Exciting news! Roll up, roll up! Chick alert!

Hooray! Chick births over on blog Purple Podded Peas! If you like small fluffy chicks and big fat beautiful black Hens that's the place to be visiting.

I last reported in this blog post back on June 1st, that there were eggs being incubated in the world of Purple Podded Peas. Well, it's been a bit touch and go apparently, I think Celia was worried that they weren't going to hatch at one point. But they've finally hatched, and you can see a lovely little film clip in this blog post, showing mother and nine children tweet tweeting away over their breakfast. One little chick tries the tea towel out for gourmet possibilities.

It's been a strange old week here in my corner of the UK. Thunderclaps and torrential rain one minute, the next moment, bright clear skies and sun. We've been timing our moments. The moments we step out of doors. Apart from a little dog walking, I've been cooped up indoors most of the week, and found myself getting a bit of cabin fever. Staring hard at the garden whilst the rain pours and pours, and then pours some more.

The light goes too. You know how heavy the down pour is going to be by how many lights you have to turn on indoors.

It was duting one of these dark moments of being incarcerated in the house, watching the weather resignedly, that I found myself traipsing around some of the house photographing things.

Knitting bags in the living room. Hmmm, not terribly exciting, but it does lead me neatly to the progress of my knitted dress.

You know, I don't think mannequins are terribly representative of the human form, not mine anyway, I'm much less smooth than my mannequin. But pinning the back of my Debbie Bliss dress to the mannequin does give you an idea of what it could look like on a nice smooth figure.

I'm worried about the band that joins the skirt to the top half, I don't think it's long enough. I pinned the bit of the front half I'm working on, to the mannequin, and I really had to stretch the band to meet with the back half. I shall ponder that little problem when I finally come to join the back to the front.

I did take a photo of the front half pinned on, but it looks too rude to show you. You work from the band downwards first, then you pick up your stitches for the top half and knit upwards. I'm only at the stage where I'm knitting the skirt section, so there's no top half. The picture of it on the mannequin looks like the mannequin is topless, it's a bit alarming.

I'm coming to the conclusion that the medium size I'm knitting is too small. Usually Debbie Bliss patterns turn out larger than expected, so I'm surprised this seems to be the opposite case with my knitted dress.

And my other dress? The sewn one? I don't know, do I admit this?.......................... I think I don't really like the pattern. It came free with a magazine, and I thought it would be nice in the red gingham.

No. what it is, is I really like the top half, but I really don't like the skirt on the dress. And I don't like the waistband.

I'm meant to be making pattern B.

I can't get it out of my head that the dress is a bit too 'neat' for me. It's perhaps a 'smart event' dress. For someone else.

My confidence as a new sewer is in the balance a bit here, which might seem a bit over-the-top but that's just the way it is. The dress has a half finished waistband, and is currently lying in a dejected little heap on the table. I did experiment with a bit of shirring. The idea was to have a shirred waistband to soften the midrif a bit, but I chickened out after shirring a few rows on a long length of fabric. There's a wonderful friendly tutorial by Flossie Teacakes here. Don't you think the name Flossie teacakes is wonderful for a blog?

The only thing I can think of is to try and re-design the bottom half of the dress, which does seem ludicrously ambitious for someone with my limited skills. What do you think about creating an a-line skirt that starts from where I left off in the picture above? Will it look totally crap? Can I be bothered in my current 'about to give up' mood? Advice welcomed gratefully.

So aren't I the jolly one today!

I'm just going to give you one more link before I tootle off.

If you are a watcher of programmes like Grand Designs, you may well find the house building going on over at rose hip, in this blog post here, fascinating. I love Grand Designs, and any programme that involves making a nest, house building, housey stuff. Just one little warning, you may well get a little sidetracked by the beautiful pillowcases with their gorgeous crochet edgings that rose hip makes.

Have a good weekend! Vanessa xxx

Comments

[Alice and Raymond!!!]

Hello Vanessa!
Same here, soooooo much rain in the last fortnight, I was cooped up inside for days on end... but I kinda liked it, it's freezing outside so the less I had to leave the house the happier I was! :O)
Your knitted dress is coming along beautifully, it looks wonderful on the mannequin, can't wait to see it on you!
Have a lovely weekend XXXXX

[Annie]

Lots of rain here too!

How about finding a dress pattern with a skirt you do like, and marrying it with the red gingham bodice ... which looks lovely :)

Flossie Teacake ... my kids loved the Flossie Teacake books growing up ... brilliant name for a blog!

[Vintage Squirrel]

If you have an a-line skirt you like, you could turn it inside out and copy it's shape onto newspaper and use it as a pattern to marry with your bodice. Or you could continue the pretty gathering round the neckline by mirroring it in the skirt section? Don't give up. I do agree with the look of the pattern though, it doesn't appear to be your usual style.
K x

[Mackenzie_Moody]

Have you thought about taking the top half of the dress and turning it into a shirt instead of a dress? It'd look adorable as nice little blouse. I love the look of your knitted dress! I'm a novice knitter but my mom taught me to crochet and I'm about to embark on my first crochet sweater journey! Good luck with the dresses!

