I had so wanted to enjoy making Colette Pattern’s Dahlia and had visions of frolicking around the Peaks showing it off – it took much longer than I anticipated so I didn’t get it finished during my week away; I became incredibly disheartened with it.  Well, after a burst of hand sewing this morning (sleeve and neck bindings and hem)  it is finished and I was able to wear it for a little frolic around in the local park.  The weather today has been unbelievable – Remembrance Sunday and I was out in just a cotton dress and a cardi.

My issues with the Dahlia are many and I hasten to add – are all my fault (just making it clear I am not blaming the pattern). I messed up the yoke so that both seams are not enclosed; I made my bias binding too thin; I clearly did not gather the neck sufficiently so that the dress can actually be worn off the shoulder.  I have just read Sew South London’s blog and she has inserted darts at the back of the neck.  If I were a patient person, I could attempt this remedy but I cannot, I’ll be honest, be arsed to remove the bias binding so I think it is doomed forever to be worn under a cardi.

That said, I do think it is a great dress for layering.  I bought the fabric at Sew Over it with the intention of making another Sureau but then the Dahlia came out and I thought it would make a perfect Autumn dress.  To be honest, as it is only cotton it is too thin for Autumn.  I do have a lovely blue and red check wool and will probably make my next Dahlia with that.

You are probably wondering why I am already planning on making another Dahlia when I am clearly so disgruntled.  Well . . .  before I encountered my difficulties, I proposed it as a pattern for the next Sewing Bee at work (first one blogged here)and everyone has now agreed to do the Dahlia.  The plan is that we will wear it for the last day of school when we go to the Carol Concert – might be a bit chilly for the half a dozen of us sporting bare shoulders.

I have read a few blogs lately where people make reference to the need for more intermediate patterns/ books.  I do think the Dahlia is intermediate.  All of the gathering, the enclosed yoke etc.  The only thing I am pleased with is the invisible zip – perhaps whilst people are looking for  the invisible zip they will not notice the gaping neckline.

For my little photo shoot I used plum coloured accessories as I do love plum – only ever wear plum lipstick. However, there isn’t any plum in the multi coloured fabric at all and I think that a cardi in teal would be better.  So, guess what dear reader? I am making one!  Bought this wool yesterday in a little nearby haberdashery along with the patternbook Rowan Easy Winter Knits – the yarn is 100% merino and called “Big Wool”.  It is beautifully soft although I must say it feels/looks a bit synthetic to me.  The designer for all the knits is Martin Storey whose patchwork blanket I am currently making squares for on my daily commute – the intention being that it will be a Christmas present for my daughter 2015.

So I have added to the number of WIP – also on the go is the lace dress I started on Wednesday (I have been given a mounting task to do for homework!) and Lauren’s yoke top which I thought might have seen the light of day by now but no.

On a non-sewing related matter I saw Gone Girl at the cinema this afternoon.  I was wringing my hands so much that I actually wrung my ring off and had to go hunting for it at the end (and this is from someone who has read the book and knew what was coming).  It’s been out a few weeks now so my closing salutation is to encourage you to go.

Toodle pip,

Clarinda x