New Look Maxi 6096

I've always liked the maxi dress, but it is only recently that I have taken to wearing them.  I guess I didn't really like their popularity when they came out.  Everyone was wearing them, and not always well.  But here I am spruiking one of my favourite summer makes. I think I found this pattern during a Spotlight sale.  I was actually more interest in the shorter versions. It is a great little pattern with a number of variations.  

I bought this lovely paisley style rayon fabric at Lincraft.  It's a medium weight rayon which makes it almost crush free. Hoorah.  

This is a very easy pattern and takes no time to whip up. I don't think I had any problems or any alterations to make. I've made another shorter version with elastic in the sleeves and tried to make a nightie from one of the strappy versions. Didn't quite get around to finishing the nightie.  Seemed a little bit baggy around the bust, my usual problem.  So I abandoned it for another day.  

I'd definitely recommend this pattern.  It suits a number of summer dress variations, but I think I'd like to make a long sleeve version of the shorter dress for a Brisbane winter.  

The Last Goodbye

Not that I've been keeping up with too many regular blog posts in the last 12 months, and this one doesn't relate to sewing.  But this is not off topic from my blog as it relates to my love of cats. So I'd like to pay special tribute to a much loved family member who left this world last Tuesday.  My family have a long history with cats and have been very lucky to have them in our lives for so many years. Wynton, who was 181/2 was not exception. He was a lovely, sweet natured cat who was just full to bursting with love for all of us.   

I can't believe it was 18 years in February since my mum and I took a drive to see a breeder who had 1 male Burmese kitten left from a litter.  When we arrived we met 2 kittens, one a fiery little girl who was tearing around the living room and a very laid back little boy who wasn't doing very much.  Now, mum will freely admit that she wasn't super keen on him when they first met.  Our previous boy had been a crazy ball of energy with loads of personality.  This new kitty had big shoes to fill. After some quality time together, it was decided that he should come home with us.  He brought such joy into our lives.  Our house was a home again.  We were all smitten with this little brown kitten.  

I stayed living at my parents for another 12 months. Wynt and I developed a really strong bond that remained throughout his life.  There was a point when I was still living there where I was having a bit of a stress in my life due to a theatre production I was working on. I'd come home from rehearsals feeling a little despondent and anxious and there he'd be greeting me at the door. I'd pick him up and he'd be like a big soft valium pill.  He just made you feel relaxed and happy.  And every time I visited my parents, no matter where he was, even sleeping, he'd hear my car pull up and was nearly always at the front door to meet me or on his way down the hallway. 

 

He wasn't the most crazy adventurous cat, but he still managed to get himself into a few scrapes along the way.  Like a number of cat fights. One in which shredded his ear into 3 sections. Mum said he casually wandered into the bathroom that morning and there was his ear hanging in pieces.  After quite a few stitches it just left him with a slightly pointy ear.  He also liked to get up on the roof of my parents' 2 storey house and look out at the world and the dog next door. Pretty sure he fell off a few times, that would explain the limp he regularly had.  We have so many stories, so many great memories as a family. 

Like all cats in their senior years, Wynton slowed down a bit and started to shrink in size.  He was always such a nice big muscly cat so it was so strange when he started to become a little bony old man.  Sadly, last September, he suddenly lost sight in both of his eyes.  It came at the same time I was due to be recuperating at my parents after a fairly serious operation.  But the family adapted to this new situation, and eventually Wynton did too. I was so glad to have those quality weeks staying at my old home and being able to cuddle with my favourite cat. 

 



My parents had put their lives on hold as they took care of their much loved cat, but we all knew the day wasn't too far away when we would all have to say farewell.  And now we say the last goodbye.  He will be missed for many years to come and hopefully one day our broken hearts will mend.

Farewell beautiful boy. 

xxxx

  

Simplicity 1419

This is my third outing with Simplicity 1419.  Now, you'd think that would mean making it up would be a breeze.  I shall blame the fabric.  I bought this cotton drill at Spotlight. Firstly the colour ran slightly when washed. That's why it is always a good idea to wash your fabrics before use.  I decided to have the material pattern running the opposite way in the bodice to the skirt section. I also had a problem cutting out the skirt section. Turns out the pattern of the fabric wasn't even.  It looks even white triangles and red triangles looked even shaped, but when I was cutting the hem section of the skirt, it was out by a few centimeters.  Very weird, it must have been on a gradual slope. Anyway I made up the dress and it looked really good even if a bit fiddly lining up the pattern.  However, the fit for the bodice was appalling. It was quite tight for some reason and I guess having the fabric going in a different direction meant no give.  So rather than put it in the bin, I had enough fabric to re-do the bodice.  Voila, fit was perfect. 

Now you can kind of see the pinky hue of the fabric in the white triangle sections.  I had intended this for a work dress but because of it's faults it's just another summer frock to wear about.  

 

I didn't bother with the button at the front. I may do that later, but since I wasn't exactly super pleased with the result I kind of lost interest in perfecting it.