Morrissey Makes Up

I know, he's Marmite - some love him, some don't and some ask that funny old question 'Who is Morrissey?'.  I fall totally and absolutely in the first camp!

I'm jetting to Vegas next month to see him and in a mad moment designed some 50s inspired fabric, featuring my hero, from Spoonflower.  When it arrives it will magic itself into a 50's sundress, with a little help.

However, this cautious girl ordered a sample first so it's ended up as handy make up / clutch bags for me and another, rather fabulous fan, Lyndsey :)  It's in the post to her right now, complete with a cute tag, so I hope she likes.

This was my first time using frames and I found it amazingly easy!  Gutermann glue is definitely the key and seems to bond like a vice. The outer is cotton voile, which is underlined with white cotton and the lining is baby blue satin with a Moz pocket :-

See my little bespoke label - if you're in the UK they are a total bargain from Cash's Labels :)

I used a medium weight wadding to give the bags some substance but because I only wanted them to be quite soft (and they are made of voile) I didn't interface.  However, there's iron on interfacing on the pocket lining, which is made from the blue satin.


And a little tip - lots of tutorials instruct you to leave the turning hole in the bottom seam of the lining.  I used one of the top seams (the bit that goes into the frame) and did a very narrow topstitch to close it.  That way, there's no hand or top stictching visible inside the bag :)

I'm kinda happy with the over the top kitsch of my creations - not everyone's cup of tea but definitely mine :)

Move Over Sherlock

With months of being a less than well girl (I've finally had a diagnosis and all will be well, at long last!!) I've had a LOT of time on my hands and in some vain attempt to make sensible clothes that I'd wear, I took a browse through Harpers Magazine - well isn't that where you always find the everyday and functional?

It reliably informed me - with PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE, no less(!) that if I was to be slightly fabulous this season, I'd really need a cape.

Cue BurdaStyle Magazine, August 2012, with a cute and easy cape pattern - well I never!

Here's the result - it's already had some lots of wear - the north east of England is getting more than a little chilly!

Yes, those really are the cat's whiskers :)

It's made from a beautifully soft and cosy bonded wool, which is a camel colour on the reverse (there were lots of thinking hours, trying to work out how it could possibly be reversible!  But sadly, interfacing was required to avoid it looking like a sack of a cardigan, so grey it was.)

The buttons are cute and are Italian Designer imports - which are embossed with a logo that looks remarkably like the Fendi one.

It's fully lined and my only disappointment is that after finishing it I found some faux leather bias that would have livened up the armholes - ah well!

It's basic but warm, cute and easy to throw on over skinnies or wool shorts - so I'm happy :)

Oh - apologies for the odd photo angle!  My tripod was having a time holding my camera whilst attached only to my cast iron bed stand.