I made Simplicity 1755 to wear to a wedding. Then I realised I didn’t have a smart little jacket to wear with it, so I thought I’d better make one. This is a short bolero hoody, with long bell sleeves. (I drafted the pattern myself.) I couldn’t get any bias binding to match, and I didn’t have time to make any with the left over fabric from the dress, so I bought the least-clashing colour and went with that. What you can’t see in these pictures is the machine embroidery that I added over the top. I thought it would help to tone down the very pale lilac, so there are little leaves embroidered all over the binding. Definitely a finishing touch that I’m going to use again, I’m really pleased with it.
Here I am, looking wistful in a gazebo. As you do. No matter how hard he tries, Paul just doesn’t seem able to take a decent photo of me, so you’ll often find me staring away from the camera looking a bit grumpy. (Any suggestions that perhaps I’m just not very photogenic will be met with derision. And then crying.)
I’m pleased with the dress, but my lack of a 1950s-style well-defined waist does make it look a bit frumpy. I do need to change the collar though. As you can see, the hook and eye kept coming undone, and that made my brooch wonky, which annoyed me all day. I’m wearing a huge floofy petticoat in these pictures, but I took that off half way through the reception because it was just too damned big and annoying. I have a very low tolerance for uncomfortable clothes, so anything that I have to fiddle with or which makes a nuisance of itself will very quickly be consigned to the charity shop pile. (Or the boot of the car, in the case of the petticoat.)
I will make another of these dresses though, just with a slight alteration to the front neck. And I’ll definitely be making more of these little jackets. The only change I need to make to this one is the hooks and eyes on the front. I think I’ve sewn the eyes on back-to-front (I didn’t realise it mattered!), and the jacket won’t stay closed. But once I’ve sorted out the fastening, I want to make another one with narrower sleeves, and one with a printed cotton lining, and a longer one with pockets, and a fancy one with needle felting… I have a lot of plans for this design!
I like the bolero with a hood!
Photography wise I’d say that it’s hard to take a picture of someone who can’t relax because they’re worried about not being photogenic! Some of my most successful pictures are ones of people who don’t like having their picture taken, so I spend ages helping them relax! It is hard, but it’s brilliant when it happens!
Tip for you is a)practice photography faces (yes really!!). You will feel stupid and vain doing it but it’s worthwhile! For me, I know I get a double chin when I make 70% of the faces I make, so I concentrate on that when someone photographs me. b)Think of something nice! When you look at Paul and his camera, think about how awesome he is and snuggling up with a blanked and a good film with him. Even if you aren’t actually smiling, the warmth will show through in your expression and particularly your eyes! 🙂
Love both the dress and the jacket!
Fab as ever!
Thanks Bun! The wistful gazing is a rather exaggerated attempt to avoid the dreaded double chin. 😉 But I am always looking at the camera thinking “argh, this photo’s going to be horrible”, which doesn’t help. It also doesn’t help that I don’t really know how to convey to Paul what I want the photos to look like, which means he’s basically just guessing, and I’m never happy with the results. I just want nice photos of the clothes I make. It’s a shame that means I have to be in them, really!