OOTD | The Babydoll Shift Dress |

Hey Chums!

This week I've been so busy with my Swoon launch that I almost forgot about an OOTD! I'm a terrible person.

I had a little time spare to finally make myself a dress from some Orange Crepe I got from Brick Lane last year! It was only £1 a metre so how could I leave it behind?

I opted for a cute 1960's style GoGo dress, Originally intended to have a Peter Pan collars..but you know they're the bane of my life so I ditched that part! 

I wore my White Tights from Primark (£3) & White Dolly Shoes from ASOS (£10, Depop) & OFC My White Fluffy Bag from Kylijane! 

I'd also like to say excuse my fluffy mad woman hair, It never looks nice when it's too clean!! GRR.

Sunning it up lol

Hope you love this OOTD & I plan to start some sewing tutorials on my Youtube eventually, Starting with Altering trousers that are too big to fit you.

Also I wanted to say that today SWOON Launched & I've listed everything on DEPOP (Username:whoisjosiewho)

Everything is £10 and under because here on my blog it's Affordable Fashion ALWAYS! & If you order before Midnight tonight it's £1 postage!

Have a nice weekend!

xxx

Diary of a Costume Maker | Ariel |

Hey guys, I've got a few pictures of a costume I made last week to share! I made this for the lovely Brogan, for her Birthday & I'm quite happy with it! The pictures aren't in order, but they're just here for me to have all in one place!

Glued on Individual sequins & beads.

The basic pencil skirt.

Made from Green Satin.

The Skirt Laid out.

A good picture of the colors!

The outfit before it went off to it's owner!

The back of the Pencil Skirt, with darts & Zip.

Another angle of the skirt with Fishtail attatched!

Chiffon and Sequin 'shell' bralet

Skirt before sequins were added

Pattern pieces ready to go

Installed Zipper & Hand sewn Hooks

Hand stitched waistband.

Another angle of the finished skirt, Lovely colors

Original Bralet concept, Painted with Fabric Paint.

Finished Costume

Beaded detailing on the back of the fishtail.

Satin based Shells covered in Sequins

The Bralet before covering with fabric.

The original concept sent to me by Brogan!

Link to the original blogpost with this skirt here.

and of course, Ariel!

If anyone wants an in depth show of the patterns and methods I used to make this skirt don't hesitate to leave a comment I'll happily write another blogpost or film a tutorial for it :)

lovelove

xxx

Battlesbridge Bonanza! ❤ August 2014 ❤

Hello! 

I went to Battlesbridge yesterday for the All Ford Car Show & Of Course, TO SHOP. There's a lovely little town with loads of antique shops and I just love it there! I saved money especially to buy something lovely and I'll show you what I got!

The first thing was this cute Troll Doll. I've wanted one forever & I literally could not leave this little cutie behind, look at that bow tie! Reminds me of Ricardo when he wears his! He was only £2 what a bargain!

I also picked up the little Troll for Ricardo, as a little something silly, he was £1 and the Tomato pin cushion was 20p from a rummage basket!

Also from the rummage basket I picked up some satin trim in Lilac and Cream & Some black elastic, all for 20p each.

In another Antique shop there were lots of Vintage patterns or £1 each and I couldn't RESIST.

I even nabbed a pattern for a beach dress swimsuit!

I also got the Lilac Nylon hair scarf (folded in a triangle) for £2 to add to my collection!

I love wearing them as bows in my Ponytail! tres cute.

AND NOW FOR THE PIES DE LA RESISTANCE (?)

1950's. Vintage. Prom Dress.

Can you even believe my luck! It's so beautiful!

It fits like a glove and I feel so fab in it! It was probably hand made judging by the stitching but that gives it even more romance! I LOVE IT SO MUCH!

Best of all, for a dress like this you're usually looking to pay around £60+ depending on how it was made, and I paid only £10! 

An absolute success!

Just thought I'd include this snippet from mine and my sisters childhood! A mint condition Swimming Sindy doll! We used to wind ours up and swim her around the bath! I should of bought her really! Dang it!

