Project: Frock By Friday

{ Source: Grosgrain }

Kathleen of Grosgrain is running a 'Frock by Friday' project where readers can download the pattern and instructions to the lovely Coffee Date dress (above) and sew the garment along with Kathleen's good self and everyone else reading.

After multiple emails from people saying how much they'd like to start sewing their own clothes, Kathleen decided to run the project to help people learn, give them confidence and she will be posting detailed instructions daily for people to follow. As projects to inspire confidence go, I think this is a fabulous idea, it's not vintage but it is pretty and you can never have too many pretty dresses!

Thanks for stopping by,

Costume Joy

My computer did a terrible thing, it ate all my emails, my files, my pictures of my nephew and basically refused to play ball. This has been a hard lesson learned in backing up bookmarks and emails and photos (not to mention having a computer that doesn't do things like that). 

But the silver lining to this cloud has been the time to start and finish the vanilla scented strawberry (I didn't have any strawberry scent), to finish the pink Lil' Miss Dawg for my friend's little girl and finally, but by no means least, the opportunity to fall madly in love. Again. 

I missed Pushing Daisies the first time around. I'd like to think I had a good reason for missing something so delightful, perhaps it was on whilst I was living in Australia, but I honestly don't remember. It doesn't really matter as I've found it now, better late than never. And what a visual feast it is! It instantly reminded me of Amelie with its exaggerated colours and sets. The scripts were witty, the premise was wonderfully weird and yet perfectly acceptable. Hell, there were plot holes a mile wide but it didn't matter because it was beautiful and full of sentiment. Oh, and the costumes, ooh the costumes ... as Olive likes to say: O.M.G.! 

I found the series through my love of Michael from Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. Lee Pace was adorable and I instantly wanted to peruse the rest of his career. I'd read of the costumes in Pushing Daisies from another vintage blogger and when I discovered that not only was he in it but was also the lead, and sharing the lead was Anna Friel (I love her!), I knew I just had to watch.

And now I'm feeling sad, alone and Pie Hole-less after watching the final episode of the final series. There are no more adventures to be had vicariously with Olive, Emmerson, Ned and Chuck. That particular delicious pie did not fill my stomach and I'm craving more. Perhaps, after a suitable mourning period for a series that was cut too short for my liking, I'll go back and rewatch from episode one.

In fact, I know I will, as I can't get enough of Anna Friel's costumes and I want one of ... well, pretty much everything if I'm honest. Because it's love. Pure and simple.

Thanks for stopping by,

Oh So Disappointed!

The Waspie from WKD arrived and I am so disappointed, whilst still managing to be totally in love. First impressions were that it was beautifully wrapped and a lot pinker than I'd thought.

I immediately hurried upstairs to try it on and noticed several things right off the bat. It definitely did not feel as restrictive as the waist cincher from WKD's Glamorous range (which I learned, once I grabbed the tape measure, was because it wasn't cinching at all), and the shorter length was much more suited to my high waist. Unfortunately, whilst I loved the lacy panel on the front, it did nothing to help cinch, just held everything in (and I can do that myself). My 29" waist (well, 30" when I'm letting it all hang out) had stayed 29", whereas the Glamorous cincher had reduced my waist to 28.5".

Most disappointingly was the construction of the garment around my hips and rear end where the garment was curling under and creating a ruck. Overtly visible when in my underwear I can only assume this problem would still be visible when wearing a skirt or dress. This rucking may be caused by several things:

1) I had removed the optional suspenders (but really, if they're optional then don't make the garment dependent on having them to sit correctly)

2) because I'm two sizes smaller on my hips than my waist

or

3) to be perfectly honest I believe it's because the boning doesn't go all the way to the bottom of the fabric and instead stops just under an inch from the edge

Of course, it could be a mixture of all three but overall, for the price I'm paying, I want something that's going to do what it says on the tin. I ordered the correct size according to WKD's sizing charts (a 14, a first for me in RTW!) but am contemplating going a size smaller to see if that helps. If not, I'll be asking for a refund and possibly giving up on my hope of a pretty but functional foundation garment that'll help give me some curves, some lower back support and the sense of some femininity in an underwear drawer full of over-washed grey cotton.

Thanks for stopping by,