So, this is what 50 feels like ...

I had two glasses of wine last night and that's it!

I stupidly didn't take any photos, but I ended up wearing Dress Plan C which was one I made last year and have never worn. I've forgotten the pattern number and I'm too lazy to look it up.

Dress Plan A.  I originally wanted to make V1151 but couldn't find ponte in a colour I liked.  There was boring black, washed out burgundy, dirty grey or cream.  I really wanted purple or orange or something bright, but here in fabric starved Tasmania I was fooling myself.
 I moved to Dress Plan B.


Prior to christmas I had traced BWOF 09-11-104 but never got around to making it, so I decided to give it a go.  I had 3m of poly chiffon that I bought at Spotlight last year for $3 a metre that was perfect.   It's a fairly simple pattern to make, but the double layer of chiffon with pleating and gathering makes it a little time consuming.  I changed the pattern contruction slightly.  For some reason the back skirt is a single layer in the pattern whereas the rest is double.  I made the back skirt double layer too, which means that all the inside seams are concealed and there is no hemming.

You can see from the original picture that the pattern has one sleeve and one silly 'shoulder scarf'.  I ditched the scarf and made two sleeves.  The side seam where the zip goes has one pattern piece cut on the bias and the other on grain, plus the zip goes across the gathered waist band. If you make this, it takes a bit of patience to get these seams to match, particularly as the bias cut front piece leeeeengthens when made in chiffon.













It's not my usual style, but it's cute and fits me well.  It's hard to see in this fabric, but the middle has a lovely draped section cut on the bias.  In hindsight, I would not cut chiffon on the bias, it stretches and hangs too much.  So why didn't I wear it?  It is more of a day dress and not suited to the fancy restaurant I was going to.  The tulip skirt is cute, it's comfortable and will look great with a little pair of flat silver sandals I have.
 
 
I had dinner with the wonderful women from work.  They gave me this lovely marcasite ring, photographed here on my wrinkly 50 year old hand.
 
 
 
I was up at 6.30am to take my friend Jo to the airport, so the birthday glow wore off pretty quickly.  Today I really am going to make a start on my SWAP!

Comments

Jenny said…
Both of you dresses are really pretty. I love the chiffon one but the thought of all the gathering and dealing with bias chiffon gives me a headache. :-)
Sharon said…
Many happy returns and that is a very pretty ring. Love both your dresses and chiffon on the bias, another one that scares me.
Faye Lewis said…
Happy Birthday! Beautiful dresses and I LOVE that ring.
Gail said…
Happy Birthday - welcome to the fiftysomething club. It was such a pleasure to meet you in Hobart. Your dress and ring are beautiful.
Janine said…
Happy Birthday ! Both the dresses are fabulous so have a double celebration so you can wear both.
You have some seriously nice workmates.
Summer Flies said…
Happy Birthday Carol! Welcome to 50! It's not SO bad. A lovely ring to remember it by. I love your dresses - I have to say I don't like the scarf thing either so I'm glad you made two sleeves.
Sue said…
Happy Birthday! What a lovely dress - maybe you should find an excuse to go out for lunch!
Sheila said…
Happy Birthday and love the garments you've made. More importantly looooooove the marcasite ring... love it.
kbenco said…
Happy Birthday!
Both the dresses are gorgeous, but I want to see the gold shorts ;)
What fabulous dresses! I've been wanting to try that BWOF, thank you for the heads up on the bias issues.
Carolyn said…
Happy birthday Carol!
Sounds like a terrific night out with friends, and I really love that printed poly dress. Very chic!

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