So, anyone who popped by today hoping for a recipe or a vegetable garden update will be sorely disappointed. Sorry! Today is sewing, well dressmaking to be more precise.
I have never been formally taught to sew apart from a brief four week evening class about a hundred years ago which did, usefully, teach me how to put a sleeve in. The rest I am picking up through trial and (a great deal of) error.
Living in Spain has made buying clothes quite tricky for me. Being a woman who loves her food means that this is reflected in my shape – I think I´m an “apple”….well endowed on top, and not much bottom to speak of. If only I could find my waist I´d be heading somewhere towards hourglass! Actually, no, I´d just be a top heavy woman with a waist and a flat bottom…
Spanish fashion, at least in Andalucía, seems to cater for either the very young, thin and trendy or middle aged and frumpy. I´m probably over exaggerating, but finding something half way fashionable that suits a well rounded forty something is quite tricky.
This year I decided to stop buying things that I either never wear because I get them home and decide they´re hideous, or wear a few times and then they fall apart. I also have a wardrobe full of lovely clothes from my “past” which I felt could be recycled and given a new life.
Back to basics for me, both in terms of not spending money and using what I have at my disposal to recreate. Buying new material though, is permissible!
Having gone through my wardrobe now and pretty much renewed everything that could be altered, I have plenty more skirts that actually fit, dresses that go over my chest but come in at my hips and the charity shop is also a whole lot better off.
I wanted to make something simple, but to do it well and chose a summer shift dress from the latest Burda magazine. No zip (although having said that, I think I´ve pretty much mastered putting in zips), but I added some darts to fit it a little while still leaving room to put it on! It´s the first time I´ve done a v-neck and I used bias binding. I´m sure professionals would turn their noses up at this short cut, but it worked well and I´m pleased with the results.
Ok, am off to put on my new summer frock and do a bit of wafting around in it!
Chica Andaluza 