samedi 22 mars 2014

Another Macaron success

I told you I would make another one! This dress is so flattering and easy to make, I can't get enough. For today's version I used a wide yard of super soft, flowery rayon -I paid €12 for it so it'd better be great- and a remnant of black swiss dot polycotton. I changed the sweetheart neckline for a simple curve and I didn't add the sleeves:


 These are my big bones showing under the yoke, there aren't any pleats there!



I like that this design is the perfect showcase for busy prints and that it manages to give me an hourglass figure! And since you may have noticed that I'm into my girly phase I'm planning a terribly romantic one with lilac pansies :)

mardi 18 mars 2014

A cute, surprise Macaron

Seriously that dress happened out of nowhere, 1.5 yard of adorable quilting cotton were waiting in my stash since last year and even though I loved it I couldn't decide on a suitable use for it: was I going to make my usual top, a babydoll nightie or a Japanese mini dress with it?


Using it to make something to wear to bed seemed like a waste, a top would be sure to get a lot of wear but the fabric felt a bit too heavy for a loose shape so a dress was definitely the best option. But here again I had to choose a pattern with enough definition and that didn't require a lot of fabric since I didn't have much.
So one evening I was browsing through pics of Dora when she was a baby -OMG she was the cutest kitten evah- when I saw this:


My sweet Lolita Macarooooon (and my froggy feet)!!! I had totally forgotten about it but now I wanted to make one immediately! I grabbed the quilting cotton, some white poplin, I traced a size 4 because I thought it would help solving silly fitting issues I had had with the previous size 6 ones and tadaaa:



 I could have worked on my swayback problem but with the curves seams I wasn't sure what to do.

 Such a nice dress you even get a useless side shot!


This garment has everything I love: childish fabric, yellow and pastel colours, a tiny bust with a heart-shaped detail and a flattering, comfortable skirt. And look at that side seam matching:


Should I worry that I want to make at least 3 other ones? I also feel like trying a variation with a maxi skirt out of some amazing rayon.

vendredi 7 mars 2014

Marie's outfit of the week

She's wearing a babydoll dress made with white poplin, black linen and pink ribbon, I drafted the pattern and it closes at the back with a snap and the ribbons. To complete her outfit she has a pearl necklace, a leopard print clutch and black satin sandals all handmade:





And now for a "tutorial" -how embarassing it's really basic!- the simplest way to make jewellery for a doll is to use elastic thread so that you its head doesn't get in the way. Cut a piece of elastic the size of the wrist or neck and add an inch so that you can tie the ends:


Choose your pearls, thread them:


Tie the ends of the elastic and cut the extra thread: