I sew every day, I sew for work, I sew for myself, I sew for college and I sometimes sew for gifts. July is a busy month here, three birthday's, end of school year...this year it's even more hectic with Sid about to leave Primary school, so lots of events and visits and special days and parties and assemblies. Sid has ASD so all of this has to be handled carefully.
Florence's birthday takes a lot out of me emotionally, grief even after 7 years is exhausting, it demands your full attention, and if you don't give it you soon know...
Work is easy, I get my deadlines and my projects and I get on with it happily.
College is finished now, but my coursework needs handing in by the end of August...guess who is very behind with the course work? So, a normal person might spend their time catching up with that rather than starting three million other projects right? Seems I am not a normal person...this past week instead of course work, I have sewn a pair of dungarees, two teacher gifts, pyjama bottoms, a summer kimono robe, and this dress!
I can't actually decide if it is procrastination or therapy sewing, maybe both?


This dress is a very simple skater style. I used my princess seamed bodice block and a circle skirt. the fabric was found by my fab friend and fabric dealer Mary, it's a stretch, so no need for fastenings on this dress.
I used the princess seamed block because I hate the way a t shirt style bodice in a patterned knit fabric distorts over my bust. The princess seams are flattering, fitting nicely over a large bust and into the waist. I am plus sized, but my waist is 10" smaller than my bust, so this style of dress can usually either be too clingy over the bust or too loose on the waist. I think the princess seams work well as an alternative.
In fact this dress felt so nice to wear I'm going to raid my knit fabric stash later to play with the pattern a little more....but of course not until I've done some college work.....









Want to make a simple kimono like the ones above?  click here.

I had a hankering for dungarees, much to the amusement of a couple of my friends! I'm 47, I'm curvy (overweight) and I'm short, with short legs! Undeterred by these facts I went ahead and made myself a pair anyway, albeit rather half heartedly. I was convinced I would make them up, hate them and then having satisfied my desire for something I would hate that would be that!



Living up to my name "Lazy Seamstress", I threw these together without even looking at the instructions. (The pattern is WW11 Homefront 1940's Overalls by Wearing History, kindly loaned to me by my lovely friend Nim.)

I popped a zip in the side instead of button fastenings, and I added the pockets last as an afterthought...not terribly neatly!


I love them!! I really do, I might not be slim or young or tall, but these dungarees make me very happy...or they will when I have unpicked the pockets and put them on more neatly (and in the right position!). I'm also going to remove the bias binding used to face the bib edge with a denim facing instead, and taken in the back darts a little....
... will I learn my lesson? Probably not!!!





Photos taken at Lady Mabel's Wood in Wigan where our youngest daughter has an acre of woodland dedicated to her.



                          Florence Violet Wood 22nd July 2009, Too briefly in our arms....