Dress Two: Black Knit for My Bestie (AKA 100!)

Yay! 100 Outfits completed and blogged right here on Veronica Darling's Crafty Adventures! Yippee! I'm very proud and would like to thank Mr Veronica Darling (aka Husbie) for all his support over these past 18 months! He's a total dearheart, of course, and has often waited an extra hour or two to go out, whilst I was hemming or fixing or swearing, so that my outfit (or my friend's) looked just perfect.

Now for my 100th Outfit! It's a wool blend knit dress for my bestie who lives in London!


She's coming over for our summer, but I thought for her bday (and her son's first bday) I'd send a care package and this dress would suit the UK as it starts to get colder there.


I've pulled out all my stretch and knit materials, because I've got a few orders for this style from friends and thought I'd sew up all my knits so people could choose their faves. (If you've contacted me for a special frock in the past, I'm aiming to have it completed within Frocktober, so thank you for waiting for me to get my sewing shoes on again)

But... the best bit:


I sewed up one of my tags into my bestie's dress, it's the first tag I've used! What a way to celebrate 100 Outfits!

Dress One: Wiggle in Green (aka Outfit 99)

And finally, my first dress for Frocktober, and it's pretty geeky but cute at the same time.



It's a 1959 wiggle dress, and probably looks better on me than Diana (although Diana has a fine figure, let's just say I fill those gaps a little bit more). This was from a vintage pattern, and it took so long because it was a little bit fiddly. With at least 2 darts in each pattern piece there was a bit of preparing to do (I kinda do darts too quickly, and there's a slight measurement stuff up on the front bodice bit that hopefully no one will notice) and THEN I didn't read the packet first on what materials I'd need because there are TWO ZIPPERS!


Yep, a back neck zipper that you chuck in first (only 7 inches) then a side zipper that you put in last and I'd never really done a side zip before!!! SUGAR! But I read the instructions through about 12 times (luckily it was one of those patterns that actually tells you how to sew the zip in) and it turned out ok! Although the flap is a little bit bigger than you'd find on a store bought dress, I'm pretty happy for my first side zip effort (where the flap hides the zipper).

BUT! I did alter the pattern to what I thought would make a better fit on my upper torso (my bod is usually in proportion to normal patterns apart from my shoulder to bust, which means straps have to be altered almost 2 inches) but in my haste I also altered the in built sleeves (vintage patterns often tend to have bodice and sleeves all in one) so the sleeves (perhaps you can tell in the front on pic above) are pretty tight around my arms. Husbie reckons that I should cut them off, and stick another sleeve on...?

Anyways, so it was a bit of a bigger project to start this Frocktober challenge, but oh well! Done now!

If you'd like to donate dosh or sign up for the real Frocktober and Ocsober challenge (for real charities) you can find them here for now, as I'll fiddle with my blog here and put a linkydink on the side bar soon.

And for extreme followers of my blog, this was Outfit 99 in the 100 Outfit Challenge... which means this current dress I'm working on will be Outfit 100. Yikes. Gulp. I'd like to say 100 Outfits went quickly... but it didn't! Phew Phew Phew!

Outfit #98 - OMFG It's almost 100

I haven't posted a Numbered Outfit in AGES! Sozza! Been working interstate AND my parents stayed before that, and it was my birthday before that and ... before that... I can't remember! Thanks to you all for 'hanging in there' til I got my shizz together and finally completed another garment.

It's a vintage spring frock!



I tried to make it a little Mad Men esque, using a 'sub-teens' pattern from 1959, and perhaps if I make the jacket that goes with it, it'll look the part.

Once again, everything you see is thrifted from the op shop! Buttons down the back, and side zipper (can't remember doing one of those before!) and of course the darling fabric. I think it may have been a tablecloth that someone made.

My goodness, with just 2 garments of 100 Outfit Challenge, what should I do next? Is it too soon to do another dress a day, but this time for October? I'm HONESTLY considering not drinking for a month because I'm just way too fat (hence me not wearing that pretty dress above) and stonkered-drunk after Melbs.

