A late post of my to favourite pieces of me-mades, the Laurel and Beignet

Well, this is awkward..... One of my favourit pieces was finnished almost 5 months ago, and I have`nt blogged about it! (what kind of blogger am I?.... dont answer that....)

I made a second verison of Colette Patterns Laurel dress. My first was this one. It was ok, but not GREAT.
So I wanted to make another one. This time whit the cute ruffled things on the arms.
And allso, I made pockets. A dress neeeeeds pockets! I made them whit a contrast cotton fabric.
I am very impressed whit this dress, as it has a great fit and gives a nice silhouette. I use it to work as well as more special occacions. Simple to style up or down whit different accecories and shoes.
It is the most worn me-made item in my wordrobe.
But I had some fitting issues this time around on the Laurel, since the fabric is a bit more bulkier. And it has some stretch...
So I put in a few extra darts on both the back and on the bust area. Allso the waist got some, and it gave the dress some lovely tucks.

''

Along whit the grey suited Laurel dress, the Beignet skirt, allso from Colette patterns, is allso one of my biggest prides sewing-vise. You can read more of the Beignet here.
These two pieces are both made out of the same fabric. Unfortunately, now I am out.....

My Colette Beignet Skirt

This has been coming for a loooooong time!
Actually, I have tried to make it up for weeks and weeks, actually, months! And finally, it was time!
I think the main reason why I never got around to it was that I had my mine set on making this in a dark blue cord fabric, just like the one Shona has made. I just love it!
But I did`nt have any blue cord, so I had to find something in my stash.
When I went to Oslo before Christmas, I brought home some sort of grey-ish wool-ish knitted suit fabric whit just a hint of horizontal stretch. It is actually quite nice! I made the Laurel dress whit the same fabric.
Unfortunately, I have not blogged it, even though it is like half a year since I made it! *bad blogger*

Aaanywho....
From drafting to cutting to finnished skirt, it took me about 3 weeks. Again, the 1 hour here and 1 hour there-concept. Wery famous for that....

I decided to skip the whole lining, and just interface the inside whit a nice contrasting floral cotton.
After I had cut all the fabric, I suddenly realized that the main fabric has some stretch and the facings has not, so I was very anxious about that. I even made fabric covered buttons, a whole 12 pcs! That is my first time, so I must say that was quite fun, and made a very nice detail on my skirt.
The pockets are the same fabric as the facings, by the way.

I asked my better half to take pictures, outside, during freezing wind. The pictures were quite bad, but it will have to do for now...

I really love my Beignet skirt, it has a great fit and i feel slimming and feminin in it. 

I can se my self whit more Beignet`s in the future

Proudly presenting; My Hawthorn Dress!

And here it is!

My pride and joy, my Hawthorne Dress! 

It was just as fabouless as I dreamt it would be!

This dress has it all; a feminine collar, buttons, and a big, swearly skirt.

(Yes, I must admit, somewhere inside this women in her late 20`s there`s a princess...)

And whit now further delay;

The dress is competing whit this beautyfull landscape, for shure!

And now for some details:

My Hawthorne was made by a blue and white seersucker gingham fabric. 

It was my first time ever whit this sort of fabric, and I must say I love it! It is defenitely not the last time!

All seems where sewn with french seems, for a cleaner look.

The hem was sewn up whit a jeans-colored bias tape.

The buttons really makes this dress. They are sort of blue-greyish.

And I even made pockets, because pockets are grrreaaat! 

My Hawthorn has allready been used alot, and It even went with us on our holiday.

Now I am allready planning on making a new version. Maybe I`ll try the peplumblouse? 

I did sign up for the Hawthorn sewalong, but when the fabric and patter arriwed, 

I got so eager that I just had to start. So I was actually finished long before the sewalong ended.

Thanks to the great tutorial that came whit the pattern, that was no problem!

By the way, you can see all the versions on this Flick Group.

And there is even a voting going on for some of the members of the sewalong that

was lucky enough to get theire dress in the contest, so hop on over and vote!