Hope you enjoyed my little haul!

lovelove

xxx 

Fabric Haul | July 2014 |

Hello my lovely lovelies! I've been fabric shopping and I thought I'd show you what I purchased! Just because I love fabric... I can't be the only one?

I've been stockpiling a few new prints for a project, and these were along with them!

Navy Polka

Green Polka

Blue Polka

Pink Ditsy

Lilac Ditsy

All of the Cotton Prints were around £1.30 per Meter which is very good in my eyes!

2mtrs of Black Lace, £1 Charity Shop WIN.

To accompany the fabric, my patterns Id ordered from eBay arrived from america! How exciting!

I got a bralet pattern & I chose some lovely swing dress ones too! 

that's all!

love love

xxx

SS14 Yellow Gingham Cross Over Skirt ❤ Hand Made ❤

Hey! So I said I would update you all on my sewing progress as I went along and here's the skirt I finished yesterday!

As the trends say, Gingham is a big thing for this Spring & Summer, so I thought I'd keep in trend and choose a lovely Yellow Fabric to make this Skirt out of.

The pattern was a Simplicity pattern, Number 2766. I chose to make the rounded Cross Over Skirt, seeing as it's similar to the Skort patterns we have about at the moment.

I purchased my Yellow Gingham Poly Cotton for £2.99 a Meter from a local fabric store, 2 Meters are needed for this.

I just noticed my little hobbit foot in this photo, I do apologise *hides face*

Laying out and pinning down my pattern pieces. I actually faffed up and forgot to cut a second skirt piece and facing, didn't realise until I went to sew and thought.. 'what about the other side?' oops!

Top stitching over my Rounded seam, to avoid the annoying Baloon effect. A nice, neat & flat hem.

My first Try-on. Before Ironing and sewing a few clasps in.

I adjusted the waist line around 4 inches, the original length put the skirt to top calf. I wanted a more modern look!

Ironed out and a very neat hemline if I do say so myself.. *smug face*

This is my first attempt at a Skirt from a Vintage Pattern, I am really proud here!!

I even added extra darts to give a small pleat effect on the front panels of the skirt, So cute!

Can't wait to wear this one, Super simple & sweet! 

Love Love

xxxx

Fabric Haul ❤ May 2014 ❤

Just a quick post about Fabrics!

Unless you didn't already know, I LOVE TO SEW.

So I thought I'd share a few fabrics I've bought recently, and My new Sewing Machine too!

I'm looking at studying an Art Foundation next September followed by Textiles or a Costume Design Uni course, I just love designing and sewing and seeing it all come together!

I'm taking a year out after college to brush up on short courses in Pattern Drafting and Garment finishing.. maybe even Screen Printing and I'll post my progress here!

I'm going to be making Clothes & Costumes too to add to my Portfolio for Interviews so stay tuned for Cosplay Galore!

Any how, I'll show you my Fabrics!

I picked up this Yellow Gingham to make a skirt with, Gingham & Checked prints are all over SS14 now so I thought I'd do my bit and make something in fashion! This fabric was £2.99 a Meter.

I also picked up this lovely Navy Polka dot Fabric, £1.99 per Meter, to make a summer dress with!

The Grey Fabric was 2.99 a Meter and I'll be making some Tara Starlet Vintage Repro high waisted shorts with that! 

And then there's the Nylon Peach fabric, Which I feel is perfect for lining Dresses or Skirts with! £1.50 from the off cuts bin :)

This is my new Sewing Machine! It's a Frister & Rossman 1972' 35.

Dad knew I was taking a textiles route in my career now and he took to eBay to find me a durable machine, this was only £40 and we picked it up from someone a road away! How convenient!

It runs like a dream! So reliable and even folds into it's own table for a proper work space! get in!

My mum went through all of her old Patterns and Books about Dressmaking and Fashion and gave me loads of things! Super grateful and It means they've been given a better life away from the musty old Shed!

The Queen tin was my Nana's, It's full of embroidery Cotton and I think i'll be reluctant to use it for sentimentality, i'll just keep it safe for now!

I have finished my Gingham Check skirt and will soon post and OOTD with it in! Including all of the Info on how I made it!

Hope you liked this rather crafty post!

love love

xxx