It's Friday everyone! Hurrah! I'm extremely happy about this because this is the first weekend for ages that I have no plans. I've had a really fun few months but I can't lie, the prospect of a couple of totally free days with no obligations is really pleasing. I have already cut out my next sewing project - not that I'm going to spend the whole weekend sewing - and this afternoon I'm going to get stocked up on gin and cava. Sewing and drinking. That's living the dream!
It's been a funny week. I've had a good week and work and at home. Some of you who follow me on twitter will know though, that yesterday I had a horrible experience on my way to work. I was groped by a man on the train when I was on my way to work, and it was very distressing. I don't want to go into all of the details here but the experience was very surprising. It didn't surprise me that it happened, or even that it happened to me, but my reaction surprised me. I suppose I've always thought that I'd get really angry if something like that happened. I did get really angry but first of all, I was really afraid. I froze, and I didn't say anything about it, despite being on a crowded train. I was too afraid to. I was afraid if, I spoke out, the man would hurt me. I was afraid that if he got off the train at my stop, he'd follow me and hurt me. When I got off the train at my stop and he stayed on, I felt so confused and ashamed by my reaction. I talked to Nic, and I talked to some of my lovely twitter friends, and I got into work and explained what happened to my colleagues. I called the British Transport Police and reported the incident, and I started to feel better. I understand that it's unlikely that anything will happen - apparently Cross Country Trains only have CCTV in one carriage of their shitty trains - but at least it's recorded (with a detailed description of the pervert) so if someone complains about him again then at least there's a pattern recorded. Still, though. It was fucking horrible. Really.
So it's a bit weird for me to write about this here, maybe, but it also feels weird not to mention it. So thanks for listening - now, on to the pretty dresses!
I've had an eye on Deer and Doe patterns for a while now, and I'd been slowly falling in love with the Belladone dress. Seeing beautiful versions by Anna, Sonje, Jo and Amanda had a cumulative effect and when I got paid at the end of last month I bought myself a copy. First up, I should say that the packaging is BEAUTIFUL. I know that makes me sound shallow but, damn! It felt like a real treat to get this pattern in the post. It's By Hand London levels of packaging beauty. This stuff is ruining me for regular patterns, for real. And for £12, you know, you're not paying the earth there either.
The pattern itself is lovely, and it comes together so quickly! I sewed this up in a few hours, although admittedly this is partly because I finished my seams by pinking them, which is really fast. I love pinked seams though - they're so retro and neat!
![The Cosmpolitan dress]()
Ooh would you look at that smug wee face! I'm very happy with this dress. I cut a straight size 38 and the only alteration I made was to the length - I cut the length of the largest size because I'm funny about skirt lengths. I never think anything is too short on anyone else, but anything much more than an inch above the knee feels indecent on me. Looking at this, I think future iterations of this dress would benefit from the front neckline being lowered a bit as there's some wrinkling there:
![The Cosmopolitan dress - bodice view]()
![The Cosmopolitan dress]()
One of the very cute things about this pattern is how it's all business in the front and then - boom! Party in the back:
![The Cosmopolitan dress - back view]()
There's a bit of wrinkling across the back bodice which suggests the fitting here might need a bit of work - but to be honest, this isn't something I'm going to lose much sleep over. Strangely enough the zip looks fine in real life so I'm happy enough, and the dress isn't tight. And look at the little cut-out!
![The Cosmopolitan dress - back view]()
![The Cosmopolitan dress]()
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So, yes, the Belladone dress is a lovely pattern and I shall certainly make it again. I don't 100% love this dress, but I do like it a lot. In fact I think it will probably grow on me as I wear it because I really do love the fabric. The pattern itself is just adorable, and I can highly recommend it. I may even have my eye on the Bleuet dress because dat bow! It's too sweet.
And now, it's almost the weekend so I am off - I'm having a picnic tonight, and it will almost certainly involve olives and that alcohol I mentioned earlier. Come back on Monday though, for that giveaway I was hinting at - it's going to be a good one!
