This week...

I'm a bit behind on my "This Week" post, I normally do them on Fridays, but better late than never, eh?

So, what have I been up to since the last time I chatted to you?

There doesn't appear to have been much actual sewing taking place.  I'm in that weird mood where there is lots I want to sew, but I'm having trouble matching patterns with fabric and vice versa.  I keep pairing things up and then wondering if I'm making the right choice, or if I'll regret my choices once I've started cutting out.  I'll show you a few other bits first, and then I might talk through my ideas.  You can chip in if you feel like it.

I did another fused glass workshop last Friday.  It was great fun again, probably better this time as I had a much better idea of what to expect.  I managed to cut myself several times though, although luckily only tiny cuts.  That glass is sharp!  I made another picture panel, here it is in progress.  I just need to wait for it to be fired now and mounted onto canvas.

I went to the Handmade Fair the weekend before last, and it was fab.  I could have spent a fortune, but I was actually very restrained and only bought the new Joan dress pattern from Sew Over It. 

I've loved this dress since I saw a sample in Sew Over It in Clapham about three years ago, but until the Handmade Fair (when the pattern was released) it's only been available as a class.

I love both versions shown in the link above, and funnily enough I have both red crepe and a grey stretch suiting fabric in my stash.   I thought about using the red for a Christmas version, but then am also liking the idea of red for my next pattern pick, which is the Named Patterns Lexi dress and top. 

I'm not sure about the top on me, although it might be worth a go, but I love the look of the dress.  That's all printed, taped together and cut out waiting for me to decide which fabric I'm going to use for it.  Currently my fabric choices for this are either the red crepe I mentioned above, some cream/black houndstooth check suiting or I think there is enough of the fabric left from my Sew Over It Anderson blouse for a dress. The red crepe is probably a better weight - the houndstooth might be a bit too stiff and the satin a bit light - and I think the Lexi would look good in a plain fabric to show off the dart/pleat.

My sewing plans also include a box pleated skirt, there seem to be lots about at the moment, and I'm wondering if I can do something similar to the double pleats on this dress. 

I do actually know what fabric I'll be using for the skirt, this polyester crepe I bought on Ebay recently.  I absolutely love the colours and the print.  I think it will look amazing paired with a black top.

I might actually use the satin left over from my Anderson blouse for a (hopefully) wearable muslin of this skirt. 

I'm also in the process of muslining a trouser pattern, which I'm putting off because although I really need to find a trouser pattern that fits me well I dislike the fitting process with trousers.  There always seems to be far too many places they need altering and I can never work out exactly where!

So, those are my musings for this week.  If you've any suggestions regarding pairing fabric with pattern I'd love to hear them.