Little Black Dress transformation

Monday morning has passed through from afternoon to evening and I treat myself to T&T...an abbreviation of tea and toast, a daily essential either for morning, evening or both.

An essential wardrobe ingredient has to be the Little Black Dress affectionately christened the LBD.  I shall refer to it as the latter in this post so I can keep the space for photographs!

The iconic Audrey Hepburn in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' wearing her LBD designed by Hubert Givenchy. 

I have to admit to having more than 1 LBD, which gives me a great idea for sharing them all with you in another post.  I have 3 from the 1950's which were given to me, but I must stop there and save these stories for another day. 

This evening I would like to share the story of the ugly duckling dress from flat to fab...

I came across this dress at at vintage fair in the Red Barn Gallery in Belfast.  It was £10, 2 sizes too big and a left over from the late 1980's.  My mind immediately began to tick with the possibility of a complete 're-vamp' as the phrase would have been back then.  Today it is re-fashioning, customising, up-cycling.  I like to call it 'Crafted Couture'. Time and patience.

 

The taffeta puffed skirt lacked 'oooph!'

 

 

Off with its head!

The halter style neck band gets the chop.  The new bodice shaping gets marked with pins.

 

Handstitching in the new lining. 

The original dress was not lined at the back as it was stretchy. I made it non stretchy by adding a fused interfacing.  Boning was added to the front panels.

 

 

All dressed up with somewhere to go!

 

Modern but still a true classic.

 

 

Till next time...xxx

 

Crafted Couture: Bias Binding with TLC, patience and time

Friday has arrived and that means I am already enjoying a long weekend and an afternoon coffee in my favourite mug.

The weekend never actually means time off as I am just one of those people that even when watching a film, I'm knitting or unpicking something!  I'm sure I am not the only one that does this!!

Later on today I will be designing and making new things for the Three Crafty Birds stand at St Georges market this weekend.  After last weeks trading my sister Linda and I went for a rummage in The Rusty Zip. The Rusty Zip is a fantastic vintage and retro store that is an institution on Botanic Avenue, Belfast.  Lets look inside the bags!...
 

 

The Rusty Zip has just had a complete refurbishment and lots of fantastic clothes swinging on the rails. 

 

I spyed this jacket... I'm a sucker for Donegal Tweed and a real find at £10! 

 

 

 

The fabric is so beautiful, but it didn't deserve to be finished in a tired bawley woven nylon binding.  I knew I had the perfect length of leather at home and that all this jacket needed was a little TLC, and a little patience and time.

 

 

Carefully snipping off the binding

 

Stitching the new leather binding on.

 

Large glass headed pins securely attaching the binding.  Much better looking than the tired binding now discarded to the left.

 

Bias Binding and a good pressing gives the jacket new life, with many more years ahead.  I added a soft leather belt, perfect colour match.

 

 

Think twice before you throw clothes out...give them a second chance!

 

Have a great weekend everyone, happy sewing, creating and crafting.

 

See you next week xx

Christine