Rolling in fabric

Ignore any and all cats you may think you see in the picture

Today has been a very good fabric day ^_^

A family friend posted me three dresses and a waistcoat that were surplus to requirements AND I just so happened to get some the last of the fabric I needed through the post for two commissions.



I looooove fabric.  M laughs at me because I have been known to literally roll in fabric - just lay it out the floor ready to cut (I always cut on the floor - it's the only space I have big enough) and roll around on it a bit before I get down to work.  It's just so...so...fabric!

I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok...

This I think is my favourite one I got today.  It's a rust and black flannel from Croft Mill for an autumn/winter shirt.  Buying fabric online can be a bit random - even if you can manage to get a sample they tend to be too small to tell much more about the fabric than the colour, but this is really nice.  It has just the right weight to it and with a good wash I think it will lose its little bit of stiffness to give just the right drape for a man's shirt (i.e. not very much but not completely rigid).

Over brightened photo is too bright

These two are for another commission.  The red lawn I got today (also from Croft Mill), but the black is a crepe from eBay and came a few days ago.  This is a really weird situation where the lining (the red) actually cost more than the outer fabric.  I think I've made the right choices, but it kind of goes against some kind of natural law...

Rollrollrollrollroll

First dress!  Most people who know me these days won't know this, but I went through a total black velvet phase when I was a kid.  Black velvet trousers, shirts, hats.  I could wear top to toe black velvet very easily.  This may not be black, but it has great stretch and weight to it that makes me think it would be super comfy (though maybe not the most breathable...).  I'm actually tempted to make some loungewear (i.e. comfy, slobbing about the house wear) out of it.  I may have hugged it slightly....

M and I worked out the (mostly see through) skirt starts just above crotch height...not entirely sure how you're supposed to wear it...

This dress....I have no idea.  I totally have to use that skirt for something (it's just too random not too), but that's going to take some thought.  Maybe some kind of bustle....

Scones anyone?

A Laura Ashley waistcoat.  It seems so wrong to do anything with this - it's so classically Laura Ashley that I'm not sure I can cut into it.  I like the idea of linen and cotton waistcoat though - very summer tea waiscoat.  I love waistcoats - they were one of the first things I ever made.

And last, but definitely not least, this beauty.  It doesn't come across in the photo, but the middle layer of this (there is an organza top layer that I've moved out of the way and a standard poly lining) is made of a really interesting viscose/acetate blend (I had to find the label).  It looks like it should be a basic poly satin, but the viscose blend makes it that bit more silky, while the acetate makes it crisper.  As it's a bias cut sheath dress (my favourite kind of dress and one I'm desperate to have a go at making) I'm guessing they wanted the acetate to help it keep its shape a little better.  While viscose drapes like a dream, I imagine it can have the problem of bagging out in unhelpful places if worn in a close-fitting garment (it's typically made into floaty drapey garments) and the bias cut is only going to exacerbate that.

The issue with this dress is that it is a bias cut sheath dress and it may even fit me.  Do I just tidy it up (probably shorten it for more of a day look) and wear it, or use the fabric for something new?  I really can't decide yet - what do you think?