Speaking of Melbs, a HUGE cheerio goes to Rachel, who happened to be dining at Gills Diner the same night as I (last week), and who also happens to be the first person who's said to me 'Are you Veronica Darling? I read your blog'. EVER. And sorry Rachel, I was not only looking a mess, I'd not prepared anything to say in response. My plan in the future is to say 'THANKS FOR READING' (which I can't remember if I said to you Rachel, since I was a little EMBARRO about someone in real life reading my blog) and 'YAY for SEWING'... So if I meet you again Rachel, or perhaps YOU dear reader, in the future, I honestly will say 'YAY for Sewing'.

Oh dear I'm a goose sometimes!

First Ever Giveaway! (And look at my mosaic of garments!)

*** Please note that this giveaway has happened already, thanks for your lovely comments! - Veronica Darling 13/08/09***

Yay!

If you've only just joined me here on my crafty adventures blog, you are finding me at the end of a month long sew-a-long, where I made an Outfit a Day for the month of July! I rather roughly called it the "Ultimate Outfit Send Off, 24/7 July Challenge with Veronica Darling" or something along those lines, because you see I'm aiming for 100 Outfits all up, and needed a bit of a kick because I'm so close to 100!

Well here are all the Outfits from July! (In no particular order!) You can click on the image if you wanna see it larger though!


Yay again!

So for my first ever giveaway, I thought why don't you leave a comment with your fave Outfit, and I'll pick you out of a hat to be the winner of that Outfit! Sound easy enough? The only catch is that some outfits (pictured above) have been given away (baby presents!) or sold or worn by grubby old me. So if you fancy a garment that's been either of these things, perhaps list why you liked that garment and I shall make you a new one.

OR browse by what's available, by looking at the YELLOW stars (click for the larger image) below:



Remember too, I'm more than happy to take commissions, but I'm really not a professional sewer (getting faster!) and whilst your garment will be totally one of a kind, it's made with slow & particular care & adoration for the craft. Hee hee!

You can contact me at veronicadarling AT gmail DOT com any time lovely peeps!

So I'm just about on 100, perhaps after my little weekend break from sewing (I've been cooking and clearing up my sewing room) I'll reach 100 this next coming week?

24/7 - Day Thirty One - AKA Outfit #97

Yay, so here's my last Outfit (for the Ultimate Outfit Send Off, 24/7 Challenge) for July, it's Emy's Smock Dress (well if you fancy it Emy!):


It's a nice light denim fabric (store bought) but I can't make up my mind about the buttons, should I go red or blue? Large ones, or small ones?


The back is just the sweetest:


Once I decide on the buttons, I'll hem it up and send it to you, Emy! Perhaps we can do a swap for you sailor outfit (You should totally go and see Emy's latest op shop finds! They're awesome!).

So YAY, an Outfit a Day was pretty hard, but I did it! Last night we drank wine and watched United States of Tara and Husbie made macaroni and cheese to celebrate! Funny! I'm going to show you all the outfits tomorrow, and get you to pick the best and then you can win it (if I haven't sold it already) as a special 'reader' prize! Giveaway! I've never done one before, I hope I don't stuff it up!

Anyways, in other news, my little shelves were updated today, thanks to Husbie too!


I put all the fattest threads on there, and then still have my little wee one (found at an opshop) for the little thin threads:


I'll have to get that one a bit better organised though!

Happy weekend!

24/7 - Day Thirty - AKA Outfit #96

Day Thirty? 30 Days? I've been making an outfit every day for 30 days? Whoa, that went quickly.

I'm going to see the Doves tonight, so had to have 2 naps (count them!) in the afternoon, so only had a small window to make somethign today.

Here's a black skirt, from light knit jersey (probably meant for tshirts though:


It's from the stash too, and helped with the Built By Wendy book too. She used elastic through the waist. Dur, I'd never thought of that!

But it looks a bit bland by itself, right? I quickly googled bows, found this tutorial and voila:


An outfit for the Doves now. Luckily I let my hair go curly and I look totally 80s. I was saving the magenta and blue weird 80s print for something, perhaps some lining? But I don't think there's enough fabric. Enough for a bow though!

See ya later!

24/7 - Day Twenty Nine - AKA Outfit #95

YAY, once again! (I'm so tired, and it's only 8.24pm, early rising is so weird sometimes)

I've caught up and here's today's Outfit. Woo!


