I LOVE LACE!

I LOVE LACE AND RIBBONS!
and bows and girly things!

I've noticed how much lace i go through when i am creating both for myself and for eventual sale......
Almost everything I make has lace on it at the moment... and bows and frills and flounces! ahhhh! life is good when you can wear pretty things every day of your life if you so choose!

Still inspired somewhat by the anne of green gables / colonial style dresses i have made recently, i wanted to make some new "colonial underwear"....... I started out doing just the simple pantaloon - ey things pictured here, i cut out two pair - one in plain white cotton, the other in lace.

There was sufficient leftover lace to make into a skirt - which I was planning on selling separately.... until i stuck them together.... and how adorable do they look? soooo, the lace skirt and pantaloons have now become an inseperable pair.

In the (hopefully) near future I plan to make a cincher - type top, in the same white cotton and lace as the pantaloons.....
which will then become an inseperable pair with the plain pantaloons.

One of the best parts of being a "fashion designer" is that i always get to keep the first samples of everything! The "first sample" is the trial run of a pattern or idea (I don't always make a pattern... perhaps I should haha) and sometimes as the garment is made I learn different ways - better ways - to make them as i go. So in theory the "second sample" (or whatever it's called) should be better quality therefore to sell. (that theory sometimes doesn't quite work, as each skirt or garment seems to become it's own creation somewhat - i really do one - off things best....)

I also get to give away a lot of fun things too.... This is designed by 11 yr old Tamika.... the day after she showed me her design (complete with descriptions of the colours and fabric samples pinned on) Mom gave me a gold piece of fabric.... it was "meant to be" that the dress was made... I put a gold bow at the back and there is a row of "pearls" along the top bodice band.... which was a slight deviation from her design (which stated pearls and diamonds on the bodice)... I settled for fake pearls.

Tamika liked it, so I am happy :)

After making a bunch of aprons recently, i wanted to use up some of the pretty broderie anglais that i have, so "whipped up" a run of mini skirts in broderie.... and still a little colonially inspired, decided to try a "bustle" - ey kinda back on the skirts.

I am pleased with the results, but it has made me think of another bustle - back that i want to try sometime soon - ish also.

I have only in the last fortnight got my overlocker back from mr fix - it, and i am soo gratified to be able to say IT IS FIXED AND WORKING GORGEOUSLY!!!

yayy to that!

BUT! after being gone for a full month, the poor overlocker has it's work cut out for it now!! (haha i just made a sewing joke tehehe)

I did not spend the month idle by any means... oh no... in typical Renay fashion, i cut out and sewed, to the point of needing overlocking, many many new projects.... maybe even upwards of forty....

(eww that sounds bad!)

The broderie skirts were one such project, as were the pantaloons and the other few skirts pictured. It is kinda nice because each garment only takes a short time to finish when i pick them up half done, and a lot of things will be finished quickly; allowing me to restock the hangers... but it does look like an awful lot of work just piled up waiting.

As well as numerous more mini skirts (as soon as the sun comes out people buy mini skirts - haha go figure! gotta make lots to supply the needs of my buyers!); i have a number of costumes partially made and waiting to become the next on the list to be overlocked.

I have a medieval style ladies costume on it's way, a german beer wench kinda costume waiting.... and more...

A toddler - sized mouse costume will be finished today......