Marie Antoinette Style - a beautiful book

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqaHsy7hMWo

Above is a video from Youtube by someone who went to the exhibition.  Lucky them!

(These are my photos from my copy of the book - they are not great quality thanks to the grey and dull weather, but give some idea of some of the images)

I was very lucky to receive a beautiful coffee-table book which is the catalogue of the V & A exhibition about Marie Antoinette Style which is on at the moment, but sold out, unless you are a member of the V & A.  While I would love to be, it just isn't practical as a trip to London is not a cheap day out and to see the museum in all its glory would take a week, not a day!

However, there are many videos about the exhibition (such as the one at the top of this post) which give a good taste of what it is and the book is a beautifully produced accompaniment and looks to be an interesting read in its own right.  

There are lots of gorgeous photos of jewels, furniture, clothes, shoes of the time as well as discussions about her influences, from the films about her to fashion, interiors and many things in between.   

There are also videos about the book on instagram and facebook (neither of which I am part of) but I am sure they will give a good idea of the book.  I am really looking forward to sitting and reading the book (in stages, as it is quite a tome).

There are lots of blog posts about the exhibition too, so here is just one.  I am sorry that I am not able to see the exhibition in person, but with all the articles, videos and reviews, and a copy of the book,  it's the next best thing.

I made a dress!

I had been looking for a nice loose summer dress, with a scoop neck, small sleeves and pockets and hadn't been able to find anything I liked.  Then I looked at patterns and the StyleArc Montana dress kept cropping up.  I took the plunge and sent for it.  I had seen on the reviews that the pattern was great and beginner friendly, but the instructions definitely weren't.  While I have made a few things to wear now and am not a total beginner, I am still not that confident, but thought I could manage this.  They were right about the instructions - they are confusing!  They suggest you make a double layered bodice but I wasn't going to do that, or add facings, but I didn't want to do that either, so in the end, I just made some bias binding and put that around the neck and sleeves.  I think it works fine.  I had to look up in-seam pockets and also how to gather properly, but I found lots of help online and in some of my sewing books.  

Here it is.  I used a dark blue with white polka dots cotton and made it over a few days.  Granted, it doesn't look its best on a hanger, but Chris said it looked nice and I felt it looked OK too. I have two more lots of material (bright pink with flowers and a blue/purple batik) so shall be making two more of these.  While it may not be quite warm enough to wear them at the moment (although if I put leggings underneath or boots and added a jumper or cardigan, I probably could wear them over the next couple of weeks), they will be ready for next summer!

Positives and Negatives

It was 'Sew Saturday' yesterday but I decided that I had enough material in my stash and couldn't really justify buying any more, no matter how lovely, so stayed away from the tempting fabric shops. However, to celebrate sewing, here is a photo of my latest make - it's the Sew Me Something Kate dress again (one of my favourites), but I have altered it so that it is without sleeves. I used denim for the dress and added some pretty floral bias binding around the neck and pockets.

I am quite pleased that I managed to alter the pattern to make a dress that I am happy to wear, with leggings and boots or tights and boots.  Previously, the pattern was just too big across the back, so the tops kept falling off my shoulders which I found a bit annoying.  I think I have solved that problem by taking in the pattern on each side.
On the negatives, we haven't been having a good time with electrical and domestic appliances just recently.  Our cooker had to go after many years of service and then the blender packed in, then the CD/radio we had in the kitchen stopped working properly and tonight, my old and much loved and used computer (Windows 2003 - almost an antique now, but a real workhorse) has decided not to switch on at all, no matter how many times we changed the fuse or checked the electricity flow.  I think I have kept various copies of things on memory sticks and/or discs/disks, but I didn't keep a record of exactly what was on there... *Sigh*

Second Rabbit - finished!

 I have been given a timely reminder, by a colleague who reads my blog, that there hasn't been much on the craft side of things for some time.  She was absolutely right, so I shall attempt to rectify this shameful state of affairs.  You may remember that I made a little rabbit, having been prompted to use some material from my stash which was left over from my favourite puffed sleeve dress when I was five.  So, I set to work and made a rabbit.  Then I thought she would need a friend, so decided to use some left over material from my wedding dress bodice to continue the memories theme.  Above is rabbit number two in her pantaloons.

 I used a slightly different pattern for the rabbit (from Helen Philipps, rather than the Tilda one I used first).  Here she is in the pink silk dress.  I changed the sleeves from the pattern too.

 Then I made an apron from some floral cotton I bought earlier in the year ("Oh, I'll use it for something, I'm sure", I said (as I do every time I am drawn into buying more material) and then I added it to my ever-growing stash).

 Here is the finished rabbit with a face and a felt hat which was a real nuisance to make as the size wasn't right.  I gave up after attempting it in different sizes and finding none was perfect!  The eagle eyed amongst you may notice that her ears are different from the original too.  This is due to the fact that originally, I wanted to link the rabbits by using the puffed sleeve dress material on both.  However, with all the pink, the blue flowers didn't quite work.  I tried to convince myself that it was fine, but Chris had mentioned a couple of times that he wasn't sure that the material was right for the pink rabbit (I stuck to my guns and said it would be fine, not wanting to admit that it wouldn't!) Once she was all made up though, I could see that the material looked wrong.  So, I made another set of ears, using a piece of material left over from a dress my sister made for me when I was about eighteen.   This material does look fine!

Here are the two (hopefully) contented rabbits, helping me to remember some special times that made me very happy.

WIP (Work in progress) progress

 I thought it was about time I updated you on my rabbit Work In Progress. It has been a challenge for my sewing skills - both hand sewing and machining and I have taken my time and done some when I felt in the mood to do it. Above, you can see the hat and pantaloons.  This was the second hat I had made and it still didn't seem right.

 Back view of the rather voluminous pantaloons and hat.  I have since decided that I don't like the hat at all so have been searching through various craft books looking for a different pattern.  I think I have found one that might work, but I'll let you know!

 Then came the dress, in plain blue cotton.  I raised the waistline a little from the pattern, as I wanted a sort of Regency feel. 

Then the apron, made from my precious puffed sleeve dress material.  I had toyed with the idea of make a pinafore-type apron, but in the end, I decided just a little apron would be fine.  So, I now have to have a go at the hat and add some hand made lace to either the dress or the apron.  Oh, and then there is her face - a bit of a make or break thing, so it has got to be right!  Once she is finished, I'll post about her again.  Then I would like to make another rabbit, perhaps using a different pattern, so that there are two of them and they won't get lonely!  (Really, I wanted to make the inside of the ears in my puffed sleeved dress material, that is the more prosaic reason for making another rabbit!)