One day I’ll probably need to count the tr/dc in that cardigan. Just to realize the huge work it gave to me.

It all started a year ago: crossing the road of a crocheted cardi, on a US account of vintage pieces, the crush : I NEED a crocheted cardi. And Bergère de France rightly proposed in its 2015-2016 collection a crochet cardi, the 132.

(©Bergère de France)

Bergère advocates its Cotton Fifty thread , I replaced with the Sunny thread by Cheval Blanc: less expensive to buy, and 100% cotton. I followed the measurements table and opted for size M.

So I started on a vacation in the Alps last summer, and understood why Bergère stamped it with the “qualified” level : it is not at all complicated to make, if you can read a crochet diagram, but then … it is LONG. But VERY VERY VERY LONG.

In 15 days of vacation, I had barely finished my back. Both say that upon returning to Marseille, he wisely took the dust for months: given my crochet / knitting rhythm excluding holidays (roughly 3 rows in evening in front of the TV), motivation was zero. (And it must be said that in the meantime, I had my Andi Satterlung revelation. D)

And on the highway that took us to our new vacation spot this summer (yes Choupie, the highway has an effect on me quite unexpected: D), I wanted to take it back. (Well I must say we were stuck on Narbonne, the kiddos became crazy in the back of the car and I needed to spend my nerves on something: I therefore confirm that crochet tr/dc with a 3 hook works pretty good. D)

WELL, 15 days allowed me to finish almost all my pieces, it only lacked a few rows on the second sleeve. I thought I had done the hardest part … but that was before I realized that all these beautiful pieces there … I would have to …SEW THEM.

Seriously, I finished it at 2am, and if the whole household was not sleeping, I would have cried for joy. : D

(Pround Papillon 1000X power 😀 )

In terms of fit, I hooked too tight on the sleeves, so they’re a little bit too small, but as I planned to wear it on little dresses with straps, it does not matter. I also find it a bit too long to be completely flattering on my fitted waist dresses, but believe me, given the time I spent on it, nothing will stop me from wearing it. : D

The buttons came from “la Droguerie”.

Conclusion : to get through the countless times where I wanted to quit, I thought that such a piece, delicate and timeless, could stay in the family. I could give it later to Juliet, who can give it to her daughter or her granddaughter … then I regained my hook, and put all my heart to the work. I find it really refined and feminine. Believe me, I’ll take care fiercely. ❤

Wish you a good week, take care. ❤

Do you believe in fate ? Or do you think that life is a succession of happy coincidences? The history of this dress there, in any case, has the merit of raising the debate. 😉

(I apologize in advance for the bruised side of the dress: the photos were taken after the ceremony, and cotton + shiny side of the fabric + strong sunlight created an explosive cocktail. D)

Last Saturday, my father got married, and I was privileged to be one of his maid of honor on this particular day. You can imagine the pressure on choosing my dress: so I spent our 15 days vacation to frantically sketching, without ever being satisfied. On the way back, a week before the big day, it was a bit Hiroshima in my brain. : D

And stuck in traffic, bam, the idea : I remembered this cotton satin, found this winter at Agnès B sale. A fabric of incredible quality: mat on the inside, slightly shiny on the right side, quite heavy, which could almost think of taffeta.

Such fabric deserved a sober line, to put in the spotlight: I have immediately seen a strapless dress. And the wedding was a perfect opportunity to test for the first time installation of bones, using the bodice of the Whitney dress.

(Dress on the inside)

One week from the wedding, I had to do with what the sewing shop near me could offer : either sewing bones or plastic ones. I opted for the plastic ones, and the execution is very simple: on my bodice lining, I just created my hems with seam allowances, and placed bones, cut and polished with sandpaper to do not pierce my stretch satin. And look, it works pretty good!

The choice for the skirt was quite hard : given the density of my cotton sateen, I hesitated between pleats or self drafted circle skirt. When cutting I decided on the pleats, and I’m spectical on the result: if, on the front, all is harmonious, it is less happy on the back, where knife pleats would have been more flattering. Well, I will know for the next time.

But why did I mention fate above ? In one week, I unfortunately had no time to match the whole family in home made: I still matched the 5 of us with navy blue shades to keep the family harmonious. And what was my surprise the big day to find that my little sister, the other maid of honor and the groom itself were also in navy blue! I guess great minds always meet. 😉

Conclusion : when we drafted the Whitney dress with my teacher, this one was very disappointed that I hold to draw straps too: for her, that dress should be worn strapless. Had followed a long debate on portability or not of such a dress every day, with the conclusion for myself that special occasion was still preferable. And the marriage of my father turned up at the right moment ! I am delighted to have demystified the myth of bones and delighted with the final result: it fits perfectly. And then, how we feel feminine with bared shoulders: the walk and wearing head straighten automatically, it’s magic!

And why Mariah? This dress, for me it is a true diva dress. And does the world know another diva than Mariah Carey herself!

(Yes this song turned 21 this year. Knock me with my birthday cake next year.. D)

Wish you a great week Ladies, take care ! ❤

So here I am, back after 2 wonderful weeks in the Catalan Pyrenees with my family. ❤ I told you that before we left, there were 3 projects it was important to me to finalize: the Maia dress, the Charlie one… and a small gift for my husband because we were going to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary in the mountains. ❤ In France, each wedding anniversary has a theme. And each year, it’s important to me to make him a little gift, home made, in connection with the theme of the year. After the wax anniversary (where I made a massage candle), the wood one and the little wood box with love notes, the Cyprus one (where I had made him a fragrance with chypre notes following this recipe in Aromazone) and the wool one with his winter hat … here we are at the Poppy Anniversary. And this year, the idea was rather easy to find!

