Housewife's half pinny

A few weeks ago, I did a fabric swap with Louise from Sew Scrumptious. Louise has a great blog and makes some really lovely craft items.  She's also been fantastically encouraging about starting my own blog.  We swapped fabrics, Swap Shop style, and a week later I received a metre of this gorgeous pink and grey roses fabric.  I love roses and I love grey so it was perfect.

Weekends Lilyrose Grey by Erin McMorris

The print has Doris Day written all over it, so today I decided to make a 50's housewife-style half pinny with it (as you do).  I consulted a few tutorials and sort of made the rest up as I went along and half an hour later I was the proud owner of this:

(apologies for the T-Rex arms on the dummy, I think it's the camera angle!)

It was pretty simple to make, I even added a few gathers at the top just for the hell of it.

And here's the pale pink polka dot lining…

I'm quite tempted to make a few more and sell them - I've got loads of flowery fabrics which would be perfect. If I do, I'll make the tie straps longer - they just about tie into a bow around me and I'm smallish. 

I love it, can't wait to make some more.  I just need to practice being a housewife now...    

The story so far

Almost exactly a year ago, my younger son started school and I started the dressmaking course I'd been promising myself I'd take for ages. I absolutely loved the course and can't quite believe how much I've learnt in just a year. I also discovered sewing blogs and have become completely hooked - I'm naturally nosy which helps!  I really wanted to join in the fun, so here's my blog: a record of everything I make, the good, the bad and the ugly.

The first thing I want to show off is my Colette Patterns Sencha top.

When I first saw this pattern I wasn't particularly bowled over by the pictures on the cover. Then I came across a beautiful version made by Tilly (author of one of my favourite sewing blogs "Tilly and the Buttons") and was immediately converted. Tilly's version looked so retro and 50's and I really wanted mine to have a similar look.

If I make the top again (which I will), I'll make it with a fabric with more drape in it.  The way the top is described on the pattern, it's probably intended to be a looser fit than I made, so it can be tucked in. I used a medium-weight quilting cotton which does tend to be quite crisp.  Having said that though, it gives the top quite a fitted, structured look,  in a Joan from Mad Men kind of way.

The original neckline was WAY too high, I was panic stricken just trying to do the fitting, thinking I couldn't breath.  I lowered it by about 3cm, which keeps the neckline high but doesn't strangle you in the process.

I made buttonholes for the first time and my own covered buttons.
 

I'll definitely use a Colette pattern again.  I'm really pleased with my version which I've actually worn in real life.  I'll let you know if I get round to making another one....