Yesterday was a very sad day. I decided not to blog about it as I’m not the sort to pour myself out, but covered up my feelings as is usual for me. It was a busy day, but I also received some awful news; result, I was rushing about madly, but simultaneously on the inside contemplating the meaning of life in an introspective miserable way all day… Well, that’s all. It may sound shallow to say doing my blog is a little bit of silly fun and a joy that I look forward to each day, but it is true…
Sorry if this sounds all downer. I suppose my blog is a realistic snapshot of my days and bad days will happen too…
With regards to today’s outfit; all you style mavens can relax, no heels were harmed in the taking of this photo. But I did wear them for the rest of the day! The dress is a recent creation, Vogue 1152, made out of chambray. For my review of this pattern, see here. I’ve used this pattern again recently, but drastically altered. And after making my chambray top I still had a tad of the fabric leftover… well last night I used some of this to put inseam pockets in the dress… and took some photos to show how easy this procedure is to do.
Firstly I traced around my hand to make a pocket shape, and cut out four of these from the fabric,… alternatively you can use a pocket piece that fits you comfortably from a pattern you already have, but a pocket is a pocket is a pocket really…! (also, as the final result will ideally be invisible on the outside you can use either matching fabric like I have, or contrasting fabric, no matter)
I unpicked the side seams of the dress along the area where I wanted the pockets to go, with about 1.5cm further unpicking top and bottom also, for seams. If you previously overlocked the raw edges of the seam allowance together, like I did for the left hand one in the picture then the unpicking of all that will be a bit painful… if you’ve overlocked the edges of the separate pieces before sewing your seam, like the righthand one in the picture, then you’re laughing (translation; an Aussie expression meaning it’ll be easy for you)
Then with right sides together, sew two pocket pieces to each front, and two to each dress back, using a smaller seam allowance than used for the side seams. This is important, especially if your pocket pieces are cut from contrasting fabric that you don’t want to show on the outside of the dress. It’s probably hard to see in the picture, but the yellow pin marks the fold of the old side seam and the pearl pin marks the new joining seam of pocket piece to dress piece.
Now, with pocket pieces right sides together, sew the pocket seam all round the pocket pieces. Lastly resew the side seams of your dress. Extend these seams just beyond where the round-the-pocket seam joins into the seam allowance, by about 0.5cm or so. This will make the finished appearance on the outside neater. Even more lastly, overlock or finish the raw edges, if desired…
To help make this a bit clearer I’ve drawn a diagram…
The purple seam (pocket piece to dress) is sewn first, the green seam (pocket pieces together) is sewn second. The blue seam (dress side seams) is sewn last. The dotted blue line (do not sew this one!) is the pocket opening, right along the seam line of the dress. See how the blue line extends just beyond where the green line joins up, and how the purple line is inside the blue dotted line? I hope this helps make clearer my no-doubt muddled explanations…
And pocket-wise you’re home n’ hosed! (translation; an Aussie expression meaning you’re finished)
Details:
Dress; Vogue 1152, with sleeve and fitting modifications, see here for pattern review, cotton chambray
Sandals; Pedro Miralles, from Soletta shoes
Today I am wearing a little sundress I made a few years ago, with the intention of it being a beach dress to pop on over bathers. As it turned out kind of fancy and pretty I’ve ended up wearing it on loads of different occasions… I used the halter bodice from McCalls 4453 which is a top pattern, and altered the design to have a side zip opening. I drafted a skirt that is a sort of faux wrap around design. Long at the back and with two tapered fronts lapped over each other and both secured in the side seams. The dress is fully lined with pale pink lining. I like the softly pretty luminous effect this has under the sheer red swirly pattern of the fashion fabric, which actually has sparkles. Bonus! 
