rock the kaftan

So this is what I’ve been up to in sewing class lately.

After my fitting fiasco with my previous project, I thought I’d give myself an easier job of it this time around.

So I’m making a kaftan!

Well, a kaftan dress actually. The short one on the right, to be precise:

Hardly any fitting required! BONUS!

The pattern couldn’t be simpler. Well, actually, it could…

Lazy so-and-so that I am, I found a short cut!

You see that diagram in the corner of the pattern envelope that shows that it has only two main pattern pieces? Well I managed to reduce that still further by cutting the front pattern piece on a fold, rather than cutting two separate fronts and sewing them together.

As well as reducing the number of seams to sew, this also saves me the challenge of matching up my fabric’s pattern along the centre front seam (and to be honest I’m not even sure I would’ve had enough fabric to do this).

I am using my free gift fabric:

As you can see, it has a vertical stripe, which can be a tricky beast.

So any avoidance of matching up the stripes – especially right down the front – is to be welcomed with open arms and hallelujahs as far as I’m concerned.

That’s not my only challenge though. The fabric is a synthetic crêpe and slippery as an eel when it comes to manouvreing it under the sewing machine. It also doesn’t press easily like cotton does.

I have already learned the useful techniques of stay stitching and understitching to help cope with it’s idiosyncrasies.

We shall see how it turns out.

I am not entirely sure that I am a kaftan person.

So the jury is still out on whether anyone will ever see me rocking this particular garment anywhere other than lounging on the sofa in front of the telly.

But one thing’s certain…

I’m loving the learning journey!

the urge to splurge

I went a little bit mad the other night.

I think it must have been something to do with being on my own whilst lad and his dad are away. It has a tendency to make me reckless and even – dare I say – a bit funny in the head sometimes.

Either that or I spent too much time looking at evilbay. I got sucked in, like a fly into a venus flytrap.

I was spat out a few minutes later a good few pounds poorer.

I splurged. I shouldn’t have, but I did.

I fought the frenzy to fork out, the desire to dissipate, but it didn’t go away. I caved in with just seconds to go.

But look at it!

Wouldn’t you have succumbed too?

It is winging it’s way to me as I type… I can hardly wait!

Oh come to me quickly, my pretty! I shall love thee and wear thee until I look like mutton dressed as lamb and you have fallen to pieces with old age! (And then I shall cut thee up and make a quilt from thy remains).

I do hope it fits…! ♥

trevira temptation

As I previously suspected, I think I may be heading down a road of no return.

And that road is paved with man-made fibres.

Not only have I been wearing – and receiving compliments upon – my Crimplene crush, but I now have another nylon newbie for my collection.

My thrift of the week – let alone the day – is this Trevira tunic top.

I found it, unloved and unwanted, tucked amongst a rack of seen-better-days Primark rejects in a local charity shop.

The tunic is an item of attire that has recently seen a reinvention in places such as White Stuff (which has a bit of a thing for retro florals too). But there the similarity ends. Their notion of a modern tunic top doesn’t really bear comparison with this baby.

It would certainly be true to say that they just don’t make ‘em like this any more.

Although it is a perfect fit, I’m not sure when – or even whether – I shall be wearing my new purchase.

I am not living in San Francisco in 1967. Neither am I keen to emulate the style of Mildred Roper in an early episode of Man About The House. Nor does my social life resemble that of Margo Leadbetter in The Good Life.

Consequently, I am not certain that the correct occasion exists in my life to prompt the sporting of such a garment.

But my affection for artificial fibres continues unabated. It overrides such trivialities.

Perhaps I should just lounge about in it at home, appreciating its pattern.
I think my Trevira tunic is terrific.

In fact, it’s polyester perfection

hello from ada bea!

Hello, my name is Ada Bea and I’m a Vintage Sheet Addict! Oh dear, that’s perhaps not the best way to introduce myself!

Actually, I’m not just a Vintage Sheet Addict, I’m a 1970s wallpaper addict too! I’ve amassed quite a collection over the years, my family thinks too many, but of course I disagree!

I haven’t been blogging for very long, so this is still all new to me. My style, if you can call it that, is very home spun (slap dash?!), I never really plan what I’m going to write. I’m a ‘by-the-seat-of-her-pants!’ kind of blogger! I hope you won’t mind this approach!

I must say, I am a little nervous about all this Guest Blogging malarkey. It’s not that I don’t want to help out another bloggy friend, but it’s just that I don’t understand all this technical stuff!

I am really rubbish, really, really rubbish! Computers seems to shut down or misbehave whenever I get too close. I am working on the principle that it’s like when dogs smell fear in humans, they are more likely to attack. I must emit an electrical vibe that causes computers to misbehave! If I manage to post this, a small miracle will have happened before your very eyes! Well, I suppose it is Christmas……

Anyway, I digress, that can happen when you don’t plan what you are going to write!

You have me for some time I’m afraid, so in order not to bore you too much, I will do some normal posts (sorry can’t even say what they will be, as I don’t know myself yet!) and have some posts just with photos, bit of vintage eye candy, so to speak!

Bye for now!

Ada Bea (not my actual name, but that’s another story!) x

a bit the worse for wear

I went vintage shopping yesterday.

I didn’t intend to. I was supposed to be Christmas shopping. But these things have a habit of creeping up on me…

I bought this dress, which is somewhat the worse for wear.

It has splits at the seams. It has stains. The zip sticks a bit.

It also doesn’t fit me. And wouldn’t suit me even if it did (it is meant for someone much younger than I).

You may think me daft. I myself think that I’m probably not that wise.

But that fabric!

I may decide to cut it up, although at the moment I wince at the thought.

More likely I will wash and iron it, leave it hanging on my wardrobe door, and look longingly – and slightly guiltily – at it as I lie in bed.

perfect poole

Mid Century Modern Delphis P… mungoandmidge $25.00	Poole Pottery Delphis Range … LovedByYou $40.00	Mid Century Modern Delphis B… mungoandmidge $35.00	poole vase, England, vintage… vivarte $85.00
Poole Delphis Eye Plate No…. mascarajones $125.00	Large Ceramic Glazed PENDAN… MIZZENBLUE $45.00	Mid Century Modern High Glos… TheRustyChicke… $12.95	Mid Century Modern Aegean Pl… mungoandmidge $25.00
Mid Century Modern Delphis B… mungoandmidge $45.00	POOLE England Pottery Dish -… TreasuresYouNe… $142.50	Poole Delphis 83 Vase mascarajones $125.00	Mid Century Modern Poole Pot… CampHobachee $60.00
vintage Poole pottery delphi… Freakea $30.00	Vintage Poole Pottery Delphi… handpickedbyta… $45.00	Poole Pottery Delphis tray vintagegeeklov… $65.00	Poole Delphis Planter. 73. C… Addy $20.00

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

I love the cheerful mid-century goodness of vintage Poole pottery.

Although I don’t own any personally.

Etsy has lots.

And looking is free – yay!