I immediately wanted to sew him something red. Basically I had thought about making him a shirt but he asked me if I could rather sew him a short because he needed one. 4 years ago I sewed him the model 131 from Burda April 2012 and as he wore it a lot since, I picked up the same pattern.

Except that we were 24 hours before the departure, no suitcase was ready and had to make it simple : no time for a hidden zipper, the simplification was required. So I took my pattern, and lengthen the front and the back of 10cms, I folded two times to create a slide. And I had a cord in 2 eyelets.

And it works ! I kept the pockets, and late in the day, I could slip it, relieved, in the suitcase.

In size 48 and cotton cretonne from Eurodif, poppy red of course. 😉

Conclusion : the pictures show you how rumpled it was, which is a good sign! 😉 Driven and approved by Sir, who was very moved by the gift. ❤ Ready for the “Faïence” anniversary ! ❤

Have a great week, courage to those who come back to work, and happy holidays to the lucky ones who still enjoy! 😉

Impossible to go on vacation without testing the gathered version of the Whitney dress: we spent a little time to draft the skirt, and I wanted to show a version to my teacher when school starts. And as often … I took a few detours before arriving at the final result. : D

I dreamed of a skirt that give the illusion of wearing a pettycoat… without wearing one. To do so, we took the pattern of the skirt with box pleats, and expanded the skirt at the pleats, adding almost one and half times my size in width, to obtain a sufficiently large and gathered skirt, while keeping its flared sides. And then I hit my goal!

Who said gathered skirt, said lightweigth/drape fabric. I didn’t have time to go shopping, I chose this very fine chambray, picked up at Agnès B sale in early July.

You can see in the picture how transparent it is: the addition of a lining was mandatory. So I sewed a second version of my dress, but this time with pleats instead gathers to avoid excessive thickness at the waist.

Let’s be honest, we double the time required to complete the dress, the operation is time consuming. But then … I think this is the dress with the best finishes of all my dressing. When I was young and I was shopping with my mother, she had an obsession with lined clothes (probably from her sewing shool: it’s not her job anymore but her eye has always been sharp on finishes). She said constantly “ah, and is it lined? Because it’s good when it’s lined, it is a guarantee of quality!”

Both say that today I feel like wearing a luxury dress! The lining is a viscose found at la Plaine Market, the same as my Mélilot.

And then, when I was about to cut the straps: what if I added ruffles? This is a detail I often see him on vintage dresses, and besides it balances pear shaped body, I find this detail absolutely charming. No problem here: I cut two long petals, I sewed a mini hem on one side, gathered the other side and slid in before sewing.

No but seriously, isn’t it super cute ?? ❤

The rest of the dress is similar to the earlier one: the bodice has princess seams and a sweetheart neckline …

…and the back is closed with a concealed zipper.

Conclusion : I was afraid that my chambray would miss some drape, but in the end I like the swelling of the skirt. Combined with the white lining, I really feel like wearing a vintage dress! I feel both very comfortable, feminine and pretty; and when I got those 3 points, it is key to success! 😉 There will inevitably be a new release next summer, this time in viscose, to see the gathered skirt in a more drape fabric.

And why Charlie ? Always immersed in Brazilian music, it would be hard to pick only one song, but here is one I particulary love.

It’s time for me to wish you a good August : courage to those who are working, and happy holidays to the lucky ones like us who leave today! And especially take good care of you. ❤ See you soon ! ❤

There are three projects that are important to me to complete before the departure on vacation this weekend, and the dress I’ll present today is one of them.

Do you recognize the pattern? This is the Baptism dress. So we modified with my teacher the front princess seams, and I was happy to sew a new version to check the fit.

When cutting my fabric, I wanted to scoop the back, no doubt inspired by the current heat. So I redesigned my mid back, and assembled the whole thing.

But when trying it, PATATRAS, it’s a disaster. You can see it here: one, the armholes need to be more scooped. Two, the back princess seams need, such as the front, to be belittled. Three, I need to cut some fabric at the sides of the zipper. Death in the soul, I ripped my dress (lining sewn by hand included), modified some pattern pieces and reassembled everything.

And here it’s good! I’m really glad I persevered: this fabric was a favorite of mine, and he deserved all these efforts.

I discovered this floral fabric thank to Rue des Réglises at La Plaine market: very thick but with some drapé, I was curious to know how the dress would fall, especially the skirt. And that’s exactly as I imagined: both dancing, dramatic and delightfully vintage. And thanks to the weight of the skirt, I fear nothing in case of strong wind! 😉 (Tested in action yesterday. D)

The dress is lined at the bodice and the stretch satin lining is sewn by hand on the waist and ribbons of the concealed zipper.

And still the heart neckline that I like a lot.

Conclusion: I think I’ll scoop more the back for the next one, because there will be a next one, for sure! I believe I have found THE dress pattern for cotton satins with summer colors. ❤

ps: why Maia? Thanks to Lisa from Make My Lemonade, I discovered the existence of a great web radio, that makes you travel musically through the decades: Radiooooo.com By chance I clicked on Brazil in the 70s, and since I am literaly obsessed with Brazilian music in the Seventies, and especially Tim Maia, dad of the Brazilian soul. And our favorite with my kids, it’s Chocolate!

Have a great week Ladies !!! ❤ ❤