It's the same style as Outfit #94, gathered skirt with pockets, but it's from that knit fabric from Outfit #93 (I'm sure you're all keeping tabs on me!)...so doesn't have a zipper. And it's like I said the other week (Lazy sewers take note) when you've got the same colour thread in the machine(s) just keep doing the same coloured outfits, so hence all the white based fabric I've been using. (The denim looked good with the white stitching - as it does)

I'll have to switch tomorrow, because I have one very special outfit to finish off, it's one I started at the start of the month, but it got buried! So I'll be switching the machine threads over to navy blue for some more denim sewing, and perhaps use up some of the other blue florals I have in the stash.

Oh, and before I go, Franca (of Oranges & Apples) have a look on my new lovely shelf if you see anything familiar:

A little anchor all framed up! (next to Morrissey!)

Even though the month has been EXTREMELY busy, perhaps I'll do a 24/7 challenge every July, it's been uber productive and have totally explored a lot of styles I'd never have tried otherwise. Easy and simple sewing styles that is. (*HUGS OVERLOCKER AGAIN*)

YAY. Good night lovey doveys.

24/7 - Day Twenty Eight - AKA Outfit #94

And here's Outfit #94, I'm so freaking close to 100 it's ridiculous!

It's thicker denim, a leftover from a dress I made and listed on etsy once before.



What I like about this skirt is the POCKETS. Yep! I actually don't have a lot of pockets in my things, so it's nice to try them out occasionally!

It's all stash related onced again, and does up with a zipper at the back. NOICE!

24/7 - Day Twenty Seven - AKA Outfit #93

And getting closer to 100.

I'm a day behind thanks to those ruddy sleeves and their even ruddier elastic, but luckily my friend showed me a dress she'd bought from an American owned Australian store, and it pretty much was a tube with holes for the neck and holes for the arms, and of course a big hole for her cute legs to go through.


Voila.

*hugs overlocker*

I'm utterly amazed that I can now 'whip' up an outfit. Utterly amazed. I only had weird floral knit fabric to spare, but I think it'll look pretty cute with cowboy boots or whatever. Perhaps I'll wear it tomorrow to show her.

This is the busiest week at work to be full time sewing, so things like the tube dress above has helped out. I've cut out two skirts (nice gathered ones, with pockets! Oh my!) so hopefully tomorrow afternoon (once work has settled down) I'll sew them up.

Night!

What I got at the Op Shop (and finally the sleeves saga ends)

So yesterday, I didn't find any second hand elastic, but I did find some tiny shelves:

Tiny Shelves; perfect for BOBBIN things, and THREAD things! That's the before pic, and I've worked out it can home over 60 bobbins of full sized threads, which will be just right for my stash (if you recall I had a few op shop finds, plus my friend donated all her grandma's precious stash, so my threads needed a new house!) Yay! I unsuccessfully hammered in a few nails, so Husbie says he'll make it a weekend project.

And, here are the sleeves, with proper elastic:



Cute & Milkmaid-esque.

24/7 - Day Twenty Six - AKA Outfit #92

Oh, before I duck out, here's my little baby tshirt! Yay!

As I've been using those Built By Wendy Stretch patterns, I'm starting to get a feel of how tshirts go, and thought (now that I have a new 2 day old baby friend in Melbourne) I'd make her a tshirt for Outfit #92 of this fun time (but busy) challenge. I used the same material as this dress, cause of the softness and it's so light as well. Perfect for baby.


Perhaps I need to fix that hem up a little... but otherwise it's perfect, and it was MUCH easier to sew that I thought! I took the measurements from a vintage baby jumpsuit pattern I had (google was no help), so I'm not sure how it'll fit, but I did manage the scoop neckline ok, so hopefully it'll fit over her darling head.

But the best bit? My gathered sleeves, they are particularly girly, and so cute!


Ok, ducking off to op shop now! I did a LOT of work early today, and will spend a large chunk of my day tomorrow at work, so I got home at 10.30am, and have been pretending that I 'work from home' like a few of you lovely readers... And it's GREAT!

xoxo

24/7 - Day Twenty Five - AKA Outfit #91

So as I hastly put yesterday, I made up 2 dresses, but didn't have the right elastic to finish off the sleeves. Today I still don't have the elastic, but will perhaps fit some time in for an opshop trip to Dulwich Hill, cause they've got haberdash stuff sometimes... you all know I like to be thrifty and ethical (in my own mind) about my sewing.

