Atonement Green Silk Dress

Last year (2011) a friend of mine asked me if I would create a dress for his daughter for her end of school evening dance, the dress she wanted me to make was an interpretation of the Green Silk Dress designed by Jacqueline Durran as worn by Keira Knightly in Atonement.


I started by doing the usual research, I hit Google lol, below are some of the links I found;

Sunday Couture - This is a really good explanation of the construction of the dress, a "must read" for anyone who wants to have a go at making a dress for themselves
Famous Formal Wear
Costumer's Guide
As I Said...Blog

Vogue 7365

I also had very little time and only a couple of fittings so I used Vogue pattern 7365, I would have liked to of started from an original block but as fittings and time were quite limited I found it easier using the pattern initially to get started on the basic shape and develop my own pattern from there.

Firstly I used Susannah's measurements and altered the pattern to include a waist band and allow the straps to come down the back.

In the original design custom-dyed emerald featherweight silk satin  was used to create a dress with very fluid movement in the garment, it also allowed for the detailing around the neck line to be produced by laser cutting, I obviously didn't have the luxury of time and budget ;-) one can only dream lol. If you ever read my humble blog Jacqueline the dress you created was truly beautiful and my version is in homage.

In my version I used 100% silk satin for the outer fabric and 100% habotai silk for the lining, the dress was fully lined, gathered at the back zip, plus I created a sash that was also gathered and attached at the back zip and tied at the front. Three fresh water pearls were used as buttons for the waist closure.

Vogue 7365 has no waistband so a tracing was taken from the original pattern this was then cut and adjusted so to incorporate the waistband.

I made 2 toiles before I made the final dress the first to get a general feel for the design the second to make adjustments for Susannah, each time altering the pattern so as to capture the essence of the original dress. I should have taken photos of the work in progress but hindsight is a wonderful thing, instead I have included pictures of the finished garment.

Though a lesson I've learnt from this project is to take photo's that I think I might use on the Internet without loads going on in the background, ie without showing my messy workroom and having to spend a couple of hours blurring the background lol.

Upper Back Detail

Lower Back detail

Back

Side

Front

Susannah

Cute Kitten Hat & Cardigan

Baby Cardigan & Hat by Sue Batley-Kyle

Check out the gorgeous baby hat and cardigan pattern on Mollie Makes Blog, it will look lovely on my grand-daughter, I am sure I can find some wool to get it started. 

 Go to Sue Batley Kyle's Ravely page to source the pattern as it is no longer available on Mollie Makes Blog, but it can also be found in King Coles Baby Book 4

Sashiko Day

I loved the Sashiko embroidery designs I completed at the class held at the Carlisle branch of the Embroiderers Guild and ran by one of their talented long standing members.

Sashiko 1

Sashiko 1 was my first design, this was taken from a traditional Japanese design

Sashiko 2

Sashiko 2 is where I began experimenting with my own design and shapes,

Sashiko 3

I have not yet completed Sashiko 3, a work in progress



I found the day, as always, very therapeutic and enjoyable, learning a new embroidery technique and spending a day in good company sitting sewing for the day with no distractions, Pure Bliss :-)

Sunday Plan

I am looking forward to a day of embroidery, finishing projects so I can put them into the Carlisle Embroiderer's Guild Exhibition at Tullie House while also enjoying Sunday films lol.

I'm in transitional reflection at present, frustrated at my tendency to say yes to projects I truly don't want to do which in turn prevents me from enjoying myself doing activities I love and enjoy those projects that ignite my creativity and inspires my passions.

Why is that ?

Well its of no consequence today as I have decided to indulge my creative self, as in the words of my daughter, Whoop Whoop,

When I've finished I'll put up pictures, promise, and information about the projects,

Happy Sunday,

Indulge, We're all worth it 

Love, Marie xx

Lemon Drizzle Cake & Chocolate Brownies Mmmmmmmmmm

My daughter is having a little get together at her home and I was in charge of making the cake, it is a joint celebration as my Hubby turned 40 this year on the 24th January and its my Daughters birthday tomorrow, she is 26 so not a milestone age but it is her 1st birthday as a mummy and what a wonderful mummy she is growing to be.


So as Mum's/wives do I offered to make their joint celebratory cake and chose what I would deem as classic favourites, Lemon Drizzle Cake and Chocolate Brownies, neither wanted anything elaborate and the above said cakes covers most peoples tastes.

To get to the reason why I have felt the need to share this personal snippet of general life stuff on my blog is this, though I would consider myself a competent cook and yes I have made many enjoyable versions of the above said cakes for various family & friends occasions, on this occasion I decided to try the recipes of a well know TV Chef, the Naked Chef to be precise, good old Jamie, 

Well I have just sampled my creations, Awesome as in the words of some surfer teen dude lol, Thank You Jamie Oliver your 15 Brownies and Nan's Lemon Drizzle Cake are the best I've ever made mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, and I thought I should share with the world, see below for links to the recipes & pictures;

"My Nan's Lemon Drizzle Cake"

"Bloomin Brilliant Brownies"

Enjoy x

Working Holiday

Who in their right mind takes 2 weeks holiday off work to work ? ME, DOH !!!,

To be honest I am not exactly complaining as I am doing work I love, I'm designing a short coat for a friend for her wedding day in December plus also designing her sisters bridesmaid dress for the day too, Yeah so its not all bad,

I promise to add pictures as I am creating, I hope it will encourage me to write in my blog more, but I have been very and perhaps too easily distracted with family, fabrics, patterns and general groovy stuff, all of which I will take pic's of and post very soon

I am still learning this blog stuff, technology doesnt usually baffle me but with not posting regularly I am picking things up a little slowly lol

Well talk soon

Love Marie x

Spelling Mistakes and Virus Drama

I will try harder is the motto, as soon as I had published my very first post I noticed a spelling mistake in the title, doh!, which as I realised could not be undone, valuable lesson learnt proof read thoroughly.

Sadly not only have I been busy with life as usual but I was struck with a computer virus which was a nasty inconvenience. It was the type that acts like an Anti-virus and promptly blocks all your anti-virus, anti-malware and spy-ware and is near impossible to erase. 

This experience left me no option but to re-install an operating system. So I have decided to try Linux. I have contemplated it for years but have always been wary about compatibility issues as most things you buy only seem to support Windows, but up to now, and it has been installed for a couple of weeks, things seem to be fine and running smoothly so I am quietly optimistic.

Whoop! Whoop!

I'll keep you informed, therefore I am hoping to get back to more enjoyable aspects of my life.....

Sewing and Jewellery making, Hooray

See you soon 

Love Marie x