Any dressmakers here? Need some inspiration

[SunnyL]

Actually this is open to anyone - not just sewers.

I like to make dresses and it keeps me occupied in the evenings when DH is at work and I'm tied to the house by sleeping DD.

Normally I make dresses for specific occasions to. So far this year I've had 3 weddings and a royal function that have kept me occupied. Now I've got nothing on the social calendar that needs a dress.

So what should I make next?

What are you sewing at the moment?

For non-sewers what is the best dress you've bought this summer that is fairly classic and can be worn again in future?

SunnL - i'm 5ft 3.5 - so pretty short but not very curvy - broad shoulders and not very in at the waist but narrow hips - V shape maybe . I weigh just under 9 stone and wear a shop size 10/12 dress and 8/10 jeans. I made a size 14 and it seems to fit perfectly (measured that I needed a 16 but hadn't bought that size pattern!!).

Can anyone recommend a nice pattern for a dress with a side zip (rather than back)?

I'm 5 ft 8 and a size 14 dress 16 bottom and 12 top so about as weird as it comes lol. Her patterns work fine with me, made the coco and the miette. They have markings on to be shortened or lengthened and she does show how you can change the sizes on her website. She does the best tutorials!

HI Fruity - do you have to lengthen her patterns? I was surprised to find I didn't need to shorten mine at all.

Not the miette at all but I do length the coco a little. They're still above the knee but they were a little too short before then. I have quite long legs and quite a booty so needed some extra material to cover aforementioned! I think her patterns are so easy to follow. I'm planning on making the pyjamas from her book next.

SunnyL - what's the name/address of your sewing blog? I've recently got my machine serviced and bought fabric to make A line skirt. I thought I'd get into practice with something simple. I love looking at sewing blogs, for practical advice and inspiration.

Dancingstar I've PM'd you my blog

Ah fruity you sound more my shape though I'm decidedly shorter . Maybe I'll take a second look at those Tilly patterns - the book is so cheap in Amazon at the moment its almost rude not to.

Has anyone ever made trousers? I've never made trousers as I couldn't see the point but I'm thinking I need a new challenge. I've seen some on Burda I quite like www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/skinny-pants-with-hip-yoke-042014

Can't decide though if its just too much of a faff and I should just go to H&M - not really in the spirit of dressmaking though is it?

Hi Sunny - I've made trousers in the dim and distant past - turned out OK I think.

Can you PM me your blog as well please as I also love looking at them for inspiration?

Hi Kitkat - I've PM'd you my blog.

What blogs do any of you follow? I've been bookmarking projects I like as I find them but only recently started actually following blogs (I'm a bit of a luddite about social media).

thanks Sunny.

I've just been looking at things that come up in a search - nothing regular yet - but it does include Tilly's. Lots seem to be American though so woudl prefer to look at UK based stuff.

Burrito - I've got that Gather pattern and some fabric so am ready to go on my latest dress. How did you find the sizing? I made a 14 in the Simplicity dress pattern but i see on this one the 12 is actually bigger than the 14 I made - did you have to size down?

Hello, back from the land of no internet, alas also of no sewing machine although I did the hand finishing on a dress and some knitting.
SunnyL the liberty top was using the burda pattern that I linked some where earlier on this thread using a liberty print that I managed to track down on ebay. I'll try and find the photo I took.
Can you pm me with your blog too, please? I follow Tilly, Fehr trade (she even makes her own sports wear), "I can't believe you made that", Scruffy Badger and a few US based blogs.
My dds have given me the Winifred Aldrich book for children's wear, so I will report how I get on.

cardi that scruffy badger blog is ace - I love her pictures. She's clearly havin fun. I'm going to have to take some tips from these ladies in how to take a good photo of your sewing projects.

I've pm'd you my blog.

I'm about to go on holiday but have ordered a new pattern and fabric so I've got something to return top. I decided I wanted a tea dress for daytime wear so I've ordered NewLook 6183 www.simplicitynewlook.com/6183/ and some navy floral fabric.

Still very tempted to buy a trouser pattern and have a go though.

She is great, isn't she? Yes, if anyone has any tips about taking photographs that would be really good to know. The one I had was to get your photographer to have the camera at about waist height to avoid shortening yourself.

Trousers are on my project list, in fact the pattern arrived, so I just need to choose some fabric and get on with it.
By the way, the pm didn't seem to work :(

Any more progress, has everyone decamped to the thread in Arts and Crafts? I am now sewing trousers. Wish me luck!