Anyways, this one will be totally cute, once it's finished:

And the nice tie at the back:


So this is Outfit #91, today I'll post #Outfit 92 (the baby's top - yay - my new friend is a girl, so I'll send her the baby top and this lovely red summer dress) and make up another outfit... not sure what yet.

But here's a bit of my (kinda) neater sewing room, and as we have two computers the old one can sit here on the desk with me (and when I'm using the cutting board, it can sit on the shelf to the right).


I honestly had a medium sized spruce up over the weekend too, but it's a bit of a mess again! We don't have visitors until this weekend, so I'll get organised for another big spruce up then.

YAY

24/7 - Day Twenty Four - AKA Outfit #90

Well, I got really excited about our highspeed internetz that I forgot to blog and got lazy on my outfit a day challenge! I did walk past my old hangout (aka the pub) today, and thought, jeepers I better hop to it!

So, the funniest thing about these next couple of outfits; it's the first time I've had to stop sewing because I didn't have WHITE ELASTIC in my stash!

This dress you'll have seen before, but here is a more modestly lengthed version! And I decided to do two at once, both white-ish based floral bedsheets means you can do both at the same time (front piece, zipper, facings) all at the same time, with the same thread. A great way to make things faster, cause you're not changing thread or zipper foots all the time, Yay for Lazy Sewing.

Anyways, I got to the sleeves, the last part, and made the gorgeously matched casings, and then went to find some elastic... I only had stacks of black (typical) and no thin white stuff anywhere. BUT I did have some shirring elastic, thought that would work, but after spending a good hour threading it through (doubled) once I overlocked it, it all came apart inside the casing. A disaster!





And here are the sleeves!


I'll have to post the pink dress (Outfit 91) and the baby tee tomorrow (Outfit 92), as I've totally run out of time! It's good having the internerdz on, but I keep getting distracted by doggie, Trueblood and my darling Husbie! What a great weekend. xoxo

24/7 - Day Twenty Three - AKA Outfit #89

Hi! Back again (gosh how regular am I) but this time a little earlier in the day, since I was a little more calculated with my garment choice!

I've been reading Built By Wendy's Home Stretch Book (that links to Amazon, fyi, but you can buy it on any online bookstore I'm sure) a bit here and there, and made a this lovely red dress last week from her instructions. So today I followed the instructions for the EASIEST tshirt possible, one that has overlocked seams and hems, so no folding or bias tape or any fiddly bits.

So I found this stashed cotton jersey (aren't I learning about knit and stretchy fabric), and thought I'd whip a tshirt up:


But then I got adventurous with my figure, and decided a shorter version of the tshirt would look best, but the clingy fabric just didn't sit right and I was worried it'll look a bit crop toppy in a BAD way, so I added a skirt bit:


Thoughts? I'm not TOO keen on the clingy-ness, but maybe cause it's still winter (the weather did a turnaround today!) and I have to wear stockings and a singlet underneath cause it's so see through. It might grow on me.

Anyways, it only took an hour, so I've actually come to the cafe across the road instead to blog, and it's so lovely compared to the pub. Instead of wine I'm having English Breakfast Tea and a caramel slice. Delish!

Off to read your blog now, as I am a Lady of Leisure who has finished her homework early. *CHUFFED*

WWW - Watcha Wearing Wednesday #10

AND, I also got the camera out for a WWW day (c/o Fi)! Doggie Darling too!


My new shoes are getting a workout! They're Melissa, and did you know they smell like bubblegum cause they're made of plastic?! I actually went to work (at 5am) with a big jacket and a scarf, but I left the house realising the temperature was no different outside to inside the house! Even at that time. We have experiences a total spring time day here in Sydney, I think it was supposed to be 23 degrees!

And, with attitude, with excitement for my fave romper (and only romper) I've ever made:


YAY!



YAY x 2000! Ok, better rush off to get tea ready now!

24/7 - Day Twenty Two - AKA Outfit #88

So I thought I'd improvise a bit today, and I've never made an apron before, and the opshop one I have is cute, but rather big, and not very Sexy Housewife (not that I am either) so, I thought 'How hard can it be?'...


