Miss Scarlett, In the Kitchen ... with the Sewing Machine

My daughter is going to a Murder Mystery party tonight, her character is no less than Lady Blah di Blah an aspiring 1930s actress. Sounds like fun but only if your mother has a staggeringly beautiful collection of vintage evening wear to choose from! Do you know I don't own one evening dress - school runs, trips to the supermarket and visits to the pub don't really require much in the satin and silk department. What is a girl to do? Well after a week of sighing and frowning, last night I dragged out an old black velvet dress I had when I was pregnant (It does get better I promise)! She was not impressed and the youngest thought it was hilarious that her sister was going to a party in mummy's voluminous, misshapped dress (revenge at last, she thought).
I had a vision and I knew that Janome would not let me down. Now I have no sewing skills, have never followed a dress pattern and have been known to glue gun fancy dress costumes together in the past and I seem to remember a certain snowman's outfit having a few staples in it! I am more House of Idiot (does anyone remember the French & Saunders spoof) than House of Elliot (I loved that series!) but it worked miraculously. I nipped in the waist, slashed and ruched the neck and sleeves and attached an old black fabric rose to the side. It looks good, just hope it doesn't fall apart tonight, mid-murder!


Along with the feather boa, splashes of diamante, my oldest was determined to squeeze into the vintage gloves in the first photo. She has tiny arms and wrists but just couldn't manage it. They are tiny, tiny gloves but gorgeous. So she is having to make do with this vintage pair of chiffon polka dot gloves that I found.


Someone who has (perhaps misguided) faith in my sewing skills is Samantha at Plump Pudding. Look what she sent me for my birthday. This gorgeous needlecase and pincushion. They are so pretty, you always choose the loveliest fabrics. Thanks Samantha for thinking of me, I know just how busy you are at the moment. Do you offer sewing lessons as well? At least I now look the part.



On the sewing front I found these vintage French sewing magazines and have decided to put them in my Etsy shop.

They have the most gorgeous graphics and lovely little patterns (they are in French!) and would be perfect for collage, scraps, sewing etc.


Doesn't she look lovely, I'm missing not having an evening dress now ( a shop bought one, not a glue gunned, stapled together Janomed one!).

One more mystery to clear up before I finish. Just the other day I searched and searched for an elusive ball of blue rags. It had mysteriously disappeared, now who would want it I wonder...

... another case solved!
Have a good weekend.