Everyone Deserves Pretty Knickers – knicker making class

Yesterday saw the beginning of #EveryoneDeservesPrettyKnickers week which is being run by Susan from Measure Twice Cut Once patterns.

Photo borrowed from Measure Twice Cut Once blog

I've met Susan a few times at Sydney Spoolettes meet ups and we also chat a bit on social media. She's always been SO helpful to me with my sewing woes so when she announced she was collaborating with Sew Make Create to run knicker making workshops I signed up ASAP! Susan is a professionally trained fashion designer and has years of experience in the industry. She really knows her stuff...and what's even better (for me that is) is that she's SO willing to share her knowledge.

Susan in action - adjusting my knickers into a pair of "bigger gal undies"

For the class we were working on the Charlotte Knickers - a pattern released by Susan earlier in the year (she's designed and released a range of six knickers -- so hop over to the shop and see if there's a style that takes your fancy). I decided to use some cotton voile fabric for my pair that I bought from...you guessed it, The Fabric Cave.

Yes, these knickers are made from a woven fabric rather than the stretch fabric so common in store bought lingerie. The knickers are cut on the bias which makes gives them the necessary stretch needed across your caboose. We all had a bit of a giggle at the difference between the un-elasticated pair and elasticated pair of knickers.

I've not yet finished my knickers...too much talking and not enough sewing (though the photo below does prove we all sat the machines...even me)! I just need to stitch the elastic to the legs and then top stitch all the elastic down to encase it in the fabric. Before that I just need to get over my fear of sewing elastic using my overlocker at home!

Oh, and it's not a sewing class at Sew Make Create without the ever watchful Pepper supervising the class!

Susan has a knicker sew-a-long starting on her blog tomorrow - so there's still time to whip up your own pair of knickers during #EveryoneDeservesPrettyKnickers week using one of her patterns. There is also another class coming up at Sew Make Create very soon - I highly recommend it!

The universe may not always play fair, but at least it's got a hell of a sense of humor (or #sewingDollyClackett)

I wasn't initially going to join the #sewingDollyClackett shenanigans, which has been started to celebrate the impending nuptials of sewist and blogger extraordinaire, Roisin (aka Dolly Clackett). As much as I love her style (those dresses, those fabrics!) the "fit and flare" shape just does not suit my body.  As a long-time food blogger I need a little (ok a lot) of room in my clothes to accommodate what we food bloggers call "our food babies".

But then I thought if Dolly Clackett was...fatter (or a food blogger) she'd totally go for the April Rhodes Party Peplum Dress. It's a style that emulates the "fit and flare" dress, but with a bit more room. Plus, there's no way I'm at the stage yet of going anywhere near zippers, lining or pockets. As Dolly would say, "fuck that"!

So here we have my Dolly Clackett-ish dress....this is actually my fourth attempt at the Party Peplum Dress, but only the second one that is a keeper. Like the first "keeper" it still gives Good Twirl!

From the denim dress disaster I shortened the bodice from an XXL to a S in what I am terming an FBA (full butt adjustment). This means that the bodice is no longer bunching up on my caboose and sits much better (though I still think the back bodice could be a little shorter). I actually did a toil of this before I cut into this lovely fabric...a first for impatient me. After wearing this dress for a day it's a little big...I might try and go down a size, or sew large side seams next time around. In the meantime I've run this in a little at the sides so it's not quite so...sack like.

The fabric is a cotton that I nabbed from the fabric swap at our first Sydney Spoolettes meet up. It was a dream to sew with - really sturdy and no slipping or sliding around.  I wore the dress out to a lunch a few weekends ago and on the way home popped into The Fabric Store. They recognized the fabric and said it was a DKNY Cotton. SCORE!

So there you have it. Happy impending nuptials Roisin and Nick. Wishing you a lifetime of happiness...and pretty dresses (well, not so much for Nick, but you know what I mean).