Friday 17 August 2012

Handmade handbags - It started with a (vintage) dress!

Bit of a change for this weeks handmade Monday. I thought it was time I came clean about where this sewing handbags malarkey all started.

My interest in sewing only really started when I got married in 2010. I knew when my then boyfriend proposed that I wouldn't be quite settled until I found the right dress. You see, i'm not really a dress wearer - more a jeans kind-of-gal. So the idea of 1) being the centre of attention and 2) being the centre of attention whilst wearing a long white dress, filled me with fear!


But then I started looking at vintage dresses (I'd always loved the 50's: Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn). I liked the idea of something knee length and in a 1950's style.


But everywhere I looked, all I could find in my price range were long, strapless numbers. Just not me at all! So, although i'd not used a sewing machine for years, and certainly never made any clothes I decided to buy a vintage pattern to make my own. Every time I googled 'vintage dress', the images I was drawn to were always by the same designer - Ceil Chapman.

I finally managed tracked down this pattern.....
....and went along to a nearby village hall where I'd heard there were weekly sewing classes. I'll always remember walking into the first class and seeing lots of people making curtains & cushion covers. I tentatively asked if they did dresses - the tutors response; 'Just as long as it's not a wedding dress' - uh oh! 10 weeks later, and with the help of some lovely, lovely, patient ladies I finally had my dress made.

Fabric for dress £40
Fee for classes £3 per week (+ 20p for coffee)
Ticket for the weekly sewing class raffle £1
Experience of making my own dress, with the support of a lovely bunch of ladies - priceless!

My obsession with fabric and sewing had begun. And my vintage bug didn't really stop there either. My latest purchase is this beautiful sewing machine.

It hasn't quite made it to the spare bedroom yet. At least sat on the sideboard I can still admire it!

18 comments:

  1. Lovely inspiration, great pics and I always like to read about the background to someone's craft work. Hope you have a good week.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great story, and a great journey of discovery for you! The wedding dress looked beautiful - so nice to see a different sort of pattern which isn't too 'floaty'!

    Have a great week,
    Alison x

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'd love to see a picture of the finished dress, because the pattern you picked looks gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I can see why you love the dress. I am amazed that you went for it - I would never have had the confidence but it seems that it paid off. Brilliant (I love the sewing machine too.)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Now I want to see the dress that you made!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I too would like to see the dress you've made, great sewing machine :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. That's wonderful ( and makes me feel better about just starting to see). Definitely need to see pics of your dress!

    ReplyDelete
  8. ha! we all want to see the dress now! :)

    that is a really lovely story and i bet you felt great wearing the dress on your special day :) x

    ReplyDelete
  9. What beautiful designs .Love these dresses.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I made my own wedding dress as well but that was back in 1979, long since bitten the dust

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great to hear where your inspiration came from. I'd love to see a picture of you in the dress you made. I made my own wedding dress but we are going back nearly 27 years now and yes it was very frothy with a long train!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a great story!I'd love to see the dress too!I love that style,so classy.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh, Helen, you can't leave it just there ! I would love to see the dress you made ! I wanted to make my own wedding dress too ( I have made clothes before), but then I saw exactly the one I wanted to make on sale in Bhs (out of all places, I know...). So, instead I made all my decorations and the flowers. Really, you got to show us the dress now - it made me all sentimental...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. it seems i'm going to have to find a pic of the dress then. Would love to see everyone elses homemade wedding items

      Delete
  14. I love your concept and your dress story! Audrey Hepburn is who I wanted to be when I was growing up but instead I had a body like Marilyn Monroe, which doesn't last as long... I too love vintage and have a collection of vintage evening bags that I am actually selling on etsy... But I still love them. I have put you on my RSS feed so will be back to visit...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oo, would love to see your bags for sale on etsy

      Delete