When Frida met Kim …..

Hi all, welcome to my June post for The Monthly Stitch which is also a contest entry for the dress competition. The focus for this month is Indie Patterns but as I have only ever sewn Indie patterns I am on familiar territory!

During the first week of Me Made May when I was managing to keep up with all the IG posts, I spotted one garment made with a fabric I found so fabulous I immediately set about tracking it down – thank you Fondant Fabrics.

Isn’t is fabulous?  Just in case you too want to buy it, here are the details:

I wish I had made a note of whose IG I saw the fabric on so that I could say a huge thanks.  My plan was to make a BHL Kim with it to wear on the last day of MMMay15 as a sort of grand finale – also coinciding with my husband’s birthday.  I made it by the skin of my teeth – sewing the bodice lining in whilst sat in bed having my early morning cup of tea on the 31st.

Regular readers of my blog Clarinda Kaleidoscope will know I have a bit of a love affair with Colette Patterns Sorbetto and usually manage to squeeze one out of my scraps.  I did things a little bit back to front this time.  After I cut out my Kim, I eeked out my Sorbetto – no pleat and made that up first.  It very quickly became a favourite.

Anyway, back to Kim.  I spent ages cutting out.  I wanted a centralised Frida on the bodice – tick.

I also wanted to do the same on the back – sadly I made a right ole booboo.  Can you spot the obvious mistake?

Retrospectively, I think it may have been too much having two centralised Fridas.

This is my third Kim; my first was for a wedding (a Flamingo Border) and the second was a fun, nautical version.  I am not known for my muslins (naughty girl) but I have made adjustments.  I chopped off about an inch from the shoulders to save them slipping down and I sewed a wider, sweeping arc for the seam allowance at the Princess seams because my boobiloobies don’t fill the bodice.   I think this is the most I have altered a garment in terms of fit.

Anyway, if I say so myself I think it is an absolute glory.  I am SO chuffed with it and plan to wear it to a number of events this summer. The Kim is a great pattern – the instructions are really clear and if you need extra help with fiddly bits, the details on the Kim Sewalong give all the detailed advice you need.

It is such a glorious day we decided to visit Parham  – an enormous country house with massive parklands, formal gardens and today, a craft fair. I thought it was a fitting location for my new, favourite dress and was delighted when one of the “crafty” ladies told me that she thought my dress was the best one she’d seen this year!

Anyway, let’s hope the sun continues to shine on us.  I think I might even have a mid week post this week, as on Tuesday I am starting a three week workshop at Sew Over it to learn how to make their new Vintage Shirtdress – can’t wait. Will close with a couple more pics from Parham but please feel free to skip if you have Frida/Kim/Clarinda fatigue!

Toodle pip,

Clarinda