Green goings on

Hello lovely people! How was your Easter?

I'm still on holiday because I was a smart cookie and took off the 3 days between Easter Monday and Anzac day which falls on Friday this year. Quite a lot of other people in my office did the same thing, so I guess it would be somewhat un-Australian not to extend it out to a 10 day break!

So, what have I been up to these past few days? Well quite a lot of cleaning out of my cupboards - nothing good. Just trying to get rid of those naff things that I've bought over the years that don't fit me or my style any more. Some things I've put into storage because I cant bear to let them go - kind of like an outpatients ward. If I don't see it, it will be easier to let go of later!

And I've also been watching this interesting 5 part series on Youtube - "The 60's - The Beatles decade". Basically it tries to follow the ups and downs of the Beatles in line with the changes of the 60s, focusing mainly on England and its own political and social story. 

You can watch parts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 here

I also took time to take photos of all the little projects I've been doing here and there. Repair jobs and modifications as well. 

You may recall a certain 70's shirt dress I bought which I planned to modify to fit me properly. 

I did a fair bit to make it fit as I like. I took out the side seams which had a generous 2cm allowance and sewed them down to 5mm seams! I also took up the hem and pulled in the back darts to make it fit better. 

Here is the end result - much looser and more comfortable. The original fit was very tight on my hips and very big at the top. 

I also made up this mini skirt from the green crimplene I found at the opp-shop. It really is a lovely fabric to sew with! I can see why Sarah from Style Sixties loves it so much.

In both photos you can see my new shoes that I had ordered for my birthday present. I got to order them exactly as I wanted them - green patent leather, 1 inch block heel and an interesting feature buckle. I also got them a half size bigger then normal so they would fit comfortably.

They were not cheap by any stretch as they were ordered custom designed from Milk and Honey shoes. A lot of people use them for their bridal shoes, but as it was my birthday and I didn't have to pay (yay!) it was ok!

I had looked at lots of 60's style heels from around 1966 on wards for ideas with lots of colours and small heels good for dancing. I'm very much in love with the end result, because they are exactly what I've wanted for a number of years. You can see my chunky shoe obsession here on my pinterest board!

You may also recall I had intentions of making a new nightie as my favourite one was getting a bit old and my poor boyfriend was sick of seeing me wear what was slowly becoming a rag around the house. 

We chose this soft purple fabric to make a smocked nighty from Butterick 5513. 

I kept the sleeves long and added elastic to the wrist so that I can easily pull them up should I need, and I also took out the bust and back darts so that there was less stuff going on on the inside. I also knew that if I made it too tight it will get all caught up and will tear again along the seam line. 

The back should have a zipper, but I left the top half of it open with just a button closure at the top. Zippers are not really ideal for night wear! And I also replaced the facings for bias binding - again just so that there was less to fuss with. 

And lastly, I really must show you this lovely peachy lady I found at the opp shop! I think it might have cost me like $3. I'm guessing it's late 50's or early 60's. There is no tag any more but the 'Dacron' label has been left behind. The seams are not finished like a normal mass produced dress so the mystery of who made this and for whom will always elude me. 

It fits me well, though I think I may have to wait for summer to wear it.

So what have you been up to this Easter break? Did you manage to stuff your face with chocolate bunnies or hot cross buns? Or perhaps you just enjoyed the extra time off. 

We have a 4 day weekend in Australia, beginning with Good Friday and ending with Easter Monday - is your country so kind as to give you a big break like that? I'm so curious! 

Thanks for popping in!

Cat xo