great sparkly thread through it which isn't captured in this photo but I really want a blouse underneath.  I'd like to try the Archer, which I bought before leaving Australia...but am a bit scared.  So maybe I think I'll go to my old faithful W from Les Couleurs Francaise which I've made quite a few times.  I'm thinking this time in a chambray... although will have to buy this fabric at A2F when I return.