New Year New Season

 

Just a glimpse of what I have been up to over the past month.

Necklaces all assembled from upcycled new and vintage componants.  Love how the camera captured the intense red of the top necklace.

Wish the model woud make an effort and put some clothes on.

  

 Two ring bracelets listed on etsy for sale.  Enjoy. Hxxx

'Hail Mary' made from repurposed vintage chains, diamonte and cross with virgin mary and child dangling fob.  https://www.etsy.com/listing/102033475/handmade-in-england-hail-mary-vintage

'Forget Me Not' rhinestone and jewel flower bracelet with adjustable ring from repurposed jewellary which would be lovely for a wedding or formal occasion. https://www.etsy.com/listing/102407206/handmade-in-england-forget-me-not 

Wedding Dress - July 2004

 This is my wedding dress from years ago.  It is based on a Vera Wong 1930s style dress which I saw Natalie Portman wearing in an interview in Vogue or something.  Obviously I couldn't tell what the back was actually like so I made most of it up!

The fabric is shot velvet - smokey gray and teal with  embriodered cream lace inserts in the back train.  The entire dress is bias cut.  There are over 100 covered buttons down the centre back and the train has a mini pleated skirt effect.

As there was just me I drafted the pattern from scratch, cut and fitted it by eye as you can't get the best fit by doing it yourself while wearing the garment and pinning velvet is difficult as it marks the fabric.   Luckily it paid off as it fit like a glove in the end, better than on this display dummy which has NO curves. Unfortunatley I didn't realise until the dress was finished how revealing the front was so had to stitch lace onto my bra so I wasn't flashing the Vicar in an unbrideley fashion!
                                                                          

Sewing velvet is a nightmare at best of times as the pile tends to walk - I got around this by stapling the seam allowance.  Underpressing was also difficult as I don't have a velvet board so the entire underpressing and offpressing process was done with steam - lots of it.  This is way the bottom appears crushed - the dress has been stored (not flat as it should have been), I can't bear to press it and ruin the pile.

The Holy Trinity of Teapot Cosies!

 I think I'm turning into an old lady overnight - but I do so love an excuse to knit a stripey, pom-pom cosy!  Is that really so wrong?????  (Don't ask the husband - he has very clear veiws on this subject!).

Here we go then, the holy trinity of teapot cosies - Baby for my one-pot teapot, Mumma-me-ah for my main pig print teapot and Big Daddy-oh for the coffee pot!