Well it would have only taken an hour, but instead I got excited. Yep... how can one not be excited when sewing AND refashioning... SO, I wanted to use this darling blue floral pillowslip, and if I'd just left it at, I would have had dinner cooked by now (instead of sitting in the pub writing to you). But for some reason I thought "How about some frills?????!!!! It'd look cute!"


Yep, cute is right, however it took FOREVER to do because for some reason I decided I should also line it, or back it with another vintage pillow slip of feathers:


And yep, that's why it took all afternoon to make up. It's fully reversible, and I so very proud of that, but my fingers have gathered up too much frill and I also interfaced (just the blue side) and DIDN'T USE A PATTERN. I'm over 'Freestyling' as I put it the other day!

But, what a lovely little Outfit. I'm considering putting a pocket on both sides, and somehow sewing just once through all fabrics, I can be that clever right?


And how Sexy Housewife is the little bow:


Phew!

24/7 - Day Twenty One- AKA Outfit #87

I feel like starting off all my posts these days with "YAY"!!! So just a little update on yesterday's outfit (because I'm sure you were totally aching to find out if it fits) as I finished the buttons (don't they look cute) and the hems:


AND IT FITS! And like Penny says, you totally need attitude to wear it! I have some wedge heels that are practically the same colour, so I can't wait for spring time! It's still a little cold to wear just cotton, and unfortunately Husbie didn't get home in time to take a photo of me in it...

But he did get home in time to see this darling little dress for Outfit #87!

Looks a bit small? That's because it's for a little BABY! The baby I have in mind hasn't been born yet, and we don't know if it's a girl or a boy, so this looks a bit girlie:


So if little bubba is a boy, I'll most likely post this little knitted jumper I'm working on (when I watch tv). How cute is the back?


I have heard that things that don't have to pull on over a little bubba's head is best, so I love that it ties up at the back. It's stash leftovers, and I totally vintage cotton fabric. I lined it with white fabric, that kinda stretched around a bit, so that was a bit bad, but it turned out ok. Very cute. Vintage stash buttons too!

One of the best thins about doing my challenge this month is that I'm constantly thinking of what to sew next, because the project is finished daily, and I feel really inspired. I'm thinking of baby tees, more rompers, and more skirts to ease up the stash almost every free second of the day... it's totally what it's like to be a creative sewing gal... almost full time! (Even though I am still working full time, and cooking tea and caring for Doggie Darling... the kitchen is a mess!)

Anyways, best be off to cook up a risotto!

24/7 - Day Twenty- AKA Outfit #86

I'm certainly getting into the swing of blogging on this challenge month, I'm DYING to get to the computer and blog as soon as I finish my Outfits!

So I got home from work today, loved my darling doggie, and then headed straight into the sewing room for some fun:


I usually reserve patterns for the weekend, as they are occasionally more time consuming, and during the week you just wanna FREESTYLE! But I've been dying to make this romper for ages, and since they're all the rage, I better make it quick!

This pattern actually came with a darling little piece of tissue instructions (and it was so carefully folded - whoever owned this one, totally looked after it!) that helped you with "How to Make a Better Fitting Jumpsuit", and thus I followed the instructions:


And discovered I was smaller in the top bit, so adjusted my pattern accordingly. Then I realised I only had enough fabric (gorgeous cotton candy stripes) for everything but the facings, so hacked the white bits from this top (I'd actually bought from the op shop to use the floral bit):

And I sewed it up with NO problems whatsoever, rompers are just too adorable:

There are NO zippers, it's a totally pull on and go piece, but has the elastic around the middle. I haven't tried it on yet, so hopefully it fits:

I'll have to do the buttons on the shoulder tomorrow (3 each side, so I'll use stash buttons for that too) and the hems of the legs, but it's just so cute! I was totally inspired to do stripes by Jenny Wilson, cause when she toured Australia a few years back, she and her backing vocal gals were all clad in stripey jumpsuits/rompers. DARLING! Here's the white cotton as the facing:

And here are the darling little pockets!

So, I'm uber proud of this one (as you can tell) but I'm so sorry for the dusky photos. There seemed to be enough light, but I think I just missed it. Today was such a beautiful sunny winter's day, so it seemed apt to sew up this fun time outfit.

Yay!