9.7.10
Cold Snap
My sister and I laughed and laughed when I brought out this fabric. I had been doing a show-and-tell of internet purchases that hadn't been quite as I expected. This one was the last to come out, because it is all very well to admit a mistake, but who wants to admit to an expensive mistake...yes, the tell-tale zig-zags and divine colour combinations give this away as Missoni fabric. The fabric is gorgeous and covetable, yes, but standing in the hot climate of Townsville, I felt like I was holding a horse blanket.
A few weeks ago I was preparing to visit Brisbane for the christening of my nephew. Two days before we left I decided that I needed to make up the fabric if I was ever going to wear it before the silverfish got to it. I climbed out of my bed, where I had been languishing since having my wisdom teeth removed, and sewed the main peices together of a Twinkle pattern for a dropped shoulder minidress. I looked in the mirror and was devastated at the result. The weight of the wool and zig-zags across the shoulder made me look like a front-row forward. The dress fell to the floor and I fell back in bed.
The next day I attended "nursery-rhyme day" at school, visited the dentist, ran around on errands and then found myself with half an hour to spare before school pick-up. Could I salvage the dress in half an hour? Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, and I pulled out my Ottobre t-shirt pattern and starting snipping away and stitching up. The result was promising.
Late that night, halfway through packing, I added the cowl. The Twinkle pattern had pleats around the neckline as well as the cowl, but I found I had only cut one length for the pleats instead of two, and short of time, I decided to do away with pleats. I guess I could go back and add them in now? I finished all the little handstitching bits when I got to Brisbane.
I got to wear this dress a-plenty during my holiday because it was so cold. I was freezing whilst Peter snapped this photo, and went out and bought a singlet and thicker leggings to wear underneath. Back here in Townsville, cold weather is so difficult to comprehend! However, we do usually get one or two more cold days, so I just may get to wear this dress again before I pack it away for the summer.
I did have a little bit of fabric shopping success whilst in Brisbane. I stumbled into a dress shop in Paddington to find a table of remnants left from seasons past. Beautiful linens and silks at great prices. I bought up most of the remnants for less than the price of a single garment in this shop!
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8 comments:
It has been cold lately - & I am totally jealous of your great fabric buy at that boutique. The Missoni is really working!
The dress turned out great - no blanket in sight! The colours are fabulous. I particularly like the flared sleeves and the edge along the sleeves and hem. Nice one! BTW I came across a reasonably large-ish range of footlight tights in Myer just recently. I'm guessing they've been stocked for winter. I was going to pick you up a pair but thought I should consult you first - quite a range of thicknesses, weights, lengths and degrees of transparency (plus a few colours and possibly patterns). They were a bit pricey ($30 - $45) but looked like they'd last a long time. They were leaps and bounds ahead of the tuxedo stripes in terms of quality and appearance! I did buy a pair and have been happy with them. This is probably not the best place to have this discussion but your photo triggered my memory and I'm not sure if I would have remembered.
Fabulous tunic. I'm glad you got to wear your internet surprise. I am envious of your fabric score. Brisbane seems a fabric desert to me whenever I visit.(except for Gardams)
Hi! Great dress! Have you sewn the top called "Dark Secrets" from Twinkle Sews? I am having trouble with the balloon sleeves. I dont understand the directions...
Hello jesslindz...I have not sewn "dark secrets" sorry :(
I saw the picture and said, "hey, Missoni print!" and sure enough, it was too. I'm so glad you got to sew and wear this great print it would be a crime for it to become silver fish fodder. I'm also glad I live in a climate with a decent winter. A few frosts, a few 10 degree days - cold enough to wear wool but not so cold that you suffer. (my home town in the far south however, is just suffering all year round)
Okay, thanks!
I made a coat out of this fabric last winter. Your dress is very nice indeed.
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