It's been a funny week. I've had a good week and work and at home. Some of you who follow me on twitter will know though, that yesterday I had a horrible experience on my way to work. I was groped by a man on the train when I was on my way to work, and it was very distressing. I don't want to go into all of the details here but the experience was very surprising. It didn't surprise me that it happened, or even that it happened to me, but my reaction surprised me. I suppose I've always thought that I'd get really angry if something like that happened. I did get really angry but first of all, I was really afraid. I froze, and I didn't say anything about it, despite being on a crowded train. I was too afraid to. I was afraid if, I spoke out, the man would hurt me. I was afraid that if he got off the train at my stop, he'd follow me and hurt me. When I got off the train at my stop and he stayed on, I felt so confused and ashamed by my reaction. I talked to Nic, and I talked to some of my lovely twitter friends, and I got into work and explained what happened to my colleagues. I called the British Transport Police and reported the incident, and I started to feel better. I understand that it's unlikely that anything will happen - apparently Cross Country Trains only have CCTV in one carriage of their shitty trains - but at least it's recorded (with a detailed description of the pervert) so if someone complains about him again then at least there's a pattern recorded. Still, though. It was fucking horrible. Really.
So it's a bit weird for me to write about this here, maybe, but it also feels weird not to mention it. So thanks for listening - now, on to the pretty dresses!
I've had an eye on Deer and Doe patterns for a while now, and I'd been slowly falling in love with the Belladone dress. Seeing beautiful versions by Anna, Sonje, Jo and Amanda had a cumulative effect and when I got paid at the end of last month I bought myself a copy. First up, I should say that the packaging is BEAUTIFUL. I know that makes me sound shallow but, damn! It felt like a real treat to get this pattern in the post. It's By Hand London levels of packaging beauty. This stuff is ruining me for regular patterns, for real. And for £12, you know, you're not paying the earth there either.
The pattern itself is lovely, and it comes together so quickly! I sewed this up in a few hours, although admittedly this is partly because I finished my seams by pinking them, which is really fast. I love pinked seams though - they're so retro and neat!
The Cosmopolitan dress - Deer and Doe Belladone dress - worn with Vivienne Westwood for Melissa Lady Dragon shoes and a vintage straw handbag
Ooh would you look at that smug wee face! I'm very happy with this dress. I cut a straight size 38 and the only alteration I made was to the length - I cut the length of the largest size because I'm funny about skirt lengths. I never think anything is too short on anyone else, but anything much more than an inch above the knee feels indecent on me. Looking at this, I think future iterations of this dress would benefit from the front neckline being lowered a bit as there's some wrinkling there:
Bodice view and happy face
This pretty floral cotton came from my trip to London to meet Anneke, Solvi, Kathryn and Zoe. I bought it in The Shop on Cheshire Street and got 2 yards for £8 - although it's not quite 45 inches wide, so it's possible to make this dress out of a small amount of fabric! I had the hot pink bias binding in my stash because I love bias binding and I always have a ton of it. I named the dress the Cosmopolitan dress after the international nature of our meet-up, and the fact that this is a French pattern! It's so lovely to have fabric with a happy memory attached to it, and wearing this will always remind me of a truly excellent day out.
The slash pockets on this dress are totally adorable but they're not very deep, so I look a bit goony here.
One of the very cute things about this pattern is how it's all business in the front and then - boom! Party in the back:
Adorable cut-out detail
There's a bit of wrinkling across the back bodice which suggests the fitting here might need a bit of work - but to be honest, this isn't something I'm going to lose much sleep over. Strangely enough the zip looks fine in real life so I'm happy enough, and the dress isn't tight. And look at the little cut-out!
The instructions include directions for finishing the edges of the cut-out with bias binding, which is really pretty. I decided not to do it here, because the pink bias binding I had wasn't an exact colour match for any of the flowers in the print. When I lined it all up, it just looked too much.
I wore this dress on Sunday to go for coffee and a look in the shops with two of my best friends. The dress was lovely and cool and unrumpled in the heat, although I did put on a cardigan so my back wouldn't burn in the cut-out bit! The shoes are also kind of new - more Melissa shoes, in a colourway I've been after for a while. Pretty!
Apparently this colour is 'lychee' but I'm not so sure. I like it, though.
So, yes, the Belladone dress is a lovely pattern and I shall certainly make it again. I don't 100% love this dress, but I do like it a lot. In fact I think it will probably grow on me as I wear it because I really do love the fabric. The pattern itself is just adorable, and I can highly recommend it. I may even have my eye on the Bleuet dress because dat bow! It's too sweet.
And now, it's almost the weekend so I am off - I'm having a picnic tonight, and it will almost certainly involve olives and that alcohol I mentioned earlier. Come back on Monday though, for that giveaway I was hinting at - it's going to be a good one!