[Teresa Kasner]

Hi Vanessa, I adore the color and shape of your knitted dress and can't wait to see it done and modeled by you. I'm not a sewer so I can't make suggestions on the sewn dress, but I know you'll figure out something. I just visited a wonderful rose garden yesterday, I'd love for you to visit my blog and see the photos.
((hugs)), Teresa :-)

[carole]

Hi Vanessa,
What a brilliant blog post.
I just love the colour of the roses. I watched Hampton Court Flower show on tv and they showed some beautiful roses. I am going to plant some more as i just love the fragrance.
Your knitted dress is lovely and i just love the colour.You mentioned the size worry! Did you use DB yarn, cos my LYS lady says DB yarns are not quite the same as some other yarns. ie DB`s double knitting yarn is not the same as Sirdar dk. If you get my drift, so she tells me with monotonous regularity "do a tension square". Pffft!! Just wondered if thats why you think it seems small.
Your red check dress is coming along nicely. i was going to say why not try an A-line skirt.
Anywhooooo as they say over here in Lancashire " crack on".
Take Care
Love Carole from Rossendale xxxxxxx

[Kayjay]

I think the gingham fabric you've chosen for your dress is edgy enough that it won't look 'neat and prim', it'll be your style. I vote to continue with it, I can see the finished dress in my mind's eye, and think it will look great. And if you still don't like it when finished offer it as a prize on here :0)

[Victoria]

Rain, rain go away ....... love the pics that resulted from it though. Good luck with the dress. I keep telling myself that 'just go for it' and add or detract whatever - really there are no rights and wrongs despite what we read - who is to say what is the correct or wrong way - as long as you end up with something you love that looks good. Experimetation I say. Have a good weekend. x

[Siobhan]

My first thought when you said you didn't like the rest of the dress so much was to keep it as a top. But you would have to be careful to balance it out as it would be empire line; I think it would have to be the right length and not be too full. However, when you said your idea of attaching an A line skirt to it, I really think that would work. You could also gather a skirt onto it but I think A line would work better. If it were reasonably lose you could then have ties to pull it in to fit you. They could be at the bust line or at the waist. That is a look I like as it is flatteringly slimline without bunches of fabric but on the other hand not too body con (which means you can't relax while wearing it, or you have to wear big knickers!)

I do think the top part looks lovely, so don't abandon it as it all looks so neatly done and really suits the fabric. I think I would probably be inclined to look at a dress you already have and draw around the skirt part to make a pattern (leaving room for seam allowances or putting them in when cutting out the fabric). To get both sides of your pattern identical I would fold up the centre and choose the nicest side and then pin it onto either fabric or more paper on the fold (when you unfold it will be symmetrical) - either to get a perfect pattern piece which could be used again or cutting straight on to the fabric which would be quicker. Have just realised that I am saying similar to Vintage Squirrel.

In the original pattern I like the waist band of the red dress best. When I'm not sure about what I am doing (frequently!)I like to cogitate over ideas and mull them over until something comes to mind. It may help if you just look at dresses generally and find the sort of thing you like and see if it could be adapted for this. I'm assuming that the opening is at the neck at the back? You could still use your invisible zip which will need to go down far enough so the dress will be easy to get on and off.

Anyway, good luck Vanessa! I'm sure you will manage to come up with something great. Love how your knitted dress is looking too.

[Michelle]

Hi Vanessa

Did you know you've got a mention in this month's Let's Knit magazine??

[Stephanie]

Hello Vanessa,

Hurray for Higgledy, Piggledy My Black Hen! I love chicks, hens and Purple Podded Peas; it's a great blog.

I'm not much of an expert but I think your blue knitted dress looks heavenly. It is weird how there is no rhyme or reason with sizing. I am such a newbie knitter that I find that kind of surprise quite unsettling. Mind you knitting has taught me PATIENCE. I am amazed how calm I remain when I realise that I just have to frog it all and start all over again.

If you don't like your red dress then don't finish it. I'm sure you will find another pattern which makes your heart sing somewhere in your marvellous project list.

The rain will go away very soon: promise ;-)

I love all the colours in the corners of your house.

See you soon,

[jane]

HI Vanessa

I have just been catching up with a few blogs including yours and thought you might like the new Painted Portrait dress pattern by Anna Maria Horner. You can find it in this blog post and it is released this month (not sure exactly when!!!).

http://annamariahorner.blogspot.com/2011/05/needleworks.html

Much love

Jane x

[dbyrne]

I have been working so hard recently that it was a real pleasure to take a few mninutes to look at your last few blogs... such a treat, thank you!

I just love the cushion in the top picture, is this some kind of unusual sewing technique? I have not seen it before.

[Susan]

What about a wide piece of ribbing for the waistband and then a gathered skirt with some embroidery along the bottom? I think that could be really cute. Also, a wide waistband with some embroidery and then the gathered or a-ilne skirt could look really cute too.

[harmony and rosie]

What a shame, I love the fabric and the top part so I'd be tempted to have a go at marrying an A-line bottom to it. How about using the top line of the existing pattern so you know you'll get a match, then drawing round an existing skirt of one of the dress patterns you've already used. It'll be a bit of a challenge but think of the satisfaction when it all works out, because I'm sure it will. I've just done something similar with a dress I made for my little girl and it worked really well. Go for it, you can do it!!!!

x

[Liz A.]

I was going to suggest just turning the top of the dress into a shirt but I don't think it's quite long enough. But I'd definitely try it with an A line skirt. You can always add a tied belt to cover over any messiness in the join.

[Planet Penny]

Ooh I've been there with half made things. I usually end up thinking it's all down to being a completely different shape to the rest of the world, and if it gets too bad I throw it on the floor and jump on it so I'm a very bad example!
However I got very excited about Mrs Bobobun's skirt on her blog and have ordered the book she's using, Sew Serendipity, and it might be good for you too...

[Ann]

The knitted dress is a beautiful colour and looking good. I look forward to seeing the finished garment. Was this pattern in a book or a magazine as I love the styling of the skirt part.

Beautiful photos on your blog- made a dull day a lot more sunny!